Chapter 158: Giant
"Wow, you killed your father," Arthur said from the side, his tone playful.
"He was more of an enemy to me!" Hela said, her face full of fury.
"Watch your tone," Arthur said indifferently.
"I'm sorry... I was just too emotional." Hela turned her head to look toward the palace.
The temperature in Asgard continued to soar, as if the entire World was about to be burned to ashes.
The ground began to vibrate. After a period of shaking, the massive palace collapsed, revealing a figure bathed in flames that continued to grow larger.
"It seems this place is about to be destroyed—your home, your kingdom..." Arthur said, shaking his head.
"I will never allow such a thing to happen!"
Hela would definitely protect Asgard, not because she had feelings for this land, but because her power originated from it. She still relied on Asgard to strengthen herself and eventually conquer the entire Universe.
Surtur's prophecy had become a reality. When the crown met the Eternal Flame, Asgard would face Ragnarok.
"Tremble before me, Asgard!"
Bathed in the Eternal Flame, Surtur, transformed into a fire giant, roared.
Standing three hundred meters tall, he brandished the giant sword known as the "Twilight Sword" and slashed at the city-state of Asgard. The magnificent Coronation Hallwas cut in half by him; those skyscrapers collapsed with a crash, and endless flames erupted from beneath the ground.
"No!" Hela roared as well. "Stop your destruction!"
She pointed her hand at Surtur, and a massive dark green blade shot out from the ground at high speed, stabbing into Surtur's flame-filled body.
The ground surged, and a spike as massive as a mountain peak thrust out from beneath Hela, carrying her body as she flew toward Surtur.
Surtur spat a beam of intense flames at Hela. Countless blades interlaced to form a dark green shield. After blocking the fire attack, the barrier could not withstand the high temperature and shattered. Countless fragments drifted like a rainstorm, vanishing before they even hit the ground.
The closer she got to Surtur, the more Hela could feel the terrifying heat. His entire body was composed of fire, possessing the power of a thousand blazing Suns.
"I am the doom of Asgard!"
The mountain-sized Surtur held the Twilight Sword in a reverse grip with both hands and thrust it toward Hela. Under this awe-inspiring strike, even Hela could not help but feel fear.
Hela possessed endless energy; logically, she should be invincible in Asgard, but Surtur was like a bug-like existence to her.
In the long-predestined Ragnarok, Surtur would destroy Asgard, the source of Hela's power. Furthermore, the Twilight Sword held by Surtur was imbued with magic, capable of manipulating various mystical energies. Most lethally, the Twilight Sword could weaken the immunity and combat strength of the Asgardians, perfectly countering Hela's power.
Hela continuously created sharp spikes to stab into Surtur's body, but since Surtur's body was made of fire, these attacks seemed to have no effect on him.
As she neared the majestic Twilight Sword, Hela jumped from the massive blade, which instantly accelerated and shot toward Surtur.
The Twilight Sword plunged straight into the ground, and a shockwave of staggering power spread in all directions. The flying blades instantly shattered, and Hela was knocked back over a thousand meters, falling into the lake beneath the Bifrost Bridge.
"No one can stop me!"
After easily repelling Hela, Surtur indulged in destruction, shooting out countless flames to consume the city-state of Asgard.
At the same time, the calm lake surface churned with massive waves, and dense dark green blades instantly emerged. Hela stood atop them, her cloak fluttering majestically; she had already entered her combat mode!
This powerful energy fluctuation caught Surtur's attention again. He swung the Twilight Sword dismissively, wanting to completely crush Hela with a single sweep!
Facing the horizontal sweep of the Twilight Sword, Helacouldn't help but feel a pang of fear; the release of energy that countered her was enough to kill her instantly!
Suddenly, a brilliant blue light flared up. As the blue light blossomed, the blades under Hela's feet and the approaching Twilight Sword in the distance all came to a halt. The falling fragments in the air froze in place, and the flames surging from the ground also became static... The space of Asgard had actually been frozen! While surprised, Hela also knew who had done this... Only the demon who possessed the Space Stone could achieve this!
The space beside Hela fluctuated, causing her cloak to flutter. Arthur silently displaced himself to her side.
"It seems you are no match for him?"
"No, I am invincible!" Hela said firmly. "Except for you..."
"Then how can you say you're invincible?" Arthur smiled. "Stop being stubborn; I can feel the fear in your heart... You are filled with dread toward the creator of this Ragnarok."
