Whether he had truly become the person he feared most was unclear.
What Noah did know was that he had obtained a brand-new form of magic-one powerful enough to alter his entire Domain.
He wasn't particularly adept at researching, developing, or refining this Gate of Hell, so he handed the task directly over to the System.
To be honest, Noah wasn't especially enthusiastic about the research.
Rationally, he agreed with the System's plan. Morally, though, it still felt cruel.
That said, Noah wasn't someone who would let an excessive sense of righteousness stop him from moving forward. He didn't refuse the plan, but he also had no intention of personally studying it for the time being.
Even though he knew he would eventually have to understand it completely.
Once his thoughts settled, Noah manifested himself beside Tony and the others.
The Domain was entirely his. Its size, its structure, and the power within it were all under his control. After its expansion, appearing anywhere inside it was basic.
What surprised Noah was that both Tonys had red eyes.
They looked like they had just been crying.
Curious, but not interested in teasing them, Noah asked calmly, "Finished catching up? Why did it get so emotional?"
"Yes, we're done," Tony nodded. "I thought you were listening the whole time. Turns out you weren't paying attention at all. It's nothing-just sentimental stuff. But... thank you, Noah."
"Don't mention it," Noah smiled.
He could roughly guess what Tony and Howard had talked about.
Earlier, Tony had been discussing magic, but Noah had been gone for quite a while. It was natural that the conversation drifted into something deeper.
Noah figured Howard must have said a lot of things he'd never had the chance to say before. Otherwise, the two Tonys wouldn't look like this.
He had no intention of prying. It was their private matter.
"By the way," Tony said, taking a breath, "my father has some questions for you. And... I hope you don't mind what he said earlier..."
"Of course not," Noah nodded. "I hold grudges, but not without reason."
He turned to Howard.
Now that Howard understood the full situation, it was inevitable he'd want to talk. That was why Noah had returned.
Besides, this wasn't the end. He still had to truly resurrect them. If he didn't come back, how were they supposed to become real people?
The only thing Noah wasn't sure about was how long this conversation would last.
If they talked for an entire day and night, he wasn't sure he could endure it.
"Thank you for everything you've done for Tony, Mr. Fenier."
Compared to Tony, Howard was not only a top-tier inventor but also far more refined socially. His attitude was much easier to deal with.
"You're welcome," Noah replied casually. "Tony is my disciple-and my apprentice. Besides, I was just running an experiment. It turned out well, even though it was my first time using this magic."
Just a few words.
The atmosphere eased immediately.
Howard's mouth twitched slightly at the word experiment, but he had to admit it.
This god-like sorcerer was extremely reliable.
Howard felt good.
His thoughts were clear. His consciousness was intact. Aside from the fact that he currently had no body and felt somewhat transparent, there were no problems.
So their conversation didn't involve much probing.
To Noah, it felt like visiting a friend's home and chatting politely with the parents, answering all kinds of harmless questions.
Even so, Noah could still sense the reverence hidden beneath their relaxed tone.
He didn't mind.
He had expected it.
He also noticed they avoided sensitive topics. Howard likely already had the important answers from Tony. This conversation wasn't about information.
It was about trust.
Howard and Maria's new bodies would be provided by their son. That part wasn't an issue.
But as souls, their current existence depended entirely on Noah.
And whether their souls could perfectly fuse with those bodies would also be up to him.
"Is it difficult?" Howard asked.
"I wouldn't say extremely difficult," Noah replied. "But you've been dead for a long time. Relearning how to use a body will require adjustment. It won't be easy."
Noah shrugged.
Their situation was different from Natasha's.
Natasha hadn't been dead long, and her soul had entered the Soul Stone. Noah also already had experience with soul control, so preserving her state wasn't hard.
That was why she adapted so quickly after resurrection.
It probably helped that she had been a spy.
Howard was different.
He was a scientist.
Adapting would take time.
Still, Noah wasn't worried.
Tony wasn't just a sorcerer-he was a world-class scientist. Noah was confident Tony would find ways to help his parents adjust.
Thinking of that, Noah asked directly, "Are you ready?"
"Are you ready to return to the world of the living?"
"I think..." Howard swallowed. "I'm ready."
"I still can't believe you succeeded on your first attempt."
The Sorcerer Supreme and the God-King sat in Noah's office, watching the projection in disbelief.
"Incredible... this magic is called the Gate of Hell?"
"Yes," Noah rubbed his nose. "I don't really know why this specific spell formed when I combined your data with my understanding. It's eerie. Disturbing. But the results are excellent."
Odin nodded.
The Ancient One pondered for a moment, then attempted to replicate it using Noah's method.
She failed immediately.
She couldn't even open the passage to the World of the Dead.
This magic was simply too special.
The requirements and environment were far too strict. Not everyone possessed an independent, near-complete universe like Noah.
The Ancient One could only marvel at his Domain.
Both she and Odin had entered it before. They knew exactly how exaggerated it was.
In a sense, Noah had already surpassed her.
Her own Domain was still merging. It lacked too many components, and even now, no life had been born within it.
She knew that if she continued, life could eventually emerge-but it wouldn't be ideal.
Her universe lacked Light and Dark.
Those two forces intertwining were the fundamental code behind ordinary life.
Still, she didn't mind.
If that path wasn't suitable, then another would suffice.
There was the Dark Dimension among the parallel worlds. Her Domain contained six elements. There was no reason life adapted to those elements couldn't exist.
"It seems everything is ready," Odin said after watching Howard's complete resurrection. He stood up. "Then we can begin with my girls."
"Of course," Noah nodded. "But how is Valkyrie's collection coming along? Your Majesty knows that without those materials, Tony and the others won't be able to create suitable bodies. And I can't use blood to quickly locate the souls."
"Rest assured," Odin smiled. "Everything is prepared. We've been at this for a long time."
They truly had.
Ever since Noah resurrected Natasha, Valkyrie had begun searching for the remains of her former comrades.
Odin and Thor had given her special permission, which was why she hadn't participated in the final war.
Over the years, Valkyrie accomplished a great deal.
The journey often dragged her through painful memories, but the thought of her sisters returning kept her going.
In the end, she found the remains of nearly all her former teammates.
Using Asgardian technology, the key genetic material needed for cloning their bodies had been extracted.
Everything was ready.
All that was left was Noah.
The final executor.
"In that case," Noah smiled, "let's begin."
"It's time I fulfilled the promise I made all those years ago."