Chapter 405
The Dark Giant, taking advantage of the moment everyone was blasted away, reached out both hands again, trying to reopen the black crack. The roaring from within the crack grew closer, as if countless terrifying monsters were about to surge out.
Hode struggled to stand up. Looking at the widening crack and the frantic Dark Giant, a sense of determination welled up in his heart. "I cannot give up, for this World, for everyone!" he shouted in his heart.
Just then, a familiar figure suddenly appeared beside Hode—it was Black Widow Natasha. She held two vials of specially made serum and handed one to Hode. "This is something Dr. Banner and I just developed. It can briefly boost your power. Drink it quickly!"
Hode didn't hesitate at all, took the serum, and drank it in one gulp. Instantly, a powerful force erupted within him. His eyes flashed with burning light, and the aura around him became even more terrifying.
"Diana, let's try again together!" Hode shouted at Diana, then charged toward the Dark Giant with her again, while inside that black crack, a huge dark claw had already slowly reached out...
Chapter 699
Hode felt that newly surged power like a rushing tide, rampaging inside him, yet he forcefully controlled it with his tenacious will. He looked at Diana, his gaze filled with determination and trust. "Diana, this time, we will definitely succeed!"
Diana nodded heavily. The Lasso of Truth in her hand shone brightly, as if it sensed Hode's determination. The two of them charged toward the Dark Giant again like arrows leaving the bow.
Seeing them charge, the Dark Giant let out a roar of disdain and waved its hands violently, shooting strands of Dark Energy at them like sharp arrows. Hode felt a jolt in his heart and quickly mobilized Chaos Magic, forming a purple shield in front of him. Those Dark Energy strikes hit the shield, making "sizzling" sounds, but could not penetrate it at all.
"Hmph, that little trick won't stop us!" Hode shouted loudly, his voice full of confidence.
At the same time, Diana seized the opportunity and threw the Lasso of Truth toward the Dark Giant's neck. The Lasso of Truth drew a graceful arc in the air and precisely lassoed the Dark Giant. Bound, the Dark Giant let out a painful roar, struggling desperately, its Dark Energysurging wildly, trying to break free from the restraint of the Lasso of Truth.
"Hode, now!" Diana shouted a reminder.
Hode took a deep breath, concentrating all the power in his body into his hands. The energy ball, interwoven with purple Chaos Magic, golden ancient divine power, and the new strength brought by the serum, kept expanding in his hands, emitting a dazzling light. He shouted loudly and blasted the energy ball toward the Dark Giant's abdomen.
"Boom!" With a loud bang, the energy ball exploded on the Dark Giant's abdomen. The powerful impact made the Dark Giant's body tremble violently, and the Dark Energyon it became chaotic.
"Nice shot!" Iron Man shouted excitedly from the air. His War Armor fired a series of energy cannons again, blasting toward the Dark Giant. Captain America also seized the opportunity to rush forward, using his Vibranium shield to smash heavily into the Dark Giant's leg, causing it to lose its balance again and fall heavily to the ground.
Superman flew above the Dark Giant, clenched his fists, gathered all his strength, and smashed toward the Dark Giant's head. With a muffled "bang," the Dark Giant's head was dented inward, and it let out a shrill scream.
However, just when everyone thought victory was in sight, a huge black palm suddenly stretched out from the black crack, grabbed the Dark Giant, and dragged it into the crack. At the same time, a more powerful Dark Energysurged out from the crack, forming a huge barrier that blocked everyone outside.
"Oh no, it's going to escape, and it's going to bring something even worse over!" Hode felt anxious. He tried to break through the dark barrier but was bounced back by a powerful rebound force.
"We have to find a way to break this barrier!" Captain America said with a frown.
Just then, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and Wonder Woman's sister, Donna, descended with a powerful Lightning Power. She held a divine sword flashing with electric light in her hand and shouted: "Let me try!"
Donna leaped high, raised the divine sword high, and slashed fiercely at the dark barrier. A huge bolt of lightning struck the barrier, making a deafening sound, but the barrier only shook slightly and did not break.
"Not enough, we need stronger power!" Hode gritted his teeth and said.
Suddenly, he felt a familiar power surging within him—it was the telepathic ability he had acquired when he was in love with Scarlet Witch Wanda. Hode's heart stirred. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and tried to influence the Dark Energy within the dark barrier using his telepathic power.
Under his efforts, the Dark Energy within the dark barrier began to show a trace of disorder. Hode opened his eyes and shouted: "Everyone, now, attack together!"
Hearing this, everyone unleashed their strongest attacks. Iron Man's energy cannons, Captain America's Vibraniumshield, Superman's Heat Vision, Diana's Lasso of Truthand shield, Donna's lightning divine sword, and the powerful energy ball Hode had condensed again, all blasted toward the dark barrier.
"Boom!" With an earth-shattering loud noise, the dark barrier was finally broken, and the black crack also began to close gradually because of the Dark Giant's departure. But just at the moment the crack was about to close completely, a huge eye exuding an evil aura suddenly poked out from the crack...
Chapter 700
Hode's pupils shrank. The evil aura surging in that eye made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He felt the telepathic ability he had acquired while in love with Scarlet Witch Wanda jumping wildly, as if warning him that the danger level of these eyes was far beyond imagination.
"Back!" He almost roared, while his hands quickly formed seals, and Chaos Magic formed a triple-interlocking shield in front of him. Purple, gold, and blood-red light intertwined, making his side profile look sharp.
Diana's Lasso of Truth suddenly went taut automatically, and the ancient characters on the lasso flashed with red light. "It is reading our memories!" Her voice was tight, and with a flick of her wrist, she threw the lasso toward the eye. The moment the Lasso of Truth touched the eyeball, it erupted with blinding white light, and a burnt smell filled the air.
"Sister!" Donna's lightning divine sword slashed below the eye, but the electric arc was absorbed like a stone into the sea. She exclaimed: "This thing is devouring energy!"
