Chapter 323: What Button? Ribbit~!
The moment Gravik spoke those words, the faces of the representatives in the United Nations conference room collectively changed.
The smiles on the faces of the audience members, who had been cheering wildly at the live stream just a second ago, also instantly froze.
Thirteen nuclear bombs.
And all of them had been placed in the capitals of prominent nations!
Once these nuclear bombs were detonated, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Not only would there be hundreds of millions of civilian casualties, but it would also cause immense damage to those countries!
"He's lying, right? Please, someone, anyone, tell me he's lying!"
"It's over, it's really over..."
"How can we break this situation!"
"How else can it be broken? The remote is in his hand. No matter how powerful The Arbiter is, can his speed really be faster than someone pressing a finger?"
A gloom hung over the internet, and in reality, the citizens of those thirteen capitals were going absolutely crazy!
Although everyone knew that if a nuclear bomb exploded, there would be nowhere to run, they still instinctively began to riot; several stampedes had already occurred even before the bombs were detonated.
On the battlefield of Chernobyl, the Superheroes who had been hunting down Skrulls soldiers also stopped their movements at this moment.
The various heroes looked at each other, and they could all read the same meaning in each other's eyes:
This move was too dirty!
And there was absolutely no solution!
Just as everyone was stunned and at a loss because of Gravik's words, Peter's voice rang out once more:
"So... what do you plan to do?"
"I admit that letting you detonate the nuclear bombs is not a wise choice, but I don't think you want all of your Skrullsto be completely wiped out because of this either."
Hearing this, Gravik once again let out a fit of maniacal laughter:
"What do I want to do?"
"I want you to kneel down immediately on the global live stream, kowtow three times to me, and then arrange a spaceship to send me and my subordinates away from Earth!"
"If you dare to play any tricks during this process..."
As he spoke, his thumb pressed down another half-millimeter.
"I'll make hundreds of millions of Earthlings be buried with me!"
The battlefield went silent.
All combat had ceased. Gwen, Tony, Sif, Wanda... everyone's gaze was focused on Peter.
The global audience didn't even dare to breathe.
The bullet comments instantly went silent!
Everyone was cursing Gravik's despicableness and shamelessness in their hearts, yet not a single person dared to say, "Don't agree to it!"
Those were hundreds of millions of lives!
This number was too heavy; no one could bear such a responsibility!
Seeing that The Arbiter remained silent and made no move, Gravik realized that he had finally won this time!
Color gradually returned to his pale face, and his voice regained its former arrogance:
"The Arbiter, my patience has its limits!"
"I'll give you a final 30 seconds. When the countdown ends, I'll make the civilians of those cities be buried with me!"
"30"
"29"
"28"
Gravik's countdown echoed around the globe like a death knell from the Shinigami.
Audiences outside of those thirteen cities watching the live stream all held their breath.
Meanwhile, the audiences within those thirteen cities were the first to break down, their cries and screams echoing throughout their respective cities.
Their messages flashed frantically across the bullet comments:
"I'm begging you, Lord Arbiter, please kneel... I'm begging you..."
"Kneeling once won't hurt! As long as I can survive, I will see you as my idol for the rest of my life!"
"Is the person above naive? Do you really think that after The Arbiter kneels, that alien will let us go?"
"Your city doesn't have a nuclear bomb buried in it, so of course it's easy for you to talk!"
"20"
"19"
"18"
Gravik's countdown continued.
At this moment, he had regained his usual high-and-mighty posture.
He was thoroughly enjoying this process, enjoying the sight of that invincible man being pushed into a corner by him.
Enjoying the feeling of over seven billion people across the globe bowing their heads to him out of fear.
This was the true taste of power.
"12"
"11"
"10"
Seeing that Peter still hadn't made a move, fine beads of cold sweat broke out on Gravik's forehead at some point, and the speed of his countdown became slower and slower.
No way, that madman couldn't really be planning to let hundreds of millions of Earthlings be buried with him, could he?
Isn't this guy known as the guardian of Earth? Could he really be that selfish?
Gravik counted down slowly, his eyes fixed on Peterwithout blinking, waiting for the moment the other man's knees would bend.
Finally, Peter moved.
But it wasn't the kneeling and begging for mercy he had imagined.
This damned Earthling simply chuckled.
It was still that smile he found so incredibly annoying—relaxed and casual, as if he had never taken Gravik's threat to heart:
"I thought you had some incredible trump card."
Peter took his hand off Mantis's shoulder and spoke words that made Gravik's blood boil instantly:
"Is that all?"
Gravik's smile froze on his face, and the veins on his forehead throbbed wildly.
This guy... was he really not taking the bait?
"The Arbiter, are you sure you want to watch those Earthlings be buried with me?" His voice rose a few pitches.
"I'm not joking. As long as I press this but—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a clear female voice suddenly rang out across the battlefield:
"What button?"
The person speaking was none other than Wanda!
Her voice was very light, with a rising intonation that carried a sense of pure curiosity.
Hearing this question, Gravik couldn't help but be stunned, and then... he suddenly felt a chilling sensation.
Because he noticed a detail that made his scalp tingle.
Wanda had changed!
It wasn't some ethereal change in temperament or aura, but a real, visible transformation.
Her pupils had turned from brown to deep crimson, and the clothes on her body gradually shifted into a cape-like style.
And on her forehead, a dark red crown had appeared at some point.
That crown was condensed from Scarlet Chaos Energy, and every edge of it radiated heart-palpitating fluctuations of magic power.
Feeling those heart-palpitating magical fluctuations, Gravik's heart skipped a beat.
What was going on?
Why did this woman suddenly undergo such a change, and what was with her question just now?
Gravik instinctively felt that something was wrong.
Something was very, very wrong!
He subconsciously looked down at his right hand.
In that process, his pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpricks.
Because he suddenly discovered that the remote control in his hand... had vanished!
In its place was a lively, warty Toad.
"Ribbit~"
The moment their eyes met, the Toad even gave a friendly croak at Gravik.
But it was that single croak that caused Gravik's mental state to collapse on the spot...
Chapter 324: The Death of Gravik
"Impossible! This is impossible!"
"Stop fucking kidding me!"
Coming back to his senses, Gravik felt like he was going crazy. He pressed down on the toad with all his might, trying to prove that this was just an illusion created by Wanda and that the toad in his hand was actually still the remote control.
Squish~
Under his forceful pressure, the toad's foul-smelling body burst open, and foul blood mixed with pus splashed onto Gravik's face.
This caused him to slump to the ground in that instant, as if all the bones in his body had been pulled out.
The satellite signal faithfully recorded this scene and broadcast it all over the World.
The bullet chat was silent for two seconds before instantly exploding.
"Hahahahahaha, I really can't take it anymore!"
"I'm dying of laughter! What the hell is a remote control turning into a toad!"
"So the threat of thirteen nuclear bombs was solved just like that?"
"But how exactly was this done? Why did the remote control turn into a toad in an instant?"
