A being they had never seen before had already left a deep psychological scar on them.
They dared not imagine what other forces he commanded.
Even more terrifying was the possibility that there were many others as formidable as him, enough to form the Kang Council.
They all remembered the Kang Council Lin Feng had mentioned in his diary.
An assembly of countless such powerful Kangs—what kind of world-spanning shadow would such a council cast?
They couldn't even bear to think about it.
"We can't interfere with events on the timeline, nor should we," Nick Fury said. "Let's focus on our own affairs for now."
Though he suffered from severe persecution complex, Fury was also keenly aware that the Time Variance Authority operated on a completely different level than them.
They might have stood a chance against Thanos, but against the TVA's dimensional-striking capabilities, they stood no chance at all.
The others nodded. Indeed, it was best not to dwell on the timeline. If the TVA truly wanted to deal with them, they could simply reset time at its source. There was no need for them to make a fuss.
They had no way to deal with this, so they had to focus on how to handle so many suddenly appearing Celestial-Tier threats.
None of them were easy opponents!
Hela was no pushover, nor was the fire giant Surtur, nor Thanos.
None of them were easy to handle.
And now, Earth's two great protectors had died in rapid succession.
This was a real headache.
Moreover, their analysis suggested that even if the Ancient One hadn't died, she likely wouldn't have intervened in matters of the material plane.
For example, if Thanos's goal was to kill half the life in the universe, the Ancient One probably wouldn't have intervened. Her focus was on dimensional demons from other planes and dimensions; she rarely interfered in worldly affairs.
This was the true reason Kamar-Taj had remained hidden from the world for so many years.
These Mystic Arts Mages cared little for worldly matters. Even during World Wars I and II, with tens of millions dead, did they ever intervene?
No!
Let alone these Mystic Arts Mages, even they themselves were constantly busy fighting truly terrifying entities, running around like headless chickens. Did they care about the conflicts between tribal villages in Africa?
No!
They were completely hands-off.
Empathizing with their perspective, they fully understood this mindset.
In reality, having a guardian like Kamar-Taj was no different than having none at all. Only if Thanos were to threaten the annihilation of all humanity might Kamar-Taj intervene.
"I suddenly think it's better for Lin Feng to become stronger quickly," Hawkeye Barton said. "At least he won't be constantly trying to destroy humanity or the world. He's one of us, after all, fighting on our side! Though I don't know where his power comes from, if he could break through to that so-called Celestial-Tier, Earth would gain another powerful ally!"
The group exchanged peculiar glances. Fundamentally, this reasoning held true. Lin Feng's strength would indirectly protect Earth. After all, his roots were here. If Earth were destroyed, even the most powerful Lin Feng would be reduced to a cosmic drifter.
Thus, their initial wariness of Lin Feng had gradually transformed into a recognition of its futility. They now saw him as a valuable asset, a "powerful ally."
While Lin Feng's current combat power hadn't yet reached Celestial-Tier, he was already the most formidable being on Earth, unmatched by any other.
And all of this had happened in just over three years since his arrival.
He still had plenty of time to grow.
Although Lin Feng himself was dissatisfied with his progress in just over three years, the others were stunned. Especially the long-lived Asgardians, like Thor, the God of Thunder. Three years? What was that to them?
It wasn't even enough time for him to secretly travel to a remote planet and eliminate a sea monster for the locals.
For Asgardians, whose lifespans were nearly eternal, three Earth years were practically equivalent to three days—or even less.
Three years was just three days!
Watching Lin Feng was like seeing a person grow from an infant to a burly adult in three days. The sensation was utterly absurd.
If they stopped viewing Lin Feng as a hidden enemy, they would notice his many other strengths.
"But we can't place our hopes in others. We must rely on ourselves. Even when Lin Feng was at his weakest, he never relied on others. So we must not grow complacent!" Nick Fury declared.
He hadn't lost all hope yet. Humanity wasn't without a chance, and he still had a trump card: Captain Marvel Carol.
A trump card he had never publicly revealed, and one of the true founding members of the Avengers.
