Without their Sentinel

The Guardians of the Globe facility hummed with an unusual tension as two versions of the same team faced each other across the conference table.

The architectural perfection of the room - all sleek lines and advanced technology - stood in stark contrast to the emotional complexity of its occupants.

On one side sat the Guardians from the original timeline: The Immortal, his centuries-old eyes reflecting weariness; Black Samson, the only other survivor of Omni-Man's massacre;

and the newer members who had joined after the tragedy - Robot, Monster Girl, Rex Splode, Dupli-Kate, and Shrinking Rae.

Opposite them were their counterparts from the alternate timeline - the Guardians who had been spared Omni-Man's betrayal thanks to Sukuna's intervention.

The same faces, the same powers, but with fundamentally different experiences shaping their perspectives.

"This is getting us nowhere," alternate War Woman declared, slamming her fist on the table hard enough to crack its reinforced surface.

"We've been discussing defensive strategies for three hours, and we're still no closer to a unified approach."

"That's because half of your suggestions involve Sukuna's abilities," original Rex Splode pointed out, "And in case you've forgotten, he's not here."

"Which is precisely the problem," alternate Darkwing said, his voice carrying that characteristic gravelly quality. "Our entire planetary defense strategy was built around his capabilities. Without him, we're significantly compromised."

The Immortal - the original timeline's version - leaned forward, his ancient eyes scanning the assembled heroes. "We need to adapt. Work with what we have, not what we wish we had."

"Easy for you to say," alternate Red Rush countered, his words coming out in the rapid-fire pattern typical of his speech.

"Your-version-of-Earth-never-had-Sukuna-in-the-first-place-you-never-knew-what-it-was-like-to-have-that-level-of-security-and-then-lose-it."

"We lost our entire team," Black Samson reminded him sharply. "I think we understand loss quite well."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. The dimensional merger had forced these two versions of the same team together, creating tensions and alliances that no one had anticipated.

"Perhaps," alternate Robot interjected, his mechanical voice carefully modulated to project calm, "we should focus on quantifying exactly what capabilities we're missing without Sukuna, and then determine how to compensate for each one."

Original Robot nodded in agreement. "A logical approach. I've been analyzing the combat footage from the dimensional event. Sukuna demonstrated abilities far beyond what had previously been documented."

"That's an understatement," alternate Martian Man said. "Most of us only ever saw him use those cutting techniques - Dismantle and Cleave.

None of us knew about the shadow creatures, the adaptation abilities, or whatever that wheel thing was."

"Or that he could manipulate dimensions themselves," original Monster Girl added. "That's how he reversed the merger, right?"

The alternate Immortal's expression darkened. "And now he's trapped in the Emperor's dimension, along with our Mark and Eve. Making their retrieval our highest priority."

"Higher than preparing for the Viltrumite invasion?" alternate Darkwing challenged, his tone skeptical.

"They're the same priority," The alternate Immortal replied firmly. "Sukuna is potentially our strongest asset against the Viltrumites. His ability to go toe to toe with the strongest Viltrumites makes him invaluable."

"Not to mention his strategic mind," alternate Robot added. "His tactical insights have shaped every major operation we've conducted for months."

Alternate Rex Splode scoffed, "Great, so we're screwed without him. That's real helpful."

"We're not screwed," original Rex countered, shooting his alternate self a disapproving look. "We're disadvantaged. There's a difference."

"Tell that to the people out there," alternate Rex gestured toward the window, where the city sprawled beneath them. "Have you seen what they're saying online? They're connecting dots we never wanted connected."

---------------------------

On Reddit, the r/DimensionalMerger subreddit had exploded with activity in the days following the global address. One thread in particular had gained significant traction:

[THEORY] Omni-Man's REAL Plan Posted by u/TruthDigger88 | 2 days ago

Think about it - the ONE big difference between our timelines is Sukuna. In one timeline, he fought Omni-Man and suddenly Omni-Man decides he's not going to help the Viltrumites anymore?

