Chapter 352: Eternity's Compensation

In a wondrous realm, deep crimson overall, at the boundary between reality and illusion, an oval spaceship sped through, heading towards the conceptual edge.

Inside the spaceship's cockpit, a tea table was placed.

Lucas, Strange, and Tony each sat in a different direction, looking relaxed.

No longer needing to measure data, with many fewer tasks, the Ark's interior space was also much more ample, making this journey quite leisurely for the few of them.

Clink.

Taking a sip of the drink in his cup, Lucas's eyes narrowed. Expensive things indeed had their reasons for being expensive. Though he couldn't pinpoint why it tasted good, it certainly did.

"Tony, we should be passing through the Superflow and entering the Neutral Zone soon, right?" Lucas asked.

Tony nodded. "That's right, we're expected to pass through the Superflow and enter the Neutral Zone in a few more minutes."

"Compared to last time, the speed this time is really much faster."

Lucas sighed, "Last time, I was stuck in the Ark for several months. It almost bored me to death."

"Of course."

Tony retorted grumpily, "Traveling doesn't take much time, most of the time last time was spent measuring data."

Lucas said, "Strange, get ready. Once we reach the Neutral Zone, it won't be as relaxed as in the Superflow. That damned place is crawling with dark creatures."

"Dark creatures? I love dark creatures the most." Strange's lips curled slightly, forming a charmingly evil smile that sent shivers down Tony's spine.

Tony frowned.

For some reason, he found this Strange, who was from another Universe and spoke in riddles, irritating.

"Hey, Black Cloak, you'd better be careful not to accidentally die here. The creatures in the Neutral Zone are not to be underestimated. They're not comparable to those extra-dimensional beings you usually encounter."

"Perhaps my strength is also not comparable to your other partners." Strange shrugged, smiling confidently.

Tony thought Strange was inexperienced and had never dealt with the creatures of the Neutral Zone.

In reality, that was not the case.

Whether it was learning forbidden magic and devouring demons in Kamar-Taj's lost library, or later following Lucas's silver-white light through multiple Universes, Strange never lacked experience in dealing with these creatures.

"Approaching Neutral Zone, prepare for battle."

Ultron's calm voice sounded, and the next moment a cracking sound followed, as the Ark suddenly broke through the Superflow realm and arrived at the very edge of all things—Neutral Zone.

Neutral Zone, the home of all bizarre forms and conceptual beings, a breeding ground for aliens.

The moment the Ark appeared, a nearby monster immediately fired an energy ray at it.

This sudden attack was unexpected by both Strange and Tony, but fortunately, Ultron promptly piloted the Ark to swerve and dodge it.

"Repeat! We have entered Neutral Zone, prepare for battle!" Ultron's voice sounded again, this time with a hint of urgency.

No other reason, the entry point into the Neutral Zone this time was a bit off compared to the last, directly plunging them into a pile of monsters.

At this moment, not just one or two monsters were attacking the Ark, but eight.

"Black Cloak, prepare for battle."

The incident was sudden, and Tony no longer cared about the previously divided responsibilities. He quickly donned his armor and was about to rush out of the Ark to fight.

However, Lucas stopped him. "You don't need to go, Tony."

In the brief moment Tony was donning his armor, Strange had already added a protective barrier to himself and rushed out of the Ark.

Strange merely pointed a finger, and several energy rays that had shot towards the Ark but were dodged by Ultron returned, falling into his palm and being kneaded into a ball.

Swallowing this energy pellet in one gulp, a sharp glint flashed in Strange's eyes.

The next instant, he suddenly opened his mouth, and a terrifying suction force emanated.

The eight creatures that were chasing and intercepting the Ark instantly froze, being pulled by an unknown force towards Strange. Along the way, their bodies gradually twisted and deformed, as if being stretched into noodles.

Eventually, the noodle-like monsters transformed into pure energy, which Strange swallowed one by one.

"What... what kind of magic is this?"

Inside the Ark, Tony's hair stood on end.

He knew why he always found this Sorcerer Supreme from another Universe irritating.

He was actually a dark sorcerer, and among them, the most notorious and detested type: a devourer.

"Tony, calm down."

Lucas lightly coughed, comforting him, "Power has no good or evil, it is merely a tool, and its quality is determined by the user."

"Strange did indeed make mistakes in the past, leading to severe consequences, but that was not his intention."

This was Lucas's true opinion, unrelated to his talent Energy Absorption.

Tony nodded in understanding, unrelated to his past as an arms dealer.

After a pause, Lucas said, "Believe me, Strange is a good person. That being said, magic is different from ordinary tools. Dark energy can erode a sorcerer's mind, and once out of control, even a good person can turn dark."

Tony frowned.

He agreed with what Lucas said but would not relax his guard against Strange.

"I know, it's just…"

Strange's voice sounded.

After devouring the eight creatures, he looked much better, but his spirit was somewhat listless.

"In the past, I needed this power to break the absolute fixed point and save my love. Now, I need this power to reshape my Universe."

