"What the hell?"
As Ronan stepped through the portal, the voices of Bruce Banner and the others cried out in surprise.
Ronan shrugged calmly and turned to look at Tony Stark behind him.
"Aren't you coming through?"
"If you're not coming, I'll go ahead and close the portal."
Just as he finished speaking, Ronan swiftly ducked, avoiding a flying kick from behind. With a quick turn, he swept his leg toward his attacker's supporting leg.
Thud!
The other leg was knocked aside by Ronan's sweeping kick. Black Widow, however, reacted quickly, using the momentum of her fall to execute a flawless spinning recovery on the ground, stabilizing herself.
Tch.
Ronan clicked his tongue in slight disdain. Didn't she know that Kamar-Taj trained close-combat sorcerers? Except for that "most talented one," of course.
The one who got humiliated by a certain teenage spider on his home turf — an embarrassment to the title of Sorcerer Supreme.
"Hey, hey, calm down, everyone! We're all on the same side!" Bruce Banner hurried over to separate Ronan and Black Widow.
Tony Stark also stepped through the portal, closing it behind him.
"Is this the Sorcerer Supreme you guys were talking about? The one who seems to know a lot about you?" Black Widow's slightly raspy voice carried a tone of suspicion.
Ronan, turning around to face a perfectly intact Black Widow, suddenly felt something was off.
"Wait a second," he frowned, "Aren't you supposed to be dead on Vormir?"
Black Widow narrowed her eyes, not quite understanding what Ronan was saying.
According to the original timeline, Black Widow and Hawkeye should have already gone to Vormir. In order to obtain the Soul Stone, one of them would have to die. In the end, Natasha chose to sacrifice herself, leaving Clint behind.
Ronan had always found this strange, even when he watched the movie in his previous life. After all, to obtain the Soul Stone, one had to sacrifice a "loved one." But Clint had a family — a wife and kids. How could his "friendship" with Black Widow outweigh the love for his family?
And now, Black Widow was standing here alive?
"What do you mean I'm supposed to die on Vormir? What are you trying to say?" Black Widow asked, her expression puzzled.
Ronan raised an eyebrow. "So, how did you get the Soul Stone?"
In Ronan's understanding, they should have learned from the Red Skull that one had to sacrifice someone they loved to obtain the stone. So one of them — Hawkeye or Black Widow — had to die.
With Natasha standing here, did that mean Clint had died? Unless something else happened...
"When we arrived on Vormir, there was a man in a black cloak with a hood," Black Widow began, her face thoughtful as she recalled the event. "He asked our purpose, and after we answered, he handed us the Soul Stone. He also said some strange things."
Wait a minute! He just handed them the Soul Stone? What did that mean?
"What did he say?" Ronan's eyes lit up, eager to hear more. This was where the plot had changed, and things were getting interesting.
"He said he was making up for a past mistake. If it weren't for him, the future might not change. Those who should live wouldn't die."
"After saying that, he disappeared."
This statement made Ronan ponder deeply. Making up for a past mistake? What did that mean? If this mysterious figure could acquire the Soul Stone, it implied they had previously sacrificed a loved one — or were powerful enough to bypass the rules of the Infinity Stones altogether.
What was this person's motive in helping Natasha and Clint?
"Interesting..." Ronan stroked his chin, considering the possibilities.
"Alright, we'll discuss this later," Tony Stark cut in, snapping out of his earlier shock. "We've gathered all six stones, but we still need something else."
"The gauntlet," Banner added, realizing the next step.
"So, I need someone to help me remember the exact design of that gauntlet," Tony continued, turning to the noticeably heavier Thor. "Thor, can you help with that?"
Thor nodded; after all, the gauntlet was an Asgardian artifact, and he had some memory of it.
With that, the group hurried toward the lab, ready to proceed with their plan. Although Ronan couldn't quite understand how these people were using science to solve a mystical problem, he decided to just observe for now.
"Well, the smart ones are off doing their thing," Captain America exhaled lightly and gestured to Ronan, "Care for some food or a cup of coffee?"
Ronan nodded, "Sure, I'll have a coffee. No cream, no sugar."
As he agreed, Ronan shifted his gaze to Black Widow standing nearby.
Hmm... Interesting... he thought, clearing his throat.
Meanwhile, Black Widow stared right back at him. After all, Ronan was the outsider in this group and also held the most important piece — the Time Stone.
"Can you help me with something?" Ronan suddenly asked.
"Help you?" Black Widow raised an eyebrow. "With what?"
"Can you recall everything you saw on Vormir? You don't need to tell me, just remember it," Ronan replied, holding out his right hand.
Black Widow instinctively stepped back, uncertain.
Ronan raised an eyebrow and then, under her gaze, placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Okay, now just focus on your memory of what you saw: the surroundings, the people, or how you felt at the time," Ronan guided her, and slowly, fragments of her memory surfaced.
As the others watched with curiosity, small golden sparks began to form in front of Black Widow. Soon, those sparks expanded into a full circle.
When Natasha opened her eyes again, the scene of Vormir appeared before her.
She turned to Ronan in shock, who merely shrugged.
"If something's unclear, it's better to ask in person," Ronan said casually. "Leaving things on a cliffhanger isn't a good habit."