Ch: 294-302
Chapter 294
"Then why is he coming to Earth? Did some blind idiot invade Asgard again?"
At the mention of this, Tony's expression grew solemn.
He took a deep breath and said in a low voice:
"The situation isn't good, Bai, Thor said that Loki has defected."
"Defected?"
Wanda frowned, recalling the situation in Asgard that Bai Ye had mentioned earlier, and asked:
"Wasn't he imprisoned in the dungeons of Asgard?"
"That's right..." Tony nodded.
"But just recently, he escaped using some unknown magic."
"According to the magical prophecy of Asgard's Queen Frigga, Loki's target this time is Earth, and he will bring an unprecedented disaster to this World."
"The most crucial thing is..." Tony frowned.
"Thor said that according to the clues he tracked, Loki's first destination after leaving Asgard was to find Thanos!"
"Thanos?"
When Susan heard the name, a flicker of interest crossed her eyes.
They were too familiar with that name; they had just taken one down a while ago.
Martina clearly didn't understand the typical strength of Loki in the Marvel Universe and automatically substituted him with mythological legends, saying with a very serious tone:
"The God of Mischief teaming up with the Cosmic Tyrant? That's definitely not good news."
However, to Tony's surprise, Bai Ye suddenly chuckled after hearing all of this.
"Hahaha..."
Hearing the laughter, Tony looked at him, confused.
"Don't worry about it."
Bai Ye waved his hand, leaned back onto the beach chair, and showed no sign of tension.
"Let him come."
Tony was stunned: "What? Bai, didn't you hear clearly? It's Loki and Thanos! That Purple Potato you talked about! The two of them together are enough to cause a mountain of trouble!"
"I heard very clearly." Bai Ye's tone was relaxed and carefree.
Is there anything about Loki and Thanos to worry about?
Of course, he knew what it meant when those two teamed up.
Isn't this just the plot of Avengers 1, where Loki invades Earth with the Mind Stone Scepter gifted by Thanos and the Chitauri army?
But in this Multiverse, the situation might be different.
He had previously discovered the existence of Emperor Thanos with Knull; that guy must be causing trouble across the Multiverse.
The Thanos of Bai Ye's Universe might even have been erased by a stronger version of himself.
So, which Universe's Thanos did Loki go looking for?
And what kind of disaster will he bring?
"Interesting," Bai Ye thought.
The original script has been ripped to shreds by me, and now they are forcefully trying to revert to the old path?
I want to see what kind of play this director intends to stage this time. Is it the Beyonders?
Or that Elderly Thanos hiding behind the scenes? Or is it just a plain, ordinary plot?
Bai Ye watched Tony's appearance on the screen, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
This kind of unknown change is far more interesting than an unchanging plot.
"I want to see what this God of Mischief..."
Bai Ye said slowly, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation.
"Can pull off this time."
Tony looked at his confident demeanor, feeling puzzled.
But his long-standing trust ultimately led him to believe in Bai Ye.
"Fine, if you say so," Tony sighed.
"The Avengers will enter maximum alert status. But speaking of which, are you really not planning to do something in advance? Like going to Asgard to check things out?"
"No need." Bai Ye shook his head, sounding unconcerned:
"That would alert the enemy and make the game less fun."
"A game?" Tony's mouth twitched.
"Alright, maybe it's just a game to you. Anyway, I'll notify you immediately if anything happens."
The communication ended, and the Villa returned to peace.
Martina walked up to Bai Ye, her expression serious: "Bai, are we really not going to do anything?"
"Relax."
Bai Ye looked at her serious, somewhat foolishly cute expression, and subconsciously rubbed her head.
"I've seen many versions of Thanos. This one won't be an exception."
...At this moment, in the depths of the Bai Ye Universe.
In the boundless darkness, dotted with the corpses of stars, a massive throne floated in the void.
Thanos sat upon it quietly, clad in heavy golden armor.
His gaze was profound, seemingly containing the birth and death of the entire Universe, as he calmly watched the figure kneeling below him.
Loki Odinson
The God of Mischief who had just escaped from the prison of Asgard.
Now, he suppressed all his arrogance, lowered his head, and respectfully awaited the judgment of the Cosmic Overlord.
"So..."
Thanos's voice was low and slow, devoid of any emotion.
"You have come before me, Prince of Asgard. You crave power, you crave the Throne, and you didn't hesitate to betray your brother and father."
"Yes, Great Thanos!"
Loki raised his head, the flames of ambition flickering in his eyes.
"I will bring you victory, and I will present you with Midgard, as well as the other Infinity Stones!"
"Infinity Stones?"
A barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of Thanos's mouth...
"Odin's Vault certainly holds many treasures, but why should I trust you? A failure who has repeatedly been defeated by your foolish brother."
Thanos directly questioned Loki, his tone full of distrust.
"Because I understand them!"
Loki's voice became urgent, and he quickly explained:
"I understand Midgard's weakness, and I understand Odin's arrogance! If you just give me an army, I guarantee I can bring the Infinity Stones before you!"
Thanos fell silent.
His massive finger gently tapped the armrest; every tap felt like a stomp on Loki's heart.
Below the Throne were Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, Black Dwarf, and Supergiant.
They stood on both sides like five silent statues.
Their cold gazes, one after another, fell upon Loki, filled with contempt and scrutiny.
Finally, Thanos spoke again.
"Very well."
He slowly stood up, his massive figure casting a Shadow that nearly swallowed Loki whole.
"I will give you a chance, Loki."
Thanos raised his hand, and Ebony Maw immediately understood, drawing a light line in the void with his withered finger.
A scepter shimmering with blue light materialized out of thin air and slowly floated toward Loki.
(The Mind Stone is orange, but it is encased in a blue device.)
"This is the Mind Stone Scepter."
Thanos's voice carried undeniable majesty.
"It will grant you the power to control minds, and my children will accompany you to ensure the plan is foolproof."
A burst of ecstatic light instantly erupted in Loki's eyes; he accepted the Scepter with trembling hands.
The moment his fingers touched the Scepter, a cold and seductive power instantly flooded his mind, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
"Go."
Thanos sat back on the Throne, his voice reverting to indifference.
"Use your mischief to bring me that blue gem. Do not disappoint me."
"As you command, my Master."
Loki bowed his head respectfully, but when he turned around, his face bore his signature, wicked smile.
Ebony Maw walked beside him, his withered fingers tracing complex runes in the air, and a massive, distorted Portal slowly opened before him.
"The Chitauri army has been waiting for a long time."
As the figures of Loki and the Black Order vanished in the light of the Portal, Thanos slowly closed his eyes, and the massive Throne faded into the endless darkness... Meanwhile, on Earth, at the Avengers Base
Inside the massive circular conference room, the lights were brightly lit.
The Super Heroes gathered, the atmosphere serious, yet devoid of any panic.
Tony Stark stood in front of the main control panel, where a holographic projection displayed energy fluctuation data transmitted from Asgard.
Beside him, Dr. Banner and Beast Hank were discussing something in low voices, occasionally making marks on a data pad.
On the other side of the round table, Power Princess Zola was wiping her long sword, while Dr. Spectrum Joseph Lede closed his eyes to rest.
The members of the X-Men formed their own group; Cyclops was talking quietly with Storm, arranging tactics.
Colossus stood with Wolverine Logan, the latter chewing on a cigar, impatiently filing his nails with his Adamantium claws.
Black Panther TChalla, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist Daniel Rand, and others were all present, their expressions equally calm.
They had already joined the Avengers some time ago.
In the center of the conference room, Thunder God Thor, who had just returned from Asgard, was taking large gulps of beer.
"So."
Tony finally finished his discussion with Banner, turned around, and swept his gaze across everyone present.
"So, here's the situation: Thor's brother, the pointy-horned Loki, has run away from home again, and this time, he found a big purple-skinned guy to back him up."
His tone was relaxed, as if he were discussing a weekend party, not an imminent alien invasion.
Chapter 295
Hawkeye leaned back in his chair, a flicker of interest crossing his face as he quipped:
"So now we're up against a trickster god, five alien generals, and an endless horde of cannon-fodder troops?"
