406-410

"Here... How did I end up in this place again?"

At the moment of snapping his fingers, the six Infinity Stones converged to harness the power to influence the entire universe, corroding and tearing apart Thanos's body and soul.

But just as he had prepared himself to endure all of this torment, Thanos found himself in a place he recognized all too well in the blink of an eye, a place he would rather endure the torture of the Infinity Stones than remember or set foot in again - the illusionary lake within the Soul Stone.

The first time he came to the illusionary lake was after sacrificing Gamora's soul to obtain the Soul Stone. To trade for the Soul Stone, he had to offer his most beloved person as a sacrifice, and even though Thanos appeared strong on the outside, the wounds and pain in his heart were very difficult to heal.

So, this time, after snapping his fingers once again and reappearing in this illusion, although he avoided the torment brought by the energy shock in reality, the inner pain and suffocation made it even harder for him to bear.

At this moment, with an unintentional glance, Thanos noticed a gateway standing not far behind him. The gateway had a very ancient design, filled with the charm of art, with high eaves and intricate carvings.

Looking from a distance, beneath the gateway seemed to be a petite and familiar figure, gazing into the distance with her back turned to him. Thanos took steps closer, and the closer he got to her, the more excited and unbelievable his emotions became. "Gamora, is it you?"

Thanos's voice was extremely gentle, completely mismatched with his massive frame. It was as if he was worried that speaking too loudly would wake him from this wonderful dream.

Finally, following his questioning voice, the petite figure turned around, with a youthful yet emotionally complex face. Thanos would never mistake this appearance; it was his daughter, Gamora, whom he had never expressed but loved deeply.

"Did you succeed?" Little Gamora's tone carried no emotional attachment, as she asked Thanos as if inquiring to a stranger.

Thanos felt a sharp pang in his heart once again, but he nodded in response to little Gamora's question. "Yes, I succeeded."

Upon hearing Thanos's answer, a hint of emotion finally appeared on little Gamora's face, a complex mix of concern, anger, disappointment, and confusion. These emotions weren't just about the half of the universe randomly erased but more about the complex feelings little Gamora had towards Thanos.

"At what cost?"

"...Everything!"

As Thanos gave his response once again, a tear welled up in Little Gamora's eyes. The tear fell into the illusionary lake, creating ripples that abruptly brought Thanos back to the cruel reality.

...

In the moment of his consciousness returning, an immense sense of pain instantly occupied Thanos's entire mind. He looked at his left hand, where the Infinity Gauntlet was worn. It had become tattered and no longer looked like an artifact, as it had helped him distribute the burden of using the six Infinity Stones.

Around Thanos, numerous superheroes still had no idea what had happened, and they watched in astonishment as the weakened Thanos stood next to Mark.

"What happened, exactly? Thanos, what did you do just now?" Captain America, as a World War II veteran, was the first to regain his senses and react because he discerned different meanings from the expressions on Mark and Thanos's faces.

However, Thanos had no intention of explaining the situation to him. He forcefully activated the power of the Space Stone once more, using his exhausted body to teleport himself away from Titan.

"I'm sorry, everyone, but this was the only way..." This was Doctor Strange's last words on Titan, and the next second, to everyone's shock, Doctor Strange, along with his Sorcerer Supreme robes and floating cape, turned into a handful of dust and disappeared into the wind.

Starting with Doctor Strange's mysterious disappearance, the same fate befell the three members of the Guardians of the Galaxy - Star-Lord, Drax, and Mantis - as well as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Falcon and Black Panther also experienced the same fate, turning into scattered dust.

"What's happening here? Where did Thanos go?" Captain America roared in confusion. Such a situation had thrown even this resilient man off balance, and he couldn't accept the current outcome.

"Steve, I'm sorry, but it seems I need to..." Upon hearing Bucky's voice, Captain America turned to look behind him. But before Bucky could finish his farewell, he also met the same fate as the others, turning into dust before Captain America's eyes.

"Mr. Stark! I feel a bit... off," Little Spider-Man, who had been taking care of Tony, suddenly knelt down on one knee, weakly leaning on Tony's shoulder.

"No, you'll be fine, Peter!"

"I don't know what's happening, but I don't want to go. I don't want to go, Mr. Stark, please..." Peter Parker, in Tony's arms, turned into dust without leaving a trace.

"No! Kid..." Watching Peter Parker, whom he had invited into the Avengers, disappear before his eyes, Tony's emotions completely spiraled out of control. He seemed like a soulless shell, sitting on the ground with vacant eyes.

"I became Iron Man in the first place to prevent tragedy like Yinsen from happening again before my eyes, but in the end, I couldn't save anyone..."

"Wait, can someone tell me what's going on? What exactly happened?" As a soldier, Rhodey had never been afraid of death, but when his friends and close comrades began to disappear one by one without warning right before his eyes, Rhodey felt the weight of life for the first time.

"He succeeded, Thanos did it. He used the power of the six Infinity Stones to randomly erase half of the life in the universe." Nebula, as Thanos's adopted daughter, understood all of this in the first moments, knowing that today would be a day filled with sorrow and mourning throughout the entire universe.

"Hurry! You all need to leave this place and go back to Earth!" Just as everyone was still immersed in the grief of losing their comrades and the regret of this battle's defeat, Mark's urgent shout broke the silence of the moment.

Behind the group, a teleportation gate had already started to open, appearing unstable. Part of the instability was due to the damage to Mark's psyche, but more importantly, starting from his legs, Mark was also experiencing the same fate. As a reincarnator, he had become one of the fifty percent to be wiped out this time.

If it weren't for his frantic use of magic and energy through the nanobots in his body, temporarily delaying the process of being wiped out by the Infinity Stones' energy, he wouldn't even be able to finish the sentence he just said.

The mission to Titan had been initiated by him and Doctor Strange using magic to bring everyone here. Now that Doctor Strange had already gone, if he couldn't send the surviving comrades back to Earth, the only chance to start the endgame and reverse this would truly cease to exist.

