It was clear that before coming here, Bruce had already contacted the Metropolis and prepared everything in advance.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to gather all the necessary components in such a short amount of time.
Even though the civilization of the Metropolis had long surpassed the outside world by nearly a thousand years, attempting to probe into other universes was still a time-consuming and laborious task.
"Let's begin," Bruce said, turning to Reed behind him.
"No problem, but if we want to finish this as quickly as possible, I think you and Stark will both need to help me," Reed said as he approached the machinery and began operating it, speaking to Bruce and the others while he worked.
"I understand." Though Stark really wanted to ask Reed why he needed assistance when he could just split himself into several copies for multitasking, he held back the question, considering the crisis they currently faced. He obediently went to the other side to begin his part.
Bruce had already started working on his own task.
"I'll do my best to simulate the cosmic energies I encountered in the Negative Zone. Stark, I need you to carefully analyze the similarities between each energy wave."
Reed stared intently at the screen in front of him, not even lifting his head.
Although he was quite dissatisfied with Reed's tone, Stark said nothing.
"Batman, I'll assign you an energy simulation machine. All the energy data we collect will be processed and transformed there. Only this way can we find that universe as quickly as possible."
Even though Reed generally trusted Batman, he still gave a reminder—just in case that highly self-aware bat decided to go off-script.
However, Bruce didn't respond, which Reed had already expected. If Batman actually replied at a time like this, Reed would've assumed the sun had started rising from the west.
Above them, the Metropolis was now bearing a massive computational load. Despite its advanced civilization and formidable computing power, they were, after all, searching for a universe.
"Boom!"
On Alpha-1, Monica grew increasingly furious at Bruce's attitude. If the situation weren't so urgent, she truly would have thrown him into a prison cell.
The members of the Ultimate Task Force around her shrank back at the sight of her mood—no one wanted to provoke her right now.
"What a temper," Hawkeye muttered, observing Monica. At that moment, he understood why Nick Fury and Monica had gotten divorced. These two weren't exactly the easiest personalities to mix, let alone cohabitate.
"We have no choice but to trust them now, don't we?" Captain America walked over and patted Monica's shoulder, signaling her to calm down.
"Hoo~"
Captain America's words worked on Monica. For people like her, who had essentially grown up hearing stories of the Captain, he still held considerable weight.
"I'm just angry that Batman started implementing his plan without telling us anything."
Monica's words drew faint chuckles from the two Spider-Women beside her.
Though the laughter was soft, Monica's sharp instincts caught it instantly. She looked up at Jessica.
"Don't tell me you don't know what that bat's planning?"
Staring at Jessica, Monica remembered clearly that this Spider-Woman had become Batman's little fangirl—his loyal sidekick. By all logic, she should know plenty about his plans. So why was she still here?
"Why are you two still here? What mission did Batman leave for you?"
With that, Monica questioned Jessica directly, carefully scrutinizing both Spider-Women.
Clearly, her instincts as an agent were kicking in.
"Don't be so paranoid. It's not just you who doesn't know Batman's plans. Even the two of us don't know. He never tells us anything in full," Jessica said with a shrug, sounding helpless.
But to Monica, that explanation sounded like sheer fantasy.
Still, when she thought about the information S.H.I.E.L.D. had gathered and Batman's behavior in the comics, it actually did sound like something he would do.
Scratching her head, Monica realized she truly had a love-hate relationship with that bat.
Meanwhile, Vision had placed her hand on the purple dust recently recovered from the scene by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
As a synthetic being, Vision could also access the records within the Devourer.
Everyone was watching her nervously, hoping Vision would give them some kind of answer or good news. But she remained still.
She was murmuring something to herself.
"Something's not quite—" Vision felt something was off. But in the next instant, she seemed to experience a brief short-circuit.
"You seemed like—" Falcon began, trying to describe what had just happened, but Vision had already discovered something while scanning her operation logs.
"I've lost a millisecond in my logs."
This made Vision uneasy. She quickly initiated an interface with the now-powdered Devourer and began downloading its historical data.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Vision finally moved.
"He's coming. This world is in trouble. I must leave."
Her words struck like a bolt of lightning, making Monica's anxious eyes widen instantly.
"Who's coming? What did they show you?" Falcon pressed, hoping it wasn't what he feared.
Vision turned to the man who had given her emotions, gently placing her hand on his face.
"Things I must see with my own eyes. I was designed as a deterrent weapon against the Devourer swarm. But using... different methods."
Hearing this, Falcon would have to be blind not to realize what Vision planned to do.
"You can't fight alone, Vision. You'll die."
"Then I'll go to die."
"What exactly did you see?"
"The death of the universe."
Even as she said this, she had already begun charging up, preparing to break through the command center's ceiling. There was little time left.
"Wait, we can..."
Falcon still wanted to say something, but Vision turned to him and said solemnly, "You must stay here and prepare for defense in case I fail. Besides, I have a feeling that bat will bring you good news."