Iron Man's War Armor alarm pierced his eardrums: "Energy reading exceeds range! Suggest immediate evacuation!" But his palms were already pressed against the Arc Reactor on his chest, and blue energy surged toward the crack like a tide. Captain America held the Vibraniumshield in front of everyone, and spider-web-like cracks appeared on the surface of the shield.
"Hode!" Superman's voice came from overhead. "Take everyone and go! I will hold it off!"
Hode bit his tongue; the sharp pain made him clear-headed. He saw the pupil of that eye contracting, and black mucus began to seep from the edge of the crack. The moment the mucus hit the ground, it turned into countless small tentacles, each with sharp teeth at the tip.
"Wanda..." He suddenly remembered that kiss with Scarlet Witch under the starry sky of Wakanda. At that time, she stroked his brow with her fingertips and whispered: "Your mind is broader than chaos."
Chaos Magic suddenly surged. Hode felt a warm power gushing from his heart—it was the empathy link he had obtained when he shared the last piece of chocolate with Black Widow Natasha in the snow while on a mission. At this moment, this ability allowed him to clearly perceive everyone's deepest fears.
"Donna is afraid of losing her sister, Tony is afraid of repeating his parents' mistakes, Steve is afraid of failing this era..." Hode muttered to himself, and his hands suddenly opened. Twenty-three colorful light ribbons shot out from his palms, each wrapping around everyone.
Diana felt the pressure on the lasso decrease sharply, and she seized the opportunity to throw her shield toward the eye. The moment the Athena's blessing on the edge of the shield touched the eye, it erupted with light like a galactic vortex.
"Now!" Hode roared.
Superman shot Heat Vision from his eyes, Iron Manactivated all the micro-nukes hidden in his War Armor, and Captain America threw his Vibranium shield toward the very center of the eye. Donna's lightning divine sword turned into a dragon form, intertwining with Diana's Lasso of Truth to form a double strangulation.
Hode took a deep breath, and all the abilities acquired from his romances began to fuse. He saw the light-speed thinking acquired when kissing Captain Marvel Carol in space, the micro-manipulation designed with The WaspHope when designing the War Armor, and even the mechanical symbiosis acquired when repairing the spaceship with Nebula on Titan.
"Chaos Reconstruction!" He drew a Mobius Loop in front of his chest with both hands, and all attacks suddenly stalled in mid-air. Time seemed to be stretched, and Hode saw the trajectory of energy flow on the surface of the eye—it was some kind of mathematical formula that transcended the dimensions of the Universe.
The crack vibrated violently, and a giant hand covered in scales broke through the air. But just as it was about to grab the eye, a glint of the cunning Hode had when watching fireworks on the casino roof with Black Cat Felicia flashed in his eyes.
"Fooled you." He chuckled, and all attacks suddenly changed direction. Chaos Magic turned into countless mirrors, reflecting the eye's energy back into the crack. Superman seized the opportunity to seal the edge of the crack with freeze breath, and Diana's shield smashed heavily onto the giant hand's wrist.
"Crack!"
A crisp shattering sound rang out, and spider-web cracks appeared on the surface of the eye. But just when everyone was about to cheer, countless overlapping female voices came from the depths of the crack: "You think... it's over?"
Hode felt his heart being gripped by an invisible hand. He saw black silhouettes appearing behind each of his teammates—these were the embodiments of their deepest regrets. Tony saw his parents standing in a sea of fire reaching out to him, Steve saw Peggy smiling at him from the other side of time and space, Diana saw Steve's back gradually dissipating...
"No..." Hode stumbled back, and his Chaos Magic began to run wild out of control. The energy circuits he had established with different female heroes in his body suddenly reversed, and colorful light patterns appeared under his skin.
The crack exploded, and countless eyes opened from the darkness. And the Chaos Magic in Hode's hands was condensing into a sword flashing with fragments of all his romantic memories.
Chapter 701
Hode's hands were trembling, and the sword blade condensed from memory fragments flashed with dangerous light. He saw the silhouette behind Tonysuddenly reach out a charred hand and grab Iron Man's ankle—that was the child he failed to save during the Battle of New York.
"Don't look!" Diana's roar pierced through the illusion. She threw the Lasso of Truth to wrap around Hode's waist, and Athena's blessing surged into his body like a warm current. Hode closed his eyes abruptly, and Chaos Magic exploded countless memory scenes on his retinas: the Vibraniumdust stuck to her hair tips when debugging equipment overnight in the lab with Black Panther's sister Shuri; the tactile sensation of sugar threads sticking to the teenager's freckles when eating cotton candy with Shazam Billy at the amusement park; and the jellyfish fluorescence drifting between her hair when dancing with Mera at the bottom of the sea in Atlantis...
"These are our weapons." Hode opened his eyes, and the memory fragments on the sword began to reorganize. The illusion behind Tony suddenly burst, revealing the words engraved on the inner layer of his armor; Steve's silhouette turned into countless versions of himself from parallel Universes, each holding shields from different eras; Diana's fear shattered into a sky full of stars, reflecting the moonlight of the Amazons on her shield.
The female voice in the depths of the crack let out a sharp hiss, and countless tentacles wrapped around Superman's legs. Clark felt his Heat Vision being twisted by some kind of dimensional power. He saw the sword in Hode's hand suddenly split into seven, each flashing with a different color of light.
"Catch it!" Hode threw the sword hilt into the air. The first sword automatically fell into Diana's hand, the blade showing the scene of her training with Queen Hippolyta on Themyscira; the second sword was grabbed by Donna, the hilt wrapped in the vines from when she and Diana played hide-and-seek in the temple as children; the third sword pierced into Iron Man's palm, and Tony saw his parents smiling at him in the space-time crack, the Arc Reactor bursting with rainbow-colored light.
