The rotten wanderers are returning.
Man-eating demons have entered Asgard.
The former heir to the throne is on his way back.
As the world of Asgard continues to undergo subtle changes, Thor becomes aware of these strange movements.
Soon, Loki also vaguely senses something is amiss.
"Am I mistaken? Some strange changes seem to be occurring on the continent of Asgard, like a signal? I don't remember Asgard being alive."
Loki frowned. His first thought was that Duval was responsible, the same incomprehensible behavior Thor had sensed, intensifying it to the point where he could even detect it.
But Loki soon realized that this was not the case, as the subtle changes were occurring on Asgard itself.
This ancient, round continent.
"It's not Duval, but I still don't understand what's going on,"
Thor said with a serious expression. As King of Asgard, he immediately began to investigate.
Frigga came over.
"No need to check, I already know who it is." Frigga hesitated, then said with a complicated expression, "If I'm not mistaken, your sister has returned." "
???"
"Sister? I have a sister? How could I not know! Father gave me so many instructions before his death, but he didn't tell me I had a sister who was still alive."
Thor's pupils trembled. In an instant, his super-brain conjured up countless possibilities. Words like illegitimate daughter bombarded his mind frantically.
"Before you were born, your sister Hela was your father's favored and most important warrior. She followed him on his campaigns and made great contributions in Odin's conquest of the World Tree."
"Then why did she appear only after your father's death? In the past thousand years, I have never heard of Hela, nor have I seen any historical records of her."
"Because your father sealed her away himself. He believed your sister to be extremely dangerous and warlike."
These words silenced Thor.
Warlike?
Who in the Nine Realms doesn't know that Odin himself is a war-monger obsessed with conquest? So much so that Thor, the God of Thunder, who was raised by Odin, is also extremely bellicose, enjoying leading his armies to madly subjugate countless planets across various worlds.
Had it not been for his trip to Earth and his encounter with Dua, where the overwhelming disparity between them awoke him to the harsh reality of reality, he would likely still be a warmongerer obsessed with violence and slaughter.
Now, his beloved mother has revealed that the war-mad Odin has sealed away an even more bellicose individual—his sister? This is truly a deluge of information.
Thor couldn't imagine the depths of his kin, a blood relative he'd never met, that would be so unbearable to even a man of Odin's temperament, forcing him to resort to sealing.
"Her name is Hela? I've studied extensively, and I've never come across any record of that name. What deity is she?"
"Hela, the Goddess of Death."
"Death..." Thor's expression darkened. Judging solely by her divine duties, the Goddess of Death is far more sinister than even he, the God of Thunder.
"Now that she's back, as King of Asgard, I will go to greet her. No matter what she's done, she's one of our family, and should be accepted as part of the clan." Thor was still happy.
Frigga's expression was complicated. "Thor, I'm afraid she hasn't come back to acknowledge her kin, but to seek revenge."
"Revenge? Hela hates my father for sealing her away? My father is gone, so who is she seeking revenge on? Us? We haven't provoked her in the slightest."
Thor was about to say that such impulsive behavior was foolish, that taking out her anger on others was simply foolish. But then he thought again, remembering how he had launched an attack on Jotunheim years ago without authorization, which had angered Odin. Before being stripped of his divine power and exiled to Midgard, he had even insulted Odin on the spot.
He had been such a jerk, and he had only stripped Odin of his divine power and taught him a lesson. He wouldn't be sealed away like Hela, and all traces of her existence erased.
Thor's thoughts began to sink in, and he began to realize just how much of a scoundrel Hela was. She was definitely even more wicked and unreasonable than he had been in years past. The thought gave Thor a headache.
"Don't worry, Mother. I've figured out a solution. Nothing is impossible for a child of Odin. If she wants revenge, I'll defeat her and bring her back. I don't believe she's stronger than I am now, isolated from the outside world after all these years! This world is definitely no longer what she understands."
Had this sister escaped a few years ago, Thor, armed only with Mjolnir, would never have been able to defeat Hela.
But now, after years of waiting, the entire Yggdrasil world had been transformed beyond recognition, driven by the man named Duval.
Even the almighty gods of the universe had been repeatedly defeated within the Yggdrasil realm, fleeing or perishing. Thor was confident he was fully capable of dealing with Hela.
"Hela is different from you. The source of her divine power is somewhat unique..." Frigga warned.
Shortly after, there was
a loud bang, and a torrent of thunder and lightning erupted. Thor, Stormbreaker in hand, rushed out of Asgard, gazing into the distance.
He saw a slender figure approaching rapidly. The closer it got to Asgard itself, the stronger its divine power grew.
It exuded an aura of ultimate death, naturally suppressing all living things wherever it moved. Even the slightest use of divine power made people instinctively want to stay away.
"Hela, I just learned about your situation. I'm here to take you home," Thor said cautiously.
"Are you here to take me back, or to capture me? Your disguise is as hideous as your weapon. But it's not Thor's hammer you're wielding. It seems the rumors are true; you can't even keep your hammer; it's been taken from you."
Hela gracefully stroked her forehead, using her divine power to create a new outfit. With a flick of her hands, two night sky swords materialized. "Say hello, brother! You've taken what's mine—the throne of Asgard. It was mine, a well-earned reward for my years of service to Odin."
With a swish,
Hela hurled several night sky swords, only to be swatted away by Thor's Stormbreaker just before they struck.
This was the first time Thor had ever seen such a weapon.
"Your time has passed. I am the King of Asgard. I will give you a chance to submit to the new king!" Thor said gravely. "I forgive your offense. We are family." "Family? You clamour for kinship, yet you force submission by pressing down on others' heads. You're truly Odin's son, always revealing your ego. Even though he's dead, he's not truly dead because of you. It truly disgusts me."
The two sons of Odin engaged in a fierce battle.
Thor was stunned from the moment they began. Hela's power was beyond his imagination, and she was growing stronger.
"Mother is right. All of Asgard is the source of your power..."
Thor swung his axe, sending Hela flying with overwhelming force. But a headache gripped him. As King of Asgard, he was effectively battling the entire continent. This sense of detachment, magnified to the level of divine power, was truly excruciating.
It wasn't that he couldn't win, but that he was limited.
Thor immediately mobilized the power of Odin within him, unleashing it in an endless stream, covering the entire continent of Asgard. At the same time, he used his authority as a God-King to strip Hela of her divine power.
Just like when Odin stripped him of his divine power.
It was indeed effective, but it took time.
With divine power surging, the two engaged in a fierce battle in outer space on the continent of Asgard. The situation was gradually changing, and Thor quickly overpowered Hela.
With the power of Odin and the authority of the God King, there was no reason for him to lose to Hela.
