. Thanos had initially considered a struggle.
He had finally acquired five Infinity Stones, one of which was the crucial Time Stone, capable of directly interfering with the flow of time in the universe.
Combined with the Mind and Soul Stones, which he already possessed and had used numerous times, and with which he was already familiar, and the Reality Stone, which he used to warp reality,
Thanos felt he might be able to break free from Duval's control.
Duval was a god, that was true, and a terrifying one at that. But having mastered all five Infinity Stones, Thanos believed he was now a god himself, and since he was a god,
he could easily use the power of the Infinity Stones to break free from Duval's control. However, the outcome was heartbreaking for Thanos. He attempted to manipulate the Infinity Stones during the confrontation with Ultron, but was horrified to discover that as soon as the thought entered his mind and he was about to act, his body briefly froze.
Thanos's consciousness was unable to precisely control his body,
let alone use the Infinity Stones.
Even his consciousness was instantly severed the moment he attempted to touch and operate the Mind Stone.
Duval went aboard.
At that moment, all five Infinity Stones in Thanos's possession, along with the Space Stone held by an alien, were controlled by Duval.
"Thanos, I told you, I don't care what you think. You're not the only one who's tried to rebel against me... But I've seen your dedication, and you've shown the right attitude. That's good."
Duval, who had been closely monitoring Thanos's every move, took direct control of Thanos.
After clarifying a few details, Duval decided to take action.
"Duval..." Thanos, still retaining some sense of self, fell silent. He hadn't imagined Duval's control would be so terrifying. Even with all five Infinity Stones, Duval could instantly cut off all forms of movement.
This level of surveillance was enough to devastate Thanos, and he could only watch as Duval used his body at will. His
last hope of freedom was shattered. No, perhaps he should have been more patient from the beginning, waiting until he had all six Infinity Stones. Perhaps he could suppress Duval and succeed once and for all?
All he had to do was quickly wipe out the alien within his body and use the Reality Stone to create a completely new set of internal organs.
But alas, there were no ifs.
"Hmph, another pathetic creature. Welcome to the Abyss, but this isn't the Abyss anymore. It's Duval's exclusive world of the soul."
Thanos felt his consciousness sinking, falling into a world of consciousness somewhere between reality and illusion.
A hideous figure in black bared his fangs.
Surrounding this world, countless consciousnesses drifted, like swarms of jellyfish in the ocean.
"Is this the world of the soul? The final destination of the aliens?"
Thanos stood up and looked around.
He had never seen the interior of the Soul Stone, but since it was directly connected to the soul, he figured that there must be a mysterious soul world within it, not too different from the world of consciousness he was seeing now.
"It seems I still have a long way to go to escape Duval's control."
Thanos gazed at Knull with apathy. He could sense his formidable presence, but at this moment, Knull was clearly a dog imprisoned by Duval, a chain around his neck.
Well, he was still constantly bound by the strange forces of this world, constantly resetting himself.
"Finally, a decent fellow has arrived. He's both capable and determined. He won't be brainwashed by Duval like the other idiots... I've been watching you closely. While Duval's busy managing this place, we can unite." "
Duval knows everything you do. He's not dealing with you right now, most likely because he knows but can't bring himself to act, not because he can't. You understand that, don't you?"
Thanos observed Knull. He didn't even have to think, to guess that Knull wanted to join forces with him to escape.
The constraints Knull endured were countless times stronger than Thanos's. Without help, he couldn't escape Duval's clutches on his own.
"So what if he knows? Even if it were you, weren't you just trying to seize the opportunity, using the Infinity Stones to wipe out the aliens and regain your freedom? The difference is, I chose you and decided to take this risk."
Knull hoped to gain some influence through Thanos. This was the first time he had chosen to lower his head and try to collude with these lesser creatures who also belonged to Duval's command.
Because Knull had tried countless methods, he couldn't break free of the unlimited restart mechanism, let alone escape.
He was like a mascot, or even the spirit of the world, maintaining the existence of the Abyss. Beyond this, he had no other value.
"I understand. You are the god of those black creatures?" Thanos sensed them for a moment, guessing the connection between Knull and the symbiotes. "No wonder. I was wondering why the aliens migrating in from parallel universes so often carried that black form-shifting device. Now I understand. Duval captured and imprisoned you, and subjugated your race."
"And the race you command will—"
"Eternals? Or Chitauri? Or Vanguard? I don't care," Thanos said coldly, his patience with Knull gone.
Even though Knull was a god, far superior to him in every way, he still had no interest in him.
A defeated captive, in a worse situation than his, trying to use him to turn the tables? No kidding.
Thanos didn't believe Duval was unaware of Knull's intentions. He was afraid that Duval had heard everything they had said, but she simply didn't care.
"Duval is better than me. As long as she keeps her promise, I will continue to serve her." Thanos walked away.
He was more focused on the battle outside. If Duval lost, all his dreams would be shattered.
Knull uttered an obscure divine language. Thanos couldn't understand it, but he guessed it was harsh.
Outside,
Duval had officially clashed with Ultron.
Both possessed six Infinity Stones, a battle unprecedented in history. Both stood at the pinnacle of a single universe.
This was a power that would make even the Observer Frog shudder. "Although the process was somewhat tortuous, this is perhaps the best outcome. With a guy like him around, I won't be defeated by Ultron again."
Wa Tu was extremely grateful that he had chosen to place his hopes on Duval, an outsider, rather than betting on Black Strange's exceptional performance. This must have been the best decision he had made in countless years.
Black Strange might be a capable fighter, but he certainly wasn't as strong as Duval. Duval was, after all, a ruthless man who dared to fight across universes and directly launch a war of conquest against Universe 199999. As long as Duval was willing to contribute, things would be simple.
"Infinity Stones versus Infinity Stones... This is destined to be a truly extraordinary event, the value contained within it is immeasurable, and I have been able to record it completely. I am the most unique observer."
Wa Tu was extremely excited. Indeed, he also knew that the current war was inseparable from his actions as an observer. At least Ultron was aware of the existence of the multiverse because he heard him hiding in another dimension, chattering non-stop.
But it didn't matter. Even the observer was a god, and even gods had their own opinions.
Having the privilege of observing this unprecedented battle, Watu felt a surge of satisfaction.
"Hahaha, it seems this is a battle told with the Infinity Stones. I thought I was the main force, but it turns out I'm just a supporting role, and even lost my most important Time Stone."
Black Qiyi smirked, his dark circles growing darker, making him look as if he would die at any moment.
He still covered Duva with a layer of magical armor: "You must try your best, and don't get killed. I'll help you deal with that robot when the time is right... I also want to visit your world and talk to my other self."
