CHAPTER 167

Was Thanos always the chatty type? Meh, works for me anyway.

"Would you believe me if I said I just wanted all of them in my collection?" I asked not expecting an answer, maybe a demeaning scoff, but I surprisingly got one, and not one I expected.

"Yes, I would. The universe is teeming with morons, each trying to usurp a power they lack the sufficient intellect to understand. And you are one of them."

'Hmm, Maw seems like a hard one to deal with due to his telekinesis, but it's nothing Bucky can't handle.'

There was no need to drag this out because even with the stones in his possession, there was no way Thanos could defeat me. 

"I've seen that eyes on people, multitudes even, each wanting nothing more than to hang my head on a pike. Do you want to know what they all have in common?" Thanos asked. 

"Let me guess, dead?"

"Yes. And it is that similarity that they all have that sets me and them apart. I have looked Death in the face, I fear not Death, I covet her."

Great, this is one of those universes. Normally, had this been years ago, I would have quaked in my boots at the mention of Death's name from Thanos' mouth, but now?

"Well I've spoken directly to the Phoenix so I guess that makes us even."

"No it doesn't, if anything, it makes us opposites. Life is temporary, a fleeting illusion whereas death is eternal, or should I say, I am." Ladies and gentlemen, I give you fiction's greatest simp. 

Thanos was outclassed and outmatched. 

Wielding the stones by no means made you omnipotent, especially in this universe. Case in point was Thanos, frozen in place as I locked the space around him, preventing even his sweat and blood from flowing. 

The Black Order panicked and tried their best to escape their lock down but try as they may, they couldn't escape the encirclement of the super soldiers. 

Bucky had Maw, Steve had Obsidian while Steve and Yelena proved to be more than a match for Glaive as the guy was already dead. 

Under the other's watch, the staff and the Soul Stone flew from Thanos' grasp into mine. 

Was he going to come back if I killed him? Maybe, maybe not. It wouldn't matter even if he did, not to me at least. 

"Say hi for me."

By igniting the space between his cells, I disintegrated the Mad Titan to a residual of energy, killing the Mad Titan of this universe. 

As if on cue, Steve and Bucky finished toying with their opponents, cleaving their head off their shoulders. 

"You sure did take your time with them."

"Well it seemed like you and the chin guy had a discussion so I had to prolong the fight longer than it should and besides, I needed a training partner other than Bucky." Steve said. 

"Well since we've gotten what we came out here for, how about going home?" I asked. 

"What about the legion of alien warships? Those things could lay waste to an entire planet in days." Nat said, bringing back my focus to Thanos' army. 

That was a good suggestion. 

A warp moment later saw all of all floating the vast dark expansion of space, facing the multitudes of Thanos' now headless army. 

"Woah, we're really floating in space." Steve muttered, ignoring the raging army thousands of kilometers away from us. 

Roughly gauging where the center of the army is, I created a black hole and watched all of them get sucked into the dark oblivion of collapsing space. 

"I-is t-that a black hole?" Yelena sputtered. 

"Yes it is."

"Right. I'm floating in space and you can create black holes. I knew you could do it but seeing it in person is just… wow."

"Let's go back."

With that we all left whatever galaxy we were in and went back home. 

… 

A girl suddenly found herself stranded on a planet after seeing a black hole materialize out of nowhere. 

Half of her body was covered in cybernetic implants, an action done to her by her own father, or one she called so, for every loss she suffered against her sister. 

Not knowing the whereabouts of her father and sister, she made sure to hide her features due to being someone easily associated with the Mad Titan. 

What she didn't know was that she had lost everything she ever called family and every source of purpose she ever had. All at the hands of one man. 

Even her life was by his hands. 

… 

On getting home, the first thing that registered in my senses was an all too familiar static. 

"Hey, welcome back."

At my doorstep was the only white haired woman I knew, Ororo Munroe. It's been almost a month since I've last seen her and if what was registering in my senses were correct, which I knew they were, she came back stronger, like way stronger. 

"Seems like you've been quite adventurous. So what did I miss?"

… 

[In a Dimension Separated From the Universe] 

"Dormammu, I've come to bargain." A voice boomed in the dark dimension, alerting Dormammu of the arrival of a stranger. 

"I see you have grown too far into your delusions to barge into my realm… Mephisto."

Before Mephisto, the gigantic flaming head that was Dormammu formed, his eyes blazing with pure power as he beheld the form, or rather the avatar form of one of the Lord's of Hell. 

Mephisto had a smile on his face even as he gazed at the overwhelming power that exuded from Dormammu. 

"Oh don't be like that. Aren't we friends?"

The dark dimension trembled as Dormammu's face edged closer to Mephisto's form. "Speak." His voice not containing an inch of consideration. 

"The veil to that universe is severely weakened, no doubt caused by one of its inhabitants…-"

"Say what you mean before I lose my patience with you, Mephisto."

