"Tiamut..."
Axel repeated the name under his breath before waving it off dismissively.
"Old buddy, I thought you brought me here to discuss something important.
"Is this really it?
"Just one Celestial?"
He slapped the armrest of his chair, his expression filled with unconcealed disdain.
Frigga couldn't help being surprised by Axel's confidence.
She rarely paid attention to the affairs of the Nine Realms and almost never asked Odin or Heimdall what they had witnessed beyond Asgard.
She was old.
Compared to tending the flowers in her garden, no rising powerhouse interested her enough to investigate.
Raising Thor and Loki had already consumed enough of her energy.
As a result, she knew almost nothing about Axel.
What she did know, however, was the power of the Celestials.
She had witnessed Odin, clad in the painstakingly forged Destroyer armor, be struck into the Odinsleep by a Celestial.
Yet this young man spoke of one with complete indifference.
Her eyes lingered on Axel.
Was he truly that powerful?
His armor certainly looked magnificent.
No wonder he dared lounge so casually before Odin.
Quite remarkable.
While Frigga quietly observed him, the Ancient One sighed softly.
Beside Axel, Wu Fengji spoke with obvious disapproval.
"Foolish."
"What?"
Axel narrowed his eyes.
Wu Fengji met his gaze.
"If this were only about strength, I could defeat a single Celestial myself.
"But Tiamut is not merely a Celestial.
"He is the Earth itself."
The Ancient One continued where she left off.
"Ms. White Phoenix is correct.
"Earth is the womb that has nurtured Tiamut since the beginning.
"He is not Earth's enemy.
"What appears to us as Earth's destruction is simply the process of his birth.
"Every living creature must eventually break free of what nurtured it.
"For Tiamut, the Earth is that shell.
"What right do we have to imprison a child that has grown within it for nearly five billion years?
"We are not Earth's masters.
"We exist because of it.
"From another perspective, we are merely life that developed upon Tiamut's shell."
After listening quietly, Axel nodded.
"I get it now.
"So before I arrived, your plan was to let humanity influence the Eternals who protect Tiamut.
"The Eternals would then convince Tiamut to enter voluntary slumber, extending Earth's lifespan by another two billion years."
He recalled the story he knew.
The solution relied almost entirely on emotions.
It wasn't particularly convincing.
Even so, that had been Earth's destined future.
To beings that measured time in billions of years, sacrificing a little more time meant almost nothing.
Odin nodded.
"Exactly.
"I understand why you find the plan unreliable.
"But this was never merely a plan.
"It was fate.
"Long ago, Agamotto used the Time Stone to observe countless futures.
"Among them, this path caused the least destruction.
"As long as the Ancient One and I died in sequence, Lucifer returned to Heaven, and Lady White Phoenix released the Phoenix Force...
"...the Nine Realms would appear weakened before the universe.
"Only then would Thanos, the Titan rejected by Death, turn his attention toward Midgard.
"When he finally snapped his fingers on Earth to fulfill his wish, that single act would delay Tiamut's awakening.
"It would also inspire humanity's struggle to restore those they had lost.
"The Eternals, after witnessing humanity's determination, would ultimately choose Earth's future over their mission.
"And Tiamut would willingly return to slumber."
Odin slowly raised his hand.
Snap.
The crisp sound echoed through the hall.
He smiled faintly.
"Now you understand.
"Everything depended upon Thanos.
"The perfect ending required him to snap his fingers at least once.
"And for that to happen, those of us he feared had to disappear according to fate.
"But now..."
Odin pointed toward the Mind Stone hanging from Axel's armor.
"You possess two Infinity Stones.
"Your strength already surpasses ours.
"Even if we all died, Thanos would never be able to take them from you.
"He would struggle just to stay alive."
Axel burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!
"Old Odin, it's rare hearing compliments from you."
Praise from someone he respected always pleased him.
He took another large drink before patting his chest confidently.
"Don't worry.
"I'll handle it.
"It's only one Celestial.
"I'll even deal with the Eternals if necessary.
"Tiamut isn't waking up.
"I like Earth.
"If not for the interesting people there, I probably wouldn't have bothered visiting this universe at all.
"But if I'm helping everyone, I'd like to know the plan."
"I have one."
Odin gestured toward the empty chair opposite Axel.
"But not everyone has arrived.
"We'll discuss it once our final guest is here.
"Lucifer has spent years hunting Mephisto.
"That's why our universe has so few Ghost Riders.
"Mephisto has barely had time to create another.
"And even if he did, that Ghost Rider would be far weaker.
"My old friend has kept him occupied for centuries."
