Ch 63- Angry Skye
Just as everyone was feeling discouraged...
Marcus changed the subject. "But the Green Lantern Corps has been around for a long time. Pierce and the Yellow Lantern Corps probably haven't figured things out yet. It should still be an easy win."
Everyone: ( -__- )
What a dramatic pause.
Did he do that on purpose?
But they all smiled afterward.
At least there was hope.
And...
Marcus looked at Tony and asked, "Has Fury ever been to your place?"
Tony didn't understand why, but he nodded anyway.
"Point to where he was standing."
Where he was standing?
Wait!
Could he be planning...
The people who realized what Marcus meant widened their eyes.
Could something like that really be possible?
Phil Coulson didn't care about any of that. He quickly stepped forward a few meters and pointed excitedly beside himself.
"Here! I was standing here! Director Nick Fury was right next to me!"
Marcus nodded.
Once the Green Lantern Corps arrived, Pierce was finished.
Without such a useful tool around, who else could take charge if not Fury?
Besides,
He was already being paid. Even if Fury wasn't always thorough in his work, he definitely wasn't careless.
Marcus held the Power of Time and began reversing the time of that section of space.
In seconds,
That area rolled back several months.
A stream of dust-like particles flew over and gathered at that spot, reshaping into a skeleton before flesh and blood rapidly formed around it.
Soon, it became Fury.
One eye opened and looked around.
Finally, it landed on Marcus.
"So you're the one who brought me back." Fury smiled bitterly. "That guy Pierce... really is HYDRA."
No one answered him.
Everyone present was stunned.
What the hell!
He could resurrect someone without a body or even ashes?
"At this point, if you told me you're God, I wouldn't doubt it for a second," Tony complained.
"Isn't that basically what he's doing already?" Wayne muttered.
For the first time, the two tech geniuses believed in miracles.
Science?
Science couldn't explain something this ridiculous.
Not far away, the outline of a square portal began to form.
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
Whoosh!
He teleported directly in front of the portal, ready to move the moment it opened.
A finger-sized tentacle poked out, then immediately retracted as if shocked.
The portal outline vanished.
Well.
They were getting smarter, testing the area before opening a portal now.
Marcus could only sigh.
It seemed there would be no opportunity to rob the Time Variance Authority.
Instead, the system rewards were settled.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the GH325 Formula and Memory Modification Surgery, providing a solid foundation for the family!]
[Congratulations to the host for receiving the reward:]
Name: [Resurrection Cross]
Rank: [A Rank]
Description: After being soul-bound to the host, this item will be consumed to revive them upon death!
Slogan: You can bind many, but only one can live!
Oh?
Marcus couldn't use this himself.
But he could bind it to his wives.
Better safe than sorry.
While examining it,
Fury had already learned the whole story and looked at Marcus with caution.
This man...
Always exceeded his imagination.
At first, Fury had been somewhat annoyed that Marcus had taken so many benefits from him yet refused to save him.
Now that he thought about it...
It was fortunate Marcus stayed detached from worldly affairs and had a fairly easygoing personality.
Compared to Marcus, Pierce was nothing more than an ant.
Fury even wondered...
Could Captain Marvel actually threaten Marcus?
"Thank you for bringing me back. I'll handle things from here," Fury said seriously. "No matter what happens, no one will bother you."
"Good." Marcus looked at Lorna. "Come here."
Lorna obediently walked over.
Marcus released a strand of Phoenix Force into Lorna's mind and extracted a tiny fragment of her soul.
He opened the Gate of Babylon and took out the Resurrection Cross.
The thing stood over three meters tall.
He inserted the soul fragment into it and established a soul connection with Lorna.
The connection would continuously back up Lorna's state.
If her death was detected, it would activate immediately and revive her beside the Resurrection Cross.
Of course,
The Resurrection Cross itself would be destroyed in the process.
But...
"Duplicate."
Beside the Resurrection Cross, another one slowly rose from the ground.
At this speed,
It seemed the limits of Dragon Essence were nearly being reached.
Marcus then extracted a fragment of Wanda's soul.
Out of complete trust, the Chaos Force didn't resist at all.
He bound it to the Resurrection Cross as well.
From now on, every one of his wives would have one.
Immortality plus resurrection.
Who wouldn't be jealous?
"What is this?" Lorna asked curiously.
"Oh, just a little gadget I made." Marcus replied casually. "If the bound person dies, they'll be revived immediately."
Lorna nodded absentmindedly at first.
Then she froze.
What the hell?
Passive resurrection?
Didn't that mean...
She could do whatever she wanted now?
Fury and the others looked like they were about to cry from envy.
They wanted one too!
For a moment, they even regretted it a little.
Why hadn't they been born women?
Smack!
Marcus slapped Lorna on the butt.
"Don't overthink it. Just enjoy yourself."
Then,
He teleported away with Wanda.
Lorna rubbed her butt and grinned.
Being spoiled wasn't such a bad feeling.
Among the crowd,
Only Pietro silently turned toward the Dawn Building and raised a middle finger.
Damn it!
Not only did he not get a Resurrection Cross, Marcus didn't even take him along!
...
Marcus had done that on purpose.
After all...
What if the siblings came out together, but only the younger brother went home?
Marcus took Wanda directly to Atlantis.
What aquarium could compare to this place?
Not even close.
"Wow, it's so beautiful!" Wanda exclaimed.
Marcus chuckled.
"Wanda, since we're in the ocean, don't you think you should wear a swimsuit to match the occasion?"
Wanda immediately blushed.
"But there aren't any swimsuits here..."
"Heh! I'll make one for you."
Looking at the tiny pieces of fabric, Wanda's face turned even redder.
But she gritted her teeth.
And still reached out...
The scenery of Atlantis was beautiful, but the people were even more beautiful.
Kissing, hugging, and playing around was very enjoyable.
But when it came to the final step,
Wanda was still a little shy and clearly wasn't ready yet.
Although Marcus could have forced the issue, he wasn't in a hurry.
He was used to fast-paced relationships. Taking things slowly for once was a different experience.
Outside the door in Sokovia,
Wanda looked apologetic and even a little upset.
"I was obviously ready, but I don't know why..."
Marcus smiled and shook his head, his eyes gentle.
"It's okay. Take your time. You're worth it."
Wanda froze on the spot.
You're worth it?
Looking into Marcus' tender eyes, Wanda couldn't help but throw herself into his arms and wrap her arms tightly around his waist.
The two embraced silently.
Ten minutes later,
Wanda finally let go and stood on her tiptoes to give him a sweet kiss.
With a bright smile and a wave, she turned and entered the house.
Marcus felt the lingering warmth in his hand and smiled.
It felt nice.
Besides...
Although Wanda also had an impressive figure, among his wives she could only rank second.
Darcy Lewis was still at the top.
Thinking of Darcy,
It was already night. His wives should be home by now.
After being teased by Wanda all day, he needed an outlet.
The next day,
Marcus opened his eyes.
His body was covered by arms and long legs.
Carefully moving them aside,
The five Cuckoo sisters were sprawled out across the bed, visibly exhausted.
Things had gotten a little too intense.
Using the Horse Talisman to recover himself, Marcus took a shower, opened the bedroom door, and walked into the living room.
It was already noon.
Darcy and the others had gone to Kamar-Taj.
Only Faora, who had zero magical perception, was sitting in the living room studying information.
Marcus walked over and hugged her from behind.
"You're awake," Faora said with a smile. "Esme and the others are going to fall behind in their training progress after what you put them through."
Marcus ignored that and looked at the various diagrams on the screen.
"Spell models?"
"Yeah. I've already sorted out a batch of them." Faora rubbed her cheek against his and said, "I'm converting them into genetic maps. After that, a single injection should allow someone to master them perfectly."
Good lord.
Was she really trying to use science to fully understand magic?
"It's just a pity that Kryptonian bloodlines still can't perceive magic," Faora said regretfully.
Marcus couldn't do anything about that.
Even if the underlying genes were changed, the essence of the soul couldn't be modified. The inability to perceive magic remained the same.
He was just about to comfort her...
When Faora calmly said, "Forget it. I'm a scientist anyway. Whether I learn magic or not doesn't really matter."
Marcus opened his mouth, then swallowed the words.
Instead, he tightened his embrace around Faora.
So that's how it is, huh?
A while later,
A new battle began.
Marcus stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with a satisfied look.
It turned out that,
Even after doubling her combat ability, Faora still couldn't defeat him.
A strong sense of accomplishment filled him.
While admiring the Manhattan skyline, he opened the system panel.
[Family System!]
