Ch: 110-120
Chapter 110: Dragon Squad Comes Looking for Trouble!
Section 13.
The safest place on Earth.
Dragon Squad and the Avengers listened to Old Wang's account, their expressions turning grave as they sensed the thorny trouble ahead.
"A Collision Event?"
"Linn, you don't belong to this World; you're from another Universe, and now the two realities are drifting closer, about to collide?"
"The reason we sealed the Scarlet Witch and didn't shatter the Westview Illusion was to protect our World?"
Tony rubbed his chin. With god-tier intellect and bona-fide genius, he accepted the truth instantly and began plotting countermeasures.
After all, during a Collision Event, a cosmic bridge forms and dimensions overlap.
Like the beach between land and sea.
Driven by survival, residents of the other Universe will risk illegal crossings into Westview.
They might even build a civilization inside the Westview Illusion!
Just as in the Age of Exploration, when the Anglo clique slaughtered natives and claimed the New World.
"So we can't break the Westview Illusion? And the Scarlet Witch isn't dead?"
Wanda looked anxious.
What worried her most was the Scarlet Witch—the living embodiment of Chaos Magic that wove the Westview Illusion. If its anchor dies, the illusion collapses.
Yet that raises another problem.
Without the Chaos barrier, a collision-annihilation would doom all life in the Universe.
"Exactly."
"For now, this is the only way."
Linn sighed.
It wasn't that he lacked the power to kill the Scarlet Witch; the downside outweighed the upside.
"Hold on."
"I'm confused about something!"
Jackie Chan raised his hand.
"Go ahead."
Linn nodded with a smile.
"You mean Universes are like billiard balls—smash together and both go poof?"
"And in different Universes there are versions of Dragon Squad and the Avengers, just with different histories and names?"
"So can I take it that… every Universe's people are essentially the same, only the settings differ?"
Jackie's head was spinning.
The illogical leap made Linn's eyes deepen; in a flash he saw the light.
"Essentially the same, only the settings different…"
"Maybe you're absolutely right."
"In the other Universe Jackie Chan isn't an archaeologist but a kung-fu movie star, and Tony Stark and Rogers aren't Iron Man and Captain America—they're hot-shot international actors."
Linn's gaze brightened, as if he'd pierced the truth of the Multiverse.
Put simply, parallel Worlds are just different backdrops; the people are identical!
In his previous Universe he'd been a Little Kalamity—wage-slave working nine-to-nine. In this American-comic World he's the Sorcerer Supreme, yet he's still him.
He'd merely lived in a magic-barren World with no access to the Arcane Arts.
"A kung-fu star?"
"Cool!"
Jade's big eyes sparkled as she sized up Jackie; with his skills, stardom was no stretch.
"Aiya! Making Uncle's head hurt!"
"Uncle needs sleep!"
Uncle rubbed his eye sockets, secretly wondering what role his other-Universe self might be playing.
[SS-Rank Opportunity Mission: Win the Super War to obtain Temporal Invisibility Force.]
A line of text bubbled up.
Linn's eyes sharpened.
Temporal Invisibility Force?
The very source power of the Universe!
The Remnant of the TVA wielded it to turn the Multiverse into the sacred timeline and strangled the Council of Kangs.
The god Loki only gained the right to hold the timeline and spin out a World Tree after mastering Temporal Invisibility Force.
Yet Linn guessed there must be more than one sacred timeline; his plane lay outside TVA jurisdiction.
The TVA couldn't detect this World, so it couldn't prune timeline branches.
"But I can build my own TVA."
"A Multiverse Bureau under my command."
"Let's start with Section 13."
Linn thrilled inwardly and immediately proclaimed the founding of the Multiverse Bureau!
"Multiverse Bureau?"
"What's the point?"
Natasha looked puzzled.
"Simple: what the TVA can manage, I'll manage; what the TVA can't, I'll manage anyway!"
Linn declared, steel in his voice, igniting the heroes' passion.
"Well said—but the Westview headache just got worse."
Clint Barton frowned.
The Seven had found the Avengers' hideout and were heading for Section 13.
Kingpin had bestowed the heavenly hammer on Homelander, turning him into a Heavenly Hammer Emissary!
[a-rank opportunity mission: Defeat Heavenly Hammer Emissary Homelander to obtain the heavenly hammer.]
Another bubble popped up.
Linn was briefly startled—the old mission had been swapped for Homelander.
"Here they come!"
Captain America raised his shield.
Before the words faded, an ear-splitting boom ripped through the air.
The ceiling burst open. Homelander hovered mid-air, gripping the heavenly hammer, eyes blazing twin crimson beams, danger rolling off him in waves.
Beside him appeared a woman whose clinging uniform outlined stunning curves, arcs of electricity flickering over her skin.
To fill the Lamp Lighter's vacancy, Stormfront had arrived!
Half a century old yet unaged, she could hurl lightning. With a blast of thunder she blew Section 13 apart!
"Thor, she's yours!"
"Leave the other villains to us."
Captain America's gaze was resolute.
Section 13's classified files had long exposed The Seven as no heroes but outright super-villains—each with a rap sheet and blood on their hands.
Only Vought International's bottomless money had buried the scandals; the dirt was endless.
"Linn, right?"
"Mayor Kingpin gave me this heavenly hammer, and I've gained its power!"
"I don't believe you can still beat me!"
Homelander's face twisted as he swung the hammer, dropping all pretense—so what if he was a villain?
Wipe out the Avengers and Dragon Squad and no one would know the truth.
"My God—Homelander's a villain?"
"He was my idol…"
Jade teared up, unable to accept her hero turned criminal.
Yet the shining image was pure acting; the real Homelander was volatile, twisted—and loved nursing!
"Let's just call you Milk-Sucker Man."
"Looks like Madeline didn't feed you enough?"
Linn snickered, then raised the black death sword, fierce aura spilling out.
Secure the perimeter first—he'd eliminate the criminals woven into the Westview Illusion one by one.
Only then could he win the Super War, avert collision-annihilation, and save at least one Universe.
"Shut up!"
"I'll tear your mouth apart!"
Homelander howled, secretly shaken—how did Linn know his private hobby?
Had Vought International been infiltrated?
Was there a traitor in The Seven?
His laser gaze swept the teammates; they all waved denial.
Rage boiling over, Homelander raised the heavenly hammer and rocketed at Linn, Heat Vision slicing the building to rubble.
"Milk-Sucker Man."
"You really think that hammer puts you on par with a god?"
"Forgive my bluntness—"
"A hundred Homelanders fused together wouldn't last one swing against me."
Linn smiled; he'd never considered Homelander worth a second glance.
Chapter 111 – My avatar alone can crush you!
Linn flicked his fingertips.
Sparks of magic formed an arcane avatar.
He didn't lift a finger himself; instead he remote-controlled the avatar to duel Homelander. The conjured figure looked exactly like Linn and carried the full set of eighteen talismans.
Abstract totems spiraled over its skin.
Homelander's eyes bulged in humiliation—this was outright dehumanizing!
'You dare fight me with a mere avatar?'
'Do you think I'm unworthy of your real self?'
He spat the questions, face livid.
'Exactly.'
'You're just a Little Kalamity, a jumping clown. Who do you think you are to make me fight in person?'
Linn smiled and admitted it outright.
Homelander snapped; his features twisted, breath ragged, fury blazing in his eyes.
He would make Linn pay!
Blood for blood!
Only then could his hatred be quelled!
His expression froze as the avatar flashed in front of him, clenched its fist and swung like a meteor, whipping up a vortex of energy.
Homelander couldn't react in time; the punch landed on his face, darkness swallowed his sight, his brain rang like a gong.
It was only an avatar!
Yet it packed such power?
'No!'
'Impossible! I'm the Heavenly Hammer Emissary—I wield the might of the heavenly hammer!'
Bruised and swollen, Homelander still tried to look fierce, though he nearly wet himself; Linn's fist to his face clenched his bowels so hard he almost lost control.
Add a bout of bad digestion and a foul stench spread; Linn caught it at once.
'Did you just fart?'
'How can it smell this bad?'
'Dude, did you eat crap?'
Linn was speechless.
Homelander wanted to vanish on the spot as onlookers stared like daggers to the heart.
'Shut up!'
'I'll carve you alive!'
He raised the heavenly hammer high, tides of energy rolling off him, shaking the vault of heaven, tearing the fabric of space, igniting his very life-force.
His temples greyed in seconds; to kill Linn he would stop at nothing, hatred flooding his eyes.
After all, he was Homelander!
Vought International's cash cow, a cornucopia, idol to millions—how could he lose to a yellow-skinned man?
Racism exists in every World, even within the Westview Illusion.
'Moron—ever weighed yourself?'
'What are you, really? A lab rat without parents, a freak raised on formula, unloved by anyone in this World.'
Every word cut to the bone.
Homelander broke down, tears streaming, ready to fight to the death!
Yet the avatar blinked, swung a fist and smashed him through buildings, from subterranean depths up to the surface.