"Sounds like the final level of some video game."
Peter Parker couldn't help chiming in, excitement lacing his voice.
Thor set down his beer and reminded the room in a low voice:
"This is no game. Each of Thanos's Black Order can wipe out a fleet."
"So what?"
Power Princess spoke up, her tone confident.
"We have a true god on our side—absent though he is—and…"
She swept her gaze across the gathered Avengers.
"…a band of battle-hardened warriors."
She rose; black armor flowed over her body.
"We've survived cosmic collisions, fought countless foes, watched gods fall. A mere Thanos and Lokidon't scare us."
Her words blazed with confidence and instantly ignited everyone's fighting spirit.
"Well said!"
Wolverine Logan was first on his feet, Adamantium claws snikt-ing out.
"Can't wait to shred a few alien scumbags!"
"Easy, Logan."
Cyclops pressed a hand to his shoulder, eyes gleaming sharp.
Tony Stark grinned, snapped his fingers, and swapped the center holo to a 3-D map of New York City.
"Since we're all feeling peppy, let's talk welcome parties."
He tapped Stark Tower on the map.
"Per Thor's intel, Loki's Portal opens here—our main battlefield."
"Cage, Eddie, T'Challa… Logan, Colossus."
Tony's eyes tracked across a dozen heroes.
"You handle the Leviathans; keep collateral within five blocks."
"Scott, Captain."
He turned to Cyclops and Steve Rogers.
"Ground troops and air support—no Chitauri Soldier touches civilians."
"Dr. Spectrum, Hawkeye—snipe command units first."
"As for us…"
Tony's gaze settled last on Power Princess, Banner, and Thor.
"We'll greet Loki and his five generals."
"Wait!"
Peter Parker shot his hand up, anxious. "What about me, Mr. Stark?"
Tony shot him a smirk. "You swing around, snap some heroic pics—tomorrow's front page needs eye-candy."
Laughter rippled through the room, melting the tension Tony-style.
They were the Avengers, Earth's mightiest Guardians.
They wielded power to rival gods and had saved the World time and again.
Never stronger, never more united, their resolve was unbreakable.
A mere vanguard of Loki and Thanos hardly warranted panic.
Just as the final plans clicked into place—ALERT!!!
A piercing siren screamed through the Base.
"Sir!"
Jarvis announced: "A massive magical Portal is forming above Midtown Manhattan!"
Tony's grin turned battle-hungry.
"Alright, folks."
He snapped the helmet on; his voice boomed through the speakers.
"Party time."
…New York, Manhattan
A colossal magical Portal spun steadily above Stark Tower.
Its eerie blue light painted the sky otherworldly.
This time, New Yorkers didn't dissolve into outright panic.
Hardened by past crises, the city had grown a bigger heart.
Crowds lined the streets, phones raised, streaming the bizarre spectacle—curiosity and excitement eclipsing fear.
The Avengers were already on site, holding back rather than diving in.
They fanned out, forming a human cordon to herd gawkers to safety.
"Attention, citizens!"
Tony's voice rang from the Anti-Superman Armor's loudspeakers, clear on every street.
"This area will soon be extremely dangerous. Return home and lock your doors—now!"
"Repeat: this is not a drill or some new VR stunt!"
His tone carried its usual teasing note, yet the warning in it could not be ignored.
Power Princess hovered in mid-air, using her strength to guide the crowd in an orderly evacuation.
The other members each had their duties: Storm, Ororo, summoned gentle air currents to push the people toward safety.
Cyclops and Colossus handled the traffic accidents caused by the chaos.
On a relatively quiet street, Eddie Brock had fully merged with Venom.
The two-meter-tall black Symbiote leaned idly against a wall, chatting with Peter Parker, who was also helping evacuate civilians.
"Hey, little Peter."
Venom's trademark mouthful of fangs stretched into an exaggerated grin.
"See that big ring in the sky? Reminds me of another Universe."
As he spoke, Peter webbed a little girl to safety who'd nearly been trampled, replying with some embarrassment.
"Uh, really?"
"Of course!"
Venom's tongue shot out and whipped through the air.
"In that Universe I bonded with a guy named Peter Parker too—what a team! We soared through the skies and dove underground, omnipotent! Pity, though."
He suddenly leaned in to Spider-Man, lowering his voice, bitterness thick in his words.
"That guy decided I was too noisy and actually tried to drive me out with church bells!!"
"So I tore him clean off! Pretty tasteless, don't you think?"
Venom kept up his relentless banter; Spider-Man, awkward, couldn't find a reply.
Dr. Banner, overhearing nearby, couldn't help laughing.
"Seems no matter the Universe, you two are fated to be at odds."
"Exactly!"
Venom answered righteously, black tendrils thumping his chest.
"He was one of my hosts—just not a very obedient one!"
Close by, other heroes chatted casually as well.
None showed the slightest worry about the coming war.
They even joked about the ever-growing Portal in the sky.
"Honestly..." Hawkeye quipped to Natasha.
"Those Portal effects beat any Hollywood blockbuster."
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Let's hope whatever comes out isn't tougher than the monsters in the movies."
Just then Tony's voice cut across every comm channel, turning serious.
"Alright, people—chat time's over. Get ready. They're here."
Every Avenger present snapped their gaze skyward.
The Portal flared, and countless Chitauri Soldiers on fliers poured out like locusts.
Their energy weapons glowed menacingly.
Behind them, a colossal Leviathan Beast roared, its massive frame squeezing through the Portal.
Faced with the apocalyptic sight, the heroes showed no fear.
"Whoa!"
Peter still found breath to quip. "This is way bigger than last time."
Wolverine's lips curled into a savage grin.
"Perfect—my claws have been itching."
"Now," Tony's voice rang out, decisive.
"Everyone—move!"
"Some of you handle the alien foot-soldiers; the rest come with me to deal with Loki and company!"
There, beyond the endless Chitauri horde, the Portal shimmered again.
Loki, Mind Stone staff in hand, hovered beside the Black Order, all borne aloft by Ebony Maw's magic.
Like gods they drifted out, gazing down at the city about to be engulfed in war.
At Tony's order the vast hero force split in two.
Led by Steve Rogers, Squadron Supreme members—Speed Demon, Dr. Spectrum, Nightjar—and others.
Alongside Spider-Man, Venom, Wolverine, Cyclops, Black Panther, Beast, Natasha, Hawkeye, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and dozens more.
They charged head-on into the endless Chitauri tide.
Meanwhile Tony Stark, Captain Marvel, Dr. Banner, Thor, Power Princess and Storm—six of the mightiest—headed elsewhere.
Chapter 296
Then he rose slowly into the air, drifting toward Loki and the Black Order, leaving the main battlefield to them.
Tony was now clad in the anti-deity armor he and Banner had spent months perfecting and fully upgrading.
The suit was streamlined and silver-white, with faint blue energy veins pulsing across its surface.
Its power core fused Asgardian Rune Magic provided by Thor with the Artificial Star-Core technology left by Bai Ye, creating a Magical Star-Core Super-Reactor that supplied near-limitless energy.
The armor meshed perfectly with Tony's awakened energy-absorption ability.
With the suit's help, his own hundred-ton strength…
…could be amplified to deliver million-ton Impacts.
He could now match Thor and Hulk in their base forms.
Thanks to Shi'ar tech, his speed and reflexes reached staggering sub-light velocity.
And with Vibranium and Uru plating, his defenses rivaled the Hulk's hide.
The armor made Tony Stark a veritable god on Earth.
"Hey, guys."
His faceplate opened as he glanced at the approaching Loki and company. "Ready for some fun?"
"Whoever bags the most bad guys buys the drinks—deal?"
Thor laughed, lightning crackling over Mjolnir.
"Agreed! And it'll be whiskey!"
Captain Marvel and Power Princess exchanged confident smiles.
The six heroes rose and hovered before Loki and the Black Order.
Earth's two mightiest teams now faced off above New York.
Tony's faceplate snapped shut; a cold electronic voice boomed across the sky.
"Party time."
"Arrogant mortals!"
Loki snarled, raising the Mind Stone-tipped scepter.
"Kill them!"