Host: Marcus;
Rank: [S-]
Rewards: A-Rank "Twelve Talismans", A-Rank "Gate of Babylon", D-Rank "Strength Enhancement Serum", S-Rank "Vector Control", A-Rank "Dark Plane Computer",
A-Rank "Psychokinesis Cannons", S-Rank "Phoenix Force Fragment", C-Rank "Light of Recovery", S-Rank "Dragon Language", SSR-Rank "Time God", S-Rank "Magic Immunity", B-Rank "Danger Perception", A-Rank "Super Saiyan Bloodline", C-Rank "Mjolnir", A-Rank "Strike Freedom Gundam", S-Rank "Superman Bloodline", SSR-Rank "Return to the Ancient World", A-Rank "Resurrection Cross";
Wives: [Daisy Johnson], [Darcy Lewis], [Sharon Carter], [Faora], [Jean Grey], [Diana Prince], [Gwen Stacy], [Esme Frost], [Sophie Frost], [Phoebe Frost], [Celeste Frost], [Jane Foster], [Lorna Dane], [Kara Zor-El];
He hadn't looked at it in a while.
There were already so many rewards and wives.
But,
Most of the rewards had been given to his wives.
The abilities he used most often were Gate of Babylon, the Phoenix Force, and Dragon Language.
Things like Time God were only used in special situations.
"The lower-tier rewards aren't very useful to me anymore."
"I should start planning something bigger."
"Once Megatron's army is ready, maybe I can head into space and establish my own territory."
"If it grows to the scale of the Nova Empire or the Kree Empire, the rewards should be incredible."
While imagining the future...
Buzz.
His phone vibrated.
Marcus still preferred using his phone when chatting with his wives.
He thought it was Wanda replying.
Instead...
[Skye: Scumbag! You haven't come to see me for three days! Aren't you going to take responsibility?]
Uh...
Right!
He had almost forgotten about her.
There had been too much going on lately, and he'd neglected her a bit.
But he couldn't exactly say that.
[Marcus: I went to reclaim two planets, and saved your world while I was at it.]
The reply came instantly.
[Skye: Hmph!]
[Skye: I don't believe you!]
[Skye: Excuses!]
Oh?
Why was she so stubborn?
Perfect timing.
Faora was exhausted anyway, and the spell models needed to be delivered personally.
He could take Skye out to see the universe.
Marcus stepped through space and arrived at Skye's apartment.
Skye was sitting cross-legged on the sofa.
She wore an oversized shirt that concealed most of her figure, while still giving off the sweet girl-next-door vibe.
It was enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.
And he had actually forgotten about a beauty like this?
What a crime.
"Ah!"
Skye let out a scream and hurriedly pulled some scattered clothes over herself before shrinking behind them.
She glared at Marcus.
"Why didn't you knock again?!"
Marcus shrugged.
"Because someone didn't believe me. So I came to show you the two planets I recovered."
Skye froze.
Seriously?
"Hmph! Fine, let's go see them!" Skye refused to back down. "Turn around! I'm getting dressed!"
Marcus obediently turned around.
Only to notice Skye bending over to put on her pants, accidentally revealing more than she intended through the oversized shirt.
"Ahhh! Pervert!"
Ch 64- Dumbass
The Cybertron base.
Skye stepped out of the space gate, glaring at Marcus the entire way.
I told you to turn around, and you actually turned around?
Not gentlemanly at all!
Until...
After passing through the Permanent Portal, the ultra-modern scenery before her transformed into a full-metal, ultra sci-fi landscape.
Cybertron!
As far as the eye could see,
Everything was constructed from metal. Large numbers of Transformers were carrying metal pillars and busily building a fortress around the Permanent Portal.
The moment Marcus appeared,
Every Transformer, even those carrying heavy loads, dropped to one knee.
"Greetings, my king!"
Marcus casually waved his hand, signaling them to continue working.
Then he asked the nearest one, "Send Megatron over."
"Yes, my king!"
Marcus turned to Skye with a teasing smile.
"Well? Did I lie to you?"
Skye finally snapped out of it and mumbled, not knowing how to respond.
...
Had she really misunderstood him?
She thought he'd forgotten about her, but it turned out he had genuinely been busy with important things.
"Okay, I was wrong," Skye said quietly. "Then let's call it even for what happened earlier. Don't bring it up again!"
"That seems like a bit of a loss for me." Marcus rubbed his chin. "I didn't get a clear look earlier. How about you..."
"Ah! You're asking for it!"
Skye lightly slapped Marcus, her face turning red.
Boom!
The ambiguous atmosphere was interrupted by the sound of something heavy landing.
Megatron had arrived.
Marcus turned and tossed the USB drive over.
"There's a spell model inside. Take a look."
"Yes, my king!"
Megatron inserted the USB drive into a port on his back. His electronic eyes flashed several times as the data was read.
A few seconds later,
He raised a hand.
Brilliant magical patterns instantly formed in the air, spreading, intersecting, overlapping, rotating, and weaving together into a basic spell.
The entire process looked complicated, but took only an instant.
After all, it was essentially running a program. No practice was required, allowing him to immediately reach the theoretical maximum level.
And that wasn't all.
The Magic Shield continued expanding.
Five meters.
Ten meters.
Fifty meters.
Five hundred meters.
Only when it reached a diameter of five hundred meters did it finally stop.
"Magic energy intake has reached the individual limit," Cybertron's system reported.
Megatron shrank the Magic Shield and flicked his right hand.
Snap!
A Magic Whip lashed across the metal floor, leaving a visible groove behind.
It even made Skye jump in fright.
What the hell?!
Why was a robot from a sci-fi civilization using magic?
The contrast was so strong that she couldn't process it.
Then...
A large amount of black liquid emerged from Megatron's body, forming a Tyrannosaurus-sized creature in front of him.
The Symbiote Dragon!
"Poison Dragon, attack," Megatron ordered.
The Symbiote Dragon didn't hesitate.
It charged straight at the Magic Shield.
The impact was powerful enough to shatter it instantly.
But in the next moment, the shield was restored.
Snap!
The Magic Whip struck the Symbiote Dragon, making it bare its teeth in pain.
"Megatron! That hurts!" the Poison Dragon roared. "If you keep this up, I'll go join Optimus Prime!"
Megatron froze.
The dragon before him was the Dragon King.
Its combat power wasn't weaker than his own, and it could fight independently.
If Marcus hadn't ordered it, it never would have chosen a host.
And because it was powerful enough, it got the final say on who that host would be.
"Fine. Let's test defensive magic instead."
Megatron compromised.
He dispersed the Magic Shield and Magic Whip, clasped his hands together, and pushed forward.
A mysterious magic circle unfolded, forming the fifty-seven-sided Seraphim Shield.
The Poison Dragon bit into the Seraphim Shield.
Its sharp teeth scraped against the barrier, throwing sparks everywhere.
Chi, chi, chi...
Saliva dripped from its mouth.
The contact area released large amounts of black smoke, clearly showing how corrosive the poison was.
But the Seraphim Shield remained completely unmoved.
"Huh? Interesting!"
The Poison Dragon straightened up.
Its thick legs dug into the metal floor as it lunged forward and smashed its head into the Seraphim Shield.
Boom!
The deafening explosion nearly made Skye lose her hearing, but Marcus immediately followed up with the Light of Recovery.
Only then did things settle down.
Looking at the Seraphim Shield again,
It was durable enough to withstand a spaceship crash, yet fine cracks had appeared across its surface from the Poison Dragon's attack.
But that was all.
"It's really tough!" the Poison Dragon said while shaking its head. "Back when I followed Lord Knull, I could smash an entire city with that attack!"
Skye's mouth hung open.
Destroy a city?
That headbutt was stronger than a meteor strike!
"Good. It seems the spell model is a success." Marcus nodded. "Basic Magic Shields and Magic Weapons will be issued to every Transformer free of charge. Other spells can be exchanged for military merit."
"Yes, my king!" Megatron replied excitedly. "Are we going to conquer the universe? Where are we attacking first? Krypton?"
Marcus twitched.
"You want to attack Krypton?"
"Well... can we?" Megatron asked cautiously.
Marcus rubbed his chin.
...
It wasn't impossible.
If they conquered Krypton, the rewards definitely wouldn't be small.
But thinking about it...
Kara was still his wife.
Could she really stay out of it?
There were plenty of planets worth conquering. No need to insist on that one.
"There are plenty of civilizations in the universe waiting to be conquered," Marcus said. "Focus on building the fleet. Later, I'll have Zod hand over all of Krypton's technology. Forget about the rest."
Megatron looked disappointed for a moment.
Then he became excited again.
He didn't know about the agreement Marcus had made with Zod.
He only knew one thing.
With a single sentence, his king could obtain all of Krypton's technology.
How was that any different from owning the planet?
And,
Krypton's technology covered countless fields. It would greatly accelerate Cybertron's development.
Most importantly,
If Krypton's faster-than-light engines could be miniaturized...
Then Transformers could travel between planets in their own bodies.
That would be a massive boost for space warfare.