"Mark!" Tony, still not fully recovered, tried to crawl towards Mark, but Mark sternly stopped him.

"Don't come! You are the last hope for all our sacrificed comrades. If you're also left on Titan, we really won't have any chance. Go back to Earth quickly! Captain, please help me take this unruly guy away."

Captain nodded and came to Tony's side, carrying him on his shoulders.

The surviving Avengers, one by one, passed through the teleportation gate back to Earth, while Mark, eroded by the power of the Infinity Stones, was left with only one arm and his head.

...

Tony stood at the boundary between the Titan and Earth's teleportation gate, staring intently at Mark, who was still disappearing. Mark was his only blood relative in this world, and from now on, he would have to bear this pain and torment alone.

Mark waved to him and tossed a capsule to Tony. "The endgame has begun. Our hope lies with you, on Earth. Dad has this, find..."

Before Mark could finish his words, he ultimately disappeared completely, forever staying on Titan. Tony tightly held the capsule that Mark had last handed to him. The man known as Iron Man couldn't contain his tears any longer and, like a child, buried his head in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

On this day, far away on Titan, his biological son Mark and his son-like figure Peter had both died, and as a member of Earth's mightiest superhero, he was powerless. All he could do was watch it all happen, making all the time and effort he had spent in the laboratory seem futile at this moment.

"Captain, what do we do now?" Natasha asked as she approached.

"Yeah, what do we do now?" Captain looked at Tony, who had already cried his eyes out, and then at the surviving Avengers around him.

The eyes of everyone had lost their shine, their will, especially Doctor Banner, who was inexplicably slamming his head against the ground.

Because the Hulk refused to come out and face Thanos, he didn't make any contributions in this battle due to his unfamiliarity with operating the anti-Hulk Hulkbuster armor. However, due to fate's favor, he was able to continue living, while many of his comrades fought to the death on an alien planet, and they couldn't even bring back their ashes.

This feeling of powerlessness made Doctor Banner blame himself and feel disappointed in himself, which is why he kept trying to summon the Hulk through self-inflicted methods.

In the face of the current situation, even Captain felt a sense of bewilderment. Was there still any light and hope ahead of them...

Inside the new Avengers headquarters, Mordo and Wong looked at each other in disbelief, and from each other's eyes, they both saw emotions of shock and sorrow.

The Avengers who survived had returned from Titan, were originally in the base for recuperation and discussions about their next plans. Then, Wong and Mordo opened a teleportation gate from the New York Sanctum and appeared before them.

From Captain, they learned that not only had Thanos taken the Time Stone guarded by Kamar-Taj, but their revered Sanctum Guardians, Mark and the new Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, had also been reduced to ashes by Thanos' snap.

Under such a massive shock, both Wong and Mordo fell into an unspeakable silence. Mark and Doctor Strange were the most talented and powerful magicians under Kamar-Taj's protection, the backbone of Earth's defense against threats from other dimensions.

Now that the top combat strength had been lost, coupled with the fact that Kamar-Taj was leaderless, the pressure and difficulties ahead could be imagined.

Compared to Wong, who managed the library, Mordo had witnessed death and sacrifice too many times, so he didn't overly immerse himself in grief. When they came to the Avengers' base this time, in addition to learning about Doctor Strange's situation, they also had another mission.

Mordo took out a peculiarly shaped pager from his body and handed it to Captain. "The last thing they mentioned before disappearing was to call someone named Clint. But before they could contact him, they both disappeared one after the other. This is the only relic left by Nick Fury after he disappeared in the New York Sanctum."

Before heading to Titan, the Avengers left Coulson and Fury in the Sanctum to ensure they could command and maintain order on Earth.

But unexpectedly, they couldn't escape fate's choices, and both of them became victims under Thanos' snap.

Captain looked down at the relic from Nick Fury that Mordo handed over. This thing was quite unfamiliar to him. Before he fell into the Arctic Ocean and went into a deep sleep, communication was still done through wireless radios and telegrams at that time. When he woke up again, this era had long since surpassed the age of using pagers and had moved on to smartphones.

Tony also knew Captain's situation and took the item from him. The pager left by Fury was similar in form to those he had seen before, with a small device embedded with a black-and-white liquid crystal display.

However, upon closer examination, one could see that there was an obvious electronic device added to the exterior of the pager later. Information obtained through a scan revealed that this electronic device contained not only a miniature power core similar to the Arc Reactor but also a set of extremely advanced low-frequency signal amplifiers.

"This thing is at least twenty or thirty years old, but the energy technology and communication technology used on it are still very advanced cutting-edge technologies even by today's standards.

This thing couldn't possibly be an Earth product. According to the communication record data on the pager, the last message Fury sent with it was indeed directed towards outer space."

The low-frequency signal amplifier attached to the pager allows communication signals to be transmitted with almost zero loss throughout the entire Milky Way galaxy. Tony also based his judgment on this point to identify the source of the pager's technology and the intended contact.

"Natasha, do you have any information? Who exactly was Fury trying to contact?" Captain asked Natasha, who had once been a senior agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha shook her head, her expression filled with doubt. "I'm not sure either. I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. in the new millennium, but I've never seen this pager before, nor have I heard Fury mention it.

However, judging from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s past plans to develop the Tesseract and Fury's organization of the Avengers, he must have known about the existence of powers in this world that go beyond ordinary human understanding for a long time.

That's why he's been actively preparing to deal with such situations. In that case, whoever Fury was trying to contact through this pager might be a superhero like us.

However, if we want more specific information, maybe we can ask Barton. He was already a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent before I joined, and he's close to Fury. Perhaps he knows something."

Captain agreed, saying, "Alright, I'll go with you to find Barton. Hopefully, he and his family haven't been affected by this recent event..."

With that thought, Natasha also showed a worried expression, constantly praying that Hawkeye and his family would be safe.

However, just as Captain and Natasha arrived at the base's landing pad, preparing to head to Hawkeye's safe house, a rainbow-colored light descended from the sky and landed on the flat lawn of the base.

