Sunlight, beaches, beauties… ultimately, they were just a brief intermission.
Chen Tian's wrist gave a gentle shake, and the Space Stone's ethereal blue light silently enveloped him.
The biting cold wind of Kamar-Taj filled his nostrils, mingled with the familiar scent of aged wood and incense.
Chen Tian stood on the highest terrace, with endless snow-capped mountains stretching beneath him. In the room behind the terrace, an elder sat amidst candlelight and fragrant tea.
"Ancient One," Chen Tian spoke, his voice remarkably clear in the stillness.
The elder slowly raised her head, her movements hesitant and careful.
Her eyes, though deeply set in wrinkles, were still as profound and tranquil as the Universe, gleaming with the wisdom that saw through everything.
Seeing Chen Tian, a profoundly familiar and slightly teasing smile blossomed on her face, her voice hoarse yet warm: "Chen Tian? The Mediterranean winds couldn't smooth out the creases on your brow? Looks like the vacation wasn't enough to dispel your worries."
Chen Tian naturally walked into the room and sat opposite her: "This place of yours is colder than a refrigerator; be careful not to freeze your bones."
Ancient One chuckled, with a hint of self-deprecation, "These old bones of mine can only rely on my eyes to see and my nose to smell this 'ragged', drafty place now."
Her gaze fell on Chen Tian, and she said knowingly, "Something's on your mind, you want to go back? Stuck at that knot?"
"Yes, 2023," Chen Tian said, not beating around the bush.
"2023…" Ancient One repeated, the smile in her eyes fading, replaced by a complex and heavy pity.
She was silent for a moment, as if peering through the dust of time, re-witnessing that tragic scene.
"That singularity… the place where it tore and then stitched itself back together. You're going into the eye of the storm, aren't you? Where six stars converge, heroes return and fall, the moment mortals punch the Universe?"
"You know I'm going to that year, the moment Thanos's fleet attacked," Chen Tian stated with certainty.
Ancient One did not deny it.
Her withered hand reached out, slowly and with effort, pushing a cup of tea towards Chen Tian: "The ripples of time there… chaotic yet concentrated. The moment six primordial forces collide, the coordinates are like the Sun, and also like a vortex that devours everything…"
…the center of the storm."
Her fingertip tapped heavily, and a string of spatiotemporal coordinates, precise to the millisecond, was instantly branded into Chen Tian's mind—a portal key where magical runes and physical coordinates were perfectly intertwined.
Ancient One withdrew her hand, breathing slightly, the fatigue of old age impossible to hide. She gazed at Chen Tian, her eyes seemingly piercing through him, seeing the journey's end: "That moment… carries supreme joy and endless sorrow. Hope and despair intertwine, heroes are born… and they fall."
Her voice lowered, "Chen Tian, why do you want to go to that place?"
Chen Tian felt the precise coordinates in his consciousness, and the five gems faintly resonated on his wrist. "Nothing much, just want to restore this chaotic 'World' to its original state."
Ancient One looked at him deeply, her wrinkles seemingly deepening: "It's more than that, isn't it? But it doesn't matter. Go do what you want to do. The timeline? I can't control it. And I certainly can't control anything else."
As she spoke, she even showed a kind and warm smile: "And no one can control you."
"Take care of yourself, and avoid cold drafts," Chen Tian earnestly advised, saying no more.
The ethereal blue light of the Space Stone lit up again.
An ancient bronze bell chimed a lonely note in the wind.
Enveloped in blue light, Chen Tian locked onto the burning coordinate deep within his consciousness—the final ruins of the Endgame.
"Ancient One, I really didn't think that much. Since I'm going to retrieve the Soul Stone, why not make up for regrets along the way?"
(The protagonist can return to the time point when Zombie Thanos invaded, but since he's already going to travel, why not go big? Don't say this isn't scientific~ there's no basis~ this is all~~~ the power of the Author!!!)
——
When Chen Tian transmitted the coordinates given by Ancient One to Tony via quantum communicator, the underground laboratory of Arbitrator Tower instantly exploded into chaos.
