Chapter 170: Mephisto? Just a Stepping Stone
Before he closed his eyes, the Doctor Strange of Universe 199999, despite his immense anxiety about the changes to the future, still believed there was a chance to achieve final victory.
Among the 14,000,605 outcomes, that single success proved they had a chance to defeat Thanos and save the entire Universe.
But when he opened his eyes and confirmed he had been resurrected, he stared at the completely unfamiliar changes, feeling as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss.
The scene playing out was completely different from the one in their sole victory. Logically, any deviation from that successful outcome should inevitably lead to a future of failure.
Yet, the reality was that everyone erased by Thanos had been resurrected, and he had never witnessed a scenario where Thanos brought them all back.
This wasn't entirely impossible, though. Perhaps in the 14,000,606th outcome, Thanos had found some brand-new way to save the Universe.
Even if Thanos were to announce to everyone that he had a great epiphany and decided to revive everyone he had killed, Doctor Strange could grudgingly accept it.
But there was one thing he could never comprehend.
"Can someone tell me where in the world Thanos got twelve Infinity Stones from?? And he can even use their power perfectly!!"
It wasn't just Doctor Strange who felt like his mind was splitting; all the resurrected people looked at Thanos with terror, then stared in shock at the multitude of monsters swarming around him.
Many among them had seen the movie and recognized these creatures as Xenomorphs at a glance.
Even more ridiculously, some of their familiar comrades-in-arms were also standing by Thanos's side, mixed in with the Xenomorphs, looking at the resurrected with complex expressions.
What in the world happened? Had enemies become friends? Had Thanos truly had a change of heart? But what was the deal with these Xenomorphs of unknown origin, and in such great numbers? Many of them had bizarre body shapes and exuded a heart-pounding aura. A single glance was enough to stir an instinctual fear.
And what did Thanos mean when he said he revived them to go to war?
War with whom? Who were the enemies? What kind of opponent would make a being like Thanos, who wielded twelve Infinity Stones, need to specifically resurrect them just to send them to the battlefield?
A few days later.
"I knew it wouldn't be that simple. In any case, I don't believe a villain with a twisted mind like Thanos would admit he made a mistake by killing half the population of the entire Universe. If a man like that chooses to turn back, it means someone even more terrifying than him has appeared and is forcing his head around."
Doctor Strange learned what had happened over the past five years—or more accurately, the past few months—and his head was buzzing.
The root of all the upheaval occurred when Tony's team was attempting time travel. They had the extreme misfortune of being caught in temporal chaos, directly transmigrating to a Universe inhabited by terrifying monsters.
"...That's pretty much what happened. There was nothing we could do. We couldn't even predict all the changes in our own Universe to avoid them in advance, let alone foresee a great battle between gods erupting in a parallel universe that would affect the stability of the timeline."
Tony sat on the sofa, scratching his head in frustration—an extremely rare gesture for someone who had always been so particular about his image. "But it's really great to see you all again... Peter, how have the last five years been?"
"I didn't feel anything at all. For me, it's like everything just happened..." Spider-Man, meanwhile, was nervously swiping at the virtual screen before him, extremely interested in what had happened in the parallel universe.
"Hey, look what I found! So, the master of those Xenomorphs is waging a cosmic war to attack Hell? Whoa, that's so cool. But, I never thought there was actually an Alien Universe in the Multiverse. That makes me a little uncomfortable..."
Spider-Man just had to glance out the window to see countless Xenomorphs coming and going. Hearing the sound of their movements, he shivered, and the hair on his body stood on end.
"Those things will lay eggs in my stomach and then absorb the nutrients from my body..."
"No, kid, you're still thinking of the Xenomorphs from the movie. That's a stereotype. In reality, the real-world Xenomorphs have been upgraded and replaced many times over."
Tony patted the kid's shoulder comfortingly. "Their leader, that human named Du Wa, seems to have already become the God of Xenomorphs, according to Thanos. Maybe he should be considered a Xenomorph now, too? Under his leadership, they can already bypass the alien egg stage. He can completely ignore the infinite distance of space-time and forcefully stuff a Xenomorph larva into your body."