His disheveled state was broadcast live to his fans.
'Homelander?'
'What's going on?'
They gaped—never had they seen their hero so wretched.
'Get lost!'
Heat rays burst from his eyes, blowing a fan's head apart amid rising boos as he charged back toward Sector 13.
Linn sneered.
The avatar reversed, cracks racing across its frame like an over-revved engine—then detonated in Homelander's face!
BOOM!
Homelander was hurled away, charred black, and collapsed unconscious.
The heavenly hammer landed at Linn's feet.
A surge of Levitation Power lifted it into his hand.
[You have defeated Homelander and acquired the heavenly hammer.]
A notification bubble popped up.
Linn's lips curved slightly.
He had beaten eight heavenly hammer Emissaries; eight hammers were now his.
'Great Serpent, God of Fear, you won't regain your power. Even inside the Westview Illusion, if you're a dragon you'll coil, if you're a tiger you'll lie low!'
Cold light flashed in Linn's eyes.
Flames burst from his palm, reforging the hammer, erasing every trace of the god of fear and engraving new Arcane Arts runes.
He tossed the weapon straight to Captain America standing nearby.
After all, Captain America could lift mjolnir and had long since mastered hammer techniques.
'Fits like a glove.'
Captain America grinned.
He hoisted the hammer, divine power rippling across his body; hammer struck shield, releasing an ear-splitting clang and a shock-wave that scythed through the air.
A-Train clutched his ears in agony.
'Thunder Strike!'
Thor would not be outdone; mjolnir resonated with his divine power, unleashing lightning that swallowed Stormfront whole and knocked her out cold.
'We surrender.'
'We give up.'
Queen Maeve and the Deep raised their hands, abandoning the fight.
The Seven's heavy hitters were all down.
What was the point in continuing?
Yet the mastermind behind it all—Kingpin, now mayor of New York—watched the footage beside an android, eyes as dark as still water.
'Dr. Zola.'
'Is the god of fear ready yet?'
Kingpin steepled his fingers, staring at the monitors that showed The Seven's defeat.
Giving Homelander a heavenly hammer hadn't taken Linn down.
All he could still count on were HYDRA and the god of fear.
The android's chassis was mechanical, a screen on its chest displaying a plump, harmless-looking face twisted by malice.
It gripped the scepter of fear.
'Kingpin, thanks to Linn's interference, His Majesty Kur still needs a little more fear to recover his power.'
'But don't worry—Hela, Goddess of Death, has found the panda box. According to this illusion's history, it is the key.'
'It can unlock Hells Gate and free the demon sorcerers.'
Dr. Zola grinned.
The panda box resembled a Rubik's cube, its ends etched with bagua trigrams; rotate it correctly and it would point the way to Hells Gate.
With the Zola Algorithm's help he had cracked it perfectly and would soon open the gate.
'Demon sorcerers? Hells Gate?'
'Nightmare's already dead—what can these sorcerers do?'
Cold light flickered in Kingpin's eyes.
The Sorcerer Supreme's magic now surpassed average sky-father level, rivaling the King of the Godshimself.
Only the Great Serpent could subdue Linn.
'In this illusion's history the eight great demons are every bit as formidable as a Demon Lord—arguably more so.'
'They embody the very elements!'
'The Fire Demon you met before, Shendu, represents li in the bagua.'
'Though Linn sealed him, his Hells Gate can be reopened.'
Dr. Zola's face was all teeth and malice.
He flicked the scepter of fear; the mirror's surface rippled, revealing a barren, bird-less dimension.
No cycle of day and night, no sun, moon, or stars.
Only eternal dusk!
Inverted chunks of rock floated in the void, each one bearing hulking, ferocious figures exuding demonic qi.
'Who are you?'
'How are you contacting Hell?'
'Let me out—now!'
A shrill shriek rang out.
All eight great demons saw the swirling vision.
It was a communication spell.
'Ancient demons, fear not: Hela, Goddess of Death, will soon release you, and your target is Sorcerer Supreme Linn.'
'The Fire Demon Shendu has already tasted Linn's methods—be ready.'
Dr. Zola looked toward Shendu.
On his rock stood Shendu, eyes blood-red; at Linn's name he threw back his head and roared.
'If I get out I'll tear Linn apart—limb from limb!'
Chapter 112 – Reading the Grand Grimoire! (Please vote with your golden tickets)
Linn opened the Grand Grimoire; it was the opportunity he'd gained after crushing the Scarlet Witchpersona.
The cover bore a grotesque, grinning face.
Shadow Demon King Taran!
Supreme commander of all mummy generals, rightful ruler of every Shadow Legion.
Inside the book.
Spells, curses, and magics were recorded—including those of the Great Demon, Saintly Lord—yet the script was so bizarre no ordinary mortal could read it.
Only a demon could translate it word for word.
Fortunately, Linn knew the Dragon Tongue and could grasp every meaning. As he studied, he discovered the Grand Grimoire truly lived up to its name.
'The value of this book rivals the darkhold, without the mental corruption—worth learning,' he murmured.
Linn gave a slight nod.
With his photographic memory, he memorized every incantation, swiftly rendered it into Sanskrit, and handed it to Wanda to study.
'Wanda, you've regained your Chaos Magic, but you still lack combat techniques. Master the Grand Grimoire and you'll stand undefeated, preventing your power from spiraling out of control.'
Linn warned her earnestly.
'Then could I break the Westview Illusion—or weave the life I long for?'
Wanda's bright eyes blinked.
If the Scarlet Witch could do it, so could she.
'Of course, but I advise against it. Every action rebounds. Heard of karma? Touch the threads of reality and misfortune follows.'
'The Scarlet Witch wove the Westview Illusion, and her reward was imprisonment in the Dark Templeby my hand.'
'Copy her, and someone else will seal you away in some realm, somewhere.'
Linn's gaze was sharp and knowing.
His words dispelled her notion; Wanda playfully stuck out her tongue, sat down to read, while little Jade peeked over her shoulder, sneakily copying spells.
'Wow! Half these words I don't even know!'
Jade stared as if at an alien script and quietly slid the book away.
Linn produced the Ruyi Treasure Tome and offered it to Uncle. It held 108 spells of its own.
Though written in oracle-bone script, Uncle—an antique expert—should decipher it.
They needed every edge to protect the Westview Illusion.
After all, Hela, Goddess of Death, was still hunting the panda box, and he hadn't forgotten.
'Aiya!'
'The legendary Ruyi Treasure Tome? I've heard of it! Whoever masters it becomes a Heavenly Master!'
'Uncle's going to be a Heavenly Master!'
Uncle's eyes gleamed with excitement.
He cradled the celestial book and began studying it line by line, plumbing the profound mysteries within.
'Linn!'
'Congratulate me—I've created another arc reactor inside the Westview Illusion! Thanks for lending the Space Stone so I could isolate the isotope!'
Tony Stark whooped.
He hoisted the arc reactor; blue pulses blazed—cold-fusion tech that supplied limitless power even at room temperature.
'But this reactor's different from the old ones,' he said slyly.
The palm-sized arc reactor shifted hues, swirling with iridescent light.
He had scanned all six Infinity Stones and extracted their unique isotopes.
At this point it wasn't an arc reactor at all—it was an Infinite Reactor!
'Infinite Reactor?'
'Planning an isotope armor suit?'
'For the coming super-war? An invasion from another World?'
Linn looked stunned.
He'd underestimated Tony's genius; the mind cursed by knowledge truly was extraordinary.
'Exactly. We're stuck in Westview until the Collision Event. A cosmic bridge will link two Worlds, so we prepare now.'
'Who knows what freak show the other Universe has cooked up?'
'My counterpart there is also cursed by knowledge, but as an actor he can't be too shabby.'
Tony's eyes were resolute.
Put simply, every variant's stat sheet was identical.
Yet differing World backgrounds shaped different faces and destinies.
Wasn't an apocalypse just the start of a new era?
A no-magic Universe now had magic—and it would be used to the fullest.
'True. Whoever gains magic will flaunt it before the World. Identical panels raise the stakes,'
Captain America murmured in agreement.
The Avengers and Dragon Squad shared his view.
They turned expectant eyes to Tony; if he could craft an Infinite Reactor and isotope armor, what other wonders might follow?
'Sorry, no custom orders right now.'
'Wait till I finish the suit.'
Tony shrugged.
He looked to Banner, restored to himself.
'Banner, I'll need your help. Before war erupts I want my Iron Legion reborn!'
'Hell, I'll armor-plate the whole of Westview!'
Tony clenched a fist, eyes blazing.
He swore to defend the Universe; invasion would not stand.
Area 13.
Could supply every material he needed. The Seven's wipe-out had caused barely a ripple; Vought International hushed it up.
They simply announced the team was off-planet on a mission.
'Mission my ass—they're all sitting in jail,'
Hawkeye Barton snorted.
Just then.
A shrill alarm blared.
Sheriff Black looked panic-stricken.
'Jackie, a demon hit Black Forest Prison and took the Black Hand Gang—here's the footage.'
