Chapter 36: Shadows of Intervention

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Catskill Forest, New York

The snow began to fall softly, blanketing the devastation left behind. What was once a serene, winter forest was now a graveyard of broken trees, smashed tanks, and fallen bodies. The wind howled through the empty clearing, carrying with it the scent of fire and blood.

Marcus stood alone amidst the destruction, his eyes still glowing faintly from the unleashed power. His silver aura flickered, his mind already drifting to the next move. Wang Ling approached him carefully, knowing not to interrupt his master's thoughts.

"They never stood a chance," Wang muttered, breaking the silence. "The military, Vought's elite—Homelander himself… they all fell like children."

Marcus didn't answer. He was deep in thought, his senses reaching far beyond the battlefield. Something—someone—had been watching. He could feel it, a presence lingering at the edge of his awareness, hidden in the shadows. But it wasn't military. It wasn't Vought.

It was something else.

Wang noticed the shift in Marcus's expression. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low.

"We're not alone," Marcus said, his tone distant. His gaze shifted to the treeline, focusing on a particular spot deep within the forest. "There's someone… or something… watching us."

Wang stiffened, glancing around. "Another supe? Could it be Maeve?"

"No," Marcus said, his voice firm. "This is something different. More ancient and oppressive, more powerful than Vought's creations." His eyes narrowed, the air around him starting to hum with tension. "They've been following me for some time."

Before Wang could ask another question, the shadows beneath the trees shifted unnaturally as they seem to fuse into one. A figure slowly emerged, stepping forward with measured precision. The air grew colder, more oppressive, as the being approached.

It was tall, cloaked in dark robes that seemed to blend with the shadows themselves. Its face was hidden beneath a hood, and where its eyes should have been, there were only two glowing red orbs, flickering with an otherworldly light. The figure moved with a grace that was almost ethereal, like it wasn't entirely bound by the laws of reality.

Marcus turned to face the newcomer fully, his expression calm but alert. "You've been following me," he said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Who are you?"

The figure stopped a few feet away, the ground beneath it frozen in a thin layer of ice. When it spoke, its voice was a whisper that echoed unnaturally in the clearing, like a thousand voices speaking at once.

"I am the Watcher," the being said, its voice cold and distant with a hit of curiosity. "I have seen the rise of empires and the fall of gods. I have observed the universe for millennia, but never have I seen a power such as yours."

Marcus a little shaken with such a being curious about his system ability then tilted his head, intrigued. "And what is it you want, Watcher? To stop me? To challenge me?"

The Watcher chuckled softly, the sound reverberating through the forest. "No. I do not challenge. I observe. You, Marcus, have become something more than mortal, but there is a balance to maintain. Power of your magnitude disturbs that balance."

Marcus smirked. "You think you can maintain balance against me? Do you not see what I did here?" He gestured around at the devastation, the destroyed tanks, the broken bodies of Vought's most powerful heroes. "I could crush you like the others."

The Watcher remained still, unbothered by Marcus's threat. "You misunderstand, child of man. I do not interfere unless I must. I am here to warn you, to offer a choice. Continue down this path, and you will draw the attention of forces far greater than this world. Forces that even you cannot stand against."

Wang Ling tensed behind Marcus, but Marcus remained calm, his mind calculating. "You mean to tell me that there's more beyond this world? More than Vought, more than the military, more than this whole planet can offer?"

The Watcher nodded slowly. "There are beings who dwell in the shadows of the multiverse, beings who hunger for the power you now wield. They will come for you, and when they do, you will either join them—or be consumed by them."

Marcus's eyes darkened, his patience wearing thin. "I don't fear anything, especially not some vague threats from the shadows. I've already transcended what this world can offer. I am the strongest being on this planet."

The Watcher's red orbs flared brighter, a cold wind sweeping through the clearing. "The arrogance of the powerful is always their undoing," it whispered. "Remember this when the time comes."

Marcus clenched his fist, ready to unleash his power, but before he could act, the Watcher's form dissolved into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. The oppressive presence lifted, but the warning lingered in the air like a dark omen.

Wang Ling exhaled slowly, stepping forward. "That was… unexpected. What do we do now?"

Marcus stared at the spot where the Watcher had disappeared, his mind racing. He had never encountered a being like that before, something that could step between worlds and challenge him without fear. It wasn't just a warning—it was a reminder that even his power had its limits.

But Marcus wasn't one to be intimidated easily although he was a bit shaken because ever since his transmigration no one has ever scared him like this before. If there were greater forces out there, he would find them. And when he did, he would show them the same thing he had shown Homelander, A-Train, and the military—that no one, not even the gods themselves, could stand in his way.

"We continue as planned," Marcus said finally, his voice resolute. "The world is still ours for the taking. But now we know there are other pieces on the board. And if these forces come for me…"

He paused, a cold smile crossing his face.

"I'll make them kneel."

Wang nodded, his loyalty unwavering. "Understood. Shall I make the necessary arrangements for Vought's fall?"

"Yes," Marcus replied, his tone sharp. "Vought is just the beginning. Once they're out of the way, we'll turn our attention to these so-called greater powers. I'll show them what it means to challenge me."

As they left the battlefield behind, Marcus's mind was already calculating his next moves. The Watcher had revealed a glimpse of a larger game, one that stretched beyond Earth, beyond Vought, beyond even his current understanding of power.

But Marcus wasn't afraid.

He was ready.