BOOOM—crack—craCK—CRACK...!
Firelight wavered. The void split apart.
Blazing war flames spread through the twisted infinite veil. The Empyrium, where the gods manifested, was now a churning chaos of treacherous currents.
"Tch..."
Having long since lost count of how many universes she had created and shattered as expendable fuel, having abstracted and manifested nearly every known law and hurled them all in turn, Selene gave a soft snort. The shattered firmament—where the concept of "heat" did not exist—now felt like a furnace, scorching beyond measure.
The only difference was that the "fuel" feeding this highest-grade furnace of the Marvel universe was the collision of the purest, most primordial cosmic forces and laws unleashed by creator gods and multiversal-level cosmic deities.
Gods fell every moment.
Holding aloft the Marvel Reality Controller in his right hand, Thanos swept through abstract entities and law incarnations of cosmic gods like an unstoppable steamroller—irresistible, impartial—bringing death to them all.
Golden light flickered. Every movement Thanos made—even a single thought—meant the immediate disintegration of a cosmic god.
The first to be destroyed were the Ancients among the Celestials.
"I have rendered judgment. Ancient Celestials—you are no exception."
Thanos spoke as if stating an eternal truth.
Some Celestials were singular entities, others multiversal. Once they reached the multiversal level, the Infinity Stones and Infinity Gauntlet held no power over them. But that did not matter. Thanos was a man of his word—if he said he would destroy you, he would destroy you.
The Infinity Gauntlet had slain all single-universe-tier Celestials. Now he made up the difference. Manipulating the Reality Controller, he erased the multiversal Ancient Celestials once more.
Next came Entropy—the cosmic god resembling the Father [Eternity], embodiment of desolation, withering, and freezing within the universe. Under Thanos' furious roar, Entropy exploded into clumps of murky cosmic essence, which Thanos promptly absorbed into himself.
"Father!"
Then Epiphany—the embodiment of revelation and enlightenment in the universe, appearing as a beautiful and sensual woman—was torn apart like a rag doll under Thanos' swing.
Enmity—the embodiment of hatred and vengeance. Eon—the embodiment of antiquity, time, and history. Expediency. Eulogy. Explosion. Gravitation. Empathy...
Within mere breaths, Selene witnessed one cosmic deity after another fall.
If this was not Ragnarok, what was?
"Tell me, [First Firmament]—am I a toy?!" Thanos once again nullified Selene's attack. Tireless, he threw back his head and laughed viciously. "Over and over again—attacks that can't even scratch an itch. Do you not have anything stronger?"
Selene: "..."
Sigh. This guy.
He was probably overstimulated by the "Gorgon" incarnation—or perhaps she and [Death] had trampled his life's work so brazenly, treating him like trash, like a plaything, that it had cut too deeply.
Even while withstanding the cosmic gods' assaults capable of erasing the universe and reshaping heaven and earth, Thanos—holding the Marvel Reality Controller—never forgot to mock Selene and [Death].
Of course, compared to the pitiful state of [Death], Selene was doing far better.
As the incarnation of Marvel's [First Firmament], the complete Eternal deity—one plus one greater than two—even without assistance, these brief clashes were not enough to shatter her on the spot.
But [Death] could not endure.
As one of the universe's creator gods, Her status meant nothing before the might of the Marvel Reality Controller. She was like a lamb awaiting slaughter—a feeble grasshopper unable to display her former grace.
Though Selene, strictly speaking, was also a grasshopper in autumn, she could at least jump a little longer—and she was bigger.
Especially since [Death] had been the one who truly abandoned Thanos. Blind. Ungrateful. Faithless.
Selene, by contrast, was merely a pure enemy. There was little personal grievance. Treating Thanos as a toy had at most irritated him.
Even as new multiversal-level deities manifested, Thanos devoured any cosmic god that blocked his path while relentlessly pursuing his former object of unrequited love. He looked like a man who, unable to win your heart, would at least have you—starting by cutting you down.
"No—!" [Death] screamed. "Thanos, I am the god of your oath!"
"Not anymore."
The attacks of the other abstract siblings were erased. Unhurried yet absolute, Thanos delivered a plain, glowing punch that shattered Lady Death's scythe. His hand—shining with the Controller's "Supreme Power"—pressed mercilessly against that once-coveted, coldly beautiful face.
Hiss—
Like a punctured air bladder, the vast abstract body trembled. The composition of the face burned away like ash. The skeletal lady in black robes emitted a silent soul shriek as her primordial law essence spilled from beneath the shattered void-bone visage, gathering in Thanos' palm into a pool of faintly cold white light.