Video rolled.
Hela, Goddess of Death, had stormed the facility where the Black Hand Gang was held.
On arrival she summoned Hells Gate and freed the Wind Demon.
'I am Whistling Wind!'
A thunderous croak split the sky.
A colossal toad with blood-red eyes and thorny back blasted a gale that flung every guard aside.
The Black Hand Gang fled in the chaos, mingling with Whistling Wind.
'Whistling Wind?'
'What demon is this? How's it inside Westview? Another Chaos Magic conjuring?'
The Avengers frowned.
The Wind Demon's arrival made them tense—one of the eight great demons from ancient times!
Besides Whistling Wind, seven more remained.
'The strongest is Saintly Lord! He wields the twelve talismans and once ruled the Nine Provinces. If he claws his way back from hell, we're in trouble!'
Jackie groaned, cursing their luck.
'I sealed Saintly Lord once; I can do it again—don't worry,'
Linn said with a smirk.
'Venerable Lin En, the twelve talismans—why does that sound familiar? Don't you possess them?'
'Because of you, have the eight great demons appeared?'
Old Wang finally caught on.
Everything woven into Westview seemed linked to Linn in some way.
'Busted?'
'Entirely possible. The Scarlet Witch persona came from Wanda; knowing my powers, she spun matching monsters,'
Linn admitted.
He sliced open a Mystic Gate straight to Black Forest Prison.
Howling winds and churning sand greeted them.
A sandstorm raged through the area.
Trees were uprooted, buildings swayed, walls cracked and shattered in moments.
'Linn? You're late!'
'The Wind Demon Whistling Wind—he's the Sorcerer Supreme.'
A dark gleam flashed in Hela's eyes.
Were it not for the Sorcerer Supreme, she'd have stormed Asgard by now; trapped in Westview, she had to harvest terror for the Great Serpent.
The Heavenly Hammer Emissaries had failed utterly—only the primordial demons remained.
Chapter 113 – Whistling Wind: Spare me!
"Linn? I've heard of you!"
"You sent the Saint back to Hell; he still broods over it."
The wind demon Whistling Wind, eyes crimson, squatted like a monstrous toad, cheeks puffed and air-sacs swollen.
He blasted a breath; the heavens quaked and the sky rippled.
Everything began to shatter.
In the Eight Trigrams, Xun stands for hurricanes and sandstorms; he can launch wind-blades and destroy whatever he wishes.
"Sorry, I've no interest in the Saint's thoughts."
"Even if he steps through Hells Gate again, I'll send him right back."
"As I understand it, the panda box only opens once, correct?"
"Though you're free, your end is already written."
Linn smiled.
At once his fingertip released Levitation Power, lifting a palm-leaf fan lying nearby—some convict's property.
Arcane glyphs overflowed with golden light.
He enchanted the fan, turning it into a magic artifact; Whistling Wind paled and shivered.
For the divine relic that subdues the wind demon is a fan!
"No!"
"I won't return to Hell!"
Whistling Wind's eyes bulged in terror; filthy demon qi poured off him, turning every inmate into half-toad, half-human monsters.
The vilest thugs and wanted felons, feeling sudden power, crowed with delight.
"Aiya!"
"These crooks all got demon qi, Ah-Long—use magic to beat magic!"
Uncle raised puffer-fish and dried gecko; brilliant green light flared—the glow of righteous magic.
"Hmm?"
"Where did Hela run off to?"
Linn glanced around—Hela had left; the Great Serpent, God of Fear, needs enough fear to regain peak form.
Once king of Asgard, the God of fear might even shake the very laws and bring disaster to the Westview Illusion.
Secure the inside before facing outside; to handle the Collision Event, first slay the Serpent!
Otherwise he could betray us, help the other Universe seize and rule Westview.
By now the Westview Illusion covers the globe—call it the Chaos Barrier.
"Chaos Magic means disorder."
"In this plane anything can happen, anything can spin out of control."
"Let's hope no more monsters appear."
Linn flicked the fan.
Whoosh!
A gale erupted.
Dragon Squad rolled up their sleeves and charged the convicts; Tohru and Toru took the hits, pinning the big brutes.
Viper turned semi-transparent, kicking any man-demon who tried to sneak-attack.
Jackie Chan moved with nimble agility, using whatever lay at hand—truly the Furniture City King!
"You can't know the divine spell that seals me!"
Whistling Wind snarled, cheeks puffing as he blew!
Boom!
Two tempests collided.
Shock-waves rippled outward, shredding space and uprooting giant trees.
The ground cracked, watchtowers crumbled.
Prison walls vanished like a mass-detonation of WMDs.
"Aiya!"
"Whistling Wind's right—besides the divine relic you need the spell. Each of the eight great demonshas one, but I don't know it!"
Uncle looked crestfallen.
Yet Linn's lips curled.
"Spell? What spell? Ever heard of speaking reality into being?"
Linn narrowed his eyes, voice booming; he had mastered the Dragon Language—dragon words are heavenly law!
"Evil spirits be gone…"
"Evil spirits be gone…"
"Evil spirits be gone…"
Linn chanted.
The fan blazed green; Whistling Wind's pupils shrank to pins, dread rising.
"Impossible!"
"You know Dragon Language! Damn—did the Saint teach you?"
Fires leapt in his eyes; he kicked off the ground and sprang skyward, desperate to flee the spell's range.
"The Saint? He lacks the skill—I grasped it myself. Pretty awesome, huh?"
Linn swept the fan.
Whoosh!
A tornado wrapped the giant toad; daylight turned to night, a glowing stone gate rose, vortex swirling within.
Straight to demon Hell!
Eternal drought and dusk had ground away the minds and magic of the eight great demons.
"No!"
Whistling Wind tumbled through Hells Gate; the gate slammed shut, all phenomena vanished.
Even the convicts' demon qi returned to Hell with him—men once more.
"Linn!"
"What magic is this? Dragon Language Magic?"
"He turned Uncle's catch-phrase into a universal spell?"
Jackie, Toru, Tohru and Jade were stunned.
Linn's mastery left them awestruck.
"Exactly—Dragon Language Magic is the universal spell, commanding natural elements. 'Qi' is simply element, energy, matter."
"You've heard that all things have spirit."
Linn nodded with a smile.
He summoned ninja soldiers to arrest the crooks and used Chaos Magic to rebuild Blackforest Prison.
It looked as if disaster had never struck, yet everyone remembered Linn.
In this Chaos Illusion timeline there was no Kamar-Taj—giving Linn the chance to found Kamar-Taj and the Three Sanctums, to become Grandmaster of the Arcane Arts.
"Grandmaster of the Arcane Arts?"
"Linn, where will you build Kamar-Taj?"
Jackie gaped.
Surely not Section 13?
Section 13—
turning from government agency to magic unit?
"More precisely, I think Uncle's Antique Shop is perfect—right in bustling Chinatown, natural cover."
Linn glanced at Uncle for approval.
Since he must stay in the Chaos Illusion, adjustments were needed; even if the illusion ended, Scarlet Witch's rewritten realities would likely persist on Earth.
Chaos Magic had rewritten reality long enough for Earth to accept it—how could he rewind that?
"No objection!"
Uncle nodded solemnly.
If the antique shop became the seat of Arcane Arts, his line would pass it down for generations.
His deeds would fill history books!
Who wouldn't know Uncle?
A Mystic Gate opened slowly.
They stepped through.
And arrived straight in San Francisco's Chinatown.
A two-storey shop appeared before them.
Inside, every shelf held antiques—true treasures glowing with age, each piece archaeological gold.
Linn traced sigils in the air.
The shop doubled in size; spatial Arcane Arts expanded the premises.
Dragon Squad stared, awed again.
Uncle's own chi spells could never manage that—rankling the old man.
"Aiya!"
"Chi spells aren't Arcane Arts—mooncakes aren't staple food!"
Uncle vowed silently.
Once he learned Dragon Language he'd turn chi spells into universal chants too.
"That should do. The shop now rivals a Sanctum and wards off demons—no entry without invitation."
Linn smiled.
He would designate the antique shop the Fourth Sanctum.
It sat atop a ley-line, and Chaos Magic had subtly altered that line.
Perhaps the Westview Illusion was triggering a spiritual renaissance!
The dormant God-genes within humanity would soon awaken.
Chapter 114 – Thor vs. the Lightning Demon!
"What do you mean?"
"Celestial genes?"
Jackie Chan knitted his brows.
He certainly didn't see anything special about himself.
Yet as Linn slowly explained, the Dragon Squad's faces filled with shock—so human genes actually came from a Progenitor Celestial?
The Cosmic Celestials visited Earth and created Mutants as well?
And with Chaos Magic interfering, those Celestial genes will all re-activate!
"Exactly. The genes inside you have already awakened, boosting your bodies. That's why Jackie could run in place on the train."
"Put simply, the Dragon Squad aren't ordinary people—you're all Supermen."
Linn nodded.
He had underestimated Chaos Magic's influence.