At his command the Black Order and Loki himself shot forward as six streaks of light.
The sky over New York became a battlefield of gods and monsters.
Ebony Maw struck first, flicking a skeletal finger.
Dozens of cars, buses, even a severed bridge span below rose like toys.
They formed a tidal wave of steel and slammed toward Tony Stark.
"Old trick."
Tony snorted; his thrusters blazed sapphire.
He carved an almost invisible silver arc at sub-light speed, weaving through the metallic flood.
Tons of debris whipped past without so much as a spark.
Ebony Maw stared, stunned.
"My science is faster than your magic, squid-face."
Tony's voice sounded right beside him.
Maw's pupils shrank as he threw up layers of telekinetic shields—too late.
Tony was already in front of him.
Magical star-core energy concentrated in his palm.
A beam brighter than the reactor itself blasted out.
Boom!!!
The telekinetic barriers shattered like paper.
With a shriek Maw was swallowed by the blast.
He plummeted like a broken kite, life or death unknown.
Meanwhile, another roar shook the battlefield.
Black Dwarf and Corvus Glaive, Thanos's strongest brawlers, flanked Thor and Hulk.
"Hulk smash!"
Green fists met black in a savage clash, shockwaves shattering windows below.
Each blow sent visible ripples through the air.
Corvus's atom-splitting glaive locked against Mjolnir in a Storm of sparks.
Asgardian lightning and cosmic steel tore rifts in space with every strike.
"You've grown stronger, Asgardian," Corvus rasped.
"Because I have something worth protecting!"
Lightning flared white-hot as memories of Loki's betrayal flooded Thor.
High above, Supergiant's mental tendrils crept toward Captain Marvel's mind—only to slam into an adamant wall of pure energy.
"Against real cosmic power, your parlor tricks are nothing."
Golden light rippled in Carol's eyes as she raised her hand.
Cosmic energy condensed into a judgment beam.
"No!"
Supergiant watched in horror as her own psychic power was devoured in reverse. She tried to sever the link, but it was already too late.
Boom!
The beam pierced her body, and the master of mind control was vaporized into cosmic dust without even a scream.
On the final battlefield, Proxima Midnight was locked in combat with Storm Ororo and Power Princess.
Her spear was as swift as lightning, every throw guided by the law of absolute hit.
The barrage forced Power Princess into a purely defensive stance, her adamantine body now streaked with deep scars.
Infuriated by Proxima Midnight's downright unfair ability, Power Princess finally lost her temper.
She abandoned defense entirely, turning her divine power into a whip of light that bound Proxima Midnight fast.
"Ororo!" Power Princess shouted.
"Got it!"
Storm's eyes blanched to a stark white as Storm-clouds converged overhead.
Lightning thicker than water barrels crashed down and struck Proxima Midnight dead-on.
Within minutes, the fight had already neared its end.
The Black Order, once the terror of countless civilizations, now looked helpless before the Avengers.
Hovering in the air, Loki stared in disbelief.
His armies, his generals, his grand design—everything was collapsing in a way he could not fathom.
"No… impossible!"
Trembling, Loki raised the Mind Stone-tipped scepter for one last stand.
But at that instant, a huge green shadow loomed over him.
"Hey, chicken god."
A wicked, almost human grin spread across Hulk's savage face.
Loki's face went paler than parchment; he couldn't help shrieking:
"NOOO!!!"
Without a word, Hulk seized Loki's leg and began his signature performance.
"Hulk!"
"WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!"
The classic scene of Loki being rag-dolled left and right played out again.
Under Hulk's relentless pounding, the trickster god flopped like a rag doll against the roof of Stark Tower.
At last Loki was trussed up like a dumpling, all fight beaten out of him.
Six heroes descended slowly, regrouping in the sky.
(Don't ask how Hulk flew—just assume the others gave him a lift.)
Even after their fierce clash with the Black Order,
they breathed evenly, without a scratch on them.
"All right."
Tony's faceplate opened; looking at teammates still battling the Chitauri below, he smiled easily.
"Warm-up's over."
"Time to help them take out the trash."
The words had barely left his mouth when six figures—like six meteors of different colors—dove from on high.
They slammed into the densest part of the ground battle.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying shock-wave swept the whole block like a hurricane.
Where they landed, the pavement was blasted into a crater dozens of meters wide.
Hundreds of Chitauri Soldiers were shredded by the blast of air.
Tony's landing was even more precise: he shot straight into a Leviathan Beast's gut.
From inside, he blew the colossal creature into a sky full of flying metal debris.
"They're here!"
On the ground, Steve Rogers spotted them and blazed with fresh resolve.
"Everyone—keep fighting!"
With six top-tier heroes joining, the skirmish became a one-sided slaughter.
The streets of Manhattan turned into the heroes' hunting ground.
"Come on, scum!"
Wolverine Logan let out a thunderous roar.
Enhanced by Bai Ye Serum, he activated his new form and grew into a three-meter giant.
His Adamantium claws extended into three pairs of unstoppable blades.
He rampaged through the street; every swipe tore a Chitauri flyer—and its riders—in half.
A Leviathan Beast tried to ram him head-on, but he caught its skull on his lengthened claws.
Screeech
With a metallic shriek, Logan roared and split the monster's head clean in two!
Chapter 297
"Hey, big guy! Over here!"
Peter Parker's silhouette traced an elegant arc between the buildings.
Upgraded by Bai Ye's serum, the strands he fired were no longer ordinary webbing.
Instead, they were blazing fiery whips!
The flaming lashes coiled precisely around a Leviathan Beast's neck.
Searing flames instantly ignited its bio-armor, turning it into a colossal fireball tumbling through the air.
"Whoa! This feels amazing! From today on, I'm Flame Spider-Man!" Peter shouted excitedly.
He thrust both hands forward, releasing a giant wave of fire that devoured dozens of Chitauri Soldiers on the street ahead.
"Shut it, kid! Focus on the fight!"
Venom's massive black frame dropped from the sky, smashing into a cluster of Chitauri Soldiers.
He opened his cavernous jaws and gulped down several aliens, then used black tendrils to lift a tank.
Like hurling a baseball, he flung it at another Leviathan Beast.
"These guys taste like expired canned food!"
Elsewhere, Natasha's figure flickered like a ghost across the battlefield.
Activating her cloaking ability, she soundlessly appeared behind her foes.
Her liquid-metal-coated right arm morphed into a razor-sharp blade, cleanly slicing throats and energy cores.
Her movements were graceful yet lethal; everywhere she passed, bodies silently toppled.
"Clint, ten o'clock—take down that command ship," Natasha's voice sounded over the comm.
"Copy."
Hawkeye stood atop a high-rise, drawing his longbow. A special arrow crackled with bright blue electricity.
He inhaled, eyes locking onto the distant Chitauri command vessel issuing orders.
"Taste this!"
The arrow shot out as a bolt of lightning, streaking hundreds of meters to pierce the ship's energy core!
A titanic explosion bloomed mid-air, blue arcs spreading like a spider-web.
The blast dragged dozens of nearby flyers into a chain of fiery eruptions—like brilliant fireworks.
Steve leveraged his battlefield-Captain strengths; together with the Squadron Supreme they showed soldier-like discipline.
They formed a battle formation—absorb shields, energy, speed, and magic in perfect concert.
Like a scalpel, they sliced through enemy lines with surgical precision.
Steve absorbed the Chitauri's energy blasts.
Then redirected those energies; every energy-charged shield-swing cleaved through Chitauri armor.
Speed Demon flickered in after-images, shredding an entire Chitauri squad in an instant.
Dr. Spectrum and Nighthawk kept up long-range fire and constant buffs.
With Tony and five other top-tier combatants joining, the battle's outcome was no longer in doubt.
Tony's Anti-Superman Armor streaked across the battlefield; every palm-repulsor blast precisely obliterated a Leviathan Beast.
Carol's cosmic energy scythed like Death's sickle, erasing everything it touched.
Hulk and Thor shattered the Chitauri lines—no enemy could survive a single strike.
Yet, just as victory tipped completely and the heroes prepared to mop up, the half-dead Ebony Maw—whom Tony had blasted into rubble—clawed his way out of the debris.
