Everyone in the Terra Federation was panic-stricken. Yet even in this state of confusion and fear, no one was truly willing to believe it. Could a single snap of Thanos' fingers really possess such terrifying power? The universe was nearly infinite. No one knew exactly how many lives existed across its countless worlds, but Thanos could actually kill half of them with nothing more than a snap of his fingers. This terrifying threat had always lingered in everyone's minds, disturbing them again and again like an unavoidable nightmare.
And now, as the Infinity Stones truly fell into the hands of Thanos, everything had finally reached the most frightening turning point.
After all the twists and turns, after so many unexpected changes, Thanos still ultimately raised his left hand. The golden glove glittered brilliantly beneath the light of the screen. How dazzling it was. How terrifying it was. Then, with an almost ridiculous simplicity, Thanos' fingers slowly came together.
Snap! The crisp sound of his fingers echoed. At that instant, time itself seemed to freeze. Colorful lights flickered across everyone's faces, bathing the entire world in an eerie radiance. It was as though something strange and unimaginable was about to happen.
After that brief moment of stagnation came endless panic and emptiness. People all over the world suddenly cried out in confusion and terror.
"Why does my breathing feel so hard?!"
"I can't breathe!"
"Help me! Someone, please save me!"
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Has Thanos really snapped his fingers? Did it actually affect the present?"
"How could it have such a terrifying influence?!"
"If Thor had directly cut Thanos' head off with his axe, wouldn't there have been any problems?"
"Ah, how painful! I feel like I'm no longer myself!"
"It feels like something has left me... Is it my soul?"
"Look! The sky!"
Everyone instinctively raised their heads and looked toward the heavens.
At the exact moment Thanos' snap rang out, the sky suddenly transformed into something resembling a gigantic aurora spreading across the entire horizon. Faint stars could still be seen within it, and the sight left everyone deeply shocked.
But the strange aurora disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared. What followed was even more terrifying. The sky turned into a colorful yet pitch-black expanse, as black as the depths of the void. Not even the slightest trace of starlight remained. It was as though the entire planet of Terra had been sealed inside an enormous black bag, completely cut off from the outside light.
Everyone fell silent. No one knew how to describe the bizarre scene unfolding before them. They only knew that the suffering had intensified. It felt as though some unimaginable catastrophe was about to descend upon every living creature on Terra.
Many particularly sensitive people were already drenched in sweat, their faces pale and bloodless. Some had even developed abnormal physical reactions because of the overwhelming fear. The sense of dread was becoming impossible to suppress.
Inside the High Council, the gathered Councilors' expressions were equally grim. Evonne covered her head, feeling an intense dizziness spreading through her mind. She forced herself to remain calm before asking, "The arrangement in the atmosphere... does it work?"
Hyeon nodded, his expression extremely solemn. "It worked, but it was all destroyed. I didn't expect that something would really happen when Thanos snapped his fingers."
Evonne's expression became even more serious. "It's not enough. If this continues, the Terra Federation will be in serious trouble. I don't know whether this is the power of the Infinity Stones or some other unknown force."
Before anyone could respond, Evonne suddenly noticed something strange. "Hey, why is your body glowing?"
"It's not just me. You're glowing too."
The Councilors looked at one another in astonishment. Only then did they realize that something strange had indeed happened to all of them. Everyone was emitting a faint light.
At first, it was barely noticeable, like a weak shimmer surrounding their bodies. But gradually, the radiance began to grow brighter. Among everyone present, Evonne's light was the brightest. The next was Councilor Gladwin. As for several other Councilors, the light surrounding their bodies was considerably dimmer.
Evonne's eyes flickered as she carefully examined the phenomenon. "Have you felt it? Ever since this light appeared, has that uncomfortable sensation from earlier disappeared? There is no longer any feeling of suppression."
The other Councilors concentrated and carefully sensed their bodies. A moment later, everyone's expressions changed.
"It really is!"
"Why is there this shimmer?"
Evonne's thoughts raced rapidly. Suddenly, her body froze as an astonishing possibility appeared in her mind. "It's the Network!"
She immediately continued, "We've all captured memories of our past lives. That's why all of us have this light surrounding us. However, the intensity may be different because of the number of past lives we've captured, the identities of those previous lives, or even the level of activity!"
Gladwin immediately looked around at everyone. "It's activity. I remember your activity values. The higher someone's activity is, the more radiant the light surrounding them becomes!"