"This is impossible..." The voice in the darkness fluctuated for the first time. Hode felt some kind of shackle in his body break. He saw all the abilities acquired from his romances intertwining into constellations in the depths of his soul—the light-speed resonance acquired when kissing Captain Marvel allowed him to predict the enemy's movements 0.3 seconds later; the molecular empathy understood when working with The Wasp allowed him to perceive the rhythm of energy flow; and even the mechanical symbiosis learned when repairing the spaceship with Nebula on Titannow turned into silver fluid wrapping around his fingertips.
"Chaos is never destruction." Hode said softly, his fingertips lightly touching Superman's back. Clark felt the twisted Heat Vision suddenly correct itself, and his pupils reflected the countless female figures appearing behind Hode—Wanda's red hair, Natasha's eyepatch, Carol's uniform, Felicia's leather whip... Each figure nodded and smiled at him.
"It is creation." Hode clasped his hands together, and all the split swords converged again. The eye in the crack suddenly let out an infant-like cry, and the black mucus began to flow backward. Diana's shield automatically flew above the crack, and the Athena's blessing on the shield face fell like light rain. Each drop of light rain turned into a miniature Amazon warrior, holding a Lasso of Truth to bind the escaping tentacles.
Iron Man's War Armor suddenly popped out twenty-three independent modules, each flashing with the logo of a different hero. "So you already..." Tony smiled and pressed the self-destruct button, and the blue energy torrent smashed the last piece of the dark barrier into pieces. Captain America seized this gap and threw his Vibraniumshield toward the core of the crack. The cracks on the edge of the shield suddenly burst into blinding light—that was the hidden rune activated by Hode using his micro-manipulation ability.
"Now!" Hode felt his heart about to burst. He held Diana's and Donna's hands at the same time, and the divine blood in the three of them resonated. Chaos Magic turned into a DNA double-helix structure and rushed into the crack. Wherever it passed, the Dark Energy crystallized, reflecting countless parallel Universe scenes like diamonds: in some Universes, Hode and Wanda had children; in some, he and Black Widow started a superhero school; and in one Universe... he saw himself sitting on the top floor of the Avengers Tower with white hair, surrounded by female heroes of all ages.
The rift began to collapse, but at the very moment it closed completely, a hand made of pure energy suddenly reached out. It bypassed all attacks and gently tapped Hode on the forehead. In an instant, he saw all his romantic memories spinning like a carousel, finally converging into a blurry figure wearing the Infinity Gauntlet.
"Interesting..." The figure emitted a laugh that sounded like both a woman and a man, "But the real game has only just begun."
The gems on the Infinity Gauntlet suddenly lit up simultaneously, and Hode felt all the abilities within his body beginning to strip away. He saw Diana's Lasso of Truth weathering away, Donna's lightning sword turning to dust, and even Superman's Heat Vision becoming dim and lusterless. Behind them, six portals emitting different colored lights were slowly opening.
Chapter 702: Something is Awakening Inside
Hode felt his body being hollowed out, those powers born of love dissipating from his fingertips like a receding tide. He saw Diana stagger and fall to her knees; the fragments of the Lasso of Truth turned into gold sand in her palm, while Donna's lightning sword had long since turned to dust, and even the tips of her hair lost the blue glow of the electric arcs.
"Clark!" He roared, looking at Superman, only to find the S-shield on his chest fading. Heat Vision boiled in his eyes, but it could no longer condense into a beam—just as if someone had stuffed the Sun into a lead box.
Six portals unfolded one after another on the battlefield, each doorway surging with distinct energy fluctuations. Frost drifted from the first portal, dragon breath came from the second, the sound of mechanical gears meshing could be heard from behind the third, the eerie glow of a magiccircle flickered within the fourth, the fifth overflowed with eerie purple mist, and the last one... Hode's pupils shrank; he smelled the scent of Death from Hela.
"Watch out behind you!" Diana suddenly flung her shield into the air. The shield disintegrated in mid-air into countless metal fragments, shooting like a rainstorm toward the enemies pouring out of the portals—but those fragments turned into rusted iron filings before they could touch the enemies.
Hode stumbled backward, his back hitting a warm body. It was Captain Marvel Carol; the star emblem on her chest was dimming, but her hands were still gripping his shoulders tightly. "Do you remember what you said when we kissed in space?" she whispered in his ear, "You said Chaos Magic was another form of love..."
Memories split the darkness like lightning. Hode recalled the moment he kissed Carol amidst the star core explosion, her energy and his Chaos Magic colliding between their lips to create a rainbow-colored halo. At that time, he had gained light-speed resonance, able to predict an enemy's movements 0.3 seconds in advance—and now, this ability was draining away along with the flashing of the Infinity Gauntlet's gems.
"No... it's not draining..." Hode suddenly grabbed Carol's wrist, her skin turning transparent, "It's transformation! They are transforming into some new form!"
The enemies behind the portals were closing in. A Frost Giant swung a giant ice axe, a Fire Dragon spewed lava, a cyborg raised a plasma cannon, a dark mage chanted curses, Dormammu's phantom emerged from the purple mist, and Hela held the nightsword, its blade dripping with the venom of Niflheim.
"Diana!" Hode suddenly let go of Carol and rushed toward Wonder Woman, who was gathering strength, "Your lasso may be broken, but Athena's blessing remains!" He grabbed the bracers on her wrists, and his Chaos Magicsurged in like blood, "Do you remember what you said when we were training on Paradise Island? 'True power comes from acceptance'!"
Diana's blue eyes suddenly lit up with golden light. She grasped Hode's hand in return, and the moment their palms met, Hode saw her shield fragments reassembling in the void—not metal, but a light shield made of countless female hero figures. Hippolyta, Artemis, Donna, Cassie Sandsmark... each figure raised a weapon against the enemy.
"Athena's blessing was never a weapon," Diana said softly, and the light shield suddenly burst into thousands of streams of light, "It is Hope."
The streams of light pierced through the Frost Giant's chest, burned between the Fire Dragon's scales, melted the cyborg's circuits into molten iron, caused the dark mage's spell to shatter on the tip of their tongue, tore Dormammu's phantom into pieces, and finally carved Amazonian runes onto Hela's nightsword.
