Yes, it was simply impossible. Fury wholeheartedly agreed with Coulson's assessment.
Conflict drives progress. The struggle for survival pushes beings to unlock extraordinary potential—that is the essence of life. This applies to humans and aliens alike.
This also indirectly proves that Druig's ideology as an Eternal is deeply flawed. No wonder he had a terrible relationship with all the other Eternals, completely estranged from them.
He even had a falling out with Ajak, their leader.
"Druig possesses psychic abilities and can perceive lies. Trying to deceive him with words is impossible."
Fury believed that as long as he never appeared before Druig, Druig could be the most useful tool at his disposal.
After all, he absolutely refused to believe that anyone in this world could fulfill Druig's unrealistic fantasies.
Druig looked at the countless Xenomorph-like creatures around him, a glimmer of excitement flickering in his eyes.
"So many... so many pure minds…" Druig unleashed his psychic abilities, and for a moment, he felt as though he were floating in a blissful ocean of consciousness—clean, though a bit cold.
These creatures' thoughts were pure but utterly frigid. Still, Druig wasn't overly demanding. He couldn't fault such an extraordinary species for a minor imperfection.
"This is perfection."
Under the watchful eyes of many, Druig finally spoke, his voice filled with satisfaction—like someone waking up in a warm bed bathed in sunlight.
"Perfect in what way?" Duncan asked.
"In every way. These creatures... they're as if carefully selected by the Celestials themselves," Druig said, his emotions stirring more than they had in a long time.
"The Celestials have no right to judge my Xenomorphs."
"You've never even left Earth, let alone seen a Celestial! Do you really think becoming the God of Thunder makes you equal to a true Celestial?"
"No, but I do know that the Celestials led by Arishem are unworthy."
Druig's gaze sharpened as he studied Duncan.
He even knows about Arishem? And he dares to say his name without reverence?
Druig's perception of Duncan shifted ever so slightly.
"What is he doing? Why isn't he attacking already?" Gilgamesh frowned, completely baffled.
Why waste time talking? Druig should just use his psychic abilities to control the Xenomorphs and turn them against Duncan. That way, the battle would be over in no time.
But they had no choice. If Druig refused to strike first, were they really supposed to kill all these creatures one by one? That would be far too troublesome.
Besides, Duncan's subordinates weren't just these Xenomorphs—he also had some truly terrifying individuals under his command.
If they focused too much on the Xenomorphs, they could leave themselves open to an attack from those powerful figures.
The Sentry was already a major threat, and the newly appeared Death Woman was equally unsettling. Even though they didn't recognize her, the fact that she stood at Duncan's right hand alongside the Sentry meant she was no ordinary fighter.
"I'm different from the others. I'm here to judge your worth," Druig declared. "Every thought in your mind will be laid bare before me."
Druig activated his powers. His immense psychic energy spread like a plague, rapidly engulfing the countless Xenomorphs.
With every passing second, more and more of them became linked to him—his followers. Or at least, that's how it appeared on the surface.
Druig wasn't here to fight; he was here to assess Duncan. If he deemed Duncan unworthy of controlling the Xenomorphs, he wouldn't hesitate to strip him of that authority.
Yet, despite the situation, Duncan remained completely unfazed, watching Druig with amused curiosity.
The moment he laid eyes on him, Duncan had recognized him.
That's why he felt no need to reprimand Druig for his words or actions. Instead, he responded seriously, "Psychic abilities? That alone won't be enough to deal with me. And what makes you think you've actually gained control over my Xenomorphs?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Druig immediately turned his power on Duncan himself.
A psychic attack moves at lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, Druig had invaded Duncan's mind.
But the moment he entered Duncan's consciousness, something felt terribly wrong.
"What… what is this?"
Druig's once-cold thoughts were now filled with endless horror.
Duncan's mind was like a terrifying abyss, exuding an extreme, bone-chilling cold.
Deep, despairing, filled with screams and dead silence...