Sith's face instantly filled with joy. "That means the Network is helping us resist this strange crisis?!"
Evonne shook her head. "It may not be the Network itself. The Network may only be helping us awaken the memories of our previous lives. The real resistance is coming from our own past lives!"
Once that string of information was connected together, Evonne was suddenly stunned by another thought. "If activity determines the intensity of this light to a certain extent, then wouldn't he..."
All the Councilors looked at one another. Without saying another word, they immediately walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. However, the moment the curtains were pulled open, everyone was completely shocked by the scene outside.
In the endless darkness beneath the heavens, there was actually a giant made entirely of light and shadow standing above Terra. The giant was formed from countless rays of light, taking the shape of an enormous humanoid figure that looked almost real. Its enormous arms were raised toward the heavens. Its feet stood firmly upon the earth, while its hands seemed to hold up the sky itself. Vast areas of Terra were illuminated by the brilliant radiance emanating from its body.
But what shocked everyone even more happened in the next moment. Countless points of light began condensing across various locations throughout Terra. One after another, these tiny points of light gathered together, forming giants of light and shadow of different sizes.
Across the entire planet, countless radiant figures appeared. At this moment, Terra seemed to transform into a sacred land of light. The dark heavens above were completely illuminated.
Evonne and the others stared blankly at the unbelievable scene unfolding before their eyes. The faint shimmer surrounding their own bodies had also evolved into a giant figure of light standing outside the building.
"This is the power of everyone in the world who has captured past lives!"
"Did the Network manifest this strange power in order to resist the invasion of this unknown danger?"
"Impressive!"
Inside the conference room, the Councilors were filled with amazement. Their gazes remained fixed upon the only supergiant of light that stood towering above the ground. Their expressions were filled with deep respect and awe.
However, Evonne's expression suddenly darkened. "The citizens of Terra have successfully resisted this wave of crisis with the help of the Network. But during the era of Earth back then, there was no Network, and they had not captured anything from their previous lives."
Her eyes narrowed. "How did they resist?"
On Terra, light continued to appear. Soon, more and more people discovered this astonishing scene. Screenshots and videos quickly began spreading across the Internet. No matter which screenshot or video people looked at, the center of the scene was always occupied by those enormous giants of light scattered throughout the world. They were almost like countless suns, illuminating every corner of Terra and driving back the terrible darkness.
"The suffocation is gone! Are those people made of light the ones doing it?!"
"Why are there so many giants of light appearing all over our Terra?!"
"Whatever the reason is, we've survived this wave!"
"Not yet! The Giant of Light hasn't disappeared!"
"Indeed! Look carefully at that enormous Giant of Light! The radiance on his body is slowly becoming dimmer!"
"Yes! I noticed it too! The other light people are also becoming dimmer!"
"Could it be that resisting the killing and invasion of Terra by that unknown force is consuming the energy of these light giants?"
"How long can they actually hold on?!"
Discussions flooded the Internet. Countless people were anxiously discussing the strange phenomenon that had appeared before them, and even more people were beginning to worry about what would happen next.
Some were already convinced that Tony would die at this moment. After all, if Tony died here, that would mean this capture of his past life would come to an end. A past life after death could no longer be captured.
However, when a gigantic giant of light led a group of smaller giants of light to resist the terrifying crisis together, the panicked crowd gradually settled down. At least, they could still see hope.
Everyone continued staring at the screen that was still playing. No one dared to look away. They wanted to know whether the people of Terra could survive what was coming next.
After Thanos snapped his fingers, a strange scene suddenly appeared on the screen. Thanos appeared in a bizarre and unfamiliar space. Beneath his feet was a perfectly still surface of water, resembling the bottom of an ancient well. The surrounding sky was a deep, dark red, giving the entire space an eerie and desolate atmosphere.
Just as Thanos was still shocked by his sudden arrival, he suddenly turned around, and a look of astonishment immediately appeared on his face. At the far end of his field of vision stood an ancient and imposing gate, and beneath that gate stood a child.
The two figures looked at each other from a distance. Thanos stared blankly for a moment before slowly walking toward the child in disbelief. Step by step, he approached.
When he finally came close enough to see the back of the little girl clearly, Thanos' eyes instantly turned red. His lips trembled slightly. "Daughter?"
The little girl slowly turned around. Looking at Thanos, she quietly said, "Did you do it?"