They still had a chance to fight back.
Everyone collected their thoughts. Thor, in particular, hurried back to Asgard to inform his father, Odin. The matter concerned the very survival of Asgard, and there was no other choice.
"So that's how it is!" Odin rose from his throne with a sigh.
He was well aware of Asgard's Ragnarok, but he didn't know the exact method by which it would occur.
This surpassed his ability to predict the future.
Odin possessed a limited capacity for foresight, but it was far weaker than the Ancient One's ability to casually browse timelines with the Time Stone.
Now all the mysteries were resolved. Just as the prophecies foretold, it was the fire giant Surtur who would ultimately succeed in destroying Asgard.
The outcome was drastically different, but the process was vastly different.
During this process, Thor's insights brought Odin great comfort. His eldest son had finally matured and grown up.
He truly understood that Asgard was its people, not just a place, and that preserving living strength was paramount.
*Save the people and you save the land; lose the people and you lose everything.*
*You've grown, my child!*
Though in the end nothing was saved, this was truly no fault of his own. With three Celestial-Tier beings targeting him alone, surviving at all was a miracle.
Yet he still seethed with rage. He could accept Asgard's destruction, but he couldn't bear the slaughter of its people. His eldest son had narrowly escaped death, while his youngest had truly died at Thanos's hands.
For a lionhearted man like Odin, this was an unbearable provocation.
So in his fury, he... got angry!
After all, times had changed. He was no longer the Nine Realms' sovereign who once shook the cosmos.
"Father, it's as you predicted," Thor said. "The Sacred Timeline's version of me, after the immigrant ship was destroyed, was likely rescued by the Guardians of the Galaxy. This means we still owe them a debt."
"Indeed, Thor. Our House of Odin will not owe anyone a debt. Though this matter occurred on the Sacred Timeline, you can still assist them in the future," Odin nodded in satisfaction.
"Father, and brother... he may not be as wicked as we thought. Perhaps we've been too neglectful of his feelings all along!" Thor said with a sigh.
Odin nodded. He had also watched the video and was aware of these matters.
So this was what his younger son had been thinking all along?
Unlike Queen Frigga, who was a completely maternal figure and could love without reservation, Odin was different. He was not only a father but also a monarch.
Thus, between Thor and Loki, he had drawn a clear line, never wavering.
But now it seemed that this differential treatment had pushed his already sensitive son's heart further toward a twisted path.
He might not have had to become this way, but now he had been led step by step to this point.
"I made a mistake, but I no longer have time to fix what has happened. I can only rely on you to pull your brother back, to bring him home," Odin said.
He was pleased that Loki, even at the end, took pride in being Odin's son. Yet it still pained him to see his younger son being crushed to death.
Fortunately, that was all in the Sacred Timeline. In their timeline, everything could still be set right.
Since there was still time, they would find a way to bring their younger son back before he committed any irreparable acts.
He knew he was going to die. Since he knew how to deal with his eldest daughter, Hela, he would take her down with him.
Yet his death would not be the end. He would be reborn in Valhalla, and he wished to see his old wife and two sons living happily on Earth.
All of this required preparation.
Odin resolved to intensify the migration to Earth, aiming to reduce Asgard to a hollow shell. When his eldest daughter reappeared, she would find nothing to claim.
Though regrettable, this was currently the only viable solution.
***
"This is the secret of time..." Stephen Strange stared at the diary's contents in shock, utterly incredulous.
He finally understood completely: his becoming Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, had all been preordained.
Otherwise, there might have been a Sorcerer Supreme Loki, a Sorcerer Supreme Tony Stark, and so on.
But the Time Variance Authority had erased all of it, eliminating every possibility that could have given rise to them.
Thus, he was destined to have the car accident, destined to become Doctor Strange, destined to save the world.
But equally, he was destined to never be with Christine.
This, too, had been arranged by others.
Like Tony Stark, the equally proud and arrogant Stephen Strange felt the same anguish.
Yet nothing could change the outcome.
-----------------------
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