"My king! I'll get right on it!"
Megatron was so excited that he forgot about the Poison Dragon entirely and immediately transformed and flew away.
"..."
The Poison Dragon was speechless.
This host really was hopeless.
But after glancing at Marcus,
It remembered that even Lord Knull had not dared oppose him.
What choice did it have?
After all, it was the Dragon King.
Surely it couldn't go around looking for a random kid as its host.
"Sigh..."
"My lord, I'll take my leave as well."
The Poison Dragon moved its thick legs and ran after Megatron.
...
Surprisingly cute.
Marcus glanced at Skye, whose mouth was still hanging open.
"Hey, you're drooling."
"Huh?!"
Skye hurriedly wiped the corner of her mouth, only to realize there was nothing there.
Marcus rolled his eyes and laughed.
"You really know how to tease me!" Skye complained. "This is only our second date, and you brought me here?"
"Actually, I brought you here to pick one." Marcus said slowly. "A Transformer or a symbiote. You can choose whichever you like."
Skye's eyes lit up!
"But since you don't like it..."
"No! I like it!" Skye grabbed Marcus' arm and said eagerly. "This date plan is great! I really like it!"
As for symbiotes, growing that big and living inside a person's body?
She wasn't interested.
But!
Transformers!
Wasn't that basically a supercomputer that could move around?
"Alright, tell me your requirements." Marcus laughed.
"I want one with high computing power!" Skye said. "It needs to be able to help write code! It has to understand my commands and perform data analysis! And..."
Good lord.
Was Skye choosing a Transformer or a hacker assistant?
Still...
Marcus did think of a suitable candidate.
Shockwave!
He was basically a supercomputer with a robot body, always calm and loyal.
His abilities were also sound-wave based, making him a perfect match for Skye.
But...
Shockwave was male.
No matter how suitable he was, he was automatically disqualified.
Marcus directly ordered, "Optimus Prime, come over."
Whether Optimus Prime was nearby or waiting in advance, he arrived at a run within half a minute.
"My king, your orders!"
"Make a list of the female Transformers and let Skye choose a partner," Marcus said.
"Yes, my king!"
Optimus Prime immediately used his eyes as projectors, displaying a detailed list with images and descriptions in front of Skye.
"Queen Skye, please choose."
Skye glanced at Optimus Prime and hesitated.
She wasn't your queen!
But...
Marcus was giving her so much that anyone could see what he was thinking.
To be honest...
Skye liked it.
Handsome, rich, talented, powerful, and ridiculously generous.
The only thing she regretted was not being allowed to choose a male Transformer.
Then again,
Didn't that prove Marcus liked her?
So,
Skye didn't bother correcting the title and focused on browsing the list.
Marcus looked toward Optimus Prime.
"Has the food trade with Earth been finalized on the symbiote planet?"
"A contract has been signed with several African governments. They will expand production and supply us fully," Optimus Prime replied respectfully. "In addition, the soil on the symbiote planet is rich in nutrients and suitable for large-scale cocoa cultivation."
Oh?
That was something Marcus hadn't expected.
Still, it was only a minor matter.
"Knull is ambitious, just like Megatron."
"Let them form a legion and wage war against civilizations across the universe."
"Cybertron will be left to you Autobots. Gather the Decepticons who don't enjoy fighting and manage them properly."
Optimus Prime lowered his head respectfully.
"Yes, my king."
Secretly, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't enjoy invading other civilizations.
But civilization needed resources to grow, and expansion was unavoidable.
Just like the symbiote planet.
Even an ordinary symbiote was a huge boost to a Transformer.
If one gained the favor of a Symbiote Dragon, their combat power would double immediately.
So although Optimus Prime disliked warfare, he wouldn't interfere as long as there was no civil war.
For him,
Managing Cybertron peacefully was the ideal outcome.
Marcus wasn't thinking that deeply.
He simply assigned tasks as they came to mind.
A few minutes later,
Skye suddenly exclaimed,
"This one! Elita!"
Marcus turned to look.
Oh?
She had excellent taste.
Elita-1 was the leader of the female Autobots and Optimus Prime's partner.
Her ability was outrageous as well.
She could freeze time within a spherical area.
However,
The ability placed enormous strain on her. Not only did it completely drain her energy after one use, but it could also cause her body to collapse.
It wasn't practical for normal combat, but it was perfect for defense and turning the tide of battle.
The funniest part was...
Her nemesis was Shockwave.
Buzz!
A pleasant engine roar sounded.
A streak of purple lightning raced across the ground and stopped in front of Skye.
It transformed into a motorcycle.
An MV Agusta F4 RR.
Skye stared at Elita in amazement.
She was so cool!
"Queen Skye, would you like to go for a ride?" Elita invited.
Clearly,
Optimus Prime had already explained the situation.
Skye didn't hesitate.
Her long legs swung over the seat as she leaned forward to start the ride...
Only to feel arms wrap around her waist.
Marcus had climbed on behind her.
"Ah! Don't hold my waist!" Skye twisted. "It tickles!"
"It won't bother you in a minute. Elita, let's go."
"Yes, my king!"
Elita launched forward instantly.
The powerful airflow forced Skye to bend down and cling to the handlebars.
The roaring wind released the wild side hidden in her heart.
Who cared where Marcus hands were now?
"Ahhh!"
"Faster! Faster!"
The speed of a motorcycle was a completely different experience from a car.
Especially under Elita's control.
Racing through Cybertron's futuristic cityscape,
Skye felt like she was having the time of her life.
The rush of adrenaline and pounding heartbeat captivated her completely.
And...
Marcus, holding her from behind, felt pretty good too.
After all, falling in love was basically a combination of racing hearts and hormones.
Eventually,
Skye's voice became hoarse from shouting.
Elita finally stopped and gave her a chance to rest.
Skye climbed off the motorcycle.
Her legs immediately gave out.
She fell straight into Marcus' arms.
"Heh, don't tell me you're already reluctant to leave," Marcus teased.
Skye wanted to argue.
She tried several times to stand on her own.
Failed every time.
In the end, she simply gave up and stayed in Marcus embrace.
Marcus smiled.
Was this acceptance?
His gaze drifted toward the motorcycle seat.
There was a small puddle of liquid reflecting the light.
No wonder Skye's legs were weak.
"Elita, make your preparations. Later, you'll be heading to Earth with Skye."
"Yes, my king!"
Elita immediately transformed into purple lightning and sped away.
Anyone would want to clean up quickly in that situation.
After Elita left,
Skye finally realized what Marcus had noticed.
Her face instantly turned bright red.
Damn it!
How did that happen...
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
Watching Skye let out another scream, Marcus couldn't help laughing.
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers,
A changing room appeared nearby.
Inside were all kinds of clothes hanging neatly on the walls.
Everything from innerwear to outerwear was available.
What surprised Skye was...
This time Marcus didn't follow her inside.
He actually let her change by herself.
This sudden display of gentlemanly behavior felt strange.
She wasn't used to it.
Shaking her head,
She quickly picked out a set of clothes and put them on.
To her surprise, they fit perfectly.
Bust size, measurements, waistline...
Wait!
Didn't that mean...
Ch 65- Jane's Disappearance
Marcus looked at the perfectly fitting clothes.
Then a thought suddenly crossed Skye's mind.
The clothes fit so well...
Did that mean Marcus knew her measurements like the back of his hand?
Skye's face reddened slightly.
As for how Marcus had gotten those measurements...
She didn't even want to think about it.
"Buzz..."
It was Elita returning.
Skye immediately opened the door, lowered her head, brushed past Marcus, and jumped onto Elita.
"Let's go! Back to Earth!"
Elita didn't start immediately.
Instead, she looked toward Marcus.
Only after seeing Marcus give a slight nod did she hit the accelerator, transforming into a streak of purple lightning and heading back through Portal.
Marcus smiled.
With his hands behind his back and humming a tune,
Marcus strolled through Cybertron.
Every Transformer he passed immediately knelt on one knee in salute.
Only after he had gone far away would they stand up again.
The feeling wasn't bad at all.
After wandering around for a while,
Seeing it was about time, Marcus returned to Earth.
The moment he arrived, his phone buzzed repeatedly.
They were messages Wanda had sent earlier that only now came through.
"Tiga, tell Optimus Prime to build a signal relay station. I don't want messages getting delayed every time I pass through."
[Yes, Master!]
After casually giving the order, Marcus replied to Wanda's messages.
Just as he was about to put the phone away...
Beep!
[Skye: Nobody is allowed to talk about what happened today!]
Looks like she finally had time to calm down.
Marcus smiled and replied.
[Marcus: That depends on how you plan to bribe me.]
No response came from the other side.
But it wasn't hard to imagine.
Skye was probably gritting her teeth right now, maybe even hugging a pillow and pretending it was Marcus while beating it up.
Marcus wasn't in a hurry.