Thanos' voice trembled as he answered, "Yes."
The little girl looked directly at Thanos and slowly asked, "What did it cost?"
Thanos looked up at her. There was no hesitation in his answer as he spoke with complete honesty. "Everything."
The screen suddenly flickered. The strange space disappeared, and the scene returned to the forest where Thanos had snapped his fingers.
The Infinity Gauntlet that had just unleashed the snap had completely changed. The once magnificent gauntlet now looked almost like a piece of charred charcoal. Even the luster of the Infinity Stones had become considerably dimmer, as though an enormous amount of energy had been drained from them.
Thor stared at the smoking gauntlet in shock. "What did you do? What'd you do?"
Thanos did not answer. He simply raised his hand and directly activated the power of the Space Stone. A spatial vortex instantly appeared, swallowing his entire body. In the blink of an eye, Thanos disappeared, causing the Stormbreaker to fall heavily to the ground.
Bang! And then, across the entire Earth, a thunderous roar suddenly began to echo. The terrifying power unleashed by the snap of Thanos' fingers had finally begun to sweep across the entire Earth Age.
Thor stood there in a daze, staring blankly at the Storm Axe lying on the ground. Gradually, his expression became filled with regret. He could obviously have killed Thanos with his own hands. He had possessed the opportunity. But at the final moment, because of his own pride and arrogance, he had focused entirely on launching a powerful attack rather than ensuring that Thanos could no longer act.
In the end, he had failed to stop the tyrant's actions. Just as Thanos had said. If Stormbreaker had struck Thanos' head at that moment, perhaps the tyrant truly could have been killed.
Thor already understood. He knew exactly what kind of terrifying thing was happening now. And yet, it was already too late.
At the edge of the forest, Rogers slowly woke up on the ground, and he staggered forward while covering his wound. Looking at Thor, he asked anxiously, "Where'd he go?"
Rogers turned around and looked in every direction. The surroundings were terribly quiet, and there was no trace of Thanos. "Thor."
Thor merely stared blankly at Rogers. He did not know how he was supposed to face the people who had been fighting alongside him for such a long time.
Rogers continued asking, "Where'd he go?"
Just then, from not far away, Bucky suddenly appeared. "Steve?"
Everyone immediately turned their heads, and then they saw an extremely terrifying scene. Bucky's body was changing. Starting from his arm, his flesh slowly transformed into a gray-brown color. It spread little by little.
Not even two steps later, Bucky's entire body completely turned into ashes and dissipated into the air. It was like a piece of paper being consumed by flames. In the next instant, a large amount of ash lightly scattered onto the ground. The only remaining sound was the metallic clatter of his gun falling to the ground.
Rogers walked over in disbelief. He slowly fell to his knees, staring at the ashes scattered across the ground. His eyes were filled with disbelief and pain. Slowly, he reached out his hand and touched the ashes. But there was nothing left. Nothing he could hold onto.
Thor's face turned pale. His heart was filled with even greater pain.
And at this moment, everyone on Terra was completely stunned. The entire planet became silent. It was as though the whole world had suddenly turned into a ghost town.
After the snap of Thanos' fingers, the method by which half of all life would be killed was finally revealed in front of everyone. Only two seconds. A person who had been completely intact moments ago, a living person made of flesh and blood, had turned into nothing more than a pile of ashes.
There was no pain. No blood. No wound. No struggle. It was as though that person had never existed in this world at all. They simply vanished from the world. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. That single pile of dust ruthlessly stimulated the nerves of everyone watching.
No one needed to guess anymore. Everyone understood what had happened. Endless panic instantly surrounded the entire population. At this moment, everyone finally realized just how fragile human life truly was. It could be erased so easily. Without even the slightest ability to fight back.
Inside the Administration, the dim light surrounding the Director's body was gradually fading. When he saw the death scene and the words. "This... It consumes so quickly!"
The Director immediately looked out the window. He could clearly sense that the countless Giants of Light outside, as well as the enormous Giant of Light standing at the center, had all become considerably dimmer. The discovery horrified him.
The threat brought about by Thanos' snap was far more terrifying than they had initially imagined. Its influence was not something that would disappear in an instant. It did not end with the snap. The killing had only just begun.
"This..." The Director did not know what to do. "Everyone thought Thor was the key to killing Thanos. Everyone thought the axe would be the only hope, the miracle that could turn everything around. But now..."
