"Greetings, Madam Herta," Rogers said, taking the lead.
Even though the puppet girl standing before them seemed to lack a certain physical gravitas, the memory of the Star Destroyer looming outside was still fresh in his mind.
Some level of decorum was non-negotiable.
"Skip the useless pleasantries," Herta replied, offering no real acknowledgement as she cut straight to the chase.
"I've summoned you for two reasons. First, I gave your planet's Guardian my word that I'd provide Earth with a certain degree of protection. Second, I intend to get a little closer to the truth."
The Avengers traded uneasy glances.
"Right... and is there something we can do to help with those two goals?" Rogers eventually asked.
"Obviously. I don't have the patience to play babysitter to Earth indefinitely," she said.
"I originally planned to just leave a few trinkets behind and be done with it, but I've had a change of heart. Now, I'm going to help you all get stronger while simultaneously fulfilling my second objective."
"Help us get stronger to reach the 'truth'?" The team looked at one another, baffled. They couldn't quite see how their combat prowess factored into the fundamental laws of reality.
"Exactly. Do you know how the universe began?" Herta challenged.
"The Big Bang?" Banner offered, giving the standard terrestrial hypothesis.
"Of course not," Thor cut in, looking at him with a sigh.
He quickly checked his annoyance, remembering that the origins of the cosmos weren't exactly common knowledge on Earth. "It was the work of the Five Essential Powers."
The term 'Five Essential Powers' left the rest of the room stunned.
"The five primordial gods of creation: Galactus, Death, Eternity, Infinity, and Entropy," Herta explained, a small, hungry smile creeping onto her face.
"Together, they constitute the entirety of the multiverse. It is divided into ten dimensions, and each dimension contains infinite universes."
Her eyes sparkled with an unmistakable thirst for knowledge.
"How did they do it? Where does the universe truly end? How does one become a member of such a grand existence? Have any of you even bothered to consider these questions?"
"Uh..." Could they honestly say 'no'? To them, these concepts felt light-years out of reach.
"Destroying a universe is simple enough, but creating one is an immense challenge," Herta continued, pacing toward the back of the room where a strange, flickering portal stood.
"Nearly everything I know about other realities comes from limited observation. Given enough time, I'd eventually crack the code of this world the Five created, but a mindless, boring slog is the quickest way to kill a genius's desire for exploration."
She stopped in front of the gate. "So, I'm going to use you and this machine to accelerate the process."
"And this is...?" They had been eyeing the device since they walked in.
"You can call it the Simulated Universe," Herta said succinctly.
"It can model the multiverse, calculating every variable to reach a state nearly identical to reality. In terms you might actually understand: it allows us to view scenes from parallel worlds. The 'camera angle' of our observation is determined by the person who enters."
"So you're saying we can see parallel versions of ourselves?" Tony asked, his eyebrows shooting up.
The concept of parallel universes wasn't foreign to them anymore, but until Herta showed up, no one had been able to actually prove they existed.
"More or less. You can also choose to intervene. Though, it isn't 'real' intervention—it's just a false universe constructed by the simulation to calculate the results of your interference."
"I see..." Tony was starting to catch on. "You want to analyze other universes to broaden your own understanding of reality. You're using us as data points to level up."
Thor, meanwhile, looked deeply conflicted.
Before arriving, he had viewed The Blue and Asgard as somewhat comparable powers.
After all, Asgard was a paradise envied by civilizations across the stars. But listening to Herta's casual ambition made Asgard feel small.
'Destroying a universe is simple'? Thor couldn't even fathom the mindset required to utter those words so flippantly.
No wonder his father was treating the situation on The Blue with such gravity.
Or rather, it wasn't The Blue his father feared—it was Madam Herta.
The others didn't notice his internal crisis. To the humans, who already viewed themselves as cosmic underdogs, Herta's power level just felt like 'the next level of incredible.'
But Thor, a Prince of Asgard, was feeling the sting of a shattered ego.
He even recalled how respectfully Asta had treated his title. Now, he realized that in the grand scheme of things, their roles probably should have been reversed.
"The unknown is a treasure to a genius. If you're done with the questions, get in," Herta urged, growing impatient.
"Wait... one more thing," Banner interjected. "We understand your second goal now, but what about the first? Is this simulation supposed to give us combat experience?"
"Not exactly."
Herta's expression flattened. "By testing the Simulated Universe for me, you are effectively my temporary employees—and high-quality ones at that. I don't stiff my workers."
"Your actions inside will be evaluated in real-time by an AI. Your score will fluctuate based on performance and will be settled when you exit. You can then use those points at the Herta Shop to trade for some 'trinkets' I guarantee you'll find interesting."
It sounds like a video game, they thought.
None of them doubted her definition of 'trinkets.'
A 'toy' in Herta's eyes was likely a weapon of mass destruction in theirs. Tony also noted a specific detail: Herta had implied that not just anyone could do this.
She had called them 'high-quality.' Did the Avengers possess some unique trait she needed? Was that why she'd changed her mind about Earth?
Without enough data to form a theory, Tony kept his mouth shut for now.
"Question," Barton spoke up, his tone a bit casual. "What happens if we die in there?"
The others winced at his bluntness, but Herta didn't seem to mind.
In fact, she gave him an approving look. "Good question. Dying in the simulation has no physical effect on you. However, it will tank your score and end your run immediately."
The team finally had a read on her personality: she didn't care about manners; she cared about results. Directness was the only currency she traded in.
"Since there are no more questions, move it. I'll provide guidance and prompts once you're inside."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.