Tony's impression of Devourer Girl.
He only remembered one image, and they'd only met once anyway. He vaguely recalled her being a very pretty girl, dressed entirely in purple. Oh wait—no, her main garment was purple, the rest wasn't.
But that was just an image.
Now you're telling him that little girl was an alien? And that this cosmic war ended swiftly just because she intervened? That left Tony utterly dumbfounded.
A girl he'd only met once was a big shot? The way she sat there stuffing herself with beef looked like a big shot?
Lorien's words delivered a direct blow to Tony's preconceptions. The saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" was now deeply etched into his mind.
Stephen observed Tony's expression. He could roughly guess how vastly different the girl appeared from her true nature. But his curiosity was piqued by another question.
"How powerful is that girl? Why could she single-handedly rout the entire Annihilation Wave? With so many bugs, how did she manage it?"
One unit against billions of units. Stephen simply couldn't fathom how such a feat was possible.
Tony understood perfectly well. One versus billions—such a disparity in power wasn't something easily explained. When quantitative changes yielded no effect, it meant qualitative change had reached the point of absolute domination. Effortless.
Facing their confusion, Lorien tried to illustrate it more clearly.
"Let me put it this way. For her, even if this batch of Annihilation Wave remained unchanged in number, whether it's The Ancient One, Hulk, or anyone else—it wouldn't matter."
Watching their eyes widen in shock, Lorien finally confirmed.
"There's no difference whatsoever. Galactus is Multiversal-level. Then Devourer Girl is at least above Universal-level, definitely half a tier stronger than the Celestials. Hulk and The Ancient One are at most Sky Father–level. Sky Father–level versus Super Universal level. Do you think Sky Father–level stands a chance? Not a chance. Even billions of Sky Father–level beings wouldn't stand a chance. Because a single galaxy-shattering attack from a Super Universal level being would wipe out every last one of them! Not a single one would survive! So the gap between Sky Father–level and Super Universal level isn't something numbers can bridge."
Hearing this, Stephen and Tony stared in stunned silence, eyes wide and unblinking.
Hulk's power? Tony knew. When Hulk went berserk, even his Iron Man suit couldn't contain him.
And the power of The Ancient One? Stephen had a rough idea. Tony, having studied magic, understood it somewhat too. In short, it was incredibly formidable—enough to render Hulk, who relied solely on brute force, completely helpless.
And yet the combined might of those two? Even if multiplied endlessly, it meant nothing to that little girl?!
How terrifying must this little girl be?!
Stephen and Tony couldn't wrap their heads around it. Even though Lorien had given a solid comparison, the sheer magnitude of such power was beyond imagination.
Seeing the bewildered looks on their faces, Lorien folded his arms and asked,
"Can you imagine it?"
Stephen and Tony shook their heads simultaneously.
"Never mind, don't bother." Lorien waved dismissively. "Just know she could casually crush a sun with her bare hands."
"!!!" x2
"That's all it takes?!"
Hearing this, Stephen and Tony exchanged glances, their eyes filled with utter despair.
Lorien's next words froze them in place.
"Oh, and I should clarify—last night's battle didn't eliminate the entire Annihilation Wave. That was just one of their Queen Legions. Their true headquarters hasn't arrived yet, but it won't be long."
"Huh!?" Stephen and Tony gasped.
"Enough with the 'ahs.' Get the meat out for grilling. That's why I told you not to know too much—it's not beneficial."
"...."
Stephen and Tony were nearly in tears.
A Sorcerer Supreme. A genius scientist, the world's richest man. And now they were being told not to know too much.
It sounded utterly heartbreaking! Too painful!
…
Inside the house at that moment.
Compared to the men's gathering outside, Wanda and Gwen, after finding Pepper, immediately focused on her belly. After all this time, it was visibly rounded.
Pepper was in the kitchen, preparing salads along with fruit desserts and other small treats. When she saw Wanda and Gwen arrive, she happily set down her utensils and smiled.
"You're finally here! How have you been lately?"
"Very happy. Every day is joyful."