The Director's expression was filled with sorrow. For the moment, he did not even have the energy to think about the other, even more terrifying threats. All he could think about was how to eliminate the threat facing the Terra Federation.
Hawking took a deep breath. His voice trembled with shock. "Since Thor failed to stop the crisis caused by Thanos... And the snap of his fingers has now begun killing lives throughout the universe... That means the only hope must lie with someone else?"
The Director spoke solemnly. "The snap has already resounded throughout the universe. How can anyone possibly stop it now? Strange's only hope may not have developed in the way he expected."
Inside the High Council, the Councilors looked at the light surrounding their bodies. Compared with before, it was slightly stronger.
One of the Councilors spoke to everyone. "This may actually be an opportunity. As long as you capture past lives, and the higher the frequency of those captures, the more this peculiar light on your body can be replenished."
"Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to perform another capture immediately, so that the shimmering power surrounding our bodies can be strengthened within a short period of time."
Evonne frowned. "Although that is indeed a method... But many people's bodies simply cannot withstand such high-frequency captures."
She waved his hand. "There is no other good way now. As long as someone can successfully complete another capture, there is at least an opportunity to increase their resistance. Otherwise, this confrontation, which we don't even know how long will continue, may very well end with our defeat."
Gladwin suddenly spoke. "Not necessarily."
Everyone immediately looked toward him. Gladwin lowered his head and thought carefully. His expression gradually became clearer, as though he had suddenly grasped an important clue.
"Who knows whether this is really Strange's only hope of victory? And at that time, not all human beings died. Only half of humanity was wiped out. Tony isn't dead either. The captured memories of past lives are still continuing. The only real victory does not seem to come until the end of time!"
Gladwin's eyes shone brightly, and he swept his gaze over everyone. "So, I don't think hope has been completely cut off!"
The wildness in his eyes slowly settled into deep contemplation, while the shimmering light surrounding his body continued to shine.
"Gladwin's words do have some possibilities."
"If things really develop the way Councilor Gladwin described, then the Earth Age is still ongoing."
"Our Terra Federation will definitely win this confrontation at the present time."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Evonne gave a bitter smile. "I never expected that the life and death of humanity in this era would actually be decided by the Earth Age of a previous life."
However, Briggs Gena smiled. "This is the real meaning of the Tiandao Network. This is also the strength of a previous life! We should embrace this situation. So, keep watching! I hope things will develop exactly as Councilor Gladwin said."
The other Councilors looked toward Briggs, and their expressions were somewhat stiff. He was usually an extremely mysterious figure. But this time, because the situation had become far too serious, he had finally appeared.
The light of the past life surrounding his body was not particularly strong. Yet strangely, it seemed firmer than anyone else's. It was only increasing. It had not decreased at all.
Everyone had their own secrets. Seeing this scene, the other Councilors did not say anything further. Soon after, the plan for every member to capture their past-life memories simultaneously was pushed forward. The Terra Federation had begun another desperate struggle for survival.
The number of viewers decreased dramatically in a short period of time. However, this did not reduce everyone's enthusiasm for witnessing the history of the Earth Age. Instead, it felt like an uneatable piece of candy dangling directly in front of their eyes.
They could see it. They could smell its sweetness. But they could not swallow it. It was unbearable.
The process of capturing past lives varied from person to person. Many people finished their previous-life captures very quickly. As a result, the countless Giants of Light covering Terra were replenished in a short period of time. Their radiance became slightly brighter than before.
Unfortunately, the giant of light standing between heaven and earth had taken on far too much pressure. Its enormous figure was still slowly dimming. Everyone understood what that meant. If this giant of light could no longer hold on... If it failed to completely resist the invisible destruction of order... Then Terra would most likely be completely swallowed by that dark order. And if that really happened, it was entirely possible that half of all life would actually dissipate just as it had in the video.
The remaining viewers stared anxiously at the screen.
"The only victory... will there be another twist?"
"But Tony has already been seriously wounded, and Strange has lost the Eye of Agamotto."
"If it doesn't work, then even if I die, I'll continue capturing my past lives and replenishing energy for my Giant of Light!"
"Me too!"
Countless people expressed their firm determination inside the broadcast and across the Internet. Their voices were filled with resolve. Vaguely, as though responding to the determination of countless people, the countless Giants of Light actually became slightly brighter.
However, not many people noticed this change. Because inside, the scene that caused the entire Terra to grieve continued to unfold.