"You are almost catching up with Odin back then, being able to use his Odin power to this level in such a short time. However, as strong as you are, you are not a lackey in the world tree. No matter how powerful you are, you can never compare to him. When he was conquering the world tree, he was not as obedient and cowardly as you."
"Lackneyed dog? I know what you are planning, but you can't even compare to me now. What can you use to challenge Dua? With your problematic brain?" Thor roared, "You don't understand anything, and you have never dealt with Dua. Now is not the era you are familiar with. If you apply your ideas to the present world, not only will you die, but the entire Asgard will be killed by you. What happened to the giants of Jotunheim? This is the best lesson."
"If I can't become king, what does the future of Asgard have to do with me? I don't care even more." Hela spoke indifferently with disheveled hair and a disheveled figure.
"You lunatic, I will never let you go. Like my father, I will lock you up until my death!"
The vast continent was shaken even more violently by the fierce battle between these two powerful Sky Fathers.
Such changes could not be concealed from those with ulterior motives.
Those who first targeted Asgard were not Sky Fathers from other worlds. Even if they had the idea, they dared not act.
No one knew what Duva was thinking. If a world war broke out within the World Tree, how would Duva view such a situation? As the leader of the World Tree's first clan, a being that had defeated the Cosmic Gods, would he personally lead the alien army and devour the two warring worlds?
Would he turn all the gods into hosts?
At this moment, the ones who were truly tempted to make a move were the Shadow Gods, who knew Duva better.
These behemoths stared at Asgard with their mouths watering.
"What do you think? This is a rare opportunity."
"Kul is reckless. Even if he survives, his fate will be dire. It's clear he won't be used by us."
"Although we've mentioned Ragnarok to Duva, and he undoubtedly knows it's a prophecy related to Asgard, he doesn't seem to intend to be a driving force behind it."
"Duva is unreliable, and neither is Kul, the outsider. We must find a solution on our own, and Hela is the right person."
"This is our last chance. Let Hela detonate Asgard's doomsday. We've lost countless years of accumulated divine power. If we don't feed, we'll only grow weaker."
The shadow gods were extremely anxious.
They fed on the apocalyptic energy released by the end of the world.
They hit it off and decided to give it a try.
Based on their understanding of Duva, while they didn't yet understand the purpose behind his strange behavior, they were certain of one thing: Duva was an extremely focused individual. With more important matters to attend to, he would likely ignore their actions.
I don't care, I don't care, as long as it doesn't get in his way.
Soon, the shadows on the World Tree quietly stretched longer.
These shadows, which should have been extended by the numerous worlds on its trunk and branches, gradually expanded beyond their original coverage.
This change gave the creatures within the World Tree a strange illusion, as if the forces of darkness had returned, just as they had when Gnar and the Dark Elves had invaded the World Tree.
"What the hell?" Hela, the Goddess of Death, was naturally more sensitive to all kinds of negativity and sinister changes.
She struggled to resist Thor's attacks, her body covered in wounds. She managed to muster a little strength to glance at the rapidly advancing shadow.
The moment the shadow touched her, it began to continuously infuse her with divine power.
Mixed with the shadow power, there were strange whispers, like a request from the World Tree itself, a destiny that was destined to unfold, flooding into Hela's mind, hinting and guiding her.
Hela saw the existence of the shadow gods and understood what they symbolized.
Thor couldn't see, but he guessed it.
"Finally out? You rats hiding behind the World Tree, one of the things my father was most concerned about before he died was you!"
Thor clutched Stormbreaker, glaring angrily at the silent shadows. "What are you trying to do this time, you despicable creatures? I won't give you a chance."
Thor simply abandoned Hela and began to chase the shadows, hoping to find a chance to rush into the shadow world, pull those shadow creatures out, and kill them one by one.
But Hela stopped him.
Hela, the goddess of death and shadow, had become more powerful than ever. Her fair skin was shrouded in shadow, becoming eerie, but her strength had indeed increased greatly.
This was the hidden power of the shadow gods, better than their own personal destruction.
"Now is the time, this is the last chance!"
"We... take this opportunity to trigger Ragnarok and let Asgard meet its rightful fate!"
Chapter 156: Sending You to Ragnarok!
For Thor, a question had been vexing him for some time.
How, when Knull and his billions of symbiotes launched a massive attack on the World Tree, had Duval become a god?
And a crucial god of the World Tree at that? Even
more awkwardly, Thor was the King of Asgard, and logically, he held a high position in the World Tree's divine chain. After all, after Odin's death, the power of Odin passed to him, along with his original power as the God of Thunder, and the authority of the God King.
Yet, he hadn't grasped how Duval had soared to the rank of Universal God of the World Tree's divine power.
In other words, Duval had bypassed him, the powerful Father God, and instantly became his superior.
Thor had speculated that this might be related to the shadowy entity Odin had mentioned. Duval knew of it and was fully capable of utilizing it, but Thor simply couldn't imagine how an unknown being in the shadows could help Duval control the World Tree.
A group of creatures, unafraid to even show their faces and constantly hiding, might be able to achieve some effect, but could they truly help Duva attain godhood? If they truly possessed such power, why wouldn't they themselves become gods of the universe, instead of helping Duva achieve godhood?
Tony wasn't entirely convinced, but that didn't stop him from completely eradicating these shadowy creatures. This would be fulfilling Odin's last wish and eliminating a potential threat to Asgard.
With the aid of the shadow gods, Hela, now a ghostly figure, twisted and distorted, seemingly disembodied, dodging Thor's attacks, yet capable of materializing and striking him when necessary.
This fighting style was painful, and Thor needed time to master the art of engaging the shadows.
Chasing them relentlessly with weapons drawn, as he had done in the past, would not work; Hela wouldn't grant his wishes.
"So, you betrayed Asgard and sought out your master? I've always believed that the children of Odin would never yield, even in death. Is this the price of your hatred?" Thor swung his axe forward, and terrifying lightning transformed into a sea that fell from the sky, engulfing everything in its path.
But with a twist, Hela merged with the omnipresent shadow and disappeared before Thor's eyes.
"Master? One group of ambitious individuals is trying to exploit another to achieve their goals. Who will succeed in the end depends entirely on whose methods are more skillful. They won't let me use their power in vain, but conversely, I won't use their power in vain. I will find an opportunity to seize it all." Hela made
no secret of her malicious intent. This was the first time she knew that within the shadows of the World Tree, there were gods. Perhaps the shadows could be considered the World Tree's tenth world? It didn't matter. No matter what these shadow gods planned to do, after defeating Thor and reclaiming the throne of Asgard, Hela would find a way to stop them.
Her first act upon the throne would be to lead the Asgardian army into the shadows and annihilate these forces.
She resolutely refused any request from the Shadow Gods, believing they were all using each other for their own benefit. There was no need for disguise, as even if she pretended, neither side would trust her.
