Gwen Stays Overnight, Aaron's Ambition

"Is there any other news?"

After a long silence, Thanos finally spoke.

"Not at the moment. We are preparing to send people to investigate and gather specific information."

"But Asgard... there might still be some trouble," Ebony Maw added, his brow furrowing.

When it comes to Earth, one cannot avoid the issue of Asgard. Even though Odin hasn't made a move in a long time, his reputation has spread across countless libraries.

The Nine Realms are a sacred place many across the galaxy long to reach, largely due to the presence of the gods.

When Odin became famous, Thanos hadn't even begun to build a fleet or embark on a long journey to the Family Planning Commission.

Asgard, with its gods, is something they fear greatly.

"Father, why don't you let me go to Earth to investigate the information? I promise I'll succeed!" Gamora, who had been waiting silently, stood up and spoke eagerly.

Nebula, standing across from her, always one to compete, immediately chimed in, "Let me go instead. Earth is nothing special. If Asgard dares interfere, I'll destroy them."

"Nebula, don't underestimate the Asgardians," Gamora warned. "Their soldiers may be the most powerful warriors in the galaxy."

She had once fought a lone Asgardian warrior. His skill and strength had been formidable, though she had managed to kill him with the God Eater dagger—one of the strongest warriors she had ever defeated.

Gamora held a high respect for Asgard. They are mighty, valiant warriors.

Nebula sneered, "They're just a group of old fossils who claim to be gods. They haven't expanded in ages and remain stuck in that tiny patch of land. It's clear that the Asgardians are nothing but a facade."

"Father, let me go! I'll bring back what you need!" Nebula persisted.

Thanos, ignoring Gamora and Nebula, turned to Ebony Maw. "Send people to investigate Earth. Find all the locations of the Infinite Gems. When the time comes, I will handle it myself."

"Yes, my lord."

Seeing that there were no further orders, Ebony Maw stepped back.

"Father?" Nebula's voice was still filled with reluctance. She wanted to prove that she was more capable than Gamora, more reliable, but Thanos clearly had no intention of sending either of them.

As Ebony Maw had feared, Asgard's reputation, and their Bifrost-like weapon, posed a significant risk. Thanos wasn't about to take unnecessary chances.

He had no intention of sending Gamora or Nebula unless he secured the remaining Infinite Gems. Only then would he consider attacking Asgard.

For now, he had to focus on investigating Earth.

To ensure the plan went smoothly, he had already entrusted his only Mind Gem—obtained with great difficulty—to another party, sent his most reliable battleship, and deployed a large Chitauri army.

But things had changed.

His forces had been destroyed on Earth by chance, and according to reports, they were defeated by Earth's inhabitants.

While Thanos could understand the involvement of Asgard, Earth's people were another matter. Could Earth truly possess the kind of power that even the Chitauri leader found terrifying?

Could it be her?

No. They shouldn't concern themselves with these things. Whether Earth was ruled by another master or not should not affect their mission. There was no need for action.

But still, Thanos found himself puzzled, especially by the Chitauri leader's claim that fighting the Earthlings would result in certain death.

A joke!

Who is he? The Mad Titan! He's slaughtered for centuries!

Is there anything more terrifying than him on Earth?

Once the Asgardian issue was settled, he would personally visit Earth and conquer it by force. With three Earth Infinite Gems, victory was assured!

Globe, New York

Some time after the battle, the aerospace carrier finally arrived on the battlefield, only to be greeted by the devastated ruins of New York.

This world-renowned international metropolis had lost its former prosperity. Ruins and dead bodies were scattered everywhere. Calls for help and wailing became the new normal. A small group of police and firefighters worked tirelessly on emergency rescues.

It was a land shrouded in death.

Nick Fury and Hill stood in silence, observing the destruction.

This was the power of aliens—one attack had obliterated the heart of the most powerful nation on Earth. Without the intervention of the god of magic and Thor, New York may have been the least of their worries. The entire United States, even the world, might have been plunged into flames.

"This is why we created the Avengers," Nick Fury muttered, his tone heavy. "But they're still too weak."

Nick Fury had fought side by side with Captain Marvel against the Kree and Skrulls. From that moment, he had established an organization meant to defend Earth and humanity—a force capable of fighting against alien and supernatural threats.

Years later, he had succeeded in building the Avengers, only to find that they were not as powerful as he had hoped.

Against Asgard's gods, they failed. Against the Chitauri, they were also defeated and had to rely on the gods still lingering in the human world.

"Hill, do you think the Avengers will ever be strong enough to stand up to these threats?" Nick Fury asked, his voice tinged with doubt.

"Sir, believe in yourself. You are the king of agents! Aren't the Avengers growing stronger?" Hill encouraged.

Nick Fury was indeed the most qualified officer Hill had ever met. Without him, the situation could have been much worse.

"No, not enough." Nick Fury shook his head, his gaze fixed on the only area untouched by destruction—the Dark Phoenix's resting place.

It stood there, quiet and peaceful. Yet, to Nick Fury, it was the most powerful deterrent imaginable.