Tony was not satisfied with this explanation, and he retorted, "What about the future? What will you need this power for in the future?"

Strange merely shook his head. "I have no future."

At this, Tony was speechless.

The brief argument ended, and the Ark set sail again.

However, often before the Ark could fly far, it would encounter wave after wave of monsters.

Initially, Strange frequently used devouring magic to absorb the energy of these monsters to replenish his losses from the battle with Galactus, but he stopped this behavior not long after.

No other reason, indigestion.

Even with a will of iron, devouring so much dark energy in a short period was a huge burden for Strange. If he continued, it would affect his combat ability.

Strange's arduous journey needs no further elaboration.

As the Ark continuously approached beyond all things, the frequency of encountering monsters drastically decreased, until no monsters were seen again.

This abnormal situation was noticed by Lucas, Tony, and Strange almost simultaneously.

"Are we about to arrive? Beyond all things." Strange murmured.

"And to face Eternity, the embodiment of the Multiverse."

"Yes, if the information is correct." Tony shrugged, curiosity flashing in his eyes.

Although he wasn't like Strange, seeking something from Eternity, he was equally eager to meet Eternity and witness the true face of the Multiverse.

Suddenly, a mysterious voice echoed within the Ark. "Stop here, young sorcerers."

"Who are you?" X2

Strange and Tony were startled, questioning in deep voices.

Lucas, however, smiled. "Isn't the answer already before your eyes?"

The unknown person's voice sounded again. "I knew I couldn't hide it from you within your body."

"Ordinary people cannot control every cell in their bodies, nor can they detect every bacterium within them, and I am the same. Person from the other shore, you almost completely hid from me."

Although he did not answer Tony and Strange's questions, the two undoubtedly understood his identity from his conversation with Lucas—Eternity.

"Almost? So, not completely, then." Lucas smiled.

"Can you tell me when and how you discovered me?"

Eternity's tone was calm. "When you became the elephant. No matter how much an elephant in the room tries to shrink, it is still incredibly conspicuous."

"From then on, I observed you, but you always resisted my observation."

Lucas's expression became serious. "According to human morality, that's peeping, not observing. Although your peeping was unsuccessful, it still violated my right to privacy, so I fine you to give me…"

Before Lucas finished speaking, a large hole suddenly ripped open not far from the Ark, and pure cosmic energy surged out continuously, flowing towards the Ark.

Boom!!!

The cosmic energy collided with the Ark, but it did not cause any damage to the Ark. Only the sound of waves crashing against rocks was heard.

A moment later, the Ark, like a true Ark, was situated in an ocean of energy.

Lucas's eyes lit up, then he lightly coughed and feigned composure. "I accept your compensation, Eternity."

On the other side, Strange was not so calm. After confirming Eternity's identity, his emotions had been turbulent for a long time.

"Great Eternity, embodiment of the Multiverse, I have a request."

Even though he could only hear Eternity's voice and not see his figure, Strange still maintained a solemn and extremely respectful demeanor.

He had intended to first state his experiences, but Eternity preemptively said, "Strange, I know your story, from the moment I saw you."

Upon hearing this, Strange pleaded, "I request that you save my Universe and bring back those who have passed away."

Eternity's voice was indifferent. "Are you sure, Strange? The Multiverse operates according to its own laws, and they are extremely complex."

"Reshaping your Universe and bringing back all those who disappeared from nothingness could disrupt the existing Multiverse structure and cause adverse effects."

He once caused the demise of a Universe to save his beloved Christine Palmer.

Now, to save that vanished Universe, would it again affect more Universes?

Strange's expression was pained, his face flickering with uncertainty.

The first incident had already filled him with immense regret and long-lasting guilt. No matter what, he would not repeat the same mistake.

Lucas suddenly interjected, "This is merely a risk, not a consequence. Specific problems require specific analysis."

"For a child, a lighter is a dangerous item that could start a fire. But for an adult, a lighter is merely a tool for lighting."

"Many things in this world are like this. They harbor great risks, but as long as they adhere to regulations, the risks are controllable."

"Eternity, perhaps in your eyes, the demise of that Universe is merely a part of the Multiverse's cycle of birth and death, a part of natural law, insignificant."

"But for Strange, that is the entire meaning of his life. If you cannot or are unwilling to help, you can simply refuse him directly. Why put on such a condescending act here, feigning concern and fear-mongering?"

"A butterfly in the Amazon rainforest of South America, occasionally flapping its wings, might cause a tornado in Texas, United States, two weeks later."

"Should this butterfly be responsible for this tornado, or should the system be responsible for this tornado?"

As if a light fell upon Strange, dispelling the gloom from his face, Strange's emotions stabilized, and he smiled gratefully at Lucas.

Then, Strange looked forward and said calmly, "I want to save my Universe, but I also don't want to affect other Universes."

"I recently thought of a method. I wonder if the great Eternity could offer some advice?"

Eternity remained silent for a long time before replying, "No need, I can tell you a method directly."