"It's probably the work of that girl in red and My LordArbiter!"
"My Lord Arbiter is awesome! Scarlet Witch is awesome!"
Even though this was Wanda's first appearance in front of everyone, her scarlet cloak and the Chaos Crown atop her head led the audience to spontaneously bestow upon her the beautiful name of Scarlet Witch.
Gravik couldn't see the bullet chat, but at this moment, the doubts in his heart were even greater than those of the global audience.
He pointed a trembling finger at Wanda, his voice becoming incredibly shrill due to excessive agitation:
"You, how exactly did you do it? Why did my remote control..."
Wanda didn't answer Gravik.
In fact, even she herself hadn't figured out exactly what had happened.
She had simply followed that man's suggestion, and then felt an unprecedented, terrifying energy pour into her body, instantly detonating the energy originally contained within her that she hadn't even known about.
That terrifying energy even made her feel a strong sense of fear.
Just as everyone on the scene was waiting for an answer, Peter's calm voice rang out:
"Since you've asked so sincerely, I will mercifully tell you."
"To prevent the World from being destroyed, to protect the peace of the World... I just gave her a tiny little boost."
That's right, during those 30 seconds of Gravik's countdown, Peter hadn't been hesitating or struggling; instead, he had put all his time and energy into how to empower Wanda.
...
Half a minute ago.
In the inner World established through Mantis, Wandalooked around at her surroundings in confusion.
Just as she was feeling a strong sense of unease and subconsciously wanted to use the Chaos Magic in her body to break this inner space, Peter's figure appeared behind her.
"Wanda, you've heard the situation outside; now only you can save this World."
"You are... Peter Parker?" Turning around and seeing Peter, Wanda was startled, and then she showed strong hostility: "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. Even I can't stop him from pressing that button without anyone noticing, or make all the nuclear bombs lose their power before he presses it."
Peter looked at Wanda with a sincere expression and spoke.
"But you can. I can clearly feel the immense power contained within you; this power can even directly modify reality."
Others might not know the terrifying potential inside Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, but how could he, a transmigrator, not know?
It could be said that Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, was the most powerful Earthling in the entire Marvel Universe.
The Chaos Magic she wielded might possess the power to directly rewrite rules or even erase reality.
In the cinematic Universe, when her power was only beginning to awaken, it could cover the entire town of Westview, turning it into her own Small World.
In the comics, a heartbroken Scarlet Witch could even make the Mutant genes of the entire Earth disappear completely with just a single sentence!
With such a bug-level, heaven-defying ability, wanting to make a remote control disappear was naturally a piece of cake.
Therefore, Peter was certain that as long as he could help Wanda guide out the Chaos Magic in her heart, he could perfectly resolve this crisis.
"You are the most unique existence on this Earth. Setting me aside, there is perhaps no existence more outstanding than you in this World."
As Peter spoke, he moved closer to Wanda bit by bit.
Wanda looked at Peter, her eyes still full of vigilance.
But considering the situation outside, she ultimately did not choose to resist or attack Peter.
"Are you sure I can really do it?" Wanda, who had lacked love since childhood and had received almost no affirmation during her growth, couldn't help but ask as if possessed.
"It's not that you can do it, but that only you can do it." While speaking, Peter placed his hand on Wanda's shoulder and poured his Celestial Energy into her body without reservation.
In the process, he could clearly feel the Observation Haki in his mind warning him frantically.
It seemed to be reminding him that his current actions might lead to a very terrifying result.
But at the moment, Peter couldn't care about that much.
He still couldn't bear to watch hundreds of millions of lives perish just because of his choice.
And then, everything happened naturally.
Under the boost of Celestial Energy, the Chaos Magic in Wanda's body was fully triggered, even though she hadn't yet experienced the pain of losing a brother or a lover.
She still erupted at this moment with power comparable to the heights she reached in 'WandaVision'.
...
Hearing Peter's casual answer, Gravik froze in place, his body uncontrollably trembling with rage.
"No... I don't accept this ending!"
Gravik's eyes were bloodshot, and his body began to swell violently. The four types of genetic energy fused within him were simultaneously pushed to their limits. Rock-like scales covered his entire body, and Extremis caused his surface temperature to soar to over a thousand degrees.
He was going to stake everything on one throw.
He was going to perish together with this man.
Even if he couldn't win, he would take someone down with him!
He rushed toward Peter's direction regardless of everything, the ground beneath his feet instantly scorched into glass by the terrifying temperature of his body.
Even though Gwen and the others had received Peter's Celestial Energy boost, they couldn't help but be forced back step by step by this terrifying momentum.
But even so, he only managed to run barely three steps.
Because after he had run three steps, Wanda reacted and raised her hand.
She just simply raised her hand.
The scarlet Chaos Magic didn't turn into an Impact, didn't turn into a light beam, and didn't have any visually flashy effects.
Yet it caused Gravik's body to hover strangely in mid-air.
Then, he began to deform.
He wasn't being compressed, nor was he being torn apart.
Instead, every cell in his body was being redefined in its way of existence by Wanda's Chaos Magic at the same time.
Muscle fibers disintegrated, bones liquefied, and blood evaporated.
The entire process took less than a second!
Gravik didn't even have time to let out a scream before he turned into a puddle of something whose original shape could no longer be seen, hitting the ground with a splat.
He died silently.
Chapter 325: The End of War and a New Crisis
Watching Gravik's corpse fall to the ground, the battlefield instantly fell into a dead silence.
Not just the battlefield; the whole World seemed to have a silence spell cast upon it, remaining still for three full seconds.
After three seconds, dense bullet comments flooded the live stream.
"Dead... dead? Just like that?"
"Holy crap, that was way too fast! I thought that big boss was something special, and now he's gone?"
"Suddenly feeling a bit bad for that green-skinned monster... he put in all that effort with those plans, only to be kicked to death like a stray dog by the lady in red."
"No, wait, who exactly is this Scarlet Witch lady? Isn't her power a bit too ridiculous?"
"Yeah, forget other Superheroes, I even doubt if even The Arbiter could withstand such bizarre magic attacks."
On the Chernobyl battlefield, the remaining 800+ Super Skrull Soldiers saw Gravik's miserable state, and their last bit of morale collapsed completely.
Some desperate ones wanted to make a final stand, but when they met Wanda's crimson eyes, all their courage was drained in an instant.
That woman dealt with their general easier than crushing an ant.
Behind her stood The Arbiter, who hadn't even lifted a finger from start to finish.
A desperate struggle? To break what?
These small fry couldn't break the net even if they were pounded into fishballs!
At that thought, a young Skrull soldier's knees went weak, and he fell to the ground uncontrollably.
Then a second followed, a third, a tenth, a hundredth.
In the blink of an eye, all the Super Skrull Soldiers still standing were kneeling on the ground.
This scene caught Tony and the others off guard.
"Hey, Arbiter, how should we handle this?" Harry couldn't help but turn back and ask Peter.