On the battlefield of Wakanda, the Wakandan warriors were still fighting against the monsters. One of the Wakandan warriors was holding a hammer in his hand and was just about to bring it down.
Suddenly, from the palm of his hand, a tiny patch of ashes appeared. It rapidly spread throughout his entire body. In an instant, the warrior transformed into a pile of ashes that fluttered away in the wind. There were countless people on the battlefield. One after another, countless figures swayed.
The scene was horrifying. It was even more unbearable than watching a single person turn into fly ash. Many viewers inside the live broadcast could no longer endure watching. They covered their eyes. They could not bear to look at the screen.
And at the same time, they couldn't help but think of themselves. What would happen if the Giant of Light failed to successfully resist this unknown force? Would their own bodies also fade away? The more they thought about it, the more painful it became.
Across the entire battlefield, the ground was gradually covered with ashes. Yet not everyone died at this moment; many people were still alive. They stood there in disbelief, staring at the strange state of their companions. Panic filled their faces.
The friend who had been fighting beside them only moments ago... Had disappeared in an instant.
"Up, General. Up! This is no place to die."
One person desperately reached out his hand, attempting to support his fallen companion. But the moment their hands touched... The other person's entire body was completely scattered. There was nothing left.
At the edge of the forest, Rocket stood there blankly, staring at the ground. Groot was half lying there. His dry body was gradually turning into fly ash. The familiar figure was slowly disappearing before everyone's eyes. "I am Groot."
Rocket staggered forward. He reached out his hand, desperately trying to stop everything from happening. "Oh... No, no, no! Groot! No."
Rocket watched everything happen right in front of him, yet he was powerless to stop it. His eyes were filled with tears.
At this moment, countless viewers suddenly remembered the lovely Groot. The little tree creature who had once sacrificed his arm to help combine the axe... The little companion who had fought alongside everyone... Had now turned into ashes. How many comrades watching from the live broadcast room burst into tears because of this scene?
This was not merely the balance of the universe that Thanos had described with a single snap of his fingers. It was the grave of heroes!
"Don't deserve to die! They don't deserve to die!"
"Damn it, it's all Thanos!"
"Dead without even leaving a corpse..."
On the other side, Wanda was lying beside the unconscious Vision. Her eyes were already filled with panic. Her body was also rapidly becoming blurry. After two or three seconds, only Vision's gray body remained on the ground.
At another location, Falcon struggled desperately to stand. But just as he raised his head, his body vanished into the air.
"Sam!" Rhodey came out from behind, wearing his War Machine armor. He also shouted Falcon's name. "Sam, where you at?"
He didn't know. Only a second ago, Falcon had already disappeared into ashes at his feet.
That cry of grief instantly broke the hearts of even more people. Tears flowed uncontrollably.
On the other side of the battlefield, General Okoye desperately called out to T'Challa, but there was no response. Tears were already running down her face. She didn't know what to do anymore. The King was the meaning of their existence. He was their spiritual sustenance. Without the King... Then what reason did they have to continue existing?
"Disappeared... He just disappeared like that."
"If we hadn't captured this memory, we would never have known that Terra once had such a shocking era."
"It's so painful. These people were fighting for the safety of the Earth. Why did they have to die as well?!"
"I'm certain they must have a way!"
On Titan, another thunderous roar echoed. The entire planet seemed to be undergoing bizarre and terrifying changes.
While Parker helped Tony stand up, Mantis looked around nervously, and there was obvious horror in her voice. "Something's happening."
But the moment her voice fell, her body suddenly shattered into countless pieces and disappeared. Quill was horrified, so he immediately turned his head.
Drax was looking at his slowly disintegrating arm, and panic appeared on Drax's face.
"Quill?" The next moment, Drax also disappeared.
Quill stood there completely bewildered.
Tony looked at him and tried to keep his voice calm. "Steady, Quill."
However, there was no way for anyone to remain calm in such a situation. The destruction continued. Quill's body also slowly turned into ashes. "Oh, man."
Under the shifting light and shadow, Strange's voice suddenly came from behind. "Tony."
Tony turned around. He saw Strange standing there calmly, but Strange merely shook his head. "There was no other way."
Under his heavy breathing, Strange's body suddenly shattered and disappeared in an instant.
"Mr. Stark?" Tony quickly turned around, and he saw Parker staggering toward him.
