The flames consumed everything, and the glittering stars in the sky slowly extinguished.
When all returned to darkness, the entire universe fell back into silence.
The crisis that threatened to obliterate the entire universe had finally ended.
"What a pity..."
Gazing at the now tranquil void of the universe, Peter couldn't help but sigh.
Ego, who sought to devour the entire cosmos, had been eradicated.
But before that, countless planets and lives he had consumed were extinguished alongside him.
After a moment of hesitation, Peter slowly extended his hand, stirring the river of time in the universe.
In the next moment, it seemed as if the entire universe ceased to turn.
One could see Peter's hand seemingly scoop a portion of verdant "river water" from the invisible river of time.
Like a farmer sowing seeds, he scattered it into the cosmic void.
The green essence of time dispersed into the universe, gradually merging with the void, appearing to dissipate slowly.
Until, in the place where Ego's body had perished, a dim starlight began to shine.
Soon after, countless starlights followed, lighting up almost the entire visible universe.
Gradually, the once-dim starlight grew brighter, shimmering like stars.
Countless stars converged, forming a splendid Milky Way hanging in the dark universe.
Peter gazed calmly at the galaxy suspended in the cosmos, then slowly waved his right hand.
Instantly, his palm, like the hand of a god of creation, gently brushed over the radiant Milky Way.
In a flash, the stationary, resplendent galaxy began to flow slowly.
Stars moved within, like a beautiful, softly glowing river, creating a magnificent spectacle unseen by any.
The flowing Milky Way made the entire universe seem to move in some special way again.
The breathtaking scene, possessing a unique magic, made it impossible to look away.
Alas, no one could witness this event.
With a grand sweep of Peter's hand,
The slowly flowing galaxy suddenly accelerated.
Within the brilliant galaxy, the endless stars flowed like a shower of light, scattering across the universe.
"May time bring forth new life for you all once again!"
Gazing at the stars he had scattered back into the universe, Peter hesitated no longer. He tore through space, ready to depart.
"Hey, almost forgot!"
Suddenly, Peter paused, then once more tore through space, retrieving a small spaceship from the chaotic flow of time and space.
"This guy has a lot of luck."
With a sigh, Peter took the spaceship and stepped into the space rift.
In the next moment, this part of the universe truly returned to tranquility.
However, the starry sky now appeared vibrant and lively.
Countless radiant stars, like comets, scattered across the universe, returning to the planets that had been devoured by Ego's divine power and left desolate.
The brilliant trails of light traversed the cosmic void, merging with the lifeless, dead planets.
Gradually, the once-ruined planets began to show signs of life.
Time seemed to accelerate by millions of years.
Water, plants, animals—everything that represented life—gradually revived. In a short period, the formerly desolate planets regained their vitality, developing new ecosystems.
As time resumed its normal flow, new life would surely emerge on these rejuvenated worlds.
...
Several Hundred Kilometers Above Earth
In the expanse of space, hundreds of kilometers away from Earth, a new, even more immense structure had emerged near the original Stellar Tech space station.
From a distance, it appeared as a spherical entity composed of countless interconnected space pods, with a colossal sword-shaped spaceship embedded at its core.
This was the newly established S.W.O.R.D. Space Defense Station. (Space Defense Station of the Heavenly Sword Bureau)
The massive sphere served as a multifunctional space fortress, while the sword-shaped segment was a space battleship, equipped for both interstellar travel and formidable combat.
Undoubtedly, this defense station, built with Earth's most advanced technology, was designed to be the first line of defense against extraterrestrial threats.
Peter was no longer surprised by such developments. After all, the creation of the S.W.O.R.D. fortress relied heavily on support from Stark Tech.
The operational teleportation guns significantly enhanced the efficiency of transporting supplies from Earth to space, making it possible to construct the fortress's basic framework within a few days, with subsequent enhancements continuing until it became fully operational.
According to S.W.O.R.D.'s plan, multiple such defense stations would be necessary to ensure Earth's safety. However, this was not something Peter needed to concern himself with. As it stood, he was the honorary supreme commander of S.W.O.R.D.—the first wielder of the sword.
Peter retracted his gaze from the space fortress and slowly entered the Stark Tech space station.
As a space station, it had stringent entry protocols, including comprehensive decontamination procedures. However, these cumbersome steps were unnecessary for Peter, whose body harbored no bacteria.
After handing over the spaceship and the unconscious Yondu to others for processing, Peter walked straight into Reed's laboratory.
"Superman, I didn't expect you to resolve the crisis and return so swiftly!"
Reed, who had been engrossed in an experiment, quickly noticed Peter's arrival. He understood that Peter had left Earth to address a cosmic threat, but he believed that if even Peter couldn't resolve it, they might as well resign themselves to their fate and await the universe's end.
"It's done, though it took some time and cost many lives..."
Recalling the countless planets and lives devoured by Ego, Peter felt no elation from having resolved the crisis. Although he could rejuvenate those planets, the billions of lives lost couldn't be resurrected.
