Authors Note-
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...
Ivan suddenly remembered that this was the space of consciousness; it was not a place to coax children. But there was a serious question that needed clarification.
"I recognize this, daughter, but the real concern is how you will coexist within this body. If conflicts arise in the future, will the body collapse if you vie for control? Having you as bosses, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting the body address me as 'dad.' You're old enough to be my ancestors, making it uneasy for me."
"Even if you hold the Reality Gem and successfully refine it, will you still be afraid? There's no need to feel uncomfortable. Elizabeth will control this body in the future, while Alaya and I will enter a deep sleep. Only under special circumstances will both of us intervene. Despite the genetic enhancements from countless mutants you've integrated, this body still falls short of handling our strength."
"You know that the Reality Gem is in my hands!"
"After all, the Reality Gem is one of the most powerful treasures in the universe, crucial to the safety of the entire universe. Naturally, I pay attention, so I knew when you acquired the Reality Gem. I've been monitoring you since then."
His face looked displeased. He thought things were concealed, releasing smoke to confuse the enemy. Unexpectedly, Ivan didn't notice it, which was shocking.
Considering the other party's identity as Gaia, Ivan found it unsurprising. Events on Earth couldn't be hidden from Gaia.
"Why didn't you stop me from taking the Reality Gem? Is it because I have a good heart and won't use it for evil, or is the Earth in crisis, needing me to save the world or something?" Ivan shamelessly inquired.
Gaia glanced at Ivan with contempt. "You overthink. At that time, It's not that I wanted to stop it, but I couldn't. I lacked a physical body unless I caused a natural disaster like a strong earthquake. Unfortunately, that would result in numerous innocent human casualties, especially in a densely populated city like London. Alaya would certainly oppose me. There are also other special reasons."
"Cough cough!" Ivan felt a bit embarrassed, but he indulged himself. "I don't know about the other reasons you mentioned earlier?"
"There are many, but most are inconvenient to share with you, so..."
Ivan seized the opportunity and said, "Then tell me what's convenient."
"What a resilient little guy," Gaia shot Ivan an irritated look but continued, "For instance, I need to separate some of my strength to suppress a special existence. Similar to the Reality Gem, it's Aspen—Hela, the goddess of death, sealed on Earth by Odin."
Ivan's expression changed, and he exclaimed, "Goddess of death, Hela! Didn't Odin seal her? Do you still need to suppress her? Is there something wrong with Odin's seal?"
Gaia looked at Ivan strangely and explained, "I didn't expect you to be well-informed, but you don't know the whole story. Odin's power alone cannot seal Hela, so why seal her on Earth instead of finding a place in Asgard to lock her up?"
"Wait a minute, does this mean Hela is stronger than Odin? And from what you're saying, Earth seems very special, so Odin's power is used to seal Hela."
"Firstly, I want to clarify that at his peak, Odin is stronger than Hela. Although both understand the rules, Odin achieves them through his efforts, while Hela utilizes external forces—specifically, the power of death.
Hela, the planetary consciousness of Asgard, was originally similar to me. She gained a body when the god-king Odin and goddess Frigga conceived her. Asgard is the source of her power, ensuring her immortality and endless strength as long as she remains in Asgard.
However, her thirst for power exceeded his imagination. To enhance her strength, she devised a method to infect planets with the rules of death, assimilating them into herself, turning planets into extensions of her body and their inhabitants into undead warriors.
If Hela continued her invasion, she could refine the entire universe's planets into her body.
Unable to tolerate her actions, Odin chose to seal her. The choice of the sealing location posed a challenge, and he ultimately picked Earth because only Earth could resist the infection of her power of death."
"What secrets does Earth hold? Why..."
Ivan sought further understanding, but Gaia cut him off with a wave of her hand, saying, "Enough, don't ask. Knowing too much isn't beneficial for you now. I can only say that Earth is incredibly mysterious, and many of its secrets, even Earth's consciousness like mine, dare not explain too explicitly. When the time comes, you'll naturally understand. You should leave now."
Ivan felt the surroundings blur as he returned to reality. Observing the girl in the cultivation tank slowly opening her eyes, he quickly pressed a switch, draining the liquid from the tank. It slowly opened, and he warmly welcomed, "Elizabeth, welcome to this world."
"Dad!" With genuinely pure eyes, the girl saw Ivan and immediately threw herself into his arms.
At this moment, Ivan gained a daughter, and the enormity of the situation left him at a loss for words.
...
While Ivan talked with Gaia, the battle in Cairo raged on. Apocalypse, having captured Professor X's body, faced fierce opposition from the young X-Men against his Four Horsemen. Despite the X-Men's immaturity, their abilities and a bit of luck initially allowed them to gain the upper hand. However, everything changed when Apocalypse awakened.
In a swift move, Apocalypse incapacitated all the X-Men. Quick Silver attempted to gain an advantage with super speed, while Mystique, disguised as an ally, aimed to strike Apocalypse's neck with a knife. Unfortunately, Apocalypse's excellent recovery ability thwarted their efforts, and he seized Mystique by the neck.
"Let go of my mother!"
Blue Devil confronted Apocalypse to save Mystique.
Despite his teleportation prowess, his attacks proved ineffective against Apocalypse. The powerful adversary effortlessly grabbed him, holding him and Mystique suspended.
"It's Nathan, trying to be a hero. He's Uncle Azazel's child and our playmate. If something happens to him, how will we explain it to Uncle Azazel."
Behind a dune, Chris and a few others observed the unfolding scene. While Chris's primary concern was her mother's safety, witnessing the danger faced by his childhood friend prompted her to consider taking action.
Just as Chris and the others contemplated intervening, another unexpected turn of events occurred. Someone else stepped in to rescue the captured individuals. A blue space wormhole opened, and Azazel emerged. Witnessing his family in peril, he grabbed a short black knife, slashing it through the air with swift precision. The knife emitted a sharp power, penetrating Apocalypse's skin as the Azazel's arm disappeared into the void, reappearing through a space wormhole.
Despite Apocalypse's super recovery ability, he chose not to risk facing the sharpness of the black knife after his arm was severed. Hastily, he released his grip on Mystique and the Blue Devil's neck, taking a few steps back.
Seizing the opportunity, Red Devil swiftly opened a space wormhole beneath Mystique and the Blue Devil, engulfing them. Azazel then sheathed the black knife and stretched out his arms just in time to catch his son, who fell from above—his wife safely cradled in his embrace.
Red Devil, aware of his wounded arms, prioritized ensuring their safety. Unable to engage in a fight, he teleported to the beast Hank, securing the two individuals in his arms before turning back to face Apocalypse, and the two adversaries confronted each other.
With a murderous expression, Apocalypse stared at Azazel, who, in turn, was furious, locked in a gaze with him. Apocalypse was angered because the Red Devil had saved his targets from his grasp. If not for his timely intervention, the Blue Devil and Mystique might have faced dire consequences.
Recognizing his opponent's strength, Azazel cautiously approached the situation. A cloud of blue light descended, carrying dark space cracks mixed within, aimed at Apocalypse.
Sensing the impending danger, Apocalypse conjured a blue shield for protection, successfully blocking the Red Devil's space-shattering attack. Undeterred, Apocalypse raised his hand, and several lines of yellow sand shot towards Azazel.
Apocalypse attempted several more attacks but found the red devil's shield impenetrable. Observing closely, he surmised that the shield was an application of space abilities, protecting those inside.
Unable to overcome the shield with subtlety, Apocalypse opted for a more forceful approach. He leaped into the air, colliding with the red devil—A violent collision of two barriers.