Parker's body trembled violently. He looked at Tony and said, "I don't feel so good."
Tony immediately tried to reassure him. "You're all right."
Parker looked down at his palm. "I don't... I don't know what's happening. I don't know..."
His legs became increasingly unsteady, and then Parker suddenly threw himself directly into Tony's arms. He held Tony tightly.
Parker's body had already begun to slowly fragment. But unlike many others, he did not simply disappear in an instant. He did not want to die. He still had to protect the people living on the streets. He had not even become a proper Avenger yet. His arms were tightly wrapped around Tony's neck.
Parker cried like a child. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go, sir. Please."
Parker seemed to be experiencing unimaginable pain. Unlike many others, he did not disappear immediately. Instead, his body continued to slowly disintegrate before Tony's eyes.
His choking voice and streaming tears broke the hearts of countless people. The softest part of everyone's heart had been struck with tremendous force.
Parker desperately grabbed Tony's shoulder, but his hand slowly slid downward. There was nothing he could do to stop it. "Please, I don't want to go. I don't want to go."
Tony also staggered and fell to the ground. He could only stare helplessly at Parker lying in his arms.
Parker's eyes were completely red. He looked at Tony one final time. There was fear, pain, reluctance, and countless emotions in his eyes. Then, with tears still covering his face, he spoke his final words in an apologetic voice. "I'm sorry."
There was an apology in Parker's eyes. But there was also intense pain, unwillingness, and countless mixed emotions. Those emotions completely tore through the last line of defense in the hearts of everyone on Terra.
"Parker is still just a kid! When I was that age, I was still playing!"
"It's so painful! Why did Parker have to say sorry?!"
"My tears are completely breaking down! The last thing I saw was that heartbreaking separation between life and death."
"Tony treats Parker like his own son. Although Parker never says it, he must be extremely grateful for everything Tony expected of him. Unfortunately, he can't continue saving the world."
"It's not fair! Parker's death was far too painful!"
"He's been dying for much longer than the others. Watching him slowly disappear makes it even harder to bear."
"Why would you do this to a child?"
"Such a kind-hearted child, with such a strong sense of justice, actually..."
Countless people burst into tears. Their emotions were completely overwhelmed.
The enormous Giant of Light continued standing silently. Then, suddenly... A shower of pink petals appeared around its body. It was similar to the strange phenomenon that had appeared before. In the blink of an eye, the entire Terra was filled with a faint fragrance.
It was gentle and warm, like a pair of comforting hands slowly brushing across everyone's faces. Instead of easing their sadness, the strange fragrance made people even more sorrowful. Many people wiped the tears from the corners of their eyes, but the tears continued to flow.
Evonne sighed. "Compared to Parker's pain... Tony is the saddest. To watch someone he wants to treat like his own son die right before his eyes... That feeling... It's like the old sending off the young."
Evonne couldn't help imagining it. If her own daughter died in his arms like that... She probably would have gone crazy.
"I didn't expect that Strange would die too. Then the changes in the future will be too enormous."
The other Councilors slowly calmed themselves down one after another. Too many key figures had already died.
Strange.
Black Panther.
Falcon.
And many others.
None of them existed anymore.
The strength of the entire Avengers team had been greatly affected. However, the Earth Age itself... Only half of humanity had died. It was not the end of the world. The world would continue.
"And Thanos isn't dead! The Infinity Gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones are still in his hands." She raised her head and looked toward the enormous Giant of Light outside. The Giant of Light... Might not be able to hold on for much longer.
"Does this mean Terra still can't escape the crisis caused by this aftermath?" At the Research Center, Eliott scratched his head while staring intensely at the progress bar on the screen. 99%. The progress seemed to be stuck there. It had not moved for a long time.
The entire planet seemed to have been shaken by Parker's death. Countless people were still sobbing as they stared at the screen.
After Parker turned into fly ash, Tony's unforced arm suddenly slammed against the rock. His hands trembled violently. He stared at the ashes drifting away in the distance. Tony slowly sat alone upon the rock. He lowered his head and said nothing.
Nebula walked over. Her expression was dull and lifeless. "He did it."
Tony slowly raised his head. His eyes were filled with tears. A look of deep remorse appeared on his painful face. He hated himself for failing to stop Thanos. He hated himself for failing to remove the Infinity Gauntlet. And most of all, he hated himself for allowing Parker, the person who cared most about him, to die in his arms.