He gazed at his routed army, then at the sky where the Portal was now sealed and impassable, resolve flashing in his eyes.
Ebony Maw knew the mission had utterly failed.
But Master Thanos's will had to be conveyed.
This Earth's power far exceeded their estimates; his Master must learn that a force capable of threatening him lay hidden here.
With his last strength, Ebony Maw traced a tiny, almost imperceptible teleportation rune in the air.
"Master…" his voice was hoarse.
"Earth… is stronger… than we thought…"
The rune flashed and vanished; Ebony Maw's body, unable to endure, crumbled into dust.
Deep in the cosmos
Thanos sat silently upon his throne, watching the battle recording Ebony Maw had sent with his final breath. No emotion showed on the Titan's purple visage.
He saw that unprecedentedly powerful Avengers lineup, saw the silver-white armor whose might rivaled a god's,
and saw heroes with strange abilities he had never encountered before.
The sight left Thanos in long silence.
At last he slowly rose, lifting the massive twin-edged war-blade that symbolized annihilation from beside his throne.
"It seems…"
Thanos's deep, majestic voice echoed through the lifeless void.
"Some things… require my personal attention."
He raised his gaze, as though piercing endless space to fall upon that small, blue Planet full of surprises.
"Earth."
Earth, New York battlefield
"Nice work, big guys!"
Power Princess Zola let out a long cry, her divine sword carving a golden arc through the air and cleanly severing a Leviathan Beast's head.
The battlefield had turned into a heroes' hunting carnival.
Wolverine Logan's three-meter frame rampaged through the Chitauri ranks.
His extended Adamantium claws reaped like the scythe of the God of Death.
Every swing tore a gunship—and the soldiers aboard—into scraps.
Spider-Man's flaming web covered whole blocks, trapping countless foes while searing flames drew shrill screams.
Hawkeye Clint coordinated fiercely with Storm Ororo.
His Lightning Arrows doubled in power within the hurricane she conjured, becoming a sky-spanning net of thunder.
Natasha flickered through the shadows; her Invisibility made her the deadliest assassin on the field.
Liquid-metal arms punched straight through Chitauri bio-armor.
Luke Cage and Iron Fist stood back-to-back—an unbreakable fortress paired with an unstoppable spear.
Together they carved a bloody path through the enemy.
Long Island Villa
In stark contrast to the raging war downtown, peace reigned inside Bai Ye's Villa.
Five of them lounged on the living-room sofa while a giant holoscreen streamed the New York battle live.
Bai Ye reclined at ease, Wanda beside him, smiling as she lifted a grape to his lips.
Chaos Magic rippled gently, peeling the skin off the grape and leaving only sweet flesh.
Bai Ye opened his mouth, savoring the sweetness, eyes never leaving the fight on screen.
"Seriously...".
Martina, watching the Avengers rampage, couldn't contain her sense of justice:
"Shouldn't we help? They're winning, but the enemy's endless; they'll burn out."
"Relax, Martina."
Susan laughed, taking a bag of chips from Ju Ziyun and crunching a piece.
"We can just enjoy the show. Tony and the others need battles like this to grow and mesh."
"If we jump in, it becomes a one-sided crush—no fun at all."
Ju Ziyun nodded in full agreement:
"Exactly. The moment we join, the performance loses all suspense. Their fight, their finish."
Wanda added with a languid smile, leaning on Bai Ye's shoulder:
"Right, dear has paved the way and given them plenty of power."
"If they can't handle even this level of crisis, they'll disappoint dear too much."
Bai Ye swallowed the grape, eyes flicking across the ever-fiercer heroes, a hint of pride showing.
"Correct—we just watch. They've got this."
"This is their stage. Every crisis is a transformation; I can't be their nanny forever."
New York Battlefield
The fight raged on until Hawkeye's Lightning Arrow detonated the last Chitauri command ship, ending the invasion.
The heroes were exhausted but morale soared.
Yet just as everyone thought the battle over, the already-unstable Portal overhead flared with blinding light.
A pressure far more terrifying than every Chitauri combined instantly blanketed New York.
Every fighting hero froze and looked skyward.
A towering figure stepped slowly out of the Portal.
He wore thick golden armor; purple skin hard as rock, eyes gleaming with cold cruelty.
Thanos had arrived.
"Pathetic insects."
Thanos' voice rumbled, low and devoid of feeling:
"Your resistance ends now."
His presence silenced the entire battlefield.
The heroes instinctively converged, every face grimmer than ever.
They could feel this purple titan was unlike any foe before—his very being meant annihilation.
"Well then..."
Tony's voice crackled over the comm, laced with self-mocking humor.
"Looks like the real boss just showed. Everyone ready for the toughest fight of our lives?"
Thanos descended slowly, planting his massive Twin-Blade in the rubble.
He swept his gaze across the Avengers, contempt in his eyes.
"Which of you will die first?"
Chapter 298
"Hulk!"
Hulk didn't care about the details; he was the first to roar and charge forward.
His massive green frame carried unstoppable force as he drove a fist straight at Thanos's head!
Everyone present held their breath; they all wanted to see whether Earth's rawest power could outmatch this cosmic overlord.
Facing Hulk's heavy punch, Thanos didn't even draw his war-blade.
He simply lifted his left hand and punched back!
BOOM!!!
The two colossal fists collided mid-air, releasing an earsplitting thunderclap!
A visible shock-wave erupted from the pair, obliterating every scrap of surrounding rubble.
Hulk's huge frame lurched half a step back—and so did Thanos.
"Evenly matched?!"
Banner, inside Hulk, felt his pupils shrink at the sight.
Inside Tony's armor, Jarvis's analytical voice sounded:
"Based on force-feedback, the target's muscle density and power output equal Hulk's."
The assessment made every hero below top-tier suck in a cold breath.
An enemy as strong as Hulk, yet far superior in skill and intellect?
A nightmare.
Yet, just as everyone braced for a drawn-out war, Tony Stark suddenly laughed.
"So that's how it is," his voice rang over the comm.
"And here I thought he was something special—turns out he's just an oversized green tin can."
"Tony?" Natasha turned to him, puzzled.
"Relax, Agent."
Tony's anti-deity armor snapped into overload, every joule funnelling into the chest-reactor.
"This guy only looks scary."
Before the words faded he became a silver bolt, slamming at sub-light speed into the Thanos who'd just disengaged from Hulk!
Thanos sensed the threat and tried to draw his blade, but Tony was simply too fast!
BOOM!!!
Tony's fist—carrying megaton-level force—smashed square into Thanos's chest!
To universal shock, Thanos's supposedly unbreakable golden armor cracked like fragile glass.
The Titan was blasted backward, punching through a dozen high-rises before vanishing beneath city-wide rubble.
"Nice shot!"
Before the awe could settle, Carol and Power Princess Zola moved as one!
Cosmic energy and divine power merged into a golden column of destruction, drilling into the ruins where Thanos lay!
An instant later Thor's Mjolnir descended with ten-thousand-ton lightning, hammering the spot!
RUMBLE—!!!
A miniature mushroom cloud climbed above midtown New York; when the dust cleared, only a bottomless crater remained.
Thanos had vanished—no corpse, no scrap, nothing.
The overwhelming cosmic tyrant who had every hero on edge... was simply deleted?
The battlefield sank into dead silence.
"Wait..." Spider-Man Peter Parker said, dumbstruck.
"That's it? I thought we were in for a three-day epic!"
Tony landed, face-plate opening; he exhaled and shrugged.
"Looks like his PR team is stronger than he ever was."
As Thanos's huge form was blasted to fragments under the heroes' combined strike,
the ominous Portal overhead, starved of energy, slowly closed, and New York at last regained its hard-won calm.
The battle was over.
The surviving Chitauri Soldiers, bereft of command,
scattered like headless flies and were picked off one by one.
The last Chitauri flyer crashed in flames, plunging the city into an eerie hush.
Only distant sirens and the crackle of fires on broken walls disturbed the quiet.
The heroes stood amid the devastation, dust and alien blood streaking their costumes,
yet every face wore the joy of victory—and a hint of disbelief.