Both Captain and Natasha were very familiar with this light, and a rare hint of joy appeared on their faces. "The Bifrost!"

As the rainbow bridge's light dissipated, the tall and muscular figure of Thor appeared, arriving fashionably late...

In silence, within the meeting room of the Avengers' base, both old and new Avengers assembled, but there was no communication among them, only endless silence.

They simply sat in their respective positions, each harboring different thoughts within their hearts.

Wong and Mordo had returned to Kamar-Taj, with the absence of the Sorcerer Supreme, their duty to protect the Earth became even more burdensome. They needed to organize the remaining sorcerer forces to safeguard the security of the Three Sanctums.

Rhodey stood silently behind Tony; He had watched Mark grow from a baby into an outstanding young man, using his intelligence to change the world and protect life on Earth. He was deeply saddened by Mark's death and had no idea how to comfort his brother Tony; all he could do was stand silently behind him.

Tony was in a terrible state, even worse than when he had initially escaped from the cave in Afghanistan. If it weren't for Pepper being safe, Tony would have likely completely collapsed by now.

Sitting in his seat, Tony had been staring at his clenched fist; in his palm was the capsule that Mark had left him at the last moment. He hadn't opened it yet; he wasn't mentally prepared.

The capsule in his hand could be his last lifeline, but it could also be the final straw that broke the camel's back, like Schrödinger's cat in quantum mechanics, everything was possible as long as it remained unopened.

Same as Tony, Captain wasn't doing any better. Although he had been putting on a strong front in front of everyone, bearing the burden of being their spiritual pillar, the sacrifices of numerous companions and comrades, and the loss of his dear friend Bucky had all weighed heavily on him.

Banner sat in the corner of the meeting room, still troubled by the absence of the Hulk. He took the responsibility for the outcome upon himself, unable to face his other companions, and unable to confront his inner weakness.

Natasha accompanied Hawkeye and comforted him. As one of the members of the avengers, this base and the companions within it had already become her family and loved ones. Amidst the sadness, she was doing her best to take care of these family members who had suffered heavy blows.

Hawkeye had returned, which should have been good news if it weren't for the additional news that all his family members had become victims of Thanos' snap.

At this moment, Hawkeye's eyes were no longer filled with the sharpness of a hundred percent accuracy, nor the fearlessness in the face of danger; the dim look in his eyes made it hard to believe that he was once an unparalleled archer.

Ant-Man's state at this time was also very bad. Although he had joined the Avengers not too long ago, his bond with Mark and Spider-Man was deep.

What hit him even harder was that after returning to Earth, he lost contact with Dr. Pym and his family; Dr. Pym, his wife, and his girlfriend Hope had all turned to dust under Thanos' snap. Perhaps the only stroke of luck was that his daughter Cassie hadn't become one of the vanished half.

Nebula and Rocket sat together; they were the only survivors of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately, Nebula didn't know how to express her feelings, and Rocket, especially in front of humans, wasn't willing to show his emotions. So, both of them simply kept their heads down in silence, as silence helped them restrain their inner pain.

Thor, at this moment, didn't possess the same aura as the God of Thunder. He had recently become the King of Asgard, shortly afterward, half of his people fell victim to Thanos' forces. After Thanos' snap, he didn't even know how many of his people were left.

Gripping the freshly forged Stormbreaker tightly, Thor felt more frustrated. The moment the axe was successfully cast, Groot had used his own arm as the handle to complete the Stormbreaker. But in the next second, Groot turned to ashes before their eyes.

This was supposed to be his weapon for revenge against Thanos, but it hadn't had the chance to reveal its edge yet. The hatred brewing within Thor was about to crush him.

As for Baymax, who had returned to Earth with Thor, it was unfortunate that he hadn't been able to see his owner Mark, and he still didn't know the news of Mark's sacrifice.

Upon landing on Earth, Baymax, who had been separated and operating as an individual in space, had established a connection with the main body, which had evolved into an intelligent life form on Earth.

During the drift through the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Baymax had been continuously evolving, nearly reaching the threshold of ascending to an intelligent life form. However, limited by the carrying capacity of its mechanical body, Baymax had never taken that final step.

Upon returning to Earth this time, the wireless module within its body had once again connected to the Earth's network, and the signal had been captured by the Earth-based Baymax. In the moment of their contact, the fusion and evolution of data streams had begun instantly. The consciousness and data of the two were developing towards a two-dimensional unity, and with the progress of this process, they were about to transform into a higher-level intelligent life form.

This process involved a careful and meticulous selection and conversion of a vast amount of data, making the fusion time extremely long. Due to this, Baymax's body lost its conscious control and became like a soulless inflatable doll, placed in the base's warehouse.

If someone were to evaluate the situation of the Avengers from a god's-eye view perspective, it would be described as extremely dire.

Mindset and morale were one aspect, but due to Ant-Man's early joining, the experience of evading Thanos' snap in the quantum realm never happened. This meant that the Avengers might never thought of creating a time machine to reverse the current situation.

And the fusion of the two Baymaxes made it difficult to decipher the relic Mark left for Tony, rendering Mark's last resort ineffective in starting the final battle.

Finally, Thor couldn't bear the heavy atmosphere in the meeting room any longer and stood up from his chair.

"Thor, where are you going?" Natasha called out to him.

"Revenge! I'm going to cut off Thanos' head and pay tribute to all the lives he killed..." Thor turned back to look at Natasha, answering with a tone filled with hatred.

From his gaze, Natasha couldn't see any glimmer of hope or light, a stark contrast to the Thor who used to proclaim himself as the God of Thunder, the son of Odin.

Natasha quickly stepped in to stop him. If she allowed Thor to act impulsively at this moment, she feared the Avengers would lose another important asset. "Thor, don't act recklessly. Thanos' power is something I've witnessed firsthand, and it's not something you can defeat on your own. Besides, we haven't been able to determine where he's gone after his disappearance. If we want revenge, we need to plan carefully."

Captain also stood up and joined Natasha. "She's right, Thor. We all need to take a moment to calm ourselves and then strategize. It's not the time for revenge yet. After Thanos' snap, half of life in the universe vanished, and governments on Earth are in disarray.