"Interesting..." The voice of the Infinity Gauntlet sounded again, this time with obvious annoyance, "But Hope is the most fragile emotion."
The six portals suddenly began to spin, forming a massive Energy Vortex. Hode felt his soul being torn, and those memories with the female heroes flashed before his eyes like a movie: the tacit understanding with Black Widowduring training in the Red Room, the playfulness with The Wasp in the Quantum Realm, the sweat while repairing the spaceship with Nebula, the palpitations while lingering with Wanda in the Chaos Magic...
"No..." Hode fell to his knees, Chaos Magic leaking wildly from his fingertips, "These are not fragile... they are bonds!"
He suddenly grabbed Diana and Carol's hands, the three standing in a triangle. Hode felt something awakening inside him—not a single ability, but a network woven from all his romantic memories. When he met Diana's blue eyes and looked at Carol's blonde hair, he suddenly understood the true meaning of Chaos Magic.
"Love is not power," he said softly, and the Chaos Magicformed a massive DNA double helix beneath the three of them, "It is connection."
The enemies behind the portals suddenly screamed. The Frost Giant's axe began to melt, blue flames ignited on the Fire Dragon's wings, vines grew from the cyborg's joints, roses bloomed on the dark mage's skin, Dormammu's phantom was swallowed by starlight, and even Hela's nightsword blossomed with white flowers from Asgard.
The gems on the Infinity Gauntlet suddenly erupted with blinding light. Hode saw that blurry figure step out from the void—not Thanos, nor the Living Tribunal, but a woman wearing a combined uniform of the Avengers and the Justice League. The faces of all the female heroes appeared alternately on her face, and the Infinity Gauntletspun in her hand like a toy.
"The game is over," she said, her voice a superposition of all the women Hode had loved, "Or... it has only just begun."
Her finger tapped lightly, and Hode felt his heart stop beating. In the last second before his consciousness faded, he saw the six portals turn into the Bifrost Bridge, and at the end of the bridge stood... Himself?
Chapter 703: You Found the True Chaos
Hode wanted to breathe, but it felt like being buried deep in the mud at the bottom of the sea. His consciousness floated in the chaos, and those scenes spent with the female heroes flashed by like a carousel—exchanging intelligence with Black Widow under the moonlight on a rooftop in Budapest, the tactical prediction triggered when his fingertips brushed against the metal prosthetic on her wrist; waltzing with The Wasp in the quantum foam, the particle light spots on the tips of her hair leading him to comprehend microscopic manipulation; the resonance of metal and nerves when Nebula used her mechanical fingers to repair his combat suit, giving birth to mechanical symbiosis...
"So... this is everything." Hode chuckled in the darkness, and Chaos Magic suddenly burst forth from his heart. He saw his soul turn into countless threads of light, each thread connecting to the shadow of a female hero. Black Widow's tactical goggles, The Wasp's particle goggles, Nebula's mechanical eye, Wanda's chaotic red pupils... all gazes pierced the void, converging into a beam of light.
"Bang!" Hode opened his eyes abruptly and found himself suspended in the center of the Energy Vortex. The Bifrost Bridge composed of the six portals was collapsing, but at the end of the bridge was not another version of himself, but countless phantoms of female heroes. Some held weapons, some cast magic, some displayed technology, and each face was both clear and blurry, like an oil painting soaked in water.
"You think love is a bond?" The voice of the woman with the Infinity Gauntlet surged from all directions, "Then let me show you the true bond."
She waved her hand, and Hode felt his connections being forcibly torn open. The tactical prediction with Black Widow turned into bullets and shot at Diana, the microscopic manipulation with The Wasp turned into a swarm of insects and attacked Carol, and Nebula's mechanical symbiosis caused Superman's armor to begin to backfire on him. The most terrifying thing was the chaotic bond with Wanda—he saw the phantom of the Scarlet Witch emerge in the enemy camp, using his magicto tear open rifts.
"No... this isn't real..." Hode clutched his chest, which felt empty, as if the most important thing had been dug out.
"Hode!" Diana's shout pierced through the noise. She held a light spear composed of the phantoms of female heroes, behind her were the reassembling Avengers and Justice League, "Remember what you said on Paradise Island? 'Love is accepting imperfection'!"
Memories split the darkness like lightning. Hoderemembered the opening Diana intentionally exposed when they sparred in the training ground; the trembling starlight on Carol's eyelashes when they kissed in space; the false intelligence Black Widow intentionally left behind when they were on a mission, just to test his judgment...
"Acceptance..." Hode muttered to himself, and Chaos Magic suddenly surged from the soles of his feet. It was not a DNA double helix, but a web woven from the weapons, magic, and technology of countless female heroes. Black Widow's shock baton, The Wasp's particle gun, Nebula's laser sword, Wanda's Chaos Magic runes... all the abilities he had once gained and lost now turned into points of light, condensing into a beating red heart in his palm.
"This is Chaos," Hode chuckled, tossing the red heart into the air. The moment the red heart burst, time on the entire battlefield seemed to stand still. The Frost Giant's axe stopped three inches from Diana's nose, the Fire Dragon's lava solidified on the tips of Carol's hair, the cyborg's plasma cannon extinguished in front of Superman's chest, the dark mage's spell got stuck in their throat and turned into bubbles, Dormammu's phantom was frozen into a comical silhouette, and even Hela's nightsword hung in mid-air, the dripping venom turning into crystals.
The woman with the Infinity Gauntlet finally showed a shocked expression. "What have you done?"
"I accepted it," Hode walked toward her, roses blooming in the void with every step, "Accepted that love brings pain, accepted that bonds have cracks, accepted... myself."
He reached out and touched the woman's Infinity Gauntlet. The gems suddenly let out a wail, and those souls imprisoned within—all the souls of the female heroes he had loved—began to scream and break free. Black Widow's tactical goggles, The Wasp's particle goggles, Nebula's mechanical eye, Wanda's chaotic red pupils... all gazes pierced through the Infinity Gauntlet, converging into an even more dazzling beam of light.