At this moment, it was as if all the horrors and evils of the world had converged within this human's mind, forming an insurmountable chasm.
Druig swore that in his thousands of years of memory, he had never encountered anything like this—never probed a mind as unfathomable and terrifying as a black hole.
If this place could even still be called a "mind."
"As expected, an evil being to the extreme… Let me see who you really are..."
Gritting his teeth, Druig pressed on, but in the next second, he froze.
Amidst the abyss of that dreadful will, the scene was filled with flowers and applause.
Countless Xenomorphs had transformed into tiny points of light, scattered throughout this vast and empty void, emitting a faint glow.
Just as Druig watched in shock, more and more of these lights appeared, illuminating every corner of this mindscape.
Some of the light points shone particularly brightly, radiating mental fluctuations far beyond those of ordinary Xenomorphs.
Druig was beginning to understand.
Each Xenomorph, within this spiritual realm, had become a part of the mental barrier surrounding Duncan.
To impose mind control on Duncan was, in essence, to fight against all of the Xenomorphs simultaneously.
Could such a thing really exist in this world? No—why does such a thing exist?
Why, why, is he able to use the consciousness of the Xenomorphs in such a way?
How could a mere human achieve something Druig wouldn't even dare to imagine?
At that moment, Druig realized how laughably wrong he had been to think he had suppressed Duncan's mind—how utterly mistaken he was in believing he had seized control over the Xenomorphs' perception.
"No wonder… No wonder… No wonder you can ignore external psychic forces… No wonder you always have unwavering confidence in your Xenomorphs..."
What even is this?
Was Duncan… the hive mind of all Xenomorphs?
No—he was a hive mind with a dominant consciousness.
Here, Druig could perceive the thoughts of every Xenomorph and their hosts, listening to their emotions with perfect clarity.
More than that, with unprecedented awareness, he could comprehend the instinctive reverence all Xenomorphs felt for Duncan.
Is this what it means to be a god?
To be surrounded by countless pure, untainted hymns of devotion?
Druig wasn't sure.
Could Duncan be even more special than Arishem?
He didn't know.
Unknowingly, Druig found tears streaming down his face.
For centuries, he had been isolated from the world, disconnected from both humanity and his fellow Eternals.
He had almost forgotten what it meant to truly feel.
Cold yet warm, chaotic yet orderly—all the contradictions of existence seemed to pause in this moment, dissolving into an eternal stillness and peace.
Outside, in the real world…
"...Why is he suddenly crying?" Gilgamesh furrowed his brows in confusion.
Thena scratched her head in frustration. "How the hell should I know? A few hours ago, he was arguing with Ajak, accusing us of not leading humanity properly, and wasn't he crying back then too? Who knows what weird stuff is going through his head!"
Coming from a battle-crazed warrior like Thena, this statement wasn't particularly convincing.
The other Eternals were just as bewildered. Barely a few seconds had passed, yet Druig had already changed.
Again.
None of them were good at dealing with Druig's hypersensitive and stubborn personality.
Especially now—crying like this, he looked less like a powerful Eternal and more like an emotional audience member who had just finished watching a tragic drama, completely lost in his own world.
"He simply understood me. That's all."
Duncan spoke, his voice quiet but earnest.
"Druig, staying by Ajak's side is a waste of your precious existence. Do you really want to let your abilities go to waste?"
"Shut up! Druig, don't listen to his nonsense! No matter what you saw, it's all part of his scheme! That's just the kind of person he is!" Ajak's face turned pale as an intense sense of unease surged within her.
Duncan shook his head.
"Who can lie to their own mind? Or are you saying I can deceive myself? And if I could, wouldn't that only prove the truth of my own heart?"
Then, he extended a hand toward the Eternal who had lived for millions of years but whose heart was only a few thousand years old.
"Come, Druig. Come to my side. Someone like you was always meant to stand with me."
His voice carried the weight and steadiness of a towering mountain.
"No… I can't do that!"
Druig involuntarily took a step back.
Ajak was completely stunned.
