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If there was anything in the universe more confused than Thor at this exact moment, it was Time itself.
If Time had a normal mind, it would be completely overwhelmed, struggling to process the impossible error it had just faced.
But, of course, it didn't.
Still, the force of Time lingered in total confusion, staring at the spot where the World Tree had disappeared from its timeline.
What just happened?
Time was stumped.
Just a moment ago, it had opened its huge cosmic jaws, ready to swallow the World Tree whole. The prize was already falling right in.
And the result?
Just as it clamped its jaws shut to begin digesting the cosmos... it bit down on nothing but empty space, nearly fracturing its own metaphysical teeth.
Time opened its maw again.
Inside—
Empty!
WHERE IS THE WORLD TREE?
When Time finally processed what had happened, its confusion shifted instantly to fury. In the next microsecond, it initiated a localized temporal rollback, rewinding the event to the exact moment the World Tree had begun its final collapse.
The image froze on that specific fraction of a second.
There, Time observed it. The intense white light from Asgard's destruction was entirely eclipsed by a dazzling, powerful wave of golden light.
Amidst that endless golden sea, Time noticed it. Perched on the cracking canopy of the World Tree, a splendid phoenix unfurled its wings and emitted a sharp cry. At the center of the spectral Phoenix, Hawk sat cross-legged, his eyes glowing with the same golden fire.
As if sensing the gaze of Time itself, Hawk, sitting atop the World Tree, shifted his glowing golden pupils.
"..." He looked directly at Time.
Time was stunned, then suddenly erupted in anger!
At that moment, sitting atop the canopy of the World Tree, Hawk experienced a sudden, intense pulse from his Sixth Sense. He gradually closed his eyes.
It was exactly as he had predicted, Time had found him.
But even before he arrived here, Hawk had mentally prepared himself to be found and to face the inevitable consequences of his actions.
After all, what was the worst Time could do? Banish Gwen to an Earth in some random, parallel multiverse?
And then what?
Did Time have the power to actually erase Gwen from existence? No...
Time didn't have the guts, and more importantly, it didn't have the authority. Not as long as Hawk was still alive.
Because Gwen was his wife. The moment they had spoken their vows, Gwen's timeline had become inextricably linked to his. She had ceased to exist solely within the primary universe's timeline and had become a fixed point within Hawk's own temporal flow.
Time simply couldn't erase her. Not only was it unable to delete Gwen, but even after banishing her to a distant multiverse, it couldn't harm her. In fact, it had to make sure she remained alive.
As long as Hawk was breathing, Time was obligated to keep Gwen safe and sound.
Honestly, Hawk almost wished Time would grow a pair, banish Gwen to a parallel Earth, and then try to kill her.
Because if it did, he could just resurrect her within his own timeline.
And then, the moment Gwen was resurrected, the resulting temporal paradox would cause Time itself to collapse.
So, the real question was: Did Time still have the nerve to banish Gwen?
The answer was yes. It was the only way Time could instinctively vent its anger. Although the retaliation was ultimately powerless and frustrating for a cosmic force, it was preferable to doing nothing.
Any act of defiance against Time must be met with punishment.
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Atop the World Tree.
Hawk sat with legs crossed, his eyes closed, his expression perfectly calm.
But behind that calm exterior, a fierce, terrible anger was growing within him.
He had thought he was ready. He had thought he had prepared himself to bear the cost of his actions, whatever they might be.
Just like always... Hawk was a man who never apologized for his choices and never regretted the things he had to do.
He had assumed this time would be no different.
Because Gwen had been ready—and Hawk had thought he was ready too.
But he was wrong. When the moment actually arrived, when the consequence became a reality, he realized he hadn't been ready at all.
"I am your wife."
"For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, I will love you without reservation, cherish you, and be faithful to you, until death finally parts us!"
"I am Gwen Phoenix!"
"I am your wife."
"..."
The memory of their farewell lingered in his thoughts: Gwen's tight embrace, her lips near his ear, whispering the vows they exchanged on their wedding day.
"A temporary separation is just the price we pay for an eternity together."
"So..."
"I will be waiting for you to come and bring me home, my husband!"
"I will."
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A tall column of golden Phoenix Fire burst around Hawk as he sat on the World Tree. He opened his eyes suddenly, his mind calm and still. His face remained emotionless as he slowly rose, gazing down at the vast cosmic structure below.
The devastating wound Surtur inflicted on the World Tree with his Twilight Sword was now bleeding a flow of molten Phoenix Fire, sealing the breach.
This was the Fire of Life.
Hawk struck precisely at the perfect microsecond, performing an impeccable maneuver. In that brief instant as the World Tree was collapsing, he had outpaced Time, intervened, and completely consumed the World Tree.
He had played the perfect oriole, turning all of Time's meticulous planning and manipulation into nothing more than a stepping stone for his own ascension.