"No!" The woman screamed and retreated, but it was too late. The beam of light pierced through her body, tearing the combined uniform on her into shreds. Hode saw her true face—not any single female hero, but a monster pieced together from countless fragments of female heroes.
"You... you created us..." the monster said, trembling, her voice changing from gentle to sharp, and from sharp back to gentle, "Now... are you going to destroy us?"
Hode shook his head, the Chaos Magic in his palm turning into a rose... "No, I am going to give you freedom."
He inserted the rose into the monster's chest. The rose bloomed instantly, its petals turning into the figures of countless female heroes. They smiled, wept, were angry, or were calm, but in the end, they all turned into points of light and ascended to the sky.
The gems on the Infinity Gauntlet extinguished one by one, finally turning to dust. The six portals collapsed completely, and the Bifrost Bridge vanished. The battlefield was silent, with only the sound of Hode's heartbeat echoing.
"Hode?" Diana's voice came from behind, filled with uncertainty.
He turned around and saw all the female heroes standing there—Diana, Carol, Black Widow, The Wasp, Nebula, Wanda... They were all shimmering with a faint light, a sign that their souls had returned.
"I..." Hode opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
"You did it," Carol stepped forward and hugged him gently, "You found the true Chaos."
Other female heroes gathered around; some patted his shoulder, some touched his hair, and some just watched him quietly. Hode felt his heart was about to burst—not because of power, but because of love.
Suddenly, a dark shadow darted out from the ruins and lunged straight at Hode. He instinctively wanted to defend himself, but found that his Chaos Magic did not react. The shadow stopped in front of him, revealing a familiar face—it was that monster, but at this moment, there was only one expression on her face: calm.
"The game is really over," she said, her voice a superposition of all the female heroes, "Or... it has only just begun."
She reached out and touched Hode's forehead. Hode felt his consciousness being pulled again, but this time it was not painful, but warm. He saw the futures of countless female heroes unfolding before his eyes—some fighting enemies, some embracing loved ones, some contemplating alone, some smiling and weeping...
"Choose," the monster's voice echoed in his ears, "Choose your future."
Hode closed his eyes, and Chaos Magic surged within him. When he opened his eyes again, he saw only a starry sky.
Chapter 704: Not Warmth, but... Expectation
The starry sky rotated in Hode's eyes, each star turning into the face of a female hero. He reached out to touch them, but his fingertips passed through the light and shadow. Chaos Magic surged within him, but it no longer brought power, but countless fragments of memories—the dew on the tips of Diana's hair when she taught him to identify herbs in the Amazon rainforest; the charred aroma of the coffee they brewed using Energy Shields when Carol took him drifting in space; the heat of the bullet Black Widowintentionally missed, grazing the tip of his ear at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base shooting range...
Chapter 406
"So... this is Chaos." Hode chuckled, letting his consciousness sink into the depths of his memories.
He saw himself dancing with The Wasp in the Microverse, her particle light spots landing on his shoulder like stardust that never faded; Nebula used her mechanical fingers to adjust his War Armor, the resonance between metal and nerve letting him feel the meaning of symbiosis for the first time; when Wanda taught him Chaos Magic, the ripples of energy triggered by their fingertips touching made even the dust on the floor dance a waltz...
"Hode?" Diana's voice came from afar, carrying the unique determination of an Amazon warrior, "Where are you?"
The memory was suddenly torn apart. Hode opened his eyes abruptly, finding himself standing in a void.
Beneath his feet was flowing starlight, above him was an inverted galaxy, and Diana, Carol, Black Widow, The Wasp, Nebula, and Wanda—all the female heroes he had once loved—stood before him, their faces blurred but their eyes bright.
"This is..." Hode muttered to himself, Chaos Magiccondensing into a rose in his palm.
"Your inner World." Wanda's voice surged from all directions, the familiar glow of magic flickering in her red eyes, "And also the source of Chaos."
Black Widow's tactical visor suddenly lit up; she raised her hand to fire an electro-shock whip, but the tip of the whip turned into a Data Stream, wrapping around Hode's wrist.
"Do you remember Budapest?" she asked softly, "You said information is more important than life, but I taught you—some information is worth guarding with your life."
Hode felt his heart struck by something. He remembered that mission where Black Widow deliberately left behind false intelligence, just to test his judgment.
At the time, he had angrily questioned her, failing to notice the expectation hidden in her eyes—the expectation that he would understand that love sometimes requires lies of trust.
"I..." Hode had just started to speak when The Wasp's particle gun suddenly fired. Countless light spots surrounded him, but it wasn't an attack; it was a reconstruction.
He saw himself dancing with The Wasp in the quantum foam, her hair's particle light spots falling onto him like a handful of stardust.
"The rules of the Microverse are simple." The Wasp's voice was playful, "But the rules of love... are more complex than any Universe."
Nebula's mechanical fingers suddenly reached out, her fingertips flickering with blue light. Hode instinctively backed away, only to find his War Armor was undergoing symbiosis with her machinery.
"Are you afraid?" Nebula's voice had no emotional fluctuation, but Hode knew she wasn't just asking about mechanical symbiosis.
He remembered the days drifting in the Universe with Nebula; her mechanical body was always cold, but when close, he could feel a faint electric current—that was proof of her being a living entity. He taught her how to smile, and she taught him... how to accept imperfection.
"No." Hode shook his head, taking the initiative to hold Nebula's finger, "I'm not afraid."
The resonance between machine and flesh suddenly intensified, and Hode felt his power rising—not Chaos Magic, but another, purer power: understanding.
"It seems you understand." Diana's voice rang out. She held a light spear, with the Amazon battle flag behind her, "Love is not possession, not control, not..."
"Not perfection." Hode continued, the Chaos Magic rose suddenly blooming, enveloping all the female heroes in light, "It is accepting imperfection, accepting cracks, accepting..."