"Friday! Immediately pull up the quantum analysis map for these coordinates!" Tony stared at the flickering data on the holographic projection, his face growing increasingly grim. "Damn it… this isn't just time travel, it's crossing the barriers of parallel Universes!"
In the background, a chorus of curses immediately erupted:
Banner sighed: "This is a hundred times harder than finding a parking spot on the streets of New York!"
Dr. Pym's roar penetrated the walls: "Stark! Control your madman!"
Shuri slapped her forehead: "I knew hanging out with you mad scientists was a bad idea."
Chen Tian's voice came through the communicator: "Stop complaining, get ready to go. The Soul Stone is waiting for us, and by the way… let's have a fight."
Three days later, at the Quantum Park next to Arbitrator Tower.
Tony was calibrating the massive quantum tunnel generator, muttering incessantly: "I must be crazy to agree to this plan…"
The traversal team lineup was arguably the most luxurious in history:
Dante kept nagging Vergil, but Vergil's glare silenced him.
Bayonetta elegantly checked her firearms, while explaining fashion coordination to Saitama.
Kiana jumped excitedly: "Hahaha, it's my turn to shine again!"
Uchiha Madara folded his arms and sneered: "Let's go."
Natasha and Banner both carried the Golden Cloth boxes, laughing and chatting, as if they were going not to a battlefield, but to a picturesque picnic in the countryside.
Steve, who stayed behind, lectured Chen Tian like an old mother: "Remember, all actions must be cautious…"
2B nodded expressionlessly: "I'll hold down the fort."
"Everyone in position!" Tony put on his specialized helmet. "Quantum tunnel activation countdown… 3, 2, 1!"
Blue light engulfed the entire park, and everyone's bodies instantly shrunk to an invisible state, disappearing from their original positions, as the curtain of space-time was torn apart at this moment…
————————
The battlefield was a scene of apocalyptic devastation.
Tony was once again slammed hard into the ground, blood blurring his vision.
He struggled to look up, just in time to see Thanos's unparalleled figure, grinning hideously, his fingertips mere millimeters from the golden gauntlet embedded with six Infinity Stones!
Captain America threw his shield with his last ounce of strength, but Thanos easily swatted it away with a backhand, the shield spinning as it embedded itself deeply into a pile of scrap metal in the distance.
Carol, enveloped in rainbow light, tore through the air and blasted forward, but was forcibly sent flying by the purple Power Stone energy condensed in Thanos's other hand!
Thor, holding Stormbreaker and mjolnir high, his eyes blazing with white light, could not withstand Thanos's attacks and was grabbed by the neck and thrown heavily.
Despair, like a cold viper, coiled around the heart of every survivor.
Tony's gaze, with great difficulty, passed over Thanos's massive body, falling upon Doctor Strange, who was preventing the flood on the nearby ruins.
Strange's face was equally disheveled, but his eyes were extraordinarily clear.
He stared intently at Tony, slowly and with immense solemnity extending a single finger—that represented the one victorious possibility out of 14,000,605 outcomes!
Tony's gaze swept around: Wakanda warriors lay fallen, Hulk sat slumped in a pile of rubble, breathing heavily, Ant-Man shrunk to avoid energy aftershocks, Hawkeye struggled to support himself… The Avengers' defensive line had collapsed.
A burning resolve instantly incinerated the confusion and pain in Tony's eyes.
"Urghhh—!" With a roar, Tony squeezed out his last ounce of strength and surged from the deep crater! The Mark 85 nanotech armor spewed its last propulsion flames, transforming into an afterimage, charging straight at Thanos!
His target: the hand about to snap!
His hands, with immense force, clamped down on the two fingers Thanos was about to snap! The immense struggle made Thanos's arm pause.
"Get lost, insect!" A flicker of annoyed surprise crossed Thanos's eyes, and his other massive fist, carrying a destructive wind pressure, slammed heavily into Tony's chest plate!
Crack!