"No..." Hela's face twisted; she was unwilling to admit this fact.
Arthur suggested, "How about we slip away quickly? Should I use the Space Stone or open the Bifrost Bridge?"
"Compared to being a loser, I would rather die in Asgard!" Hela said resolutely.
She had been silent in the Éljúðnir Palace for a thousand years. She had returned now for revenge, not to flee once again.
"Then good luck!" Arthur said, preparing to slip away.
Hela suddenly grabbed his wrist. "No, please help me!"
Arthur said dissatisfiedly, "This doesn't seem like the attitude of someone asking for a favor..."
"My respected Master, your servant begs you to help her through this ordeal!"
Hela immediately knelt before Arthur. After their first encounter, she didn't hesitate at all to kneel a second time... especially since her thousand-year-suppressed ambition and dreams were about to be shattered.
Hela deactivated her combat mode. Her dark green hair cascaded down like a waterfall, looking exceptionally enchanting.
A booming sound of space cracking came from afar. The massive Twilight Sword began to tremble slightly, moving at an extremely slow pace despite the tremor.
Surtur's power, bathed in the Eternal Flame, had undergone a qualitative leap... Arthur cast a cold glance in that direction. The infinite energy of the Dragon Talismanand the power of the Space Stone surged out simultaneously. The shattered space was repaired, and the massive Twilight Sword could no longer advance a single inch!
"Please, I'm a demon. Only Angels do good deeds!" Arthur turned back to Hela and said.
"I can help you rule the Nine Realms, even the entire Universe!" Hela said urgently.
"To reiterate, I am a demon, not a conqueror! I'm only interested in destruction..."
"I can also destroy—destroy everything you think shouldn't exist!" Hela looked up at Arthur and said, "As well as my soul, body, authority, and power... including everything I have!"
The demon mask on Arthur's face revealed a strange smile. He placed his hand on Hela's head, looking down at her, and said, "Right now, you really look like a pathetic, homeless wretch... I look forward to the moment you erupt!"
Arthur used the Space Stone again to release the frozen space. Instantly, all sorts of noises rushed back, and a scorching breath hit their faces as the Twilight Sword, laden with violent energy, slashed toward them.
Suddenly, Hela found that the blades she controlled had all stopped, while Arthur stood firm in place.
The massive Twilight Sword swept past, and those dark green blades were pulverized into dust one by one. As the heatwave hit and the sword's edge slashed toward the two of them... Hela immediately swung her cloak to wrap around her body, and with a puff of green smoke, she vanished from the spot.
Arthur, however, remained in place, waiting for the incoming blade. A faint phantom of an ox appeared in his eyes. Suddenly, he reached out his left hand to block the sword's edge... In the fire giant's hand, the Twilight Swordhad also grown to over a hundred meters long. Compared to it, Arthur appeared tiny, looking like a mantis trying to stop a carriage!
*Boom!*
The Impact produced a loud boom. The horizontal sweep of the Twilight Sword actually slowed to a halt at a visible speed. Arthur was only pushed back about ten meters, his feet carving a trench into the ground.
Arthur grabbed the edge of the Twilight Sword with both hands and suddenly exerted force. A surge of immense power traveled from the blade to the hilt. The unprepared Surtur was instantly flung away; he flew for a distance, crashed onto the Bifrost Bridge, and then rolled off into the water.
In the distance, Hela, who was watching the battle, was full of disbelief. This scene was shocking... Arthur walked toward Surtur, activating the power of the Monkey Talisman. After a flash of blinding white light, another giant suddenly appeared out of thin air in Asgard. The giant wore strange clothing and a demon mask on his face... He was even slightly taller than the flame-formed Surtur!
Arthur looked at his enlarged body. "Now it's fair!"
Just as Surtur crawled out of the water, a giant hand ignored the flames burning on his body and grabbed him by the neck. Arthur then punched him back into the water.
"fire giant?" Arthur pinned Surtur firmly in the water and landed a heavy punch on his face.
"I'll give you Ragnarok...!"
"I'll let you destroy everything...!"
With every punch Arthur threw, the entire Asgard shook. The ground cracked, and massive waves rose from the water, sweeping toward the land. Even the Bifrost Bridgewas in peril!
The Ox Talisman was still infinitely stacking his strength. No one knew if his next punch would shatter all of Asgard... Surtur couldn't resist at all under Arthur's combo. Arthur completely overwhelmed this fire giant; it could even be described as one-sided abuse.
