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*****
"Will he leave the Marvel world to hunt me down in the Void?"
George's brow furrowed deeply. If OAA decided to hunt him within the Primordial Chaos, even if all his avatars fused, he would be no match—especially if OAA fought him without the constraints of protecting his own universe. Furthermore, George had yet to pin down the exact coordinates of the Marvel Universe within the Void; his avatars couldn't fuse with his original body if they couldn't find it.
"That would violate our pact," Hongjun Laozu explained, waving a hand to dismiss George's fears. "He cannot personally intervene to kill you, and I cannot kill Tony Stark. Likewise, we cannot manipulate the powerhouses of our respective worlds to actively hunt you down. Moreover, the moment you exit his domain, I can intervene to save you before he can strike."
George remained puzzled. "If OAA cannot act against me, then surely no one in the Marvel world can stop me from leaving."
Even without fusion, his current strength had surpassed the Living Tribunal. If his avatars merged, he might not reach the level of OAA or Hongjun, but he wouldn't be far off. Even the Beyonder shouldn't be able to stop him.
"Naturally, we both have safeguards," Hongjun smiled. "Otherwise, why agree to the bet? It's simply a matter of whose methods are more ingenious. Even if Tony Stark becomes a Saint and defeats the Three Purities of that world, I have ways to ensure he never leaves my domain without me lifting a finger. You don't need to know my methods."
He leaned forward slightly. "What you do need to understand are OAA's methods for dealing with you."
"Please, Grandmaster, enlighten me!" George bowed. Their interests were aligned; Hongjun wanted to devour Marvel, and George wanted his original body and his loved ones back.
Hongjun stroked his beard. "OAA alone is not my equal, but he has an ally. It is because they always work together that I cannot overcome them. OAA isn't afraid of you leaving Marvel because the moment you step out, you will fall into his ally's domain. Their worlds are like twins, inextricably linked. That Creator, another All-Powerful entity, will kill you within his own world."
"You don't mean...?" George's heart skipped a beat.
Hongjun nodded. "Indeed. The ultimate Creator of the DC Universe—the Presence."
The Strategy
George finally understood the trap. The Marvel and DC worlds were so closely intertwined that heroes often crossed between them. Escaping one meant falling into the jaws of the other. He couldn't beat OAA, and he certainly couldn't beat the Presence.
However, seeing the faint smile on Hongjun's face, George knew there was a way out. "Please, Grandmaster, show me the way!"
"Go back and cultivate," Hongjun said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "When the time is right, you will know how to break the stalemate. I have reached the limit of what I can tell you without violating the pact."
George bowed and left the Purple Cloud Palace. He understood: he needed to fully absorb the Dragon Ball and Saint Seiya worlds. Once his strength reached a certain threshold, the solution would manifest itself.
For the next few years, George remained in seclusion at the Great Leiyin Temple. He finished his "housekeeping" by converting the remaining Chan and Ren Sect disciples to Buddhism, stabilizing his Saintly realm. He even brought Nezha's family and the Three Fairies into the fold, ensuring they had the ultimate "backer." He even settled the matter of the Three Holy Mothers with the Jade Emperor, who was happy to give George a graceful "out" rather than face a direct conflict.
As George's understanding of the Great Dao deepened, the link between his original body and his avatars grew stronger. Knowledge that seemed "unsolvable" as a metaphorical grade-schooler became clear now that he was at a "middle-school" level of power.
The Great Fusion
Three years after the conclusion of the Investiture War—a war won by the Zhou thanks to the silent support of Nuwa and George's interference—George opened his eyes.
He tore through the barriers of his world and entered the Primordial Chaos. Ten figures were already waiting there: his avatars from the worlds of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Index, Middle-earth, Fairy Tail, Harry Potter, Cardcaptor Sakura, League of Legends, Fate/Stay Night, Skyrim, and Lord of the Mysteries.
"Let us merge!"
The eleven avatars nodded in unison. They began to fuse, their collective strength exploding exponentially. Only the original body, still sealed by the Living Tribunal in the Marvel Universe, remained separate.
Once the fusion was complete, George performed one last spell, splitting off a tiny, "insurance" avatar. This one had the strength of an ordinary Saint—a mere drop in the ocean compared to his current self—but it carried within it the miniature versions of the worlds containing his friends and family. If his main body and primary avatar were destroyed, this insurance policy would ensure his loved ones lived on.
Entering the Twin Universe
George flew through the Void toward the massive, terrifying presence of the Marvel Universe. Beside it lay the DC Universe, tightly bound.
Drawing on his experience of slipping into multiple worlds, George compressed his presence into a hidden "observer point" and dived into the DC world. His plan was simple but risky: play the part of a "transmigrated observer" and hope for a bit of luck.
He entered a random Earth and "manifested" by inhabiting the body of a recently deceased black cat. He opened his eyes and exhaled inwardly.
"I wasn't instantly erased. Luck is on my side."
According to Hongjun, the Presence was only slightly weaker than OAA. There was no way he didn't notice George's entry. If the Presence had wanted him gone, he would have been obliterated instantly. But if the Presence was in a good mood, he might allow this "outsider Creator" to hang around just to see what interesting ripples he might cause in the pre-written stories of his world.
George had boosted his own luck using his authorities before entering, and it seemed to have paid off.
"Time to put on a show," George thought, jumping onto a rooftop and stretching his feline limbs. He was an expert at role-playing and altering plotlines without alerting the "author."
He needed to choose a power system. It couldn't be anything related to the Primordial World (too suspicious) or any system he had used in Marvel (OAA might recognize it). He settled on the Saint Seiya system—its upper limit was "Super-Large Universe Level," enough to handle surprises but not enough to threaten a Creator.
Thus, a "Saint Cat" with the power of a cosmic god was about to make its debut in the DC Universe. Why a cat? Because it was interesting enough to catch the Presence's eye and keep him from reaching for the "delete" button.
(End of Chapter)