We need to stabilize the social order as a whole, at least ensuring that the surviving half of Earth's population can live securely amid their grief. Revenge is something we'll consider later. Tony, maybe you should open the capsule Mark left behind. There must be crucial information he wanted to share with us."

"No!" Tony, who had been silent all along, suddenly erupted like an enraged lion. He vehemently rejected Captain's suggestion with a roar, then slumped back into his seat.

"I saw this all coming a long time ago. It's like a nightmare, and ever since the Battle of New York, I've been trying to prevent this nightmare from becoming a reality. Do you remember what I said? You and those who are no longer with us, we were supposed to arm the entire world with suits of armor, regardless of whether it encroached on their precious freedom. Back then, I saw our impending defeat, but what did you say, Captain? You said that if we were to fail, we'd face it together.

Well, how does it look now? We've truly lost! Why are we always one step behind? Are we destined to only be Avengers? Can't we be preventers? This is the last thing Mark left for me, and apart from this, there's nothing left—no plan, no strategy, no ace up our sleeve for a comeback, and certainly no key to revenge. You better not try to take anything else away from me!"

"Tony..." Rhodey, standing nearby, stepped forward and embraced Tony, trying to calm his emotions. "We won't take anything away from you, okay? Take a deep breath. You still have Pepper, you still have us as friends; you're not alone in this. What happened with Mark, it's not your fault, it's not Captain's fault, we're all grieving. Don't keep your emotions bottled up; we're all here with you, Tony."

Tony gradually calmed down, leaning quietly into Rhodey's embrace, not letting anyone see his expression. He didn't want anyone to see him cry anymore.

Seeing Tony calming down, Captain changed the topic and looked at Natasha. "How many agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. have we been able to contact? We need their help."

"We've already reached some of them. They're confirming the list of survivors and conducting population counts worldwide. In Mark's data center, Jarvis, who transferred there, has already completed the reboot and is assisting them. We estimate that all the counting work will be completed within this week, and a temporary control system will be established to ensure the stability of society's operations. Additionally, the remaining forces of the Mark Research Center and Stark Industries have begun setting up fully automated agriculture and industrial production lines to provide for the basic needs of the survivors."

Upon hearing Natasha's response, it was the first and only piece of good news the group had heard since their reunion. Captain also breathed a sigh of relief; at least they had solved one of their biggest current problems.

"Hawkeye, do you have any impressions of this thing? It was left behind by Fury before he disappeared." Captain approached Hawkeye, holding up the modified pager, and asked him.

Hawkeye scanned it with vacant eyes and shook his head gently. "I haven't seen this thing before. But if it's really related to superheroes, I remember the Director mentioned someone and referred to them as the Earth's last hope. As for the rest, I'm not too sure."

"Could it be that, what you're talking about?" Rocket, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, squinted his eyes as he looked out of the window and pointed outside.

Following his pointing, they could see a bright light streaking through the night sky and descending onto the open space of the Avengers' base. Faintly, amidst the dazzling light, they could make out a humanoid figure.

...

"It seems like Earth's in big trouble," in the open space, all the Avengers surrounded the radiant woman who had descended from the sky, alert and cautious.

"You'd better tell us your identity, friend, or enemy!" Captain spoke up.

"I'm Carol Danvers, a friend of Nick Fury's. You can also call me Captain Marvel. I received a distress signal from him in space, but it looks like I arrived too late."

"No, it's not too late, just that Fury has turned into a pile of dust, and half of all life in the universe has been wiped out with a snap. Now, it's late at night, and having a shiny girl like you show up is just perfect," Tony's sarcastic remark didn't anger Captain Marvel; instead, upon learning about Fury's death, a hint of sadness appeared on her initially calm face.

"I'm sorry, he lost someone very important to him today, and he's a bit out of control emotionally," Captain shielded Tony behind him and apologized to Captain Marvel.

"It's okay; when I return, I can bring him a bottle of Spirit Medicine," Captain Marvel said confidently.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Captain noticed the implications in her words.

"I'm going to kill Thanos!"

Captain raised an eyebrow. "I understand that space is your territory, but do you know where he is? After Thanos used the Space Stone to leave, we scanned the entire cosmic space with satellites, but we found nothing. We have no idea where Thanos went."

"It doesn't matter; I'll find someone to ask," Captain Marvel replied nonchalantly.

"No need for that; I can tell you where Thanos is," Nebula spoke up. It was evident that despite her difficulty in expressing emotions, she was hoping to achieve revenge for killing her sister Gamora.

"Thanos took a long time to make me perfect. He was always telling me about his grand plan. When I was completely obedient to him and eager to please him, I would ask, 'What happens after it's all done? Where do we go?' His answer was always the same: to the garden, where he planned to retire."

"That's actually pretty cool. I never thought Thanos had retirement plans," Rhodey sarcastically commented.

Captain gave Rhodey an exasperated look and then asked, "So, where is Thanos now?"

Nebula glanced at Rocket, and Rocket nodded before jumping onto the meeting table and activating a holographic projection to explain, "After Thanos snapped his fingers, Titan became a cosmic energy hotspot, the largest the universe has ever seen. Until just now, on this planet—" Rocket displayed coordinates on the hologram.

"That's where Thanos is," Nebula pointed to the coordinates.

At that moment, Hawkeye, who had been immersed in grief with lifeless eyes, suddenly changed his demeanor, his eyes filled with excitement. He rushed to Nebula, "He's used the Infinity Stones again! He has the Infinity Gauntlet with him. If we can get the Infinity Gauntlet and the six stones, we can snap our fingers just like him and bring everyone back!"

"That's right, it's that simple! Even though the hope seems slim, for our fallen comrades, we must give it our all and try!" Natasha agreed.

"But even if we try, how can we be sure the outcome will be different from before?" Banner, who had lost Hulk, had completely lost confidence and questioned Hawkeye's proposal.

"Because you didn't have me before!" Captain Marvel responded confidently.

