"There's one more thing." Levi swept his gaze across everyone present, his tone turning serious. "The Time Variance Authority."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "The Time Variance Authority? What's that?"
"An organization that exists beyond the timeline," Levi said, stepping toward the projection and tracing the marked time nodes in the air. "Their mission is to maintain what they call the Sacred Timeline and eliminate any branching realities that deviate from it. And time travel… is exactly what they hate most."
Steve frowned. "You're saying that once we start, they'll be watching us?"
"Not necessarily," Levi replied. "Their surveillance isn't all-encompassing. They only focus on events that could cause large-scale timeline divergence. If we move fast and stay subtle, they might not notice. But if we linger too long in the past, or change something significant… they'll show up immediately and take us all."
"Take us?" Clint let out a cold laugh. "Then what—throw us in prison?"
"Worse," Levi said calmly, each word striking like a hammer. "The TVA has the power to erase you from existence—completely, across all timelines. You don't die. You simply… never existed. No one remembers you. No one mourns you. Because in the new timeline, you were never there to begin with."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Thor tightened his grip on Stormbreaker, faint arcs of lightning dancing along its edge. "Then how do we deal with them?"
"We avoid them," Levi said. "Get in, take the Stones, and leave. Don't engage with anyone in the past. Don't alter key events. Our objective is only the Stones—nothing else matters."
"And if they still come after us?" Carol asked.
Levi fell silent for a moment, his right hand unconsciously clenching. The black marking in his palm began to radiate faint heat—the Void energy stirring in response to his emotions.
"Then we fight," he said at last. "The TVA is powerful, but not invincible. Their agents use temporal distortion devices to slow or accelerate localized time. But those only work on beings below Skyfather level. To me, they're toys."
Tony leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Sounds like you've dealt with them before."
"I have." Levi didn't elaborate much. "On the day of the Infinity War, they tried to erase our timeline. When I clashed with their pruning device's laws, it accidentally tore open a multiversal rift… and I ended up in the DC Universe."
"But you came back," Steve said.
"I did," Levi nodded. "And I learned their weakness. The TVA's power comes from a being called the One Who Remains, who sits at the end of time and controls the Sacred Timeline. But he's not omnipotent. He has blind spots—variables he can't predict."
"We're that variable?" Natasha asked.
"Exactly," Levi said, looking at her. "He's seen countless futures—but he didn't foresee us using time travel to undo the Snap. Because in his design, Thanos's Snap had to happen. It's part of the Sacred Timeline. What we're doing now… is breaking his plan."
Thor stood up, suppressed fury radiating from him. "You're saying that bastard allowed Thanos to wipe out half of all life just to maintain his timeline?"
"Possibly," Levi said. "Or maybe he saw a farther future—something beyond the Snap—and deemed it a necessary sacrifice. Either way, we're not accepting it."
Steve took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Then our plan is this: move fast, secure the Stones, and withdraw before the TVA can react. If they appear, Levi holds them off while the rest complete the mission."
Levi shook his head. "If the TVA shows up, everyone retreats immediately. Do not engage—you can't win. I'll cover your exit."
"We're not leaving you behind," Steve said firmly.
"You're not leaving me behind—you're completing the mission." Levi met his gaze. "Steve, you understand this. There's only one objective: collect all six Stones and reverse the Snap. For that, any price is acceptable—including me. And trust me—with my strength, even if Earth exploded, I'd walk away unharmed."
Steve fell silent. He knew Levi was right—but as a leader, as a comrade, he couldn't accept abandoning anyone.
"We'll minimize contact with the TVA," Tony said, breaking the tension. "FRIDAY will monitor everyone's quantum signatures in real time. If any abnormal temporal fluctuation is detected, you'll get an alert. When that happens—run. As fast as you can. Don't look back."
Natasha stared at the projection—the six time nodes, the six Infinity Stones that could decide the fate of the universe. "When do we leave?"
Tony checked his watch, then glanced at the darkening sky outside. "Twenty-four hours. I need time to fine-tune all the equipment. Banner has to complete final physiological checks to make sure your bodies can handle quantum stress. And we still need to bring Rocket back from deep space—that raccoon's probably thousands of light-years away right now."
Carol pulled out a golden beacon and weighed it in her hand. "I'll get him. At my speed, I can make a round trip in twelve hours."
"Then it's settled." Steve marked the final time on the projection. "Tomorrow, 8 PM. Everyone meets here. Bring everything you need. Check your temporal GPS. Confirm your Pym Particle dosage. This is our only shot—no mistakes."
Levi walked to the window, looking out over the barren training field beyond the base. The setting sun painted the sky a dark crimson—like an omen.
He could feel the black marking in his palm heating up again. The Void energy inside him stirred restlessly, as if anticipating something.
He knew tomorrow wouldn't go smoothly. The TVA wouldn't stand by and watch. The One Who Remains wouldn't allow the Sacred Timeline to be broken.
And the power within him—the fragment of the Anti-Monitor—could spiral out of control at any moment.
But he had no choice.
People began filing out of the meeting room. Tony and Banner returned to the lab to continue calibrations. Rhodey headed to the armory to check War Machine's munitions. Scott went back to his room to rest—he still needed to recover from the aftereffects of time travel.
Thor walked over to Levi and stood beside him in silence for a moment. "Are you really confident you can take the Soul Stone from the Red Skull?"
Levi didn't turn, still gazing out the window. "Red Skull is just a guardian, not the owner. He's been cursed and bound there for over seventy years—he's long lost his combat ability. The real problem is Vormir itself. That planet is essentially a massive sacrificial altar. Its entire law structure exists to sustain that ritual."
"Then how will you break it?"
"By overriding it with stronger laws." Levi raised his right hand. The black marking flickered faintly in his palm. "I have the Law of Death, Reality manipulation, Time control… and this." He pointed at the mark. "Residual Void energy—from the Anti-Monitor's projection. It can erase everything, even laws themselves."
Thor stared at the mark, feeling a chill seep into his bones. "That thing is dangerous."
"I know." Levi clenched his fist, the marking fading back beneath his skin. "But I need it."
Thor said nothing more. He patted Levi on the shoulder and turned to leave.
Natasha was the last to go. She paused at the doorway and looked back at Levi, still standing by the window.
"If something happens to you on Vormir, I'll come," she said calmly. "Not for the mission—for you."
Levi turned to face her. Her gaze was unwavering.
"You don't have to," he said.
"I know," Natasha replied, pushing the door open. "But I will."
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