The armor instantly cracked and dented over a large area! Tony, like a kite with a broken string, spewed blood mixed with shattered nanobots from his mouth, his body uncontrollably flying backward, crashing heavily into a pile of twisted metal debris, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Thanos looked down from above, surveying the struggling figure in the ruins, a hint of disdain on his face.
He no longer looked at Tony, raising the Infinity Gauntlet that had completed its mission.
"I… am destiny!"
With the confidence of one who controlled everything, he unhesitatingly snapped the fingers that would end half the life in the Universe!
Click!
A crisp snap echoed across the battlefield.
However… the anticipated scene of the entire Universe resetting did not occur. Nothing happened.
The battlefield remained noisy, and the remaining Avengers army continued to desperately resist Thanos's attacks.
The triumph on Thanos's face froze. He abruptly looked down at his gauntlet—it was empty! The six Infinity Stones had, at some unknown point, vanished!
Thanos's pupils contracted to pinpricks, and immense shock and rage made his burly body tremble.
He abruptly turned his head, his gaze like tangible blades, stabbing fiercely towards where Tony had fallen.
The dust from the ruins slowly dispersed.
Tony was kneeling there, his head slightly bowed, breathing heavily.
But what was most striking was the nanotech armor covering his right hand!
The originally streamlined golden plates were now being violently scoured, torn, and melted by an unimaginable, utterly chaotic energy!
Six Infinity Stones—crimson, orange, azure, deep purple, emerald, bright yellow—like glowing brands, were forcibly embedded and fused onto the nanobots on his left hand!
They violently pulsed and clashed on Tony's hand, radiating destructive energy capable of tearing apart everything!
Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!
The raging energy flow, like billions of volts of electricity or boiling lava, instantly burned through the nanolayer, tearing skin and muscle tissue! Tony's left half of his body rapidly turned charred and carbonized at a visible speed, the terrifying energy corrosion even spreading past his shoulder!
The intense pain instantly contorted Tony's handsome face, his teeth almost shattering, and a Beast-like growl escaped his throat!
But this pain was only for a moment. The next instant, an unprecedented willpower, surpassing the limits of life, erupted like a volcano!
All pain, fear, and hesitation were forcibly suppressed and incinerated by this will!
Tony suddenly lifted his head! Blood streamed down his forehead, staining half his face, but his eyes were sharper and more resolute than ever, like forged stars! His charred half-body now became the cruelest badge of his unwavering will!
He stared intently at Thanos in the distance, who was momentarily stunned and disbelieving due to the disappearance of the gems, and a bloody, defiant smile, mixed with endless fatigue and absolute victory, spread across his lips.
Every syllable seemed to be squeezed from burning lungs, carrying a metallic, hoarse rasp, yet it echoed through the sky like a final judgment:
"I… AM… IRON MAN!"
Tony's bloody self-declaration was like a final war drum, beating against the heart of every survivor!
His charred, carbonized left hand, embedded with six destructive gems, with unshakeable resolve, was about to snap the fingers that would end everything towards Thanos!
Just at this critical juncture, the moment before the Infinity Stone energy would completely engulf Tony and ignite a cosmic-level explosion—
Whoosh!
A hand covered in streamlined blue, white, and black armor precisely clamped onto Tony's wrist, which bore the weight of the Infinity Stones and destruction!
Cold, hard, sci-fi lines and ethereal blue energy patterns flowed on the gauntlet, and its immense power actually managed to forcefully curb the rampant energy of the gems!
At the same time, a voice that Tony knew to his bones, yet absolutely should not be present here, distinctively cynical and with a hint of smugness, clearly sounded in his ear:
"Wow! That energy reaction is really something! A hundred times more exciting than I expected… I didn't think the me from a parallel World would have such a 'great' moment?"
Tony abruptly, and with great difficulty, turned his head.
Intense pain blurred his vision, but the strikingly impactful armor—primarily blue and white, with black outlining sharp contours, ethereal blue energy bands flowing along the shoulder plates and joints, and the faint outline of retracted, sci-fi propulsion wings on the back—instantly filled his sight, brimming with unprecedented unfamiliarity and coolness.