However... This wasn't the end. It was merely the beginning!
Even though Hawk had swallowed the World Tree, the cosmos itself was still critically unstable.
Hawk had only managed to catch the World Tree as it snapped. He was holding the pieces together, but he hadn't repaired the damage.
The loss of Midgard, the annihilation of Asgard, and the erasure of Helheim—the loss of these three realms had caused a massive hemorrhage of the World Tree's foundational essence. Compounded by the prolonged assault from the primary universe's timeline—the World Tree was currently on life support, barely clinging to existence.
As for why Helheim had vanished along with Asgard? Helheim was situated directly beneath Asgard. Surtur's final cataclysmic blow not only destroyed Asgard but also shattered Helheim with the resulting shockwave.
Therefore—
"To revive the World Tree, I must fully restore its fundamental essential essence."
"Otherwise, this whole thing was just a waste of time. A mirage."
Hawk emerged from the blinding golden light as the Phoenix Gold Cloth quickly disassembled from his body and reformed at the top of the World Tree into a majestic, soaring Phoenix. It emitted endless golden radiance, serving as a new, artificial sun that illuminated the five remaining realms of the dying cosmos.
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"This is going to be annoying."
Hawk, now only in his slacks with his hair flowing in the cosmic wind, looked up at the hovering Phoenix Cloth. He shook his head and sighed deeply, murmuring to himself.
"Whatever. I'll start with the easy part. Let's get the Underworld sorted out first."
With that, Hawk took a single step and materialized at the exact nexus point where Helheim had formerly connected to the World Tree.
The projection of the Phoenix Universe instantly exploded to life behind him.
Hawk looked at the projection.
Within his Phoenix Universe, his personal Underworld—created as a simple, flat plane with a domed sky.
With a thought, similar to dragging and dropping a file onto a desktop, Hawk effortlessly pulled his Underworld from his cosmos and placed it into the void left by Helheim.
RUMBLE!
As the enormous weight of his Underworld settled into the void, a deafening, catastrophic roar resonated across the cosmos.
The World Tree and the newly implanted Underworld itself, trembled fiercely.
The next moment—
Pfft!
Hawk's face suddenly flushed a deep, unhealthy red. His mouth opened involuntarily, and he vomited a massive mouthful of golden blood.
"DAMN IT."
"SUBMIT TO ME, OR YOU'LL DIE!"
"I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, YOU STUBBORN PIECE OF WOOD!"
Wiping the golden blood from his chin, Hawk's face briefly went pale as he knelt on the ashen ground of his recently implanted Underworld. He quickly regained composure, glaring up at the World Tree.
The World Tree shuddered again in response.
It was almost as if it were screaming back...
Piss off!
I'd rather die than submit to you.
As the World Tree violently rejected the transplant, Hawk, attempting to force the connection between his Underworld and the World Tree, felt the backlash once more. His face reddened, and he spat out another mouthful of golden blood.
"Motherfucker!"
"You want to do this the hard way?"
"Fine!"
"You won't let me in?"
"I don't care what you want. I'm forcing my Underworld into that slot, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."
Furious at the dying tree's stubborn resistance, Hawk casually wiped the blood from his mouth. He sat cross-legged on the soil of his Underworld, glaring upward and still swearing. "It's just you and me here now. Let's see who breaks first. I'm giving you one last chance. Don't make me destroy you!"
As he spoke. Hawk closed his eyes. The spectral projection of the Phoenix burst to life behind him.
Perhaps because he had just expelled two mouthfuls of his blood, the Phoenix's projection this time was significantly dimmer, with edges that blurred and shifted uneasily.
And the moment Hawk closed his eyes.
Time lost all meaning in the void. Who knows how long has passed??
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Behind him, dark and shadowy mist started to rise from the Underworld's soil. The mist silently gathered and gradually shaped into a Human-like figure. The shadow figure appeared, watching Hawk from behind as he burned his golden Cosmo, stubbornly struggling against the rustling canopy of the World Tree.
The shadow figure licked its lips, a cruel anticipation visible on its featureless face. Its dark, misty right hand started to form a blade—a very unique, distinctly black blade.
It was darker than darkness itself. Darker than the shadow figure ever was.
But as the shadow's grip on the blade tightened, it appeared to pause. It stopped moving forward, observing as Hawk's body suddenly became stiff.
Just as the shadow figure was about to dissipate and retreat...
Pfft!
With a last defiant shudder from the World Tree—showing it would rather break than surrender—Hawk convulsed and violently coughed up a torrent of golden blood.
In the next instant, the shadow figure acted without hesitation. It emerged suddenly from its misty hiding spot, covering the distance with three quick strides. Holding the dark blade with both hands, it jabbed the weapon directly into Hawk's back—burying it completely as it pierced through his chest.
Hawk screamed in agony!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
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