"What? The God of Xenomorphs? As powerful as Thanos? And that method of parasitism..." Spider-Man's face turned green. He trembled all over, his hands fumbling randomly over his chest.
He was terrified of Xenomorphs.
"Thanos is already a part of the Xenomorphs. Even with the Infinity Stones from at least two universes, he still submitted to that Deity... Everyone, this is the worst possible news. We, who can't even defeat Thanos, have no ability to resist the rule of that Deity. The era of the Xenomorphs has arrived."
Doctor Strange took a deep breath, feeling utterly hopeless.
He had hoped to see an ending filled with victory and flowers. How did he suddenly fall into Hell mode?
Right from the start, they had to face a Deity who controlled countless armies, whose influence spanned several universes, and who didn't even care about things like the Infinity Stones, casually bestowing them upon his subordinates?
A group of Superheroes sat together, their faces etched with worry.
"Against Thanos, we still had a chance to win. But how do we deal with a God who can cross numerous universes? Are we supposed to find a Deity from our Universe willing to stand up and fight this outsider, Du Wa? It's a good idea, but the Gods of our Universe might not care about whether we live or die. We can't even be sure if there are any Deities..."
"Deities are real. I saw records of several Deities in the library on Asgard," Thor said suddenly, patting his now-slimmer belly. But he quickly shut his mouth, a look of helplessness on his face.
"...Let me explain. The truth is, I am also a Xenomorph now. Theoretically, every word we say, every move we make, Du Wa will know."
Tony decided to lay his cards on the table. He extended a hand and, without using any technology, easily lifted the heavy and expensive solid wood table. "My current physical condition might be even stronger than Peter's, which means the Xenomorph inside me is also extraordinary, far surpassing an ordinary larva."
The group of recently resurrected Superheroes retreated in unison, staring in horror at the Iron Man they deeply respected and trusted.
Spider-Man was so scared he scrambled onto the ceiling and refused to come down.
"Peter, you should know that Xenomorphs also have the ability to crawl on walls," Tony sighed. "I've dealt with Du Wa. Maybe you think I'm only saying this because I'm being controlled, but I have to say it: Du Wa isn't bad. Whether from the perspective of a human, a Xenomorph, or a God, he's very reliable. He's not a tyrant who clings to everything and never lets go."
"But he's sending us to attack Hell. A lot of people will die," Captain America couldn't help but say in a low voice.
"Yes, but don't forget, Thanos has two sets of Infinity Stones. I'm guessing Thanos has already made preparations to bring us back after we die. For example, using the Time Stone to pull our past selves into the present? Or using the Space Stone to teleport us back the moment before we die?"
When Thanos's command was issued, no matter how much the heroes present resisted, they could only accept their humiliating fate.
With yet another Universe joining the war, Mephisto came under even greater pressure.
Gradually, the demon's patience was wearing thin. His territory was being constantly eroded, and more of his demons were dying in battle every moment.
Most importantly, the more wretched Mephisto became, the more dangerous ideas it sparked in the other Great Demons.
They were all looking for an opportunity to take out Mephisto.
"Hahaha, Mephisto, look at you now. Is this still the demon who boasted of vying for the throne of Satan?"
"Forced into such a sorry state by a Deity from the Multiverse, you don't even dare to use your full strength against two sorcerers?"
This gang of demons ganged up on Mephisto, looking for an opportunity to strike. It would be best if they could land a devastating blow, seize everything Mephisto had, while also being full of curiosity and vigilance toward Du Wa.
The fact that this was a being who made even Mephisto hesitate to act, preferring to drag things out, was already very telling.
The master of the Xenomorphs, a never-before-heard-of Deity, a being that kept Mephisto on constant high alert.
Even the two Doctor Stranges currently attacking Mephisto had him on the defensive, making him anxiously scan his surroundings, always suspecting that Du Wa was residing in some seemingly unremarkable Xenomorph, ready to erupt at any moment.
"You fools know nothing of how terrifying Du Wa is. Even among the rare concept gods, Du Wa is an exceptionally special one!"
Mephisto sent the two Doctor Stranges flying with a single slap, his expression icy.