"They've all surrendered. It might not be appropriate to execute prisoners of war while broadcasting live to the global audience, right?"
Gwen also couldn't help but speak up.
"Yes, Arbiter... sir. Although they are aliens, since they've given up resistance, we shouldn't continue to kill them. It goes against humanitarian spirit."
Facing Gwen and Harry's suggestion, Sif and Daisy held the opposite view.
"These aliens invaded Earth first. Even if we kill them all, it's just self-defense."
"Yeah, there's an old Chinese saying: 'Those who are not of our kin are sure to have a different heart.' If even one of these guys gets loose, they could pose an irreparable threat to our ordinary people."
Hearing the conflicting attitudes, Peter felt a bit of a headache.
He naturally believed in the same philosophy as Daisy, but his own lady was a typical Pacifist.
Was it really necessary to create conflict in his relationship with Gwen over these worthless trash fish?
Just as Peter was struggling with the decision, a commotion came from the edge of the battlefield.
It was a group of thin Skrulls!
But unlike the super soldiers on the battlefield, these people hadn't undergone gene fusion experiments; they were thin and dressed in rags.
Currently, their hands were tied behind their backs, strung together with ropes, and they were being dragged along like livestock.
Leading them was a short Skrull elder.
It was Talos, whom Peter had met once before.
Beside Talos were Captain America, Hawkeye, The Prowler, and Banner, who had been captured by Gravikand his men.
When they reached about twenty paces from Peter, Talosdidn't hesitate and immediately knelt before him with a thud.
Following his lead, his clansmen also knelt one by one.
Respectfully touching their foreheads to the ground.
"My Lord Arbiter..." Talos said in a hoarse voice.
"Please allow me to represent all those with a conscience remaining in the Skrull race to apologize to you and all the humans on Earth who were harmed by Talos."
While kowtowing, Talos spoke incessantly about how he was controlled by The Resistance led by Gravik.
How he denounced Gravik but was miserably imprisoned, only able to watch helplessly as Gravik led his people toward destruction.
After playing the pity card, Talos kowtowed heavily again and solemnly stated:
"As the leader of the Skrulls, I am willing to pay with my life to atone for our sins!"
"But please leave a way out for these remaining innocent clansmen."
"I don't expect you to find us a new home according to our previous deal, nor do I expect you to let us stay on Earth."
"I, Talos, swear here that if you are willing to let them go, my people will leave Earth immediately and guarantee never to set foot on Earth again for the rest of our lives!"
Talos's words caused a clear polarization in the global comments.
"A way out? Based on what? Your people almost blew up thirteen cities!"
"That's true, but look at those elderly and children... they are also innocent victims."
"I suggest executing them all. If you don't pull up the weeds by the roots, they will just grow back in the spring!"
"But he said they are willing to leave Earth in self-exile. Besides, the rest of them probably can't cause any trouble anymore, right?"
The comments were in an uproar, but everyone knew the final decision rested with only one person.
Peter looked at Talos, then at the group of Skrull civilians huddling together behind him, and finally fixed his gaze on Mantis.
Mantis understood, stepped forward, and gently placed her hand on Talos's head.
After a few seconds, Mantis withdrew her hand and nodded to Peter.
"He's serious. No deception, no disguise. There is only guilt toward Earth and a longing for his people to survive in his heart."
Hearing this, Peter nodded slightly, then looked at Talosand said:
"Stand up."
Talos looked up, his blood-stained face wearing an expression of disbelief.
"The clansmen beside you can leave Earth alive." Peter's tone was flat, as if he were talking about an insignificant matter.
"I can send you to Xandar. The Nova Corps are my friends; they will be willing to provide you with an area to settle."
Hearing this, Talos couldn't help but excitedly kowtow to Peter again and again.
"Thank you, generous and merciful My Lord Arbiter."
"From now on, the Skrulls will always remember The Arbiter's kindness. If any clansman dares to break the agreement, there's no need for you to act; I, Talos, will handle it personally."
Peter didn't say anything more, just waved his hand, signaling him to take his people and step aside.
Thus, the conflict between the Skrulls and Earthlings that had lasted for months finally came to an end.
The cheers from the comments and all over the Worldflooded in almost simultaneously.
"We won? We actually won?!"
"Long live The Arbiter!!!"
Just as everyone was celebrating the victory of the war, Gwen's Spider-Sense was triggered instantly.
Spider-Sense—Danger!
The moment Gwen reacted, Crimson Energy Chainssilently erupted from the ground, instantly binding the bodies of all the Superheroes on the battlefield.
The moment they saw this, the smiles on the faces of the global audience froze...
Chapter 326: You're Right
The strength of these scarlet magic chains far exceeded everyone's expectations.
A piercing alarm sounded inside Tony's armor, and Jarvis's voice repeated frantically in his ear:
"Sir, the armor's power source has been completely cut off, the weapons systems are offline, and the kinetic systems are non-functional."
"Are you kidding me!" Tony couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.
"Didn't Peter say his Celestial Energy would provide us with a 36-fold boost? Under these circumstances, we're still left completely helpless? What kind of monster is that girl?"
At this moment, Tony wasn't the only one in shock.
All the Superheroes were bound by Wanda's magic chains, and even the strongest among them—Sif, Daisy, and Natasha—were completely powerless against it!
In Stark contrast to the others who were struggling frantically, Mantis remained very quiet throughout.
She could sense the emotions within Wanda through the magic chains.
Fear, madness, hatred... the intense negative emotions caused her, naturally sensitive as she was, to shed tears unconsciously...
Seeing that struggling was futile, everyone turned their gaze toward the instigator of it all—Wanda!
Currently, Wanda was suspended in mid-air, with scarlet Chaos Magic churning around her into a massive vortex.
The dark red Chaos Crown atop her head emitted a luster even more intense than before, and her crimson pupils looked down at everyone entangled in the chains on the ground.
"The accounts with those aliens have been settled."
Wanda's voice drifted down from on high, every word amplified several times by Chaos Magic, echoing across the sky over Chernobyl.
As she spoke, her gaze landed on the only one who had slipped through the net—Peter Parker.
It wasn't that Wanda didn't want to lock him down.
Rather, the moment the chains tried to wrap around Peter's body, the effect of the Horse Talisman automatically activated, instantly burning the magic chains to ashes.
"Next, it's time to settle the score between us."
Seeing this sudden turn of events, the live comments exploded again after a brief, dead silence:
"Wait, wait, wait! What's going on? Isn't this Scarlet Witchlady on our side?"
"No, isn't she a bit too strong? The Superheroes who were cutting through those aliens like vegetables earlier are being hard-CC'd by her alone?"
*Hiss*~ I feel like The Arbiter might have brought a new trouble to Earth!"
"I get all that, but what score does the Scarlet Witch have to settle with The Arbiter? Could it be... My Lord Arbiter abandoned her?"
"What's the situation now? A 'chasing the husband to the crematorium' drama? Or the overbearing Witch's forced love?"
