Because Stephen was his elder, Saiki Kusuo remained silent for half a minute, considering how to speak both politely and subtly. However, after hearing the other man's inner thoughts, he decided he didn't need to give him any face.
So he said, "I don't know, and I don't want to know."
Stephen, seemingly anticipating his attitude, raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I understand how you feel. After all, I used to be..."
"I have no time to listen to your reminiscences about the past, sir," Saiki interrupted unceremoniously. If it weren't for the endless supply of coffee jelly in his hand, he probably would have teleported away already.
He knew Saiki Kusuo was difficult to deal with, but he hadn't expected that his "I've been there" attitude wouldn't resonate with Saiki at all, and instead, would only make him more resistant.
Saiki's rebellious attitude was very much like his own when he was a renowned surgeon – arrogant, impervious to reason, and not yet mature, having not experienced setbacks or the crushing of his beliefs.
"There won't be any so-called setbacks or crushing of beliefs, Mr. Strange. Since you possess the Time Stone and have seen my future, you should know that none of your assumptions will come to pass."
Although Saiki didn't readily reveal his superpowers to others, and even occasionally resented them, he was actually quite confident in his all-powerful abilities.
Therefore, he didn't need to be led by anyone. Even if Stephen had seemingly seen something bad in the future, Saiki would use his abilities to prevent any crisis before it happened. He would always protect his family and friends.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Not forgetting that Banner was still waiting for his message in the lab, Saiki, with a look of regret, put down the coffee jelly and prepared to leave.
Stephen quickly called out to him, attempting to persuade him with more reasons: "I know you're powerful, but you're still human. You'll experience birth, aging, sickness, and death." Just like his master, the Ancient One, the supreme Sorcerer, would eventually tire of the mortal world and choose to die.
"If such an accident occurs, will your family or your friends still be protected?"
This guy seemed to know something, but unfortunately, he couldn't solve it for Saiki. Moreover, cooperating with him would require too much. Saiki would rather do it himself, even if it cost him his life.
Saiki's gaze darkened, and he let out a sigh of regret.
"That's none of your concern, sir."
"But you..."
Seeing that Stephen was about to continue his persistence, Saiki, having lost his patience, interrupted him again.
"Mr. Strange, instead of trying to convince me to cooperate with you, you should think about how to improve your earning ability. You can't even support yourself; what bargaining chips do you have? Don't end up failing to fulfill your master's dying wish and starving to death yourself."
These words left Stephen, the poor guy guarding a huge mansion with only $1 left in his pocket, speechless.
"As a side note, if your master knew you were using the abilities she taught you to maintain your own livelihood, she'd probably be turning in her grave."
Saiki's words were utterly ruthless, but if Stephen hadn't been so persistent, he wouldn't have said such disrespectful things to an unfamiliar elder.
Everyone has their own beliefs and things they want to protect, and Stephen's beliefs were too grand. He wanted to protect the entire Earth.
With the Time Stone, he could travel through time and see the future of Earth. He saw the devastated and desolate Earth, filled with despair. But he also saw hope, the one and only savior.
That savior was Saiki Kusuo.
That's why Stephen wanted to convince him to join his side to defend the Earth.
This responsibility was too heavy for Saiki. He wasn't Stephen; he wasn't that noble. Saiki considered himself a very selfish and indifferent person. He just wanted to live an ordinary, peaceful life, and for his family and friends to be happy. As for others, whatever happened to them was none of his business.
Stephen could only watch helplessly as Saiki left. Wong, seeing him clutching his forehead with a headache, tentatively asked, "Didn't you say he cares most about his mother? Should we go talk to his mother about the seriousness of this matter?"
"Absolutely not," Stephen rejected the suggestion.
Saiki Kusuo was incredibly stubborn. This was the conclusion Stephen had reached after seeing all the outcomes of his attempts to persuade him, none of which were successful.
In one of them, he contacted Saiki Kusuo's parents and told them about the stakes. Not only did he fail to convince Saiki, but he also angered him. Saiki went back in time and tampered with events, preventing Stephen from meeting the Ancient One, leaving him a useless cripple unable to hold a scalpel for the rest of his life.
Just recalling that half-dead version of himself sent shivers down his spine.
So he knew very well how important Saiki Kurumi was to Saiki Kusuo. She was his untouchable weak point.
When Saiki contacted Banner, the latter was almost frantic.
"Kusuo, where were you? I almost thought Stark and the others had found you and taken you out."
Banner walked over and circled him a few times.
Saiki looked at him with a disdainful expression that said, Are you kidding me? As if to say, even if the Hulk inside you was taken out, I wouldn't be.