"Don't be sad, Superman. At least Earth remains intact."
Reed couldn't fathom the scale of life lost across the universe, but he knew that Earth had remained unscathed and unthreatened.
"Let's not dwell on that."
Peter paused, then continued, "You might need to temporarily set aside other experiments and focus on a particular area of research."
"Oh? Do you have a new research direction for me, Superman?" Reed asked, not upset about halting his current work but rather intrigued.
"A study of the infinite universes beyond our own..." Peter's words momentarily stunned Reed, whose imagination was as vast as the cosmos.
"What? You mean to research other parallel universes beyond our own?"
"Exactly. This will be a highly challenging endeavor. Do you have any concerns?"
Despite many on Earth already researching other parallel universes, especially after the last massive incursion from another universe, this remained one of the most difficult areas of study in human civilization.
"Of course not!"
Contrary to expectations, Reed seemed exceptionally excited, as if he had long anticipated this kind of research.
"Fantastic, Superman! You've finally authorized me to pursue this study!"
"Rest assured, I will dedicate myself to quickly uncovering all possible information about other parallel universes."
It seemed Peter had underestimated Reed's penchant for adventure. Reed's enthusiasm was almost uncontrollable; had Peter not still been present, Reed might have already plunged into his new experimental journey.
Moreover, it appeared Reed had always wanted to explore this field but had refrained out of respect for their prior agreements.
"Alright, I trust you'll exceed my expectations."
"However, as per our agreement, make sure to notify me immediately if any urgent issues or special situations arise."
Peter's caution stemmed not from excessive prudence but from Reed's notorious reputation, which necessitated vigilance. The multiverse was inherently mysterious, and a single oversight could unleash a catastrophic crisis.
After all, many of the major events in the comics Peter was familiar with were triggered in such a manner.
"By the way, Superman, what are our ultimate goals and interim objectives for this exploration? Are we planning to invade other multiverses?" Reed asked, a mix of fear and excitement on his face. The boundless multiverse implied infinite resources.
"For now, focus on exploration. Gather as many coordinates and information about parallel universes as possible."
"Also, if possible, upgrade our teleportation guns to facilitate travel to these newly identified universes."
Peter considered briefly before speaking. Exploring the multiverse was a long-term project with no definitive end goals. After giving these instructions, Peter prepared to leave the lab to meet the newcomers to their universe.
However, before departing, he turned back to Reed with one last instruction.
"Once Thor and Magneto return, try to learn about Magneto's original universe. If possible, locate and map its coordinates. I promised to send him back to his original universe..."
"Understood, Superman!"
...
In the depths of space, Peter had only just met Iceman and Wanda from another universe when he was joined by Magneto and Thor, who returned aboard the Ravagers' ship.
Along with them came three unexpected companions: a raccoon resembling a plush toy, a towering yet seemingly dim-witted giant, and a small girl with antennae on her head.
Without a doubt, they were the remnants of Star-Lord's crew. With Star-Lord having been devoured by Ego and the group temporarily without direction or purpose, they decided to follow Thor and Magneto to Earth.
Peter saw no reason to refuse their company. He handed Drax and the girl over to S.W.O.R.D. but decided to keep Rocket Raccoon. Rocket, reputed to be one of the smartest beings in the universe, rivaled even Tony Stark in intelligence. Originally created by the High Evolutionary as a perfect being, Rocket was known as a genius weapons inventor in the cosmos.
Peter figured Rocket could collaborate with Reed on exploring the multiverse and help develop machines capable of opening portals to other universes. Apart from his abrasive personality, Rocket seemed like a valuable asset.
As for Magneto and Iceman, despite their curiosity about Peter's universe, they remained cautious and desired to return to their own. Peter assured them that once Reed made progress in multiverse exploration, he would help locate their universe and send them back.
Meanwhile, Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, appeared to have no desire to return to her original universe. She seemed intent on starting anew in this one.
"Perhaps her original universe holds nothing but painful memories for her," Peter mused, understanding why she wouldn't want to return, especially given her reality-altering powers. However, her abilities were too potent to let her roam Earth freely. Who knew when she might inadvertently reshape reality beyond recognition?
Thus, a few months of relative peace passed on Earth. The year was drawing to a close, and it was now Christmas Eve.
In the quiet of a New York night, Peter, who had planned to spend the evening with Uncle Ben, received an urgent message from Reed.
"Superman, there's been an issue with our multiverse exploration research. The machine we built to link to other universes has detected a peculiar disturbance. Please come to the space station immediately!"
Apologizing to Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter made his way to the space station to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, in the streets of New York, a figure swung through the skyscrapers on webs. Suddenly, a sleek, customized car appeared below Spider-Man.
Crash!
The car seemed to lose control and veered off the road.
"Damn it, gotta save them!"
Without hesitation, Spider-Man swung towards the car. As he approached the flashy black vehicle, a blade shot out from it, aimed at him.
"What the—? A bat?"
Spider-Man dodged and saw the blade, shaped like a bat, whizz past him.
...
(End of Chapter)
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