New York, Manhattan District.
After the war, the prosperous district was left in ruins.
After Uehara Naraku left the meeting café, he walked through the streets with his head down, searching for the future being who came to return the Time Gem to him.
Just as Uehara Naraku reached a relief point, he paused and looked up towards a hooded figure in the crowd at the relief point.
The hooded figure sensed Uehara Naraku's gaze and immediately stepped out from the crowd, walking ahead of Uehara Naraku.
Neither of them spoke.
When they reached a deserted street, the figure ahead of him slowly moved her fingers, opening an orange-colored Gate of Space.
On the other side of the Gate of Space...
It happened to be Uehara Naraku's residence in New York.
The hooded figure stepped into the Gate of Space and stopped in the living room, slowly turning to look at Uehara Naraku who followed her.
The figure revealed her true face.
Master Ancient One.
No, it should be said, the future Master Ancient One.
"It seems my plan has no flaws..."
Uehara Naraku looked at the benevolent Master Ancient One and smiled slightly, "Have the Avengers of the future collected all the Infinity Stones?"
"Thanks to your help, they indeed did."
Master Ancient One slowly nodded, a complex expression appearing on her face: "However, the one orchestrating everything behind the scenes should already know the outcome..."
This matter...
Is quite complicated.
The Infinity Stones, painstakingly collected by the Avengers of the future from the past ages, ultimately only served as a dowry, as these stones ended up in the hands of future Uehara Naraku.
Also, to make everything legitimate.
The future Uehara Naraku gave these Infinity Stones belonging to different eras to his self in those times; it was a harmonious collaboration between the future and the past.
Now...
The one who came to New York's war-torn era to hand over the Time Gem to Uehara Naraku was the future Master Ancient One, the former keeper of the Time Gem.
It appears...
This Master Ancient One ultimately chose to join Akatsuki in the future.
In fact, it makes sense, as a Supreme Mage who values results, Master Ancient One can see what is most beneficial for this universe.
Although Uehara Naraku is a person with little character, seemingly devoid of personality and humanity, the outcome created by future Uehara Naraku is one that Master Ancient One can accept, that being a truly eternally stable world.
"Here is the Time Gem."
The future Master Ancient One drew a well-decorated orb from her chest pocket and handed it to Uehara Naraku in front of her: "This is a box capable of containing and concealing the power of the Infinity Stones, no one will detect the presence of the stone."
"Looks pretty good."
Uehara Naraku reached out to take the orb, and with a slight force of his palm, he directly crushed this orb, staring at the Time Gem in his hand.
In fact, there was no necessity to create something to hide its power.
For Uehara Naraku, each stone would be stored within his Black Hole Universe, each stone's power serves as an enhancement to the Black Hole Universe.
Only by obtaining the complete set of six Infinity Stones will his Black Hole Universe become fully stabilized, transforming into a world that will gradually expand with the power of the Infinity Stones.
A black hole silently appeared in Uehara Naraku's palm, and the green Time Gem quietly disappeared from his hand.
Master Ancient One seemed to have foreseen this scenario, she merely shook her head slowly and heaved a soft sigh: "From now on, there will never again be a Time Gem in the hands of the Supreme Mage, mages will need more courage and strength to face the darkness that may descend upon the world..."
"No need to worry about Dormammu."
A hint of green flashed in Uehara Naraku's palm.
With the incorporation of the Time Gem into his Black Hole Universe, Uehara Naraku could clearly perceive that he could utilize the power of the Time Gem.
At this moment...
Uehara Naraku gained another trump card.
"Refrain from using the power of the Time Gem excessively."
The future Master Ancient One furrowed her brows, unable to help but remind him: "Your power can withstand the collapse of time and space, but others in this world cannot..."
Master Ancient One pondered for a second and raised an example: "The dike of a thousand miles is destroyed by an ant hole, once the collapse of time and space begins, it will slowly spread across the universe...
Although you can protect all life in this universe, obtaining the existence of the entire universe still requires time."
"Mm."
Uehara Naraku nodded in agreement, the hint of green in his palm vanishing completely, yet he still asked: "I was wondering, I spent twenty dollars taking a cab the day before yesterday, can I use the Time Gem to get it back?"
"..."
Master Ancient One's eye twitched.
If it weren't for Uehara Naraku forcing her into joining the Akatsuki organization by all manner of vile acts, Master Ancient One truly wouldn't want to face such a superior...
Did she not just mention it?
Don't recklessly utilize the power of the Time Gem!
To use the Time Gem to recover something as petty as twenty dollars!
Does this era's Uehara Naraku even know what the Time Gem is? It is the crystal of the universe, a priceless treasure of the entire universe!
No amount of wealth from any prosperous city, planet, or galaxy can compare to the Infinity Gems!
Especially the Time Gem with the power to reverse time!
But...
Even if this superior is a lunatic, at this moment he is also a god capable of changing the world, Master Ancient One truly worries about any experiments Uehara Naraku may conduct...
Master Ancient One could only sigh again in resignation, explaining the theory of the Time Gem according to Uehara Naraku's example: "If you wish to regain those twenty dollars, return to the area where you spent it and reverse the time of that area, but such a situation would inevitably cause a timeline collapse..."
Master Ancient One continued: "Or you could reverse the entire universe's time and choose anew how to spend those twenty dollars...because of your power, you would not be affected by the Time Gem, retaining your memory."
"Got it."
Uehara Naraku nodded slowly, speaking softly: "If I feel that spending twenty dollars was a waste, I can choose to reverse the entire universe, allowing it to begin anew, and with my memory intact, decide again how to spend the twenty dollars..."
"...Yes."
Master Ancient One felt a bit weary, nodding helplessly, she added her advice: "Personally, I don't believe that for such trivial matters, you should go to great lengths to reverse the universe's timeline..."