Rewriting reality was only the beginning; the real trouble lay ahead. The era when every man could become a dragon had already begun.
Linn even suspected the emergence of The Seven was tied to Celestial genes!
Genes
are also a kind of code, conceptual data. When Chaos Magic rewrote reality, it triggered that genetic program.
And as time passed, more natives would recall their former memories, realize they were inside an illusion, and cause further disasters.
He called the lives of the reality plane "natives,"
just to keep things clear.
Groups like the Dragon Squad and The Seven, given brand-new identities by Chaos Magic, could no longer be counted as natives.
"Oh? Heard you turned Uncle's antique shop into a Sanctum—so it's true!"
"Linn, you really don't plan to lift the Westview Illusion?"
A chorus of whistles sounded.
There was Tony Stark, wearing a copied sling ring; he opened a Mystic Gate and walked into the Sanctum with the Avengers.
Eyes roving, he studied the displayed antiques and couldn't resist handling them—he'd never seen so many!
With his genius intellect, copying a sling ring was no challenge.
He'd even outfitted the Avengers, tailoring each a uniform. The fabric was ordinary, but every surface bore runes.
Now Tony Stark had officially begun studying both magic and tech, determined to carve out a kingdom inside Westview Illusion!
Yet he hadn't found Happy and Pepper—the family he worried about most.
"Living inside Westview Illusion isn't so bad."
"Demons may appear, but the Sanctum is built; even they will think twice."
Linn smiled.
"True. Inside Westview Illusion I feel no difference."
Captain America Steve sighed.
For him, whether in the Reality Dimension or Westview Illusion, this was an unfamiliar era.
He was used to building familiarity from the unknown.
After all, his teammates were here; the Avengers hadn't disbanded.
"Still, Kingpin is a problem."
He's bought off plenty of councilmen and recruited amnesiac super-criminals under his banner.
"For instance: Norman Osborn, Red Tank, Magneto, White Queen..."
Natasha held up a tablet; she'd been investigating in secret, with ninja soldiers on surveillance, and finally had results.
Kingpin!
Clearly aiming to rule both the light and the dark.
Many super-criminals, even without memories, kept their vicious natures, clustering around Kingpin—chilling to behold.
"Why is Zola here too?"
Linn frowned.
He remembered clearly: Dr. Zola uploaded his mind into a computer, becoming digital life, a step above Ultron.
And Zola held a staff that seemed to come from the World Tree, sparking a guess.
Chances were Dr. Zola had defected to the Great Serpent?
"The Great Serpent... hiding in the Mariana Trench? Let's head straight there and throttle him early!"
War Machine Rhodes twirled a finger round his neck, then jerked both hands outward—his gesture said it all.
"If we could strangle the Great Serpent, Father would have done it long ago."
Thor shook his head.
He knew Odin's nature; the Great Serpent, like Hela, likely possessed an undying body!
Because fear contains death,
and the surest way to inspire fear is to create death.
"death?"
"Then Westview Illusion could end up littered with corpses. Linn, I say we take the initiative—go straight to the Mariana Trench."
Captain America rarely took a stand.
Though the Mariana Trench lay in the deep sea, its pressure enough to crush lungs,
Tony's invented uniforms eased that problem, and he was working flat-out to craft armor for the Avengers—one for each in the future!
"Tony, where are you getting funds and materials? Did you bleed Sector 13 dry?"
Linn asked, puzzled.
"Of course not. I just borrowed some cash, played the market—buy high, sell low—and now I'm worth hundreds of millions. I'd be rich anywhere!"
Tony gloated.
With a genius brain and memories of his past life intact, a comeback was only a matter of time.
"Fine.
But I'll be the one visiting the Mariana Trench."
Linn sliced open a Mystic Gate; his aim was to probe how far the God of Fear, the Great Serpent, had recovered.
He appeared above the Mariana Trench, a bio-field flickering round his body, and dove into the abyss, swimming toward the serpent's seal.
But suddenly he felt a jolt.
He had sensed the Great Serpent's aura—then, in an instant, it vanished!
"What's going on?"
"Could the Collision Event have worsened, dragging the God of Fear, the Great Serpent, into another Universe—my original timeline?"
Linn's eyes flashed as he focused.
Ripples in space remained, but the God of Fear had vanished without a trace!
Through those ripples he could observe the other Universe—a timeline already plunged into apocalypse.
And the Great Serpent had gone there!
"death brings fear; an apocalypse births death. That means the God of Fear can swiftly regain divine power in that other timeline,
and perhaps even turn its people into followers and worshippers."
Linn's gaze turned profound.
He could almost predict the God of Fear had crossed into his World!
A Collision Event
would blur the barrier between the two Universes, allowing random crossings—no Chaos barrier could stop it, only provide a layer of protection.
"Crossing both ways?"
"So behind the Collision Event lies this hidden rule? Then I could be hit by it too and get hurled into the other Universe?"
Tony Stark exclaimed, stunned.
He had just adapted to Westview Illusion; he didn't want another Universe, especially one in the middle of an apocalypse.
"So I'll inscribe runes for you—like anchors, keeping you tethered inside Westview Illusion."
Linn sketched runes freehand,
branding the Dragon Squad and the Avengers
to keep the spatial turbulence of the Collision Event from sweeping them away.
After all, crossing over is easy; coming back is hard!
Yet for the Great Serpent the trip was all gain and no pain—he thrived on fear, and an apocalypse supplied it in spades!
"Jackie, we've got an emergency: a lightning demon's shown up on a Hollywood set,"
Sheriff Black called.
"Lightning demon? Zhong Su?"
"Aiya, they say his magic is boundless!"
Uncle's face paled.
"A demon who wields lightning? Leave him to me!"
Thor gripped his war-hammer.
He spun mjolnir and shot into the sky, heading for the Hollywood set.
Lightning boomed and crackled.
A seven-meter-tall demon with a hippopotamus face, clad in Roman armor, was touching high-voltage lines, siphoning magnetic power!
"Take my hammer!"
Thor hurled mjolnir like a meteor streaking across the sky, smashing straight toward Zhong Su's face.
Chapter 115 – Power of the totem! (Golden Tickets, please!)
Hollywood set.
Lightning roared, the air trembled.
Brilliant golden bolts blazed with terrifying heat, incinerating nearly everything in their path.
Demon of Thunder, Zhong Su!
The Zhen trigram of the Eight Diagrams.
Crackling thunder, creation by lightning—he could do almost anything; even the Saint would be a mere junior before him.
Of course, that referred to seniority.
Because while the Saint's combat strength was off the charts, among the eight great demons he ranked only above Earth Fiend and West Wood.
'Where's Linn?'
'A Little Kalamity like you dares to scam me?'
Zhong Su's face twisted in savagery, eyes blood-red. He raised his hand and caught mjolnir mid-flight!
Crack, crack.
As his grip tightened, cracks webbed across mjolnir; it looked ready to shatter. The God of Hammersgasped in horror.
'What?'
'What kind of power is this?'
Thor stared, stunned.
A moment later another force streaked through the air, slamming the thunder demon and sending mjolnir back into Thor's palm—
Though the hammer was now riddled with fractures!
Linn stepped through a Mystic Gate, white light spilling from his fingertip; the horse talisman's Power of Restoration mended mjolnir.
'Linn, much appreciated!'
'Watch that hippo—his strength rivals the mighty Hercules!'
Thor was still shaken.
Fortunately Linn had arrived in time, and the Avengers had rushed to the Hollywood set for Thor's sake.
'They say the ancient demons use demonic qi to turn people into monsters…'
'Are these creatures the result of absorbing that qi?'
Natasha's keen gaze swept around; monsters crackling with arcs of electricity lunged at the Avengers!
Clang!
Captain America blocked with his shield and swung, sending a crew member flying—
But the staff had already become fiends,
All conscience and reason gone, driven by one desire: destroy the Avengers!
Tony fired a palm-repulsor.
His armor had been upgraded—pure white plating, transparent faceplate revealing his handsome features—making Linn frown.
'White-pot armor?'
'Has Chaos Magic's reality warp twisted Tony's personality as well?'
Linn pondered.
Tony Stark's behavior was growing stranger by the day—
So immersed, so enjoying life inside the Westview Illusion; not a good sign.
'White-pot armor? Nice name, Linn! I'm keeping it!'
Tony's eyes glinted coldly.
As a monster pounced, blades of light sprang from his gauntlet, gutting the creature in the blink of an eye.
'This combat style makes me wonder: has Tony's psyche cracked? Has his PTSD gone untreated?'
Linn's pupils shrank.
PTSD
Had clung to Tony Stark; even falling into the Westview Illusion hadn't cured it,
Clearly warping his personality.
He had no time to dwell. Turning to the Goddess of death Hela, he mocked, 'Hela, I visited the Mariana Trench. The Great Serpent, God of Fear, is gone—why keep spawning fear?'
'Can't you just stay put?'
Linn's stare was sharp.
Hela only laughed.
'Venerable Linn, His Majesty Kur vanished, but he isn't dead; he'll return with an army. I freed the demons for one purpose—revenge!'
