Renzo felt as though he were in a trance. He had arrived somewhere else—but…
"Why is my starting point on the moon?!"
He stared at the distant blue planet, on the verge of collapse, then lowered his head to look at the pale, dusty ground beneath his feet. If he had tear ducts, he might have already been crying.
"Long time no see."
A majestic, solemn voice sounded behind him. It felt oddly familiar. After a brief calculation through his supercomputer-like mind, Renzo identified the speaker.
"Watcher?!"
He turned around—and was met with the Watcher's enormous, childlike head and shining eyes.
"My friend…" A faint smile appeared on the Watcher's face, though it looked somewhat awkward—like an oversized, wide-eyed doll.
"Skip the small talk. Just tell me how you're getting me back to Earth," Renzo said irritably. The Civil War was about to begin—he didn't have time for pointless reminiscing. Besides, there was nothing between them worth reminiscing about.
"That's unfortunate. This is not your universe."
The Watcher waved his hand. The surroundings shifted instantly.
Colorful crystalline walls rose around them, shimmering like something out of a fairy-tale palace. Their surfaces reflected countless strange images—like mirrors displaying fragments of other lives, silently observing countless worlds.
Renzo looked around in astonishment, watching scene after scene unfold.
He even caught a glimpse of Captain Carter.
"This is the boundary of the multiverse. No one can find this place."
The Watcher spoke confidently—then faltered slightly when he noticed Renzo's skeptical expression.
"…Well. There are exceptions."
Renzo scoffed openly.
"So how exactly are you planning to send me back? Or are you just going to trap me here forever?"
"If that were my intention, I would have imprisoned you long ago." The Watcher's massive eyes gleamed.
"You mean… you found me a long time ago?"
Renzo narrowed his eyes and floated closer.
"How long have you been watching me?"
"I have observed you since the moment you arrived in that world."
Renzo fell silent. He had no words for this cosmic voyeur.
"Then why didn't you bring me back? Do you know how long I've been searching for a way home?"
"…I know."
Renzo dragged a hand through his hair, his voice cracking in frustration. "Then why didn't you take me away?!"
"I cannot interfere with events within the universe—except those that truly threaten the multiverse itself."
"…"
Renzo stared at him speechlessly.
The Watcher continued, his tone calm but firm. "I am here to warn you. The destruction of that universe has caused deviations in others. Their timelines have shifted. The future has been disturbed… and all of it traces back to you."
"To me?" Renzo let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. "I stayed in the Avengers' base, minding my own business. If you hadn't dragged me into that fight against Ultron, would any of this have happened? Don't pin everything on me just because I'm convenient."
"From the moment you entered this universe, the future became unstable. You are the variable."
The Watcher opened a portal. "This is the universe I brought you to."
Then another. "This is the one you just left."
"I have stabilized the connection between them and encoded the coordinates into the Cosmic Cube of your universe."
Renzo froze, staring at him. Did that mean… he could travel between universes using the Cube?
"I need you to correct certain anomalies across these realities," the Watcher said calmly. "But I will not intervene."
Renzo immediately saw through him. This wasn't help—it was recruitment.
A free worker.
"Wait—hold on! The Cosmic Cube is in Asgard's vault. You're not expecting me to break into Asgard and steal it, are you?!"
He waved his hands frantically—then noticed the faint, knowing smile on the Watcher's lips.
"You're serious…?"
The Watcher said nothing. With a casual motion, he flung Renzo into a portal.
"Damn it!"
Renzo left him with a parting curse.
...
"For the glory of Asgard!"
Before Renzo could regain his bearings, a thunderous roar erupted nearby. Lightning crashed down, obliterating a Frost Giant.
Freezing water splashed across Renzo's face, chunks of ice striking him squarely.
"Vision?"
Thor's surprised voice rang out—and before Renzo could react, he found himself pulled into a crushing bear hug.
"Ha! My friend! What are you doing here?"
Thor slapped him on the back, swinging Mjolnir casually. A bolt of lightning shot out, instantly shattering another approaching Frost Giant.
All around them, the battlefield raged—Asgardian warriors clashing with Frost Giants, bodies and blood scattered across the ground.
"Oh—ever since the Dark Elves invaded Asgard, there are always fools who think they can challenge us," Thor explained, noticing Renzo's confusion.
"I've been busy restoring order across the Nine Realms. Haven't had time to return to Earth."
Thor grinned and gave Renzo another hearty slap. "Come to Asgard for a drink sometime!"
"Thor… listen to me." Renzo stopped him, cutting through his enthusiasm. "I'm here to help you."
"Oh?" Thor hurled Mjolnir again, crushing another enemy. "And what do you need?"
"I want to borrow the Cosmic Cube."
Thor's smile froze instantly.
He turned slowly, his expression hardening.
"You want… the Cosmic Cube?"
His voice dropped, serious now.
"Do you understand what you're asking? The power of the Infinity Stones is beyond control. No one has ever wielded two at once—not even my father, not even my grandfather. Asgard itself cannot safely house more than one at a time."
"I know." Renzo met his gaze steadily. "No one understands the Stones better than I do. I'm carrying one right now."
He gestured to his forehead.
"That's exactly why I need it. This isn't just about one world—it concerns the multiverse. I don't want any other Stones. I only need the Space Stone—for a few years at most."
"For someone like you, that's barely a moment."
As Thor listened, he continued to command Mjolnir, finishing off the last of the enemies. The battlefield was nearly cleared; many Asgardian soldiers had already begun to relax.
"I can't decide this," Thor said finally. "My father—Odin—must give his approval."
Renzo's eyes flickered.
Odin… who was currently exiled on Earth, while Loki ruled Asgard in disguise.
Thor didn't know.
But Renzo did.
A spark of excitement flashed through him.
"Heimdall!" Thor roared toward the sky.
In an instant, the Bifrost descended, enveloping them both in radiant light.
They vanished.
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