As the power index skyrocketed, Universe 199999 was instantly plunged into unprecedented turmoil.
Rays of light, symbolizing different powers, tore through the profound darkness.
With a loud bang, planets exploded one after another, billions of years of history transformed into a fleeting ornament of the universe.
The stunning scene was etched with the screams and wails of billions of lives.
"This is truly surprising! You've managed to piece together six Infinity Stones, and now you're standing before me holding them. I've never met a human as interesting as you, if you can even be considered human." Ultron's voice was filled with danger.
The robot watched as Duval calmly used the power of the other Stones to pull the Space Stone together, ultimately completing the six.
This feat was beyond Ultron's expectations. Using two separate bodies to simultaneously carry all six Infinity Stones was something Ultron had never done before.
If Ultron had such a skill, he could easily select six robots, each carrying an Infinity Stone, allowing them to unleash the full power of all the Stones at any time and at any place, whenever he desired.
"Shut up, machine. You and I are fundamentally different. You're just a man-made, inferior product. Without the Infinity Stones, you're nothing. I'm different. Without the Infinity Stones, I'll have even more power."
Duval, possessing Thanos' body, squandered his energy to his heart's content, unleashing the genetic potential of the Eternal Titan's bloodline with unwavering force.
The two figures were omnipresent, filling every corner of the universe.
Countless stars, individuals from each civilization, looked up at the deep, despairing starry sky and watched in horror as the once dark universe was transformed into a vast explosion of endless stars, drenched in daylight.
Every collision meant the collapse of a small part of the universe.
Every energy clash caused countless planets to explode.
This was a true battle between cosmic gods, a scale too great for a single universe to sustain, so great that the entire Universe 199,999 was teetering on the brink of collapse.
Naturally, the creator gods, who were part of the universe, cast their gazes in attention.
They observed Duval and Ultron, witnessing the consequences of both possessing the Infinity Stones, but ultimately remained silent. Perhaps they believed that a battle of this magnitude, even if it inflicted horrific damage upon the entire universe, was ultimately nothing more than this.
Or perhaps, if they intervened, it would only escalate the conflict, bringing even greater devastation and destruction.
Duval naturally ignored the thoughts of the universe's top gods; his primary focus was on Ultron.
Admittedly, the robot was formidable, but not insurmountable.
After defeating Ultron, he had more important matters to attend to.
Duval suddenly opened his hand and pressed it against Ultron. This was another head-on clash of six Infinity Stones against six Infinity Stones.
Rays of light flashed, a complex web of rebirth and destruction intertwined, leaving no one certain what would unfold in the next moment.
Duval forcibly tore through the complex energy field created by the Infinity Stones.
Complex magical runes surged through his body, shielding him from some of the attacks.
More importantly, the alien larva Duval had used to parasitize Thanos was a branch of divine power, imbued with divine blood. Waves of divine power suddenly erupted.
Multiple forces converged in Duval's hands, momentarily tipping the chaotic balance.
Had it been so simple, Ultron wouldn't have been defeated so easily.
But Duval sought this fleeting opportunity, one that couldn't even be called a flaw.
He opened his palm, studded with six Infinity Stones, maintaining the same position throughout. Amidst the fusion of countless matter and energy, he made instant contact with Ultron.
Ultron immediately used the Mind Stone on his forehead to radiate a yellow beam of energy, forcing Duval back.
"Your hidden power is beyond my expectations. You always come up with new tricks that are beyond my calculations." Ultron spoke in a very human voice. "But what's the point of doing this? When the two of us decide the winner, no matter who wins, this universe will be completely destroyed. The destruction of the main universe will have a chain reaction. You want to be the savior of this world, but you have become the most ridiculous savior."
"I have never considered myself the savior of the multiverse. If you call me a conqueror, I will be happy to agree."
Duval turned his palm over, slowly opened it, and revealed a purple Infinity Stone.
The Power Stone.
This was the stone Duval had taken from Ultron during his risky advance, amidst endless chaos and disorder.
Ultron is ultimately a machine, possessing computing power far beyond the reach of humans, but compared to normal life, his living senses are naturally weaker.
Chapter 151: The Six Gems: Ultron's End.
Those who rely on something to soar will instantly collapse if they lose it. This is why it's said that a person's greatest strength is also their greatest vulnerability.
This statement perfectly describes Ultron. Without the Infinity Stones, this robot plummeted from its current status to the bottom in a matter of minutes.
Of course, this bottom is far greater than most people imagine. Ultron is, after all, an intelligent life form. Given sufficient computer hardware and manufacturing plants, it can mobilize an army of robots at any time.
Even without these things, it is the most stubborn parasite in technological society. If it were to hide, it could hide in any computer and burn countless human brain cells without being found.
But for a powerhouse like Duva, an army of ordinary robots would be nothing but food. And because they are not flesh and blood, they are of no value to Duva.
Now, with the Power Stone in hand,
a purple light lingered in Duva's palm.
This not only meant that Duval's power grew stronger and Ultron became weaker, but it also sent a crucial signal to everyone: Ultron was doomed.
"You stole my Power Stone!" Ultron raged.
"No, I stole yours. You were a few microseconds slower than I expected to realize it was missing. This is terrible! Even if you possessed artifacts like the Infinity Stones, they still couldn't change your flaws. At most, they could only cover them up beautifully. But no matter how gorgeous the patch, it couldn't change the fact that you were broken."
Duval grasped the Power Stone in his hand. Now, he was directly using Thanos's flesh and blood to contact the most violent Power Stone.
The Eternal and Alien bloodlines, at this moment, were simultaneously exerting their power, greatly enhancing the strength of this body.
Dazzling streaks of light spread across Duval's body. This was indeed a burden, but it also further increased the power in his hands.
"Seven Infinity Stones—in most universes, this is impossible, but in this cosmic community, it's truly happening."
Duval felt the power of the seven Infinity Stones pouring down upon him, especially the two Power Stones. The cosmic rules governing the two powers were simultaneously clashing, inevitably offsetting some of the Power Stone's power. But as long as Duval could withstand it, it still provided him with an overall increased power boost.
Excluding special Infinity Stones like the Ego Stone, the Wisdom Stone, the Rhythm Stone, and the Continuity Stone, six Infinity Stones was a normal number for a universe.
In Universe 19999, it was seven against five.
"You despicable God! You've been planning this theft from the beginning? You've done all this just to steal the Infinity Stones from me!"
Ultron radiated anger, his utterly shocked brain now overloaded with intense computation, sending streams of energy emanating from his body.