Arthur stepped on Surtur's chest and grabbed his crown—that pair of massive horns—with both hands.
Arthur fully activated the Ox Talisman, and the immense power stacked after the battle erupted!
"Ah..." Surtur, pinned at the bottom of the water, let out a wail like a vengeful spirit.
Asgard was shaking violently, but Arthur didn't care and continued to apply force. He was determined to snap those two horns off by brute force!
*Boom!*
A loud noise rang out as the two giant horns snapped. Countless sparks of the Eternal Flame sprayed into the sky, then fell to the ground, forming blazes.
At the same time, the ground could not withstand the immense force and cracked, with several massive fissures spreading throughout Asgard.
Surtur, whose source of power had been destroyed, instantly dissipated. In a few moments, his massive body vanished..
Chapter 159: Beginning the Journey
Even though the battle between the two giants had ended, Asgard was still shaking. Those ground fissures had left the Planet fragmented, and flames swept through the city-state, spreading toward the mountains and forests.
Arthur landed on the Bifrost Bridge. He adjusted his collar and used the ability of the demon mask to restore his battle-damaged clothes.
A dark green mist emerged behind him, and Hela stepped out, throwing a figure onto the ground.
"Look who I found."
Arthur glanced indifferently; the person who had fallen into Hela's hands was indeed the Queen of Asgard, Frigga.
"Your stepmother."
"..."
Hela was momentarily speechless.
"I'm not interested in your revenge," Arthur continued. "Stay away from me; don't get any blood on me."
The fallen Frigga looked a bit disheveled; her golden attire was covered in scorch marks, and her face was dusty. At this moment, the two were pronouncing her life or death, but even though she was in a dangerous situation, she appeared very calm, without the slightest bit of fear.
"I don't plan on killing her. Keeping this Queen might be more valuable, don't you think?"
Hela was very bothered by Odin's oath before his death that "Thor would be king." No one understood Odin's power better than she did, and she was very wary of him. Thus, she had a premonition that her younger brother, Thor, would be her greatest enemy in the future, bringing her all sorts of trouble.
Keeping Thor's mother was equivalent to holding a shackle that could restrain Thor.
"Suit yourself. I have no interest in old women," Arthursaid, shaking his head. He turned to walk toward the Asgard engulfed in flames.
Hela grabbed Frigga's shoulder to control her and followed Arthur.
"Is this what you wanted?" Frigga said calmly. "A broken Asgard? A World consumed by flames?"
She turned her head to look beneath the Bifrost Bridge, where Water was gushing into those massive ground fissures, and energy crystals could be seen through the gaps.
"A new order is always reborn from the wasteland. I will rebuild a more powerful Asgard upon these ruins!" Helasurveyed the entire World and said, "You are luckier than Odin; you have the chance to witness all of this with your own eyes."
Frigga's face was full of sorrow: "That would be my misfortune..."
Hela naturally wouldn't care if Asgard encountered a catastrophe. As long as this Planet still existed, she could continuously draw energy from Asgard, and that was enough.
The three of them walked through the Bifrost Bridgetoward the World of Fire. Hela looked at Arthur's back and said, "The situation here seems a bit bad. Should we wait until the Eternal Flame has burned everything and shrunk before coming back?"
"Please leave me in Asgard before you go," Frigga said.
Arthur didn't answer. He reached out his hand, and with a flash of blue light, an ice-blue cube appeared in his hand. Hela recognized this item—the artifact of the Frost Giants, the Casket of Ancient Winters!
From the moment the Casket of Ancient Wintersappeared, the burning sensation from the towering flames vanished. Everyone felt a chill, and the oncoming heatwave turned into a cool breeze... Hela's eyes sparkled. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't care for this artifact, but now the Casket of Ancient Winters could play its greatest role.
"Fortunately, I took this toy."
A continuous stream of energy poured into the Casket of Ancient Winters, which began to emit a bright light. Everyone felt a chill that seemed capable of freezing everything.
Arthur activated the Rooster Talisman, and the Casket of Ancient Winters quickly flew toward the center of the city-state of Asgard, where the Fire was most intense, into the ruins of that massive palace.
"Was all of this within your control?" Hela smiled, but there was a hint of wariness in her eyes. "You knew Surtur would be resurrected in the Eternal Flame, so you took the Casket of Ancient Winters in advance?"