Wanda stepped in front of Pepper. She looked at Pepper's belly, reaching out as if to touch it but hesitating. Gwen felt the same, standing nearby with her hands held back.
"Go ahead, it's okay. Just gently."
Seeing their hesitation, Pepper took Wanda and Gwen's hands and placed them on her belly.
The next moment, Gwen felt a response under her hand.
"I can feel her heartbeat."
Wanda's eyes turned red as she nodded.
"I can feel her spirit."
The heartbeat represented the body. The spirit represented the soul. With just one touch, Wanda and Gwen sensed the presence of life.
Pepper, aware of their abilities, asked,
"Is she healthy?"
Both nodded at once.
"Very healthy."
But there was one thing they didn't say aloud—they had already sensed it was a girl. The "she" they spoke of was not just a reference, but literal. Pepper didn't react, either because she hadn't realized it yet, or she already knew.
After gently feeling for a while, both withdrew their hands, satisfied.
...
Wanda and Gwen began helping Pepper prepare ingredients while asking questions out of curiosity.
"Pepper, what does pregnancy feel like? How have you been feeling lately?" Gwen asked.
"Hmm..." Pepper thought for a moment, answering with slight embarrassment. "I've been having trouble sleeping, and I get up more often at night to use the bathroom. My appetite's all over the place too—sometimes I crave soda, sometimes I just love oranges. And lately, I feel like I'm moving slower, like an old lady who can't get around easily."
She listed the discomforts, but if you couldn't hear the laughter in her tone or see the smile tugging at her lips, you might think she was genuinely complaining. In truth, her joy was hard to hide.
This wasn't complaining—it was a disguised kind of affection.
Wanda and Gwen exchanged glances, then chuckled together.
Wanda asked,
"So how's your mood, Pepper? Any unhappiness? Any worries?"
Pepper tilted her head, puzzled.
"Since I got pregnant, Tony's taken over everything at home. I don't have to do a thing—he won't let me. I don't have to work, don't have to manage anything. How could I not be happy? I'm actually looking forward to the baby being born soon so we can play with her!"
Wanda, Gwen: This...
Well, that was completely different from what they'd read online. The internet was filled with stories of prenatal and postpartum depression, mood swings during pregnancy, and all sorts of strange experiences.
But in reality, it turned out to be different for everyone. If pregnancy brought a better life, there was no reason to feel down. Physical discomforts were real, but with a supportive environment and excitement for the baby, happiness could carry you through.
All those gloomy stories online? Even women's fears? Mostly exaggerated. With the right partner, some couldn't wait to have children—it was instinct.
...
After asking what they wanted, Wanda and Gwen kept helping with the cooking. But then Pepper turned the tables, smiling at the two of them.
"I'm almost ready to have a baby. Are you two planning on children? When?"
Wanda and Gwen froze. They looked at each other and gave wry smiles.
"Pepper, we're different," Wanda explained. "Lorien isn't human. Even if we wanted to get pregnant, it wouldn't just happen by chance."
"Yes." Gwen spread her hands helplessly. "Besides, it's still early for us. Lorien hasn't shown any intention of wanting kids either."
That much was true. Lorien had never said he wanted children. Not because he didn't want them, but because he believed he wasn't strong enough yet. Multiversal-level strength wasn't enough to live securely in the Marvel universe.
In his mind, at least the level of the Living Tribunal—Omniverse-level—was required.
Wanda's words were also true. Lorien had never refused the idea of children. Had he ever used protection? Not once. Every time had been a direct, unrestrained assault. But conception was a matter of luck.
Hearing their explanation, Pepper didn't fully understand, but still offered sympathetic words.
"This might be one of the few things you actually have to worry about."
Wanda and Gwen nodded together.
"Yes."
Everything else was fine, but the issue of children was uncertain. It was like how in their grandparents' time, raising a few children was manageable, but now, raising even one was difficult. Times had changed.
...
"Pepper~! Come out for barbecue!"
Tony's voice rang from outside.
Pepper looked at Wanda and Gwen.
"Let's go. They've got the barbecue ready."
"Just a minute. I'll sprinkle some more meat floss."