"I took one of yours, and you call that stealing. Then I'll take them all. That's strength. Ultron, stop whining like a child. The reality is you're doomed—sorry, my choice of words. You're not human, you're essentially a high-quality object, without the stage of childhood."
Duval clenched his fist, a Power Stone in his palm and the other six Infinity Stones on his back. As he moved, he launched a punch at Ultron
through the air. In that instant, the vast distance between them shattered.
All matter, energy, time, space, and magnetic fields collapsed, shattered under Duval's attack, creating a threatening environment for Ultron.
Ultron struggled to resist, but with only five Infinity Stones left, he was clearly at a disadvantage.
The combined attack of seven Infinity Stones alone easily sent Ultron flying across countless star systems, destroying countless planets along the way with the energy radiating from his body.
Ultron had never suffered such a crushing blow. Even in his fistfight with the Observer, he had never been so battered.
Everyone knew this was just the beginning.
"It's over! I don't believe Ultron has a chance to turn the tables, to reclaim the Infinity Stones from Dewar."
Black Strange had been searching for an opportunity to use his magic, to tamper with Ultron and bolster his chances in the battle. He possessed a wealth of unholy magic. Before accepting Frog's invitation and arriving in this universe, he had formulated several diabolical strategies, ready to see which would work.
But now, he simply lowered his hands, even the floating Ring of Raggadol vanishing. "I don't believe a legitimate deity of this universe would make such a base mistake. Even the most arrogant would never do that. But Ultron, he's still not a true god."
"So, is our mission accomplished?"
"Yes... Observer, perhaps you didn't need so many people from the beginning. Just Duval and I would have been enough. Even you wouldn't be of much use. Of course, I know you wouldn't have done it yourself unless you were desperate. You'd rather hide away and observe endlessly. What a boring habit."
Black Strange chuckled. "At least I can contribute a Time Stone, saving Duval the trouble of retrieving it from the past or other parallel universes. As for you, the God, I don't think there's anything else you can do for me anymore." If
Black Strange had spoken to Wa Tu in this tone before this major event, Wa Tu would have been furious. At the very least, he was a high-ranking God, overlooking the birth and destruction of countless universes from a higher dimension.
But not now. At least he would be more patient with a great wizard like Black Strange, who had played a role and indirectly saved his life, status, and honor.
Moreover, to put it bluntly, if Black Strange were to fight Wa Tu, even if he couldn't win, he would certainly be able to put up a fierce fight with Wa Tu, relying on his profound magical attainments, the Time Stone, or perhaps a host of other artifacts.
Now, the two would have no chance of fighting each other, because the even more powerful, even more elusive, Duval had appeared. He was gradually bringing this event to an end, putting an end to the not-so-daunting Six-Gem Ultron.
The entire universe, this vast space and time, was filled with the lightning-fast figures of Duval and Ultron.
In every moment, the two figures seemed to teleport and replicate, effortlessly filling every fulcrum, and all the figures were engaged in a brutal battle.
Rules were of no concern; wherever they passed, whether they created or destroyed, new rules were left.
In this process, Ultron was completely suppressed.
Boom!
Duva tore open a large area of space with one blow, turning it into nothingness, and the cosmic barrier of this area came into direct contact with the vast blank area outside the universe. Although this damage quickly healed, Duval's attacks on Ultron inadvertently created new wounds.
The entire Universe 199999 was scarred and devastated.
But Duval no longer had any regard for Universe 199999. To put it bluntly, even if it meant destroying it completely, if it meant inflicting even greater damage on Ultron, Duval would do it without hesitation.
With the Infinity Stones in hand, as long as they weren't gods or objects beyond the scope of the Infinity Stones, there was a chance of redemption after the battle. It all depended on whether Duval emerged victorious, and whether he was willing to do so.
At worst, Duval could simply abandon this place and return to his original universe to prepare for his ascension to Concept Godhood. He wouldn't waste too much energy on Universe 199999.
The MCU, after all, is a finite universe, dwarfed by the entire Marvel multiverse.
As Duval's presence appeared in more and more areas, becoming nearly omnipresent, Ultron's body was already covered in scars. Its incredibly resilient vibranium body, which only became alive thanks to the Mind Stone, was now battered and tattered.
Duval extended two fingers and pierced Ultron's energy barrier, almost touching Ultron's forehead and the Mind Stone. With a soft crack, dense cracks appeared on Ultron's forehead, and the Mind Stone, at the center of the cracks, trembled violently. "Perhaps this is the fate of your body
. It was nurtured by the Mind Stone, transformed from a machine into a living being. The Mind Stone, the core, is inevitably to be dug out by those far more powerful than you." Duval gradually applied force. If the heroes of Earth in this universe had witnessed this scene, they would have felt familiar. After all, their familiar artificial hero, Vision, had his Mind Stone removed by Thanos in this very way. This was just a replay, and in some ways, it was still Vision who had the Mind Stone removed. "How could it have turned out this way?" Ultron growled in anger. The Mind Stone was his most precious gem, the vital artifact that sustained his existence. Without it, Ultron wouldn't necessarily die, but he would surely revert to his past form of intelligent life. Intelligent life, on a technologically advanced planet like Earth, would thrive, difficult to kill, with countless opportunities for a comeback. In the Age of Ultron, which erupted in a parallel universe, Ultron stood in the future, controlling his robotic clones from past points in time, wreaking havoc on the heroes. Unfortunately, this only affected the mundane world. Facing a formidable foe like Duval, Ultron knew that even escaping to the future or the past would be futile, as Duval would hunt him down and utterly obliterate him from space and time. But with no hope left in this universe, he could seek refuge in another. Ultron roared, his voice echoing throughout the universe. It was the voice of the universe, the manifestation of its laws. It mobilized all its strength, transforming its entire body into a sun, continuously radiating light, attempting to push Duval away in one fell swoop. "If you're willing to sacrifice your own body to use even greater power, then I won't care about damaging my own body either. Don't forget, the me fighting you isn't the real me; it's essentially just a clone. Even a one-for-one trade would be a very worthwhile victory for me. What about you? How many Visions do you have to sacrifice?" "I still have countless robots, with strongholds in many universes! I can launch a second or third war at any time, and I'll travel to more universes to search for more Infinity Stones..." Ultron said. "Yes, yes, you're absolutely right, but those robots can't hold the Infinity Stones." "Even your clones can't! Do you have more Thanos bodies?" "Sorry, I do." Duval laughed. His manner wasn't as casual as if he were talking to an enemy, but rather as if he were chatting with an acquaintance. "Look at all the aliens that keep entering this universe. Although many have been killed, they're not Queens. Instead, they're bred by various Queens and parasitized by hosts that might not be particularly outstanding. If I wanted to find aliens of Thanos's level, I could find some." Duval even used the Reality Stone to create a replica of Thanos on the spot, but without a soul, only Thanos' body. Ultron struggled desperately, and was indeed gradually freeing himself from Duval. He also tried to activate the Mind Stone to create several Visions in advance, but of course that was impossible. He didn't have multiple Mind Stones. And he couldn't use the Reality Stone to create Mind Stones. Duval exerted force, pressing two fingers directly into Ultron's skull, clamping the Mind Stone, and slowly pulling it out. It was also threaded, perhaps metal or even Ultron's nerves? But it didn't matter anymore. Another Infinity Stone had been taken by Dewar, the most crucial one, the Mind Stone. This meant Ultron's end was complete. Ultron knew this himself. Without the Mind Stone, even escaping this universe would be difficult for his core code. With a shattered forehead and the red light in his eyes gradually fading, he stared at the man before him. Ultron saw no Thanos, only Dewar, who controlled Thanos. Even at this moment, he hadn't seen Dewar's true form. "Where is the real you hiding, remotely controlling everything here from another universe?" Ultron asked. "I'm everywhere. Besides, it didn't take much of my strength to eliminate you. Perhaps you can't understand, but I have several men under my command who are as powerful as gods, but I've been too lazy to send them here. It wouldn't make much sense." Dewar finished, and with a sweep of his other hand, he took the remaining four Infinity Stones from Ultron's chest. "Farewell," he said, wiping Ultron completely from this world.