"Are you speculating about my thoughts? What are you testing?" Arthur looked at Hela.
Hela quickly said, "Sorry, I didn't..."
"The fact is, I watched Thor put Surtur's two horns into the Eternal Flame."
"Thor? How is he?" Frigga asked urgently.
"Who knows? He was probably burned to death by the Eternal Flame, right?" Arthur smiled and shook his head.
The power of the Casket of Ancient Winters was indeed astonishing. In just over ten seconds, the flames sufficient to incinerate Asgard vanished. The entire ground was frozen, and those crashing giant waves instantly solidified, turning into strange ice sculptures. On the Bifrost Bridge, a thin layer of ice formed across the soles of the three people's feet, spreading toward the observatory.
Arthur entered the ruined Asgard through the central passage. Queen Frigga looked at the debris everywhere, and the beautiful Asgard of the past appeared in her mind... "Look, Odin's masterpiece!" Hela said in her ear.
Frigga didn't speak. It was absolutely foolish to debate these things with an invader.
"Originally, Asgard didn't have to endure this, but Odinpersonally caused Ragnarok to continue the succession of the throne." Hela smiled. "But he is already dead, and I won't let those traitorous Asgardians go..."
Arthur didn't participate in their conversation; he surveyed the entire ruins.
Arthur reached out his hand, and the sound of a sharp blade flying at high speed and tearing through the air was heard. A few seconds later, a red sword blade landed in his hand.
Instantly, Hela's nerves tensed up, and even the despondent Frigga felt uncomfortable, because what was in Arthur's hand was precisely the Twilight Sword, which had a great restraining effect on Asgardians!
"The fourth trophy," Arthur said, and a flash of blue light took the Twilight Sword away.
Arthur continued to look around. He now had an idea: to make Asgard his first territory outside of Earth and let Helainvade the entire Marvel Universe on his behalf... After all, with his current power, staying in the beginner village of Earth for too long would be boring; he needed to find some fun.
Having an idea, Arthur prepared to take action. He wouldn't let Hela waste time on rebuilding Asgard.
Hela suddenly stopped. She looked at Arthur's back with some confusion and inadvertently blocked Frigga in front of herself.
The phantom of the Horse appeared in Arthur's eyes, and the Dragon Talisman was fully activated. A continuous stream of mending power surged from his body, quickly spreading to the entire Asgard!
The sound of ice cracking rang out, and the ground began to vibrate again. Hela and Frigga turned around in terror to see that the ten-meter-wide cracks in the ground not far away began to surge and finally miraculously healed together!
The debris and ashes in those ruins actually floated up, circling in the air before disappearing. Collapsed buildings flew up and stood upright again. As the mending power spread, Asgard was also being restored... Hela and Friggastared blankly at their surroundings. Although they called themselves gods and possessed divine power beyond mortals, the strange scenes before them could only be described as a miracle!
A moment later, Arthur landed on the ground. Looking around, whether it was the buildings in the castle or the mountains and forests beyond, everything had returned to how it was before Ragnarok... Hela looked at Arthur's back and said, "You are the true God, the God of Creation..."
Frigga was also full of shock. She was a child raised by a Witch, but no magic in the World could achieve the effect before her eyes.
Arthur ignored the two behind him and walked straight toward the glittering, restored palace. Seeing this, Helacontinued to follow.
Entering the magnificent palace again, Frigga still felt a sense of unreality. She looked at those exquisite murals as if looking at an illusory dream.
Hela's mood was even more complex. After a thousand years, she finally entered this palace again... While her soul was still in shock, a calm voice sounded in her ear.
"Take your throne, Your Majesty the Queen."
Arthur was smiling, but in Hela's eyes, there was a somewhat eerie color. She always had a bad premonition, and she smelled the scent of a conspiracy... "No, the throne belongs to you." Hela pretended to bow respectfully and said, "Master, I am only your servant!"
This scene greatly surprised Frigga on the side. As the Queen, she naturally understood Hela's strength, and how could the Goddess of Death become someone else's servant? Keen as she was, she even saw that Hela seemed to be very afraid of the demon... Before this, Frigga and Odin both thought Hela and the demon were in a cooperative relationship.
"I have no interest in the throne of Asgard," Arthur said indifferently. "I said, you sit on it."
Hela nodded, hearing the hidden meaning in Arthur's words.
If he wasn't interested in the throne of Asgard, then what about the throne of the entire Universe? The demon seemed to have an ambition no weaker than hers. Helawouldn't be afraid of this; she would even feel delighted.