The streamlined face mask covering his face retracted and disassembled upwards like petals, revealing a face.
A face belonging to Tony Stark!
But he was younger, hadn't experienced as much profound pain and sacrifice, and his brows still held that genius arrogance and nonchalance, with a habitual, punchable smirk on his lips.
The local Tony's pupils suddenly constricted, as if he had seen the most absurd illusion!
He wanted to speak, to question, to roar, but only a wheezing sound like a broken bellows escaped his throat; the intense pain and energy corrosion had almost stripped him of all language ability.
Only those tired yet sharp eyes stared fixedly at this "himself," filled with extreme shock and incomprehension.
"Shh, don't get excited, old man from a parallel Universe." The transmigrated Tony grinned, his smile as bright as a mischievous boy who had gotten his way, but deep within his nonchalant eyes was an undeniable resolve.
He activated the nanotech in the hand gripping the local Tony's wrist.
The six raging Infinity Stones on the back of the local Tony's hand seemed to be guided and peeled away by an unseen force, transforming into six streaks of light that instantly transferred and perfectly embedded themselves into the specially designed grooves of the transmigrated Tony's blue, white, and black armor on his left hand!
The moment the Infinity Stones embedded, the armor's surface surged with light, and the deep blue energy patterns hummed like a ignited galaxy, yet they stably bore this terrifying power without any sign of collapse!
At the same time, the transmigrated Tony's right hand shot out like lightning, and a delicate silver canister sprayed a large amount of medical nanites, shimmering with a cold silver-white light, precisely covering the local Tony's charred, carbonized, and shocking left side of his body!
"Relax, buddy." The transmigrated Tony quickly dealt with the local Tony's fatal injuries, while speaking in his highly recognizable, slightly teasing voice, his gaze sweeping over the local Tony's shoulder to lock onto Thanos, who was distant and in a state of furious disbelief due to the missing Infinity Stones.
"The medical nanites will temporarily save your life. As for that purple potato…"
The transmigrated Tony's lips curved into an extremely confident smile, his eyes lighting up like stars, "Let us 'handle' him!"
His words hadn't even fully fallen!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Several figures, distinct in style yet equally formidable, descended like falling meteors, accompanied by air-tearing shrieks and surging energy storms, powerfully landing on the scorched ruins around Tony!
Time and space seemed to be forcibly solidified for a moment by their aura!
The dust was instantly pushed away, revealing the true appearance of this "luxurious tour group":
Dante carried his iconic Rebellion, an eternally playful smile on his lips; Vergil held Yamato, his eyes as cold as ice, and simply by standing there, the surrounding space rippled strangely.
Bayonetta landed gracefully in an extremely elegant pose, her high heels crushing rocks; she even had the leisure to smooth her black hair, the muzzle of her "Scarborough Fair" glinting with dangerous light; beside her, Saitama, wearing his Tony-improved 'hooded battle suit,' his bald head reflecting the battlefield's firelight, wore a bewildered expression of "Oh, are we here?", but the absolute sense of power emanating invisibly from him twisted the very air.
Kiana (Herrscher of the Void form) floated in mid-air, the golden Herrscher core shining in her chest, the Void Lance slowly rotating behind her, boundless Honkai energy surging like a tide, her golden eyes overlooking the battlefield with divine indifference and a hint of imperceptible excitement. "Ha! This is much more exciting than fighting Honkai Beasts!"
Uchiha Madara stood with his arms crossed, his Reincarnation Eye coldly sweeping over Thanos and his army, a slight upward curve to his lips—a pure and cruel battle intent, as if seeing something worthy of destruction. "Hmph, no matter how many ants there are, it won't change the outcome."
Natasha appeared wearing the Scorpio Cloth, her pretty face filled with solemnity. She slightly rotated her wrist, the poison needle on her index finger covered by a tear-shaped light, slowly flowing.