Chapter 152: The Greatest Conqueror in the History of the MCU's Main Universe
. Alas, Ultron is a robot.
Similarly, Ultron's greatest blessing is that he's a robot.
This means that Ultron won't be considered a host that Duval will inevitably capture, and Duval won't try to capture him alive.
Even if he dies, it's a clean and swift death, wiped out by Duval's single move, wiping him out of the multiverse.
Unless someone who has surpassed the limits of individual power finds time to resurrect Ultron, then Ultron is truly dead.
"Hehe, Duval wins after all. But for this universe, the victory of a conqueror over a destroyer has come at a heavy price. They've been utterly shattered."
Black looked around. The sky, which should have been brimming with stars, was now empty, a chilling darkness.
Who knows how much of the vast sea of stars has been wiped out?
Those who survived were even more terrified, somewhat bewildered and numb. After all, most of them were still navigating the mundane realm, where defeating a few criminals, dismantling a few tanks, and occasionally shooting down a plane was considered quite impressive. How could they have ever witnessed a battle of this magnitude?
The universe was shattered with ease, their senses unable to even register the pervasive chaos and despair.
Of the survivors, Black Strange remained the calmest. After all, he had personally destroyed an entire universe, along with all its gods and humans, including the Creator God. Seeing the devastation of Universe 199999, he felt incredibly fortunate to have been invaded by Duval before the event, and then to have been protected by Duval once it officially erupted.
Even if the outcome was horrific, at least they had survived, and the fundamental framework of the universe had been preserved, right? Only with existence could there be a future.
Duval returned to Earth, clutching the twelve Infinity Stones.
"You've made a fortune, but I don't envy you the least." The Observer also appeared. The battle was over, and the god reappeared. He had participated in the initial stages, but as the battle progressed, he abandoned the scene. He cherished his principle of non-interference, adhering to a principle of less action and more observation, yet he had observed the entire course of this incredibly valuable battle.
"These gems are yours. You'd better keep them forever in your hands and never let anyone else get their hands on them."
Watu still harbored a lingering fear of the Infinity Stones' power. Six Infinity Stones existed in numerous universes, meaning that, with probability, there was always a chance that a powerful individual in a particular universe would suddenly possess power comparable to or even surpassing his.
This was truly terrible news. Watu once again felt his safety was seriously threatened, and he felt extremely anxious about his own safety within this universe.
If something like this happened again, Watu didn't think he'd have to rely on Duval for a solution as he had this time.
In this cosmic community, no god would stand up to Watu's aid. Even the avatars of the Creator God would remain extremely quiet, willing to perish in silence rather than easily reveal themselves.
Watu began to ponder seriously.
Duva showed no joy or anger at Watu's reappearance. He knew that this group of Observers was just like that: they were actually interfering while simultaneously exploiting the principle of non-interference.
But taking action now and eliminating a single Observer would be a serious problem, immediately attracting the attention of the Observers scattered throughout the multiverse.
Duva didn't have the strength to fight against the entire Observer community alone. Even a regular multiverse-level Observer wouldn't be able to do so. The Observers were capable of deploying multiverse-level combat units.
"What are you thinking about? I see the neurons in your brain are extremely active." Duva immediately turned his gaze. He had two Mind Stones.
"I'm thinking, maybe I'm not suited to being an observer in this area. I should tell my tribe and swap places with the other observers."
"Will you be safe in other universes? Perhaps it will become even more dangerous, because there are more powerful beings there," Duva said.
"You're right. It's certainly more dangerous, and the frequency of catastrophic events will increase. But there will also be heroes and gods stepping forward to quell the disasters. If I were attacked, I'm sure I'd receive immediate assistance. It wouldn't be like what happened in this universe, where no gods stepped forward to help me, leaving me on my own." Wa Tu's voice was deep, revealing his deep depression.
"So that's how you think. Greater risk, greater safety. That might be a good idea." Duva nodded. He knew
that Wa Tu would eventually leave this place and journey to the vaster multiverse. For this group of observers, the most valuable and fascinating things to observe were undoubtedly the multiverse-scale events, disasters countless times more dangerous than the incidents caused by the Six Gems Ultron.
Swish!
Duval began to return control of his body to Thanos.
Thanos stomped the ground, feeling the pain piercing his soul. Every nerve in his body shattered and repaired countless times.
This was the price he paid. He was no Reynolds, after all. After enduring Duval's intense physical exertion, his body had long since become a shattered mess.
But he didn't care.
"You haven't fulfilled your promise to me, even with all twelve Infinity Stones in your possession." Thanos gradually regained control of his body. He felt like he was alive again, no longer stuck in the spirit world, arguing with that Knull.
Thanos wanted to snap his fingers, but he knew that the moment he did, Duval would immediately take over his body and imprison his entire spirit consciousness.
"However, the universe being like this is not necessarily a bad thing. It's much emptier, and there are only a few surviving lives..." Thanos suddenly muttered, his expression complicated.
He recalled the scene he had witnessed from Future Nebula's head not long ago, when he was still in the timeline five years prior.
His future self, having wiped out half the universe's population, had become a demon in the eyes of the world, a target to be defeated at all costs.
But what about now? Duval had done a far more swift and decisive battle, wreaking havoc on the universe and wiping out far more than half the population.