Even as their leader, she had no idea what the hell was going on!!
What had Druig seen?!
Why was he crying like a frightened child seeking comfort?!
Duncan remained calm.
"You still identify more with being an Eternal?"
"It doesn't matter," he continued, voice unwavering. "I've never cared whether someone is an Eternal, a human, or something else entirely. Because to me—everyone who stands by my side is the same."
The same.
Duncan silently added in his mind.
Druig instantly grasped Duncan's meaning.
Duncan, like a devil tempting someone into corruption, whispered, "Aren't you confused about your existence? You believe you should have done more for humanity, made them better, but because of Ajak's orders, you didn't. Let me tell you why—because the very purpose of the Eternals is to destroy Earth and wipe out all of humanity."
"That's impossible!"
"Why don't you ask your leader? She can communicate with the Celestials, so why not question her directly?" Duncan said with absolute certainty.
Druig stiffly turned his head, looking at Ajak in disbelief.
With just a single glance, as a master of the mind, Druig immediately knew who had been lying all along.
"Listen to what he's saying! We've protected humanity for thousands of years, only for it to be so we could destroy them?"
"Ajak, Duncan is insane! We should hurry and—Ajak?"
Druig's face turned ashen, his eyes vacant.
The other Eternals stared at Ajak in shock, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
Could it be true? Could this absurd claim actually be true?
"I will explain everything after we deal with him!" Ajak began, but Duncan cut her off.
"A brief destruction to usher in a greater rebirth—sacrificing Earth's humanity to give birth to a new Celestial. That's what your leader has been keeping from all of you."
Duncan suddenly laughed. "But I refuse! Why should humanity be doomed to extinction, reduced to mere nourishment for the Celestials? Just so some newly born god can go off to some distant galaxy and create yet another unknown species? And we're supposed to accept that?"
Druig suddenly murmured, "Duncan is telling the truth—I can feel it."
Ajak, suppressing the turmoil within her, commanded sharply, "I order you all—attack! Do not listen to him!"
The other Eternals, though doubtful, still faithfully followed Ajak's orders—just as they had for thousands of years.
But the moment they moved, so did Druig.
Countless xenomorphs, at Druig's command, sprang into action, shifting instantly from stillness to slaughter, lunging—at the Eternals!
"Druig, what are you doing?!" Ajak cried out in horror.
"I've had enough of you people! Everything we've worked for—all of it has been in service of the gods, and yet we never even realized we were mere tools!"
Tears streamed down Druig's face. This drastic shift—this revelation—was too much. He had reached his breaking point.
"From this moment on, I am no longer an Eternal! I have found a better way—a cleaner, purer path!"
Druig had lost control—grief, pain, despair, and a newfound hope he had never imagined all mixed together in a storm of emotion. He roared in fury.
Duncan watched Druig with serene eyes.
Because he had known all along—this was exactly who Druig was.
You could mock him for taking himself too seriously, for believing he had the right to guide humanity.
You could ridicule him for being delusional, like a fool who had watched too many grand fantasies.
But there was one thing you could not deny—his ideals were genuine.
Druig truly believed that he could have done more for humanity, that he had a duty to help them. It was his obsession, his conviction.
And now, learning that everything he believed in had been a lie, that the more he had done for humanity, the more he had contributed to their eventual destruction?
His already sensitive heart shattered completely—and then he went mad.
"I'm done being an Eternal! To hell with the Eternals—despicable, wretched! From now on, I will become a Xenomorph!!"
It turned out that betraying an idealist's faith was the cruelest act imaginable. It was enough to drive them to madness, to make them turn completely.
And in Druig's case, that idealist was also a master of the mind—someone who could peer directly into the deepest truths of others' souls.
The xenomorphs launched a full-scale assault against the stunned Eternals.
Every single Eternal stood frozen in disbelief, staring at Druig.
Their minds raced, but they couldn't process it.
In an instant, the battle erupted in full force. The sheer unpredictability of it left the Eternals in total disarray, overwhelmed right from the start.
