On the hotel rooftop, Hawk wasn't training his fists as usual.
Instead, he sat cross-legged, like a meditating Buddha.
Because now, brute drills meant nothing. What mattered was raising his level of life itself.
Gwen had seen him earlier, shriveled like a vampire's victim—that had been the Reality Stone sucking at his essence.
Everyone knew the rules. The Reality Stone rewrote reality, but without energy to burn, it consumed life itself.
When his cosmos was active, Hawk's existence rivaled Marvel's top transcendents. But when it flickered out, he was just another man. And the instant his cosmos collapsed during the Aether's integration, the Stone nearly drained him dry.
He'd survived only because it wasn't whole. If it had been complete, his corpse would already be dust.
So now—he had to evolve.
In the Saint Seiya system, cosmos was the root, the core of all power. And above the five senses lay the keys to transcending life: the Sixth Sense.
Only by mastering it could one truly step into the Silver Saints' ranks.
Hawk had touched it before—in his deathmatch with Devil Hulk on the African plains, when he'd unlocked flight. But that was only scratching the surface, not mastery.
He remembered the ways to awaken it.
The easy path: guidance from a higher Saint's cosmos. Impossible here—he was the only Saint in this universe.
The next path: a teacher's guidance. Also impossible—he had none.
That left two: extreme spiritual discipline, or the razor's edge of battle.
The former meant immersing oneself in illusions of horror, holding onto clarity through the storm. Fail, and the mind snapped forever. Hawk had tried—and nearly drowned—saved only by the Phoenix's cry.
"Not for me," he muttered, wiping sweat. He'd rather die like a warrior than rot into madness.
So the path was clear. Tomorrow, Malekith would come for the Stone. Another piece of the Aether pulsed in his grasp. Their goals clashed. Their battle was inevitable.
Hawk pictured the Dark Elf's record. Even with the Aether, he'd fallen to Bor, Thor's grandfather. Without it, he'd struggled against Thor. But he wasn't weak—Thor's rage over Frigga's death had lent him unnatural might, and even then Malekith had survived with half his face gone.
Against Malekith empowered by the Aether, Hawk's fight would be mortal.
Yet Hawk felt no fear. On the contrary—his blood stirred. He was a Saint. War was his destiny.
His cosmos burned silver-red, his fists tightening. Tomorrow would be a crucible.
The rooftop door creaked open. Gwen stepped out.
Hawk rose, smiling faintly.
"Next fight—when?" she asked.
"…Tomorrow," he admitted.
Her breath hitched, but her gaze stayed steady. "Is it dangerous?"
"No."
"Can I come?"
"What?" Hawk frowned, shaking his head. "Not this time, Gwen, this time—"
"I understand. I won't go."
"…Huh?"
She smiled softly. "I trust you, Hawk. Just don't let me down. Come back to me."
Their eyes locked—emerald green meeting blazing silver. Hawk nodded. "I will."
The Phoenix does not die. It is only reborn.
The next morning, he kissed her once, then strode to the balcony. With a burst of light, he shot into the sky, streaking toward Salisbury Plain—Stonehenge.
Wide open. Empty. No innocents to pay the price.
His sister had died caught between Hulk and Abomination. Hawk would never repeat their sin.
Malekith would come. He had to.
Back in the hotel, Gwen lingered at the window until Hawk's light vanished. She wanted to say goodbye. But last night, he'd warned her—that was raising flags. In stories, those who promised to return often didn't.
So she bit her tongue.
A knock at the door.
Mary burst in, radiant with energy, eager for the day's outing. Behind her, Peter's eyes flicked around, sensing Hawk's absence.
"Hawk's too tired, wants to rest," Gwen said lightly. "It's fine. We'll go without him."
Mary blinked. "He's not coming?"
"No."
"Then…"
"I'm tired too," Peter cut in, raising a hand.
Mary studied him, then smirked. "Perfect. Boys stay in the hotel. Girls' day out."
Gwen shot Peter a knowing glance, thanking him silently.
"Right. Girls only," she agreed.
Mary grinned, already dragging Gwen along.
…
(End of Chapter)
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