'Had you not interfered, I'd already be queen, Odin's reign overturned!'
Hela ground her teeth in hatred.
She had slipped from Helheim into the real world during the Nine Stars Alignment, but before she could act Linn banished her to Jotunheim and trapped her in the Westview Illusion!
Even without the god of fear, as long as she could bring death she could harvest divine power.
Now her might swelled; wherever death appeared she could reap souls and step into the All-Father realm!
'Your scheme will fail, Hela.'
'The realm of the dead is where you belong.'
Linn's eyes hardened.
He would not allow a Demon Lord to run rampant on Midgard.
With a surge of fire qi he conjured weapons in mid-air and hurled them at Hela, the detonation leveling everything.
The Hollywood set was reduced to rubble—
Just flimsy plywood façades, no defense at all.
'Linn, you'll regret refusing my offer. The god of fear will make you despair.'
Hela's voice echoed.
She and the Serpent stayed in contact; Cul Borson had crossed into another Universe where the apocalypse fed him limitless fear, restoring his divine power to its peak in an instant.
He could even become fear incarnate and ascend as a God in that end-time reality.
Once the Collision Event reached its end, the cosmic bridge would create an intersection; the Serpent would lead his retinue, seize the Westview Illusion and shatter it utterly!
'She fled?'
'Linn, is everything Hela said true?'
Captain America Steve looked alarmed.
If the god of fear had crossed realities and regained peak power, wouldn't that make him King of the Gods?
And possibly surpass even the King of the Gods—
A literal God?
'More than that. The Serpent embodies fear; as long as fear exists, he can't die.'
Linn's face was grave.
Meanwhile the thunder demon Zhong Su had seized Thor's arm and was madly draining the power of Thor!
'Your lightning will soon be mine. I'll suck you dry!'
Zhong Su grinned viciously.
Thor grimaced, feeling his divine strength drain rapidly, his aura wilting, skin turning pale.
With every second the demon's demonic qi climbed while Thor's breath faded.
'I'm invincible!'
'I am the mightiest of the ancient demons!'
Zhong Su's face was ecstatic, lightning writhing around him; he had nearly drained Thor dry and claimed all the thunder-God power!
Luckily Thor still clung to life, easing the Avengers' faces though dread lingered.
For the thunder demon Zhong Su had become living lightning, a veritable God of thunder floating in the air, raising his hand to pour out raging bolts.
They formed a furious dragon, shrieking as it dived toward the Avengers!
Globes of ball-lightning spread around, crackling arcs releasing searing heat,
Enough to melt metal, turn asphalt liquid, a pungent stench filling the air.
Zhong Su had never felt so good!
'I hear you speak Dragon-tongue, Sorcerer Supreme, but you'll never seal me and send me back to demon-hell. I've evolved—I am now the totem God!'
His voice boomed like thunder, warping the sky; his body became lightning, destroying ceaselessly.
Even the Hollywood lot was leveled!
All of Los Angeles lost power—
Every watt now coursed through Zhong Su, drawn across the distance.
'totem God?'
A flicker of doubt crossed Linn's eyes.
'Foolish Sorcerer Supreme, you don't know? The Saint's twelve talismans refined the totem God—totem is the law itself!'
'And you cannot seal the law itself!'
Zhong Su sneered, mocking Linn's ignorance of totems.
'Heh. Even as a totem God, you're still a hippo, Zhong Su.'
'And thanks for the hint—I finally understand what a totem is.'
Linn's gaze sharpened.
He summoned the eighteen talismans; they orbited him as living runes, stars swirling in his pupils as he grasped the truth of totems!
[You have created the Zodiac Cultivation Method and gained the power of totems.]
A surging tide of energy spilled outward.
With a flick of his finger Linn traced a sigil in the air, writing a single word: Annihilation.
Let the thunder demon perish in the heart of the storm!
Such might from a single word—terrifying beyond measure!
Chapter 116 – Tony Turns Dark!
Lightning crackled.
The Thunder Demon's form re-coalesced from nothingness; he had turned elemental, but it was no different from dying once!
A single word—"erase"—had let Zhong Su taste despair, and it terrified him. He simply couldn't understand: the man had taught him nothing.
Yet Linn had suddenly grasped the secret of the totem!
"Impossible!"
"What exactly did you figure out?"
Zhong Su's face was twisted with incomprehension, his voice distorted, a mournful snarl.
"A totem is just a vessel for the soul, a form of elemental matter—nothing more."
Linn curved his lips in a faint smile.
His understanding was simple and blunt.
And it came very close to the truth.
totem.
It is the source of all energy, a cosmic blueprint; everything develops along the lines of a totem, a trajectory designed in advance.
Like erecting a skyscraper: first you draw the plans, factor in every risk, only then do you break ground.
The totem's role is the World's design blueprint!
That is why a totem wields unfathomable power, energy so staggering it can shake the very order of reality.
Without the totem, nothing would exist.
"Your wisdom is astonishing."
"But you underestimate me!"
Zhong Su swept out his arms; blinding, scorching thunder boomed and lightning streamed forth, heat so terrible it liquefied every substance.
"Is that so?"
Linn opened his hand; a pair of castanets materialized—Chaos Magic can make something from nothing.
Clack.
He snapped the castanets once; a surging vortex slammed the lightning down.
Clack-clack!
Two quick snaps.
As he chanted, a stone gate blazed into being, shaped like an ancient arch, right in the middle of the Hollywood set.
"No!"
"I won't go back to hell!"
Zhong Su wailed.
But the Hells Gate exhaled suction and dragged him through, then slammed shut!
Every anomaly vanished.
Even Thor's lost power flooded back; from empty to full in an instant, he revived on the spot.
"What happened to me?"
"Where's the Thunder Demon Zhong Su?"
Thor hefted his hammer, eyes cold.
"I've sealed him."
"But Hela got away; by feeding on death she may grow stronger."
Linn's gaze was subtle.
Before the police took over, he led the team back to Uncle's Antiques, worry flickering across his face.
The Collision Event's ripple had reached the Westview Illusion; people and things from Westview were slipping into another Universe—the apocalyptic timeline.
"Linn, can't Chaos Magic stop the Collision?"
Wanda's long lashes fluttered; she caught Linn's hand, drew him into the room, and nestled against him.
Her silky hair was tied in a ponytail, ready to ease his stress.
A moment later.
Wanda swallowed, lifted her gaze, saw Linn visibly relax, and smiled.
"Don't worry."
"Collisions are brief; when that other timeline dies the illusion will break and the World will snap back."
Linn stroked Wanda's head, tenderness in his eyes.
Even if only to protect her, he would master the totem and seize the cosmic blueprint!
"Linn, I'll stay with you forever."
Wanda declared her love.
They tumbled together onto the bed; moonlight poured through the window, the room alive with soft passion… "I've finally done it."
An excited voice rang out.
Sector 13.
Inside the lab.
Tony's eyes gleamed with self-assurance; he lifted a vial, a wicked smile curving his lips.
It was Extremis—of his own creation!
With genius-level intellect he had removed every flaw; the virus could rewrite DNA almost risk-free.
All to win the Collision Event.
He would inject Extremis into all humanity, control them through an app, turn everyone into super-soldiers; even if the apocalyptic army breached Westview…
…it wouldn't matter.
"Let's start with San Francisco."
Tony's grin was devilish.
He duplicated the virus and dumped it straight into the water supply—a nano-agent that could saturate every body in seconds.
"Now I need the program."
"What should I charge?"
"Free for three days, then a hundred bucks a day."
Tony's gaze was calculating.
He wanted his fortune back, to be a billionaire again; consequences?
What consequences?
He was a Superhero—he meant no harm!
"Hm?"
Linn sipped tea and felt something off.
The horse talisman had activated.
Had his food been poisoned?
He gave a water sample to Dr. Banner, who ran tests and returned troubled and suspicious.
"Linn, San Francisco's water is tainted—I found nano-virus."
"No leads yet; could a demon be behind it?"
Dr. Banner looked lost.
No one suspected Tony.
But when the Extremis app appeared, Linn realized Tony had truly lost it.
"The white-armor rig… that's Ultimate Iron Man's suit. After it fell into Westview it rewired Tony's personality?"
"Amplified his PTSD?"
A third eye opened on Linn's forehead.
With a sweep of his arcane sight he spotted Extremis in the water—a controllable nano-agent rewriting genetic code.
San Franciscans downloaded the app, customized their ideal bodies; three free days—who would refuse?
Yet once the trial ended the virus shut off, and residents who'd tasted bliss went into withdrawal.
"What?"
"A hundred dollars a day? Why not just rob us?"
"I need Extremis!"
"Extremis let me walk again!"
San Francisco went wild, paying to renew the virus; after a few days riots erupted.
Not everyone could afford a hundred dollars a day.
A hundred U.S. a day!
Daylight robbery.
"Tony? Where's Tony?"
"He moved out—bought the top floor of the Empire State Building."
Natasha frowned.