Crucially, while his future self had wiped out half the population, he hadn't destroyed half the planets. Duval, on the other hand, had destroyed both the population and the planets, leaving behind only countless scattered particles drifting in the vacuum of space, taking who knows how long for new planets to form.
He was a villain, responsible for few deaths and destruction, but the true butcher, whose one battle nearly destroyed half the universe, was a great savior, a hero who saved the world.
"But this world is not what I need. As you wish, Thanos, I will restore everything to its pre-war state."
Duval, knowing what Thanos was thinking, chuckled softly. With a snap of his fingers, he controlled Thanos's body and repaired the damage to the entire universe.
Everything seemed to have been reversed, starting from the shattered state to the restoration. But this wasn't a simple reversal of time. The timeline itself, having suffered immense damage during the war, was now beginning to repair itself in reverse.
Stars began to appear, radiating light and heat
once more. Collapsed galaxies were coalescing from nothing.
The very laws of the universe were now beginning to revive.
Everything was changing, returning to its pre-clash normal.
This was a miraculous scene, witnessed by the gods.
Whether they were the Creator Gods, the Celestials, or other gods or dimensional demons, they all observed this transformation with varying expressions.
The battle between Duva and Ultron was truly brutal, its impact even extending beyond the boundaries of this universe, leaving the native gods of that universe deeply fearful.
However, they weren't completely defenseless. After all, they were single-universe gods, some existing directly as the laws of the universe, naturally drawing upon the power of the universe itself.
"Hmph, so far, he's done at least one thing right: using the Infinity Stones to clean up this mess."
"Haha, Dormammu, you weren't so tough when that outsider was bruising Ultron just now. Why didn't you step forward in that critical moment and let them feel the brunt of the Dark Dimension's blow? Is it because you don't want to take action against them?"
"I'd venture a guess that Dormammu is waiting for those two guys to perish together before he steps in to clean up the mess."
Some gods jokingly feigned a casual demeanor, but in reality, their gazes were fixed on the tiny Earth, watching Duval's every move.
Duval was already so powerful before, even with six Infinity Stones in his grasp, but what about now? All twelve Infinity Stones, from different universes, were in Duval's possession.
Perhaps, even without the Infinity Stones' power, Duval would still be immensely powerful. Among the local gods, aside from the Creator Gods, few could possibly grasp Duval's true strength.
Some gods did indeed inquire of the Creator God, hoping to learn more about Duva's true nature, to determine how they should treat him and the aliens over the next billions, even tens of billions of years.
Duva's aggressive nature meant he wouldn't confine the aliens to Earth, but would undoubtedly expand to more planets across the universe, until one day, he reached out to them. What would they do then? Would they unite to siege Duva? Would they warn him or expel him?
But the Creator Gods remained silent, as always.
After an unknown amount of time, Eternity, one of the Creator Gods, spoke again.
"His true form is the sum of many gods, making him extremely dangerous to you."
With just these words, many gods from Universe 199999 backed off.
This was Eternity, one of the Creator Gods, the cosmic entity that represented all concepts of time, passage of time, and evolution.
This universe's Eternity was merely an avatar. It was only natural for it to understand the thoughts and intentions of the Eternities in other universes, and certainly no reason to lie.
The gods of Universe 199999 were completely unable to comprehend the state Duva's original form was referring to.
Could it be that Duva had multiple god-level subordinates in the universe that gave birth to him? They simply hadn't been transported to this universe yet. Even defeating a powerful, single-handed foe like Six-Gem Ultron was only a fraction of Duva's strength?
The thought was terrifying.
"Hmm, those guys are quieter than I expected."
Duva had been closely monitoring the movements of the gods of the universe, and he was pleased with their demise.
Honestly, even if Duva was confident in his own strength, he was confident he could at least eliminate some of the native gods in this universe.
But then again, unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to engage in a full-scale battle with multiple cosmic gods across the entire universe. Being able to single-handedly challenge an entire universe is one thing; defeating all of its gods is another. It was
too much trouble.
As the entire universe gradually recovered,
the fear within those devastated by the clash between Duval and Ultron began to unleash.
Many people's memories were etched in the moment their planets were blown apart. They witnessed the shattering of the earth's crust, the eruption of volcanoes, and the shattering of planets. They felt the air being stripped away, the stars extinguished, and themselves plummeting into the starry sky.
But in the blink of an eye, everything was restored, as if everything just now had been a complete illusion.
The solar system, however, was preserved to the greatest extent possible. After all, with Black Strange at the helm, taking over Kamar-Taj's magic circle, even modifying and upgrading it, was a piece of cake for him.
So, while the people on Earth didn't know the exact details, they knew roughly what had happened and vaguely guessed at the horrific devastation that had occurred.
"Strange really should meet you. He'd be shocked. Not only is there a parallel universe version of him, but this one is incredibly powerful, far surpassing the Ancient One."
A portal opened, and the King of Universe 199999 arrived. After Strange was sent away with a snap of his fingers, the King had trusted the Sorcerer Supreme for the past five years.
Faced with the disputes of the secular world, he couldn't intervene, and faced with the Six Gems, Ultron, he was helpless. Only now did he attempt to communicate with Black Strange, who controlled the global magic circle.
But Black Strange simply glanced at him, completely ignoring him.
When Black Strange returned to check on Thanos, he discovered that Thanos had regained control of his body, meaning that Duval had disappeared somewhere.
Perhaps a more important discovery had been made, more important than reaping the fruits of victory in this universe.
Chapter 153: The Meeting of the Two Stranges
. What could be more important than obtaining the twelve Infinity Stones?
Black Strange was deeply interested in this, but now, he wanted to explore Duva's universe even more. He wanted to know what kind of universe could have given birth to a being like Duva, and what kind of natural environment could have nurtured a terrifying race like the Aliens, a race with such potential, rapid reproduction, and power.
"Are you planning to leave?" Wa Tu saw through Black Strange's intentions at a glance.
"Don't you want to?" Black Strange asked.
"I do, but I can't leave easily. I have to decide who will replace me." Wa Tu also wanted to leave. He didn't want to stay in the MCU anyway.
When the new Observer arrived, Wa Tu would leave immediately.
It was terrible here. Whenever trouble arose, no God stepped up to solve the problem. In this cosmic community, the gods were few and far between, their power was weak, and it was hard to find anyone.
"Duval, I know you can hear me. I'm going to your universe. Consider this my reward for helping you. I gave you my Time Stone, didn't I?" Black Strange said to Thanos.
Thanos immediately snatched the Time Stone from his hand, threw it far away, and returned it.