They were already outnumbered—and now one of their own, one of their most crucial members, had switched sides!
"Druig, use your full power. Show me what you're capable of." Duncan said.
Druig gazed coldly at his former comrades. His formidable psychic energy surged outward, invading their minds and eroding their will.
"You are pitiful. You have lived as tools for millions of years. Ajak is Arishem's lapdog and accomplice. But I am not! I have found the truth—let me save you."
Druig's bloodshot eyes burned with madness, like a deranged prophet.
Boom!
Gilgamesh struggled against Druig's widespread mental assault, punching xenomorphs away one after another. He carefully retracted his fists the moment his strikes landed, ensuring he wasn't splattered by their acidic blood.
But soon, the burly warrior found himself facing a formidable opponent.
From within the horde of xenomorphs, heavy, thudding footsteps echoed.
A towering, muscular xenomorph locked onto him and charged straight at him.
"You again?"
Gilgamesh's face showed deep helplessness.
The last time he encountered this abomination of a Xenomorph, one so unnaturally strong, was back in New Mexico.
Now, once again, two powerhouses clashed in brutal melee combat—punch for punch, kick for kick. Every strike landed with raw force, their battle nothing short of ferocious.
But if one were to name the most formidable fighter among the Eternals at this moment, it would undoubtedly be the warrior Thena. She wielded a golden energy shield in one hand and a golden energy sword in the other, moving with astonishing speed. Every Xenomorph in her path was effortlessly dismembered.
Phastos was also holding his own. He specialized in crafting intricate energy-based weaponry, sending out multiple golden rings that tore through the swarming Xenomorphs.
The Sentry originally had his sights set on Thena, his eyes glowing with golden light, preparing to unleash a devastating heat vision blast.
"I'll handle her," Druig's voice echoed into the Sentry's mind, transmitted through the Xenomorph embedded in his chest. "I know how to take her down with minimal effort."
The Sentry smirked. He wanted to ask—who do you think you are? What gives you the right to make decisions before Duncan even speaks? Even if Duncan silently permitted it, what made Druig so confident?
"Reynolds, let him do it," Duncan commanded. "More than that, if we want to achieve maximum gain with minimal losses in this battle, Druig is the key."
The Sentry immediately redirected his attack. A golden heat vision blast, powerful enough to pierce mountains, shot toward Phastos, forcing him to divert all his weapons to block the assault.
But this was where the numbers advantage came into play.
A mutated Xenomorph lunged at Phastos, tackling him to the ground.
"Kill him. He's of no use," Duncan remarked casually, sealing Phastos's fate.
"You deceitful manipulator! You won't get away with this!" Phastos, in his desperation, hurled his meticulously crafted energy device toward his fellow Eternals.
According to their plan, this weapon was the key—it could channel the power of all the Eternals into a single, overwhelming burst.
Phastos was swiftly torn apart. Another Eternal had fallen.
The rest of the Eternals would soon meet their own fates.
Ajak, with her formidable healing abilities, turned pale as she watched their side being steadily overwhelmed, drowning in the sea of Xenomorphs. Druig's mere glance was enough to send Thena into another frenzy, her mind lost to uncontrollable rage. She slashed wildly, attacking friend and foe alike, emitting beast-like snarls.
Druig's defection was catastrophic.
Ajak's original plan had counted on Druig taking control of all the Xenomorphs in an instant, turning this formidable army against Duncan to decisively swing the battle in their favor.
But reality proved to be the complete opposite.
"Kingo, watch out!!" Ajak suddenly shouted.
Kingo had already taken down over a dozen Xenomorphs with his energy blasts. As a long-range fighter, he was ideal for systematically clearing out enemies, but his fellow Eternals hadn't secured enough space for him to operate safely.
Then came Deathstrike.
Her fingers elongated into razor-sharp Adamantium claws, and she charged straight at Kingo.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kingo aimed at her, his hands trembling as he fired rapidly. His energy blasts struck her flesh, sending blood flying in all directions. Yet, despite the seemingly gruesome wounds, the attacks did little to stop her.