"??? Family, is this right? Hearing you guys say it, I'm not scared at all now; my head is just full of the desire for gossip!"
Peter looked up at Wanda, who was floating in the air.
His expression was calm, but a hint of realization flashed deep in his eyes.
No wonder his Observation Haki had been sounding frantic warnings when he made his decision earlier; it turns out it had already anticipated this scene!
Just as he was feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement at Wanda's sudden outburst, Wanda's gaze moved past Peter and landed on the chain-bound Tony Stark.
Those eyes, which had now turned scarlet, carried too many things:
"Stark."
She spoke the surname softly, causing the level of Chaos Magic in the air to suddenly spike several grades higher.
It gave everyone present an involuntary feeling of heart palpitations.
"The flames of war that Sokovia experienced ten years ago—do you still remember?"
Hearing this question, Tony's body visibly trembled.
"That was my hometown," Wanda's voice began to shake.
"When the Stark Industries bomb fell into our living room, our family of four was sitting together watching TV."
"It was you! You made Pietro and me lose our parents!"
"It was you who left us trapped under the rubble, staring at that missile that could explode at any moment for two whole days and nights!"
As she spoke, she made a grasping motion with her right hand.
A massive screen of Chaos Magic appeared in mid-air.
The images projected onto it were of Sokovia back then; amidst the ruins and broken walls, two children were curled up in a pile of rubble, forced to watch their parents and that missile that could detonate at any time, waiting in despair for the Shinigami that could arrive at any moment!
This scene entered thousands of households through the global broadcast, causing the expressions of countless viewers to shift from shock to silence.
"I really didn't expect the Scarlet Witch to be Sokovian?"
"Stark Industries' weapons business back then really did harm a lot of people..."
"Not just Sokovia, my hometown was also attacked by Stark missiles!"
"But this isn't Iron Man's fault! He didn't start the war!"
The viewers in America were even more anxious, jumping with worry:
"Big sister, wake up! Tony stopped doing the weapons business a long time ago!"
"Exactly, Stark has already transitioned to clean energy! What's the point of bringing this up now!"
"And The Arbiter just saved you, yet you're repaying kindness with ingratitude?"
But Wanda couldn't hear them.
She didn't need to hear them either.
Quicksilver, trapped on the web of wreckage, looked at his sister and opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But the words died in his throat; as her brother, the only thing he could do was always stand on the same side as his sister.
"Today, I will settle this account personally." Wanda raised her hands, the scarlet energy entwined between her fingers lighting up half the sky.
"Tony Stark must die. Whoever stands in my way will die with him, even you, Arbiter!"
Hearing this, Peter didn't get angry, nor did he strike a defensive pose.
He just tilted his head and spoke in a teasing tone:
"I say, Miss Wanda, your power was triggered with my help, after all. Are you going to turn your back on me just like that?"
"Shut up!"
Wanda's voice carried a hint of shame turning into anger:
"Even without you, I could have done all of this!"
"Even if you take back the energy you left in my body, it won't matter. Your bit of energy was nothing more than a key! You cannot restrict me!"
"Oh?" A playful look appeared in Peter's eyes.
He took a step forward, preparing to show this girl just how high the sky is and how thick the Earth is.
But then he heard Tony suddenly speak:
"Wait, Arbiter! I still have something I want to say to her!"
Looking at Wanda before him, and seeing the eyes full of hatred she directed at him.
Tony suddenly thought of someone.
Bucky Barnes.
There is never true empathy in the world.
Tony previously felt that he could never forgive Bucky in this lifetime.
Until today, until fate pushed him into the same position Bucky had once been in.
Until he saw Wanda glaring at him just as he had once glared at Bucky.
Tony suddenly understood.
And so, his faceplate popped open.
Tony used his real face to look calmly at Wanda and said:
"You're right."
Just three words.
But coming from Tony Stark's mouth, they carried more weight than any flowery apology.
They even caused Wanda to take a half-step back uncontrollably.
Chapter 327: Is it Hatred or Venting?
Wanda had imagined many kinds of expressions Tonymight show when she sought her revenge.
Hysterically cursing her as a lunatic, or turning pale while making excuses for his past misdeeds.
Even kneeling humbly on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
But she never imagined that things would develop into the situation before her.
Her mortal enemy, the culprit who had sustained her through ten long years of darkness.
Actually admitted his past mistakes with complete composure.
"I am deeply sorry about what happened in Sokovia."
Tony spoke slowly, voicing his true feelings.
"I have to say, I was a bastard back then. In those years, I only cared about selling weapons, never thinking about whose hands they would end up in or what targets they would be aimed at."
"It wasn't until last year when I was hit by a missile I manufactured myself, until those shrapnel almost took my life, until I was imprisoned by Terrorists in Afghanistan and forced to build a new type of missile..."
"That I truly realized how grave a mistake I had made."
At this point, he paused, and the look in his eyes as he watched Wanda became incredibly sincere:
"I'm not saying this to play the victim or to win your sympathy."
"I'm well aware that your parents are dead, and no matter what I do, they won't come back to life."
"I'm saying this only to repent, just to offer a long-overdue apology to you, and to the many families around the Worldwho have had similar experiences and were persecuted by missiles once manufactured by Stark Industries."
As soon as these words were spoken, a large number of bullet comments immediately drifted across the screen.
"I really didn't expect that Iron Man would actually have... a day where he apologizes?"
"No excuses, no shifting of responsibility. Iron Man is a real man; I'm admiring him more and more."
"I had the same experience as Miss Scarlet Witch, but I've decided to forgive Mr. Tony. After all, compared to the slaughter he unintentionally committed using his company's missiles..."
"What he is doing now has long since repaid the debts he owed in the past."
After the apology, Tony spoke solemnly again:
"I know that what is happening now is being watched by many people in many countries around the World. Therefore, I am willing to announce here,"
"I, Tony Stark, am willing to pay for the mistakes I made back then. I am willing to provide reasonable economic compensation to all those who were displaced and suffered because of our company's arms."
"That includes you as well!"
Speaking of this, he looked at Wanda and Pietro and said:
"I can use everything left of Stark Industries to make it up to you and your brother."
"But I will not choose to apologize with my life to you siblings here today."
"It's not because I'm afraid of death, but because my sins have not yet been fully atoned for!"
"I must live on. I must do my best to use my mind to protect this Planet from foreign invasion and to push the technology of this Planet further, so that more people can live better lives."
"I believe this way of atonement is far more meaningful than me simply dying here today!"
The entire battlefield fell silent for several seconds because of Tony's words.
Wanda hovered in the air, a flicker of extremely complex emotion passing through her crimson pupils.
Even the vortex of Chaos Magic behind her experienced a brief disturbance, and the chains wrapped around the Superheroes showed signs of shattering.
But in the next second, the red light in Wanda's eyes grew even more intense, and those chains suddenly tightened, strangling everyone present until they could hardly breathe:
"Don't you dare try to deceive me! These are just the words of someone trying to save their own skin!"