And now, just when the Viltrumites are supposedly coming, Sukuna conveniently disappears during the dimensional merger?

What if Omni-Man has been playing the long game this whole time? What if he KNEW Sukuna was the only one who could actually stop him and the Viltrumites, so he engineered this whole dimensional crisis to get rid of him?

Again, think about it - in the original timeline, Omni-Man straight up murdered the Guardians. In this timeline, he's suddenly Earth's defender? People don't change that dramatically unless they're working an angle.

EDIT: Holy shit this blew up. Adding more evidence:

That fight where Sukuna stopped Omni-Man happened with NO WITNESSES. We only have Omni-Man's word for what went down. Since Sukuna disappeared, Omni-Man has positioned himself as Earth's primary defender against the Viltrumites. The timing is WAY too convenient

Comments:

u/SkepticMind: This is the dumbest conspiracy theory I've seen yet. Why would Omni-Man fake a change of heart for MONTHS just to get rid of one hero?

u/DeepState_Agent: @SkepticMind because Sukuna was the ONLY one who could actually hurt him! Did you see the footage of Sukuna fighting that white lion monster last year?

Blurry as hell but you can see he's fucking strong! They also came from that portal very hurt, but Omni-Man was the one more hurt!

u/LogicalThinker: If Omni-Man wanted to eliminate Sukuna, why not just kill him directly? Why this elaborate dimensional scheme that nobody could possibly predict?

u/ViltrumVeteran: Because he TRIED and FAILED to kill him directly! That's the whole point! Whatever happened in that fight, Omni-Man realized he couldn't take Sukuna in a straight fight.

u/ConspiracyBuster: Y'all are reaching so hard. Omni-Man has been working with the GDA and Guardians for months. He's shared Viltrumite weaknesses, battle strategies, everything. Why do all that if he's still secretly evil?

u/TruthSeeker23: @ConspiracyBuster To gain trust, obviously. Classic deep cover strategy. Give them enough real intel to seem legit, while hiding the biggest threat (himself). Military Intelligence 101.

Meanwhile, a counter-thread had gained almost as much traction:

[THEORY] Sukuna: Our Last Hope Posted by u/HeroAnalyst | 2 days ago

Look, I know everyone's freaking out about Sukuna being gone, but let's look at the FACTS:

Sukuna is the ONLY hero we know of who successfully stood up to Omni-Man and CHANGED HIS MIND. That fight with the white lion creature - the footage is garbage quality but you can clearly see Sukuna was the only one who could even hurt it.

During the dimensional merger, he was the one who somehow reversed it and saved both worlds from completely collapsing

Whatever power this guy has, it's something the Viltrumites have never encountered before. That's why we NEED to get him back before they arrive.

And for everyone buying into that "Omni-Man is still evil" BS - why would he help defend Earth for months, train other heroes, and share Viltrumite weaknesses if he was still working for them? It makes no sense.

Comments:

u/DimensionalTheorist: Agree 100%. Whatever Sukuna did to Omni-Man in that fight changed everything. We need that power against the Viltrumites.

u/RealityCheck: The problem is we don't actually KNOW what happened in that fight. No witnesses, no footage, just what we've been told afterward.

u/ViltrumiteDefense: Exactly! For all we know, Omni-Man could have PRETENDED to change sides just to eliminate the one being who could stop him!

u/ObjectiveObserver: Again, like I've said to all you idiots, that makes no fucking sense! If Omni-Man wanted to eliminate Sukuna, he's had MONTHS to do it. Why wait until now?

u/PatternRecognition: Because now he has a perfect alibi - "oh no, poor Sukuna got lost in another dimension, how sad, nothing I could do about it." Meanwhile the REAL invasion can begin with no one to stop it.

u/RationalAnalysis: You conspiracy nuts are something else. If Omni-Man was still working for the Viltrumites, why would he expose their entire invasion plan? Why reveal their weaknesses? Why train his son to fight them?

