Chapter 55: Departure (Part 2)

The earlier noise was a bit startling, but no zombies managed to break through.

Noah stood before the teleportation device, his eyes slightly narrowed, watching as S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel were continuously transported away.

Nick Fury stood beside him, holding his last cigar between his fingers. His eyes betrayed a hint of weariness as he silently puffed away, the smoke swirling around him, bringing an odd sense of tranquility.

"Can you believe it? Just yesterday, I was arguing with the President about next year's budget. Steve was talking about training a new Avengers team before retiring to become a farmer."

"Xavier was preparing another speech to convince the world that mutants could coexist peacefully."

Fury's brow furrowed slightly. He seemed saddened by it all, yet there was nothing he could do.

They stood there in silence, watching as one by one, people vanished into the blue light of the teleportation device. Each time someone disappeared, the machine emitted a faint hum, as though bidding them farewell.

Minutes later, the room was nearly empty. Only a few remained: an unconscious Banner lying on a stretcher, Thor, Fury, and Iron Man.

The Fantastic Three stood together with Doom. Despite the near-death battles they had fought, their relationship could be described as a blend of rivalry and camaraderie.

On the other side, Noah stood with Quicksilver, the Punisher, and the Scarlet Witch following behind him.

This was the final group preparing to leave.

Why not bring more superpowered individuals?

Most of the other superhumans were unfamiliar with Noah and preferred to follow Fury's orders—or simply decided to find another world where they could continue being heroes.

Just like Hyperion and his knockoff Justice League.

"Doom, is the surprise for those bastards ready?" Noah asked.

"Naturally," Doom replied. "I've already set the program. Once we leave, the portal will self-destruct from within. Afterward, my robots will dismantle it entirely."

Noah nodded and stepped into the blue vortex. Those behind him followed suit. Gripping the Necronomicon, he gave it a playful smile, and a mysterious gleam shone in his eyes.

"Everyone can leave this world safely now," Noah said softly.

The Necronomicon chimed in, its tone dripping with sarcasm, "Oh, absolutely! Those monsters will never catch up to us!"

Noah frowned, puzzled. "Huh? Us?"

"Yeah, us. Aren't we leaving this world together now? Or do you have unfinished business?" The Darkhold blinked its crimson eyes, amused by his confusion.

This guy is so absentminded.

Noah slapped his thigh in realization. "Oh, right! There is one more thing I need to take care of! Thanks for reminding me, or I'd have regretted it for life."

The Necronomicon grinned widely. "Oh, it's nothing! A brilliant man like you would've remembered anyway."

Satisfied, Noah patted the Necronomicon's spine, feeling its cold surface. Then, without warning, he hurled it against the wall. A dull thud echoed as it struck.

The Necronomicon quivered, screeching in alarm, "What are you doing?!"

"Didn't you swear to Vishanti that you'd leave this world with me?" Its crimson eyes brimmed with disbelief and despair.

Noah smirked, stroking his chin. "Ah, yeah. I guess I did."

As a glimmer of hope reignited in the Necronomicon's eyes, Noah continued, "But I don't believe in Vishanti. People worship them every day, and they don't answer most of the time, anyway."

Sympathy crossed his face as he looked at the book, now embedded in the wall from the force of his throw.

"And honestly, I haven't lied to anyone today. You're just a broken book."

The Necronomicon trembled, its voice filled with terror and desperation. "No! You can't abandon me! I can grant you limitless power—help you rule this world!"

"Thanks, but maybe next time."

Standing in the blue vortex, Noah glanced at the Necronomicon, winked slightly, waved goodbye, and disappeared into the teleportation device.

The Necronomicon, still embedded in the wall, cried out in despair. "Noooo—wait! Doom! Doom, you'll take me, right?!" It turned pleadingly toward Doctor Doom.

Without turning back, Doom scoffed, a sneer on his face. "Take you? Such arrogance and naivety. Doom's mastery of magic surpasses the need for you. You are worthless to me."

Desperate, the Necronomicon turned to Fury. "Come on, man! Take me with you! I can restore your eye—make it better than ever!"

Fury stared at it with his single eye for a long moment before uttering one word: "No."

The Necronomicon quivered.

"You there! Blondie with the hammer! Want an extra magical hammer?"

"Yellow stone guy! I can make your stones harder and ten times bigger! … What are you rolling your eyes for?"

"The sleeping guy! Uh—"

Meanwhile, outside, a towering zombie clad in blue-and-white spandex pounded relentlessly against the castle's shield. Hundreds of grotesque zombies surrounded him. At their feet lay piles of pale, mangled corpses—the remnants of the undead army.

The black mist that had once shrouded them was now dissipating.

"Keep hitting it, Bill! The shield won't hold much longer!" bellowed a voice. It belonged to a hulking zombie called Goliath, a giant among men, his name taken from legend. With his massive fists, he struck the barrier with devastating force, each impact sending shockwaves through the structure. Shards of rock flew as cracks spiderwebbed across the castle walls.

Nearby, a zombie with a card-like insignia, dubbed Card King, slammed his staff against the ground, his face twisted in frustration. "Are you sure there's any meat in there? We've been following you this whole time and haven't seen a single bite!"

Card King's voice rose in anger. "We've already lost over twenty of us, and there's not a living soul in sight!"

"Shut up!" barked Goliath, suddenly spinning around and hurling his shield like a lightning bolt. The spinning weapon tore through Card King's head, cleaving it cleanly in half.

The restless zombie horde fell silent, watching Goliath.

"Boom!"

Goliath's colossal fists struck the shield again. With a final surge of energy, the barrier shattered. His fists smashed into the castle walls, causing the structure to shudder violently. Cracks spread, and chunks of stone rained down.

"What are you standing around for? Go eat!" Goliath roared, grabbing his shield and charging toward the now-exposed castle gates—already kicked open by Juggernaut.