Seeing Tony almost being strangled to death by the tightening chains, the bullet comments couldn't help but start flooding the screen again:
"No! I think Mr. Iron Man is already very sincere. Why won't Miss Scarlet Witch just let him go!"
"Sister! I beg you, let Iron Man go! I'm really on my knees here!"
"Tony is right! Letting him live to benefit more people is the best atonement!"
"Exactly, it would be such a shame for Mr. Iron Man to die here!"
"Where is The Arbiter? Quick, use your invincible brain and equally invincible strength to find a way!"
But facing the urging of the bullet comments, Peterremained a cold bystander.
He did nothing, merely watching as Wanda continued to tighten the iron chains around Tony.
Tony's face began to turn purple, his eyeballs bulged, and his tongue even stuck out involuntarily.
But at that moment, the scarlet chains abruptly loosened a bit.
Giving Tony a chance to breathe again.
Seeing this, Wanda was struck as if by lightning. She looked at her hands in disbelief, seemingly unable to understand why the Chaos Magic in her body would not follow her will.
"Have you finally realized it?"
At that moment, Peter finally spoke, his voice carrying an unprecedented lightness:
"Is your desire to kill Tony now due to hatred, an obsession in your heart, or... is what you've wanted all along not actually revenge, but a channel to vent?"
As he spoke, he appeared beside Tony in a flash. With a tap of his finger on the chain, the chain that was trying to tighten again instantly shattered.
Seeing this, Wanda was furious, and an ear-piercing scream escaped her lips:
"You're looking for death!"
Powerful Chaos Magic struck out at Peter, but Peterremained unperturbed. With a simple point of his finger, he used the Celestial Energy within him to neutralize the powerful magical impact:
"I understand what you mean. In that case, let it all out."
"However you want to fight, I'll accompany you."
He pointed to the Superheroes tied up by the chains: "But they are innocent; let them go first. This condition is acceptable, isn't it?"
Wanda was silent for two seconds, then nodded.
The chains loosened, but not all of them—she kept Pietro.
Quicksilver, who had been trapped by the spider webs, finally broke free. He stumbled to his feet and ran to Wanda's side.
Peter glanced at Quicksilver's frame, which looked like it could be swatted away at any moment, and raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure you want him to stay here?"
Wanda frowned: "He's my brother."
"Right, so I'm reminding you—the aftershocks of our fight could turn your brother into mincemeat. If you don't care, then suit yourself."
Quicksilver's face instantly turned pale.
Although he wasn't quite sure how strong this guy named Peter was, he had clearly seen the scene where Wandaturned Gravik into a puddle of mush. If these two monsters started fighting... a glass cannon like him who relied on speed really wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Wanda, he has a point." Quicksilver was unusually sensible for once. "I might hold you back if I stay."
Wanda bit her lip and finally released the chains holding Quicksilver.
"I'm staying."
A voice came from the side.
Gwen stepped forward, golden energy floating around her as the defensive shield of the Santen Kesshunautomatically deployed.
Peter turned to look at her.
"The Santen Kesshun can block the combat aftershocks. And—" Gwen looked into Peter's eyes, saying nothing high-minded, but simply adding plainly, "I just want to stay."
Chapter 328: Ancient One and Odin Alarmed
Hearing Gwen's words, before Peter could even react, Felicia, Natasha, Sif, Daisy, and Mantis were the first to get anxious.
Seeing their expressions, Peter quickly said:
"It's enough to have Gwen stay here to take care of Tonyand Mr. Pietro. You guys head to a safe place first and wait for my good news."
"Or rather... do you think I'll lose to her?"
Hearing this, Felicia and the other four looked at each other and ultimately chose to leave obediently.
Before long, everyone else present evacuated to a safe area dozens of kilometers away on the quinjet.
On the vast battlefield, only five people remained.
Gwen deployed the Three Heavens' Shield to protect Tonyand Pietro behind her, while Peter faced off against Wanda, who was also floating in mid-air.
This scene caused the bullet chat on the internet to start scrolling frantically again.
"Can The Arbiter win? If he loses, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"Yeah, if The Arbiter goes down, Iron Man won't survive either, and Ghost-Spider might just die for love on the spot. Who will be left to protect Earth after that?"
"Damn it, The Arbiter must win!"
While the bullet chat was still intensely speculating, Wanda had already made the first move.
Wanda attacked.
Without any warning, and without any fancy charging-up movements.
She simply pushed her hands forward, and the entire land of Chernobyl emitted a tooth-aching wail at that moment.
Crimson magic gushed out from her palms, but it wasn't a simple beam or an Impact—it was a tide!
A terrifying wave formed entirely of pure Chaos Magic, carrying a horrifying power capable of twisting the very essence of matter, surged toward Peter in layer upon layer.
Wherever the tide passed, it even caused crimson and eerie Manjushage flowers to bloom on the land of Chernobyl, which had been barren since the nuclear leak.
Wanda Maximoff, the most gifted magical prodigy on Earth, was now unleashing her talent with abandon.
With just a wave of her hand, she was almost showing the World the true face of Hell.
"What the hell is this? Is this still a power humans can possess?"
"It's over, it's over! Run, My Lord Arbiter!"
"Is this the legendary 'ten times stronger after turning dark'? I feel like if this girl had this skill just now, forget two thousand aliens, even twenty thousand wouldn't be enough to fill the gaps between her teeth, right?"
Under the gaze of a global audience so nervous they were almost suffocating, Peter gently cracked his neck.
This simple action was enough to make the heavens and Earth change color.
Conqueror's Haki, the manifestation of pure will, a power only possessed by natural-born kings at the top of the food chain, was released without reservation at this moment.
The two forces collided head-on in mid-air.
At the moment of Impact, there was no sound of explosion, nor any shockwave, but everyone could feel the terror.
Because... at the moment these two energies collided, the sky split open in a bizarre fashion.
The dark clouds that hung over Chernobyl year-round were torn apart rapidly to both sides, centered on Peterand Wanda, as if sliced by an invisible giant sword.
The rift grew larger and larger until it extended to the end of the horizon as far as the eye could see.
One half was the sky dyed crimson by Chaos Magic.
The other half was the even thicker dark clouds drawn in by the Conqueror's Haki.
The moment the two forces collided, black and red lightning bloomed visibly even in the air.
And all of this was only the beginning!
Further away, birds throughout half of Russia were startled from the forests, fleeing in a sky-covering mass away from Chernobyl.
Herds of wild deer, wolf packs, and even hibernating brown bears crawled out of their caves, fleeing for their lives toward the distance with trembling limbs.
In the Moscow Zoo, all the animals were frantically slamming against their cages, refusing to stop even when their heads were bloodied.
Inside the London Sanctum, a bald woman floating cross-legged in mid-air emerged from her meditation, her pale face filled with solemnity.
It was the Sorcerer Supreme—Ancient One!
She opened her eyes and subconsciously looked at the sacred relic hanging around her neck, passed down through generations of Sorcerers Supreme—the Eye of Agamotto.