"Hey, newcomer! Most of the people in this room can be called superheroes to some extent. I have to ask, where were you when we were fighting Thanos earlier? Now you're here throwing around these bold statements," Rhodes said to Captain Marvel, who hadn't shown any abilities.

Captain Marvel replied candidly, "There are countless planets in the universe where life has emerged, but unfortunately, not every one of them is fortunate enough to have guardians like you."

Rhodes and Banner exchanged glances and nodded, refraining from further comment.

"It seems like everyone's on the same page now. Since that's the case, we can't waste any time. Let's depart immediately and take down Thanos, that bastard! This time, we must seize this opportunity for a turnaround..."

...

"No satellites, no spaceships, no armies, no ground defenses, just him on this planet. But it's beautiful up here with abundant resources, truly a perfect place for retirement," Captain Marvel led the way, relaying the message to the other Avengers.

Captain and the others exchanged glances and then responded firmly to Captain Marvel, "As long as he's alone, that's enough!"

The Avengers descended onto the planet where Thanos was hiding, and as Captain Marvel had said, it was indeed a perfect place for rest and relaxation after retirement.

The atmosphere was stable, ample sunlight, and the surface was picturesque with stunning scenery. However, the Avengers didn't focus on the breathtaking beauty of the place.

"Is this the place?" Captain pointed to a small cabin not far ahead and asked Captain Marvel.

"He's inside," Captain Marvel nodded, confirming his location.

With Captain Marvel's confirmation, Captain and the other Avengers locked their attention onto the small cabin in front of them.

"Execute the plan as discussed earlier, move!" Without much hesitation, Captain gave the order, signaling the official start of the reversal operation.

Following the order, Captain Marvel was the first to charge towards the target. She emitted a dazzling golden light and launched a high-energy beam attack at Thanos inside the wooden cabin.

Boom! The immense energy directly blew the roof of the rudimentary cabin away. Captain Marvel took advantage of the opening and rushed inside, applying a chokehold to deprive Thanos of control over his body balance.

Next, the fastest runner in the team dashed into the cabin. Seizing the opportunity, he managed to take hold of Thanos' left hand, the one wearing the Infinity Gauntlet. On the other side, Rhodes, a bit slower, but restricted the movement of Thanos' right hand.

In the next moment, Thor swung his Stormbreaker down from the heavens, delivering a blow that finally stained the Stormbreaker's edge with blood while simultaneously severing Thanos' left arm with the Infinity Gauntlet.

Rocket, quick on his feet, rushed up to try and remove the Infinity Gauntlet, but to his astonishment, he found the Infinity Gauntlet's slots, where the Infinity Stones should have been, completely empty. All six Infinity Stones were nowhere to be seen.

"This..." Rocket couldn't believe the result before his eyes, a hint of concern creeping into his heart. If they couldn't gather all six Infinity Stones to wield the snap that could reverse everything...

Rocket vigorously shook his head, not daring to dwell on that thought any longer. He raised his head, glaring fiercely at the subdued Thanos, and demanded, "Where are the Infinity Stones?"

"Answer his question!" Captain Marvel, who had Thanos in a chokehold, threatened him with a whisper in his ear. She then loosened her grip slightly, allowing Thanos to speak more easily.

However, despite Captain Marvel's threat, Thanos showed no fear of death. Instead, he wore a relieved smile on his face as he calmly replied, "The balance of the universe needed correction, and after that, the Infinity Stones had no purpose other than tempting the survivors of the universe and sparking new conflicts."

Boom! Upon hearing Thanos' words, Dr. Banner couldn't control his emotions any longer. He operated the Hulkbuster armor and delivered a powerful punch to Thanos' face, shouting, "You are a murderer of countless lives!"

This was the first time Dr. Banner had expressed his anger so passionately since the birth of the Hulk. However, even at this moment, the Hulk had no intention of making an appearance.

In fact, at this point, the Avengers had already formed a rough idea of where the Infinity Stones might have gone. They just didn't want to accept the heartbreaking truth.

Why did Thanos, who had defeated them in their previous encounters, now appear so weak and injured, with more severe wounds than after the snap on Titan? What was the reason for the second appearance of a cosmic-level energy center point on this planet? All these questions pointed to a despairing answer.

Cough... As a result of Dr. Banner's punch, Thanos was knocked to the ground, and blood oozed from the corners of his mouth. It was worth noting that, previously on Titan, they had only managed to cause him a minor injury, causing him to bleed slightly.

But now, a simple punch from the Hulkbuster had inflicted such damage. Clearly, Thanos' physical condition was extremely weakened.

He wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth, feeling no guilt or anger at Dr. Banner's accusations. Instead, he simply said, "You should thank me. I restored balance, ensuring the longevity of your civilization. As for the Infinity Stones, they no longer exist."

"Impossible! You used them not long ago. We detected the energy fluctuations caused by your second usage!" Dr. Banner, controlling the Hulkbuster, tightly gripped Thanos' collar and pulled him up from the ground, as if searching for evidence of his lie on his face.

However, Thanos remained composed. "That's right. Before you arrived here, I did use the Infinity Stones. I harnessed their powers to destroy them. Just like those lives that have passed away, the Infinity Stones have also turned to dust."

"Using the power of all six Infinity Stones for the second time nearly cost me my life. But it doesn't matter. My mission is complete. The outcome was predetermined because I am inevitable!"

"No! We can't just take Thanos' word for it. We need to keep looking. He might be lying!" Rhodey couldn't accept Thanos' answer because accepting it would mean giving up their last hope.

Nebula had a habit of speaking her mind without regard for others' feelings. She poured cold water on Rhodey's hopes by saying, "My father is many things but not a liar."

"Thank you, daughter. Maybe I've been too hard on you in the past..."

Splut! Before Thanos could finish his sentence, Thor swiftly swung his Stormbreaker and cleanly severed Thanos' head. This shocking action left the surrounding Avengers speechless. They hadn't expected Thor to suddenly take such drastic measures.

