novelonline Chapter 2336
Chapter 2336
Chapter 2336
"Ms. Sif...when was it..."
"A warrior from Asgard asked tremblingly."
He hoped that the only remaining deity present who could still speak could offer him an explanation.
To be honest, this feeling is really awful. It's like being a mouse under a cat's claws, knowing you're going to die but unable to move. That instinct from the depths of your soul makes it impossible for the proud Asgardian warriors to muster even the slightest thought of resistance... This powerlessness and fear is a completely new experience for many Asgardians.
But nobody likes this thing!
"I don't know..." Sif wasn't much better off.
Before Eternity came into existence, Sif didn't believe anything in this world could make her lose her courage. That's just how Asgardians are; you could call them reckless, you could call them stubborn, but they are undeniably courageous.
Back when they fought the Dark Elves, many Asgardians knew that those skinny little sprouts on the other side were incredibly terrifying, and that fighting them would truly mean death. The worst part was that these people were also insane; they took pleasure in slaughtering and torturing their enemies… Yet, the Asgardians didn't even flinch and charged forward with shouts and yells!
Death has never been able to frighten the Asgardians!
The last time Hela and Surtur descended upon Asgard, wasn't that terrifying enough?
Asgard had previously issued an evacuation alert, yet Asgard still suffered a large number of casualties!
why?
Because most Asgardians rejoice at the mere mention of war, an alarm? What alarm? That's the bugle call to charge!
So countless warlike Asgardians, shouting and yelling, charged at the two monsters with their weapons, only to die on the spot.
Killing an Asgardian isn't actually that difficult; many things in the universe can do that. But to make an Asgardian lose their courage? That would probably be the biggest joke of Asgard!
Nobody will believe it!
But now, this has actually happened!
How do you describe this feeling?
Just like megalophobia in humans!
Standing at the foot of a colossal statue, the sense of oppression isn't cowardice, but a survival instinct etched into our DNA. Scientists have discovered that nearly one-third of people experience anxiety when faced with massive objects; this is a self-protective mechanism where the brain equates "oversized" with "danger." Interestingly, this fear is also a survival skill left to us by our ancestors, keeping modern people vigilant when facing tall buildings and machinery.
Imagine this: You're standing at the foot of a colossal statue tens of meters tall, looking up at it. The enormous face seems to be coldly staring at you, and a sense of oppression instantly surges from the soles of your feet to the top of your head. Your heart races, your palms sweat, and you even want to turn and run.
Don't panic, it's not that you're timid, it might be that your "megalophobia gene" is acting up. This condition sounds mysterious, but it actually has a scientific basis. Today, let's talk about why some people tremble with fear when they see skyscrapers, giant sculptures, giant ships, or even super-sized whales.
In 2010, the American journal *Frontiers in Psychology* published a study in which a group of volunteers were shown pictures of various enormous objects. Nearly one-third of the participants exhibited significant anxiety reactions, with some even experiencing shortness of breath. Scientists discovered that this phenomenon is inextricably linked to human evolution. When our ancestors wandered in the wild and suddenly saw a giant mammoth or a bear as tall as a small tree, their first reaction was undoubtedly to run for their lives; survival is more important than saving face. This awareness of enormous objects is ingrained in our DNA; it's just that modern humans encounter "beasts" made of reinforced concrete. At this point, you might ask: why are some people terrified while others find it incredibly awe-inspiring? This requires delving into the brain's "fear switch"—the amygdala. This thing acts like an alarm; once a threat is detected, the body immediately enters battle mode. Neuroscientists at University College London discovered that the amygdala of megalophobia patients is much more active than that of ordinary people, especially when seeing enormous objects; brain scans showed that their fear areas were as bright as neon lights on New Year's Eve. Interestingly, the same group of people showed no reaction to objects of normal size. Simply put, it's not that the objects themselves are frightening, but rather that the brain automatically equates "oversized" with "danger." Going deeper, psychologists have discovered a key point: a sense of loss of control. Imagine standing next to a cruise ship hundreds of meters long; a human's small frame is like an ant. If this behemoth were to move, we would be powerless to resist. This sense of