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What kind of person was Red Skull?
He wouldn't fly into a rage over Arthur's trash talk. Instead, he asked, "All these years, I've been wondering: What made you fight me in the first place?"
"...For world peace!"
Arthur rolled his eyes in irritation. Was this really the time to talk about that?
If it weren't because he needed this guy to lead him to the Soul Stone, he would've drawn his great sword long ago and sent him straight off on a one-way sightseeing trip to the skies!
"Those kinds of words can only fool three-year-old children," Red Skull said. "You're not the same as that guy in tight clothes carrying a shield. I can feel it. You're not a hero, you're selfish! That's why, all these years, I've kept wondering: If I hadn't made that plan back then, if I hadn't intended to blow up the entire world, would I have faced a different ending?"
Arthur fell silent for a moment at those words. If things had gone that way, would he have still boarded that plane?
Probably yes.
After all, boarding that plane had never really been his choice; it was the result of a series of coincidences and twists of fate.
Once reality forced him into that position, there was no room to change things. Whether he wanted to or not, fate's arrangement left him with only one option: to take action.
But at that moment, Arthur said, "That's because, from the beginning, I ended up on your blacklist."
Yes. Tricked by Agent Carter into doing one thing, he'd ended up on Hydra's blacklist, and from that day on, all kinds of events seemed to become more "pure"… or perhaps even more impure.
If he could start over, what would he do?
Arthur didn't know. But he wasn't confused either because his goal had always been clear.
Sweep away all the monsters and demons, and finally welcome the arrival of the big boss. At the end, things would be simple: Take Lily and travel the world, Earth, the universe, the ends of the seas, and the edges of the sky.
But what about Natasha?
A trace of melancholy crept into Arthur's heart.
Honestly, he knew this made him a pretty awful person... textbook scumbag behavior.
And yet, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
His thoughts abruptly came to a halt when they drifted this far.
He was in Vormir. Walking ahead of him was Red Skull. The Soul Stone awaited him. He had no time for these inner distractions; otherwise, the Soul Stone might take advantage of his mental lapse!
With this in mind, he decided to ignore whatever Red Skull said next.
"A blacklist can be erased. There's nothing that can't be changed. Especially now, if we can leave this place together and start over, there's still so much we can do!"
Red Skull continued, "Look at this universe. Look at this world, it's too magnificent, too vast, too boundless! Endless mysteries and wonders. A mere Earth simply cannot be our battlefield! At most, it can only be a rear base. Let's work together to turn Earth into the most terrifying base in the universe! Then, we will face the entire cosmos and wage war! Conquer cities, seize territory, and display Hydra's splendor! Let us..."
His words abruptly cut off with a sharp click.
Something cold and hard was pressed firmly against the back of his head.
"It's not the same as what we agreed on," Red Skull sighed. "I really hoped things wouldn't end up like this."
"No one agreed on anything beforehand," Arthur said calmly. "So I hope you can calm down and steady yourself. The two of us aren't old friends reuniting after years apart; we're enemies."
He continued, "From the beginning, we've always been on completely different paths. From the beginning, it was destined that we could never shake hands and make peace. Forgive my bluntness, but the gap between us is simply too great! Either you shut up right now and take me to the Soul Stone, or I kill you on the spot!"
"All right," Red Skull said, raising both hands. "That's unfortunate."
"I'll let you keep that regret until the moment you lose it completely," Arthur said as he withdrew his pistol.
…
…
Arthur's warning apparently worked. For the rest of the journey, Red Skull didn't cause any trouble. He obediently led Arthur onward, crossing mountain after mountain. Snow drifted down from the sky, yet little of it accumulated on the ground.
"This is a damned hellhole," Red Skull said. "Cold, hunger, loneliness... I really hope you get to experience this kind of life too."
"I have," Arthur replied, gazing into the distance. It looked exactly the same as in the earlier "illusion."
Then, he saw Red Skull point ahead. "It's right there."
An extraordinarily unusual-looking platform!
Arthur focused his gaze and followed Red Skull forward until they reached it. Red Skull turned around, smiled, and said, "The Soul Stone is right here. But if you want to obtain it, I'm afraid it won't be that easy. So, question time begins. Tell me, what kind of place do you think this is?"
"I have someone I love deeply, but I don't intend to sacrifice them," Arthur said. He bypassed Red Skull and stepped to the edge of the altar. He took a deep breath.
At that moment, it seemed there was no other choice.
"I know you're here!"
Arthur spoke up. "The moment I entered your field of vision, you locked onto me. I don't think you need to deny that. Now, there are two paths in front of you. Open that door and come into my arms. Or, you can make an enemy of me and let an immortal being hate you from this day forward. I'll add 'grind you to ashes' to my schedule. Is that what you want?"
"..." Red Skull was completely dumbfounded.
What the hell is this?
Are you seriously planning to use your silver tongue to persuade the Soul Stone?
Is this just a joke?
Red Skull felt like his brain was malfunctioning. A strange sense of absurdity rose from his heart. Yet, before he could process it, a peculiar fluctuation rippled through the empty space before them.
His pupils shrank violently.
"That's impossible!" He murmured to himself. Could someone really obtain the Soul Stone without sacrificing anything, just by speaking?
There was no reason for something like this to happen.
Arthur was just as stunned. Honestly, this had only been a test.
He didn't think his threats would work. After all, he was facing a gemstone, not a person. Even though he knew the Soul Stone had a ravenous, deranged soul, he had never believed it could be communicated with.
He thought that if the Ancient One and Odin could perceive his extraordinary nature, perhaps the Soul Stone could as well.
Might saying a few words create some kind of turning point?
Even a tiny opening would be enough for him to take further action calmly.
But now...what exactly was going on?
"Talk no Jutsu: Persuasion of the Stone Technique?"
Arthur felt utterly bewildered.
(End of Chapter)