A million people paying a hundred a day—hundreds of millions in cash.
Tony was a billionaire again.
No more squatting with the Avengers in Sector 13.
"Empire State Building?"
"We have to make Tony stop—shut Extremis down!"
Linn's eyes were sharp.
But Sheriff Black burst in, frantic: the Hells Gate had reopened and the Water Demoness Baosha had appeared!
"Baosha?"
Linn's face tightened.
The Avengers went after Tony; he headed for Rome alone.
In the center of the Arena stood a female mermaid, crimson-eyed, hair like octopus arms, fish-tail trailing, reeking of the sea.
"Linn?"
"Impressive—you actually beat Zhong Su!"
"But I won't fight you head-on; I'll send a great flood to drown this World!"
Water Demoness Baosha's voice was sorcerous.
She flicked her tail into the sewers, dove to the ocean floor, and made for the ruins of Atlantis.
A towering figure blocked her path, winged ankles gripping air, a Vibranium spear in hand.
"Why trespass on my domain, demon!"
the figure roared, hefting the spear.
"And who are you?!"
Baosha narrowed her scarlet eyes.
"Namo! Lord of the Seven Seas!"
Chapter 117: Namor's Plea!
'Namor McKenzie?'
A strange glint flashed in Linn's eyes.
It seemed Chaos Magic hadn't rewritten the ocean too drastically.
Clearly, Namor still had his memories; only after the Water Demon Basara intruded into his kingdom did he strike back.
Namor.
He came from the undersea realm of Talokan, a descendant of Native Americans, born with mutant powers—his attributes soared underwater and he could fight in the air.
He raised his Vibranium spear, whipping up a savage vortex that surged toward the Water Demon!
Sea life all around obeyed his call, swarming Basara with gaping jaws—sharks snapped down in a frenzy!
'I am the Master of the ocean!'
'You dare call yourself ruler of the seven seas? A joke, Namor—you'll be my slave, and your people will serve me!'
Basara's eyes burned crimson as she flung out a wave of demonic qi that swallowed Namor; in seconds he screamed, his body warping into a merman-like form.
Every sea creature was tainted, turned into puppets of the Water Demon, completely enslaved by the fiendish aura!
'Kill Linn for me! That damned Sorcerer Supreme seeks to harm your queen! Namor!'
Basara pointed at Linn.
In an instant.
Namor left an after-image, appearing before Linn, face cold, pupils flashing red.
Per canon, he rivaled Thor and Hulk in raw physique—his only weakness was the need to hydrate in time.
'You will not harm my queen.'
Namor raised his spear; the arriving Talokanans, seeing their king's intent, reacted at once, treating Linnas foe.
Talokanans were unique: their ancestors drank an herb that granted amphibian powers—normal skin underwater, Smurf-blue on land.
They also boasted rapid healing and regeneration, fighting ashore via special breathing masks.
Two-and-a-half million years ago the Vibranium meteor not only struck Wakanda but also plunged into the seas, mutating flora and fauna.
Linn's sharp eyes already spotted fiendish fish darting before him.
The Water Demon Basara grinned.
'Sorcerer Supreme, today next year will be your memorial—twelve talismans or not, you can't beat me in the ocean!'
Basara heaved a brutal wave that slammed toward Linn.
Timing, terrain, morale—he had none.
Linn's face chilled; he burst through the surface and hovered mid-air.
Namor followed, ankle-wings buzzing, arrow-straight as he lunged at Linn again!
The Vibranium spear-tip shimmered with deadly light.
Namor had long collected Vibranium, even forging a vibranium sun that bathed Talokan in light and radiation while he stayed hidden beneath the waves.
But Chaos Magic's reality-rewrite stirred changes in the depths, awakening dormant Mutated Race.
Mutated Race were hunting Talokanans!
'Mutated Race?'
Linn frowned slightly.
'You're Sorcerer Supreme—Earth's guardian—yet you woke the Mutated Race; this is your fault.'
Namor hurled his spear like a javelin; Linn dodged, Namor blink-stepped to catch it back and clashed blade-to-blade!
Clang!
Vibranium spear met black death sword, releasing an ear-splitting roar.
Sparks flew.
Fury flared in Linn's heart.
He chanted and gestured, conjuring several arcane avatars to strike at Basara and the Talokanans—he had to stop her flood from drowning the World!
'You can't stop me...'
Basara's eyes blazed; her tail flared as she traced a demonic array on the ground, chanting.
'Come water, come water...'
She danced like a rain priestess; storm clouds gathered, the sky darkening in moments!
Torrential rain poured, dousing Linn's fire and complicating matters.
He felt the sea level rising.
At this rate the legendary Great Flood would swallow coastlines, leaving humanity no place to stand!
Before nature's calamity humans are tiny.
Even slight temperature shifts bring disease and death—feeding Hela, Goddess of Death—he could not let Basara succeed!
Yet the downpour persisted, the sea climbing fast, turning beaches into swamps.
Coastal resorts were smashed by Riptide; tourists fled in despair at the sight of Basara leading Talokanans ashore!
'Sorcerer Supreme? Is this all you've got? Whistling Wind, Zhong Su, the Saint—how overrated!'
'I'll show you the might of an ancient demon!'
Water Demon Basara sneered.
She watched Namor trade blows with Linn; even if avatars neared, enslaved Talokanans blocked them.
'Heh.'
Linn smirked.
He clasped his hands; a radiant casket of ice, etched with runes and biting cold, appeared.
ancient winter coffin!
The Frost Giant clan's sacred artifact!
It sealed the fury of a thousand lethal winters!
Able to reach absolute zero!
Linn wielded it, freezing the ocean into endless glaciers, the temperature plunging past minus one hundred degrees.
Namor and the Talokanans were sealed in ice sculptures!
Even Water Demon Basara could not endure the thousand winters—she was flash-frozen, voice and storms silenced.
'Ancient demons—nothing special.'
Linn shot back.
Golden lightning burst from his eyes, blasting Basara apart!
He raised a gourd, intoning, 'Evil spirits begone, evil spirits begone, evil spirits begone...'
A fierce suction seized the demon the instant she re-formed, locking her in magical stasis!
Within the Arena.
A whirlpool gate to another dimension opened—an Eternal drought-stricken hell—Basara shrieked.
'No!'
'I won't go back!'
She struggled frantically but still fell; the Hell Gate closed, every anomaly vanishing.
Namor and the Talokanans awoke from the spell, gazing at Linn with shame.
'Forgive me, Sorcerer Supreme—I was under demonic control.'
'No blame lies with you.'
'But Chaos Magic's rewrite has awakened the Mutated Race—Talokanans are dying.'
Hovering, Namor pleaded for Linn's aid to wipe out the Mutated Race.
Because they possessed a terrible ability.
Devour-and-evolve!
They absorb a target's DNA and evolve corresponding traits; though Namor himself could slay them, ordinary Talokanans could not.
[a-rank opportunity mission: eliminate Mutated Race tyrant Kro to earn Namor's loyalty.]
A text bubble popped up.
Linn's eyes sharpened.
Mutated Race already had a tyrant—Kro?
Mutated Race and Eternal shared the same origin: Celestial Supreme Arishem forged them in the World furnace.
Intended to guard Celestial Spawn, they became apex predators.
Eternals wiped out land-based Mutated Race, but some still lurked in the seas!
Linn still remembered the Mutated Race that devoured Gilgamesh, evolving into humanoid form and mastering Eternity's power.
Chapter 118 – Ultimate Iron Man!
All humans carry God genes; presumably the Mutated Race of this World can absorb them.
That really is a problem.
Linn nodded and agreed to Namo's plea.
Yet he still had to return to San Francisco—Ultimate Iron Man had dumped Extremis into the water supply, and the man had clearly lost his mind.
Perhaps I can cure Tony Stark.
Namo said the mutated plants also possess healing properties, especially for calming the mind.
After all, Vibranium radiation has altered both flora and fauna, causing varying degrees of mutation; the differing pre-existing conditions mean the post-mutation effects differ as well.
Vibranium radiation can do that?
Where exactly does Vibranium come from?
Linn fell into thought.
Even Kamar-Taj has no record of Vibranium's origin; it's simply noted as a meteorite, yet everything comes from somewhere.
Vibranium radiation.
It created the heart-shaped herb and the mutated plants, and turned prehistoric apes into half-human, half-demon beings, erasing all conscience and rationality—indirectly proving the metal's power.
Its uses clearly go far beyond weaponry.
The Vibranium kingdom of Wakanda, sheltered by its dome barrier, might have remained untouched even when Chaos Magic swept the World; after healing Tony Stark, a visit there is in order.
Then I'll leave it to you.
Linn nodded.
The Talokan people then produced a mutated plant—an urchin-like sphere whose surface shimmered with brilliant light and pulsed with wondrous energy.
Pry open the shell and eat the pulp inside, and mental injuries ease, the brain relaxing.
It's a specialty of the ocean World; even in the 21st century humanity has yet to fully explore the seas—Earth is a water World, after all, three parts land to seven parts water, impossible to map completely.