At this moment, this ancient magical artifact carrying the Time Stone was vibrating violently, the emerald gemstone inside emitting an uneasy light, like a startled heart beating wildly.
"Everything has been changed. The Day of Awakening shouldn't have arrived so soon."
As she spoke, Ancient One's body began to twitch involuntarily, as if all her movements had been put on fast-forward hundreds or thousands of times.
That was her using the power of the Eye of Agamotto to foresee the future.
After an unknown amount of time, she stopped twitching, a weak smile appearing on her face.
The smile held a sense of relief, as if she realized that a burden she had carried for a long time could finally be set down.
"Thirty-seven million simulations, and not a single successful outcome?"
She smiled weakly and couldn't help but mutter to herself:
"Peter Parker, I hope you won't let me down."
Just then, the door to the dark room was pushed open, and two burly men, one black and one Asian, burst in with serious expressions.
They were Wong, the librarian of the mystical library, and Mordo, Ancient One's eldest disciple.
"Master Ancient One, we sensed Chaos Magic, and this time the magic is purer than ever before."
Mordo's brow twitched wildly as he couldn't help but tentatively ask:
"Could it be..."
"That's right, the Scarlet Witch," Ancient One calmly stated the answer.
"The vessel blessed by Chthon in the Vishanti prophecy, born with the authority to rewrite the rules of reality."
Wong swallowed hard. "Then what should we do now?"
"Let's first see if that young man can handle this matter." Ancient One tapped the tea in her cup with her finger and then flicked it.
The splashing tea formed a water mirror in mid-air, showing the real-time images of the Chernobyl battlefield.
She stared at the figure standing firm against the chaos tide on the screen, the smile in her eyes deepening slightly:
"If he can suppress the rampage of Chaos Magic... then everything is fine."
"And if he can't?" Mordo pressed.
Ancient One's smile faded.
"If he can't, then I must personally seal her before the Darkhold fully awakens."
Meanwhile, in Asgard, countless light-years away from Earth.
Inside the magnificent palace hall, a one-eyed old man sat weakly on the throne.
Odin.
King of the Nine Realms, Father of All Gods.
At this moment, his face was sallow, his breathing long and heavy, and his entire being radiated a fatigue of one nearing the end of his life.
The time for the Odin Sleep was drawing closer and closer. It had clearly not been long since the last Odin Sleep, yet he was about to fall into a deep slumber once again.
A moment before his consciousness sank into deep sleep, his remaining eye suddenly snapped wide open!
The pressure released in that instant even caused a violent tremor throughout all of Asgard.
Chapter 329: Prophecy and End
Frigga, the Queen of Heaven, who was organizing potions by the throne, was startled by the sudden divine might released by Odin, and the potion in her hand slipped and shattered on the ground.
She instinctively turned to look at her husband.
She found that her husband's face bore a solemn expression that hadn't appeared for over a thousand years.
In the thousands of years she had been with Odin, the number of times he had shown such an expression could be counted on one hand.
The last time she saw this expression was because the daughter, who was not hers, chose to completely break away from Odin.
"What's wrong?" Frigga couldn't help but lean closer to Odin.
Odin didn't answer immediately; he just reached out and tightly grasped Frigga's hand.
That hand was trembling slightly.
Frigga's heart suddenly tightened; there weren't many things in the Nine Realms that could make the All-Fathertremble.
"Listen, dear." Odin gripped Frigga's hand tightly, his voice low and slow, every word sounding as if it took great effort to squeeze out of his throat,
"During the time I fall into the Odin Sleep, no matter what happens, even if Earth is destroyed because of it..."
He paused, his one eye staring intently at Frigga.
"You must, must, must not let Thor go to Earth."
For the All-Father to say 'must' three times, the gravity of the situation was clear.
Frigga was stunned.
"Why? What on Earth happened on Earth?"
Odin opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but he could feel the power of the Odin Sleep irresistibly dragging his consciousness into the abyss.
He only had time to say one last sentence:
"That distant prophecy... has finally come."
"Once Thor leaves Asgard, he will leave us forever..."
After saying the last word, Odin's hand slipped from Frigga's palm, and he completely fell into the Odin Sleep.
Frigga stood there, her heart surging with unprecedented terror:
"Heimdall!"
For the first time, the Queen of Heaven lost all her grace and dignity, screaming Heimdall's name hoarsely.
"Your Majesty, please give your orders."
"Close the Bifrost Bridge starting today. Without my permission, no one is allowed to leave Asgard, especially Thor!"
...
Chernobyl.
After the initial clash of auras, Wanda finally launched her first attack.
She didn't hesitate at all, immediately aiming her Chaos Magic directly at Peter.
She wanted to redefine Peter's material composition directly from the molecular level by altering reality—just as she had done to Gravik before.
But the moment the Chaos Magic touched Peter's body, a hazy white light emerged from his skin—it was the Horse Talisman taking effect.
Old Horse: Don't you dare hurt my master!
White and red light clashed violently on the surface of Peter's body.
Every time Chaos Magic tried to rewrite Peter's body structure, the Horse Talisman would immediately correct it.
Rewrite, correct, rewrite, correct.
This process repeated tens of thousands of times in a fraction of a second.
After tens of thousands of clashes, Wanda finally came to a conclusion—her reality-altering ability was completely ineffective against Peter.
"Impossible!"
Wanda's voice was tinged with obvious anxiety.
She increased her output, and the crimson vortex behind her expanded rapidly, from ten meters to fifty, then a hundred.
The terrifying magic put so much pressure on the Santen Kesshun that it began to creak.
Gwen's hands trembled, and she had to borrow the power of one more Kotodama to upgrade the Santen Kesshun in front of her into the Shiten Koshun.
Only then did she completely withstand the terrifying magical impact.
Realizing that directly erasing Peter was a pipe dream, Wanda decisively gave up the idea of attacking him directly.
She raised her hand, and the ground rumbled at that moment.
"OMG!"
"Oh my God!"
"What the hell!"
The global audience was collectively dumbfounded at this moment.
Because, using Chaos Magic, Wanda actually lifted all the buildings in Chernobyl—including the secret Base the Skrulls had built underground for decades—into the air.
Under the influence of Chaos Magic, these tens of thousands of tons of building debris condensed into various pointed geometric shapes in the blink of an eye.
They all came crashing down towards Peter!
The sense of oppression brought by this scene was no less than that of a falling meteorite.
Facing these incredibly dense blocks of metal, Petercouldn't help but show a troubled expression.
Don't get it wrong!
He wasn't troubled about how to dodge.
Rather... which element would be better to use?
The Wood Release he used so smoothly on Planet Ego? Or the Lightning Release and Fire Release he hadn't used in a while?
After a brief hesitation, Peter made his choice.
"Henshin!"
His right hand brushed over the witch rider driver at his waist.
[Flame, Please!]
At the same time, the Omnitrix on his hand spun wildly.
Human Torch form + Celestial Energy, and...
"Fire Wash!!!"