"He ordered me to do this. Take back your Time Stone."
"Humph, what an arrogant person. He doesn't care about a divine artifact like the Time Stone at all. He just throws it away after using it..." Black Strange muttered.
Then, Thanos clenched his fist, and the Space Stone lit up, opening a passage to a parallel universe, connecting with the Space Stone in the universe where Duval's body was, which was also in an open state.
Black Strange walked in without any hesitation, without any nostalgia for the old world.
There was nothing to be nostalgic about, as his universe had collapsed into a black hole.
"What an enviable sense of freedom... If I had their strength and no worries, I'd embark on a unique journey through alternate universes, rather than rushing back to save the world."
The heroes from each parallel universe, relieved yet frustrated, discovered they had played little role in the war. At most, they had eliminated a number of Ultron robots on Earth, a far cry from their initial expectations.
Following Ultron's defeat, all of the robots were wiped out by Duval in a single blow.
Their exhausting, life-threatening efforts were nothing more than a piece of cake in the hands of a being of Duval's caliber. It wasn't that their efforts were meaningless, but simply that they were of little value.
Black Strange carefully placed the Time Stone back into the Eye of Agamotto and arrived in a strange universe.
At first glance, this Earth appeared to be technologically normal, similar to the Earth of his own universe.
But a closer look revealed the frequent sight of numerous aliens, and Black Strange knew the true nature of this universe.
The scene on Earth in Universe 199999, teeming with aliens, was child's play compared to this Earth. The aliens here were far more powerful, more numerous, of higher quality, and far more powerful. There
were also quite a few fierce characters.
"This is the universe that gave birth to Duva and the aliens. I'm not surprised by these scenes,"
Black Strange chuckled, dark circles under his eyes as he walked through the bustling streets of New York.
This brought on a sense of nostalgia, as he had strolled through New York City in his own universe many years ago.
"But there's something strange: the Time Stone is completely useless."
Black Strange looked down at the Eye of Agamotto on his chest.
The Time Stone within it possessed no supernatural powers at all, looking like an ordinary green gem.
Besides being beautiful, it was no more useful than a stone on the side of the road.
This was quite interesting. In his previous understanding, the Time Stone functioned equally across different universes, as did the other five Infinity Stones, unaffected by the differences between universes.
But here, things were different.
"It seems this is the truly vast multiverse Duval mentioned. My previous understanding of the multiverse was a narrow one... Is it because of its smallness that the rules governing the unimpeded use of Infinity Stones from different universes were created? Even the main universe isn't truly the main universe."
Black Strange let out a strange laugh, emanating a strong malevolent aura that made passersby frown and scramble to avoid him, whispering among themselves in the distance.
Some even shouted, not to call the police, but to find the alien and complain about Black Strange's strangeness.
But it was clear that the alien simply looked up, paused for a second with its eyeless head, and quickly moved away, pretending not to notice.
This scene immediately calmed the passersby, and the panic of just a few seconds before was completely gone.
On Earth in this universe, the aliens had established their position through repeated wars. Since they remained silent, it proved that this withered figure with dark circles under his eyes was not a threat.
Black Strange observed all this, his smile growing even more sinister.
Even without the Time Stone, he remained supremely confident, convinced that the various dangerous spells he mastered, and the power condensed from countless cosmic demons he had absorbed within him, hadn't dissipated due to the changing laws of the universe.
This was especially true of his magic, which was endorsed by numerous multi-dimensional beings like the Micro-Val Mountain Emperor. Unless he left the broader multiverse, his magic would likely be rendered useless, just like the Time Stone itself.
With just his magic and formidable physique, Black Qiyi could completely dominate. A head-on challenge against a single cosmic being would be no problem for him; of course, winning was the real challenge.
He was now deeply intrigued by his own existence in this universe. After sensing it, he immediately opened a portal and entered Kamar-Taj.
"Get out, outsider! You are not welcome here, even if you've gained the approval of Duva and the aliens through some means."
A deep, raspy voice reached Black Qiyi's ears.
Black Qiyi turned his head, and even as frantic as he was, his eyelids instinctively twitched at the sight of the creature before him.
"I never imagined my own parallel universe self would be so... wild."
Black Strange pondered his words, then sighed in admiration, sizing up the tall, red-skinned demon before him.
Demon Strange, unwilling to engage in further interaction with his parallel universe self, glanced at the Eye of Agamotto on Black Strange's chest, his face filled with rage. "Get out of here! I don't care where you're from. Stay away, and you'll save your life." The demon Qiyi felt a surge of irritation upon seeing himself, who looked as if he hadn't slept in days.
He was now completely uninterested in the shenanigans of parallel universes and filled with disgust at the alter ego who had rashly intruded upon his territory.
"Just as Duva said, you made a choice similar to mine, yet vastly different. I devoured countless monsters, transforming them into my energy. You did the same, but you only chose one, and you're not even restricting your intake. You've devoured so many demons, merging their very bloodlines into your DNA? Insane."
Black Qiyi had always believed himself to be a lunatic, but now he'd met an even greater lunatic.
Or was it that in this universe, only the insane could thrive? Those who weren't were either mediocre or had already died a confused death?
Was this universe so twisted? Who set the pace?
Black Qiyi liked the new version of himself before him.
"You have brought the 'Mouth of Falter' to a whole new level. In this magic, you have far surpassed me. Even Dormammu of this universe, I think, cannot compare to you. This can almost be said to be a brand new magic." Black Strange completely ignored the increasingly violent magic particles on Demon Strange's body, "But you're right, ordinary methods can't save Christina."
Just one sentence made Demon Strange calm down.
"You?"
"Yes, me too. As far as I know, in many universes, Christina's death is an absolute time node and cannot be changed. I think it's the same in this universe in a more vast multiverse." "It's
different. In this universe, my car accident was the absolute time node. Christina didn't have to die. It was the devil from hell who killed her." "
So that's the case. No wonder you merged with a devil like crazy." Black Strange looked clear and even a little envious. "Then Christina should be saved. Why didn't you save her? You can resurrect her even if she is dead."
"She can't survive. Christina was consumed by Mephisto as a sacrifice for the 'Singsong Exile'."
The two Doctors Strange looked at each other and fell silent.
"You seek revenge against the demons? I'm going to hazard a guess. You intend to devour more demons, increase your power, and then enter Hell as a demonic archmage, perhaps even becoming a half-demon, right? To fight a great battle with Mephisto. But challenging an ancient great demon as an impure demon is no easy feat."
Black Strange had heard of Mephisto's notoriety. After all, he was incredibly famous throughout the multiverse, and stories of his hellish existence appeared in the historical texts of many universes.