Divine powers surged, and the vast expanse of the universe, encompassing the entire continent of Asgard, trembled in the throes of these two supreme Celestial Fathers.
Space shattered, and time became subtly chaotic. The collision and interweaving of various divine powers, mingled with some magic, tore everything around them apart bit by bit.
This was the clash of supreme Celestial Fathers, a scene so awe-inspiring that, if viewed purely from an appreciative perspective, it could be considered a textbook battle between supreme Celestial Fathers.
"Hela... her hatred hasn't diminished with time, but has only grown stronger. She's now gained a strange power. I've never heard of such a system of power within the World Tree... It's somewhat similar to the darkness the Dark Elves pursue."
Frigga, along with Heimdall and other gods, spread across Asgard, working to stabilize the continent's structure.
While Asgard was incredibly stable and unlikely to be easily destroyed by a single battle, if Thor and Hela accidentally broke apart a piece of it, taking away a significant portion of the already small population, it would be a devastating loss.
Frigga, ever-worried, closely followed the battle, her anxiety growing with each passing moment.
This leading sorceress of the Nine Realms realized that Thor couldn't be left to deal with Hela on his own. In this situation, she couldn't guarantee victory. Who knew the true strength of those providing Hela with her divine power? What were they planning to do? What kind of deal had they struck with Hela?
Frigga had no idea the Shadow Gods were already depleted of resources. Aiding Hela at this point was a desperate move, expending nearly every ounce of their remaining divine power in the hope that Hela would rise.
Thor's death would inevitably engulf Asgard in flames, with resistance to Hela's ascension to the throne rife.
Under normal circumstances, Hela would have unleashed a bloodbath on Asgard. Forget about anything else, wiping out 70% to 80% of the population wouldn't be excessive, would it?
After all, Hela was the celestial father of the Death Realm, so killing a few people was commonplace.
Then, the Shadow Gods would unleash Hela's shadow power in one fell swoop, destroying Asgard itself and bringing about Ragnarok.
This strategy wasn't particularly sophisticated, requiring only a few key moments to execute. The process was a bit crude, but it worked.
There was no other way. Duva had previously seized control of the World Tree and brutally wiped out the eons of accumulation that the Shadow Gods had lent Duva, leaving them with nothing in return.
Therefore, during this Ragnarok, the Shadow Gods had no desire for elaborate or sophisticated operations. A simple, crude, and time-saving approach was what they urgently needed.
But Frigga absolutely could not allow such a thing to happen. Faced with enormous, unpredictable risks, as Odin's wife, and having experienced many battles herself, she preferred a safer solution.
She immediately called for help.
Don't get me wrong, Frigga was definitely not going to contact Duva directly. She was a wise woman and knew that she, or anyone else in Asgard, was not qualified to speak directly with Duva.
Perhaps when Odin was still alive, at his peak, and able to compete with the Celestials, he would have the right to even converse with Duva.
Frigga closed her eyes and began using her mind magic to communicate with the aliens on Asgard.
In reality, if even one alien received her message, it meant that Duva had received it, but she certainly didn't attempt to disturb Duva directly.
Once Frigga delivered the call for help,
Earth quickly responded.
A staggering bolt of lightning shattered the starry sky. Judging by the structure of the World Tree, the lightning flashed from the middle of the World Tree's trunk to the treetops in an instant.
Jane Foster arrived, holding Thor's hammer, and stormed into the battlefield.
At this moment, Foster, at first glance, is still Thor, but both Thor and Hela can see that the divine power surging in Foster is simply insanely strong. If they sense it carefully, they can also vaguely sense that the divine power possessed by Foster is not just the power of Thor. "So she took your hammer. How can my brother, who doesn't even have Mjolnir, be worthy of being King of Asgard?" Hela expressed just the right amount of surprise.
Thor said to Foster in a deep voice, "Leave this place. I can defeat her alone. This is a civil war within the Odin family."
"It was still a civil war a few minutes ago, but your mother asked for my aid, and that changed its nature. I'm not only the goddess of thunder, but also the god of the World Tree. I will judge between powers."
"Judge? Asgard summoned a god of judgment from another world? Thor didn't tell me that. Is your method of judgment to hit the table with your hammer?"
"I can't knock on the table, but I can crack your skull open and see what's inside."
Strictly speaking, Foster is the closest thing to the God of the World Tree.
The reason he's not the true God of the World Tree is that when Duval gave up the power of the World Tree, he gave the vast power to Foster and other aliens who pursued the path of divine power, not just to Foster alone.
Therefore, Foster positioned himself as half of the World Tree God.
Others, such as Laufey's Alien, combined, made up the other half.
Regardless, Foster stared at Hela, then at the majestic and ferocious Thor, figuring that defeating both should be no problem. The only difference lay in the energy and time required.
In the chain of divine power, she was superior to both.
Foster swung Thor's hammer, striking Hela.
"My dear, you have no idea that Mjolnir is my weapon. I abandoned it, and yet you use it against me?"
Hela laughed, opening her hand to block Thor's hammer, determined to destroy the weapon that had once brought her glory, but had also been a witness to her humiliation.
But the moment Hela touched Thor's hammer, her expression suddenly changed. The divine power brewing within it surged exponentially, erupting with a bang, shattering one of his hands.
For a moment, the power surged beyond the limits of Heavenly Father, sending a wave of fear through Hela, whose senses were heightened after gaining the power of shadow.
"Is this Mjolnir?"
She'd wielded the hammer for years, yet how had she never known it could possess such immense power? And with brute force, it overwhelmed her control, unleashing an all-out, utterly violent attack, as if facing an unfamiliar foe.
Hela was stunned by the intensity of the attack.
But Foster was only the beginning. In her hands, Thor's hammer practically broke through its limits, its various divine powers converging upon it, surging forth in ever-increasing force.
Hela, battered by a sea of divine power, dominated by Thor's, was utterly distraught. She attempted to transform herself into shadow, blending with the pervasive darkness.
But then, within the vast divine power Foster was also wielding, he began to tap into the power of shadow, instantly revealing Hela's reach. No matter where she hid, Foster would find her and slam her into the power.
"You've also mastered that strange divine power... And what's going on with your strength? Why did you suddenly become so powerful, and possess so many different types of divine power? It feels like..." Thor was perplexed.
"It's like Duval back then. He defeated Knull and was able to easily harness the full power of the World Tree, concentrating it into a single force. But I'm far from that. I need time to understand the different divine powers," Foster said. "The truth is a little more complicated than you think. It's not something you're meant to be exposed to so early."
Thor's breath hitched, his first reaction a sense of frustration. He was the supreme Sky Father, inheriting Odin's power. Even if he couldn't yet fully unleash the full might of Odin's power, his power was still far surpassed by Foster, who was once far inferior.