Banner was just worried and lost his composure. Seeing that he was fine, he immediately asked about the gem.
"By the way, what about the Mind Stone?"
Saiki initially wanted to say he'd absorbed it, but after thinking about it, he told Banner that he'd destroyed it. Banner breathed a sigh of relief and was about to return to the base to stop his companions from fighting each other when Saiki stopped him.
"Dr. Banner, I need your help with something."
Banner turned his head in confusion and asked, "What is it?"
Saiki's hand touched him. Under Banner's confused gaze, Banner felt a sense of foreboding.
"I ran into Thor earlier. He was with Loki."
"Wait? Didn't Thor take Loki back to Asgard? Did Loki escape again? Damn it, does that big guy have nothing but Hulk in his head?" Banner looked alarmed, anxious to relay this news to the others.
Saiki shook his head. "It seems they're working together." He paused, seeing Banner frown and look incredulous, and explained, "Temporarily working together. Because when I met them, the two brothers seemed to be fighting their sister."
"What the heck? It's like all gods are a bunch of rebellious psychopaths," Banner couldn't help but comment after hearing the story.
"Although we shouldn't interfere in other people's family affairs, I saw their sister seemingly returning to Asgard, trying to seize power."
He had to admire Hela's strength, to be able to return from the Black Order and Thanos unscathed. Back in Asgard, Hela possessed overwhelming power. Loki and Thor were already beaten to within an inch of their lives.
"Yeah, it's their family business. What does that have to do with me?"
Banner was essentially just like him, only concerned with the present. Right now, all he wanted to do was stop his companions. He had no interest in who inherited the throne of Asgard.
"That's true, but if they die, they won't be able to stop another group of people. I need your help, Dr. Banner."
"What?"
Banner didn't have time to react. The next second, Saiki brought him to Asgard. Hela was massacring the Asgardian civilians who opposed her. To demonstrate her authority, she hung her two defeated brothers in front of the civilians, her crazed weapons pressed against Loki and Thor's necks.
"Those who submit will prosper, those who resist will perish. So, what is your choice?"
These words were directed at the brothers, but also at the civilians. Whatever choice the two revered princes made, Hela's goal of intimidating the civilians would be achieved.
Naturally, the brothers refused to submit. Hela said it was a pity, but without hesitation, she used her weapons to pierce their necks.
Banner arrived just in time. Saiki threw him towards Hela.
The sudden action left Banner no time to react. Hela jumped back a few steps. Banner, falling from the sky, landed in an extremely awkward position. If it weren't for the Hulk inside him strengthening his body, he would probably have been smashed to pieces.
(How pitiful.) Saiki, up in the sky, looked away, unable to bear the sight. (I'll mourn for you.) His gleeful tone lacked any hint of guilt as the instigator.
Banner's sudden appearance froze the atmosphere for a few seconds, followed by a beastly roar. The Hulk, who hadn't appeared in a while, emerged.
He charged towards Hela, his immense strength instantly throwing her off.
While Hela and the Hulk were entangled in battle, Saiki came down and freed Thor and Loki.
"It's you!" Thor exclaimed in surprise.
Knowing what he was about to say, Saiki interrupted, "Now's not the time for reminiscing. You have more important things to do."
Saiki pointed to Hela's pet, Fenris, which was lunging towards them.
"After dealing with this beast and Hela, we have to face even stronger enemies."
Before Thor could ask who the stronger enemies were, Saiki handed him his hammer, Mjolnir, which should have been crushed.
He didn't know whether he should be more surprised that Saiki could lift Mjolnir or that Mjolnir, which had been crushed, was restored to its original state.
In any case, as Fenris pounced, Thor jumped up and gave the massive, ferocious beast a hammer to the head.
With a "boom," the massive impact forced Fenris's legs to buckle, and it fell to its knees, its limbs sinking into the shattered ground.
Fenris shook its body, struggled free, and quickly lunged at Thor again.
While observing the battle, Saiki grabbed Loki, who was trying to escape during the chaos.
"You better let me go, or I'll make you regret it!"
Although Loki, his memory altered, didn't remember Saiki, he remembered Banner and the Hulk, he remembered being pinned to the ground by the Avengers, and Thor learning his inner thoughts. Saiki was clearly Banner's ally, so the vengeful Loki naturally included him in his grudge.
Unfortunately, his threat was meaningless to Saiki, or rather, it further solidified Saiki's resolve to make things difficult for him.
So, he threw Loki towards Fenris.
"As a younger brother, don't run away while your brother is fighting!"