To the Talokan people, however, the ocean is a treasure trove; grounded freighters alone hold tons of gold and silver.
Doesn't that mean there are countless spiritual materials down there for artifact refining?
Linn's eyes lit up.
What he lacked most right now were refining materials!
At present he could craft only magic artifacts; to forge divine ones he would need many complementary materials to achieve perfect effect.
If the Venerable needs them, Talokan will gladly offer its national treasure.
Namo smiled.
What national treasure? The vibranium sun?
Linn sounded puzzled.
No one knows where it came from, but when I found it I sensed something extraordinary—like an amulet.
Namo tried to describe the treasure.
An amulet?
Could it be the amulet of agamotto? Gather the eye of agamotto, the orb of agamotto, and the amulet of agamotto, and you gain all of Agamotto's legacy!
Linn rarely showed such emotion.
A heavenly voice rang in his ears, confirming his guess.
[S-Rank opportunity detected: the amulet of agamotto is in Lemuria.]
Lemuria?
Linn suddenly felt something was off.
Forgive me, Venerable Linn—the amulet was taken by Kro and is now in the hands of the Mutated Race.
Namo looked ashamed.
He had used the amulet as bait to get Linn to wipe out the Mutated Race!
I understand.
Linn didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Who would have thought the straight-laced Namo could be so cunning!
Yet he needed the amulet; he already had the orb of agamotto, and the eye of agamotto was temporarily with Doctor Strange.
He only had to find the amnesiac Doctor Strange to obtain the full legacy of the Ancestor.
Ancestor Agamotto, son of an Elder God, founded the Arcane Arts lineage, established Kamar-Taj, and pinned down ley-line nodes.
His mastery of The Way of Artifact Refining was nothing short of miraculous.
Today he stands exalted, forming the trinity known as The Eternal Vishanti with the Goddess of Light Oshtur and the ancient Hoggoth!
After the Nine Stars Alignment usually comes the Seven Realms War!
It will decide who speaks for the magical dimensions.
Whoever holds the voice sets the rules.
And as the Vishanti's proxy, he must take part; to defeat the other proxies, the eighteen talismans alone are insufficient.
Every contestant in the Seven Realms War is a Sorcerer Supreme, merely from different dimensions.
Each has a mighty patron behind them!
In short, the Mutated Race and I cannot coexist.
Linn declared.
He sliced open a Mystic Gate and returned to San Francisco with Namo.
Empire State Building.
Squads of Iron Guards were exchanging fire with the Avengers; the Dragon Squad shielded civilians, explosions echoing nonstop.
Linn! Tony's really gone mad!
He refuses to recall Extremis—he says only by turning all humanity into super-soldiers can we win the Collision Event.
Captain America Steve shouted; seeing Linn arrive was like seeing salvation.
Yet Tony Stark blasted Steve away with a repulsor, the shield clattering to the ground, the heavenly hammer flying from his grasp.
Tony wore his white-armor suit, the transparent visor showing a wicked grin, his eyes fixed on the Winter Soldier.
Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.
Not long ago I received a video—December 16, 1991. What mission were you on? Did you stage a car crash?
Tony pressed relentlessly, projecting the hologram for all to see: the Winter Soldier's face filled the screen as he punched Howard Stark.
Then he walked off with the briefcase; the footage was high-definition and lifelike, leaving Buckystunned.
He remembered it well—he was fully conscious now!
It was the secret he could never voice: HYDRA had brainwashed him into a cold-blooded killer, and that mission had been to assassinate Howard.
Because Howard Stark had replicated the super-soldier serum!
HYDRA needed the serum.
Yet Bucky looked bewildered—only HYDRA possessed that footage; how had Tony gotten it?
The key point: the Avengers were inside the Westview Illusion, a plane rewritten by Chaos Magic; that video shouldn't exist here.
Dr. Zola…
He kept his memories and thoughts, and as a digital life-form he stored that footage, clearly for another purpose.
To trigger a civil war within the Avengers.
He's thrown in with the Great Serpent, God of Fear.
Linn's gaze grew subtle.
The truth now fell into place: the footage explained Tony's fall and transformation into Ultimate Iron Man.
Tony no longer trusted his teammates.
Even Captain America Steve stayed silent—he'd known the truth all along but never told Tony, stabbing him deeper.
Linn, are you here to stop me like the Captain? Can't you see I'm saving the World?
You've seen what Extremis can do—it will turn all humanity into super-soldiers!
Tony's eyes were profound.
He wanted Linn on his side.
After all, the Collision Event had erupted, the God of Fear Great Serpent had crossed over, and Hela, Goddess of Death, was making trouble.
One crisis after another, all beyond control; extreme times call for extreme measures—that was his judgment.
Tony.
I think you need to calm down. I know your pain, but you've brought disaster.
Look around.
Who here is still smiling?
Linn swept his gaze across the scene.
The Dragon Squad and Avengers battled Iron Guards; citizens infected with Extremis had become Tony's puppets, attacking at random.
He held the mutated plant as he slowly approached Tony, voice calm.
Tony, eating this will ease your mind.
Linn flicked his fingers.
The sea-urchin shell peeled away, revealing a white fruit that exuded a grassy fragrance.
But Tony struck back!
He blasted the mutated plant to pieces.
Chapter 119 – The Girl Who Was Isekai'd!
"Linn, I treated you as a confidant, yet you poisoned me?"
"What mutant plant, what mental healing…"
"I think you're trying to brainwash me!"
Tony Stark sneered.
He believed he'd seen through Linn's intent, but it only infuriated Linn.
"Tony, I gave you face, but since you won't take it, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Linn flicked his fingers, releasing Levitation Power to pin Tony mid-air.
In the blink of an eye the white armor was dismantled!
It shattered instantly, leaving him completely unprotected, and Tony's terror showed—he'd never imagined Linn possessed such ability!
He had still underestimated Linn!
"Iron Legion!"
Tony roared, and the Iron Guard reacted at once, blasting at Linn and breaking his concentration.
The Iron Guard then broke into parts, recombined in mid-air, and snapped onto Tony's body, forming a Veronica-style gundam, but painted pure white.
Runes traced across its surface, granting obvious magic resistance, and Tony revived with a wicked smirk.
"Linn, this is my invention, meant for the Great Serpent, but you oppose me—standing against me fills me with loathing!"
Tony's face was venomous, his tone dripping with hatred.
He felt Linn should have supported him without question!
Yet Linn disappointed him, becoming an enemy and declaring him wrong!
"Children talk right and wrong; adults weigh pros and cons. You meant well, but the outcome was ruinous."
"Your intellect has outrun your ability to steer it, Tony."
Linn flicked his fingers, pity flashing in his eyes.
He had no intention of killing; Tony Stark was merely unhinged, not utterly mad.
"Venerable Linn, why not use the tiger talisman?"
Captain America Steve suggested.
After all, the talisman splits good and evil; a mentally fractured Tony Stark had clearly birthed a dark persona.
Healing him simply was nearly impossible.
"Sound reasoning."
Linn nodded.
White light spilled from his fingertip, aimed straight at Tony Stark, cleaving him in two—good and evil personalities taking separate shape!
"What… what's happening?"
Tony rubbed his forehead as if waking from a nightmare in which he'd dropped Extremis on San Francisco!
"It wasn't a nightmare—it truly happened."
Linn waved Levitation Power, ferrying Tony to safety atop a nearby building.
Yet Ultimate Iron Man remained, piloting the gundam armor!
"I'm free… I'll wipe you out, become Stark King, build the Extremis Legion, win the Super War!"
Hatred burned in Ultimate Iron Man's eyes.
He embodied Tony's negative emotions, the slander and pressure that had twisted him—chiefly PTSD.
"Can we finally cut loose?"
Hawkeye Barton drew his bow, an energy arrow—an artifact Linn had forged—streaking out with force to rival a howitzer.
It struck the gundam and erupted in a furnace-blast of heat that hammered Tony!
"Damn it!"
"None of you deserve to exist!"
"Only I am fit to rule, to master this illusion!"
"I am Stark King!"
Ultimate Iron Man bellowed.
The Avengers exchanged glances, tilting their heads toward Tony; such thoughts don't arise from nowhere.
"Fine—I thought it, but never acted on it,"
Tony admitted openly.
And with his negativity gone he could face Winter Soldier Bucky rationally.
"Later I'm gonna punch you—hard!"
"You owe me that."
Tony threatened.
"Deal."
Bucky exhaled; if one punch ended the feud, he'd take it.
A normal human couldn't hurt him anyway.
Under a combined barrage from the Avengers and Dragon Squad the gundam was reduced to scrap; Linn yanked Ultimate Iron Man out with Levitation Power.
But what to do with him?
That became the new problem.
"Tony, any thoughts?"
Linn asked.
"I say we—wait, what the hell!"
Tony's voice cut off, his face incredulous.
Ultimate Iron Man shimmered, burst into bubbles, and vanished before everyone's eyes.
Ripples in space lingered.
