"Oh-ho-ho-ho..."
Frieza stood atop Avengers Tower.
Or rather, what should now be called the top floor of Frieza Tower Branch No. 00X.
He swirled a glass of red wine that seemed as though it would never run dry and looked down upon the city that had just been renamed.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across his white suit, plating it in an eerie layer of golden-red.
"What a marvelous sight."
"Though there are a few too many ruins, and the scent of blood in the air is a bit heavy."
"But..."
Frieza took a deep breath, his crimson eyes filled with intoxication.
"This scent, brimming with despair and submission, is the most enchanting fragrance of all."
Behind him, those once-mighty superheroes.
Steve, Tony, Thor, Natasha...
At this moment, they were like a pack of tigers with their teeth pulled. Bound together by specialized energy chains, they knelt on the ground, trembling.
The brilliance of former days had long since vanished from their eyes. Only deep terror and numbness remained.
"Thanos."
Frieza called out without turning his head.
"I am here, my Lord!"
Thanos's massive frame immediately stepped out from the shadows and dropped to one knee. His movements were as precise as those of a seasoned butler.
"This trash is a bit of an eyesore." Frieza waved his hand dismissively.
"Send them all to that Exhibition Ship. Remember to give each of them a private room. It wouldn't be fun if they died or went mad."
"Especially that one..."
Frieza pointed at the blank-faced Stephen in the corner.
"That juggling sorcerer."
"Seal his mouth for me."
"He keeps muttering about 'Multiverse' and 'timelines' all day. My ears are growing callouses from listening to it."
"As you command, Lord Frieza."
Thanos gave a sinister smile and waved his large hand.
Several members of the Ginyu Force (newly recruited cannon fodder) wearing white and purple battle armor immediately rushed forward and dragged the heroes away.
Having dealt with these trifles, Frieza sat back down in his luxurious chair.
He glanced at the system panel.
[Current Accumulated terror points: 480 Trillion / 100 Sextillion]
"Tsk..."
Frieza curled his lip in dissatisfaction.
"Even though it's increased a lot, it's still a world away from that Diamond Form."
"Relying solely on the people of this one Earth, I'm afraid harvesting them until the end of the Universe wouldn't be enough."
"It seems..."
Frieza's gaze turned toward the vast starry sky outside the window.
"It's time to expand the business to the entire Universe."
"Apocalypse!"
"I am here!"
The blue-skinned giant immediately teleported before Frieza, a fawning smile on his face.
"What are your orders, Lord Frieza? Do you wish to blow up a planet to liven things up?"
"Blow up, blow up, that's all you know."
Frieza rolled his eyes at him and said, disappointed, "That is the way of barbarians. We are a respectable real estate company, we must focus on sustainable development."
Frieza opened a holographic star map and pointed to several star systems marked with red warnings.
"Shiar Empire, Skrull Empire, Kree Empire..."
"These galactic hooligans have already been dealt with in my home Universe."
"But in this Universe..."
Frieza sneered.
"They seem to be living quite comfortably."
"I heard they've been forming some 'Intergalactic Council' lately, discussing how to deal with Earth?"
"Apocalypse, take your men and go give them some 'warmth'."
"Tell them that if they don't pay the protection fee... oh, wait, I mean the property management fee, don't blame my demolition team for being ruthless."
"Do you understand?"
"Your subordinate understands!"
A fierce light glinted in Apocalypse's eyes as he rubbed his hands together excitedly.
"I'll take my men right now to tear down their palaces! I'll bring their emperors back to be pets for Lord Frieza!"
Seeing Apocalypse's pathetic display, Frieza shook his head helplessly.
"Go on, then."
Having dismissed Apocalypse, Frieza's gaze fell in another direction.
There, at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy lay a desolate, silent planet that emitted an aura he found slightly familiar.
Titan.
"Thanos."
Frieza looked at Thanos.
"You should be very familiar with that place, shouldn't you?"
Thanos's body trembled slightly and he looked up, following Frieza's gaze. A complex expression flashed through his purple eyes.
"That is... my home."
"No, it was my home once."
Thanos's voice was low. "In this Universe, another 'me' should be living there, right?"
"Oh-ho-ho-ho..."
Frieza laughed, a somewhat wicked sound.
"Exactly."
"According to intel, the Thanos of this Universe, your counterpart, is currently sitting on that dilapidated floating throne, dreaming his grand dream of balancing the Universe."
Frieza walked up to Thanos and patted him on the shoulder.
"Well? Interested in meeting your 'twin brother'? And telling him what true destiny really is?"
Thanos's gaze suddenly sharpened and a violent battle intent erupted from within him.
"Lord Frieza means..."
"Go kill him."
Frieza made a throat-slitting gesture.
"This Universe only needs one demolition office director."
"That fake is an eyesore."
"And..."
A cruel smile appeared at the corner of Frieza's lips.
"I'd also love to see what a beautiful scene it will be when you twist off the head of your other self."
"What a marvelous portrait that will make."
"As you command, Lord Frieza!"
Thanos knelt on one knee, his voice filled with resolve.
"I will go and clean up at once."
"Go."
Frieza watched as Thanos departed grandly with the fleet.
Frieza sat back down in his chair.
"Now then, next..."
His gaze turned toward the void above. There, some even more powerful existences were peering down.
Those were the Cosmic Gods.
Eternity, Infinity, Galactus, Death... even the so-called Living Tribunal.
"My, my, it's quite lively."
Frieza sensed those gazes projecting down, filled with caution and hostility.
He didn't feel the slightest fear. Instead, he revealed an extremely excited smile.
"It seems these old fogies can't sit still anymore."
"Understandable. After all, I am an outsider."
"Arriving and immediately taking their territory, stealing their believers."
"If they could still endure this, they shouldn't be gods. They should just be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
Frieza stood up and walked to the balcony. He spread his arms and shouted toward the sky, Hey!"
"You guys up there!"
"Stop watching so sneakily!"
"If you want to fight, get down here right now!"
"I was just worrying about having nowhere to stretch my muscles!"
BOOM!!!
Following Frieza's provocation. The clouds in the sky were instantly torn asunder. A massive face composed of stars slowly emerged beyond the atmosphere.
It was Eternity!
However, compared to the avatar Frieza had previously destroyed, the aura of this Main Universe Eternity's body was grander and more terrifying by countless magnitudes.
"Outsider..."
The grand voice echoed across the entire Earth, making the eardrums of countless people ache.
"You have overstepped."
"Leave this Universe, or be erased."
Facing this pressure, which was enough to make ordinary Gods wet themselves, Frieza merely picked his ear dismissively.
"Erased?"
"By you?"
"Or by that three-headed golden nugget behind you?"
Frieza sneered, his body slowly rising into the air.
His white suit flapped loudly in the fierce wind.
"I have taken a liking to this piece of land. From this day forth, you all will also be under my management."
"If you're not satisfied..."
Frieza slowly raised his right hand, and that purple Death Ball at his fingertip began to condense frantically.
"Let me restart this Universe once more."
"Oh-ho-ho..."
***
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