He clearly remembered that Foster had been born a commoner, and it was only by lifting his hammer that he became the fourth generation of Thor, as Duval called him.
Thor was simply shocked and resentful.
The shadow gods were furious.
"Look, look at what that woman is doing. She's trying to kill the one we chose!"
"What if Hela is killed? We just want to bring about Ragnarok, no matter the method. Why is it so difficult?"
"Ragnarok is the fate of the World Tree. It's about to happen. We've done nothing wrong! Destruction brings rebirth. This is the only way to keep the World Tree healthy and strong." "
Duwa despises the World Tree's divine power. Not only does he not want it himself, but he doesn't give it back to us, and he's even giving it to his subordinates! This human named Foster is using the power that should have belonged to us, and now he's trying to stop us at the most critical moment!"
The shadow gods were nearly mad. They couldn't imagine the horrific scene that would unfold if Hela was killed by Foster.
It would mean they would have completely lost their last hope. From now on, whatever they wanted to do would have to be done themselves, despite hunger and the anxiety of being exposed.
The thought of this made them even more frantic, and all sorts of thoughts continued to brew in their minds.
But before the Shadow Gods could come up with a plan, or even risk their limited energy,
Foster knocked Hela down and paused.
Duval's voice echoed in her mind.
"Too noisy, those rats... I need to focus. I don't like these guys messing around under my nose. Go kill them, Jane. They want Ragnarok, so let's give them Ragnarok. Completely control the World Tree in our hands. That way, perhaps they can provide me with some insignificant help..."
Chapter 157: Concept Upgrade
Dua no longer took the Shadow Gods seriously.
This group of Shadow Gods had accumulated the most precious things for billions of years, the power and authority of the World Tree, which Dua had already seized.
Normally, Dua would not pay any attention to the petty tricks of this group of rats hiding in the shadows.
He was not the kind of guy with a strong desire for control, who insisted on controlling everything, no matter how big or small, and would not let go of anything.
In fact, as long as these rats were willing to lower their heads, keep quiet, and not interfere with Dua, there would be no problem.
But unfortunately, these guys couldn't stand it anymore. They thought they had dealt with Dua before and understood his temperament of not wanting to spend too much energy on trivial matters.
Their assessment of Duva's character wasn't wrong, but they overlooked the most crucial point. Their cleverness was so extreme that they became overly self-righteous. They assumed that Duva, while focused on other matters, would be less concerned with trivial matters. So they decided to act quickly, decisively, triggering Ragnarok and destroying Asgard, thus quickly recovering their losses.
It was incredibly noisy. At the critical moment when Duva was spreading his consciousness across the universe and using countless aliens to target the entire universe, a swarm of rats gathered together, chirping and squeaking.
Duva couldn't miss it.
"I hadn't intended to pay any attention to them. In fact, soon, my attention might shift to other universes. Then, no matter what conflict these rats might have with Asgard, I wouldn't intervene. Why are they making such a fuss now?"
Duva ordered Foster.
Foster's eyes lit up; it had been a while since she'd received such a specific order.
"You should have let me do this long ago. Wipe out these guys sooner rather than later, clean out the World Tree from top to bottom. It would save a lot of trouble."
Foster's excitement was as if he had received a divine oracle, though from her perspective, it was indeed an "oracle."
Immediately, brandishing Mjolnir, he turned and instantly charged at the branches of the World Tree.
Every shadow in his path, whether cast by the branches or on the other side of each world, was bombarded by Foster's relentless attack. It was an absolute carpet-cleansing.
A torrent of divine power, like a tsunami, rolled in wave after wave, as if cleansing the filth of the world, exposing all the impurities of the dark side.
Foster quickly located the terrified group of shadow gods.
"This is too much! Using our own power to attack us... Now we're even being denied the power to bring about Ragnarok, the fate of the World Tree itself!"
"Enough! Stop using such abject language to justify your actions. I've learned the truth from Dua and the World Tree! Destiny? Is this so-called destiny you speak of truly destiny?"
Foster wielded Thor's hammer, violently shattering all obstacles. Her tiny form stood before several massive black shadows, but the divine power surging within her rapidly expanded, coalescing into a giant of divine power far greater than theirs.
Several shadow gods looked up in horror, as if they saw a massive alien, its maw gaping, devouring the World Tree with gusto.
This made all those who knew of the Ragnarok prophecy suddenly suspect that this illusion was the true Ragnarok: the alien tearing through the World Tree, devouring everything.
But then he thought, this must be a false association. If that were the case, Duva would simply use the World Tree to create more high-quality hosts, thereby obtaining an even greater number of powerful Aliens.
Or, would Duva attempt to transform the World Tree into an immensely gigantic Alien?
Foster snarled, "This ridiculous fate is simply the product of you guys secretly manipulating the World Tree. Without you, there would be no prophecy of Ragnarok!"
"With birth comes destruction. This is how the World Tree thrives," a shadow god argued. Perhaps his words would have been more convincing if he hadn't been shouting while fleeing.
"What a ridiculous excuse! Verifying your claims is simple. Wait until I destroy you. Then, in the millions, tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of years to come, I'll see how the World Tree evolves. Then we'll know the truth of your words."
Foster struck with a powerful hammer. Divine power surged from her like a gusher, instantly condensing into terrifying shackles. They spread rapidly, rising ever higher, eventually forming an immense network that, like an indestructible chain, pierced and sealed off the realm of shadow.
In the end, the shadow gods had no way to escape and could only grit their teeth and fight.
All their excuses proved futile. They tried every rhetoric, but they were powerless. Even if they mustered their courage, used their last strength, and fought to the death, facing such a formidable Foster, especially watching her wield the power they had once carefully guarded and possessed, they felt a surge of despair. They
were no match.
The shadows of the World Tree they relied on were now shredded like paper by Foster's own hands. Her deft movements resembled tearing a patched rag.
The shadows, formed by the combined forces of countless worlds, suddenly began to fall at an accelerating rate, annihilated in a silent collision.
At this moment, Foster's actions shook the entire World Tree. With the deaths of several shadow gods, she announced her presence to the worlds.
"I saw the shadows moving, and each one is at least a Sky Father. I've never heard of such beings within the World Tree."
"It seems Hela's transformation stems from these beings. What are they? Shadow Gods, Dark Gods? Are they related to Knull and the Dark Elves?"
"Of course not, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to escape Duva's pursuit. They would have been eliminated by Duva the moment Knull was defeated. I don't believe Duva didn't notice them. That would be a gross underestimation of a cosmic god." How
could the World Tree God not know that the Sky Father was hidden within the World Tree's shadows? Just thinking about it made it clear that this was impossible. So, it seemed Duval simply didn't want to do it, or perhaps he felt it was unnecessary? Ignoring these strange Sky Fathers like ants?
Even now, the one clearing out the Shadow Gods wasn't Duval, but Foster, a previously unknown human.