"So..."
Peter dropped onto a broken column, pulling off his mask to survey the war-torn skyline.
"That's it? I was bracing for a three-day, three-night showdown!"
"Same here."
Hovering down, Tony agreed with Peter's complaint.
His silver-white anti-Superman armor didn't have a single scuff.
He popped his helmet and exhaled in relief.
"Honestly, this guy's aura of intimidation far outstrips his actual combat strength; I thought he'd last three punches."
"Two and a half."
Dr. Banner's voice came from the side; he had already reverted from Hulk form and was wearily pulling on spare clothes.
"By the second punch, that Purple Potato couldn't even stand steady."
Thor tossed an already-unconscious Loki to the ground and laughed, "Anyway, we won! A victory absolutely worthy of the history books!"
"Victory?"
Wolverine Logan dismissed his twenty-seven-metre giant form and returned to normal height.
He spat out the long-extinct cigar and grumbled, "What kind of victory is this? I hadn't even warmed up before that Purple Potato keeled over—no fun at all."
"I was just thinking of stepping up and having a go at him."
"Count your blessings, Logan."
Storm Ororo drifted down from the sky; with a wave of her hand a gentle breeze lifted the battlefield's smoke and dust high into the air.
"At least we don't have to worry about the end of the World anymore."
Power Princess sheathed her longsword, watching the gathering heroes with a flicker of complicated emotion in her eyes.
Once upon a time, her Squadron Supreme had commanded such might.
Yet they had chosen to rule rather than to guard.
"All right, everyone."
Steve Rogers clapped his hands, drawing every gaze.
"Save the speeches for Tony's celebration; right now we still have plenty of work to do."
He pointed at the surrounding rubble and the scattered Chitauri corpses and said earnestly, "This city needs us—let's start the cleanup."
With Steve taking the lead, the vast team of heroes sprang into action.
"Colossus, Luke Cage, you two handle the Leviathan wreckage!"
Colossus and Luke Cage exchanged glances, then together hoisted a hundred-metre Leviathan Beastcarcass.
They flung it like trash onto an empty lot in the distance.
For now they would pile the debris there and deal with it all at once later.
"Scott, Ororo!" Cyclops directed the X-Men.
"Use your powers to help with evacuation and rescue!"
Storm summoned wind and rain again, dousing the flames across the battlefield.
Cyclops's optic beams precisely sliced boulders blocking the roads, clearing a path for rescue vehicles.
Natasha and Hawkeye flitted like ghosts through the rubble, searching for possible survivors.
Natasha's stealth let her slip easily into unstable structures.
Hawkeye's lightning arrows served as temporary lighting and power supply.
"Hey, Asphalt-Breath! Don't just stand there snacking!"
Peter swung over to Venom, who was trying to stuff a Chitauri Soldier's head into his mouth; Peterquickly webbed him up.
"I'm just helping dispose of the trash!" Venom protested.
"And these guys taste awful, I swear!"
"Go help Jessica and Iron Fist carry stuff instead!"
Tony Stark hovered overhead; his armor had become the battlefield's command centre.
"Carol, Dr. Spectrum, you two handle the Chitauri warship cores—make sure they don't blow twice."
"Power Princess, you and your team keep order—don't let looters seize the chance."
With every hero in place, the once-chaotic battlefield visibly regained order under their seamless teamwork.
A few hours later, as the first rays of dawn lit Manhattan, the cleanup was essentially done.
In small groups the heroes gathered on the rooftop helipad of Stark Tower, savouring the hard-won peace.
"Honestly…"
Tony Stark leaned against his armor, sipping an ice-cold energy drink.
"Looking back, our current lineup is ridiculously powerful."
His words resonated with every superhero present.
Dr. Banner nodded, adjusting his glasses. "True. In the old days we'd still be fretting over how to handle a single Chitauri army."
"And now we can beat their Master without breaking a sweat."
"We owe that to Bai Ye," Steve said, gratitude filling his voice.
"He didn't just boost all our powers—what matters more is that he truly united us."
"Yeah!" Peter sat on the edge of the rooftop, legs swinging.
Peter sat on the edge of the rooftop, legs swinging.
Chapter 299
"I never imagined that one day I'd fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Wolverine, Hulk, and so many super-heroes—it feels unreal."
Little Spider's words drew a proud grunt from Wolverine Logan, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"Kid, get used to it. You'll have plenty of chances to shine—plenty of shrimp on the barbie."
Power Princess watched this gathering of heroes from every walk of life, a flicker of emotion in her eyes.
"In my Universe, we once had a team like this," she said softly.
"But we walked a different path."
Steve stepped to her side, his gaze gentle.
"Now, you have a new choice."
Everyone exchanged smiles; a sense of belonging and pride they'd never felt before welled up inside.
They were no longer mere Avengers, not an isolated X-team, not the lost Squadron Supreme.
They were Earth's mightiest Guardians, a super-force that could make any cosmic warlord tremble.
They were the Guardians!
Long Island Villa
Far from the post-battle clamor downtown, Bai Ye's Villa lay in quiet repose.
A colossal hologram hovered above the living-room floor.
Seeing the Avengers' victory, Bai Ye flicked his wrist and the projection dissolved.
"Show's over."
Leaning back on the plush sofa, he picked up an apple from the coffee table and began to peel it unhurriedly.
"Honestly…"
Susan stretched, lace loungewear clinging as she draped her long legs over an armrest.
"I almost jumped in—the way that purple potato made his entrance was pretty intimidating."
Ju Ziyun lifted her black tea, disappointed.
"His pressure was real, but the fight fizzled. I thought it would be a grind."
"It's not that he was weak."
Martina sat cross-legged on the rug, Fire Phoenix napping in her arms.
"It's that Tony and the others have become too strong."
She glanced at Bai Ye, eyes playful.
"Their anti-deity armor outperformed my estimates—runes married to an artificial stellar core is almost the perfect power source."
Wanda wove a garland of Scarlet Energy with Chaos Magic, then crowned the floating Di Jiang; the little creature chirped with delight.
"I think the key is their growth," Wanda said, voice warm and clear.
"Did you see it, dear? Tony and Steve's joint command, his decisiveness, Hulk and Thor's teamwork…"
"They're no longer lone heroes; they're an army that truly knows how to fight as one."
"The power you gave them—they've learned to wield it properly."
All three women nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Bai Ye handed the peeled apple to Wanda, took another, and resumed peeling.
"Exactly."
A gleam of pride crossed his eyes.
"This battle was a necessary test."
"Loki and the Black Order—Thanos included—were just appetizers."
"They needed this victory to build the confidence for what's coming."
Bai Ye knew better than anyone what crises the Multiverse still hid.
He saw more than an alien invasion repelled; he saw Earth's defenders transform.
The garden he had tended was now lush enough to weather most storms.
"Still…" Susan sat up, curves on full display.
"Tony's trash-talk hasn't lost its edge."
"I just heard with my Force Field sense—he's bragging to Bruce Banner that his new armor can punch the moon off orbit."
Martina snorted with laughter.
"If he actually did it, Earth would be doomed."
Everyone chuckled; even Martina was joining the banter.
"Speaking of which…" Susan turned to Bai Ye, curious.
"You didn't seem surprised by Thanos at all. I could tell you knew he was weak from the start."
The room quieted; all eyes fixed on Bai Ye.
His peeling paused; amusement glimmered in his dark pupils.
"Because I've met a Thanos worthy of the name."
"The one they faced was merely an ambitious, moderately powerful pretender. The one I saw…"
Bai Ye's thoughts drifted back to those shattered universes—Worlds of ruin and madness.
He recalled the Emperor Thanos who had pushed obsession to its limit and slaughtered an entire cosmos.
The mad Titan who had collected six gems and erased half of all life with a single snap of his fingers.
Most crucial of all, Emperor Thanos was still hiding somewhere—no one knew where.
Bai Ye had never faced him head-on; the man always lurked in unobservable pocket dimensions.
Right now he might be hatching some insane scheme to annihilate the Multiverse—or even kill the One-Above-All.
