After fully enjoying Xandar's luxuries and beauty, Max returned to his ship, ready to complete his next objective.
Malaika stood beside him as he gave his next command.
"Malaika, set course for Vormir."
She nodded. "Understood, Master. Setting coordinates now."
With a low hum of energy, the ship's warp drive activated.
In mere moments, the Dark Elf mothership vanished into hyperspace—its next destination: Vormir.
Nova Prime, sitting in her office, watched as Max's ship left planet Xandar without causing any trouble.
"Phew… so he really was just a traveler," she sighed in relief, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Though, if he ever comes back…" she muttered, unable to shake the lingering unease as she watched the departing ship vanish into the depths of space.
Max's ship soared through hyperspace, streaks of light flashing past as they closed in on their destination—Vormir.
Inside the command deck, Max leaned back in his chair, staring at the swirling void beyond the viewport. "Almost there," he muttered.
Malaika stood beside him, her arms crossed. "Master, are you certain about this? The Soul Stone demands a sacrifice—How do you know this?"
Max smirked slightly. "I just know the rules, Malaika. That's why we went to Xandar first." His gaze shifted to the containment field at the side of the ship, where a figure lay unconscious—a notorious Xandarian criminal, bound and awaiting his fate.
Malaika nodded but remained silent.
As the ship's AI chimed in, announcing their approach to Vormir, the dark, eerie planet came into view. Its surface was bathed in an ominous purple hue, and jagged cliffs jutted out from the barren land.
Max exhaled. "Let's get this over with."
The ship descended, touching down on the desolate surface. As Max and Malaika stepped out, a chilling wind greeted them, carrying an unnatural silence.
Then, from the shadows, a hooded figure emerged.
"Welcome, seeker of the Soul Stone," a deep, haunting voice echoed. "To claim it, you must give that which you love."
Max met the figure's gaze, unbothered. "Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Let's get to it."
The figure-Red Skull, stepped aside, revealing the edge of a steep, unforgiving cliff. "Then proceed… and make your choice."
Max nodded, dragging the bound criminal forward. "No hard feelings, buddy."
The prisoner's eyes widened in horror as he realized what was happening. "W-Wait! You can't do this! I don't even know you!"
Max shrugged. "Exactly, I will feel as if I don't know you."
With a final push, the man screamed as he plummeted into the abyss. The air fell deathly silent.
Then, a powerful orange glow enveloped the area. The Soul Stone rose from the depths, floating toward Max's outstretched hand.
As his fingers closed around it, a strange sensation washed over him—an indescribable stillness, as if the universe itself acknowledged his sacrifice.
Malaika watched carefully, sensing something off. "Master… did you feel that?"
Max clenched his fist, feeling the immense power of the Soul Stone merge with his being. He smirked. "Yeah… but it doesn't matter. We've got what we came for."
With the fifth Infinity Stone in his possession, only one remained.
"Master, what should we do now?" Malaika asked as Max looked at the stone in his hand.
"Nothing. Let's go back to Earth," he said, and she nodded.
As Malaika set the coordinates for Earth, the ship's engines roared to life, preparing for the journey through hyperspace. Max leaned back in his seat, casually tossing the Soul Stone in his hand.
With five Infinity Stones now in his possession—Space, Power, Mind, Reality and Soul—he was closer than ever to wielding ultimate power. Only one remained: the Time Stone, guarded by the Sorcerer Supreme on Earth.
Malaika glanced at him. "Master, do you plan to retrieve the Time Stone next?"
"nope, there is no need for now" he said as she nodded.
Max lay on his bed, staring at his system interface.
"Hmm, what world should I explore next?" he mumbled.
"Thanos will come eventually," Max mused. "If not for the other stones, then definitely for the Mind and Space Stones." He was well aware that the Mad Titan would be drawn to Earth sooner or later.
For now, though, he had no reason to rush things.
"Hmm, but instead of waiting, why not explore other worlds?" he muttered, swiping through his system to check the list of available worlds he could now afford to travel to.
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he browsed the options. A whole universe of possibilities lay before him.
"Hmm, I've had enough of apocalyptic worlds. I need a drama-filled yet fun and abnormal world," Max thought as he browsed his options.
Two worlds fit the category—a classic MMORPG world, filled with adventure, fun, and a mix of normalcy.
"Wait… Can I just idly log into those games from this world?" he asked the system.
[ No. ]
"Well, damn it," he muttered in disappointment before checking the next option.
"Hmm… if I remember correctly, The Vampire Diaries also has a lot of fun elements," he mused, considering it as the next destination.
"Master, we have arrived," Malaika's voice sounded as she notified him.
"Whatever, I'll check it later," Max mumbled, closing the system interface as he gazed out the window.
Home sweet home, he thought as he sighed, looking at the planet Earth.
"Let's just go in. The cloaking system should be enough to hide us," he said as she nodded and began to descend into the planet's atmosphere.
As the ship descended through Earth's atmosphere, Max leaned back in his seat, eyes narrowed. The familiar feeling of being back on the planet stirred something in him—nostalgia, maybe? Or was it just the familiarity of its energy?
Malaika guided the ship smoothly toward a secluded area, far from the bustling cities and prying eyes. A few minutes later, they were on the ground, hidden in a dense forest far from civilization.
"Alright, we're here," Malaika said, turning off the ship's engines. "Now what, Master?"
"What else? Let's go home," he said, storing the ship in his system inventory and then creating a portal leading to his home.
***
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