During this time, Ethan Drake could only be described as riding the crest of a rising tide. The revival of the Kryptonian Empire had finally taken a decisive step forward, and everything was beginning to fall into place. The foundations he had laid were no longer theoretical—they were taking shape in reality, and fast.
It wouldn't be long before fully trained Kryptonian soldiers, along with specialists across every sector of society, would emerge in waves. Population growth had already begun to surge, creating a sense of unstoppable momentum that echoed across his expanding domain. The empire was no longer a fragile concept—it was becoming a living, breathing civilization.
On the military front, progress was just as aggressive. The construction of the third World Engine had already begun, and a fleet of interstellar vessels—ranging from reconnaissance ships to heavy cruisers—was rapidly expanding. The scale of production alone was enough to intimidate neighboring powers.
As for individual combat strength, Ethan had gone far beyond standard issue. While traditional Kryptonian combat suits were still in use, the surrender of the dwarf race had unlocked something far more dangerous—rune-based weaponry. These weapons didn't just enhance strength; they elevated it into something unpredictable and devastating.
On top of that, he had elite warriors under his command—Supermen led by Faora. Their presence alone could tilt the balance of entire battlefields, acting as living weapons of mass destruction.
And then there was Ethan himself.
His personal strength had grown to an absurd level, bolstered by three Infinity Stones fused into his very being. The power coursing through him felt endless, like a star that would never burn out. Compared to what he had once been, the difference was almost laughable.
Just half a year ago, he had been nothing more than a soldier aboard a reconnaissance ship, struggling to survive in an indifferent universe. Now, he stood at the top of a rising empire, his name echoing across galaxies.
The Kree Empire watched him with jealousy, their pride bruised by his rapid ascent. Meanwhile, Thanos harbored silent hatred, no doubt plotting his next move.
One of the so-called three great interstellar empires? The so-called mighty Thanos? Ethan found himself increasingly unimpressed.
The more he thought about it, the more a sense of pride swelled inside him.
And that pride had begun to rot into complacency.
Over the past few days, he had all but ignored government affairs. Instead, he indulged himself in pleasure, losing track of time in the arms of countless women. Using the genetic creation systems of the Central Collection, he had even designed what he considered the most beautiful woman on Krypton.
It was excess—pure and unrestrained.
During this period, he had gained a new understanding of a saying: when a king becomes too comfortable, the court is forgotten.
On one particular night, Ethan suddenly sat up halfway from a massive cushioned bed. Around him, several women lay sleeping beneath silk sheets, their peaceful expressions a stark contrast to the storm gathering in his mind.
The scene itself was proof of how indulgent his life had become.
He raised a hand and slapped his own face lightly, forcing clarity back into his thoughts. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as the haze of pleasure shattered.
"I've gotten arrogant."
The realization came sharply, cutting through his mind like a blade. After achieving so much in such a short time, he had allowed himself to grow complacent.
No… the empire had only just begun. Its foundation was barely stable. How could he possibly justify resting on his laurels now?
In his previous life, he had been nothing more than a wealthy heir with no real accomplishments. Compared to what he had now, that life was insignificant.
And yet… he had already started to feel satisfied.
That was the real danger.
His past limitations had clouded his vision, tricking him into thinking he had already reached the peak. The truth was the opposite—he was still climbing.
"No."
His expression hardened, and his thoughts sharpened into focus.
The empire's foundation had just been laid. His own strength hadn't reached its true limit either.
"I still have a long way to go."
His voice was low, but steady, filled with determination rather than doubt. He could feel the gap between where he stood and where he wanted to be.
"My power is still at the Silver Superman stage. I haven't reached the peak yet. I need to break through—to become a Golden Superman… and beyond that, something even greater."
His gaze turned colder, more resolute with every passing second.
"The Kryptonian Empire isn't meant to settle for this. I'm going to replace the three major interstellar empires."
That wasn't arrogance anymore. It was clarity.
A personal standard. A line he had drawn for himself.