His voice was suddenly interrupted by Carol's kiss. She hovered in the air, the Energy Shield wrapping them both like a glowing cocoon. "Accepting love itself." she said softly, the starlight on her eyelashes trembling, "No matter what it brings."
Hode felt Chaos Magic boiling within him, but not with anger or pain; it was warmth.
He saw the figures of all the female heroes begin to overlap; their power, magic, technology, wisdom... all converged into a single beam of light, pouring into his heart.
"So... this is the truth of Chaos." Hode chuckled, waving his hand. The void space suddenly split open, revealing the battlefield outside—the Frost Giant's axe, the Fire Dragon's lava, the cyborg's plasma cannon... all the threats were still there, but there was no fear in his heart.
"Diana?" He turned to look at the Amazon warrior.
"I am here." She raised her light spear, with the reorganized Avengers and Justice League behind her.
"Carol?"
"Standing by." Her Energy Shield flickered like a small Sun.
"Black Widow?"
"Intelligence updated." Her tactical visor scanned the battlefield, "Recommend prioritizing an attack on the left flank."
"The Wasp?"
"Particle gun charged." She winked playfully, "Want to go big?"
"Nebula?"
"Mechanical symbiosis rate 100%." Her mechanical fingers flickered, "Ready to tear the enemy apart at any time."
"Wanda?"
"Chaos Magic ready." Her red eyes flickered, "But this time... I will control it well."
Hode smiled. He looked at the battlefield; Chaos Magiccondensed into a light sword in his palm—not woven from weapons, magic, or technology, but condensed from love, understanding, and trust.
"Then..." he said softly, yet his voice spread across the entire battlefield, "Let us begin."
He took a step, and the void space collapsed. All the female heroes' figures turned into light spots, pouring into his body. When he appeared again, he was standing in the center of the battlefield, light sword held high, Chaos Magic spreading like a tide.
The enemy let out terrified roars, but Hode did not stop. He swung his sword down, not for slaughter, but for protection—protecting Diana's smile, protecting Carol's starlight, protecting Black Widow's wisdom, protecting The Wasp's playfulness, protecting Nebula's machinery, protecting Wanda's magic...
"Protecting... love itself."
Suddenly, a shadow darted out from the ruins, lunging straight at Hode. He instinctively wanted to defend, but found that Chaos Magic did not react. The shadow stopped in front of him, revealing a familiar face—it was that monster, but at this moment, her face held only one expression: a smile.
"The game is truly over." She said, her voice a superposition of all the female heroes, "Or..."
She reached out to touch Hode's forehead. Hode felt his consciousness being pulled again, but this time it wasn't pain or warmth, but... anticipation.
He saw countless futures unfold before his eyes—some fighting enemies, some embracing loved ones, some contemplating alone, some smiling and crying... but in all futures, there was one common point: love.
"Choose." The monster's voice echoed in his ears, "Choose your future."
Hode closed his eyes, Chaos Magic surging within him. When he opened them again, he saw only a starry sky—but this time, six particularly bright stars in the starry sky were winking at him.
Chapter 705 Chaos Magic Becomes Purer and More Powerful
Hode gazed at the six winking stars, Chaos Magic flowing at his fingertips, no longer possessing the violence and uncontrollability of the past.
He felt six distinct yet harmoniously coexisting powers surging within him—Diana's Amazon battle intent, Carol's Cosmic Energy, Black Widow's tactical intuition, The Wasp's micro-manipulation, Nebula's mechanical symbiosis, and Wanda's Chaos Magic. Each power was like a memory, a period of time spent together with those female heroes.
"So, love really can become the most powerful force." Hode whispered to himself, a smile curling at the corner of his lips.
Suddenly, the starry sky trembled, and a crack tore open before Hode's eyes, from which countless Dark Creatures surged out; they were hideous and emitted a nauseating aura. These were invaders from another dimension; they sensed the unprecedentedly powerful energy within Hodeand attempted to seize it to open channels to more dimensions for endless conquest.
"It seems the game has only just begun." Hode's eyes sharpened, and Chaos Magic erupted instantly, turning into a pillar of light that shot into the sky, clashing head-on with the Dark Creatures.
Diana's light spear appeared from behind Hode; she had appeared by his side at some point, and the Amazon war cry resounded through the sky. "For justice!" she shouted, her light spear like a dragon, weaving through the swarm of Dark Creatures, each strike taking away a swathe of lives.
Carol's Energy Shield clung to the other side of Hode; she released dazzling energy beams from both hands, sweeping across the battlefield like a solar storm. "Let's show these guys a thing or two!" she laughed, and wherever the energy beams passed, the Dark Creatures turned to ash.
Black Widow hid in the shadows, her tactical visor constantly scanning the battlefield, searching for the enemy's weaknesses. "Left flank, three o'clock direction, heavy firepower point." Her voice was calm and clear, transmitted into Hode's ear through the tactical headset.
Hode understood immediately; The Wasp's micro-manipulation ability activated instantly. The World in his eyes magnified countless times, revealing the heavy firepower devices hidden in the darkness. He waved his hand gently, and the Chaos Magic turned into countless tiny particles, precisely hitting those devices and triggering a series of explosions, blasting the surrounding Dark Creatures to smithereens.
Nebula's mechanical symbiosis ability made Hode's body and War Armor combine even more closely, and he felt unprecedented agility and power. He shuttled across the battlefield like a bolt of lightning, his mechanical fingers flickering with blue light, each strike tearing through the enemy's defenses and ripping them into pieces.
And Wanda's Chaos Magic became Hode's strongest support. She stood in a corner of the battlefield, waving her hands gently; the Chaos Magic surged like a tide, repelling the enemies attempting to approach Hode one by one, and even altering the trajectories of some Dark Creatures, making them kill each other.
The battle entered a white-hot stage; the number of Dark Creatures seemed endless, but Hode and his companions fought with increasing courage. Their coordination was seamless, and every power was utilized to its limit, forming an unbreakable line of defense.