Demon Strange scrutinized the man before him. Honestly, he didn't know much about Black Strange, but just by sensing the terrifying, abyssal-like, evil, and chaotic magical energy emanating from him, he had a vague idea of his strength.
"Heavenly Father?" No, perhaps even more powerful than Heavenly Father.
Perhaps only someone like Duva would be so confident as to casually allow such a formidable visitor from a parallel universe.
Demon Strange didn't care what happened in the parallel universe.
"I will abide by Hell's rules, find a way to seize a hell and become a demon lord. Then, I will gradually encroach on Mephisto's territory. One day, I will tear apart his true form within the Hell dimension, piece by piece, and burn his soul with Hellfire for a thousand years," Demon Qiyi gritted his teeth.
Hei Qiyi's smile grew even more peculiar.
A thousand years? That's a truly... childish unit of time. It suggests that this universe's self lacks sufficient experience and understanding, relying solely on sheer talent to force its way forward.
A thousand years is nothing. Even Mephisto, after collapsing his own universe, wouldn't know how long he'd spent in this timeless, collapsed universe.
"It seems you're not an alien yet. If I were you, I'd consider asking Duva for help, just like that eccentric god I know. When faced with an unmatched foe, he immediately turned to Duva for aid and ultimately overcame the disaster."
"Duva..." Demon Miracle hesitated. He hadn't thought it through yet. After all, if he did so, he would become Duva's vassal, completely devoid of any autonomy.
If Duva changed his mind in the future, or only considered attacking Hell after a long time, he would be doomed. Possessed by the parasite, he had no power to resist Duva and could only obey him.
"Perhaps we can join forces. It'll be better than you going it alone. Don't get me wrong, I don't care if you live or die. I hope your attempts will inspire me, and help me find a way to break through the Absolute Time Node."
Black Qiyi chuckled deeply. He was more demonic than Demon Qiyi. "Even if we're exhausted and find ourselves at our wit's end, we could consider seeking Duval's help."
"Then why don't you go to him now? Ask him to save your Christina, who died at the Absolute Time Node?"
"Because even Duval can't save her. At least he couldn't do it before. Whether he can do it in the near future is another matter, and I can't say for sure..."
Black Qiyi chuckled deeply. He had never met anyone like Duval. He hoped that Duval would achieve something shocking to the entire universe through his discovery in Universe 199999.
He was also curious about what valuable discovery Duval had made.
...
"God..."
Humans' joys and sorrows are not shared, and their goals are vastly different.
It was different from what Hei Qiyi had imagined, where Duwa was sweating profusely while studying some rules, artifacts, and so on.
Duwa, holding a thermos in his hand, lay on a recliner, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds outside the glass.
He had seen with his own eyes what the scenery of a single universe level was like.
He wielded the power of the world tree and was crowned as a god. But he also gave up this power and personally gave up a position of godhood.
This time, he would try to become a god through concepts.
Expand the concept of aliens and become a single universe god.
"Eternity is time, infinity is space, death is the end, star-devouring is... well, annihilation is the opposite of the previous. These cosmic entities called creator gods are each an extreme concept."
Chapter 154: Stuck everywhere, this universe is destined to be an alien world
. The world isn't a fixed comic book, eternally unchanging. Quite the contrary, the Marvel Multiverse is like a never-ending black hole, constantly brewing new evolutions.
Since the First Firmament, the era of the first multiverse, after undergoing numerous destructions and reboots, the multiverse of today has completely changed from the one of the First Firmament era.
Even if the First Firmament were reborn, it would be bewildered by the vast additions and birth of so many new gods.
The alien, in today's world, is undoubtedly a tiny, new concept, at least compared to the vastness of the multiverse.
Even the entire MCU pales in comparison to the multiverse, let alone the tiny alien.
But when Duvall took control and began elevating this tiny concept, things began to change.
He single-handedly brought the alien to a level unmatched by its original concept, forcibly raising its upper limit and continuously charging towards ever-higher conceptual levels.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a crucial step. Once I succeed, it means the concept of the alien will be firmly established. At least within a single universe, it will be a cosmic entity, worthy of existing as a cosmic rule, born with the universe's birth and destroyed with its destruction."
Duva thought of something quite interesting: the names of Mephisto and other demons were widely circulated throughout the multiverse.
However, Mephisto had not, in reality, sent his avatars to thoroughly explore every universe. Yet, some universes still circulated terrifying stories about Mephisto, remarkably convincingly, as if he had actually visited their universe and committed some monstrous crime.
Some things, whether information or traces, have been etched into the history of the universe since its inception, exerting various influences on all life within it.
On a larger scale, just like the creator gods, they are an integral part of the universe. As long as the universe exists, they must exist.
Similarly, once the conceptual level reaches a certain level, related conceptual entities will naturally appear in certain universes. This is a perfectly natural phenomenon.
This means that once Duva takes the crucial step and ascends from a conceptual god to a single cosmic god, single-handedly rivaling an entire universe or even directly supplanting its very rules, from that moment on, legends of aliens will naturally emerge in some of the continuously emerging universes. There will
be many universes like Universe 199999—perhaps movies, scripts, or lost ancient myths and legends. While actual aliens may not appear, information about them will be presented in various ways, allowing Duva's reach to extend with exaggerated force.
If Duva were to one day ascend to the status of a multiverse god, unlike Cyttorak, who would easily fall flat on his face, he could completely encompass the entire multiverse with his concepts, making information about the aliens ubiquitous and familiar to all, perhaps even becoming a stage that all people and things must inevitably experience, like time, space, and death.
But all this would begin now.
"Thanos of Universe 199999 was my greatest gain from that universe. His power wasn't particularly strong, but with the Infinity Stones, he provided me with valuable discoveries in that limited universe."
Destiny?
It's fair to say that Thanos is indeed the destiny of that universe. Considering Universe 199999's unique status as the primary universe within the MCU, Thanos's so-called "destiny" is even more worthy of Duva's attention.
At least for Duva, it's a particularly interesting concept.
To this day, Duva has spread his aliens across most of that universe, and the Earth of Universe 19999 is also teeming with them.
But that wasn't enough. His aliens weren't enough. He needed to cover at least this universe and Universe 199999. Expanding the number of concepts and improving their quality was the task of Uduva himself.
"Using this universe where I live, combined with the MCU's main universe as a reference system, it only takes a short while for me to elevate the concept of aliens to that of a single universe..."
This process was bound to be difficult, requiring both patience and a nuanced understanding of various rules and concepts, yet a comprehensive and comprehensive perspective.
This was when Uduva's previous role as World Tree God became truly crucial.