Axel nodded with a grin.
"I know how you people operate.
"If you can beat someone, you hit them hard.
"If you can't, you wait patiently.
"Kind of like how you're politely trying to keep me happy."
"Axel."
White flames erupted around Wu Fengji.
The Phoenix Force inside her stirred violently.
She wanted another fight.
So did the Phoenix.
Axel looked at her with amused contempt before extending one hand.
"Tsk.
"Miss Wu, your power comes from the Phoenix Force.
"With a wave of my hand, I could send that power to another Phoenix host somewhere else in the multiverse.
"And that Divine Dragon inside you...
"Why don't you ask whether it dares challenge me?
"I don't mind your temper.
"But eventually you'll have to roll over and admit defeat."
"Shameless!"
Wu Fengji shot to her feet.
Before anything else could happen, brilliant light suddenly flashed across the Rainbow Bridge.
At the same moment, Gungnir appeared in Odin's hand.
He struck the spear against the floor.
"Enough.
"Lady White Phoenix.
"Axel.
"For my sake, do not fight inside my palace.
"If you truly wish to spar, I'll recommend several suitable star systems afterward.
"Our final guest has arrived."
Odin looked from one to the other.
Wu Fengji slowly sat back down.
Axel casually raised his wine.
"You know me, Odin.
"I'm not provoking her.
"I'm courting her.
"You don't win over a lioness by circling around like a scavenger.
"You show your strength."
"Axel."
Wu Fengji's silver hair floated upward again.
Moments later, she slowly exhaled and regained control.
She studied him with an amused expression before speaking.
"In the thousands of years since gaining this power, you aren't the first man to pursue me.
"If you believe you're worthy...
"Then prove it.
"You wish to stand above me?
"Defeat both me and the Phoenix first."
Axel laughed.
"And the Divine Dragon too.
"No problem.
"We'll settle it properly someday."
"I'm here, buddies!"
A booming voice interrupted him.
Heavy footsteps shook the palace.
Outside, Asgardian guards cried out in surprise.
A gigantic mammoth nearly one hundred feet tall carefully approached the entrance.
Its enormous feet searched cautiously for solid footing, making sure it didn't accidentally crush any guards before finally stopping outside the great hall.
A moment later...
Thud.
A heavily built man climbed down from its back.
He wore a palm tree patterned shirt and elephant-print shorts.
Waving cheerfully at Odin, he laughed loudly.
"Odin!
"It's been over four hundred years since you called me.
"Honestly, you've had good reason.
"I've been buried in work.
"There are more damned souls than ever.
"You remember that massive war decades ago?
"I thought things would settle afterward.
"Instead, humanity started another war almost immediately.
"And that's not even the worst part.
"The peaceful places somehow produce even filthier souls.
"I barely sleep anymore.
"The Spirit of Vengeance is constantly itching to punish someone.
"So it's good you invited me.
"Help me figure out how to get a decent night's sleep."
Unlike every other Ghost Rider, the oldest of them all was incredibly talkative.
It made perfect sense.
By the time Mephisto truly established Hell's operations, this man had already been serving.
He was Ghost Rider Number One.
Someone who regularly stormed Mephisto's own territory wasn't going to have an ordinary personality.
As he approached his chair, he continued rambling.
"Most of the old gang is gone.
"Fan Fei's soul followed the Divine Dragon into the Astral Plane.
"The Phoenix host burned away completely.
"Agamotto returned to the Source, and I can't even find him in Hell for a conversation anymore.
"Eventually it'll just be you or me left.
"As for the younger generation...
"The Ancient One has become an excellent Sorcerer Supreme.
"And Wu has fully inherited the Phoenix.
"But enough about them.
"Who the hell are you?"
By then, he had stopped directly across from Axel.
His expression darkened.
Blue flames erupted from his chest.
In an instant, flesh vanished, revealing a flaming skeleton dressed in tropical clothing.
Without realizing it, he stepped toward Axel.
His voice grew deeper with every word.
"Are you the newcomer?
"What an unbelievably filthy soul.
"My Spirit of Vengeance...
"...which I mastered countless ages ago...
"...is demanding judgment the moment it sees you.
"Your hands carry more blood than even Odin's.
"Billions have fallen because of you.
"I know we're supposed to be allies...
"But I can't stop it.
"I truly can't."
He slammed one skeletal hand onto Axel's chair.
Blue hellfire raced across the armrest, swallowing the entire seat in ghostly flames.
His blazing eye sockets locked onto Axel's gaze.
Then, in a thunderous roar, he shouted,
"Look me in the eyes, bastard!"