However, at this moment, an even larger dark crack tore open above the battlefield, and a massive Dark Lord walked out. It held a huge dark sword, emitting an aura that made one's heart palpitate.
"Puny humans, do you think you can stop me?" The Dark Lord's voice echoed across the battlefield like thunder, its eyes filled with disdain and mockery.
Hode did not answer; he just gripped the light sword in his hand tightly, Chaos Magic flowing along the blade, emitting a dazzling light. He knew this would be an unprecedentedly tough battle, but he also believed that as long as they were united, nothing was impossible.
"For love, for justice, for everything we cherish!" Hodeshouted, his figure instantly disappearing from where he stood, turning into a stream of light rushing toward the Dark Lord.
Diana, Carol, Black Widow, The Wasp, Nebula, Wanda... all the female heroes followed suit, their powers converging into an unstoppable torrent, launching the final charge toward the Dark Lord.
The light and darkness on the battlefield intertwined, forming a magnificent picture. And in the center of this picture, the figures of Hode and the Dark Lord intertwined, each of their collisions causing the space to tremble, as if it were going to tear the entire World apart.
However, at this moment, Hode suddenly felt a strange change occur in the Chaos Magic within him. It was no longer just pure power, but had integrated an unprecedented emotion—that was a love for life, a yearning for freedom, a persistence for justice, and a deep gratitude and love for all the female heroes and the "705u.com-53 Reading Club".
This emotion made Hode's Chaos Magic become purer and more powerful; he swung his sword down, and a brilliant beam of light cut through the darkness, striking the Dark Lord's heart directly.
The Dark Lord let out a deafening roar, its body beginning to collapse, turning into countless dark fragments and dissipating into the air. And Hode stood in the center of the battlefield, bathed in light, his eyes filled with determination and hope.
However, just at this moment, those six particularly bright stars suddenly began to twinkle, and a mysterious force enveloped Hode. He felt his consciousness being pulled again, but this time, he did not know what awaited him.
The starry sky remained brilliant, but Hode's figure had already disappeared from where he stood.
Chapter 706: You Are Advancing Faster Than I Imagined
Hode only felt a flash of white light before his eyes, and when he regained consciousness, he found himself in a strange space. All around were flowing starlight, beneath his feet were soft clouds, and in the distance stood six star platforms emitting a soft glow, with a memory crystal floating on each one.
"Welcome back, my warrior." An ethereal female voice rang out, and Diana's figure stepped out from the starlight, her Amazon War Armor shimmering with galaxy-like radiance. "This is the Astral Realm, the trial ground we six have prepared for you."
"A trial?" Hode looked at the starlight twinkling in Diana's eyes and suddenly understood. "Those stars... are they you?"
Carol's voice came from the other side, her Cosmic Energysuit blending into the starry sky: "Each star represents one of us six. When you build deeper bonds with us in the real World, the stars will light up, granting you new power."
Black Widow's figure appeared quietly behind Hode, her tactical visor reflecting the starlight: "But now, you have a more important mission. The Dark Dimension is just the beginning; an even more powerful enemy is awakening."
The Wasp flew out from a Nebula, her antennae shimmering with a faint light: "We have detected cracks in the reality matrix; something is trying to infiltrate through the rifts in space and time."
Nebula's mechanical arm traced complex trajectories in the air, and a holographic projection displayed a dark vortex deep in the Universe: "It is the Void Lord. It has sensed the fluctuations of Chaos Magic and is leading a Void fleet toward Earth."
Wanda's Chaos Magic outlined runes in the air, her red hair moving without wind: "We must repair the cracks in the reality matrix before you fully master the six powers."
Hode felt the six powers within him begin to resonate, and he saw the memory crystals on the six star platforms light up simultaneously, projecting six different memory scenes—
Diana teaching him Amazon combat techniques on Paradise Island, Carol taking him to experience the flow of Cosmic Energy in space, Black Widow conducting simulated tactical combat with him in the S.H.I.E.L.D.training room, The Wasp fighting alongside him against a swarm of nanobots in the microscopic World, Nebulamodifying his mechanical prosthetic limb on a derelict spaceship, and Wanda studying the essence of Chaos Magic with him at the New York Sanctum.
"These memories..." Hode's voice trembled slightly. "Are you..."
"It is the bond we created together." Diana gently took Hode's hand, her palm radiating a warm fighting spirit. "Now, choose the first star platform. But remember, once the trial begins, you must face the tests of all six of us simultaneously."
Hode looked toward the six star platforms and suddenly felt a strong gravitational pull coming from the second one on the left—that was Wanda's star platform, and the memory crystal was displaying the scene of their first time studying Chaos Magic at the Sanctum.
"I choose..." Before Hode could finish his words, he was sucked into the star platform. Amidst the flickering starlight, he found himself standing in the center of a massive magic circle, surrounded by countless floating rune stones.
Wanda's figure stepped out from behind the rune stones, but her eyes had turned a chaotic purple: "Hode, are you truly ready to accept the trial of Chaos?"
Before Hode could answer, the ground suddenly shook, and countless monsters formed from Chaos Magic surged from underground. Some resembled demons, others were like twisted giant beasts, each radiating a heart-palpitating power.
"What are these..." Hode summoned a Chaos light sword, looking around vigilantly.
"They are the fears and desires deep within your heart." Wanda's voice came from all directions. "Chaos Magicamplifies all the user's emotions, including the dark side. Only by defeating them can you truly master my power."
The first Chaos monster lunged, Hode dodged to the side, and the Chaos light sword drew an arc, slicing the monster in two. However, the severed monster did not disappear; instead, it split into more, smaller monsters.
"Damn it!" Hode cursed, suddenly recalling the Chaos Magic application techniques Wanda had taught him. He closed his eyes, feeling the power Wanda had bestowed upon him, then snapped them open, a purple light flashing in his eyes.
"Reversal!" Hode shouted in a low voice, and the surrounding Chaos monsters suddenly began to rewind, their severed bodies healing and eventually turning back into the original rune stones.