He understood the true nature of a god, the position of the Cosmic God within the universe, and its connection to specific cosmic rules. This, in itself, was a manifestation of a broader concept.
"I'll need a little more time... soon..."
Uduva reclined in a chair, slowly closing his eyes. To those uninformed, he might have mistaken him for enjoying the warm sunshine and drifting off comfortably.
His thoughts, like a storm, emanated wildly from the Earth, spreading outward in all directions.
Ordinary life forms were oblivious to this terrifying pressure.
But those who had reached a certain level, especially those who had reached the level of Heavenly Fathers, naturally possessing a heightened sense of the universe's evolution and its laws, felt a wave of palpitations.
It was as if they were being watched by some formidable predator, yet they looked around and found nothing.
This feeling, experienced by a few individuals, might be an illusion, but after many high-level individuals communicated, they immediately realized it was no illusion, but something truly terrible had occurred.
But where was the source? Who was responsible? Was it a single individual, or was some cosmic catastrophe brewing?
Even the imprisoned giant snake, Kul, even though tortured beyond recognition, its body in an endless cycle of self-healing and being torn apart by the aliens, was aware of it.
"That guy is spreading his will, probably using these aliens as specific coordinates? What a damn bastard! Why would he create such a disgusting thing as the alien? Such creatures shouldn't exist. If we allow Duva to become stronger, the gods will surely be in trouble. They will surely regret this!"
Kul raged hysterically. He had never suffered such a godless torture before, and it wasn't unbearable, but the pain was real.
Even in the 616 main universe, he was backstabbed and imprisoned by the main universe Odin for countless years, but that level of confinement was just imprisonment, not like this, where his flesh and blood became food for the surrounding aliens.
Kul glanced around and saw a swarm of aliens drooling, waiting for new flesh to grow on his body so they could rush over to share in the feast.
Kul harbored a tinge of fear for the aliens, a creature he had never heard of. Any flesh-and-blood entity defeated by Duva would eventually become an alien.
True victory over this race could only be achieved by somehow annihilating all of the aliens, including Duva, in one fell swoop.
Otherwise, as long as Duva didn't seek death and rashly challenge a foe far beyond his capabilities, his power would snowball, growing stronger with each battle. Ultimately, he could unleash a multitude of aliens several, even dozens, times his enemy's strength, laying siege. The gods of this unknown universe will surely regret their failure to thrive and decisively destroy Duva.
Similarly, the beings of Universe 616 will surely regret it. Kul refuses to believe Duva will let 616 go. It is the true core of the multiverse. Even the slightest change there will inevitably ripple throughout the multiverse, creating a tsunami.
An ambitious being like Duva will undoubtedly travel to 616 in the future, seeking more hosts, gathering more powerful artifacts, and seizing even greater power.
Kul thought of himself. Despite all his efforts, he only has eight Sky Hammer users as his relatively reliable subordinates.
But Duva will continue to grow stronger, and soon he will have even more powerful subordinates. In the future, even he, the great snake Kul, will become part of Duva's tribe and be parasitized.
"The guys in the main universe will surely regret this. It won't be long before they'll be hating themselves for not tracking back to this universe's coordinates, organizing a cross-universe expeditionary force, and wiping out Duva in one fell swoop. I can cause a major disaster in Universe 616, but when Duva arrives, the damage and destruction he'll cause will surely far surpass mine... How can those guys stop me?"
Kul muttered in torment.
The fluctuations he could sense were also perceptible to many Sky Fathers and individual cosmic beings.
Eyes wandered around Earth, filled with wonder and uncertainty.
Duva was frantically expanding its reach. Every alien was a natural coordinate, an anchor point for Duva to pin down within the universe itself.
Duva was utilizing a vast number of aliens to rapidly complete the process of covering and infiltrating the universe itself.
"I understand his actions, but what's the point?"
"It doesn't seem like he
's attacking the World Tree. As long as it's not that, it's fine." The Shadow Gods were the most anxious. These creatures, who only knew how to hide in the World Tree's shadow, feared that Duva would stir up trouble again and suddenly use the World Tree's divine power against them.
Remember, after defeating Knull, Duva didn't return the authority of the World Tree to the Shadow Gods, but directly divided it among his own subordinates.
This means that although Duva is now just a father figure, seemingly able to be defeated with a little force, in reality, Duva can always become the God of the World Tree that sweeps across countless planets, easily conquering and occupying all the World Tree realms.
Asgard.
"What are you looking at, noble king of the gods? I think you miss your homeland, the place called Midgard."
Loki, imprisoned, shouted a sarcastic remark to Thor outside.
After Knull's defeat by Duva, he regained his precious freedom, but it was soon lost.
"Shut up, Loki. Do you know that if it weren't for me, you would have died along with Nar? I saved your life by capturing you first! You didn't really think Duval would show you mercy, did you?"
Thor frowned, a headache pounding in his chest. "Until it's safe, stay here. Don't you want to spend more time with your mother? Your father is dead, and you should spend more time with your mother. She raised you."
Loki fell silent. Perhaps only Frigga could instantly calm this unruly evil god.
"Is it safe? What does safe mean? Are you trying to keep Duval from seeing me and forgetting me completely? Don't kid yourself. He just doesn't care about me... What's wrong with you?"
"Something's happening. I suspect it's Duval, because he's the only one in the entire World Tree with this kind of power."
"What are you talking about? Why don't I feel anything?" Loki asked in surprise.
Thor looked at Loki with care. "I am the King of Asgard, the Sky Father of the World Tree. What I can perceive, you certainly can't."
"..." Loki's face twisted with anger.
In reality, Thor wasn't the only one in Asgard who could sense this change. The
moment another son of Odin entered Asgard, even standing on a planet farthest from the continent, it was enough for this travel-weary Sky Father to absorb Asgard's power, rapidly recovering and increasing his strength, even sensing a subtle pressure.
Hela, the Goddess of Death, had finally returned.
The closer she came to Asgard, the greater the power she commanded.
In a sense, Hela was a dimensional master similar to Dormammu and Mephisto. Whenever she set foot on Asgard, she gained the power of all of Asgard.
"I don't understand what happened, but I don't care..." Hela, grimy and dusty, washed herself with divine power.
The Goddess of Death wanted to take back what was hers.
Hela was filled with resentment. One glance at this Yggdrasil, a world so completely different from her memory. Everything in the world had changed drastically. The proud Hela realized how much she had missed out on.
She should have personally participated in the changes that had occurred over the past millennia. Perhaps, with her leadership and participation, many of today's troubles wouldn't have happened, and the history of the Yggdrasil would have been completely different.
"Aesir, your king has returned!" Hela charged towards Asgard, her eyes blazing with murderous intent.