"What the hell is with this woman?!" Kingo shrieked in disbelief.
Through the torn flesh, he glimpsed her silver, unbreakable Adamantium bones—completely impervious to his attacks.
Deathstrike remained expressionless, a cold and relentless killing machine. She lunged, her claws piercing deep into Kingo's chest, slamming him into the ground.
A swarm of Xenomorphs rushed in, working in eerie synchronization. Within seconds, they severed Kingo's limbs, gouged out his eyes, sliced off his tongue, and punctured his eardrums, rendering him completely helpless.
All of this happened in mere moments. Kingo's horrific fate sent shockwaves through the remaining Eternals.
Yet, even in this state, Kingo was still alive. Everyone knew why.
"Druig, is this what you wanted?" Ajak, standing within the protective formation of the remaining Eternals, panted heavily. Despite the carnage, she had managed to take down a few Xenomorphs herself, leveraging her superior Eternal physique. She couldn't help but confront Druig.
"You don't understand. You haven't seen what I've seen," Druig's voice rang in her mind—signifying that he had officially made his move against her.
"I am trying to save you all!"
"Save us? Phastos is dead, Thena is a mindless berserker, Kingo has been captured—do you have any idea what's going to happen next? Your betrayal has doomed the entire Eternal race!"
"Doomed? You don't understand. I have gazed into the abyss. The future, the truth—it lies within. And I will lead you there… as Xenomorphs!"
Ajak couldn't comprehend his words. At this moment, Druig seemed even more insane than the frenzied Thena.
The battle had barely begun, yet their forces were already in shambles. They hadn't even managed to lay a finger on Duncan, and they were dropping like flies.
"It's time… Phastos's contingency plan. I never thought we'd actually need to use it."
Ajak was sprayed with corrosive blood from a Messenger Xenomorph, her body sustaining severe burns—only for her powerful regeneration to rapidly heal the damage.
She caught the energy devices Phastos had thrown before his death and began channeling the remaining Eternals' power.
This was their last resort. A plan they had established from the beginning.
And the one chosen to execute it—was none other than the ever-silent Sersi.
Sersi, the lover of Ikaris.
Pooling all the Eternals' strength into Sersi alone would unleash a force capable of wiping out all the Xenomorphs in an instant.
"But that Sentry… he's too powerful…"
They had no choice.
Ajak glanced at Sersi, who had been well protected the entire time.
Sersi's expression tightened as she gave a barely perceptible nod—she was ready.
At the very moment Ajak threw out the energy device, Duncan's figure transformed into a terrifying bolt of lightning, appearing near Sersi in an instant.
Whoosh!
With a sudden flick, Mjolnir struck Sersi, causing her to cough up blood violently. A second later, Druig's mind control overwhelmed her, suppressing the gravely injured warrior.
"You think I don't know what you're planning? I won't give you that chance."
Duncan's voice was like something from the depths of hell—each word dripping with an overwhelming terror that sent Ajak's heart plummeting into an icy abyss.
It was over.
This man had anticipated everything. He had prepared meticulously, leaving them no room to turn the tide.
"Druig… you were manipulating him from the start, weren't you?" Ajak asked bitterly.
She couldn't believe that the Eternals—beings who had survived for millions of years, witnessed the destruction of countless planets, and overseen the birth of Celestials—would meet their end here, on Earth.
And worse, at the hands of a mere human, not some higher cosmic civilization.
"You think I can foresee everything? I'm no prophet." Duncan scoffed. "Druig made the right choice—he chose to abandon you, a bunch of decaying relics trapped in an endless cycle of life and death."
Duncan stepped toward Ajak.
Gilgamesh roared, trying to charge forward, but Abomination seized the opportunity. One crushing punch sent Gilgamesh stumbling, and within moments, a swarm of mutated Xenomorphs pounced on him. Their tendrils, capable of draining life essence, pierced his flesh.