If he couldn't meet those conditions, then he had no right to indulge in the kind of excess he had been drowning in.
"Mm."
His eyes narrowed slightly as something else caught his attention.
"It's time to move. Those aren't tachyon fluctuations… that's the Reality Stone."
The moment he focused, he could feel it—resonating faintly through the connection shared between the Infinity Stones. The Reality Stone had been released from its seal.
Which meant one thing.
It was time to take it.
Without hesitation, he sent a mental message to Lilith, leaving behind only the briefest of instructions. In the next instant, his figure dissolved into nothingness, vanishing from the room entirely.
While Ethan had been lost in indulgence, someone else was drowning in frustration.
Thor found himself in a state of constant irritation. The more he thought about recent events, the angrier he became. It felt like everything was going wrong at once.
His father, Odin—the All-Father, the king of gods—had fallen gravely ill and remained trapped in a deep slumber. Despite the silence surrounding the issue, Thor knew the truth.
Odin's life, which had spanned thousands of years, was nearing its end.
After his last battle with Laufey, king of the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, Odin had already been weakened enough to require rest. But his more recent clash with Kryptonian forces had pushed him even further.
Now, he lay unconscious, his condition worse than ever.
"It may take decades for him to recover," the goddess of youth had told Thor during treatment. "Or… he may never recover at all."
Those words had hit harder than any blow.
Only then did Thor truly understand the extent of his father's injuries. Many of the warriors who had followed Odin into battle had already been buried, their lives lost in the conflict.
"Superman… I swear I'll kill you."
The vow burned in his chest, repeated day and night like a mantra. He longed to confront that Kryptonian again, to settle the score with his own hands.
But even that thought brought frustration.
His hammer—Mjolnir—had been shattered during that battle. The legendary weapon he once wielded without hesitation was now something he barely dared to use.
Everything felt like it was falling apart.
His brother Loki had turned against him. The destruction of the Bifrost had triggered rebellions across the Nine Realms, forcing Thor into constant warfare just to maintain order.
By the time the chaos was finally suppressed, he was exhausted.
All he wanted was a moment of peace—maybe even a chance to return to Earth and see his human girlfriend again.
But fate had other plans.
Heimdall approached him with troubling news.
"There's something wrong with your girlfriend."
Thor frowned, confused by the statement.
"The Nine Realms are aligning," Heimdall continued, his voice calm but serious. "It's a rare celestial phenomenon that occurs once every several thousand years. According to legend, this is when the Aether reappears."
"And your girlfriend… she's likely been caught in it."
Thor froze, stunned by what he was hearing. Heimdall wasn't someone who spoke lightly—his vision spanned all Nine Realms.
If he said something was wrong, then it was.
"She's already passed through a dimensional anomaly," Heimdall added. "And now… she carries the aura of the Aether."
"Go. Bring her back."
Understanding the urgency, Thor wasted no time.
Using the Bifrost, he traveled to London and reunited with Jane Foster. But the moment he saw her, his heart sank.
She looked weak—far weaker than she should have been.
There was no time to waste. With another surge of energy, the Bifrost activated again, transporting both of them back to Asgard for immediate examination and treatment.
Ten minutes later, Ethan's figure appeared silently within a distorted pocket of space.
He had traced the lingering fluctuations of the Reality Stone directly to this location. Though he had arrived a step too late, the residual energy in the air confirmed everything.
This was where the Aether had been sealed.
Following the sequence of events, Jane Foster must have accidentally entered this dimension during the celestial convergence and taken the Aether into her body.
After that, she would have been taken to Asgard.
"Asgard…"
Ethan murmured the name under his breath, his expression completely devoid of hesitation.
The Infinity Stones were not optional.
He would have them all.
And if that meant stepping into the heart of Asgard itself—then so be it.
He reached out with the Space Stone, attempting to establish a pathway into the Nine Realms. As the spatial connections unfolded before him, something immediately caught his attention.
One of the regions felt… wrong.
Distorted.
As if the space itself had been deliberately sealed.
....
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