On Twitter, the debate had spilled over into mainstream conversation:

@WorldNewsDaily Conspiracy theories about Omni-Man's true intentions trend worldwide as public grapples with Sukuna's absence. Experts warn of "dangerous speculation" during global crisis. #OmniManConspiracy #WhereisSukuna

@DefenseAnalyst 1/🧵 Let's examine the facts: Sukuna stopped Omni-Man's betrayal in one timeline. Now Sukuna is gone, and we're supposed to trust Omni-Man as our primary defense against Viltrumites? The strategic vulnerability is obvious...

@FactCheckNow ANALYSIS: Claims that Omni-Man engineered dimensional merger to eliminate Sukuna rated as HIGHLY UNLIKELY. No evidence supports this theory, and significant evidence contradicts it. #FactsMatter

@ConspiracyWatch The Omni-Man conspiracy theories are spreading faster than we can debunk them. This is exactly what happens when fear meets incomplete information. #MediaLiteracy

@TruthUnveiled WAKE UP!!! The timing is TOO PERFECT! Viltrumites coming, Sukuna vanishes, Omni-Man positions himself as Earth's savior? HOW ARE PEOPLE NOT SEEING THIS?? #OmniManLongCon

@RationalThought If Omni-Man wanted Earth conquered, he could have let it happen in the original timeline - Hell, he can still do it fucking now! He's the strongest on the planet right now, so why in the hell change course,

reveal the Viltrumite plan, then engineer an elaborate scheme after the removal of the hero is already done - if you idiots were right - It makes no logical sense. #CriticalThinking

-------------------------

Back at the Guardians facility, alternate War Woman gestured at her tablet displaying some of these social media posts.

"The public is dividing into factions," she said grimly. "Half think Omni-Man engineered this whole situation to eliminate Sukuna, half think Sukuna is our only hope against the Viltrumites.

Either way, they're realizing just how essential he was to our operations."

"Let them speculate," The original Immortal replied. "What matters is our response, not public perception."

"Public perception drives policy," alternate Darkwing countered. "If people believe we're vulnerable without Sukuna, panic follows. If they believe Omni-Man betrayed us again, trust in our defense planning collapses. Either way, we lose."

Original Monster Girl leaned forward, studying the social media feeds with growing concern. "Some of these people are getting surprisingly close to the truth about Sukuna's importance. How did they connect these dots with so little actual information?"

"Humans are pattern-recognition machines," alternate Robot explained. "Give them enough data points, and they'll connect dots even when we try to keep those dots separate."

"The question remains," The alternate Immortal said, redirecting the conversation, "how do we retrieve Sukuna and the others from the Emperor's dimension?"

Alternate War Woman crossed her arms. "Our scientists have been working on it non-stop. The dimensional barriers are too strong to breach with conventional technology."

"Then we need unconventional technology," original Rex suggested.

"Or unconventional allies," The alternate Immortal said quietly.

All eyes turned to him, the room falling silent as they waited for him to continue.

"The dimensional barriers are often described as the 'walls of Heaven' in various mythologies," The Immortal explained. "If Heaven has walls, then perhaps..."

"Hell has doors," a new voice completed from the doorway.

The assembled heroes turned to see a figure standing at the entrance to the conference room - a broad-shouldered man in a trenchcoat, his skin an unnatural shade of red, his eyes glowing with an inner fire.

A pair of small horns protruded from his forehead, and he carried himself with the weary determination of someone who had seen too much of the world's darkness.

"Damien Darkblood," The alternate Immortal acknowledged. "Thank you for coming."

"You said it was important," Darkblood replied, his gravelly voice filling the room as he stepped inside. "Something about breaching dimensional barriers."

"We need to reach another dimension," The Immortal explained. "To retrieve our missing teammates. Including Sukuna."