Accompanied by a shout full of maniacal energy, golden flames suddenly erupted, quickly covering Peter's entire body.
Although he didn't borrow the Dragon Power to transform into the Ultimate Fire Dragon this time, the boost from Celestial Energy was even higher than that of the dragon's power.
Maybe it could be named... Zhurong Mode?!
With that thought, Peter gave a light chuckle, then his figure flashed, and he instantly appeared in front of the nearest metal geometric body.
And then...
Boom!
The moment his fist made contact with the geometric body that was completely disproportionate to his size, the golden flames wrapped around it like maggots on a bone.
In the blink of an eye, fine cracks appeared on the seemingly solid metal geometric body.
With a crisp sound, the overburdened geometric body instantly shattered.
During this process, Peter's figure had already flashed to the next geometric body.
His figure flashed repeatedly, and in the blink of an eye, those geometric bodies were blown up one by one by him.
The violent golden flames frantically burned the metal fragments, causing a rare rain of molten iron sparks to fall from the sky, like a traditional iron flower show.
The red-hot molten iron fell in showers, turning the ground of Chernobyl into a solid sheet of metal.
Such a shocking scene left not only the audience in front of the screens but even Wanda staring in a daze.
"You have power enough to terrify anyone but me, but your combat instincts are completely subpar!"
With a light voice, Peter approached Wanda, enveloped in a searing heatwave.
In her panic, Wanda tried to create walls out of thin air in front of Peter, but before they could even form, they were incinerated one by one by the golden flames on Peter's body.
"Don't come any closer!"
Wanda screamed and tried to make a final counterattack, but it was too late after all.
Before she could form a counterattack, Peter had already extended his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together, precisely tapping her smooth forehead...
Chapter 330: Ancient One is Moved to the Point of Bursting
"Have you caused enough trouble?"
"If you've had enough, it's time to take a rest."
The moment the words fell, the magic of the Tiger Talisman and the Horse Talisman acted upon Peter and Wanda's bodies respectively.
The Horse Talisman forcibly decomposed the Chaos Magicthat was trying to resist desperately, preventing this violent magic from causing any harm to Peter, its host.
Meanwhile, the Tiger Talisman reached straight into the depths of Wanda's soul.
The balanced power of the Tiger did not forcibly wipe out the emotions within Wanda.
Instead, it used a highly soothing energy to gradually guide out the kindness in Wanda's heart.
It amplified it to a level equal to the desires for destruction, revenge, and slaughter in Wanda's heart.
Under the influence of the Tiger Talisman, the Chaos Magic overflowing from Wanda's body gradually withdrew back inside her.
Wanda's pupils also shifted from crimson back to their usual deep brown.
The Chaos Crown atop her head vanished without anyone noticing.
Feeling the changes within her body, the frantic whispers that had echoed in her ears since childhood completely disappeared.
Wanda gave Peter a slightly grateful look; her lips moved, clearly wanting to say something.
But before she could speak, her body could no longer hold out.
Her eyelids gradually closed, and her body fell from mid-air.
Peter dispelled the flames on his body and reached out to catch her steadily.
Wanda leaned into his arms and fell into a deep sleep.
The torn sky above the battlefield was slowly healing, the two firmaments merging back into one. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the clouds, bringing a rare touch of warmth to the ruins below.
Peter landed quietly while carrying Wanda in a bridal carry.
Gwen also retracted her Shun Shun Rikka during this process.
She walked to Peter's side and looked down at the sleeping Wanda in his arms.
"She's actually quite pretty."
Gwen suddenly said something that seemed completely unrelated to the current atmosphere.
But Peter, who shared a soul connection with her, understood, and his expression became somewhat awkward:
"Isn't your focus a bit strange?"
"Is it my focus that's strange?" Gwen looked at Peterplayfully, then tilted her head toward Pietro and said:
"Hey, aren't you her brother? Are you just going to watch your sister sleep in someone else's arms?"
Pietro, whose personality clearly had a mischievous streak, mumbled something, but since they were still on "opposing sides," he didn't say anything too weird.
He simply took his sister gently and then looked at Peterexpectantly.
"Don't worry, she won't die. She just suffered a backlash from the Chaos Magic in her body, combined with extreme emotional swings, so she couldn't handle it for a moment.
She should be fine after sleeping for a dozen hours or so."
After explaining Wanda's current condition, Petercontinued:
"I know a bit about your situation. I think you two realize that HYDRA isn't exactly a clean place."
"Those Nazi remnants have been around for so many years and still haven't given up on trying to rule the World. I'm definitely going to take them down next."
"So... considering you're both talented, would you like to join the Avengers?"
"Of course, if you don't want to work with this guy, you can also choose to join the Thunderbolts or the Eye of Twilight."
Pietro didn't make a decision immediately; he just bowed to Peter with some effort and said he needed to think about it.
Peter didn't bother saying more, only leaving a phone number for Pietro and telling him to contact Hill whenever he made up his mind.
While the group was talking, the bullet chat was also filled with cheers.
"We won! The Arbiter won!"
"Unscathed from beginning to end! This is just too exaggerated!"
"Oh my god, I still can't believe what I've witnessed. Alien invasion, nuclear crisis, Scarlet Witch going berserk, The Arbiter sweeping through... movies aren't even this satisfying."
"The most ridiculous part was The Arbiter's final finger poke! What happened to the promised epic battle? He took her down with just one finger?"
"Coolness aside, did you guys notice his interaction with Ghost-Spider later?"
"Sisters, what am I smelling?"
"I bet fifty cents that the relationship between those three definitely isn't simple."
"Think bigger, think bigger. If you ask me, The Arbiter's relationship with all the female heroes in the Avengersisn't simple."
London Sanctum.
"He actually won!" Even after the Ancient One casually dispelled the Water Mirror, Mordo was still muttering in disbelief:
"That Arbiter, how can he be so strong? He can actually be completely immune to Chaos Magic?"
"And that form he showed at the end," Wong couldn't help but add from the side.
"Does that count as some kind of elemental magic? But being powerful to this extent is just too exaggerated, isn't it?"
The two of them discussed it for a long time without reaching any conclusion. Finally, they both turned their gazes toward the Ancient One, who stood with her hands behind her back and a strange smile on her face.
Even though the Water Mirror had dissipated, the Ancient One's face was still full of reflection.
"Ancient One? What are you thinking? Are you planning to personally take that Arbiter as your disciple?"
"No!" The Ancient One shook her head without hesitation.
"He is the one who will overthrow and end everything, an unpredictable existence. Learning magic would only be a hindrance to him."
Wong and Mordo couldn't help but click their tongues in secret.
Good grief, this was the first time they'd heard their teacher give someone such a high evaluation.
magic is a hindrance... to say such a thing, she must think incredibly highly of that man's strength!
While the two were complaining in their hearts, the Ancient One spoke again:
"Compared to him, I'm more interested in another person."
As she spoke, the figure wearing a hood unconsciously appeared in the Ancient One's mind.