"The true Thanos never seeks conquest—only balance, a maniacally absolute balance," Bai Ye's voice dropped.
"His will is enough to make even Cosmic Deities turn their heads."
A brief silence settled over the living room after those words.
All four women could sense the unspoken weight in Bai Ye's tone.
"So…" Susan's expression turned grave.
"We'll meet enemies like that again?"
Bai Ye nodded. "We will."
"And they'll be stronger—and crazier—than you can imagine."
"This invasion was only the beginning; it proves one thing: our Universe is no longer safe."
"The walls of the Multiverse are weakening. Intruders like Loki and Thanos will only grow more common."
He turned, sweeping his gaze across each woman present.
"Wanda's Chaos Magic, Susan's super-Mutant physiology, Martina's allspark body, Ju Ziyun's evolutionary genes… our power is formidable, but it's not enough."
"We need to grow stronger," Bai Ye declared, voice steady.
"Strong enough that any being who covets this Universe will feel despair the instant they set foot in it."
Wanda rose slowly, walked to Bai Ye's side, and took his hand.
"Whatever comes, we'll face it with you."
"Exactly."
Susan and Ju Ziyun stood as well, moving to his other side.
Martina smiled and stepped in front of them, pumping her fist.
Bai Ye looked at them, warmth flooding his chest; he was no longer fighting alone.
He drew a deep breath and let an easy smile return to his face.
"Before the next crisis hits, we still have time to operate."
"Anyone want to see how Tony and the others are celebrating their victory?"
"I hear there's an excellent barbecue place in New York."
Hours later, as night fell over New York, the cleanup was nearly done.
Thanks to the Avengers' efficient teamwork, the city was restoring order at astonishing speed.
Heroes gathered in small clusters at the center of Times Square, where a temporary clearing had been made.
"All right, folks," Tony Stark's voice crackled over the comm, heavy with fatigue.
"World-saving shift is over. Now, I propose we get some food."
"There's a barbecue joint nearby I spotted online—supposed to be fantastic."
"Barbecue?"
At the mention of food Peter perked up first.
"Awesome! I'm starving!"
Wolverine Logan grunted, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "As long as there's booze."
"No objections here."
Carol remained her cool self, giving a casual shrug.
Everyone agreed, and the band of World-saving superheroes set off en masse toward the unassuming little barbecue shop.
The place was small, even a bit shabby, but the lights inside were warm.
The owner was a kindly-looking Middle-Eastern uncle.
When he saw a group of costumed heroes—still smelling of gunpowder—walk in, he froze.
"Oh my God!"
He rushed out from behind the counter, waving a barbecue knife.
"It's… it's the Avengers! Thank you… you saved us! You saved New York!"
Tony Stark smiled as his armor folded away, revealing his suit.
"Boss, thirty of your best grilled plates and something to drink."
"Yes! Right away!"
The owner, face flushed with excitement, turned to head for the kitchen, then stopped and declared solemnly,
"Heroes, tonight's meal is on me! You saved the World—this is the only way I can say thanks!"
But Tony shook his head and handed the man a black card from his pocket.
Chapter 300
"The money has to be paid." His voice was earnest and sincere.
"Saving the World also means protecting our own home. This place is our home too."
The boss froze, then his eyes reddened; he nodded firmly and took the card.
Everyone grabbed the largest table and slumped into the chairs, exhausted.
Without warning, the space beside them suddenly twisted.
Golden sparks burst and spiraled in the air, forming a Portal.
"Oh, damn, I knew it." Tony rubbed his forehead in resignation.
Bai Ye strolled out of the Portal with Wanda, Susan, Martina and Ju Ziyun.
"Looks like we haven't missed dinner."
Smiling, Bai Ye pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Bai Ye?!"
The heroes present sprang to their feet in delighted surprise.
"Why is our Superman here?" Tony quipped.
"Naturally, to congratulate you."
Bai Ye's gaze swept across every hero, heartfelt praise in his eyes.
"I saw your battle—magnificent. Today, you are the true heroes."
The words filled the Avengers present with pride.
Nothing made them happier than earning this backstage power's recognition.
"Sit, sit!" Tony spread his hands.
"Boss, five more servings of barbecue!"
The four women smiled, found seats, and were soon chatting with Natasha and Storm.
Before long, fragrant grilled meat was carried out.
Golden cuts sizzled beside house sauce and fresh greens, making mouths water.
"Come on, everyone!" the boss introduced warmly.
This is the best barbecue on the block—no, in several blocks. Try it!"
"Awesome—digging in!"
Peter was first, grabbing a chunk and biting deep.
The others followed; the whole restaurant brimmed with cheer.
Looking at the meat, Bai Ye felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
A nameless dread rose—something big was about to happen!
But no matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't place it.
"My imagination?" He shook his head and let it go.
Tony hoisted his drink and called out,
"All right, no holding back! Today we drink till we drop! To victory—cheers!"
"Cheers!"
They clinked glasses, tore into the meat, and the mood stayed warm.
Ten seconds later the restaurant sank into eerie silence.
Everyone shut up; chewing turned slow and mechanical.
No one spoke, no one looked at anyone else.
Peter's mask sagged; Logan's brows knotted tight enough to snap a fly; Thor looked done with life.
Tony Stark's face shifted from excited red to life-questioning black.
Bai Ye, Wanda, Susan, Martina and Ju Ziyun also frowned.
They quietly set the meat down, expressions conflicted.
Only one line screamed through Bai Ye's mind.
He finally remembered—this tastes freaking awful!
It hit him: this was the post-credit scene from "The Avengers"!
The legendary dish that silenced every hero.
As a transmigrator, how had he forgotten such vital intel?
He glanced at their constipated "I can't keep eating, I can't stop" faces,
then at the blissful, busy boss in the back, and finally snapped.
Bai Ye cleared his throat, breaking the awkward hush.
"Everyone!"
He stood, gentle smile back in place.
"I think this place is a bit cramped."
Every gaze snapped to him, eyes full of hope.
"How about we move the party to the beach outside my house? A proper barbecue—should be fun."
"To your place?"
Tony Stark was first to react to Bai Ye's suggestion.
He tossed the tasteless meat aside, relief flooding his face.
"I second that with all four limbs! I'd rather fight Thanos again than take another bite of this stuff!"
"Count me in!"
Little Spider instantly raised his hand, having already sneakily spat the grilled meat from his mouth into a napkin.
"Us too!"
The heroes present—whether battle-hardened Avengers or unruly X-Men—
all, with striking unanimity, set down their utensils, eyes brimming with anticipation.
The shop-owner uncle stared at these suddenly elated heroes.
Then glanced at the barely-touched grilled meat on the table, bewilderment written across his face.
"Heroes, is my barbecue that bad?"
"No! Of course not!"
Steve immediately turned, clapped the man on the shoulder, and in that sincere, utterly convincing tone of his said,
"This is the… most special barbecue we've ever had!"
"We just… suddenly remembered there's an important post-battle meeting to attend, right, Tony."
"Exactly! Top-level meeting!"
Tony caught on at once, walked to the counter, and once again handed the black card to the boss.
"Keep the money. Consider it our deposit for the next victory feast. Trust me, we'll be back soon."
The boss, dazed by his patter, could only nod.
Bai Ye shook his head with a laugh at these drama-queen heroes.
He said nothing more; merely flicked a hand through the center of the restaurant.
Voom!
A huge golden Portal slowly unfurled inside the cramped barbecue shop.
Beyond the gate lay a sun-drenched private beach lapped by gentle waves, and in the distance a futuristic luxury Villa.
"Whoa!"
Every hero present—including Tony Stark, who knew Bai Ye well—couldn't help an exclamation.
Ever since Bai Ye developed the AI illusion dream, Jarvis had been unable to detect anything inside Bai Ye's Villa.
To Jarvis, the place was a blur, darker than a moonless night.
"All right, everyone…"
Bai Ye stepped aside and, perfectly at ease, gestured them through.
"Welcome to my home."
…Long Island Villa, private beach
As the last hero stepped out of the Portal, everyone was stunned by the vista before them.
Azure sea glittered beneath the sun; white sand felt soft and fine underfoot.