Darkblood's eyes narrowed. "The one who stopped Omni-Man. The one who manipulated dimensions during the merger. I've been studying what little footage exists of him. Impressive power."

"Can you help us?" alternate War Woman asked directly.

Darkblood surveyed the assembled heroes, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps. Hell exists between dimensions. Its paths don't follow the same rules as mortal world."

"So you can create a portal?" original Monster Girl asked eagerly.

"Not directly," Darkblood corrected. "But I might know someone who can. An old... acquaintance. From my days before exile."

"Another demon?" alternate Darkwing asked, suspicion evident in his tone.

"Something older," Darkblood replied cryptically. "Something that existed before Hell had a name."

The Immortal leaned forward. "Whatever the cost, whatever the risk, we need to try. Earth's survival may depend on it."

Darkblood studied him for a long moment, then gave a single, curt nod. "I'll make contact. But I warn you now - deals with such entities always come with a price. One that's rarely obvious until it's too late."

"We'll pay it," The Immortal declared, his ancient eyes reflecting a determination born of countless battles. "Whatever it takes to bring Sukuna home."

As the demon detective turned to leave, alternate Martian Man voiced the question on everyone's mind: "Why help us? What's your stake in this?"

Darkblood paused at the doorway, his massive frame silhouetted against the corridor lights. "I've spent centuries seeking redemption. World fears me. If the Viltrumites come, world ends. And with it, any chance I have of earning my way back to the light."

He glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes burning with an intensity that made several heroes flinch. "Besides, I have a professional interest. Sukuna intrigues me. I'd like to meet the being who can bend reality itself to his will."

With that, he was gone, leaving the assembled Guardians in a silence heavy with both hope and apprehension.

"Are we really doing this?" original Rex asked finally. "Making deals with... whatever that 'acquaintance' is?"

"Do we have a choice?" alternate War Woman countered. "Without Sukuna, our chances against the Viltrumites drop significantly."

The alternate Immortal rose from his seat, his decision made. "We proceed. With caution, but without hesitation. If the power of Hell can bypass the walls of Heaven, then we use it. Whatever the cost."

As the meeting adjourned, the two versions of the Guardians filed out, their earlier tensions temporarily set aside in the face of this new, desperate plan.

But the unspoken question lingered in each of their minds: what price would they ultimately have to pay for such supernatural assistance?

And would Earth survive long enough for their gamble to pay off?

In a small, dimly lit bar on the outskirts of the city, Damien Darkblood sat alone, nursing a drink that smoldered faintly in its glass.

The other patrons gave his table a wide berth, instinctively sensing the otherworldly nature of its occupant.

He removed a small, ancient-looking object from his trenchcoat - a tarnished brass compass whose needle spun erratically, occasionally pointing in directions that didn't seem to correspond to any earthly orientation.

"Old friend," he murmured to the object, "it's time to call in that favor you owe me."

The compass needle suddenly stopped spinning, pointing directly downward with such force that it cracked the table beneath it.

The temperature in the bar dropped precipitously, glasses frosting over, patrons' breath becoming visible in the suddenly frigid air.

Darkblood nodded, satisfied. "I thought that might get your attention."

He pocketed the compass and tossed some bills on the table, heading for the exit as confused patrons looked around for the source of the sudden cold.

Outside, he paused, looking up at the night sky where dimensional energy still occasionally rippled across the stars - aftershocks of the merger.

"The walls of Heaven," he mused aloud. "Let's see if Hell's doors are any more accommodating."

With that, he vanished into the shadows, a demon detective on a mission to breach dimensions - and perhaps, in the process, save the world that had exiled him.

--------------------------

(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!

Yep, I'm getting into the Hell Arc, probably have it be alongside another arc in the Emperor Verse, alternating between that and sometimes the variant alliance actions.

I hope you guys like this,

Oh yeah, and do tell me, who do you think Damien is thinking about asking for help?

The title of this chapter is a hint, it has a double meaning.

Well, I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)