"Uh... Thor, why did you do that?" Rocket asked, puzzled.

"Since we have no way of obtaining the Infinity Stones anymore, there's no use keeping him alive. Now I want to see if he's truly inevitable or just a dead man!" Thor replied.

With that, Thor clenched his fist and turned away from Thanos' small wooden hut. Although he had avenged his people, there was no joy in his heart. Thor had lost too many loved ones and comrades due to his own weakness.

Thanos was dead, killed by Thor with the Stormbreaker specially crafted to defeat him. The other Avengers had no complaints about this, but neither did they derive any pleasure from their revenge. As Tony had said, why hadn't they become preventers instead of Avengers?

Only Nebula, who was once Thanos' adopted daughter, mourned him in solitude. She buried his body on the beautiful planet where he had planned to retire.

In the days that followed, not only Earth but the entire universe enjoyed a period of peace that had been unimaginable before. Due to the significant reduction in the population, whether it was primitive or advanced civilizations, peacemakers or warmongers, they all needed time to adapt and recuperate.

In this era of peace, except for the Kamar-Taj, which continued to fulfill its duty guarding against threats like Dormammu from other dimensions, the Avengers were effectively disbanded indefinitely.

There were no more ambitious supervillains, and there were no alien forces eyeing Earth. After returning to Earth, the Avengers went their separate ways, essentially disbanding on the spot.

Tony and Captain America, as the core of the team, silently agreed with this outcome. After the series of events they had experienced, everyone needed time to adjust, and some had loved ones to return to. Temporary separation was a reasonable choice.

And right after Tony returned to Earth, Pepper gave him the long-awaited good news: she was pregnant, carrying Tony's child.

Tony needed to adjust his emotions, take care of Pepper, who was now the most important person in his life, and prepare to welcome the new life soon to enter this cruel world. In his heart, he silently made a decision: this time, he would never let the same regrets that happened with Mark happen again; he was determined to be a worthy father.

Captain America and Natasha remained at the Avengers base. For the two who no longer had any attachments, this place was the closest thing to home.

Hawkeye and Rhodey decided to continue their mission of maintaining order on Earth, dealing with the small factions attempting to exploit chaos. Nebula and Rocket, with no other arrangements, joined their team, using their skills while continuing their journey on Earth.

Ant-Man needed to go back and take care of his daughter, Cassie. The poor girl now only had Scott as her sole surviving family member. Helping her overcome grief and grow up healthy would be a significant challenge for Scott.

Thor went to Norway, where he obtained approval from the temporary government. Valkyrie led the remaining Asgardian refugees to establish a new home. This would be the new Asgard.

Captain Marvel continued her intergalactic travels, saving alien refugees in dire straits. However, due to the recent events, she would frequently return to Earth to check on the situation there.

Only Dr. Banner seemed to have disappeared from the face of the Earth after leaving the others. There was no news from him, and no one could contact him.

Five years passed swiftly, and under the leadership of the Mark Research Center and Stark Industries, the two major technological giants, Earth's productivity quickly recovered. In fact, due to the reduced population, society evolved into a utopian society, which had previously been considered impossible.

With advanced social productivity and scientific and technological levels, people's scientific and cultural literacy, ideological awareness, and moral standards greatly improved. Everyone's reasonable needs for life were fully satisfied.

Now, the entire society was managed based on the artificial intelligence decision system developed by J.A.R.V.I.S., ensuring absolute fairness and precise big data analysis, turning the impossible into possible.

After basic physiological needs were met, the survivors gradually emerged from the shadow of the event. To commemorate their lost fellow citizens, monuments were erected in the squares and parks of various cities, listing the names of those who perished during the event in each city.

As time passed, the Avengers began their new lives.

Captain America established a psychological counseling center at the New York Yankees' baseball stadium, helping citizens who were struggling to adapt to the changes brought about by the new era. When it came to accepting the new age, there was no one more experienced and qualified to speak than him.

Natasha assisted Hawkeye and their team at the base in continuing their efforts to maintain stability and uphold justice. Everything was going smoothly, but occasionally, in the quiet of the night, when she remembered the comrades they used to joke and fight alongside, Natasha couldn't help but shed tears.

The good news was that Scott was about to return to their team and resume his missions. He had successfully raised his daughter Cassie, and he couldn't stand being lonely, so he decided to embrace the role of Ant-Man once again.

After disappearing for eighteen months following their parting, Doctor Banner finally reappeared in everyone's sight. However, his transformation was more significant than when Captain America initially received the super-soldier serum, it was real and profound.

During his eighteen months of absence, he had kept himself secluded in a gamma radiation laboratory, researching the possibility of merging himself with the Hulk. For years, he had seen the Hulk as a disease within his own body, and the result was that when he needed the Hulk's help the most, the Hulk didn't respond.

After the events with Thanos, Dr. Banner went through extended periods of contemplation and inner reconciliation. He finally unraveled the knots that had plagued him for years and found a way to merge with the Hulk, achieving a state where his wisdom and strength were unified.

While maintaining the appearance of the Hulk, he could now think with the mind of Bruce Banner. If you didn't consider the outer appearance, Dr. Banner had become a more perfect being.

Among the group, it seemed that only Thor had become more fallen than before. He indulged daily in alcohol, becoming an obese man who had entirely lost the heroic appearance of the mighty Thor.

Tony and Pepper's child had also been born and grown up healthily during these five years, becoming a lively and kind little girl. Tony named her Morgan, Morgan Stark, as a tribute to Pepper's uncle, also named Morgan.

Tony spent a significant amount of time every day playing with Morgan, teaching her interesting mechanical and electrical engineering knowledge, and telling her stories about Mark before bedtime. It seemed that Tony wanted to make up for everything he owed Mark by devoting himself to Morgan. During this process, Tony's smile appeared more and more frequently.

However, as the person closest to Tony, who understood him the best, Pepper knew that Tony had never really moved on from the events of five years ago. Whether it was the robot Baymax, created by Mark and now in permanent shutdown, or the capsule Mark had left for Tony in his final moments, Tony had kept them sealed in the basement warehouse, never opening them.

