Chapter 156: Captain Marvel

Everyone present had studied Alex's profile thoroughly, even those who had never directly interacted with him, including Captain Marvel. They were all familiar with his appearance and past deeds. So, when Alex—who had disappeared for two years—suddenly reappeared, the room was filled with shock and complex emotions.

Tony Stark, upon seeing Alex, instinctively shouted:

"Alex! I knew you weren't dead! You survived even against the Celestials. You cockroach bastard!"

Thor added with a broad grin:

"Oh, my friend! Where have you been these past two years?"

Unlike Tony and the others, Thor didn't care much about what Alex had done on Earth. Among everyone present, Thor's attitude toward Alex was the warmest. Even after Alex left the Marvel universe and the influence of the Mind Stone faded, Thor's perspective hadn't changed.

But not everyone shared Thor's goodwill. Captain America and Nick Fury greeted Alex with obvious hostility.

Captain America shouted angrily at him: "Damn you, Alex! You're back again? Are you planning to invade Earth once more?!

Let me tell you, in these two years, we've completely destroyed your new Hydra along with the original one. They're now buried in the dust of history. You'll get no second chances here!"

Captain Marvel stepped out from behind Nick Fury, her gaze full of fighting spirit. She knew Alex's strength before he left, but now that she had bonded with a symbiote, she believed her powers had increased enough to stand against him.

She taunted Alex: "You Devil, just you wait—I'll defeat you!"

The room filled with a mixture of reactions: joy, fear, and provocation.

Alex, however, paid no mind to the hostility from Captain America, Captain Marvel, and the others. Instead, he turned to answer Tony Stark's question: "Of course, I'm not dead. A mere Celestial couldn't possibly kill me!"

Then, he looked toward Thor—one of the few people he considered a friend in this universe—and said:

"I've been to other universes, exploring new worlds. Now, I've just returned to see you, my friends, before I settle some old scores with the Celestials."

Thor's eyes widened in surprise:

"Other worlds? You mean parallel universes?"

Tony Stark was equally astonished:

"So, parallel universes really exist?"

Alex smiled but didn't elaborate further, allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

Then, his gaze shifted to Captain America, Black Widow, and the others. With a playful smirk, he said:

"Relax. I've turned over a new leaf. I have no plans to take over the world anymore.

Back then, I had to act aggressively under the constant pursuit of military forces and other powers. But for someone like me now, Earth holds no appeal.

Why would I bother ruling a backward planet that hasn't even entered the interstellar age when I could conquer empires across the galaxy? Better yet, I'd rather explore different parallel universes, see new sights, and improve myself along the way."

Tony Stark and the others fell silent. They hadn't expected that, upon meeting again, Alex would completely dismiss Earth. Every word he spoke was about the vastness of the universe and even conquering parallel dimensions.

They realized they were no longer on the same level as him.

Having spent decades in the cosmos, Captain Marvel was more aware of the challenges the universe posed. She scoffed and said mockingly:

"You want to conquer galactic empires? Do you have any idea what you're talking about? Every major power in the universe has weapons capable of destroying entire planets. You're no match for them!"

Alex had no desire to argue with Captain Marvel—it was beneath him.

So, every time she said something, he simply nodded and replied:

"Ah, yes, yes. You're absolutely right."

Behind Alex, Rocket Raccoon and the others couldn't help but stifle their laughter, trying not to interrupt Alex's conversation with his old acquaintances. However, they ultimately failed to contain themselves, especially after hearing Captain Marvel's remarks:

"Hahaha, what a fool! Alex has already conquered two galactic empires!"

"Pfft, this is killing me!"

"So this is the famous Captain Marvel? Turns out she's nothing but an idiot!"

Captain Marvel, mocked by everyone, was instantly enraged. She activated her binary state and shot out of Earth's atmosphere at full speed, yelling: "Just you wait!"

Her speed was so astonishing that Nick Fury and the others didn't have time to stop her as she transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the sky.

Nick Fury sighed, shaking his head, hoping that Captain Marvel might somehow prevail over Alex.