He had no doubt that if he revealed even the slightest weakness, among the sea of Xenomorphs rampaging through his Hell, Du Wa would instantly project his consciousness, descend upon one of them, and in a flash, gather the power of the Xenomorph concept to launch a fierce assault on him.
So-called concept gods were monstrous deities that even the demons of Hell coveted and dreaded. They could transform themselves and their domain into a broad concept, which meant that Du Wa, in a sense, possessed countless clones.
Xenomorphs use parasitism on various hosts to plunder their genes, while Du Wa "parasitizes" the Xenomorphs. Even if he were defeated and killed in battle, the ultimate loss would only be that one Xenomorph. Du Wa still had countless other Xenomorphs to choose from. As long as a single Xenomorph lived, the concept of the Xenomorph would exist, and Du Wa would be eternal.
Only after his promotion to a concept god did Du Wa truly unleash the terror of his ability.
Anywhere there were Xenomorphs meant that Du Wa, the concept god, could appear there at any time.
Mephisto gazed at the endless expanse of Xenomorphs, his blood-red face twitching subtly. At this moment, he finally understood what a concept god truly was.
"A concept god? The one commanding these Xenomorphs is a concept god?"
"This is hilarious. Hasn't Mephisto always been extremely cautious, only sending clones to tempt mortals? How did he offend such an opponent, and to the point where they would launch an all-out assault on his doorstep!"
"So, the concept this concept god has mastered is this strange creature?"
"Since he has already become the supreme form of this creature's concept, it means this Deity has essentially entered Hell in person and is not far from Mephisto, right? No wonder Mephisto is so nervous."
At this, the expressions of many Great Demons in Hell changed instantly. They began to re-evaluate this creature called the Xenomorph, but in essence, they were scrutinizing this Deity they had never heard of before.
"Mephisto, your time has come."
Demon Strange let his hair hang loose. "You killed Christine for the sake of your conspiracy. At a time like this, I refuse to believe you have any other scheme!"
"Conspiracy? From start to finish, I have always used my strength to do what I want, Strange... If you swear fealty to me now, I will resurrect Christine immediately."
"Don't listen to his nonsense! Christine's soul has already vanished!" Black Strange brandished the Sacred Sword of Vishanti, slashing at Mephisto, but Mephisto dodged it.
"Then what about Death? Christine is with Death. I can go contact Her..."
Mephisto tried to seize the opportunity to kill Demon Strange in one blow. He had cultivated this fellow as a coordinate, but in the end, he had been slightly outmaneuvered and failed to grasp the opportunity.
With a loud bang, Black Strange blocked Mephisto's attack with the Ancient Body of Hoggoth, but he and Demon Strange were still sent flying backward.
Fighting a demon lord in a place like Hell, they had no advantage whatsoever and could only stall for time.
Black Strange and Demon Strange didn't know Du Wa's specific arranstoneents. They only knew that their mission was to charge into Hell and take out Mephisto—a mission they themselves knew was impossible, but they came anyway.
Killing Mephisto to avenge Christine was one reason. The other was their conviction that Du Wa definitely had a backup plan.
Seizing an opportunity to project his consciousness onto a certain Xenomorph, instantly causing the Xenomorph to undergo a transformation into Du Wa himself? It was a good tactic, and a terrifying ability unique to Du Wa. But based on Black Strange's assessment of Du Wa, he was certain Du Wa had other moves in the works.
But... what exactly was it?
"What could be the reason for you to give up on hunting down Kronos and those Deities, and instead launch such a massive expedition to deal with a Great Demon in Hell..."
Revenge was a factor. Mephisto was indeed detestable, and it would also serve as vengeance for Demon Strange.
But there was definitely more to it than that.
Just as Black Strange had guessed.
Du Wa was strolling on the island of Krakoa, the entire territory of the Mutant kingdom.
"What an honor. For a place like ours to one day receive a visit from a Deity." Magneto walked beside Du Wa. "You came for that guy?"
"That's right. After all this time, it's about time we put that piece of junk to good use... That Deviant Leader who's been imprisoned here by you."
(end of chapter)