Feeling Dormammu's intent, Mephisto sighed and for the first time in eons, Dormammu saw a serious expression in the laughing devil's face. 

"Twas no mere breach. Whatever had happened in that universe, not only severed space but also pierced through the void…." Mephisto said and Dormammu could feel the dark energy in his dimension bubbling forth with power as he inched to a conclusion that he knew Mephisto was going to. "The Great Void now has a connection to the Multiverse because of that universe. I fear that one of their kind have once more graced the Multiverse with their perverseness."

Mephisto stood still as he watched the domain of the Dark Lord explode forth with unbridled power and a mad laughter boomed through it. 

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahha…."

Dormammu's laughter shook not only his domain but also the other rings of hell as the personification of heat and darkness experienced something he does when a particular grating dimension was the topic: expectation. 

"I knew it! I knew it! This universe have much more to offer than Earth. Oh I hope they come. I hope they bring down their wretched selves and face me. I am the Dread, I am Darkness… I am Dormammu. Even they will learn to fear my name."

Mephisto looked at the happily raging Dark God and a shadow of a smile made its way to his lips. 

It was just too easy. 

He would never understand why powerful people would ever want a physical exchange of might when they could just use their wit to maneuver their enemies and puppets to their will. 

Mephisto's avatar form faded away from Dormammu's domain, happy that the little meeting had gone flowingly well than he had hoped. 

Though he had briefly wondered where the soul of the mortal known as Doom was since he knew he had marked him but he didn't come to his realm when his mortal life ended, nor did he go to Dormammu's. He thought of it for a while and then forgot about it. 

Mephisto opened his eyes, back in his realm and conjured up a mirror that reflected back the view of earth. 

"How quaint, and yet still so entertaining." The reflection on the mirror zoomed further until it fell upon a residence – Draul's residence. 

Mephisto watched as the man of his recent entertainment was steadily falling in love with a chosen of both Gaia and Oshtur. "Oh how truly magnificent. The times truly are changing. The Phoenix, Death, Elder Gods, and now even they are coming back. Oh how absolutely delightful. This will be a show for the ages. The carpets are already rolled, blood red. The prologue has passed already, the extras removed. Now it's time for the main players to take the center stage. 

Lights, camera,…"

… 

[Asgard] 

"Odin Allfather, we've received reports that the Mad Titan's armies have been decimated to its last man, swallowed by a black hole. My king, Zeus, requires your presence in the next council." A young man with exquisite features stood before Odin, seated on his throne, in his palace. 

Odin remained silent, his eyes closed as he propped up his resting head with an arm.

"The mortal is growing too strong too fast and the oracles have revealed that he will threaten the Gods. I am also tasked with delivering this news to the other pantheons as well. Should I bring your word of attendance to my father?"

Odin grunted but said nothing as his eyes still remained closed. 

Off to his sides were Thor and Loki with Frigga sitting at his right. 

"What sa-" 

"Do not disturb my father in his thoughts, Hermes. Your message has been received so while don't you tarry on and complete the task YOUR father gave you?" Loki said, causing the Olympian God of Speed, Road, Travel and Thieves to glare at the Norse God of Mischief. 

"Mind your words, Loki. This is a message to the Godhead of the Asgardians, your opinion is rendered moot and unneeded." Hermes scowled at Loki in disdain, causing the Nordic God to grind his teeth in annoyance, though still maintaining the ever-present smile on his face. 

"Loki, Hermes, please be silent. The Allfather grows tired of your bickering." Thor's calm voice flowed through the throne room for the first time since the beginning of the meeting. 

Hermes scoffed while Loki just smiled like always, both seizing their banter, not wanting to provoke Thor's ire. 

Odin finally opened his eyes, silencing the entire hall as his presence filled it. 

"Aye, tell Zeus I'll be there." Were the only words he said before his eyes closed once again. 

Hermes, taking that as he cue to leave, bowed a little to Odin before leaving the hall. 

Walking out of Odin's throne room, he let his gaze travel over Asgard's beauty before snorting and disappearing from where he stood with a blur, following the path that led him out of Asgard. 

Back in the throne room, silence still permeated the hall as its inhabitants waited on the king's words. 

"Looks like I'll have to make the choice sooner or later. *Sigh*" Odin spoke, diffusing the tense atmosphere as he somehow went from a regal king to a weary old man. 

"What choice is it you speak of, father?" Thor asked but Odin's reply cut him off. 

"A king's choice." Odin said. Asgard's king then directed his gaze on the other occupants in the room, mainly his sons and their preferred company. "Stay away from Midgard for the time being. It will do us no good if your squabble with the Midgardian were to be taken for alliance."

Thor squeezed his hands while the healed Warrior Three along with Sif twitched their lips. To be reminded of their magnificent failure by none other than the Allfather himself shamed them even further than their loss to a human. 

"We will heed your words, father." 

"Hmm, see that you do." With that Odin waved them away, prompting them to scurry out of the hall, not willing to be shamed any longer in front of Asgard's elites. 

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