powerlessness triggers deep-seated fears. In 2007, the Technical University of Munich in Germany conducted an experiment where participants stood in front of a virtual giant robot. More than half experienced intense discomfort, with some saying, "I feel like it could crush me at any moment." Scientists explain that the human desire to control the environment is written in our genes; once we feel the situation is out of control, our hair stands on end. However, megalophobia isn't entirely without its benefits. A research team at McGill University in Canada suggests that this reaction might be a "protective mechanism." If ancient humans had simply stood there admiring a colossal creature, they would have been fossilized long ago. While modern humans don't need to dodge mammoths, their instinctive vigilance towards skyscrapers, cranes, and giant machinery helps them avoid potential dangers. For example, construction workers' general caution towards heavy equipment is, to some extent, an evolutionary survival skill. As for why some people are particularly afraid of statues, there's a visual trap involved. Visual perception experts at the National Institutes of Health in the United States have discovered that man-made giants often exhibit the "uncanny valley effect." Simply put, a Statue of Liberty tens of meters tall looks magnificent from afar, but if you get close and stare into her eyes, the enlarged pupils and stiff smile trigger the brain's "non-living threat alarm." Waseda University in Japan also conducted an experiment showing volunteers different sizes of facial models; models over three meters tall caused discomfort in 80% of the participants because the brain misinterpreted it as "a static giant."
That said, is this really a problem? The Karolinska Institute in Sweden developed an "exposure therapy" approach, where patients start by looking at small-scale models and gradually transition to real, massive objects. One case was particularly amusing: a guy who used to be afraid even of Christmas trees in shopping malls started playing with a Lego Eiffel Tower model, and six months later he was able to calmly take a selfie under the real tower.
However, experts also remind us that being a little afraid of giant objects isn't a problem as long as it doesn't affect your life. After all, humanity's awe of the enormous is, to some extent, a clear understanding of nature. Finally, let's be practical: if you feel weak in the knees at the sight of a giant Ferris wheel, think of it this way: it means your ancestors had maxed out their escape skills, allowing you to be here today scrolling on your phone. Besides, fear and awe are twins. Look at those people who specifically go to watch rocket launches, trembling and screaming—isn't it all about the thrill of being both afraid and excited? Science has long stated that humanity's complex feelings towards giant objects are essentially a self-protection exercise spanning millions of years.
The Asgardians didn't seem to have this problem, but now they do.
Sif felt terrible.
Of course, they were afraid, but Eternity seemed to have no interest in their existence whatsoever, simply sitting there quietly.
As a result, some people began to stir.
"Do you think... we could ask the God of Eternity for a wish?"
"Shut up! You're dreaming! The best thing to do right now is to keep that... Eternal God from noticing us! Do you understand?" Some people are bold, while others are cautious.
"What's there to be afraid of! A single glance from someone could kill us. Is it a question of whether we're afraid or not? Besides, what's the harm in trying? At worst, we'll just die!" someone retorted stubbornly.
"Pah! If you don't let your legs shake when you say that, I'll believe you!"
"Who's shaking! I'm just... I'm just hungry! Yes! Hungry! I haven't eaten since this morning!"
Asgardians, they'd rather lose face than admit defeat.
You can't just verbally admit defeat.
"Shut up! All of you shut up!" Sif had no choice but to step in and take charge.
Damn, this group of people is so hard to manage.
They're all like problem children.
It's one thing for them to do something stupid, but Sif can't really just watch them do it!
The Altar of Eternity is eerie in itself; it's impossible to make a wish there. Who knows how Eternity will grant your wish?
After saying that, Sif looked at Eternity.
Before it, Thor and Gol were locked in a fierce battle.
They were completely unaware that the environment had changed and eternity had arrived.
……
Legend has it that Eternity is a cold and indifferent god.
He doesn't care about anything in the universe, or rather, he doesn't feel any emotion towards any particular individual. No matter how evil a person is, he won't be angry; no matter how kind a person is, he won't like them. The birth and death of all things are merely fleeting clouds in his eyes. The only thing in the entire universe that he cares about is the universe itself, which is himself.