Beside her was Hulk, clad in the Taurus Cloth. As soon as he appeared, he slammed the ground, sending dust flying.
This suddenly arrived "Team of Heavenly Descending Strong Men," exuding terrifying auras, instantly became the focal point of the entire battlefield! Their appearance was like dropping a super bomb on a desperate frozen lake!
The battlefield, which had been in a deathly silence, erupted into even greater chaos and incredulous shouts!
Thanos's rage and astonishment were instantly replaced by unprecedented solemnity. His massive body tensed, the Infinity Gauntlet clenched into a fist (though the Infinity Stones were gone), his eyes fixed on these uninvited guests, especially the "Tony Stark" in Strange armor who had effortlessly taken the Infinity Stones and was now giving him a provocative smile!
The leader of this Transmigrator team was Chen Tian.
His appearance was without light or earth-shattering spectacle; he simply stepped out of the air and walked to the two Tonys.
He first glanced at the severely wounded local Tony, frowning, then saw the transmigrated Tony smiling and saying, "This brave and selfless me isn't dead yet; we arrived just in time."
Chen Tian smiled upon hearing this, "That's good."
He then looked up at Thanos, his smile fading, his face as still as Water, and the blue demonic flames on his body began to surge.
He first extended his right hand, a small red ball spinning in his palm.
Then, he suddenly clapped his hands together, the energy ball dispersing in his palms, and red halos spread out in circles from him.
The battlefield instantly turned upside down!
All warriors belonging to the Avengers faction—Wakanda warriors, Asgardian warriors, Hulk, Hawkeye, Captain America, Carol, Thor, Ant-Man… whether they were charging or struggling, they were all suddenly gripped by a giant hand and violently dragged backward!
As the red light swept over, they were involuntarily lifted off the ground, flying backward at high speed, precisely thrown into a relatively safe area at the edge of the battlefield by this gentle yet irresistible force.
At the same time, Thanos's Outriders legions, Chitauri aircraft, Leviathan Beasts… all the snarling, roaring invaders were also caught by this sweeping scarlet repulsive halo!
They were like objects thrown into a violent centrifuge, crashing violently into the other end of the battlefield with piercing screams and shattering sounds due to the immense force!
Screech—!
The ground swept by the scarlet halo left behind a charred, bottomless, massive crack! The two sides of the crack were distinctly separated!
The Chu-Han Border!
On the left were the Avengers, still shaken and out of breath, their faces a mix of bewilderment, shock, and the incredulity of having survived a catastrophe, as they watched themselves being "moved" here unharmed.
On the right was Thanos's army, dusty, chaotic, and reassembling, roaring furiously at the bottomless crack, yet instinctively feeling the terrifying pressure emanating from the newly arrived group on the other side.
And in the middle, on the vast scorched earth forcibly cleared by Chen Tian, only the Arbitrators team remained, along with Thanos standing alone at the front of his army.
The air seemed to solidify. Only the occasional sound of crumbling stones falling from the edge of the scarlet crack was clearly audible.
Thanos's fierce eyes were locked onto Chen Tian in the very center. This seemingly ordinary man, who had divided the battlefield and displayed an unreasonable great power with a mere gesture, had instantly soared to the top of his threat assessment!
Chen Tian looked up at Thanos. The gentle smile on his face completely vanished, replaced by a hint of barely suppressed, about-to-be-released ferocious excitement.
The surging blue demonic flames on his body roared silently, like an abyss ready to devour its prey.
He didn't spare another glance for the Avengers, his gaze focused solely on Thanos and the chaotic army behind him.
"Arbitrators!!!!!!!!!!"
Chen Tian's voice echoed across the entire battlefield, carrying a hint of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power, causing the space here to tremble slightly.
The members of the Transmigrator team beside him surged with battle intent, all adopting combat stances.
"Attack."
Two words, not loud.
But to the Arbitrators team, they were like the key igniting a V12-engined supercar! Instantly detonating their long-suppressed battle intent, enough to incinerate stars!