Foster's current display of strength actually possessed some of Duval's former power. Some even noticed that the power Foster wielded was identical to Duval's, though significantly weaker.
Duval had shared his own power with this human? What kind of insanity was this? Was Duval so confident or arrogant that he wasn't afraid of a rebellion from his subordinates?
What, an alien? Oh, that's fine.
Under Foster's attack, hammer after hammer, he crushed the Shadow Gods one after another.
The huge and ancient gods and fathers were like clouds of smoke at this moment, dissipating little by little under Foster's attack. When the last shadow god vanished, it marked the end of these, perhaps the oldest groups within the World Tree.
Even to their death, the shadow gods cursed Dua, never able to understand why Dua had chosen to strike them down at such a time.
All the gloom dissipated, leaving only Foster, Thor's hammer in hand, towering atop the World Tree, admired by all worlds.
But when everyone considered Foster, a mere subordinate of Dua, with no notable military achievements to his name, earning him only a passing glance for his possession of Thor's hammer, he had become incredibly powerful in such a short time.
This left even the Heavenly Fathers, who had lived for tens, hundreds, even millions of years, speechless.
In this battle, Dua didn't even appear in person, nor did he use Foster's body to indirectly end the conflict. Instead, he dispatched Foster to violently bring about the end. It was truly horrifying.
The entire World Tree fell into a deathly silence. No one wanted to mistakenly offend Duval and be killed by this woman, now unsure whether to call her "female Thor" or something else entirely.
"Is it over?"
Thor, Stormbreaker wielding his mighty figure, looked around at the gradually calming World Tree with a bewildered expression.
The battle was over, and he should have been happy, but in reality, he felt empty and miserable.
The world was changing too fast. Duval's relentless advance was one thing, but now even a woman under his command had been brutally brutalized.
Thor thought that if someone like Reynolds were this powerful, he would have been perfectly capable of dealing with it. However, it was Foster, who had wielded Mjolnir and now surpassed him.
"Hela is my sister, a descendant of Odin. I think..."
"Your opinion is useless, Thor. My mission is to defeat her and bring this fool back," Foster interrupted Thor with a serious tone.
"But she was originally my rival..."
"Your words don't count, nor do my words. Duval's words count. Most importantly, the victor holds all power over the loser. You should know this better than I do. I could have killed Hela outright, but I didn't. The bottom line is, she must do something else to compensate for her life."
Foster grabbed Hela and flew back to Earth.
Thor stood silently in the pitch-black night sky, feeling the coldness of it.
"Mother, I..." Thor hesitated.
"Don't let this kind of thing discourage you. Think carefully. From the moment you arrived in Midgard until now, when have you ever surpassed Duval? He's always surpassed you in every way." Frigga acted completely nonchalant, which made Thor even more stoic.
"Then we'll just watch Hela being captured by Duval's men?"
"Does it make any difference? You should be thankful she was taken by Duval's men. Otherwise, either you'd die at Hela's hands, or Hela would die at yours. You couldn't both survive. But now it's possible, even if the price is Hela becoming an alien, or even worse. But Thor, didn't you almost become one once?"
Thor fell silent again, his face revealing a strong sense of resentment, but also a deep sense of helplessness.
Faced with a being like Duval, even the most arrogant and proud seem to have no choice but to bow, whether willingly or not.
Holding their heads high isn't a problem, really. Just be prepared to pay the price of becoming an alien yourself and having your entire race annihilated.
Earth.
Foster completed his mission, brought Hela back, and tossed her in front of Duval, looking at him curiously.
"I still can't discern what you're doing. My intuition tells me you're embarking on something major, a cosmic deity, are you? After handing over the power of the World Tree to us, have you chosen a method more suited to you?" Jane Foster asked curiously.
"You're right. It doesn't matter if I can't see anything now. You'll understand soon enough... As for this woman, send her directly to the Queen. She's worthy of a good Facehugger. Perhaps I'll need her in the future. At the very least, she's a fine Heavenly Father, ready to be dispatched on missions when necessary."
Duval glanced casually at Hela. In his eyes, Hela was destined to be expendable, perhaps to be readily deployed in some major event.
Duval never cared about the loyalty of his forcibly captured minions like Hela.
"No one within the World Tree would be so foolish as to leap forth and die. So, I'm almost at the next stage... becoming a god."
Duval's vision now encompassed the entire universe.
Initially, it required Kruger and other raiders to deploy everywhere, and later, other mages from Kamar-Taj, to repeatedly open portals throughout the day, sending the aliens to various planets.
Regardless of whether a planet was habitable or not, they simply transported the aliens.
Once the aliens' numbers grew, they would spontaneously begin migrating to other planets, either finding spaceships or exploring wormholes.
While many planets remained untouched by Duva, the few he had available were enough, a scattering of them all, to extend Duva's reach to an astonishing degree.
At this point, Duva had completed the first step and was entering the next phase.
"It's a crucial moment. Raise the conceptual level and thoroughly embed the concepts I represent into the universe itself. During this time, as long as the universe isn't destroyed by a multiverse-level war, there won't be any major problems... The only minor problem is that some of the indigenous gods of this universe might be frightened by my actions and might do something out of stress."
Duval immediately took action.
As soon as he started, countless spikes representing alien concepts spread across countless planets throughout the universe, attracting a lot of attention.
Chapter 158: Good News: The Dark Quadrant is doomed. Bad News: The aliens can't be dealt with for now
. Even a shallow pond is full of turtles, let alone a complete universe.
Even if this universe doesn't even have the most basic number, in the event of a multiverse-wide event, unless there's a highly unlikely event like the birth of a powerful man, it's destined to become a mere background, a trivial piece of data in the calculation of how many universes were destroyed when the event subsides and the losses are settled.
No one high and mighty would really bother with such an obscure universe; it's not worth it. New universes are constantly being born in the multiverse, and countless universes are disappearing for various reasons.
Even within those numerous numbered universes, major events can erupt, and countless gods and demons will step in to take action. Simply responding to these disasters and ensuring the stability of the multiverse is overwhelming. Who would care about the fate of an unknown universe in a remote area?
But some within this universe would certainly keep a close eye on their own settlements.
Following Duva's series of actions, many powerful individuals gradually came to understand.
Duva was eroding and blending the universe at the level of rules; this was undeniable.
"Is this his purpose? He's been constantly releasing aliens across the universe, constantly expanding the alien population. It turns out he's not just simply expanding the population, but preparing for this moment?"
"What a huge ambition! He regards the aliens scattered throughout the universe as coordinates that are encroaching on the universe. When he locates the coordinates to any corner of the universe, he will have initially completed coverage of the entire universe. Is he relying on countless aliens to kidnap the entire universe to achieve his goal?"