The legend isn't entirely wrong, but it's not entirely wrong either.
Eternity is indeed indifferent most of the time; he only cares about the universe itself.
But that doesn't mean it's some product of ignorance or lack of knowledge.
In reality, eternity possesses a self and also emotions.
It even has hobbies.
In fact, each of the five gods has its own personality.
Death, seemingly indifferent, is actually the most active of the five deities. She deeply loves her duty and genuinely admires death, welcoming it in any form. She is the source, creator, and manipulator of all souls in the multiverse. She represents the manifestation of the concrete forms of death for all life in the multiverse. The creator deity symbolizing death possesses infinite power, able to manipulate death at will, capable of killing or resurrecting almost every being in the multiverse, and creating/destroying/manipulating the souls of all life in the multiverse. She/he/it possesses countless powerful abilities, nearly omnipotent to ordinary people, granting unimaginable power.
She will favor those individuals who can cause countless deaths.
For example, Thanos.
In fact, there has always been a legend in the universe that Thanos was favored by the god of death.
Otherwise, Thanos wouldn't be so powerful!
After all, compared to his own kind, Thanos was indeed more powerful than imagined. It's hard to imagine that the race that gave birth to Thanos would actually become extinct!
Thanos has been wreaking havoc for so long, and no one has been able to stop him.
If there's no explanation behind this, no one will believe it.
Even more interestingly, this is true! The god of death did indeed favor Thanos!
Because his ideas about death were just too interesting.
I have witnessed countless deaths, but among them, killing is the most intense.
Predatory behavior is an adaptive behavior developed by animals during evolution. It exists both in interspecific relationships between predators and prey and manifests as a special form of intraspecific competition. When faced with resource scarcity or environmental pressure, adult animals of the same species may deviate from conventional interaction patterns and regulate population density through lethal attacks. Selective attacks against newcomers are common in social mammals, a phenomenon closely related to territorial protection and resource allocation. Some species have evolved ritualized actions and reconciliation mechanisms to reduce the risk of substantial harm through specific behavioral signals.
This is nature's slaughter.
There is also another type of human-caused killing.
"Some say that we inherited the tendency to wage war from our animal ancestors... war and all other forms of violence are genetically programmed and imprinted on human nature... humans have a 'violent brain'... these claims are scientifically incorrect."
The words above, which still resonate today, come from the Seville Declaration against Violence. Proposed in 1986 as part of the United Nations International Year of Peace by 20 of the world's leading naturalists and sociologists, and subsequently adopted by UNESCO, the declaration aimed to counter the pessimistic view that "violence and war are unavoidable features of human life." In the two decades that followed, a growing number of psychologists, neuroscientists, and anthropologists began gathering evidence to interpret all aspects of antisocial behavior (including violence and murder), requiring research into the brain, genes, and evolution, as well as the societies shaped by these factors. Meanwhile, historians, archaeologists, and criminologists began arguing that humans in the past lived in more violent environments and were more likely to die from murder than humans do today. However, the significant decline in violence over such a short period is hardly convincing if attributed solely to natural selection. While killing may be an instinct developed through human evolution, given the right environment, humans could also evolve to coexist peacefully.
Just two years after the Seville Declaration on Violence was published, Martin Daly and Margo Wilson from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, published *Murderers*. This book became one of the foundational textbooks for a new discipline (or at least a radically different one)—evolutionary psychology. Daly and Wilson, drawing on animal behavior, anthropology, and patterns of violence and murder in modern society, published a report interpreting various homicide patterns from an evolutionary perspective. In their report, while they argued that "violent tendencies are inherent in the human brain and consciousness," they also asserted that "generally speaking, killing is not a result of evolutionary selection, but rather an unintended consequence of the eagerness to achieve a goal."
Generally speaking, the act of killing is more a product of personal needs.
But Thanos is not.
He did this not out of his own need!
Rather, he foresaw a terrible future, and in order to prevent that future from happening, he used terrible methods!