Linn's expression darkened as he guessed the truth.
"Ultimate Iron Man crossed into a post-apocalyptic timeline."
He spoke plainly.
His look turned grave; the dark persona had been isekai'd to Linn's own World.
Sooner or later he would likely ally with the Great Serpent and, at the climax of the Collision Event, storm back into Westview Illusion.
"What? My dark side got teleported to another dimension? He's free—who knows what tech he'll cook up!"
Tony was stunned.
A surge of dread followed; with his genius and resources he could hand-craft an arc reactor.
And the god of fear, the Great Serpent, would never pass up an alliance with Ultimate Iron Man!
That meant the finale of the Collision Event might end in total defeat, not victory.
With the Extremis formula Ultimate Iron Man could inject the post-apocalyptic populace and raise an Extremis Legion!
"Hold on."
"Looks like a survivor from another Universe just crashed into the Empire State Building."
Linn's eyes sharpened.
He flicked Levitation Power, snaring a sneaking figure mid-air—a beautiful girl in a living suit that clung like a membrane, tracing every curve.
Linn blinked; the girl channeled unknown energy, severed the levitation, and shot skyward!
"Where do you think you're going?"
Linn slashed open a Mystic Gate; the moment she flew through it she landed right in front of him.
"Where is this place?"
"Why are there no monsters?"
Her bright eyes swept the group, recognition dawning—then shock.
Wasn't this the Avengers?
And… Uncle and the Dragon Squad?
"Aren't these fictional characters? They're real!"
The girl gaped, bewildered.
"Correct—you've crossed Worlds."
Linn nodded.
He teleported them all to Uncle's antique shop, away from prying eyes; with Ultimate Iron Man gone the Extremis crisis was over.
Yet the fallen girl drew appraising stares from Avengers and Dragon Squad alike.
"So you're a traveler too—just arrived earlier? The Collision Event… did you cause it?"
"The Sorcerer Supreme should be Doctor Strange, not you!"
She frowned.
She remembered scraps of plot; the Sorcerer Supreme was Stephen Strange, not Linn.
"That no longer matters; the Collision Event is here. Your arrival in Westview Illusion proves the Universe Bridge is forming."
"So what is that active substance on you?"
"It seems to grant you extraordinary power."
Linn studied her.
"It's an Imperial Relic—armor stitched from monster hide. Thanks to these suits humanity survived the apocalypse."
"And you're the one who caused it all?"
"Yet you say it doesn't matter?"
The girl scoffed.
Collision Event!
All she knew was endless monsters pouring from rift after rift; without the hero panel humanity would be extinct!
Chapter 120: Infinity Gauntlet seeks Tony!
Abyss rift? hero panel?
A gleam flashed in Linn's eyes.
He couldn't help recalling Black King Knull's curse—when he reforged the black death sword, Knull had threatened that one day he would find Linn!
Feed it to the Xenophage!
And the girl Bai Ya's story instantly brought that memory back; the apocalypse that had befallen his birth Universe was probably the work of Black King Knull!
After all, every monster had come from the Abyss, and judging by Bai Ya's description they sounded exactly like the Xenophage Knull created.
'You turned the Xenophage panel into gear?'
'Incredible—truly, pressure makes humanity unleash limitless potential,'" Ultimate Iron Man exclaimed.
He studied the living membrane on Bai Ya—like a second skin, pulsing with life, able to mimic shapes, defy gravity, and withstand extremes of temperature.
Yet The Creator of the Xenophage was actually an Elder God?
And that, too, involved Linn!
'Linn, you've doomed Earth; the apocalypse and the Collision Event are both your fault!'
'And you don't even feel guilty?'
The girl Bai Ya shot him a resentful glare.
But her hero panel was nothing before Linn; she clearly couldn't beat him and had to choke back her irritation.
'A way that satisfies both sides? Yes, my friend, yes,' Linn's lips curved.
The appearance of the hero panel struck him as wondrous—humans had turned a Xenophage into a coat, reminding him of the scene where the first Spider-Man folded his Symbiote into a suit and stuffed it in a closet.
Xenophage and Symbiote were, in fact, the same root and branch—both creations of Black-Clothed Emperor Knull.
Only, Black-Clothed Emperor Knull had chosen the wrong Universe in his search for Linn and to reclaim his black death sword.
Still, the Collision Event had already begun; a Universe Bridge would appear sooner or later, and Knull's Xenophage army would invade the Westview Illusion.
Now that he knew the truth, he had to prepare in advance to keep the two Universes from annihilating each other in war.
'What way?' Doubt flickered across Bai Ya's face.
'You've heard of the Infinity Gauntlet's power—a snap of its fingers can rewrite reality.'
'And I've just collected all six Infinity Stones. I can bring every survivor of the apocalypse timeline to the Westview Illusion.'
'But in return, you must hand the secret of the hero panel to Tony Stark.'
'That will bring benefits.' Linn smiled.
He summoned the Infinity Gauntlet; six radiant gems gleamed in concert, wreathing his hand in brilliant light.
Bai Ya stared, dumbstruck.
'The Infinity Gauntlet? You've gathered all six Infinity Stones?'
'Then why haven't you dispelled the Westview Illusion?' she blurted.
She was, after all, from the same Universe as Linn and had seen the movies.
Yet learning she now stood inside the Westview Illusion—originally just a town-sized illusion woven by Wanda, but now covering the globe and rewriting everything—left her speechless.
This was completely off-script.
'Script? What script?' The Avengers looked blank.
'In short, this gauntlet can save the Earthlings. As for the Abyss God Knull—I'll deal with him personally.' Linn's gaze was deep.
Only now did he truly grasp why his own Universe had become an apocalypse: Black-Clothed EmperorKnull was to blame.
It also proved that Knull could cross the Multiverse; an Elder God from the Abyss Dimension was no foe an ordinary man could provoke.
To defeat Knull, even the Infinity Gauntlet might not be enough.
He would have to find Knull's weakness—perhaps even forge the heart of magic.
The heart of magic stood on par with the heart of the universe, the very source of all sorcery.
It required the six Infinity Stones plus the norn holy stone to create.
As for the norn holy stone, it lay with Morgan Le Fay, but Linn still had no idea where she was.
'This is the hero panel?' Tony's eyes sharpened.
'Why that name?'
Bai Ya chose cooperation; she peeled off the Xenophage coat and changed into casual clothes. Without a host the creature writhed, frantic.
A Xenophage dies without a host; the hero panel and its bearer share a symbiosis that lets Earthlings stand against Abyssal monsters.
'hero panel was just a random name. Depending on compatibility, it has tiers—F, E, D, C, B, A, S.'
'Mine's only C-rank. To advance, you need to harvest Abyssal matter,' Bai Ya explained.
She had survived the apocalypse and won her panel by sheer luck; when monsters razed cities and all hope seemed lost, she awoke atop the Empire State Building.
'This must be fate,' Captain America Steve smiled.
'Before you arrived we were flying blind about that apocalypse timeline.'
Now they finally knew the final boss: Black-Clothed Emperor Knull.
'I've sampled the panel,' Tony said, visibly moved. 'Banner and I will study it, refine the good and discard the bad—it'll definitely pay off.'
He believed Xenophage DNA was perfect for armor, forming a symbiosis that could even regrow lost limbs.
If both the Dragon Squad and the Avengers sported hero panels, they wouldn't fear Ultimate Iron Maneven if a super-war erupted.
'Ultimate Iron Man was teleported to my Universe?' Bai Ya blinked.
'How can there be two Iron Men?'
She donned the hero panel again; like a drowning woman pulled ashore, the membrane hugged her curves, turning the sweet girl-next-door suddenly cold and sharp.
'If you can reach the Westview Illusion, its villains can cross into your timeline. That's a sign of the Collision Event.'
'Sooner or later the two Planets will see each other—and crash.' Worry shadowed Linn's face.
At the Collision Event's climax a Universe Bridge would open, tearing down the walls between Worlds.
The god of fear and Ultimate Iron Man would lead Xenophage in an invasion.
'But even if we stop the god of fear and Ultimate Iron Man, what about Black-Clothed Emperor Knull?' Bai Ya fretted.
'They say he beheaded a God and turned it into the Land of Nihility.'
When the Abyss monsters and Xenophage appeared, some researchers had guessed they might originate from Marvel; she had studied the data and only now knew it for fact.
'I'll take Knull's head with the black death sword—no need to fret.' Linn's smile was playful.
He dismissed the gauntlet and gripped the pitch-black cross-sword; its surface exuded a cold, suffocating glow.
Even the hero panel shrieked, sending out signals of reverence.
With that sword Linn might as well be The Creator, the natural enemy of Symbiotes and Xenophage.
'How many aces are you hiding? This is insane!' Bai Ya's eyes were resentful, yet secretly delighted.
After all, the black death sword's fame was universal—Knull's own divine weapon, now in Linn's hands.
'I need to interrupt,' Jackie Chan said, relaying Sheriff Black's call. 'Earth Demon Dikui has appeared—in South America!'