He returned to Dawn Tower to spend time with his wives.
After a long day of studying, wasn't relaxation important too?
Good food, good wine, beautiful women...
Ahem.
Anyway, it was very relaxing.
Marcus enjoyed these peaceful days.
Whether it was Fury gathering superheroes or Pierce hunting them down, both sides tacitly avoided bothering him.
Right now, they were merely playing their own game.
If Marcus entered the field, everything would become completely different.
At that point, who ruled Earth wouldn't even be a question anymore.
And so,
Marcus lived peacefully for two weeks.
During the day, he took turns going on dates with Wanda and Skye.
Most nights were spent at Dawn Tower with his wives.
Occasionally, he would visit Diana, Kara, and Lorna for some one-on-one time.
Unfortunately,
Diana and Kara still refused to team up, leaving him with no chance for a doubles match, much less anything more.
He originally thought the next major event would be the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.
But then...
[Master, Jane Foster's signal has disappeared from Earth!]
Marcus immediately sat up from his recliner.
What happened?
"Give me the coordinates of Jane's last known location!"
Marcus instantly opened a Space Gate and arrived at an abandoned building.
The moment he appeared,
His danger perception told him the surrounding space was extremely unstable.
The building in front of him looked as though it could collapse into a spatial crack at any moment.
This situation...
The plot of Thor: The Dark World?
Strange.
Wasn't Jane supposed to be researching the Bifrost?
How did she end up involved here?
Now that he knew what was happening, it was easy to deal with.
Although Marcus didn't possess spatial powers,
He did have the Dragon Language.
"Eye of Space!"
Eyes capable of detecting spatial distortions combined with X-ray vision.
He searched inch by inch for Jane's location.
Boom!
A rainbow beam descended.
Thor stepped out with a serious expression.
When he saw Marcus, he froze.
"Y... you're here too," Thor said awkwardly. "Heimdall couldn't see Jane anymore, so I came to check..."
Did he still have feelings for Jane after all?
A bit late, wasn't it?
Marcus didn't even look at him.
His eyes continued searching.
But he still issued a warning.
"Jane is my wife. I'll handle this. If I find out you've had people monitoring her..."
To deal with Asgard, Marcus wouldn't even need to act personally.
Releasing Hela alone would throw the entire realm into chaos.
Thor knew he was in the wrong and scratched his head awkwardly.
"Then... I'll be leaving."
The Bifrost descended again and carried Thor away.
Marcus finally locked onto the target.
A spatial crack.
He teleported directly into it.
Vector Control allowed him to ignore the violent spatial turbulence as he continued deeper.
Eventually,
He arrived in a dark space.
The surrounding walls were covered in runes.
The entire area was tightly sealed, even its spatial coordinates hidden away.
If the outer space hadn't become unstable, finding this place would have been extremely difficult.
At the center stood a stone pillar.
The same pillar Odin's father had used to seal the Aether, also known as the Reality Stone.
Jane lay beneath it.
Red energy pulsed through her veins.
Clearly, the Aether had already entered her body.
"Still made it too late..."
But through his X-ray vision,
Jane's condition wasn't actually serious.
Probably because...
Jane had always been obsessed with science and uninterested in magic, so she had injected the Kryptonian Blood Serum.
After spending so much time on New Krypton, her super cells had already developed to B-rank.
She was no longer as fragile as in the original story.
She might even have the potential to dominate the Aether.
However!
The Aether had been controlled by the Dark Elves for generations.
Obtaining its recognition was extremely difficult for outsiders.
That was why,
Even though Marcus had previously absorbed the Aether, the system never awarded him a reward.
Because the Aether didn't truly belong to him.
Marcus crouched down and carefully released a strand of Phoenix Force, attempting to make contact with the Aether.
Boom!
Red energy erupted instantly.
The Phoenix Force was blasted apart.
The Aether completely rejected outside powers.
In fact,
If Marcus tried to force his way further, the Aether inside Jane would immediately counterattack.
Although Marcus was confident he wouldn't be harmed,
The process would consume Jane's life force.
So he didn't act recklessly.
He casually opened a Space Gate.
On the other side were Darcy and the others training in magic.
"Ah! Jane!"
Darcy cried out and rushed forward.
Just as she was about to touch Jane...
Boom!
Marcus immediately used the Phoenix Force to block the shockwave.
At the same time,
The Ancient One stepped forward.
Her expression changed.
"This energy... an Infinity Stone?"
As the holder of the Time Stone, she was extremely sensitive to the aura of Infinity Stones.
She simply couldn't identify which one immediately.
"Yeah, it's a little troublesome." Marcus frowned. "Esme, come try contacting Jane."
Without hesitation,
Esme cautiously stepped forward.
This time, the Aether didn't react.
Apparently it didn't view Esme as much of a threat.
Which indirectly proved how much progress Darcy had made recently.
Even the Aether considered her dangerous.
Esme glanced at Darcy.
Darcy's face was filled with worry.
She wanted to check on Jane but didn't dare approach.
Meanwhile,
The Ancient One had already examined the surroundings and reached a conclusion.
"This should be the location where Bor sealed the Dark Elf treasure known as the Aether."
The Ancient One explained calmly.
"The Aether of the Dark Elves is recorded as the Reality Stone among the six Infinity Stones."
"After the age of the Dark Elves ended, it could no longer be properly controlled."
"Recently, the Nine Realms Convergence has begun, an event that occurs once every five thousand years."
"Numerous spatial cracks have appeared throughout the realms."
"The seal here was significantly weakened. Combined with the influence of the Aether, a spatial crack formed and accidentally led Jane here."
With only a few observations,
She had already reconstructed the entire situation.
Truly worthy of being the Sorcerer Supreme.
Darcy became even more anxious.
The situation was this serious?
Didn't that mean...
It would be difficult to solve?
"Marcus! Save Jane!" Darcy's eyes turned red. "Jane is... if she..."
"Relax. It's a small problem."
Marcus gently wiped away the tears at the corners of Darcy's eyes.
"If the Aether only recognizes the Dark Elves, then I'll wipe out the Dark Elves."
"Once they're gone, it becomes ownerless."
Darcy froze.
Esme and the other wives all stared with wide eyes.
Holy crap!
That was a solution too?
Only the Ancient One's mouth twitched slightly as she shook her head.
This solution was very much Marcus style.
This time...
The remaining Dark Elves were probably about to face extinction.
Ch 66- Strength
Within the absolute darkness, a faint light appeared, illuminating a pale face.
Malekith slowly opened his eyes, ending thousands of years of slumber.
He looked toward the empty space ahead, as though observing something.
A projection screen lit up.
The Nine Realms were aligned in a straight line, slowly moving toward convergence.
A stiff smile appeared on Malekith's face.
"The Aether has awakened. The Convergence is approaching!"
"God of Darkness, protect the Dark Elves!"
As his laughter echoed,
Rows of dim lights flickered on.
One Dark Elf after another awakened from their long sleep.
After thousands of years,
Today would mark their return.
The Dark Elves would once again bring eternal darkness to the Nine Realms.
Earth, Transformer Base.
Jane soon woke up.
After learning what had happened, she looked completely confused.
"Infinity Stones? Reality Stone? The Aether?" Jane's mouth twitched. "Is this going to delay my research project?"
Marcus couldn't help smiling.
It seemed
Jane still didn't realize how important the Reality Stone was.
Marcus glanced at the Ancient One, signaling her to explain.
The Ancient One didn't waste any time.
She opened a Sling Ring portal, reached through it, retrieved the Eye of Agamotto, and released its seal, revealing the Time Stone.
"The Time Stone is one of the six Infinity Stones."
"With it, the Sorcerers Supreme of Kamar-Taj have repelled countless evil gods that attempted to devour our universe."
"And the Reality Stone currently inside your body is an existence on the same level."
"Its power is to rewrite reality itself."
The Ancient One suddenly looked toward Marcus.
"Marcus seems to possess the power to create objects, correct?"
"Yeah, I have a little ability like that." Marcus shrugged. "But I can only create relatively low-level items. For anything more advanced, it's still inferior to the Reality Stone."
The Ancient One fell silent.
As if she didn't know.
The things he casually created included Vibranium and Uru Metal.
What more did he want?
Create Infinity Stones directly?
Meanwhile, Jane became excited.
"Then could I directly create something similar to the Bifrost and infer scientific conclusions through observation?"
Everyone went silent.
Even with the Reality Stone, she was still thinking about scientific research?
The Ancient One patiently explained.
"The Reality Stone is a force that distorts reality."
"It ignores science and natural laws."
"Scientific formulas and the laws of nature become meaningless before it."
Jane's face immediately fell.
As if she were saying, "Then what's the point?"
Marcus laughed and patted her on the head.
"That's true, but since it can rewrite reality..."