In the next second, Vision shot into the sky, breaking through the ceiling of the Alpha command center and flying deep into space, while Falcon could only stand there in a daze, watching her figure disappear.
Even if Falcon wanted to chase after her or stop her, it would have been impossible.
Just when Vision placed her hand on his face earlier, she had already locked his mechanical exosuit.
Falcon wasn't some kind of super-soldier—breaking free from the suit's lock was entirely impossible.
He could only watch Vision's departing silhouette and voice his heartfelt words.
"I love you."
As for whether Vision heard those words, no one knew.
At that moment, Bruce, still in the city, received a message from Gwen, informing him of everything that had just happened, along with the words spoken by Vision.
Bruce said nothing, simply resuming his research.
Although Reed had discovered some issues, he didn't bring them up—everyone has their own little secrets.
What mattered now was figuring out how to stop that being from arriving on Earth.
Meanwhile, Vision, who had already left the atmosphere, was processing the information she had acquired from the mechanical insect swarm.
From their historical records, she clearly understood the universe from which that purple figure originated.
"In another universe, Reed Richards is one of the greatest heroes the world has ever known. And now we have another hero who firmly believes in him. We're not entirely unfortunate."
"Their X-Men are strong and proud warriors. Their genes have evolved them into an army."
"But we, through deliberate betrayal and sabotage, have weakened our mutants. Yet everything humanity strives to protect will become aid in resisting extinction."
"And in that other universe, Spider-Man is a living symbol of hope. While we only have a gravestone honoring courage and sacrifice."
"Their finest and bravest warriors are our damaged, conflicted soldiers. I was designed to stop the Swarm of the Planet-Eater."
"This is what I must do."
"Yet, something is wrong. Time is reversing, reality is collapsing, the universe is rippling—planets appear and vanish, everything is in disarray."
Vision looked toward a distant planet. Just moments ago, she had seen it get swallowed by a black hole and disappear, only to return to its original position a moment later.
"This universe has already begun its death throes. And when that happens, the Visitors will appear."
Turning her gaze away from that planet, Vision now saw the entity racing toward Earth.
It was the being she had found in the insects' historical archives—the Planet-Eater of another universe.
The embodiment of the end of all things.
Vision flew directly in front of the Planet-Eater and shouted at the supreme being.
"I am Vision, and I've come to ask you to leave this universe."
"I beg you to find another—"
Before the robotic woman could finish her plea, the Planet-Eater brought both hands down toward her.
"Silence."
He had thought it would be easy to crush this little bug, yet he suddenly felt his hands being held apart by something.
"I can withstand great force. I assure you—I choose not to harm living beings." Vision forcibly pushed apart the Planet-Eater's closing hands as intense energy began to radiate from her.
"I ask you to cease your hostile actions toward this universe. You originate from a reality made of power and miracles."
That immense energy pried the Planet-Eater's hands open, allowing Vision to fly directly in front of him.
"Please return to where you came from." Vision spread her arms, attempting to stop the Planet-Eater's actions entirely.
In the next moment, the figure of the Planet-Eater began to fade and distort, as if it might disappear from this universe at any second.
"Insignificant mortal…" Even in this state, the Planet-Eater's voice still echoed clearly.
Before Vision could feel even a hint of relief, his form re-solidified—just like that planet earlier, completely restored.
"This universe is already broken beyond repair," the Planet-Eater said to Vision.
"Yes, but it can be healed," Vision acknowledged. The current universe was indeed no longer in its former healthy state.
But Vision believed that those people on Earth would find a way to restore it to what it once was.
"No—it can be devoured." The Planet-Eater refused to budge. In his eyes, the current state of the universe made it the perfect meal.
Vision lowered her head. In that moment, she truly resembled a living person standing before the Planet-Eater.
"So be it." Vision no longer held much hope in persuading the Planet-Eater to return to his universe.
She immediately activated all her offensive capabilities and addressed the Planet-Eater.
"These grenades contain dark matter. They will remove you from existence painlessly. And for that, I apologize."
No sooner had she spoken than all the weapons on her body unleashed a barrage upon the Planet-Eater's head.
The resulting explosion released blinding light and searing heat, and even Vision herself was pushed back by the shockwave.
She had once witnessed the extinction of species and the collapse of civilizations—seen the Shi'ar Empire decline until only three thousand soldiers remained.
She had seen similar fates befall the Kree and the Chitauri in this galaxy—both nearly wiped out.
Now Vision understood the meaning of loss.
But even now, she felt a sense of emptiness. She realized that this emptiness wasn't due to a lack of emotional perception—it came from something inherently human. It was true, genuine emotion.
It wasn't emptiness.
It was grief.
And now, it was joined by something else.
Worry.
Because after all that light and heat dissipated, the Planet-Eater remained completely unscathed—if anything, he had become even more powerful.
"You fed on my weapon and grew stronger. That… was unexpected." Vision had never imagined something like this could happen.
And now, Vision understood.
'No hope. No survival. The end is near.'
(End of Chapter)
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