The strongest Eternal had fallen.
He, too, would become a host.
Slash!
Erika, who had seemed utterly unremarkable until now, suddenly drew her blade. At first, it looked as if she was striking at Duncan's throat—but at the last moment, her blade veered off course, slashing through what seemed like empty air.
A figure shimmered into existence.
Sprite, the illusionist Eternal, stared down at her own impaled chest in utter disbelief.
"I heard you were a master of illusions," Erika murmured as she slowly withdrew her blade. "Too bad illusions don't work on people like us."
The petite Eternal collapsed, her life snuffed out in an instant.
On the ground, the heavily injured Sersi struggled to summon what remained of her energy, attempting to freeze the battlefield in ice.
But before she could even complete the technique, a blur of motion streaked toward her.
The Speedster Xenomorph.
Dozens of bone-shattering punches rained down in an instant.
She was finished.
"You… you're Makkari's—" Sersi gasped, barely able to process the creature's presence before her will to fight shattered entirely.
One by one, the Eternals fell.
Their fate had been sealed.
"How pitiful."
Duncan gazed at Ajak with a calm, indifferent expression.
"You, who have watched over Earth for 7,000 years, will now be erased. Your era has ended."
He stepped closer.
"But me? My era has only just begun. And you—your strong, resilient bodies—will serve as the foundation of my new world. I like that."
The battlefield grew eerily silent.
More and more Xenomorphs gathered around, lifting their heads in quiet anticipation.
Ajak looked around.
She was the only one still standing.
"It's over, Ajak. You should be thanking me." Druig slowly closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face. "I was right. I have seen the truth."
"The truth?" Ajak's voice trembled with anger. "Your so-called 'truth' led you to murder your own people?"
"This isn't death," Druig murmured, his expression serene. "You will live on—reborn as Xenomorphs, standing beside me. When you finally see what I have seen, you will understand. Only the spirit is eternal."
"…Madman." Ajak shook her head in despair.
There was nothing left to say.
Druig had changed. He had embraced something twisted.
Deathstrike moved without hesitation, impaling Ajak from behind. Dragging her like a discarded carcass, she began the slow march back to the 93rd floor of Weyland Tower.
There, Ajak and the others would meet their final fate.
93rd Floor.
The Xenomorph eggs were hatching, seeking hosts.
Ajak.
Thena.
Kingo.
Gilgamesh.
Sersi.
One by one, the strongest Eternals were assimilated into Duncan's ranks.
And in Druig's mind, this assimilation was both physical and spiritual.
"I am one with the Xenomorphs…"
Reborn after being Facehugged, Druig could feel the presence within his chest, the deep, intimate connection to every Xenomorph around him.
For the first time, he felt utterly safe.
Utterly whole.
Then he turned, gazing coldly at his former comrades.
Their bodies writhed.
Their chests heaved.
And then—one by one—their ribcages burst open.
Amidst their final, hateful stares, Druig felt nothing.
"They were wrong," he whispered. "I was right."
A heavy hand clapped his shoulder.
"Man, I don't know what kind of twisted logic you're running with, but I'm sure you're right."
Robert Reynolds smirked.
His grip was a little too firm—Druig barely held himself together under the force. Maybe Reynolds was still holding a grudge for how Druig had commanded him earlier in battle.
"We're on the right path," Reynolds said, his golden eyes gleaming.
"The road ahead is bright.
A boundless blue ocean awaits us."
Duncan remained silent.
There was no need for him to speak anymore.
His work here was done.
Far away, in a dimly lit chamber, Phil Coulson let out a weary sigh.
He had heard everything—the battle, the chaos—only for it to end in eerie silence.
"…Who's there?" Coulson's voice was calm and composed, as always.
"It's me."
Duncan stepped forward.
"We've crossed paths before, Coulson.
I came here personally to see you off."
Duncan chuckled.
"I thought I might have to fight my way in… but imagine my surprise when I realized your only guards were ordinary agents."