In the future video, after Deadpool was blown to pieces by a truckload of gasoline, it seemed like he had finally succeeded in ending his own life...
His soul returned to the cozy little apartment he once shared with Vanessa. The room glowed warmly, like a dream filtered through a golden haze.
There, on her usual rocking chair, Vanessa sat calmly, basking in the sunlight.
Wade ran toward her, overjoyed—only to find himself stopped by an invisible barrier. He could do nothing but press against it and call out her name.
They were clearly in the same room, but it felt like she was miles away. He shouted for her multiple times before Vanessa finally turned to look at him.
Then she said something cryptic:
"Your heart is not in the right place."
Before Wade could ask what she meant, he was pulled away—ejected from the space.
And just like that, the future video ended.
Back in the Eternal Space, Deadpool cracked his neck and flexed his hands.
"Sergei... Sergei... Sergei... don't be scared, I'm coming for you~"
He even started humming a little tune.
Stephen let out a deep sigh.
"Seems like none of our love stories ended well. Maybe that's the message—there's no such thing as perfection. There's always something missing."
Annie's eyes were misty. As a woman, she was particularly sensitive to the theme of lovers being torn apart by death.
"I think it's a reminder for us. When we return... we should love harder. Cherish the ones we care about."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Hughie.
Maybe it was the future footage that changed something. But somehow, Annie found Hughie a little... more likable now.
Hughie noticed her gaze but completely misinterpreted it.
He assumed she was disgusted by what she saw of his future self—a selfish jerk. His heart sank.
He wanted to shout, "I haven't done those things yet!" But he couldn't.
Still, he had to admit—viewed from a higher perspective, the way he treated her in the future really did make him look like a scumbag.
So he lowered his head awkwardly.
Billy caught the subtle exchange between the two and smirked thoughtfully.
"I take it we'll be sent back to where we were before this started?"
Thor nodded.
"That's how these games usually work. Wherever you were when you got selected—that's where you'll end up when it ends."
Butcher grinned.
"Good. Sounds like I've got a lot to take care of once I'm back."
Hughie, on the other hand, looked nervous.
"I was on the street before I got pulled in... what if they catch me the second I get back?"
"Relax, Hughie," Thor said in a calming tone.
"I told you, someone will help you. Probably. Okay—I'm not entirely sure, but let's be optimistic."
He added with a weak chuckle,
"Hey, you're one of the winners in this game, right? That means you're getting a mysterious reward—maybe it'll help with your situation."
Then Thor rubbed his temples and groaned.
"Shit... I knew I shouldn't have joined this stupid game. Didn't get a single benefit, and now I have to face a punishment. Let's just hope it's not too bad."
As an experienced player, Thor being the one eliminated was... embarrassing. But he wasn't about to admit it was his fault. Obviously, the problem was his rotten luck.
Just as he finished grumbling, the final leaderboard appeared on the screen.
At the very top, one name shone in golden light:
Stephen Strange — 18 points.
Stephen had won first place.
Right behind him was Annie with 12 points. Hughie came in third with 8 points.
Billy Butcher and Wade were tied at 7 points.
Bringing up the rear, Thor with 6 points—dead last.
Thor glanced at the board, then turned to Stephen with an envious smile.
"Well done, Doctor Strange. I remember your counterpart from the last Quiz walked away with some great loot. Guess this version of you's just as lucky."
Stephen was happy, of course, but being a first-time player, he still felt uneasy.
"Can I reject the reward? I just want to save Christine."
Thor shook his head.
"Don't be greedy. First off, Christine's still alive. Second, this Quiz game isn't a magic wish-granting machine. It gives what it gives. If it wants to punish us, we have to accept it too. In that sense, the game's actually... pretty fair."
Deadpool raised his hand.
"Teacher Thor! I have a question! If the bottom two get eliminated, and Butcher and I are tied, are we going into a sudden death round?"
Thor spread his arms.
"Beats me. Never seen this happen before."
Just then, a voice echoed from above:
[Due to the tie between player Wade Wilson and Player Billy Butcher, rankings will be decided based on accuracy]
[Player Wade Wilson got 6 answers wrong
Player Billy Butcher got 9 answers wrong]
[Final verdict: Player Thor Odinson and Player Billy Butcher are eliminated]
"Wahoo!!" Deadpool yelled, doing a victory dance.
"Knew it! Today's my lucky day!"
Thor frowned.
"That sounded... painfully familiar. Maybe another one of your annoying variants said it last time."
Hughie turned to Butcher, looking concerned.
"You really got done in by the earlier questions. Shame, really."
Butcher furrowed his brow, but after remembering the future he'd seen—and the fight ahead—he shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Win or lose, at least we got a glimpse of what's coming."
Thor nodded solemnly.
"Yeah. For you, it's not a big deal. You're a rookie—couldn't have gotten many points anyway. Even if you didn't get eliminated, you wouldn't have earned much."
Then the familiar voice came from above again:
[This Quiz game has ended. Thank you for your participation]
[Congratulations to player Stephen Strange for winning the Grand Prize!]
[Player Annie, player Hughie Campbell, and Player Wade Wilson will also receive rewards]
As expected, it was time to distribute the winners' rewards.
Naturally, the top scorer, Stephen Strange, was the first.
The leaderboard faded, leaving only his name glowing gold. The letters dissolved into golden particles, drifting toward him.
[Congratulations to player Stephen Strange. You have received the Mystery Reward:
Timeline Manipulation Privilege (1/1 Use)]
_____
T/N:
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