"Any scientific theory you want, even if it's something ridiculous like 1+1=3, can be directly realized through it."
"So why insist on researching everything yourself?"
Jane's eyes gradually widened.
Marcus meant...
"I can create any scientific theory I want?" Jane pointed at herself in disbelief.
Both Marcus and the Ancient One nodded.
That's right.
That was the power of the Reality Stone.
But just as Jane was getting excited, Marcus poured cold water on her enthusiasm.
"However, unlike the Time Stone, the Reality Stone can't really be used on its own."
"It needs support from other Infinity Stones."
"Simply put, the energy in your body isn't enough to fuel it. Forcefully using it would drain your life force and kill you."
Jane's smile froze instantly.
Then what was the point?
Wasn't it basically decoration?
Damn it...
Marcus opened the Gate of Babylon and took out the Tesseract.
He crushed the outer shell with his bare hand, revealing the blue Space Stone inside.
"Fortunately, I also have the Space Stone."
"Although it isn't as useful as the Power Stone for supplying energy, it can still work together with the Reality Stone."
Jane was speechless.
She didn't even know what expression to make anymore.
It felt like she was being toyed with.
"Really?" Jane's eyes glowed red. "Marcus! Stop messing with me!"
This constant emotional whiplash was driving her crazy.
Marcus spread his hands.
"Well, it's true that even if I gave you the Space Stone right now, you still couldn't use it."
Jane immediately pouted.
She knew it!
Marcus stopped teasing her and explained everything.
"The Reality Stone existed as the Aether and was controlled by the Dark Elves for a very long time."
"You could say it has partially acknowledged them as its masters."
"After I kill them all, the Aether will become ownerless."
"Then you can try controlling it yourself."
Jane stared at Marcus for nearly half a minute before responding.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
Only then did Jane start thinking.
Her brows slowly furrowed.
"According to what you're saying, the Aether originally belonged to someone else."
"I take their treasure, then wipe out their entire race..."
"Isn't that a bit excessive?"
But then...
"Do you know why the Dark Elves were hunted down in the first place?" Marcus asked with a smile.
Jane remained silent and simply looked at him.
Keep playing your games.
If she asked another question, she lost.
Fortunately, Darcy cooperated.
"Marcus, just say it directly! Stop keeping us guessing!"
Marcus chuckled.
"Five thousand years ago, the Dark Elves planned to use the Convergence and the Aether to plunge the entire Nine Realms into eternal darkness."
"They intended to permanently remove all light from the Nine Realms."
Jane and the others immediately widened their eyes.
"Remove all light?" Sophie exclaimed. "Wouldn't that destroy Earth?"
Everyone knew
Sunlight was the foundation of life.
The Dark Elves were creatures that thrived in darkness.
For them, eternal night across the Nine Realms would be beneficial.
As for everyone else's survival?
They didn't care.
That was a textbook villain.
Jane also nodded firmly.
Any hesitation disappeared instantly.
Was this really stealing?
No.
This was eliminating a threat to everyone.
"Alright then, let's change locations."
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"Perfect timing. We can also test the combat strength of my new subordinates."
The women assumed
Marcus was planning to send the Transformers against the Dark Elves.
Darcy hesitated.
"Megatron and the others are strong, but fighting a civilization that almost conquered the Nine Realms..."
"Isn't that a bit risky?"
Marcus smiled mysteriously.
A Space Gate opened.
"Come on."
"It's time to show you just how powerful your husband really is."
Jane immediately smiled proudly.
"Yeah! They're just a fallen civilization. Cybertron can definitely handle them!"
The cryptic exchange between the two left Jean and the others completely confused.
Still,
They followed Marcus through the Space Gate.
The Ancient One followed as well, ready to watch the show.
As for Earth?
Dormammu had already learned his lesson.
Whoever dared come now was asking for death.
She only feared some beings.
Well...
Including Marcus.
Passing through the [Portal], they arrived on Cybertron.
Jean, Gwen, Darcy, and the five Cuckoo sisters, who had no idea what to expect, all stared in shock.
Modern cities were often called concrete jungles.
But compared to the planet before them, which was completely made of metal, Earth looked like a backward medieval world.
Looking at the Transformers kneeling on the ground, any one of them had enough firepower to match an entire platoon on Earth.
Gwen noticed that some of the Transformers already had symbiotes attached to them.
With Xiao Hei, she understood exactly how much a symbiote could enhance its host.
It could be said that against a Transformer with a symbiote, even Gwen wasn't confident she could win.
And beneath their feet...
An entire planet of Transformers!
Gwen looked at Marcus in shock. This was actually his planet?!
Still...
"This is so cool!" Sophie said excitedly. "A whole planet of Transformers! And so many symbiotes! Taking over Earth would be easy, right?"
The girls subconsciously imagined that scene...
Damn!
It was almost impossible to imagine how Earth could resist.
Nuclear weapons?
Not to mention that the Transformers could easily block communications and take over networks.
Some of them could even open a [Portal] with a wave of their hand!
Would anyone even dare launch a missile?
The Transformers could simply open another [Portal] and send it right back to the launch site.
These magic-wielding Transformers were practically unbeatable.
So what kind of Dark Elves could stand against them?
The girls couldn't help wondering.
"Vroooom..."
The roar of engines approached.
Two rows of vehicles and a row of fighter jets arrived and lined up neatly in front of them.
"Alright, pick a vehicle and take a look around the planet," Marcus said proudly. "If you find a female Transformer you like, you can choose her as a partner."
The girls were surprised.
There had barely been any female Transformers on Earth before.
So Marcus had never arranged anything for his wives.
Now it was finally happening.
Esme took the lead and walked toward the motorcycles. The other four sisters exchanged glances and followed behind her.
Gwen chose a fighter jet. After spending so long on the ground, she still preferred flying.
Jean hesitated before heading toward the sports cars.
Darcy and Jane didn't move.
Darcy already had Rob1 and wasn't interested in another one.
Jane simply wasn't interested.
After spending so much time around Transformers, if she had wanted one, she would have chosen already.
She studied astrophysics and didn't care much about anything else.
Darcy looked at Jane with envy.
"Then once you master the Reality Gem, you might master the Space Gem too. Plus Mjolnir..."
Darcy looked at Ancient One.
"Ancient One, does Jane have a chance to surpass you?"
Ancient One nodded without hesitation.
"With two Infinity Gems, the ability to alter reality, and control over space, she would surpass me with only a little practice."
Her tone carried some emotion.
She had spent hundreds of years training her abilities, only to discover that finding the right husband could apparently be faster.
Darcy smiled, looking even more excited than Jane.
Jane, on the other hand, didn't seem particularly concerned.
Marcus reminded her, "Once you control the Space Gem, you can travel through the universe. Even observing black holes up close won't be a problem."
Jane's eyes immediately lit up.
"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Then can I watch a supernova explode?"
"Of course," Ancient One replied. "Use the Space Gem to enter the Mirror Dimension, and you can do it safely."
"Huh?" Darcy asked curiously. "Jane is a materialist. She can't sense magic, so she can't learn it, right?"
Ancient One smiled and shook her head.
"The Mirror Dimension isn't created by magic. It's a type of subspace that exists outside reality."
"Kamar-Taj's mirror magic is only the key used to access it and modify its structure to a certain extent."
"It also relies on the Sling Ring as a medium."
"Once Jane possesses the Space Gem, she'll be able to control the Mirror Dimension even more easily than Dormammu."
"So that's how it works!" Darcy said suddenly. "No wonder the books say the Mirror Dimension can't imprison Dormammu..."
"If it were that simple, Agamotto wouldn't have needed to create the Eye of Agamotto," Ancient One said with a smile.
Darcy continued asking questions, all about the Mirror Dimension.
Ancient One patiently answered every one.
Watching them...
They looked exactly like a real master and apprentice.
That surprised Marcus a little.
After all...
Once Darcy learned the basics of magic, she was supposed to focus on practicing the [Book of Marcus' Contract].
There was no need to study this deeply.
But now it seemed...
Ancient One might actually be able to guide Darcy much further?
Could Ancient One be planning to give up on Strange and train Darcy as the next Sorcerer Supreme?
Marcus couldn't help laughing.
Sorcerer Supreme Darcy?
It was pretty funny just thinking about it.
Marcus ignored the two of them and gestured for Jane to walk with him.
Ancient One had been paying attention to Marcus the whole time. Seeing that he didn't object, she relaxed visibly.
Marcus wasn't against it.
This would be extremely beneficial to Kamar-Taj and to the universe itself.
As for Strange...
Even if Darcy became the Sorcerer Supreme, she wouldn't guard Kamar-Taj for hundreds of years like Ancient One had.
So she'd still need someone to help manage daily affairs.
"...Since we're not planning to make him Sorcerer Supreme, maybe the plan can be moved forward..."