A searing, primordial soul scream swept past Selene. Witnessing [Death]—her equal—exit and return to one, the usually most aggressive and frenzied [Oblivion] instantly fell silent. In the blink of an eye, He flashed across three thousand worlds, hiding behind His elder brother [Eternity].
Even Selene cast him a sidelong glance.
"Haa..."
Like an addict inhaling in ecstasy, in a mere instant Thanos' facial features decayed and vanished, rewritten from the most fundamental conceptual level—as though it had always been so. The traits of his face became identical to [Death].
The abstract embodiment of all death in the Marvel universe—the manifestation of death itself, the source and master of souls—returned and merged into Thanos.
"You're next, [First Firmament]." He asked again. "Tell me—am I a toy?!"
Tch.
You're getting bold.
So much nonsense. Selene grumbled inwardly, utterly ignoring the fact that she had started this.
"This is an erroneous choice, fortunate 'anomaly' who has unearthed the forbidden."
Just as Thanos turned his gaze upon Selene, a deep and powerful voice resonated.
The Living Tribunal had arrived.
The arbiter of the multiverse descended into the shattered chaos of the Empyrium, stirring a vortex. Even primordial laws seemed to grow heavy.
"You finally show yourself. I thought you would summon your own 'anomaly' to deal with this."
Facing an existence half a tier above her [First Firmament] status, Selene crossed her arms beneath her chest. Her tone remained cheerful and brisk, placing emphasis on the words "your own."
As for the other cosmic gods who arrived alongside the Tribunal, Selene glanced at them.
Hmm... mostly those who seldom moved and bore little fame in the current universe.
Among them, a giant clad in heavy dark-red armor drew her gaze for a brief moment.
Galactus.
The only one among the Five Creator Gods who was not an abstract entity born of law.
Though in many timelines he had nearly become a comedic figure, his strength was beyond doubt. The gatekeeper from single-universe level to multiversal level—if you were stronger than Galactus, you were multiversal.
The Living Tribunal paid no heed to Selene's teasing. "You are destined to fail. You know your fate. Does it matter?" He merely looked at Thanos, who had devoured [Death].
Unlike his burly, neckless form wrapped in tattered cloth with three faces, the Tribunal's tone was calm—majestic, measured.
"I am aware of your existence."
Thanos' upper and lower jaws moved as he spoke.
"Nominally omnipotent and omniscient. Arbiter of all things in the universe—and yet an incompetent who occupies his seat in vain. You cannot make the world better. Incompetence is your greatest sin. I will judge you."
"Your actions carry no meaning."
The Living Tribunal remained composed.
He understood clearly. From the moment Thanos' future self had manifested—from the moment that forbidden timeline, hidden by God and beyond His knowledge or comprehension, had returned—He had lost any chance of victory. The "Supreme Power," the power that belonged to God, could only rely on Thanos' incomplete mastery to maintain a temporary stalemate. There was no winning outcome.
"No meaning? Yes—no meaning! Hahaha..."
Holding the Marvel Reality Controller aloft, Thanos laughed madly. "So this is my fate in your eyes, O great gods."
His tone dripped with mockery.
"Do you know what I hate most about you? That look. Fate. Destiny. Predetermined... heh heh heh..." He sneered. "What is fate? Your order—your eternal cycle of destinies controlled by you—is the greatest error in the universe. It must be corrected!"
Thanos spoke to himself, certain, unquestionable.
"And now, I have the power. This is my closest chance to realize it. There is nothing I cannot correct—nothing I cannot mend with a casual gesture, even fractured timelines. I know what you call 'impossible.' You are not truly omniscient. You are not truly omnipotent. I have no interest in debating you."
"You as well."
Thanos pointed at Selene, who had been watching.
"You are convinced that God controls everything? No. I do not believe that. I have no interest in arguing with you. I will say no to Him. I will eradicate His error—"
Raising the Marvel Reality Controller high, Thanos proclaimed his ultimate objective.
Bzzzzzzzzzz—!!
All countless realities of Marvel responded to the Titan's call. The "Supreme Power" transformed into writhing tendrils, encircling everything symbolized by the word "Thanos."
Pure strength.
Pure truth.
Pure power to alter and create reality.
"Let it all end."
He aimed the halo's tendrils—stretching toward their respective infinities—at the Living Tribunal, at [First Firmament], at [Eternity], at...
To break free from all restraints. To soar in true freedom.
Thump—
As though the Heart of the Universe were beating, proclaiming the universe's original form.
"Return to One."
...
Boom...
Light.
Golden light.
The light of "Let there be light."
That was Selene's final impression.
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