Far off where sea met sky, several gulls soared free.
Compared with war-scarred New York, this place was paradise.
"Di Jiang!"
The instant Wanda exited the Portal, a winged golden furball excitedly dove into her arms.
"Hey—easy there, Fire Phoenix!"
Susan laughed in exasperation as the little creature tried to set fire to a beach umbrella.
Fortunately Ink Qilin was keeping a constant eye on Fire Phoenix.
The heroes watched the three divine Beasts romp across the sand, faces full of wonder.
"So…"
Tony Stark looked around and finally fixed his gaze on Bai Ye.
"This is your remodeled Villa, complete with all those bizarre upgrades? Frankly, it makes my Malibu place look modest."
"It's just somewhere to live." Bai Ye shrugged, snapped his fingers.
Instantly, long banquet tables materialized on the sand, laden with top-tier fare.
Prime snowflake beef, Australian lobster, bluefin tuna, fresh fruit and vegetables, plus mountains of iced beer and soft drinks.
Several fully automatic grills appeared and began working by themselves.
"Now…" Bai Ye smiled at the crowd,
"this is the real victory party—help yourselves."
A brief hush, then earsplitting cheers erupted across the beach.
The heroes cast off every last trace of weariness and restraint, reveling in this hard-won celebration.
Tony Stark, Banner, and Steve threw arms over one another's shoulders, arguing fiercely about how rare a steak should be.
Thor insisted real warriors eat it raw and was collectively scorned by the other three.
Dr. Spectrum and Beast discovered common ground, eagerly studying the divine Beasts' spatial-jump ability,
trying to explain such an unscientific creature with science.
Hawkeye and Colossus arm-wrestled on the shore; their terrifying strength made the surrounding sand tremble.
Though Hawkeye had evolved thanks to Bai Ye's serum, Colossus still proved the stronger.
Chapter 301
The comedic duo of Little Spider and Venom were locked in a frantic chase for ownership of the last grilled chicken wing.
0...0
Peter's flaming web-lines and Venom's black tendrils tangled above the beach, drawing wave after wave of laughter from the crowd.
Power Princess Zola and Martina had discovered a shared interest.
The two mighty warriors—from different Worlds yet equals in strength—were sparring on the sand, trading strikes.
Every move was graceful and lethal, each exchange carrying divine majesty and power, leaving Natashawatching in admiration.
Susan and Ju Ziyun had pulled Wanda along; the three of them were stretched out on lounge chairs, basking in the sun.
"Seriously, Ziyun."
Susan took a sip of juice and drawled lazily,
"You really don't plan to go play with Martina and the others?"
Ju Ziyun smiled and shook her head, her gaze always following the figure weaving through the crowd, laughing and chatting with every friend.
"No," she said softly. "I just want to watch him quietly."
Bai Ye wandered the party, a glass in hand, visiting every corner.
Watching the heart-warming bustle before him, he felt a satisfaction he had never known.
He saw the smile Tony hadn't worn in ages; he saw the hunger for knowledge in Banner and Beast's eyes.
He saw heroes once crushed by fate finally set everything aside and laugh like ordinary people.
This was the World Bai Ye had always wanted to protect.
A World brimming with laughter, hope, and infinite possibility...
Unknown Dimension, Eternity Space
Beyond the seams of conventional time and space lies an endless expanse of pure white.
The ground—smooth as a frozen lake—reflects the equally flawless white vault above; no ripple, no flaw.
No sound, no wind, no matter—only eternal, absolute silence and void.
Suddenly, the eternal quiet was shattered.
Space warped like water, and a pitch-black figure emerged in silence.
He wore armor forged of pure dark energy, crimson runes on his chest writhing like living things.
Snow-white hair drifted in the motionless void, accentuating his pale, gloomy face.
It was Knull, god of the symbiotes, parted from Bai Ye for months.
Knull looked around; his scarlet eyes blazed against the white World.
He could feel every inch of this place saturated with supreme, neutral cosmic law.
The sensation grated on the very avatar of darkness.
"Eternity."
His voice, low and hoarse, echoed through the silence, sending ripples across the mirrored lake.
"I know you're here. Face me."
Yet Eternity did not answer.
Knull's brow furrowed. Abstract entities like Eternity never responded to simple calls.
But he had come not to beg—to demand.
Without further words he raised his right hand; darkness black enough to swallow Universes gathered in his palm.
"If you won't appear," his voice turned icy,
"then I'll simply... tear your house down."
The instant his power was about to erupt, a vast, distant voice—like the chord of a billion universes—sounded within his mind.
[Why have you come, Dark Old God of the Sixth (Zero) Feeding Willow (Eight) Erba?]
The lake before Knull erupted; a titanic humanoid silhouette woven of galaxies, nebulae, and radiant stars rose from the mirror.
Its body was so immense that Knull stood no larger than a grain of sand upon a beach.
Its face was indistinct save for two eyes blazing like supernovae, calmly regarding him.
Eternity.
The living embodiment of the Multiverse, one of the five Cosmic Abstracts.
"I seek an answer."
Knull reined in his energy, lifted his head, and met those star-forged eyes without fear.
[Answers? All answers lie within existence.]
"Spare me the riddles, Eternity." Impatience laced his tone.
"You sensed it—Galactus is dead, his essence erased from the Multiverse."
Eternity's stellar eyes flickered.
[Yes. The balance is broken.]
"More than balance." Knull's voice grew heavy.
"Death herself is silent; the mistress of cosmic Death has vanished without a trace."
He paused, his scarlet eyes fixed on Eternity.
"Tell me—who is really pulling the strings behind all this? Those who call themselves the Beyonders?"
Knull felt helpless; though he had heard Bai Ye say as much, he still wanted to hear it from Eternityhimself.
Eternity fell silent, its colossal form standing motionless.
Galaxies drifted slowly within its body, as though performing an endless calculation.
A long while later its voice finally sounded again—this time tinged with weariness.
"They come from Outside."
"Outside?"
Knull frowned, not quite grasping the meaning.
"Beyond all Universes, beyond all realities, there lies a realm without light."
Eternity's voice echoed inside Knull's mind.
"They are its denizens—higher-dimensional beings. To them our entire Multiverse is merely an experiment."
With Eternity's confirmation of Bai Ye's words, Knull felt a deep chill within.
"They wish to see what happens when every reality nears its end."
"So they set the Universes to collide, watching each cosmos choose its path before doom..."
"And you?" Knull's tone was thick with mockery.
"You, the very embodiment of the Multiverse, just sit idle while they hack your body apart piece by piece?"
"My purpose is to exist, not to interfere."
Eternity's voice remained calm, utterly unshaken.
"I cannot halt a force from Outside, just as you cannot stop the flow of time."
"Hypocrite!" Knull sneered. "In the end, you're simply afraid."
Eternity offered no rebuttal; its star-forged eyes merely watched Knull in silence.
Looking at it, Knull felt a helplessness he had never known before.
If even Eternity could do nothing, what could they possibly do?
Was he really supposed to wait for some so-called protagonist to appear and save everything, as Bai Yeclaimed?
Yet that Bai Ye clearly had ulterior motives; his words might not be trustworthy—so Knull's scarlet eyes blazed anew.
He, the god of symbiotes, monarch of darkness, would never believe in some nebulous destiny.
"Since you refuse to interfere—" Knull's voice turned icy and resolute.
"—we'll settle this in our own way."
"Your way: to destroy, or be destroyed?"
"To fight."
Knull raised the black death sword; dark energy writhed across the blade like living serpents.
"I will find them, and make them pay for their arrogance."
Eternity was silent a moment, then its vast voice rang out once more:
"Dark Old God, you are not alone."
Knull started.
"A variable has appeared—a being likewise from Outside. He may be the key to ending this experiment."
At once Knull's mind conjured Bai Ye's ever-smiling face.
He finally understood why Bai Ye knew everything that was happening.
Because, like the Beyonders, Bai Ye stood Outside the board as a player of his own.
"I understand."
Knull sheathed the black death sword and turned to leave; he had the answer he sought.
"You intend to find him?"
"No." Knull replied without looking back.
"Before the final battle arrives, I shall reclaim what is mine."