Marcus had no idea that because of a random thought of his, Strange was about to have a very bad time.
He walked beside Jane.
Even though he didn't say much, his presence alone made her feel at ease.
"Marcus, do you think that if I control two Infinity Gems, I'll surpass you?" Jane suddenly asked.
Marcus laughed.
Still too naive.
"Each Infinity Gem represents a different authority."
"But beyond the Infinity Gems, there are even greater powers."
"For example, the Anti-Life Equation is hidden on Earth."
"For example, the Mother Boxes. A single Infinity Gem can't compete with them."
"For example, the Heart of the Universe. Even the Living Tribunal isn't its match."
Jane nodded, only half understanding.
"Then what about you, Marcus?" she asked. "You still haven't answered."
Marcus thought for a moment.
A single Infinity Gem definitely couldn't compare to him.
All six Infinity Gems together might have a chance.
But he already possessed three Infinity Gems himself, so who was going to take them away?
The Celestials could even kill Knull. He could handle them with one hand.
A single Watcher wasn't much of a threat either.
But if the entire race came together, that would be harder to judge.
Among the Five Cosmic Entities,
Compared to the relatively weaker Galactus, Marcus was at least confident he couldn't lose.
The other four were harder to evaluate.
As for the Living Tribunal...
He should at least be able to protect himself.
The Heart of the Universe didn't even need to be mentioned. It was an artifact capable of surpassing even the Living Tribunal.
As for the One Above All...
That existence practically didn't count.
Thinking about it this way...
Marcus still had a long road ahead.
Suddenly,
[Danger Perception] activated!
Marcus immediately looked up at the sky and saw...
Note: Well ik ther is no such thing as reality stone ownership or master, but since author want that way, I wont change it.
Ch 67- Odin's Treasury
"Boom!"
A rainbow beam descended, and two figures emerged.
Odin and Thor!
Odin wore simple, low-key robes. He was empty-handed and wasn't carrying Gungnir.
He looked like an ordinary old man next door.
As for Thor,
He was still wearing his Thor Armor, holding Mjolnir, and standing behind Odin with his head lowered.
He seemed a little afraid to look at Marcus.
After all...
He had just been driven away by Marcus, and now he had come to Marcus' territory.
It was awkward.
"It seems you really can't hold on any longer," Ancient One said with a smile. "Allow me to introduce him. This is Odin, the King of Asgard. And this is Marcus, Kamar-Taj's newly contracted Mephisto."
It wasn't hard to hear the meaning behind her words. Ancient One was clearly standing on Marcus side.
Odin stepped forward.
He took out a pair of gold-plated gloves and handed them to Marcus.
"This is our first meeting. Please forgive the intrusion."
Marcus frowned.
Oh?
The Infinity Gauntlet?
This Odin...
He really knew what he was doing.
After taking the Infinity Gauntlet, Marcus could immediately tell it was genuine.
No joke.
Thanos Infinity Gauntlet had merely been forged by the dwarves.
Odin was the ruler of the Nine Realms and the true master of the dwarf race.
There was no way he would be carrying a fake.
"This is an Infinity Gauntlet. It greatly reduces the burden of using the Infinity Gems and also helps control them."
Odin explained patiently.
"As long as this lady wears it, the Aether will automatically be extracted from her body."
Good.
Odin hadn't brought this gift casually. He had clearly done his homework.
Still,
Marcus handed the gauntlet to Jane and stored it in the Gate of Babylon.
"You're being very polite. If you have something to say, just say it," Marcus said.
They weren't familiar with each other.
A gift like this was more than enough to count as help in a crisis. There had to be a purpose behind it.
"Well then, I won't waste words either," Odin said directly. "I heard that as a contracted Mephisto, you can grant eternal life to others. I would like five slots. Name your price."
So that was it.
Five slots?
Odin, Frigga, Thor, Hela...
And Loki.
He even remembered to reserve one for Loki.
Really treating it like his own business.
This old man was ruthless.
Marcus started thinking about the price.
Just then,
Ancient One suddenly spoke.
"The longer an Asgardian lives, the stronger their divine power becomes. Their greatest strength comes right before death."
"If Odin gains immortality..."
"He is already at the Skyfather level. It won't take long before he breaks through to the single-universe level and begins approaching the multiverse level."
"Congratulations in advance."
Odin looked helplessly at Ancient One.
She sounded like she was congratulating him, but she was really telling Marcus to charge more.
Fortunately,
Odin had no intention of hiding it and nodded honestly.
"In addition to whatever compensation you desire, Asgard will stand with you and become a firm ally of Cybertron."
That wasn't a bad offer.
Asgard might not be as powerful as before, but it still ruled the Nine Realms and retained its prestige.
It could be useful.
But it still wasn't enough.
Marcus was considering how to raise the price further...
Then Ancient One spoke again.
"Marcus, you've been living on Earth recently. Do you find the environment there pleasant?"
Marcus paused.
This was...
Another attempt to raise the price?
In that case, he couldn't waste her effort.
He nodded.
"There are quite a few women on Earth that interest me. I'll probably continue living there for a while."
Ancient One looked at Odin and smiled without saying anything.
Odin: (^▼#)
He was speechless.
What exactly are you doing here?
But things had already reached this point...
Odin could only grit his teeth and say,
"Then Midgard will also belong to Your Majesty Marcus. Asgard will later issue an official declaration to the universe, recognizing it as your private planet."
Tsk.
Marcus gave Ancient One an approving look.
Nicely done.
Ancient One spoke once more.
Odin's eye widened.
Enough already!
Are you trying to skin me alive?
"Marcus, Odin's treasury contains many treasures. Since you enjoy collecting things, you should take a look."
Odin's expression eased slightly.
At least this time Ancient One wasn't adding more demands.
The alliance and the transfer of Midgard were compensation for Odin's future growth after gaining immortality.
But the five immortality slots were still a separate transaction.
"If Your Majesty Marcus has time, why not visit Asgard?" Odin invited. "You may choose anything you like from the treasury."
Clearly, he had prepared for this in advance.
Marcus thought about it.
The Dark Elves shouldn't arrive so soon, right?
Then taking a trip first wasn't a problem.
"Alright, let's go have a look," Marcus finally agreed. "Jane, you should be interested in Asgard's Bifrost."
Jane, who had been studying the runes engraved on the ground, froze.
If Marcus weren't standing there, she would have rushed over immediately.
"In that case, let's go."
As Odin finished speaking,
The rainbow beam descended once again, enveloping everyone before disappearing.
At the same time,
Malekith, who was traveling through a wormhole, frowned.
The Aether was moving at high speed.
He immediately ordered,
"Stop wormhole travel. Change destination!"
Inside the Bifrost,
It felt like riding an FTL conveyor belt.
Nobody needed to move. A force simply pushed them forward.
Jane stared around with wide eyes, trying to understand what was happening.
Seeing this,
Odin explained,
"The Bifrost is not a teleportation device. It's an extremely high-speed transportation system. The principles involved are very complicated..."
"If you're interested, it can be added to the trade list."
The second half was directed at Marcus.
Jane looked at Marcus expectantly.
This was Bifrost technology!
Marcus considered it.
The Bifrost was the foundation of Asgard's rule over the Nine Realms. It allowed them to strike any target, anywhere, at any time.
For ordinary people, it wasn't especially useful.
But Marcus had Cybertron.
In the future, when expanding territory, he couldn't personally guard every planet.
With the Bifrost,
Cybertron could become like Asgard and maintain control over its subordinate worlds.
"Alright, let's count that as one slot," Marcus nodded.
With a wave of his hand,
The Eternal Life BUFF landed on Odin.
His body would no longer age, but his divine power would continue growing.
Odin finally smiled.
Everything he had paid was worth it.
They soon reached the exit and arrived at the Bifrost control chamber.
Heimdall stood at the console holding the Hofund Sword, his expression serious.
Marcus glanced at him.
Then casually asked,
"It's you. Why have you been watching my wife?"
Marcus's question surprised Thor, who had been silent the whole time.
He quickly looked at his father, and as expected, Odin's expression darkened.
"Heimdall, kneel!"
Heimdall immediately stepped down from the console and dropped to one knee with his sword in hand.
Thor also knelt beside him.
"Father, I told Heimdall to keep watch!" Thor said bitterly. "He was only following my orders. If anyone is at fault, punish me!"
Odin frowned deeply.
Why are you rushing out to take the blame, you idiot?
Aren't you just offering yourself up?
But it was too late.
He could only sigh helplessly and look at Marcus.
"how should this be handled?"
Marcus didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Jane, who was still completely focused on studying the control room.
She didn't care about what was happening around her at all and was immersed in her own world.
Marcus had no intention of pursuing the matter any further. He would give Odin some face.
He wasn't in the mood anyway.
Then Ancient One spoke again.