"It's obvious. He's not satisfied with becoming the God of the World Tree. He wants to become the God of the Universe, to become a part of this universe, a vital part. I suspect he wants to become the creator god of this universe, as omnipresent and indispensable as Eternity and Infinity."
"He abandoned the power of the God of the World Tree. Is that correct? I saw one of his men clear the World Tree. The power used by that woman far exceeded the level of an ordinary Heavenly Father. This is definitely the power of the World Tree passed on to her by Duva."
"Abandoning the World Tree God and attempting to become a cosmic god capable of engulfing the universe and becoming an integral part of it?"
If it had been the previous Duva, the various gods of this universe would have heard of him to some degree, perhaps even harboring a mixture of fear and affection, given his recent powerful defeat of the infamous Symbiote God, Knull.
But after Foster's slaughter of the Shadow Gods, the power he unleashed was undeniable, leading some to speculate that Duva must have fragmented his power, no longer the immensely powerful World Tree God they understood.
Then, they realized that Duva's ability to shift his consciousness and manipulate his alien minions into combat meant that he retained, to some extent, the power and authority of the World Tree God, ready to be deployed at any time.
So this was actually possible?
"He's still not satisfied with this area of the World Tree. What a greedy fellow! The World Tree contains nine large worlds and countless planets, nurturing an endless supply of life forms. All of these could serve as hosts. He only needs to be the God of the World Tree, controlling it until the universe's demise, and no one will provoke him... Why would he resort to such a risky move? This is a blatant declaration of war."
This universe is so small and unnumbered, destined for mediocrity. But Duva insists on expanding his own concepts, which will inevitably severely squeeze the position of the existing gods.
At the very least, no one wants another being rivaling the Creator God. That would be disastrous. Everyone knows the styles of the Creator Gods, but Duva's is not.
Especially since Duva isn't just one person, but directly controls a terrifying clan, with inherent predatory and parasitic tendencies.
If Duva is allowed to run wild and eventually kidnaps the entire universe, what will become of the other gods? Maybe I'll become an alien too!
"My lord, signs of aliens have begun to appear in the Dark Quadrant, and they're rapidly invading our territory,"
Corvus Glaive said with a sinister glare.
Thanos sat motionless on his throne, his eyes fixed on the distance, taking in the entire scene. He didn't immediately respond to Corvus Glaive's words.
He saw aliens swarming across the planets under his rule, and on some, they were even engaging his forces.
During this period, Thanos's men had learned some lessons from battling the aliens.
Most importantly, it's best not to send Vanguards to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the aliens. In a one-on-one fight, the Vanguards are no match for the aliens, and any dead Vanguards would be taken away by the aliens and used as prey, while any surviving Vanguards would be crippled and used as hosts.
The best approach is to send the Chitauri to attack the aliens.
Generally speaking, Chitauri soldiers, equipped with advanced technology and capable of operating in outer space, can operate warships and other heavy weapons to bombard a planet's surface.
Of course, this process inevitably involved encounters with extremely terrifying alien individuals. Some even possessed the ability to leave their planets and fight in outer space using only their flesh and blood, tearing a warship apart in a matter of minutes. At worst, they would send a wave of ordinary aliens into the warship to inflict self-harm, destroying the warship with their blood.
However, these were rare instances. Duva's most capable aliens and alien heroes paid little attention to the Dark Quadrant, and thus did not send many troops or powerful units.
In most cases, the aliens invading the Dark Quadrant were often at a disadvantage against the Chitauri, who used high-tech weaponry and long-range attacks.
"It's not just our Dark Quadrant. Xandar, the Kree Empire, the Matrix... Aliens have appeared in the territories of many powers across the universe. This is not surprising. They are terrifying life forms favored and deployed by a Cosmic God, or one comparable to him. Ordinary people wouldn't dare to massacre them on a large scale; they must consider the consequences of angering Duval."
Thanos grasped the fishing rod-like scepter in his broad palm, seemingly toying with it nonchalantly.
The people below stared at the scepter with greed. If they could obtain the Mind Stone, they too would have the right to become great Cosmic Gods.
But alas, it wasn't theirs, it belonged to Thanos.
"A god has contacted me," Thanos's expression betrayed no emotion, but he quietly increased the speed of his manipulation of the scepter. "That being has proposed an alliance with me."
"God, have you found me, my lord?"
The villains of the Dark Quadrant were at a loss, each expressing astonishment.
They admit that Thanos is very powerful and cruel enough, and he can do all kinds of crazy things without any psychological burden in order to please death.
However, joining forces with the gods was beyond their comprehension.
Thanos was only a sub-Godfather, considerably stronger than them, but not insurmountable. He couldn't stand up to the likes of Odin and the Ancient One, and was lucky to avoid being killed. So why was it that even gods above Godfather were contacting Thanos?
Was it because Thanos possessed the Infinity Stones? Perhaps that was the reason.
"Speaking of which, at least two of the Infinity Stones are confirmed to be on Earth..." Ebony Maw couldn't help but say, feeling a sense of unease. Who dares to go to that hellish place, Earth, now? The best-case scenario is one person goes in, two come out.
"If things work out well, I'll soon have the second Infinity Stone, but that will inevitably lead to an even more intense conflict with Duval's aliens."
Thanos felt a little irritated at the thought of the aliens now spread across so many planets.
He had learned through various channels about the battles between the symbiote army and the aliens during their previous attack on Earth.
Everyone focused solely on the battle between Duval and Knull, which was understandable, given that a mortal clash between gods rarely happens in billions of years.
However, they overlooked the pain the symbiote army suffered when faced with the vastly outnumbered alien hordes.
Among the aliens, those possessing immense power rivaled the Celestial Father, overwhelming most of the ancient powers in the universe in both sheer numbers and sheer mass. Any single
one could sweep through the Dark Quadrant, which he had spent years building.
Now, a monster like Foster had appeared, surpassing the Celestial Father, but whether he could truly be called a cosmic god had become uncertain.
With this calculation, the power in Duva's hands was simply overwhelming, making the ambitious guy despair.
A single Cosmic Celestial was no longer confident enough to kill Duva.
At least two Cosmic Celestial beings working together would have to have enough power to suppress Duva.
So, one of the Celestials secretly approached Thanos.
"Is it the Creator God?" Ebony Maw's eyes rolled around.
"No, but he is also a Celestial being second only to the Creator God, and he also controls the rules of the universe."
Ebony Maw suspected that it was one of the Cosmic Celestials, but did not say it out loud. Instead, he asked, "The fact that the Cosmic Celestials took the initiative to contact you, sir, means that Duva's actions have hurt him. But even if you really stop Duva in the end, he will benefit the most. My lord, with all due respect, what can you gain?"
"Everything." Thanos stood up.
Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, and their subordinates looked at each other in bewilderment, their hearts thick with confusion. If they hadn't known Thanos wasn't a boaster, but rather a man who always spoke the truth, they would have thought him insane and seriously considered how to kill him and take over.
They couldn't understand Thanos's reasoning, but they didn't dare to question him, fearing that this cold-blooded tyrant would actually kill them.
After all, they hadn't joined Thanos to identify with his ideals or anything else, but simply to surrender to his immense power.
If a force more powerful than Thanos emerged and offered them sufficient benefits, they would have killed Thanos without hesitation and joined their forces.
"Bring me the Orb of the Cosmic Spirit! It's in the hands of the Ravagers,"
Thanos said, his gaze coldly below him, oblivious to his preferred choice—Gamora,
the madwoman he had personally trained to be the universe's top assassin and a useful tool.
"Where's Gamora?"
"Hey, I just got the news, and I was about to report it to you: she's been having a hot affair with a guy named Tony Stark lately, and she's probably in his bed right now," Nebula said maliciously.
It wasn't because she hated Gamora, but simply because she hated everyone, whether it was the Black Order or anyone else. If there was an opportunity to backstab another comrade, she and the others would do it without hesitation.
This, this is the political correctness of the Dark Quadrant.
"Tony Stark?" Thanos muttered the name, somewhat doubtfully.
"He's from Earth. He was able to escape from a place like Earth unscathed, which means he knows Duval, and maybe they're on good terms." Nebula spoke these words with malice.
Thanos let out a terrifying laugh. "Excellent, Gamora truly welcomes everyone who asks her. She'd better bring me satisfactory news, or I'll kill her and her new lover, Tony Stark."
"My lord, this won't be easy. This Stark possesses an extremely powerful armor. It's said that during the battle between Duval and Knull, he piloted this very armor, slaughtering countless symbiotes and fiercely protecting Earth. I suspect that if he could fully unleash the power of this armor, he wouldn't be inferior to that female Thor who's recently become so popular." General Corvus Glaive chuckled sinisterly. A
fierce gleam flashed in Thanos' eyes, his tyrannical temper ready to burst forth. He resisted the urge to tear General Corvus Glaive in half.
"...That armor should be made from the remains of a cosmic god. This shows that this human who came out of the earth to wander the universe and is busy sleeping with women on various planets has amazing wisdom, but his own strength should not be strong. I don't know how he can withstand Gamora. I suspect that he used high technology." General Corvus Glaive's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately told all the news he knew.
The hall returned to silence.
Thanos did not ask these guys why they had so much information, and only reported it when the time came. The
Dark Quadrant is like this. Everyone has their own ulterior motives. As long as there is a chance, they will stab each other in the back. Whoever is stronger will be the boss.
Just like Ebony Maw and General Corvus Glaive in some parallel universes, if they get the chance, they will kill Thanos without hesitation.
Chapter 159: Even the God of Time is a Step Too Late
. The universe is vast and fascinating, home to countless planets and a vast variety of races. It's truly eye-opening, Tony Stark thought.
This was his first time leaving Earth to truly explore the universe, but it undoubtedly wouldn't be his last.
With his current strength, and armed with a Celestial Armor capable of suppressing most Celestials, he's fully capable of dominating most of the universe.
Generally speaking, as long as the strongest individuals of a single universe remain in the game, the so-called gods of various planets, as well as some ancient Celestials, are no match for Tony.
During this time, Tony had also figured out his own position: roughly above the average Celestial, below the level of a single universe, but probably not at the level of a single,
all-powerful Celestial. Perhaps a powerful Celestial?
At least, if he faced Jane Foster, who had slaughtered all the shadow gods within the World Tree, Tony thought, while he wasn't sure of victory, with the Celestial Armor's terrifying defenses, he shouldn't be defeated by a single blow from Foster.
There was no way around it. The Celestials were just that strong. Even dead, with only their corpses left, they could still be incredibly powerful with a proper transformation.
Add to that the bonus of being an Earthling, and Tony garnered the most attention wherever he went, destined to be a local trending topic.
Even if people tried not to pay attention to him,
it was impossible, considering he was carrying such a terrifying suit. Tony threw on his clothes, walked to the bed, and poured himself a glass of red wine—of course, he had brought it from Earth. He was only mortal, and he wouldn't easily drink anything from another planet. Even after repeated analysis by the Celestials' software confirmed that many drinks were digestible, Tony, a cautious man, wouldn't drink them, no matter the circumstances.
This was a cautious streak he'd developed on Earth. After all, he'd personally and constantly dealt with aliens, monsters more terrifying than assassins. Tony was familiar with their combat methods, having witnessed many aliens resorting to self-harm, even using their own blood to corrode their enemies into liquid form. This had left a profound psychological scar.
"No one knows when this seemingly normal liquid will turn acidic or alkaline, right?"
Tony didn't turn around, but he knew Gamora was standing silently behind him.
"Sometimes I have to wonder if you've stuffed a few aliens into your armor." Gamora dressed nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened last night.
For someone like Gamora, sleeping with a man was nothing to worry about. The only special memory she had was probably that he was from Earth and wore a terrifying super-suit.
Many people with ulterior motives had proven with their lives that if anyone attempted to attack Tony, even if there was only a precursor at the atomic or molecular level, the Celestial Armor would react with swift speed, violently destroying the attacker.
No matter how fast they moved, they couldn't outrun the Celestial Armor; it was like facing a Celestial being.
Tony didn't turn around, admiring the hundreds-meter-tall giant outside the window.
Everyone around them observed the Celestial Armor in awe, whispering among themselves.
Rumors circulated that this human from Earth was able to wield such a terrifying armor, most likely due to a close personal relationship with that terrifying man, Duval. This allowed him to bring such a powerful unit from Earth.
The key point was that some planets had deployed numerous surveillance devices in major cities for parasitic aliens, yet they didn't detect any larval aliens on Tony. This was a matter of considerable investigation, and a terrifying thought.
"We just had a wonderful time. Can you please not veer off into anything serious? Even if you discuss my armor, there's nothing wrong with that," Tony shrugged helplessly.
Gamora twitched her lips and sneered, "Are you talking about your big armor or your small armor? Or do you want me to take the initiative to talk to you about how to maintain the oil of these armors you carry with you? It sounds like I'm just like everyone else, plotting to seize your armor. Everyone respects you because of your background and strength, including me."
"That's because you know it's impossible to attack me." Tony extended his index finger and pointed at his head. "My wisdom will further calculate all your action steps, and then the big guys outside will act at a faster speed. If you can attack at the speed of light, then I can stop you at superluminal speed."
"That's quite true. So, your greatest pride is your brain. You should know that I'm approaching you not for you, but to gain more intelligence. No one dares to infiltrate Earth right now."