A demon that makes one feel unknown is the most fearsome, but now that he has exposed his ambition, it has instead lowered his stature quite a bit.
Hela walked below the throne. She looked up at the throne of Asgard, and in her calm eyes, a Fire began to burn. This was the foundation for her to become stronger and even suppress the demon!
Hela slowly walked up the steps. She had come to this place she once dreamed of, yet now she was exceptionally calm.
Hela finally sat down on the throne. She surveyed the entire hall with a face full of solemnity... Suddenly, she saw the smiling Arthur, and her expression immediately returned to normal.
Frigga was somewhat dazed. In the past, it was always the elderly Odin sitting in that position, but now it was replaced by a dark green figure... Arthur clapped his hands, acting like a witness.
Hela, however, stood up and walked down from the high platform. She came before Arthur, knelt, and said, "Respected Master, I am willing to be your Executive Officer and conquer the entire Universe!"
"No, you are not an executioner; you are the Queen." Arthur lifted her up using the power of the Rooster Talisman.
"Asgard has never had a king who kneels on the ground," Frigga said coldly from the side. "You are only one person; you can't even conquer the Nine Realms."
Hearing this, Hela glared at her. A small dark green short blade condensed out of thin air and pierced through Frigga's knee. Frigga instantly knelt down, blood spilling all over the floor.
"I am not alone..."
Inside Odin's treasure vault, all the decorations had returned to their previous state. Except for the treasures taken by Arthur, the rest of the items were neatly arranged in their original order. The Eternal Flame was also burning in the altar.
Hela came to the center of the treasure vault. She manifested a giant hammer and smashed it hard against the ground until a large hole was smashed into the floor.
Hela reached into the altar, took out a wisp of the Eternal Flame, came to the edge of the hole, and leaned back to let herself fall. A few seconds later, the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground came from the hole.
At this time, Frigga dragged her still-bleeding leg to Arthur's side.
"Hela has ambitions you cannot control. She is constantly plotting betrayal. As Asgard grows stronger, her power will also grow infinitely. At that time, she will surely eliminate the shame of being a servant..."
Frigga spoke very quickly, but then she suddenly stopped because Arthur was currently looking at her performance with a smile, seemingly uninterested in everything she said.
"You wouldn't know, but actually, I have been looking forward to her betrayal..."
Frigga took a step back and stumbled to the ground... Arthur turned to look at the hole.
Underground, Hela held up the Eternal Flame in her hand to dispel the darkness. This was a massive altar. She saw the skeletons lying on the ground and the giant wolf body directly in front of her—that was indeed the skeleton of the undead wolf, Fenrir.
"By the Eternal Flame, you are reborn at this moment!"
Hela slammed the Eternal Flame onto the ground, and it instantly swept through the entire altar!
There was a vibration in the altar, and all the soldiers who had turned into white bones were revived. Fenrir also stood up.
In the next moment, Hela stood on Fenrir's head and leaped out of the hole, arriving in the treasure vault. Fenrir, baring its fangs, slowly approached Arthur. Frigga behind Arthur retreated in fear... Arthur frowned slightly. He waved his hand casually, and Fenrir flew sideways, crashing through several hall pillars. Hela flipped in the air and landed steadily.
She glanced back at Fenrir in the debris and immediately gave it a command to be quiet.
"Sorry, Master. It has just been asleep for too long..."
"Not again."
A sound of metal clanging rang out, and Arthur pulled a long sword from the void and handed it to Hela.
He turned and walked up the steps, saying without looking back, "I look forward to your performance, starting with the conquest of the Nine Realms..."
Hela tightly gripped the item in her hand. It was the Bifrost Bridge Sword, Hofund!
Chapter 160 Ancient One
On the streets of Brooklyn, Gwen and Arthur walked hand-in-hand, both laden with shopping bags.
Passersby looked at them with unusual expressions; some fearfully avoided them, while others excitedly took out their phones to record videos.
"Hey, are you Arthur?" a girl suddenly walked up and asked, "I'm your fan, it's so lucky to meet you. Can I get an autograph? Or a photo..."
"No!" Arthur interrupted indifferently, "I don't have fans; only Superheroes need fans."
With that, the girl was shifted two meters away with a startled cry.
She swayed as she landed, and Arthur, holding Gwen's hand, walked past her.