"The all-seeing eyes of Heimdall are said to have come from a hidden place you once discovered, Odin. Where is this hidden place?"
The corner of Odin's eye twitched.
Back then, he had only been bragging. He didn't expect it to come back and bite him now.
Still, he was relieved.
The timing of the question was perfect and would probably save Thor and Heimdall.
"At one time, I also attempted to collect all six Infinity Stones. But I gave up when it came to the Soul Stone."
"Because the only way to obtain the Soul Stone is to..."
Odin opened his mouth to continue, but no sound came out. Even the shape of his lips became blurred.
This wasn't Odin's power. It was the power of the Infinity Stones.
Odin sighed helplessly.
"In short, I gave up obtaining the Soul Stone and signed a soul contract, preventing anyone from revealing how to acquire it."
"As the price for signing that contract, I was given a fragment of the Law of Souls, allowing me to observe soul fluctuations across a vast area."
"That became Heimdall's all-seeing eyes."
This was one of Odin's little-known pieces of history.
If the circumstances were different, he never would have mentioned it.
Without any prompting from the Ancient One this time, Odin pulled out a star map and handed it to Marcus.
"Vormir, where the Soul Stone is located, is here."
"If you go there yourself, you can at least obtain a fragment of the Law of Souls."
"And if you're willing to pay the price, you can certainly obtain the Soul Stone."
"It's just that the price..."
Odin glanced at Jane.
Marcus was willing to trade a spot on the True Jade for his wife's research.
Would he really sacrifice someone he loved just for the Soul Stone?
Odin didn't think so.
After all...
Marcus didn't seem like someone driven by ambition or conquest.
Marcus looked at the star map and nodded thoughtfully.
No wonder in the movies, Thanos sacrificed his beloved daughter rather than finding someone else to force into making the sacrifice for the Soul Stone.
So that was the loophole built into the Soul Stone itself.
But...
Other people didn't know that. Marcus did.
Now that he had the star map, only one thing was missing.
A suitable sacrifice.
Thinking carefully...
Among all the future villains, who could be used?
While considering it, Marcus casually said, "I was only asking. No need to be so nervous. Let's go."
Odin obviously didn't believe him.
He quickly walked ahead to lead the way.
Thor instinctively moved to follow.
Odin immediately shot him a glare.
You still want to come along?
You already dared to stare at the woman of the Time Mephisto. You've got more courage than I do.
"Go call Sif. Take Jane to the archives and let her study all the information regarding the Bifrost."
"Huh? Call Sif?" Thor instinctively replied. "No need. I can just..."
"Ahem!" Heimdall interrupted. "Your Highness Thor, there is another conflict in Muspelheim. Your presence is required to suppress it."
Thor instantly became furious.
Gripping Mjolnir tightly, he strode toward the Bifrost entrance.
"We just beat those guys, and they're causing trouble again?"
"This time I'm going to smash their skulls in!"
Heimdall quickly activated the Bifrost and sent Thor away.
A flash later...
Jotunheim's wastelands.
Stay over there and calm down.
Heimdall then respectfully said to Odin, "I will notify Lady Sif."
Marcus suddenly remembered something.
Wasn't Heimdall supposed to be Sif's future partner?
Well...
After nearly scaring the crown prince to death just now...
Looking at the frosty breath escaping Heimdall's mouth, Marcus guessed it was probably a lingering injury from when Loki used the Casket of Ancient Winters.
Marcus casually released a Healing Light.
The frost in Heimdall's breath immediately vanished.
Heimdall froze.
Where had that come from?
But after doing that, Marcus simply turned and left.
Giving his future brother-in-law a small favor was fine, but there was no need to go out of his way.
Odin, however, was surprised.
Ordinary Mephistos usually mastered only abilities related to their own laws.
As the Time Mephisto, Marcus naturally controlled the Law of Time.
But Marcus seemed to possess far more than that.
The implications were completely different.
It meant Marcus's abilities were comprehensive and not restricted to a single domain, placing him at least at the multiversal level.
As for anything beyond that...
Impossible.
Above that were the Five Cosmic Entities, beings that existed before the birth of the multiverse.
They stood above all laws.
How could any lifeform rival them?
While thinking about it, the three arrived at their destination, Odin's Vault.
The doors opened.
Gold and treasures filled the room, their brilliance almost blinding.
None of the three even spared them a glance.
They walked directly to the inner chamber.
To Odin's private collection.
As soon as they entered, they saw a ball of dancing flame.
It gave off no sensation of heat, only endless vitality.
"This is the Eternal Flame," Odin explained. "Surtur possesses three great artifacts: the Eternal Flame, the Twilight Sword, and the Crown of Souls."
"The Twilight Sword alone is extraordinarily powerful. When empowered by the Eternal Flame, it can burn an entire planet."
"The Crown of Souls grants immunity to damage, and even if the wearer dies, they can be resurrected as long as the crown is bathed in the Eternal Flame."
"As for the Eternal Flame itself, it contains endless life force. Anyone capable of absorbing and integrating it would gain an almost limitless lifespan and control over the Eternal Flame."
At this point, Odin looked at the Eternal Flame with some regret.
Back then, he had specifically taken it in hopes of obtaining immortality.
The result was obvious.
It wasn't compatible with him at all.
Then again, if immortality were really that easy to obtain, Odin wouldn't have needed to ask Marcus for his corpse.
Note: once more lets just go with author if he connects, Heimdalls eyes to the soul contract.
Ch 68- Tragic life of Thor
"Yes, this is good." Marcus nodded. "I'll collect the Crown of Souls and the Twilight Sword later. They can be exchanged for one slot."
Odin agreed immediately without hesitation.
What a joke.
This was eternal life.
As for the originally prophesied Ragnarok?
If he became immortal, what Ragnarok?
A little Surtur could be dealt with in minutes.
Moving on,
A magical artifact resembling the Eye of Agamotto appeared.
"The Warlock's Eye." Ancient One narrowed her eyes. "An artifact once worn by Agamotto. It can observe the future and dispel all illusions and false darkness."
"Oh?"
Marcus raised an interested eyebrow and looked at Odin.
"Then this should belong to Kamar-Taj. Why is it in your treasury?"
Odin remained calm.
"Back then, under Agamotto's witness, my great-grandfather exchanged it for the Time Stone."
Marcus immediately understood.
In terms of value,
The Warlock's Eye was definitely not equal to the Time Stone.
But...
That only mattered if you could actually use the Time Stone.
The Aether and the Tesseract had both been in Asgard's possession before, yet they were still sealed away.
However,
Agamotto must have paid more than just the Warlock's Eye.
Marcus glanced at the artifact opposite the Warlock's Eye, which was also an eyeball.
"The Orb of Agamotto can detect danger in advance and provide warnings," Ancient One explained. "To suppress Dormammu's dark power, I used it as payment and entrusted him to handle it personally."
Marcus looked at her strangely.
Was Kamar-Taj really that wealthy? Just handing out magical artifacts like this?
But Ancient One seemed to misunderstand.
She said sincerely, "If Your are interested, you can visit the Sanctums when you have time. If any magical artifact is willing to follow you, you may take it."
Marcus clicked his tongue.
No matter how rich a family is, this kind of spending would drain it eventually.
Leaving nothing for future generations.
"No problem. I'll take a look when I have time," Marcus agreed.
Why refuse free benefits?
He looked back at Odin.
"These two eyes count as one slot."
Continuing onward, a stone tablet came into view.
"Oh? The Life Tablet?" Ancient One said in surprise. "It contains the equation of biological evolution. It can evolve living beings into higher life forms. Its previous owner used it to create an Atlantean civilization."
Marcus blinked.
"The Atlantis beneath Earth's oceans?"
"Yes." Ancient One nodded. "After the mysterious disappearance of the original ruler of Atlantis, this Life Tablet was lost. I didn't expect it to be here."
Marcus looked at Odin. The meaning was obvious.
"He used the Life Tablet to wager Midgard against me," Odin said calmly. "As you can see, he lost."
So the first ruler of Atlantis got overconfident and came to deliver himself.
Marcus enjoyed this unexpected piece of history.
He thought there was nothing else worth seeing, but then he turned around.
"Huh? The Casket of Ancient Winters?"
At the end of the room sat the Casket of Ancient Winters.
Unlike the Bifrost, this thing should have been...
Wait.
The Bifrost outside wasn't rebuilt. It had been recovered from space, hadn't it?
"Yes. The artifact of Jotunheim, the Casket of Ancient Winters. It can release immense frost power. Heimdall was injured by it."
Odin explained:
"It froze the Bifrost at the time, then fell into the space storm together with it, protecting the Bifrost from destruction. If fully mastered, it can barely reach the combat power of a Skyfather-level being."
Marcus picked up the Casket of Ancient Winters and weighed it in his hand.
He hadn't expected to find this here.