But today, the time had finally come for Baymax, who had undergone integration and life-level upgrades, to meet a curious and mischievous girl. At the same time, after a delay of five years, the endgame was about to begin...

"Morgan, have you hidden well? Daddy is about to start looking for you!"

Tony, facing the wall, shouted loudly into the empty living room behind him, but there was no response from little Morgan. He knew this meant the game of hide and seek could officially begin.

Tony began searching in the usual places where Morgan often hid: the closet, under the bed, behind the curtains, and inside the garage, Morgan's favorite hiding spot. Tony searched the entire house, but he still couldn't find Morgan.

Worried that Morgan had run outside to avoid being caught, Tony quickly asked Friday, "Morgan hasn't gone outside of the house, right?"

"Miss Morgan has not left this room, Mr. Stark. You can rest assured," replied the artificial intelligence Friday in a gentle manner, much like a real butler.

In fact, ever since Tony had set Jarvis's program to manage the operation of the new social order, his own auxiliary work, as well as the tasks of the intelligent housekeeper in the family, had all been transferred to Friday, which was originally just an AI for the Iron Man suit.

After hearing Friday's answer, Tony's anxious heart finally relaxed. "But if little Morgan hasn't left the room and I can't find her anywhere else – that little rascal, didn't I tell her not to go there? She really doesn't make it easy for me."

Tony had already guessed where Morgan might be hiding, but that was precisely what was giving him a headache. Morgan had hidden herself in the underground storage warehouse where he kept items related to Mark, and he hadn't been inside that warehouse in the five years since Pepper had helped him organize it together.

...

"Hehe, I'm hiding here. Daddy definitely won't find me. He's never been in this room before," Morgan said with a hint of pride.

However, as a little girl, being alone in the cold, damp basement warehouse couldn't help but make her think of scenarios from horror stories, and a sense of fear crept over her. "It's just too bad it's so dark here. I can't see anything at all. Next time, I'll hide in the garage instead. I won't come here again."

Just as Morgan was encouraging herself, thinking about at least holding on to win this game of hide and seek, a sudden burst of light appeared in the pitch-black room.

Curious Morgan tightened the steel mask she had taken from the garage and mustered her courage. She approached the source of the light and then...

Thud! In the darkness, with no clear view of the ground beneath her feet, little Morgan tripped on something and stumbled, almost making contact with the floor.

Just at the critical moment, the sound of rushing wind reached Morgan, and a large hand cut through the darkness to catch her before she could fall and get hurt.

In her mind, Morgan had prepared herself to endure the pain of falling after stumbling. However, instead of hitting the hard ground, she encountered something soft and unfamiliar.

With the support of the soft object that held her up, Morgan regained her balance. When she looked up, she realized that the source of the mysterious light in the basement had actually saved her from the pain.

"Hello, I'm Baymax. You lost your balance and almost fell. Do you require medical attention? Can I scan you and assess your physical condition?"

Upon hearing Baymax's question, Morgan was immediately drawn to the cute and gentle appearance of Baymax and nodded in agreement without even considering the question's content.

"Baymax is about to scan you. Scanning initiated—scanning complete! Your physical condition is very healthy, but please pay attention to your daily sugar intake and dental health. Brush your teeth carefully before bedtime to prevent cavities.

To avoid any omissions in the diagnosis, please use a scale from one to ten to indicate your pain level. If you have any other symptoms, Baymax will conduct a more detailed examination for you."

Morgan vigorously shook her head and said, "Not in pain, not in pain. Morgan is not injured. Please, please don't give me any shots!"

Baymax gently placed his chubby hand on Morgan's small head and comforted her, "So, your name is Morgan, right? No need to be afraid, little Morgan is very healthy, and there's no need for injections."

"Yeah! No need for shots. Morgan hates shots the most. Even when I'm sick, I can just use the nutrient hibernation chamber for treatment. It's comfortable, convenient, and quick. But my mommy and daddy insist on taking me for shots and vaccinations, and it hurts so much.

By the way, you're really amazing. Your eyes can emit light, and with just a scan, you completed a physical examination for me. Are you a robot invented by my daddy?"

Baymax shook his head and replied, "Although I don't know who your father is, he definitely isn't the one who invented me. The creator of the prototype that manufactured me is named Mark Stark, a very remarkable individual.

Even though I have now undergone fusion evolution as an intelligent life form, I still greatly admire my creator for his vast knowledge and profound wisdom."

Upon hearing Baymax mention Mark's name, Morgan became visibly excited, dancing and gesticulating with great enthusiasm. "Hey! Are you one of the robots invented by Mark? That's amazing! Every night, my dad tells me stories about Mark, how they competed with each other's inventions, formed the Avengers to fight alien invasions, and thwarted the schemes of super villains. Can you also tell me a story about Mark, please? Morgan wants to know more!"

Morgan blinked her big, watery eyes at Baymax, brimming with anticipation. It was only at this moment that Baymax realized that the little girl standing before him bore a striking resemblance to his owner, Mark, sharing over seventy percent of his features.

Before sharing the story, Baymax asked, "Morgan, before I tell you a story, can you answer a question for me? Is your father's name Tony Stark?"

"Baymax, do you know my dad? I'm Morgan Stark, and my dad is Tony Stark, and my mom is Pepper Potts. They told me I have a brother named Mark Stark. But my brother went on an adventure in outer space before I was born and hasn't come back to see Morgan yet. Morgan wants to grow up and be as great as Mark, exploring the stars and galaxies."

Morgan Stark, now confirmed by Baymax, was indeed Mark's half-sister.

Baymax slowly squatted down, enveloping Morgan in a warm embrace, and gently said, "Morgan, you can certainly achieve it. You will grow up to be as outstanding as your brother and fulfill your dreams in the universe.

Since Morgan wants to know about your brother's story and go on adventures beyond the cosmos, Baymax will gladly share the story with you. It includes our experiences, from my creation and first glimpse of this world to accompanying your brother until the Battle of New York. And then, there's the tale of how I joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and ventured into space."