Saitama moved first! The scorched earth beneath his feet silently collapsed into a huge pit, and his body vanished on the spot! Only a blurry afterimage and a circle of sonic boom clouds, formed by extreme speed, remained in the air!
The next second, an earth-shattering Impact exploded in the center of the Outriders horde, hundreds of monsters turning to dust in the force of his punch.
"Legacy... Start!" Dante laughed wildly, Rebellion twirling in his hand in a dazzlingly beautiful sword flourish, scarlet demonic power swirling around his entire body like a storm!
He followed Saitama closely, transforming into a red streak of light tearing through the air, powerfully crashing into the densest Outriders horde! Where his sword light passed, limbs flew!
Vergil said nothing, Yamato silently unsheathed by half an inch, and the surrounding space was instantly carved with countless fine, pitch-black cracks!
His figure flickered, like a ghost merging into Shadow, rushing straight towards Thanos's flank with absolute sharpness and coldness!
"The party has begun!" Bayonetta moved with elegant, dance-like steps, her high heels thudding on the scorched earth like war drums!
"Scarborough Fair" spun in her hands, spewing a storm of magic-infused bullets, precisely shooting at the Chitauri aircraft attempting to cross the crack! Each pull of the trigger was accompanied by her dangerous smile.
"Space, confine!" The Herrscher of the Void Kiana floated in mid-air, her golden eyes indifferent and emotionless. She lightly raised her slender hand, and several massive Void-Space Gates instantly opened in the sky above the battlefield!
Invisible Honkai energy barriers crashed down like a sky, firmly pinning a small area of Outriders, along with space itself, to the ground! Immediately after, Void Lances shot out from the gates like a rainstorm!
"Boring cannon fodder." Uchiha Madara snorted coldly, his Reincarnation Eye spinning! Several small meteors inexplicably appeared in the sky, crashing into Thanos's army, instantly filling everyone's vision with explosions and flying dust.
"Scorpio Poison Needle · Scarlet Kiss!" Natasha, clad in the Golden Scorpio Cloth, was like a golden lightning bolt! Her figure was agile as a ghost, weaving through the chaotic enemy lines.
The poison needle on her index finger, glowing like a flowing water droplet, shimmered with a deadly scarlet! Each precise jab plunged into the vital points of Outriders or Chitauri soldiers; the struck enemies instantly stiffened, Strange scarlet patterns appearing on their bodies, then turning to dust within seconds!
"Hulk! Horns!!" Hulk, covered by the Golden Taurus Cloth, seemed even more massive and robust! He roared, his two giant fists, encased in thick golden gauntlets, slammed violently into the ground like a God's war hammer!
Rumble!!!
The earth violently undulated and tore like waves! A terrifying shockwave spread in a ring, turning all enemies within a hundred meters around him, whether ground troops or low-flying units, into pulp!
And the transmigrated Tony, after sending the six Infinity Stones, transformed into streams of light, steadily into Chen Tian's hands, the pair of sci-fi propulsion wings on his back instantly erupted with a deep blue particle torrent!
"Friday, full weapon systems unlocked! Target—purple target and all active objects in the vicinity! Free annihilation!"
Before his words finished, his armor's shoulders, back, and outer arms instantly popped open with dense arrays of miniature missile launchers and beam cannon muzzles!
"Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!" Miniature missiles like a swarm of metal locusts and dense deep blue energy beams instantly covered a massive Beast tide assembling on Thanos's right flank!
The explosion's firelight and energy shockwaves instantly engulfed them!
Chen Tian steadily held the six now docile Infinity Stones in his hand. He looked at the scene before him, a violently extreme war painting ignited by his own hand and jointly performed by this group of monsters from different dimensions, and the ferocious excitement on his face finally completely transformed into cold battle intent.
He flicked his wrist, and the Infinity Stones in his hand instantly vanished into his palm. He tilted his head at Thanos, revealing a brilliant smile.
"Don't worry, Thanos, I won't use the Infinity Stones against you, because destroying you with my own hands would be much more enjoyable."