She quickly turned to watch Arthur's retreating figure, not showing any fear; her eyes even lit up... "So cool..."
"So cool!" After they had walked some distance, Gwenmimicked the girl, "You really didn't give her an autograph? I thought she was quite cute."
"Then I'll go back and find her." Arthur said, about to turn around, but Gwen quickly held him back.
"Hey! She's already gone far away." Gwen smiled playfully, "Now Arthur is a big star; your fan count has already surpassed Mr. Stark..."
"But it's still far from Spider-Woman, isn't it, Miss Gwen?" Arthur wrapped his arm around Gwen's waist and whispered into her ear, "If you take off your mask in public, all the media in the World will report that the SuperheroSpider-Woman and the anti-hero Arthur are in a relationship, that would definitely cause a sensation..."
"I don't want to reveal my identity! I still want a chance to live a normal life in the future, and Spider-Woman has to maintain her absolutely righteous persona!"
Gwen pushed Arthur away; his warm breath on her ear tickled, and his lips occasionally brushed against her ear.
"So, this counts as a secret romance for us?"
Gwen turned and placed her hands on Arthur's shoulders, leaning in and blinking, "Isn't Arthur's girlfriend Gwen Stacy? Someone on the left is secretly taking pictures of us right now. How about a street kiss... Mwah!"
After a while, they continued walking, Arthur using a tissue to wipe lipstick from his lips.
"Now to buy ballet shoes; my shoes wear out the fastest in combat."
"Maybe you could wear other shoes?"
"No, Spider-Woman will not take off her ballet shoes!"
"42, 41, 40..." The red light's countdown on the opposite crosswalk flickered.
Gwen continued, "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since we've had a date like this, shopping and going to parties together... Our way of dating is very special."
"Perhaps it would be more interesting for a couple to fight aliens together?"
"You don't just fight aliens, you also fight me..." Gwen said with a hint of resentment.
Arthur smiled and shook his head.
He was about to retort when his gaze was suddenly drawn to a bright yellow figure across the crosswalk.
He frowned slightly... That bright yellow robe stood out even in the crowd, and a yellow bronze object hung from her chest, with faint green light flickering through its crevices.
But the person wore a hood, and her face was obscured when she looked down.
However, when Arthur saw this iconic attire, he knew exactly who the person was... The Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One.
Meeting Arthur's gaze, the person finally looked up, revealing an extremely neutral face.
"31, 30, 29..." Arthur saw the red light's flickering countdown.
Gwen, beside him, was still talking, "Since the Battle of New York, you haven't come to my house for dinner.
My mom has been talking about it a lot recently..."
"Please apologize to Mrs. Stacy for me; I should have some free time after a while." Arthur changed the subject, "And Gwen... I'm announcing that today's date is over.
You should leave now."
"Huh?" Gwen was still a bit confused, "Why? I still need to buy ballet shoes.
Do you have something you need to leave for first?"
Arthur calmly handed all the shopping bags to Gwen, "There is a small matter that requires leaving, but it's not me, it's you."
With that, Arthur kissed Gwen's cheek and pushed her to turn and leave.
The clever Gwen immediately understood.
"Is something dangerous about to happen?" Gweninstantly became alert, her words rapid, "Is there an enemy nearby that even you need to be careful with?
Who is she? Where is she?"
"Uh... she's watching us, listening to us talk." Arthurhugged Gwen and said, "So you need to leave here quickly."
"No, I want to fight with you!" Gwen's attitude was firm, "And there are so many civilians on the street; it's impossible to evacuate them in a short time..."
"Don't worry, the other party isn't from the evil alignment; she won't harm innocent civilians!" Arthur interrupted, explaining patiently.
The Sorcerer Supreme made him take her seriously, but not fear her, so he showed no reaction.
"Not from the evil alignment?" But Gwen suddenly remembered her boyfriend's anti-hero identity.
Gwen held Arthur's hand and looked into his eyes, saying, "Then maybe we can talk to her? We don't necessarily have to use violence.
And I can't bring myself to abandon you, nor can you order me to leave.
No one can make choices for me.
I'm Spider-Woman, OK?"
Arthur looked at Gwen with amusement, and though he felt a little reluctant, he still said, "Alright, I can only be honest.
The real reason is that you're too weak..."
Gwen was dumbfounded.
As a core member of the Anti-Demon Alliance, it was the first time her abilities had been dismissed.