Baymax displayed images from his database as holographic projections for Morgan, narrating the story vividly. He omitted certain scenes not suitable for children and condensed and skipped parts while providing a detailed and exciting description of the entire journey.

During this process, both Baymax and Morgan were completely engrossed in the thrilling narrative. Morgan would sometimes cheer with excitement when Mark defeated enemies, waving her tiny fists, and at other times, she would pout with frustration when the villains succeeded in their schemes.

Unnoticed by either of them, someone else sat quietly on the stairs leading to the basement, listening attentively to the recollections of these past events.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Baymax concluded the story. However, the ending of the story was not Mark's sacrifice under Thanos's snap but the same ending Tony had told Morgan: the triumph of justice over evil, with Mark embarking on a solitary journey of adventure into space.

Still in a state of excitement, Morgan suddenly jumped up from Baymax's embrace, looking conflicted.

"Baymax, you told the story so well, much more exciting than my dad does. But now, Morgan is really torn. Should I grow up to be a hero like the Sorcerer Supreme, using magic to protect the Earth? Or should I go on adventures in space like you and my brother Mark?"

"Well! Little Morgan, I can't believe you were hiding here, talking bad about me. Now I've caught you!" At this moment, Tony took the opportunity to come down the stairs and hugged Morgan, pulling her into his embrace.

"You lost at hide and seek, Morgan. So, for dinner tonight, you have to fulfill the condition you promised to Daddy and eat all your dreaded carrots!"

Morgan, who was suddenly caught by Tony's surprise attack, first shrank back in fear, then pouted with an air of indignation, resembling a little hamster. Her face immediately displayed her unwillingness when she heard that she had to finish eating carrots for dinner.

"No, Dad, you cheated! How could you sneak up on Morgan while she was listening to the story? This doesn't count!" Morgan refused to accept defeat and wanted to challenge her fate.

However, Tony was too experienced to be swayed by Morgan's little tricks. "If we're talking about cheating, Morgan, you broke the rules first. Didn't I tell you not to go into the basement warehouse? Now, tell me, where did I catch you?

And since you want to become the Sorcerer Supreme and go on adventures in space, right? If you don't eat enough carrots for nutrition and end up with night blindness, you won't be able to achieve any of your dreams!"

"Ah—! Alright, for the sake of realizing Morgan's dreams, I'll reluctantly finish the carrots for dinner tonight." Tony's trick quickly made the initially stubborn Morgan obedient.

"But Dad, should I become the Sorcerer Supreme or an adventurer in space?"

"Silly child, only kids make choices. Adults want everything! You're still young; thinking about these things is too early.

And being the Sorcerer Supreme and an adventurer in space aren't mutually exclusive. When you grow up, whether you want to choose one or even try both, it's all possible.

But the prerequisite is to listen to Mom and Dad, grow up healthy, or else you won't be able to fulfill your dreams!"

"Okay! Little Morgan will listen well and grow up. I want to become the Sorcerer Supreme, traveling through space, and find my brother who's adventuring in the universe!

Dad, Baymax, will you come with me when that happens?"

Facing Morgan's sudden invitation, both Baymax and Tony fell into silence. If Mark was indeed wandering in the cosmos, they would certainly want to go with Morgan to find him.

But the truth was that Mark was no longer in this world, and no matter how long they searched in the universe, they couldn't find someone who didn't exist.

...

They didn't want to disappoint Morgan and shatter the beautiful dream, but it was also challenging to make a promise that went against their hearts when faced with the innocent and kind Morgan.

Fortunately, at this moment, Pepper's call came from the basement entrance: "Tony! Morgan! Stop playing and come eat!"

"Alright! We'll be right there!" Tony quickly responded, diverting Morgan's attention. "Morgan, go upstairs and have dinner with Mom. Baymax and I have something to discuss. Tell Mom I'll come up later."

"I got it, Dad!" Morgan, determined to be an obedient child, quickly wriggled out of Tony's embrace and ran toward the dining room upstairs.

"Don't forget to finish your carrots!"

"Don't worry, Dad! Morgan is very obedient; she can definitely become both the Sorcerer Supreme and an adventurer in space!"

Watching little Morgan leave the basement, Tony turned to Baymax, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "What exactly happened before? Thor told me that as soon as he brought you back to Earth, you went offline. Later, when I went into Mark's lab, the other Baymax, who had already become an intelligent life form, had disappeared without a trace.

With Mark's abilities, this couldn't have been a technical malfunction. What happened after you returned to Earth?"

In response to Tony's question, Baymax didn't hide anything and truthfully recounted his situation. "Before I participated in the Battle of New York, my master had been working on an upgrade for me aimed at achieving the ultimate evolution of artificial intelligence.

The source code for my upgrade had immense potential from the beginning. On this foundation, I collected vast amounts of data and information while in space, continuously filtering and evolving. I had already reached the threshold for promotion to an intelligent life form.

However, due to the limitations of this mechanical body's hardware capacity, I couldn't take the final step.

It wasn't until I returned to Earth, with the assistance of the Earth's mainframe, which had successfully been promoted to an intelligent life form, that I was able to break free from the hardware constraints and complete my promotion.

After that, my host and I decided to undergo another fusion to become a whole entity again. Through this process, our life level could once again evolve and elevate, granting us greater abilities.

Due to the complexity and vastness of the data and information flow, the entire evolution process took five years. We just completed the fusion when Morgan entered the basement, and now, I control this mechanical body's movements through the Earth's magical network."

Tony nodded as he listened, feeling a mixture of emotions. Mark had not only surpassed him in the mechanical field he was proud of but had also outperformed him in his own expertise in information technology. He felt a sense of pride in this accomplishment but also a tinge of loss.

However, Tony quickly suppressed these emotions and walked over to a shelf in the warehouse after turning around. He picked up a small box and brought it in front of Baymax. "I think it's time to open it."

Tony lifted the lid of the small box, revealing a capsule inside. This was the last thing Mark had handed to Tony just before his disappearance...