Wanda's figure emerged from the rune stones, her eyes returning to their normal color: "Not bad, you are advancing faster than I imagined."
But no sooner had she spoken than the entire space began to twist. Hode felt his consciousness being pulled, and he saw the memory crystals on the other five star platforms light up simultaneously, with the six powers clashing wildly within him.
"No!" Hode fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain. "This is impossible..."
Wanda's figure became blurry: "Remember, Hode, true power does not lie in how many abilities you master, but in..."
Her voice was suddenly interrupted by a piercing tearing sound. Hode looked up and saw the starry sky collapsing, the six star platforms beginning to shatter, and in the distance, a massive dark vortex was forming...
Chapter 707: Do You Think You Can Stop the Arrival of the Void?
Hode felt his consciousness being torn by countless forces, with Chaos Magic rampaging within his body, as if it were about to burst him apart. He saw Diana's fighting spirit, Carol's Cosmic Energy, Black Widow's tactical intuition, The Wasp's microscopic control, Nebula's mechanical symbiosis, and Wanda's Chaos Magic—the six powers were colliding wildly inside him, yet they could not fuse.
"Steady your mind!" Wanda's voice exploded in Hode's mind. Although her figure was already blurry, that flash of red remained striking in the darkness. "Think of the memories between us, find the balance point of the power!"
Hode gritted his teeth, struggling to calm himself down. He closed his eyes, and bit by bit, the memories of his time with the six female heroes emerged in his mind—Diana's serious profile while teaching him to swing a sword in the training ground, Carol's hearty laughter while taking him soaring through space, Black Widow's sharp gaze while calmly analyzing the situation in a tactical meeting, The Wasp's excited expression while fighting alongside him in the microscopic World, Nebula's focused demeanor while modifying his mechanical prosthetic limb, and Wanda's gentle smile while studying Chaos Magic with him at the New York Sanctum.
"So... this is the power of bonds..." Hode murmured to himself, suddenly feeling that the six forces within him were no longer so violent. He attempted to guide them, using Diana's fighting spirit as the foundation, Carol's Cosmic Energy as the projection, Black Widow's tactical intuition as the guidance, The Wasp's microscopic control as the detail, Nebula's mechanical symbiosis as the connection, and Wanda's Chaos Magic as the core...
"Fuse!" Hode shouted in a low voice, and the six forces suddenly intertwined within him, forming a brilliant pillar of light that shot into the sky. Within the pillar of light, Hode felt his body undergoing a wondrous change; starlight flowed beneath his skin, his eyes turned a deep purple, and a pair of wings made of Chaos Magic unfurled behind him.
"This... is this the power of complete fusion?" Hode looked at his hands in surprise; he could feel an unprecedentedly powerful force surging within him.
But before he could even rejoice, the dark vortex had swallowed the entire Astral Realm. Countless Void Creatures surged out from the vortex; they were even more terrifying than the Dark Creatures encountered before, their bodies radiating heart-palpitating void energy.
"Hode!" Diana's voice came from a distance. "We must leave here as soon as possible; the cracks in the reality matrix are expanding!"
"Understood!" Hode replied, flapping his Chaos wings, and instantly appeared beside Diana. He saw that Diana's Amazon War Armor already had cracks; clearly, she had been injured in the battle against the Void Creatures.
"You're injured." Hode frowned, reaching out to gently touch Diana's wound. Chaos Magic surged, and the wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Diana looked at Hode in surprise: "You... you have mastered the ability to heal?"
"No, this is just another way of using Chaos Magic." Hodeexplained, while vigilantly watching the continuously surging Void Creatures. "We need to find the others."
Just then, a beam of energy shot from a distance, repelling a group of Void Creatures. Hode turned his head and saw Carol hovering in mid-air, her Cosmic Energy suit tattered, but her eyes remained firm.
"Carol!" Hode shouted, flapping his Chaos wings, and instantly appeared beside Carol. "Are you alright?"
"Not dead yet." Carol grinned, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her smile. "But these Void Creatures are much harder to deal with than I imagined."
"We fight together." Hode said, as Chaos Magic condensed into a light sword in his hand. "Let them see what we're capable of!"
The three stood back-to-back, facing the endless stream of Void Creatures. Hode felt Diana's fighting spirit and Carol's Cosmic Energy surging around him; he took a deep breath and fused these two powers with his own Chaos Magic.
"Kill!" Hode shouted in a low voice, swinging the Chaos light sword. A brilliant beam of sword light tore through the darkness, sweeping away the Void Creatures in front. Diana's light spear and Carol's energy beam were also launched simultaneously, and the three formed an unstoppable line of defense.
But just then, a deafening roar suddenly came from the dark vortex. A massive Void Lord stepped out from the vortex; its body was several times larger than the previous Dark Lord, and its body radiated heart-palpitating void energy.
"Puny humans..." The Void Lord's voice echoed across the battlefield like thunder. "Do you think you can stop the arrival of the Void?"
Hode did not answer; he simply gripped the Chaos light sword in his hand tightly, a firm light flashing in his eyes. He knew this would be an unprecedentedly tough battle, but he also believed that as long as they were united as one, nothing was impossible.
However, just as Hode prepared to launch an attack, he suddenly felt a wondrous change occur in the Chaos Magicwithin him again. It was no longer just pure power, but had merged with an unprecedented emotion—a reverence for life, hope for the future, and a deep trust and reliance on all the partners fighting alongside him.
This emotion made Hode's Chaos Magic purer and more powerful. He swung his sword down, and a brilliant beam of light tore through the darkness, striking directly at the Void Lord's heart. But just as the light was about to hit the target, the dark vortex suddenly shook violently, and a powerful suction force pulled Hode and his partners toward the center of the vortex...
The starry sky remained brilliant, but the figures of Hodeand his partners had already disappeared from where they stood.
Chapter 708: All Carrying Exhaustion, Yet Also Filled with Hope