"Miss Spider is still a bit weak right now; you can't help me, you'll only hold me back..." Arthur continued with the hurtful words, "Although she won't harm civilians, there's no guarantee she won't do something to you to deal with me.
So now you need to leave, understand?"
"Understood..."
Gwen forced a smile.
Although Arthur's reason was quite a blow, she wasn't the type of girl to be unreasonable.
"Alright... then I'm going.
Be careful yourself!" Gwen scanned her surroundings but found nothing unusual.
"I'll come to your place tonight, and we'll buy my ballet shoes together on our next date."
Gwen waved goodbye to Arthur, and Arthur, looking at the red light's countdown, suddenly said, "Forget it, your web-slinging is too slow.
I'll take you."
With that, Arthur snapped his fingers.
Before Gwen could react, blue light flashed before her eyes... She felt her body falling, a familiar sensation, and she landed on a bed, bouncing back into the air.
This time, Arthur had sent Gwen to her room at home.
"...3, 2, 1." The traffic light's countdown finally reached zero.
The flow of people on both sides began to surge, but Arthur and Ancient One stood across the road, observing each other.
Arthur was also a little surprised.
Facing the strongest Sorcerer on Earth, the Dragon Talisman surprisingly didn't detect much energy fluctuation, allowing Ancient One to approach him stealthily.
Arthur's gaze fell on the Eye of Agamotto on Ancient One's chest, because the Eye of Agamotto was not only a powerful magical artifact but also the container for the Time Stone... Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet.
All pedestrians and vehicles at the bustling intersection instantly vanished.
Arthur turned around to see the tall buildings begin to rotate, their walls surging like waves on the sea, until they blocked all the intersections.
The Sorcerer Supreme's signature move, the Mirror Dimension!
The Mirror Dimension is a parallel reality dimension, where the Sorcerer Supreme can freely use magic.
They can control any object in this space, including reversing gravity, and any destruction they cause in this space will not affect the real World.
Arthur looked at the rotating walls, then turned back to smile at Ancient One.
"What is this? Are you putting me in a small dark room?"
"Perhaps you should put on your mask, demon." Ancient One said, standing across the crosswalk.
"What mask? What demon? I am the anti-hero Arthur." Arthur looked utterly confused, "Now, speculating and doubting on your own is one thing, but slandering and defaming me to my face as that evil, handsome, and great demon is another!"
Ancient One calmly watched Arthur's performance, showing no surprise even when the eerie demon masksuddenly appeared on Arthur's face.
"Ahem... The demon is officially online." Arthur began to walk across the crosswalk, "This... sir or madam? I heard you were looking for me.
Is there something you need? Could it be that you also want to destroy the World?
The Sorcerer Supreme and a demon shouldn't have any business dealings, should they?"
Arthur wasn't surprised that Ancient One could see through his mask, after all, she wore the Eye of Agamotto, a mysterious magical artifact capable of seeing through many illusions, breaking dark magic, and even observing the past and future.
"You know me?"
"Of course, I know everything!" Arthur said as he walked, "Kamar-Taj native, Sorcerer Supreme, Astral Wanderer, Earth's guardian Sorcerer.
Recently, your job has been to continuously monitor a surgeon named Stephen Strange, whom you believe can inherit your mantle... And you hate dark magic, yet for hundreds of years you have continuously absorbed the Dark Dimension energy of a demon named Dormammu!"
Arthur had a look of sudden realization: "Could it be that Dormammu no longer satisfies you? And you just happened to discover a powerful demon on Earth... Yes, I am very powerful, but let me state beforehand, I don't use dark magic!"
Arthur walked neither fast nor slow, but this intersection was only a few dozen meters long, so he should have reached Ancient One long ago, but the fact was that the distance between him and Ancient One remained constant.
"Come on, stop playing these boring tricks, I wanted to shake your hand..." Arthur said with a smile, looking at Ancient One's astonished face.
"Who are you? Where are you from? What do you want to do?" Ancient One, whose mind was considerably shaken, asked a barrage of questions.
"I am a demon, I am from New York, and what I want to... I don't know what I want to do, right now I want to steal the Time Stone from you." Arthur said bluntly, "By the way, don't you have the Eye of Agamotto? So why are you asking me? You can see for yourself."
"Because I cannot see you," Ancient One said, taking off her hood, "But you exist in reality, and you have greatly affected the balance of the World, changing the course of this Universe.