Then Loki surviving the space storm was probably thanks in part to the Casket of Ancient Winters.
"This Life Tablet also counts as one slot," Marcus said.
Odin agreed but sighed quietly.
The most valuable treasures in Asgard were all here.
And in the end, they only exchanged for four slots.
There was no helping it.
Only the alternative option remained.
Marcus stored everything in the Gate of Babylon and looked at Odin.
"Which three will receive immortality?"
"Please follow me."
Odin led Marcus and Ancient One out.
As soon as they stepped outside, they saw Queen Frigga.
"This is my wife, Frigga. One of the immortality recipients."
Marcus nodded and casually cast an Eternal Life Buff.
It was done instantly.
If Odin hadn't experienced it personally and known it was real, people might have thought Marcus was just going through the motions.
Although it looked simple, that was simply because Marcus possessed the ability.
Frigga said gratefully, "Thank you, Your Majesty Marcus."
Marcus smiled.
Even though this was only a transaction, basic courtesy still mattered.
Clang, clang.
The sound of chains echoed through the hall.
Loki appeared, his wrists and ankles bound, escorted by golden-armoured guards.
The moment he saw Marcus, Loki widened his eyes and looked ready to shout.
Frigga had anticipated this.
With a wave of her hand, Loki's mouth sealed shut.
This queen was far stronger than she appeared.
Odin looked deeply at Loki before speaking to Marcus.
"Sorry to trouble you, Marcus."
Marcus was slightly surprised.
Wait.
There were only two slots left.
One of them had to be for Thor.
And the last one was being given to Loki?
As for Hela...
Probably another future trade after gathering more treasures.
Marcus didn't waste words and cast another Eternal Life Buff.
Odin didn't explain further and simply ordered Loki to be taken away.
"Sorry for letting you see this," Odin said helplessly. "Since childhood, Loki has always been jealous of Thor. In order to earn more favor, he's done many foolish things."
"He's a bit immature," Marcus agreed. "But when it comes to governing Asgard, Loki is actually more suitable than Thor."
The reason was simple.
A ruler needed brains.
Odin and Frigga exchanged helpless looks.
How could they not know that?
The problem was...
Loki had the mind to govern, but not the strength to command Asgard.
"Why not send Loki to Kamar-Taj for training?" Ancient One suddenly suggested. "Recently, Kamar-Taj has acquired a large amount of Contract Magic. It would suit Prince Loki very well."
Marcus immediately understood.
Ancient One was looking for a new source of income for him.
After all,
Marcus's Contract Magic consumed either mental energy or life force.
Ordinary people couldn't handle it.
But letting it sit unused wasn't an option either.
If Marcus kept receiving no payment, what if he got annoyed and canceled the arrangement?
Now Loki was the perfect candidate.
He possessed powerful magical talent and tremendous vitality.
And with Asgard supporting him, resources for recovery would never be lacking.
The ideal person to harvest from.
Facing Ancient One's invitation...
Frigga and Odin exchanged a glance, then stepped forward with friendly smiles.
"Thank you for your generosity, but..."
"Loki is from Asgard, and after death his soul will enter the Hall of Souls, so..."
The implication was obvious.
Kamar-Taj's borrowed magic wasn't suitable for Loki.
Ancient One had expected this and responded with a calm smile.
"Do you think the abilities under Marcus's command are powerful?"
Frigga immediately understood.
"The contract magic under Marcus's command... doesn't require payment with the soul?"
Ancient One smiled and nodded.
Marcus also said, "I'm not like those idiots who can't think beyond soul contracts. If I can recruit people directly, why make things so troublesome? Spiritual power and vitality are enough."
Frigga and Odin both looked surprised.
Marcus's abilities were obvious to everyone. Just his control over the Law of Time alone was enough for Loki to learn from.
Not to mention his healing abilities, which far surpassed anything in Asgard.
And who knew what other abilities he possessed?
This was a huge opportunity.
As for spiritual power and vitality...
There were countless supplements throughout the universe.
The real question was whether Asgard could afford enough of them.
"No problem!" Odin said firmly. "Thank you, Ancient One, and thank you, Your Majesty Marcus, for your generosity!"
He first looked toward Ancient One.
"Loki will be accompanied by a team of instructors and will study alongside the mages of Kamar-Taj."
Ancient One nodded in satisfaction.
An unexpected gain.
Kamar-Taj's mages specialized in close combat magic. They could definitely learn a lot from Asgard's instructors.
Then Odin turned toward Marcus.
"I heard that Your Majesty Marcus is quite fond of powerful women?"
Oh?
Offering a girl in return?
Marcus nodded directly.
"When I first arrived on Earth, I met Sif. We get along quite well."
The meaning couldn't have been clearer.
Odin immediately understood.
"When I recover the Crown of Souls and the Twilight Sword, Sif will accompany them to you."
Done.
Marcus smiled happily.
This trip had been very profitable.
Frigga spoke at the right moment.
"It will take Queen Jane some time to finish reviewing the Bifrost records. I've already prepared a banquet. Please join us."
Marcus readily agreed, and Ancient One naturally had no reason to refuse.
Odin led the way as the host.
None of them seemed concerned about a possible Dark Elf attack.
What a joke.
Who was present?
Odin in his prime.
The enhanced Sorcerer Supreme with the Time Stone.
And the "Time Mephisto" who controlled the Law of Time.
Even Frigga herself was a powerful priestess of the Aesir, with authority over parts of the future.
The Dark Elves?
Not to mention their current weakened state.
Even at their peak, they would still get crushed.
Asgardian meals consisted of plenty of meat and strong drinks.
Marcus took a tentative bite and was surprised by how rich and delicious it tasted.
Then it made sense.
Asgard's architecture looked primitive, but that was because they didn't follow a technological path.
They followed rune magic.
Their standards were extremely high.
Good food, good wine, and naturally beautiful women.
The women of Asgard could dance as well, though most of it resembled war dances.
Still, it had its own charm.
Odin and Frigga had lived for thousands of years and seen countless things.
Marcus was fascinated by the many ancient stories they shared.
"Thor cried because he was scared of a snake when he was little?"
"Loki confessed his feelings and got rejected?"
"I knew the Collector and the Grandmaster were brothers, but they're both gay?"
"God and OAA are actually the same being?"
"I knew Thanos loved Death, but Death never cared about him."
Marcus happily absorbed all this obscure information.
Whether in the comics or movies, most of this stuff was never shown.
It made Marcus understand more clearly that he was living in a real universe.
Of course,
Marcus didn't just listen.
He also shared information about the altered future timeline.
"Thor was nearly killed by Loki."
"Loki guided the Dark Elf Kurse, which led to Frigga's death."
"Odin died soon afterward, and Asgard declined with him."
"Half of the surviving Asgardians died at Thanos's hands."
As the "Time Mephisto," Marcus's words carried authority.
No one doubted him.
Especially Ancient One, who nodded repeatedly.
This was the future she should have witnessed, but everything had changed because of Marcus.
As they listened, Odin and Frigga's expressions became increasingly serious.
...
Was the future really that bad?
For a moment,
Odin vaguely regretted ever giving up the opportunity for immortality.
"What, regretting it?" Marcus teased.
Odin remained silent.
Frigga, however, still wore her gentle smile.
"Loki is only a little mischievous. As for my death, he would suffer no less than anyone else."
She spoke lightly, as though discussing someone else's death.
Marcus nodded.
Then he suddenly asked,
"Have you already met the future Thor?"
Frigga wasn't surprised. She would have been more surprised if Marcus didn't know.
Her expression became complicated.
"Thor changed so much that I almost didn't recognize him... he suffered greatly in the future."
Marcus sighed as well.
"Yeah. It was rough."
"His father died before his eyes."
"His mother was killed because of his brother."
"He watched Loki die twice."
"His beloved Mjolnir was crushed by his sister Hela right in front of him."
"His closest friends were slaughtered by Hela."
"He personally triggered Ragnarok, destroying both Asgard and Hela."
"He led the Asgardian people into exile, only for half of them to be massacred by Thanos."
"Even when he had the chance to stop everything with a snap, he failed because he didn't aim for the head. Half the universe's population was erased, and he spent years blaming himself."
At that point,
Marcus shook his head and took a drink.
It was truly miserable.
Even though Frigga had prepared herself mentally, her eyes still turned red after hearing it.
Death wasn't the frightening part.
Being left behind alone was far worse.
Odin's gaze became firm.
"I'm certain Thor didn't stay down forever. Am I right, Your Majesty Marcus?"
Marcus nodded.
"Those blows crushed him for a while, but in the end he rose again and helped save the universe."
Odin nodded in satisfaction.
That was the bearing expected of his son, the future King of Asgard.
"What about Loki?" Frigga asked nervously. "Did he..."
Odin's expression darkened again.
He suddenly had a bad feeling...