Tony nodded calmly. He had traveled to many planets, witnessed many traces of alien activity firsthand, and, through his Celestial Armor, received vast amounts of information from even more distant regions. He knew how countless beings throughout the universe viewed the aliens, and even more so, the wars raging against them on many planets.
"Leaving?" Tony asked.
"It's time to go. Thanos has given me new orders. I can sense he's losing patience. If I stay here any longer, I'll be in danger."
"Thanos... who's more powerful, this guy or Duval?" Tony muttered the name.
"Are you kidding me? Of course Duval is stronger, at least for now, but that won't be the case for a while. You'd better hurry back to Earth and prepare for Thanos. The beast is moving."
"Huh? This Thanos you're talking about, can he threaten Duval? Are you going back to work for Thanos now?"
"No, I'm going to betray him. Working for Thanos isn't a good option. I want Thanos dead more than anyone, but it's difficult, and I don't have the power to defeat him myself." Gamora donned her gear and left without hesitation.
She had officially decided to betray Thanos, seeking a more reliable way out, but she didn't want to become an alien.
"You'll become an alien... If you shout Duval's name a few more times, maybe he'll notice you." Tony looked quizzical. He saw what Gamora was thinking, so he didn't warn her.
Soon,
the massive Celestial Armor soared into the sky, causing the entire planet to tremble.
Many looked up, their eyes filled with fear and resentment, clearly unwilling to give up such a powerful armor. However, they were helpless, unable to kill Tony and could only let him fly away in the Celestial.
"Oh? Someone's so actively killing aliens? And even pursuing a fleet loaded with aliens?"
On his way back to Earth, Tony, using the Celestial, aimlessly and efficiently collected cosmic information. Vast amounts of information from countless galaxies, filtered through the Celestial, were received by Tony.
He had learned of a glittering figure, capable of releasing golden energy and traversing the universe in a mortal form. She specialized in hunting aliens on planets plagued by aliens, gaining considerable fame.
Many forces fighting the aliens would seek to contact her.
I don't know what grudge the alien has, but then again, across the universe, countless people have fought against aliens, and many have attempted to become aliens. But Duvall doesn't respond to everyone who chants his name, and more often than not, he ignores them.
"Jarvis, search this woman's profile to see which planet she was born on," Tony ordered casually. He hadn't held out hope, but the results of his search surprised Tony.
"Carol Danvers, a former member of the USS Air Force...? I didn't expect to meet such an interesting person here."
...
The Marauders were in serious trouble. They were being relentlessly pursued by a dangerous woman, and many members had died.
"Yondu, think of a solution! That woman has destroyed another of our warships! Even if we've made a fortune relying on the aliens, we can't keep up with this rate of loss. If we don't find a way to get rid of her, we'll soon be broke!"
"Poverty? What are you dreaming of? Only the living deserve to be called paupers. We're going to die too!"
The Marauders howled in panic.
After the other frigates were destroyed, the alien was probably the only one who could remain silent on this luxurious spaceship.
"We must find a way to shake her off."
Yondu looked at Carol, clinging to the ship with all her might, her body covered in a golden light, able to fly at high speeds in the vacuum of space. He was completely furious.
They made their fortune by deploying aliens, and they were well aware of the person hunting them: Carol Danvers, the renowned alien killer with a mortal hatred for the aliens.
Yondu's Predators, led by a team that should have been formidable, were utterly defeated after several battles against Carol.
They initially believed Carol was after the Orb, after all, word had leaked out, and many knew the Predators had obtained the precious Orb.
But gradually, Yondu and his companions realized that Carol was hunting them purely for their alien deployment.
Who could possibly know the deep hatred this woman harbored for the aliens?
"She's just a coward. She wouldn't dare go to Earth to confront the truly powerful aliens, let alone challenge Dewar himself. She only comes to trouble us,"
Yondu said, his voice hoarse, his eyes bloodshot. It had been a long time since he'd rested.
Desperate, Yondu briefly considered opening the Cosmic Orb and using the Infinity Stones to kill Carol. The legendary Infinity Stones were enough to drive anyone mad. Who wouldn't want to be like Duval, a godlike being able to obtain everything they wanted and destroy everything they disliked?
But Yondu's instincts told him he wasn't qualified to control the Infinity Stones' extraordinary power.
"Quil, you were the one who initiated this deal. Find a way, or I'll throw you out!" Yondu roared.
"What? You devil, you expect me to seduce that old woman? I'm telling you, it won't work. She's not my type," Quill exclaimed. "Besides, she's bringing us trouble because of the aliens, not the Cosmic Orb! It was all your own decision, insisting on using the aliens' power to strengthen the Reavers."
"What are you talking about? Without the aliens, how could you have made so much money so quickly and upgraded this lousy ship?" Yondu cursed.
Quill turned to another high-ranking raider. "Kruger, still can't we use the portal to escape?"
"No, this is strange. I don't feel any spatial obstruction, yet the portal keeps failing! Something must be affecting me, but I can't detect it. Is it the woman chasing us?" Kruger worried. He tried again and again, only to be met with repeated failure.
This wasn't normal.
But they didn't bother to investigate.
Directly ahead of them, an enormous warship, like a satellite, suddenly passed through the wormhole and lay before them.
Compared to such a behemoth, the battered and shabby luxury warship they were aboard looked like a child's toy.
"Temple II, this is the flagship of the Space Butcher. It seems our major buyer has run out of patience and has come to pick us up early."
Yondu laughed heartily. Even the worst of circumstances was better than a dead end. He whistled, grasping his whistle arrow, ready to strike.
But the odds of success against either the crazed Carol or Thanos and his Black Order were slim.
Thanos, waiting for Gamora's response with no response, had realized something, his limited patience completely exhausted, and
he took action himself. If he didn't act, the god behind him would lose his patience.
Thanos watched the chase game between the Predator and Captain Marvel from afar.
"Why are you so anxious all of a sudden?" Thanos asked, standing still, his hands behind his back, expressionless.
At Thanos's side, a shadowy figure appeared. "Duval's operation has entered its final phase, much faster than I anticipated. You can't feel the changes in this universe, but I can see firsthand how he's altering it. You don't want to see a world filled only with aliens, do you?"
"It's all the same to me. Aliens have souls, and that's enough," Thanos said coldly. "It's gods like you who should be anxious, as they're directly under Duval's influence."
"Helping me is helping yourself! The more successful I am, the more I can manage the troublesome creatures standing in your way. But if someone like Duval succeeds, our situation will be dire. Even if you want to please Death, you'll have to make enemies with the vast majority of life in the universe..."
The words abruptly stopped.
"What's wrong? Kronos, the God of Time can't speak clearly?"
Thanos sneered, showing no reverence for his grandfather, but quickly fell silent.
He saw light, an endless stream of light rising from all directions. Each alien was a point of origin for its spread.