"It would be nice if it could always be like this," Alex Ray murmured as he sat on the balcony, leisurely basking in the sunshine, a cup of steaming tea cradled in his hand. The subtle aroma curled in the air, refreshing and calming.
He gazed into the distance, his heart filled with a rare tranquility and a deep sense of satisfaction.
Earlier that morning, Tony Stark had been eager to haul away the remnants of the Destroyer, ecstatic to finally begin his long-awaited analysis.
It was a win-win. With Tony absorbed in his tech obsession, Alex could finally offload the flood of tedious responsibilities that had occupied him for weeks and indulge in a rare, precious moment of calm.
The past few weeks had been relentless.
Crises had stacked one after another, squeezing nearly every second of Alex's time. No real rest. Barely any peace.
But now, finally—finally—he could sit still, breathe, and let his guard down.
Thanks to the efforts of Alex and his trusted allies, Hell's Kitchen had gradually clawed its way out of chaos. The blood-stained streets that once reeked of despair had begun to hum with life again.
Looking down from his high perch, he could see the residents bustling about. For once, their faces weren't numb or hollow. There was hope in their expressions. Laughter in their steps. Vitality where apathy used to reign.
A slow smile touched Alex's lips.
Hell's Kitchen was healing. And it showed.
Of course, Alex knew it wasn't just his doing. If not for the unflinching support of his family—his partners, his allies, his chosen blood—he wouldn't have the luxury to kick back like this. He wasn't delusional; they were the ones shouldering the day-to-day grind.
The least he could do was continue growing stronger. To ensure no one could undo what they'd built. If anyone dared disrupt the fragile peace they had bled for, he would send them to a very real, very permanent hell.
As he looked down at the vibrant streets, an idea floated into his mind: Now that things are settling a bit, maybe it's time to organize something... festive. Activities. Something to help these people blow off steam.
Not everyone in Hell's Kitchen had embraced law and order.
The old blood still ran hot here. This was a neighborhood with a legacy of chaos, where death was an afterthought and survival a daily grind. That didn't vanish overnight.
Many residents carried violent tendencies, buried deep or barely restrained by Alex's looming presence. Left unchecked for too long, that suppressed aggression could erupt—and likely would.
Alex mused, Maybe fighting tournaments? Underground races? A way to channel their energy in a controlled setting? I'll bring it up with Wanda later.
Before the idea could fully form, a mechanical chime rang out in his mind.
"Ding. System upgrade complete."
"New Feature Unlocked: Bond Section."
"System Prompt: With this upgrade, the Family Member Add-on System will no longer receive updates. Only exclusive skills will now be promoted."
"System Prompt: To initiate the next upgrade, acquire all six Infinity Stones."
[Infinity Stones: 2/6. Currently activated: Space Stone, Reality Stone.]
Alex's expression shifted slightly.
Reality Stone? When did I ever collect that? he wondered.
What had started as a peaceful day took a sudden turn. His contentment gave way to confusion as the implications set in.
"System," he called out mentally. "What's the deal with the Reality Stone?"
Silence.
He asked again. Nothing.
No response.
The system, usually so verbose during upgrades, was now silent. That silence gnawed at him.
Could the Reality Stone have always been embedded in the system? Or did someone tamper with my memories?
Alex's thoughts swirled. Someone powerful—someone deliberate—would have to be involved if his memory had been erased or altered.
Who could have done this... and why?
And that brought him back to a question he rarely dared confront: What is the true origin of the system? Why does it need the Infinity Stones?
How did he end up here? Why him? What was the system really choosing him for?
Was it possible... the system itself was born from the Stones? He dismissed the idea just as quickly.
The TVA had drawers filled with Infinity Stones, and they were completely inert there. The power of this system far surpassed anything he'd seen from the Stones alone.
Alex was confident—very confident—that with his current power level, he could destroy a Thanos even armed with the full Gauntlet.
The Infinity Stones existed across every branch of the multiverse. But the system? It was unique. Singular.
His mind flicked to the "home plate" that had materialized after the Space Stone had been absorbed by the system.
A thought surged forward—wild, exciting, and possibly insane.
What if the system evolves with each Stone it consumes? What if each gem births a new function or domain?
The Reality Stone had coincided with the lottery plate—where Devil Fruits, ability cards, and even Senzu Beans had been materialized into usable forms.
The Space Stone aligned with the "home plate"—a teleportation hub and base of operations.
But then he hesitated.
The Reality Stone couldn't account for that much power. Not by itself.
And now there was this "Bond Section." What did that correspond to?
The Friendship System allowed Alex to acquire the exact skills of his allies. That wasn't something any of the Infinity Stones could offer.
Maybe the system wasn't built from the Stones, but simply powered by them. Each Stone might serve as a battery. A finite well of energy that fed new functions.
That made more sense.
And if that's true, Alex thought grimly, then I'll need all six Stones to unlock the full system. Until then, I'm just scratching the surface.
A strange unease crept into his chest.
Everything he had—his powers, his influence, his family connections—they had all come from the system.
What if it stopped functioning one day?
Would he lose everything?
And what about the people bound to him? His family. His team. Would they vanish too if the system went offline?
And most haunting of all... could he ever return to his original universe?
That lost world that sometimes felt more like a fading dream than a memory.
Questions, questions, and more questions—but no answers.
Just more riddles wrapped in cosmic machinery.
Still, Alex wasn't one to wallow. Speculation could only take him so far. He'd have to move forward—upgrade by upgrade, skill by skill—and confront each revelation as it came.
He knew that if the system had been created by someone—somewhere—then one day, when he was powerful enough, that creator would stand before him.
And they'd give him the answers.
All of them.
Resolved, Alex focused his thoughts. The Bond Section. That was the newest addition. It might hold the next clue.
He opened it without hesitation.
Whatever awaited him, he was ready.
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As the plot unfolds, it dives deep into the Spider-Verse, Avengers War and the Marvel Multiverse, weaving in epic elements from Endgame, God of Stories Loki, Kang the Conqueror, the Council of Kangs, the Council of Reeds, and even Franklin Richards.
Expect mind-bending twists with Deadpool breaking the fourth wall, going on a rampage that includes killing everyone... even the authors themselves.
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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