The Phoenix's presence had proved to everyone that while they had the strength to protect Earth, they could also destroy any invading aliens. Nick Fury couldn't help but feel inferior in comparison.

Maybe... calling her back would be the solution. If Carol returned, maybe everything would be all right?

He missed her—Carol, the ruthless hero who could traverse the universe. Surely, she was a force to be reckoned with, more than any god.

"By the way, do we need to land and help clean up the battlefield?" Hill asked.

"No. Wait for the three divisions to arrive. Let them handle it."

Nick Fury wasn't sure what use the extra forces would be. But the numerous "soy sauce troops" were perfect for this kind of task.

"Not good, sir!" A man rushed in.

"What is it?" Nick Fury asked, his nerves now finely tuned from all the crises.

"Iron Man and Thor are fighting!"

"Fack! What the hell are they doing?!" Nick Fury stormed toward the monitoring room.

On the screen, Tony Stark, dressed in the anti-Thor armor he'd designed, was engaged in an aerial battle with Thor.

Below them stood a strange man holding a mysterious scepter, watching with a cold expression.

"Who's that?" Nick Fury demanded.

"He might have something to do with the Chitauri invasion," the technician explained. "Chitauri ignored him during the battle, and he even flew one of their vehicles for a while."

"Let Barton and Natasha Romanoff handle him. I need to know how those damned aliens got here and what they want!" Nick Fury ordered with a steely tone.

Meanwhile, in a Separate Battle

As Tony and Thor clashed, Aaron was also in the midst of a fierce battle. His body was now incredibly powerful, many times stronger than the Charming Witch!

Now in his magical Superman form, his combat power had doubled!

The evil witch, who was skilled at manipulating hearts, was finally defeated by the righteous god. But this victory came at a cost—a new round of fighting loomed on the horizon.

After the battle ended and the night grew late, Aaron went downstairs, feeling refreshed.

Gwen was still there, trying to feel the magical energy.

Despite hours passing, she hadn't yet felt the surge of magic she was hoping for.

But Gwen didn't give up. She was determined.

"Aaron, Jean was in a bad state earlier. She put down her things and went upstairs. Is she okay? Could the Dark Phoenix be causing trouble again?"

Sif asked, her concern evident. She had seen the power of the Dark Phoenix, and it was truly disastrous when it erupted.

"She should be fine," Aaron replied, though he wasn't entirely sure. With the Dark Phoenix's resilience, that level of attack shouldn't have caused any lasting harm. If there was a problem, it might have been with Amora, who kept provoking the battle.

"Are you okay?" Sif asked, still concerned.

"I'm fine," Aaron assured her. "I'll sleep downstairs tonight. The two of them are already resting upstairs."

"So early?" Sif asked, puzzled but not questioning further.

After hearing that the two were already asleep, Sif decided to find a room downstairs to rest. With Aaron's magic, money was no longer a concern for him. He could materialize any valuables he needed.

"Are you still not going back, Gwen?" Aaron asked.

Gwen, having been deep in her studies, paused for a moment before answering.

"I already called my parents. I'll be staying at a friend's house tonight."

She clenched her fists, determination shining in her eyes. "I'm going to master magic tonight!"

"Okay, go for it," Aaron said with a smile.

He then returned to his studies, focusing on physics, the first task in his grand plan to expand his knowledge. Chemistry would come next, and he hoped it would all prove useful one day.

At the same time, he prepared for his next encounter with the Dimensional Lords. He hadn't seen them in a while and missed the thrill of gaining strength.

Before moving forward, however, he decided to prepare more pocket space magic for his next move.

The Next Day

After spending the night studying astral projection, Aaron returned to his physical body, feeling the benefits of his study.

Stars shone in Gwen's eyes as she watched him.

"What kind of magic is this?" she asked, clearly fascinated.

"This is astral projection. Want to learn?" Aaron offered.

"Yes!" Gwen nodded eagerly. "Teach me!"

"First, accumulate magic power. I'll teach you in a few days."

"Okay!" Gwen responded excitedly.

As she looked at the time, she suddenly gasped. "I'm going to be late!"

With that, she quickly packed up her things and leaped out of the window.

Aaron, ready to settle down and continue his studies, was interrupted by an unexpected guest.

"Thor, what brings you here?" Aaron asked, opening the door to see Thor, looking sheepish.

"I let Loki escape," Thor admitted, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Did I hear that right?" Aaron raised an eyebrow. "With Heimdall around, you let him escape?"

Thor's explanation followed, but Aaron wasn't surprised. Loki had always been clever.

"Where's Magneto?" Aaron asked.

Thor quickly changed the subject, stating that Magneto was just an accident.

Aaron smirked, sensing something was off with Thor.

"Why don't we go for a drink instead?" Thor suggested with a grin.

Aaron raised an eyebrow, sensing trouble.

Thor, eager to relax after a victory, led Aaron to a drinking session.

But after several hours, Thor lay defeated, eyes filled with despair, while Aaron barely showed any sign of intoxication, continuing to practice magic.