Thousands of years ago, in the only Marvel timeline.
Kyle, in secret, guided the young Odin to ascend the throne of Asgard. He then shaped the very laws of the universe into the seven Infinity Stones.
He wielded the Power Stone to unleash devastation across the Nine Realms, the Soul Stone to ignite cosmic legends, the Space and Reality Stones to solidify Asgard's dominance, and the Mind Stone to shape the destiny of the Thanos family…
…
Seven years passed.
With the decimation of the Giant Clan and the burgeoning strength of Asgard stabilizing the borders, the Nine Realms, long embroiled in ceaseless warfare, finally ushered in an era of unprecedented peace.
After their cosmic journey across the Nine Realms, Kyle and Raina returned to their home planet, embracing a simple, ordinary life.
Occasionally, they would summon Venom in his Star-Eater form to consume stars and galaxies, and invite ancient beings of eternal life for tea. They also subtly nudged collapsing domains beyond the Nine Realms to further stabilize the ancient Marvel universe.
One day.
At the edge of the Nine Realms, where even stars dared not glimmer, only darkness and silence reigned.
Yet, one place defied the universe's laws.
On a planet radiating with divine energy, a magnificent mansion stood at its heart. In the artificial park of the mansion's backyard, spring bloomed in full force, birdsong filled the air, and flowers exuded fragrant perfume. No one would suspect that this haven of life existed at the universe's edge, its most desolate region.
"Checkmate."
In the white courtyard, amidst the blooming flowers and verdant plants, two figures sat facing each other across a chessboard. One was a middle-aged man, his hair streaked with gray, clad in an unusual, starry uniform. He stared intently at the board, beads of sweat trickling down his brow as he desperately searched for his next move.
His opponent was a handsome young man, his hair the color of spun gold. His eyes, brimming with divinity and authority, shimmered with an inner flame, as if burning with energy. Though dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, he commanded the attention of the world.
If the time-traveling Avengers had witnessed this scene, they would have been speechless.
For the young man across from the middle-aged man was none other than Kyle – the very being they had relentlessly sought, only to find him utterly beyond their reach.
"High Lord, you've lost again," Kyle stated casually, using two fingers to nudge his chess piece, delivering checkmate.
"This!" The High Lord widened his eyes, then bowed his head, pondering for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "I concede. I thought I was at the fifth level, but I underestimated..."
"No, the board you set was indeed the fifth level," Kyle blinked, a faint smile playing on his lips. "But unfortunately, I'm already in the stratosphere."
The High Lord was speechless.
As an ancient figure in the Marvel universe, countless eons old, if another being dared to defeat him in a game, they would have ceased to exist long ago.
However, the man across from him was an exception.
Having witnessed Kyle effortlessly crush the mighty leader of the Giant Clan, the High Lord understood that harboring such a thought would be his own undoing – despite possessing an almost immortal body and life.
"There's no denying it; I've lost to you again," The High Lord sighed, leaning back slightly as his gaze fell upon the small, round table beside Kyle.
In the fruit basket, several apples nestled beside an ancient, yet luxurious golden crown.
The crown's design was unlike any other, featuring six empty slots where gemstones should have been inlaid.
As a being with infinite knowledge of the universe, the High Lord felt an involuntary stir of longing and desire upon seeing the crown, though the feeling quickly subsided.
"What's wrong?" Kyle inquired casually, seemingly sensing the High Lord's thoughts. "If you want it, I can give it to you."
"Give... me?" The High Lord swallowed, his throat suddenly dry, his eyes fixed on the crown. After a long moment, he closed his eyes with difficulty, a pained expression on his face.
He sighed, "Never mind, I don't deserve it. Even if I possessed it, it would be a waste."
"Didn't expect you to understand so quickly," Kyle smiled indifferently.
"I've always been greedy. But it's just... too..." The High Lord smiled wryly, struggling to find the words to describe the crown that Kyle had so casually set aside.
After a pause, he asked seriously, "I want to know, what were you thinking when you made it?"
"What kind of thinking?" Kyle shrugged. "I originally intended to create a Divine Weapon for Odin. But later, I realized I might have overdone it, so I refrained from giving it to him."
"Odin, indeed, is remarkable – the first King of the Gods," the High Lord acknowledged, his gaze drawn back to the crown. He shook his head. "But he still isn't worthy of this crown."
The High Lord couldn't conceive of anyone but Kyle himself being worthy to wear it.
At that moment, a black figure emerged from the mansion.
It was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with long, lustrous black hair. Her black dress draped elegantly over her graceful figure, making her resemble a black rose blooming in the Nine Realms universe.
Raina smiled gently, gracefully approaching with two cups of fragrant coffee.
The High Lord averted his gaze, unable to meet her eyes.
"Thank you for your hard work," Kyle smiled, accepting his cup of coffee as Raina placed the other on the table before the High Lord.
Raina smiled slightly, about to speak, when she suddenly frowned and instinctively covered her mouth, her expression a mixture of disgust and surprise.
"What happened?" Kyle looked at her in surprise.
"I—I'm fine," Raina said, but quickly turned and hurried away.
"What's wrong?" Kyle watched her go, puzzled. With Raina's abilities and physical constitution, she should never experience illness or injury.
"My Lord Kyle," the High Lord finally spoke, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "She should be pregnant."
"Pregnant?" Kyle's hand trembled, nearly spilling his coffee.
"There's no mistake. I possess a unique sensory ability, and as soon as she approached, I sensed another tiny life within her," The High Lord explained patiently. He couldn't help but feel a touch of amusement, surprised that even the great being before him experienced moments of bewilderment.
Kyle fell silent.
He wasn't entirely unaware.
However, beings of greater power and more perfect genes often found conception more challenging.
For instance, the ancient cosmic elders like the High Lord had remained childless for millions of years. Ego the Celestial had to mate with women from thousands of different races before finally siring Star-Lord with a human woman.
Now, Kyle's genes had transcended the limitations of this universe, making the probability of someone conceiving his child exceedingly low. This had led him to dismiss the possibility of Raina's pregnancy.
But now, he was certain: Raina was indeed pregnant!
(End of chapter)