In this new timeline, the abilities and traits shown by this girl were even more excellent than the successor she had initially chosen.
"Perhaps she would be a more outstanding successor. If it were her, perhaps even the Book of Vishanti could..."
Hearing the name of that magic book which only existed in legends, Wong and Mordo couldn't help but shudder and said:
"Then should we go now..."
"Supreme Magic is not allowed to interfere with the fate of any mortal!" The Ancient One directly interrupted them.
"How the future will develop depends on the fate between her and us."
...
At the same time the Ancient One and the others were discussing Peter, in Eastern Europe, at a secret HYDRABase.
Crash!
Baron Zemo was currently acting like a desk-clearing master, smashing everything in sight to pieces.
Even after smashing everything he could see, he still couldn't suppress the fear in his heart.
Because he knew very well that with Gravik dead, the next one to face that monster would be himself!
No! He, Baron Zemo, would never accept such a fate!
Never!
With that thought, he slowly stood up and walked toward a secret room that no one in the Base knew about...
Chapter 331: The Map and Original Sin
The secret room, sealed for many years, was roughly pushed open.
The thick dust and strong musty smell inside made the Baron instinctively cover his nose.
Baron Zemo surveyed the secret room that his father had only told him about on his deathbed.
The room was so small it could be seen in its entirety at a glance, containing only a small safe.
Baron Zemo opened the safe using the code his father had left behind and took out a tightly sealed waterproof bag.
There was only one thing inside the bag.
A curled, yellowed map.
The texture of the map was unusually delicate, clearly not made of ordinary paper or animal leather.
As for the specific material... let's just say those who know, know.
Baron Zemo carefully removed the map and first wiped it inch by inch with glacial acetic acid.
Then, he carefully illuminated it with a UV lamp, finally revealing the dense routes and coordinates on the map.
After confirming the map's authenticity, Baron Zemo let out a long sigh of relief.
He then pulled out a satellite phone and dialed a number he had only recently learned.
After seven rings, the call was answered.
"Hail HYDRA."
Upon hearing the standard code, the person on the other end finally spoke:
"Make it quick."
Baron Zemo gripped the Human-skin map tightly, his voice carrying a hint of resentment:
"HYDRA needs the guidance of Mr. Schmidt's descendant."
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before a raspy female voice responded:
"The Schmidt family has been away from HYDRA for over sixty years, Baron Zemo. You should know what this call means."
"I know," Baron Zemo said.
"A dead snake has no value. As long as I can bring the weakened snake back to life, I am willing to give up everything I currently possess."
"Fine words," a sneer came from the other end, followed by a slow, deliberate question:
"Then... what is your bargaining chip?"
Baron Zemo glanced at the map in his hand, suppressed his various thoughts, and spoke:
"Take me out of Eastern Europe immediately."
"I will grant you a power that even your father never possessed."
The other end was silent for a long time.
So long that Baron Zemo thought the other party had hung up.
Then the voice said:
"Eight hours from now, the old church in Budapest. Don't be late."
Click.
The call was abruptly disconnected.
Baron Zemo put down the satellite phone, took several deep breaths, tucked the uniquely textured map into his inner pocket, and began packing for his escape.
Before leaving, he took one last look at the television.
The global live broadcast on the TV had ended, and summary reports from various countries about the incident were now playing.
Bang!
Baron Zemo pulled the trigger, blowing up the television with a single shot.
"You won this time," he muttered to the black screen.
"But the game isn't over yet. Until the very end, no one can claim to be the final victor!"
A custom bulletproof sedan drove along the empty highway.
Behind the sedan, the entire Eastern European HYDRABase had turned into a sea of fire.
To survive by cutting off his own tail, Baron Zemodecisively sacrificed the remaining three hundred and forty HYDRA Agents in the Base.
These people didn't even know what was happening before they silently met their end along with the secret Base.
Never to be remembered by anyone again!
Inside the car, the focused Baron Zemo had already imagined how the official investigation report would read:
After suffering a devastating blow in the Battle of Chernobyl, the person in charge, Baron Zemo, detonated the Base out of fear of punishment, dying along with all his subordinates.
Seven hours later, Budapest.
Baron Zemo changed his clothes four times along the way, took seven detours, and staked out a trash can at the mouth of an alley for a full five minutes.
Only after confirming that no one was tailing him and that he hadn't attracted any attention did he dash into the dilapidated old church.
Inside the church, a young nun was praying devoutly, but the Bible in her hands was completely different from a common one.
On the cover was a skull with octopus tentacles.
Without any pleasantries, secret codes, or even identity verification, the nun simply exchanged a look with him and pushed open an iron door on the side of the church. There, an inconspicuous van was parked.
The van first drove out of downtown Budapest, then onto the highway, then off it, and finally turned onto an unmarked dirt road.
Baron Zemo completely gave up tracking the route at the thirteenth turn.
The other party's vigilance was far higher than he had imagined.
From a van to a ferry, then from the ferry to a private jet.
After over ten hours of travel, the plane finally landed on an unnamed island on the western side of the Pacific Ocean.
The architectural style on the island was incredibly old, looking like a product of the 1940s.
"Welcome to the Isle of Exiles."
After the plane landed, the nun finally spoke; it was the first thing she had said since leaving the church.
Baron Zemo instinctively sucked in a cold breath.
As a high-ranking member of HYDRA, he had seen this island in top-secret files.
During World War II, Red Skull had started many private projects outside the HYDRA system.
This island was one of them; according to the records, it was used to imprison troublesome convicts who couldn't be executed through conventional means.
But now it seemed things were far from that simple.
Led by the nun, Baron Zemo arrived at an office.
In the office, a woman sat behind a desk. Because her back was to him, Baron Zemo couldn't see her face.
He instinctively surveyed the office.
The most prominent feature in the office was an oil painting hanging on the wall—depicting a strange man in a Nazi uniform with a head that was entirely a Red Skull.
Just as Baron Zemo was examining the portrait of this Mr. Red Skull he had never met.
The woman turned her chair around, allowing Baron Zemoto see her true face.
Blood-red flesh clung tightly to the bone, with no pores or the texture of normal skin—
She was almost identical to the Red Skull in the painting, though her facial contours were slightly softer.
"Cynthia Schmidt," Baron Zemo said, being the first to state her name, his tone showing no surprise at her face.
"Or would you prefer people call you 'Sin'?"
The woman took off her sunglasses.
"Either one is fine," Sin said, sizing up Baron Zemo with eyes that showed neither caution nor respect.
"Let's skip the nonsense. Give me what I want, and I'll let you live peacefully on this island from now on."
Baron Zemo frowned slightly in dissatisfaction, thinking to himself:
A bastard born from an affair with a maid dares to act insolently before a Baron like me!
However, he understood that he was in a weak position, so he submissively pushed the Human-skin map toward Sin.
Sin admired the map as if it were a work of art, casually asking:
"What is hidden inside?"
"A hammer summoned by your father, but one he could not lift."