Half of all life in the universe had been wiped out. And Parker... To Tony, Parker had truly become like his own son. The guilt was almost unbearable. Tony didn't want to admit it, and he couldn't accept it.
"Tony looks so broken."
"His mentality has completely collapsed. I feel like he has gone crazy."
"Tony watched everyone die one by one."
"Spider-Man's death was too painful."
Tony continued sitting alone on the rock. Beneath the stellar mask, he slowly raised the hand that was stained with Parker's ashes and pressed it against his lips. It was as though he were trying to feel a warmth that could no longer be felt. As though that tiny trace of ash carried an endless weight of remorse. Tony slowly closed his eyes, and tears rolled down his face.
The screen shook, and the scene returned to the forest.
Rogers turned Vision's body over. His eyes fell upon the real Soul Stone embedded in Vision's forehead. His mood became extremely heavy.
Banner, Thor, Black Widow, and the others gathered around him. Everyone stared blankly at the scene before them.
"What is this? What the hell is happening?"
Rogers' face was filled with pain and despair. "Oh, God."
The Soul Stone had been taken, and Thanos had snapped his fingers. Half of all life in the universe had been wiped out. All their efforts... Had been in vain.
The screen jumped again, and a hill appeared. Green grass and beautiful flowers stretched across the landscape. In front of a simple thatched cottage, beneath the setting sun, Thanos' broad back slowly emerged from the room.
He staggered slightly. Then he sat down on the steps. He quietly looked at the peaceful scenery in the distance. His expression was indifferent.
Meanwhile, on Terra, countless people were frantically carrying out previous-life captures. The Giants of Light standing outside the windows occasionally emitted a brilliant burst of radiance.
Many people had already realized something. If the history of the Earth Age truly could not be changed... Then the Terra Federation would have to prepare for a protracted war.
Inside the Administration, the Director looked out at the countless Giants of Light, and he sighed. "Strange died. And before he died, he said that he had no choice. Does that mean this is still the only process that can lead to victory at that time? The Earth Age and the lives of Terra... At this moment, their destinies are already closely connected..."
Just as the Director sighed, the screen suddenly jumped again. The perspective appeared to be inside the tall buildings of a city.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury was driving a vehicle. He looked at Hill beside him. "Still no word from Stark?"
Hill shook her head. "No, not yet. We're watching every satellite on both hemispheres, but still nothing."
Beep! Beep! Beep! A warning alarm suddenly sounded inside the vehicle.
Director Fury immediately asked, "What is it?"
Hill replied, "Multiple bogeys over Wakanda."
Commissioner Fury's expression changed. "Same energy signature as New York?"
Hill shook her head. "Ten times bigger."
Director Fury immediately said, "Tell Klein we'll meet him at..."
On the road ahead, a car suddenly appeared to lose control. It spun wildly before coming directly toward them.
Hill's expression changed. "Nick! Nick!"
Fury slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. The two vehicles collided and glass shattered everywhere.
Fury quickly got out of the car and walked toward the other vehicle to check on the occupants. But after approaching, he made a strange discovery. There was no one inside that car.
"They okay?" Hill looked shocked.
"There's no one here." Before Fury could respond further, another bizarre event occurred.
High above the street, a helicopter suddenly began spinning out of control. Then it crashed directly into a nearby building.
Boom! A terrifying roar shook the entire street, and the whole area instantly fell into terrible chaos.
Director Fury's expression became solemn. "Call Control. Code red."
Behind him, Hill suddenly shouted. "Nick."
Fury immediately turned around, and his eyes widened. Hill was slowly disintegrating. The process had begun from her arm. Piece by piece, her body transformed into ash. And before Fury could even react... She vanished completely.
"Hill." Fury finally realized that things were far more serious than he had imagined.
He immediately ran toward the back seat of the vehicle. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a pager-like device. With trembling fingers, he pressed the switch. But at that moment... His left hand also began to dissipate. Fury's face changed dramatically.
"Oh, no." In the next instant, his entire body disappeared into the street. "Mother..."
The pager fell from his hand. Beep. Beep. Beep... Sending... Those words appeared clearly on the pager's screen. Then, suddenly... The words disappeared, and a symbol appeared in the center. Surrounding it were blue and red concentric ripples.
Inside the High Council, the moment Councilor saw that maple leaf and the familiar blue-and-red ripples... His expression suddenly froze, and a look of horror appeared on his face.