Unexpectedly, the conversation circled back to Iron Man.
Strange's implications were clear. In every vision he had seen, Tony Stark was a pivotal figure—indispensable to the outcome of the coming battles. His words carried an unspoken truth: Thanos' death would not be the end.
Even without Thanos, the universe still faced threats like Dormammu. Thor couldn't suppress a chuckle at the thought. Eventually, I'll have to deal with Dormammu anyway. He was one of the culprits behind Ragnarök, even if his plans failed.
Thor smirked, breaking the silence. "Looks like I'll be taking your biggest adversary. Dormammu's a perfect match for you, though."
Strange shrugged, his expression neutral. "Who knows? By the time it's all over, you might end up doing all my work for me."
Thor laughed, his mood lightening. "So, after I clean up Kamar-Taj's mess, you owe me something."
"The magic of unlimited refills for your ale?"
"Deal!"
In the heart of the Stark Tower laboratory, Tony Stark sat hunched over a keyboard, engrossed in his work. Freshly returned from Wakanda, his injuries had healed remarkably, thanks to their advanced technology.
On a nearby table lay a lifeless, headless body—Vision's remains. Tony was attempting to piece together fragments of J.A.R.V.I.S' original code, his goal clear: to resurrect Vision.
"Friday, run another check on the target equation," Tony commanded.
"Eighty-five percent similarity to J.A.R.V.I.S," the AI replied.
Tony exhaled heavily, frustration etched on his face. Despite his best efforts, perfection eluded him. Creating an artificial intelligence like J.A.R.V.I.S was one thing; breathing life back into Vision was another.
"Still not enough," he muttered, leaning back against the sofa.
"You can't do this," came a voice from nowhere.
Tony barely flinched, glancing lazily at Thor, who had materialized in his lab. "I know it's complicated, but there's always hope."
"No," Thor said bluntly, stepping closer. "You have no hope."
Tony narrowed his eyes, sitting up. "You've got a way with words, don't you?"
Thor ignored the jab. "Imagine Pepper dies, and you take a blood sample, clone her, and recreate someone identical. Could you treat the clone as your Pepper Potts?"
Tony glared. "That's a terrible analogy, and no, it wouldn't be the same."
"Exactly," Thor replied, crossing his arms. "What you're doing now is no different. Even if you recreate J.A.R.V.I.S perfectly and upload it into Vision's vibranium body, it won't be him. At best, you'll have his twin brother."
The room fell silent. Tony's defiance softened as Thor's words sank in. "You think I don't know that?" he said quietly. "But what else can I do? Vision meant something—he means something."
Thor's gaze softened slightly. "There's another way," he said. "The Time Stone can reverse the flow of time. Just like when Strange faced Dormammu and died millions of times, only to reset everything."
Tony's eyes widened in realization. "Are you saying we can use the Time Stone to bring Vision back?"
"Absolutely," Thor said confidently. He wasn't bluffing; after all, Thanos had done something similar in the original timeline.
Tony's lips curved into a hopeful smile. "Then we just need to get that gem back. Thanks, Sparkles."
Thor snorted, hiding his grin. If Strange hadn't insisted on Tony's importance in the future, Thor wouldn't have bothered to lift his spirits.
Asgard was in the midst of rebirth. Under Thor's leadership, the realm had avoided its legendary fate of destruction. The Asgardians rallied behind their rookie king, their unity and morale reaching unprecedented heights.
News of Thor's battle with Thanos spread quickly. The Avengers, bolstered by the victory, found their shaken confidence restored. Across the galaxy, factions that once cowered in fear of Thanos began whispering of revenge. For the first time, they saw a glimmer of hope.
The Kree, however, were far from optimistic. They had hoped Thanos would eliminate Captain Marvel, but now it seemed unlikely he would even survive his next encounter. Carol Danvers was a one-woman army, capable of dismantling fleets single-handedly. Her former commander, Yon-Rogg, felt an ominous sense of finality—this time, their reckoning seemed unavoidable.
Thanos, meanwhile, stood at the precipice. His injuries and losses had pushed him to the edge. The Avengers, Asgard, and his countless enemies across the galaxy were aligning against him. If he delayed, his enemies would unite, and his chances would dwindle to nothing.
The Mad Titan stared at his newly installed robotic arm, flexing the mechanical fingers. His gaze shifted to Sanctuary II, still under repair, its massive hull a symbol of his crumbling power.
He could wait no longer.
"Prepare the fleet," Thanos commanded, his voice resolute. "We launch a full-scale invasion of Earth. Destroy the Sanctums and let Dormammu came."