Meanwhile, Captain America once again stepped forward, glaring at Alex as he questioned him:

"You claim you've turned over a new leaf, but what about your past crimes? What about the countless innocent lives you've taken? Those people can't die in vain!"

Alex rubbed his nose, as if Captain America's persistent accusations had given him the false impression that he might be softening his stance. His smirk grew even more mischievous:

"I happen to have an ability that allows me to resurrect the dead."

Hearing this, Captain America's face briefly lit up with joy before he quickly masked it with skepticism. Narrowing his eyes, he questioned whether Alex truly possessed such an incredible power.

Even so, Captain America's sense of duty compelled him to press on with a commanding tone: "Then bring back the people you've killed. Even if this doesn't absolve you completely, it will at least lessen your guilt."

Alex ignored his demand and continued with a smirk: "But I'm not some saint. I only look after those who pledge their loyalty to me.

So, I've changed my mind. I'll kill Thanos, take his place, and conquer Earth instead. After that, I might consider resurrecting those innocent people who were just collateral damage—since they had no real quarrel with me."

Nick Fury's already dark complexion seemed to grow even darker as he exclaimed: "As expected! You haven't given up on conquering Earth!"

Captain America chimed in:

"And what about those who held grudges against you? The hundreds you executed in front of the White House—will you resurrect them too?"

Alex chuckled: "No. They hated me, insulted me, and slandered me. They ain't getting back up of course."

"You—!" Captain America began, but Alex cut him off, raising a hand.

"Oh, look who's here! Captain Marvel made good time. Rocket, you guys go entertain her. Be careful not to kill her, though."

Star-Lord, who had become increasingly cocky since gaining his newfound powers, eagerly volunteered: "Let me handle this. I've been itching to test my strength against a top-tier opponent like Captain Marvel!"

Led by Star-Lord, Alex's crew left the main ship and intercepted Captain Marvel in space.

Nick Fury and the others watched in stunned silence via satellite, utterly shocked by what they were seeing.

They couldn't believe that Alex's companions, standing behind him, were so powerful that they could survive in the vacuum of space without any protective gear—using nothing but their physical bodies.

This was undeniably shocking. Everyone present understood what this meant. Without an incredibly durable physique and the ability to survive without oxygen, living in the vacuum of space was impossible. The extreme cold and lack of pressure would first cause the air in the body to expand, tearing the skin apart, and then freeze the blood solid in mere seconds. Death would be unavoidable.

Yet here they were, watching Alex's followers moving freely in the void of space as if it were nothing. And these weren't the pseudo-superhumans he had previously created through symbiotes. These individuals possessed their own overwhelming strength and abilities.

Perhaps the raccoon's boastful claims were true after all—Alex really had conquered two powerful galactic empires.

The group fell silent, turning their attention back to the satellite feed, eager to see who would triumph in the battle between Captain Marvel and Alex's followers.

Despite everything they'd witnessed, they still placed their bets on Captain Marvel, even Thor.

Thanks to the enhancements from the symbiote, Captain Marvel was now the strongest among them, far surpassing even Tony Stark. They believed she should be able to handle these enemies with ease.

After all, if even Alex's followers couldn't be defeated, then Alex himself had truly become unimaginably terrifying.

In the void beyond Earth, Captain Marvel raised her chin, gazing down at the group before her with contempt.

She was slightly surprised by their ability to survive in space without any external support, but her confidence remained unshaken.

After decades spent traversing the cosmos, she had rarely encountered opponents capable of matching her. Outside of the Celestials and a handful of the universe's strongest beings, she ranked among the elite.

As for these unfamiliar faces before her, they were nobodies. There was no way they could be counted among the universe's renowned powerhouses.

Brimming with self-assurance, Captain Marvel charged forward. In her binary state, she could ignite stars themselves. She feared no one.

But when she clashed with Star-Lord, her confidence crumbled in an instant.

Shrouded in golden energy flames, she unleashed incredible power. Yet Star-Lord, wrapped in white energy that mirrored her binary aura, was her equal in every way—and perhaps even stronger.

Her shock deepened as the battle continued. When had the universe produced such a formidable powerhouse?