His form melted into darkness and vanished from the pure-white expanse.
Eternity gazed after him, its starry eyes finally closing in silence.
The white space lapsed once more into eternal stillness.
After leaving Eternity's realm, Knull stood motionless in the dark for a long while.
His scarlet eyes reflected the empty void.
Yet his mind replayed every word of the conversation with Eternity.
"Beyonders... gods from Outside... an experiment..."
"Ridiculous."
Knull muttered, half-mocking himself, but far more furious than amused.
He thought of Bai Ye—that man likewise from Outside.
The one who could speak to him as an equal, even slightly surpass him in power.
"Fight for oneself..."
The scarlet light in Knull's eyes deepened into a darker resolve.
Chapter 302
"That's right, whether it's a god or an ant, everyone should have the right to choose their own destiny."
"Beyonders... your game, it's time for it to end."
"But before that..."
Knull looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through dimensional barriers, looking towards a distant Universe.
"I'm going to reclaim some things that belong to me first."
He understood many things, and he also understood some things.
It was absolutely impossible for an ordinary Multiverse to defeat those guys.
Perhaps, only that man who also came from beyond the boundaries could accomplish all of this?!
He didn't know if it was true, but now, he was going to do what he had to do... Andromeda Galaxy, Klyntar Planet.
It had no mountains or oceans; the entire Planet's surface was composed of a pure, liquid-milk-like white Symbiote substance.
This was Klyntar, the home Planet of the Symbiote race.
After breaking free from the dark control of their creator, Knull, the noble Symbiotes formed a great civilization that advocated peace and healing.
They named their home Planet Klyntar, which in their language means 'cage'.
Here, they healed their brethren corrupted by negative emotions.
And the most violent Symbiotes, those that could not be healed, were imprisoned in the Planet's core.
They were the healers of the Universe, the light of the Symbiote race.
However, today, their creator, their most primal nightmare, had returned.
A pitch-black spatial rift tore open above Klyntar Planet without warning.
Knull's figure slowly emerged from it; he didn't even deliberately release any energy.
But his very existence was like a drop of concentrated ink in clear water, instantly polluting this pure World.
The entire Klyntar Planet began to tremble violently.
The white Symbiote substance on the Planet's surface surged like boiling water, emitting a painful, silent wail.
"Creator..."
"The source of darkness..."
"He has returned..."
The consciousnesses of countless Symbiotes intertwined within the Planet's collective mind, transmitting the deepest fear.
Their King had returned!
Soon, on the surface of Klyntar Planet, several of the most powerful Symbiote warriors transformed into human form.
They were the Cosmic Task Force, the Guardians of Klyntar.
Wearing silver-white armor made of pure Symbiote, their eyes gleamed with firm light as they charged towards Knull in the sky.
"Knull!"
The leading Symbiote warrior let out a mental roar.
"You abyss of darkness, Klyntar is no longer your Hive; we have broken free from your control!"
Knull floated in the air, his pale face devoid of expression.
He looked down at this Planet, which he had created with his own hands but had betrayed him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
Their power came from him, and he also needed them to become stronger.
"Broken free?"
Knull's voice was calm, yet carried a soul-shaking majesty.
"Your existence, your power, your every breath, all originate from me."
"You are my children, created from nothingness, yet you presume to use the light I bestowed upon you to resist darkness itself?"
He slowly spread his arms, as if embracing the entire World.
"How pathetic, how naive."
"Today..." Knull's voice suddenly turned cold.
"I will personally teach you, Symbiotes, the true meaning."
Before his words finished, a pure dark energy, originating from the very beginning of the Universe, erupted from Knull's body!
That was not magic, not technology, but an older concept that transcended laws.
It was the whisper of the abyss, the call of nothingness.
"No!!!"
The Symbiote warriors at the forefront let out painful roars.
The pure silver-white armor on their bodies began to uncontrollably show black patterns.
Their peace-loving consciousness was being replaced by the most primitive, bloodthirsty desire for slaughter; they were beginning to revert to their primal instincts!
The entire Klyntar Planet was wailing.
At the Planet's core, the prison holding countless rampaging Symbiotes instantly disintegrated under Knull's power.
The darkness and madness, suppressed for tens of millions of years, gushed out like a broken dam, merging with Knull's dark energy and accelerating the corruption of the entire Planet.
Knull's power was returning, and giant, vein-like black cracks began to appear on the pure white surface of the Planet.
Black viscous liquid seeped from the cracks, staining the pure Symbiote substance pitch black.
Klyntar's Hive mind was being forcibly rewritten; the belief in peace and healing was being overwritten by the instinct of slaughter and consumption.
"Come back, my children."
Knull closed his eyes, savoring the long-lost feeling of controlling everything.
"Return to the embrace of darkness, to your true home."
"Let us together offer the grandest feast of destruction to this Multiverse that is about to end."
"Let us show those who call themselves light, who is truly saving them!"
Knull's voice echoed throughout the Universe.
The pure white Klyntar Planet was visibly transforming back into the god of the symbiotes, born from nothingness and representing ultimate darkness...
Klyntar Planet
In eternal darkness and silence, Knull slowly opened his blood-red eyes.
Beneath his feet was the Klyntar Planet, now completely corrupted and returned to darkness.
The once pure, liquid-milk-like Symbiote substance had now transformed into a boundless ocean of surging black viscous liquid.
Countless grotesque Symbiotes, those Symbiote monsters dominated by primal desires, floated within it.
Their silent roars converged in the Planet's Hive mind into a frenzied hymn dedicated to their creator.
"My army."
Knull slowly stood up, extending his pale hand.
The black ocean below immediately surged in response, forming a giant dark hand large enough to obscure the stars.
He felt an unprecedented energy within him, the immense power of reconnecting with the entire Symbiote race.
But there was no joy on Knull's face; instead, a hint of solemnity flashed.
"It's still not enough."
His voice echoed in the cold darkness of the Universe.
"This power is enough to enhance my strength, but it's far from enough to contend with those gods from beyond the boundaries."
He thought of Bai Ye, that unfathomable man who also came from beyond the boundaries.
Knull knew that Bai Ye was strategizing in his own way, trying to draw all possible allied forces into this war.
"I never trust allies."
A cold sneer flashed in Knull's eyes.
"I only believe in absolute power."
He needed to become stronger; he needed to find leverage that could contend with the Beyonders.
His thoughts raced through billions of years of memories, finally settling on a name he had sealed away long ago.
God Loki!
The guy who guarded the Multiverse's timeline.
Knull knew that God Loki possessed some kind of reality-altering power.
If he could obtain that power, or ally with him.
"God Loki."
Knull's lips curled into a sinister arc.
He no longer hesitated, raising his hand and lightly drawing a line in the void with his black death sword.
A pitch-black spatial rift opened in response, and on the other side of the door was the chaotic Spacetime Turbulence filled with destructive energy.
"Bai Ye, your pieces are in place."
Knull muttered to himself, a mad glint flashing in his crimson eyes.
"Next, I will do things my way."
With that, he stepped into the rift, his figure instantly swallowed by the endless darkness... The End of Time, The Remaining Castle.
This was the end of all timelines, and also the beginning of all timelines.
The gigantic and ruined time loom floated in the void like a dead behemoth.
Countless green threads, representing different realities, extended from it.
And converged onto the lonely green throne situated in the center of the river of time.
Knull's figure emerged from the darkness, stepping on the ground composed of shattered fragments of time, each step causing ripples in the surrounding space.
He looked around, his crimson eyes particularly striking in this eternal twilight.
He felt the aura here, a mix of extreme loneliness and heavy responsibility.
This aura made even him, the embodiment of darkness, feel a hint of discomfort.
Upon the throne, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure sat silently.
He wore an exquisite Asgardian green robe and the iconic horned helmet.
He was no longer the cunning, cynical prince.
His eyes were deep and weary, as if bearing the birth and death of billions of Universes.
Indeed, this person was the Guardian of the Multiverse's time, God Loki.
"Knull."
Loki's voice was soft, yet it clearly echoed in this space where time did not flow.
"I didn't expect you to be the first to seek me out."