Things only got worse for her.

Rocket Raccoon and the others began unleashing their unique powers against her. Some summoned bolts of lightning; others distorted space itself or transformed into molten lava. The sheer diversity of elemental forces coming her way was staggering.

Individually, none of them could match her. But together, their combined onslaught was overwhelming.

And then there was Star-Lord, who was clearly stronger than her on his own.

Captain Marvel was finding it increasingly difficult to hold her ground against such overwhelming odds. What had started as a clash of confidence was rapidly turning into a desperate struggle for survival.

Star-Lord unleashed the Celestial power within him, releasing a surge of violent energy that radiated outward from his body.

His form transformed into pure energy, resembling the energy constructs that Ego had initially created.

In this state, Star-Lord could freely manipulate his body, growing to colossal proportions and wielding his inner power with remarkable precision.

In their next collision, Captain Marvel, in her binary form, was sent hurtling into the dark, desolate depths of space.

Back on Earth, aboard the helicarrier, everyone fell into a heavy silence.

Captain Marvel was their strongest member, yet she was utterly outmatched by Alex's subordinate. Her defeat seemed inevitable.

What could have happened to Alex in the past two years that even his followers had become so overwhelmingly powerful?

What followed was a brutal, one-sided beatdown. Star-Lord pinned Captain Marvel down, and the rest of Alex's team joined in. Within moments, she was bloodied and bruised, her eyes swollen and blackened.

Particularly concerning were the wounds caused by residual "false matter" energy. These injuries couldn't heal, as the residual energy disrupted her cells, worsening her condition with every passing moment.

In mere moments, Captain Marvel lost her ability to resist. Her eyes rolled back as she passed out, and the team carried her aboard the main ship.

Alex lit a cigar with a flick of his energy, taking a deep drag before exhaling a plume of smoke.

The gray mist enveloped the unconscious Captain Marvel, infused with an energy so intense it felt like the Hulk's hand slapping her. Blood dripped from her nose as she jolted awake.

Standing over her, Alex looked down with disdain.

"Well, little girl, you think you're tough?

"Being tough doesn't mean jack. In this world, you need real power and connections!"

He sneered and added, "I thought you were some big-shot warrior, but it turns out you're just... a nobody."

Captain Marvel understood every word.

The humiliation and anger were almost unbearable.

Since awakening her powers through the Space Stone, she had never been treated this way. Across the galaxy, every faction respected and even feared her, including her adversaries, like the Kree Empire.

Yet now, she had been thoroughly humiliated.

She tried to speak, but Alex silenced her with another slap.

His strike was so powerful that even Captain Marvel felt dazed, her head spinning.

When she finally quieted down, Alex extracted the symbiote from her body and quickly realized it was a descendant of the symbiotes he had once gifted to Captain America and others.

Without hesitation, he returned the symbiote to her body and turned his gaze to the projection showing Nick Fury, Tony Stark, and the others.

"Who's next for a lesson? Anyone?"

Tony instinctively stepped back, knowing full well he stood no chance against Alex's team if even Captain Marvel had fallen so easily.

Nick Fury's expression turned even darker.

Alex turned his attention to Thor, asking about Asgard's current state. Upon learning that Ragnarok had not yet occurred, Alex expressed his intention to visit Asgard after dealing with Thanos.

"Asgard would make a perfect addition to my dimensional islands," he mused.

After a brief discussion with Tony and the others, Alex ended the call. His sights were set on his next target: the Mad Titan.

A massive fleet of thousands of starships began descending toward Earth, piercing through the atmosphere like a storm of shadows. They blanketed the skies, casting the world below into darkness.

The awe-inspiring sight was visible to everyone on the planet, including Thanos, who was still rampaging and slaughtering civilians.

Clad in a bright green symbiote, his eyes radiated a mad, emerald glow. His entire demeanor exuded both immense power and unhinged fury.

As he saw the overwhelming fleet, Thanos didn't cower. Instead, his body expanded further, growing to over ten meters in height.

He roared a challenge in the direction of the flagship, instinctively knowing that a formidable opponent awaited him there.

°°°

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