You have been influencing and even altering the history that is unfolding, for example, you allowed that girl to gain abilities that do not belong to her, or you triggered Ragnarok in Asgard years in advance, and even allowed Asgard to survive Ragnarok..."
"Oh! Are you going to commend me? Where is the medal you're going to award me?" Arthur interrupted.
"Because of your existence, the future of this Universe has become unobservable." Ancient One said.
"Maybe you're just getting old and blurry-eyed? I think you can retire and let the next Sorcerer Supreme take over; maybe he can see me clearly." Arthur said, "How is Dr.Strange doing now?
Did he get into a car accident? What if I just kill him directly? Or immediately heal his hands after his car accident, so he doesn't wander around the World."
Ancient One remained expressionless.
She extended both hands, and yellow fan-shaped lines formed in her palms.
The lines conformed to geometric rules, possessing great aesthetic beauty, and the inscriptions outlined on them were not chaotic, only appearing incredibly ancient.
"Return to your own Universe, this is the last warning!" Ancient One said, adopting a fighting stance.
"Are you kidding me! You think I'm an invader from another multiverse? I belong to this Universe... Hey! Don't think you can just kick people out because you've lived on Earth for a long time!" Arthur pointed at Ancient One.
"Baby, I'm safe now, just chatting, no fighting yet.
Opponent? The opponent is a bald woman! Okay, I'll try not to kill her... That's all for now, I'm busy.
I still remember about coming to your place for dinner." Arthur suddenly turned and muttered to the air.
Arthur continued nonchalantly, "I also have a lovely girlfriend on Earth... Okay, two.
Where do you want me to go? Be careful if my other girlfriend finds out you sent me away and says 'no more Sorcerer Supreme,' then you'll be in trouble!"
Ancient One stopped wasting words.
Chapter 161 Time Loop
The Ancient One moved her hands, and a disc made of light arcs radiated golden light. The entire space began to rotate ninety degrees counter-clockwise, and the gravity field was reversed.
The Ancient One leaped onto the wall, but Arthurremained firmly stuck in his original position, not falling. He seemed to possess Spider-Woman's ability to cling to walls.
"A good magic show, but this move doesn't seem to work on me."
The Ancient One said nothing. With a wave of her hand, several buildings rolled towards Arthur.
In this Mirror Dimension, the Ancient One was the absolute master. She could not only control gravity reversal but also deform or reassemble objects to attack.
Arthur leaped into the air. He used the Rooster Talisman's telekinesis to stop the buildings from moving. Instantly, those buildings couldn't withstand the clash of two forces and exploded.
The Ancient One rotated the disc again, and in the Mirror Dimension, the entire city was flipped over, with objects on the ground falling towards the sky.
Countless skyscrapers moved in unison, crashing towards Arthur in the center.
In the air, Arthur, floating, had the phantom image of the Ox Talisman swirling in his eyes. He flew rapidly towards the road surface above, unleashing a punch with over a hundred million tons of force!
Like a meteorite Impact, a powerful Impact spread, annihilating all the buildings instantly. Half of New YorkCity was affected, and a crater with a diameter of over ten kilometers formed on the road, with huge cracks extending from its bottom.
Countless dust particles fell from the sky, mixed with fragments of the Ancient One's shield.
In the Mirror Dimension, the Ancient One could exert her full power, and Arthur was equally unconstrained.
In the face of his power, Earth was still too fragile. In previous battles, he would suppress his strength, fearing that he might accidentally destroy Earth. But now, free from real space, he could finally let loose.
"You are far more powerful than I imagined," the Ancient One said with a solemn expression.
After a brief exchange, the Ancient One, through the tip of the iceberg of Arthur's power, glimpsed his immense strength. It was hard to imagine what kind of destruction such power, if controlled by someone who acted wantonly, could cause... It was like how, even though the Ancient Oneherself absorbed Dormammu's Dark Dimension energy, she strictly forbade her disciples from dabbling in dark magic.
Because she herself was powerful enough to harness dark energy for her own use, while those who lacked sufficient strength or had wavering resolve would often lose their sanity and become slaves to the Dark Dimension... "But your performance is far worse than I imagined for the Sorcerer Supreme," Arthur said, shaking his head. "Your attacks are ineffective."
The Ancient One said nothing. She flipped her wrist, and the shattered buildings reappeared from the ground.
Arthur didn't waste any more time. He activated the Snake Talisman's spatial displacement, instantly appearing behind the Ancient One. He threw a punch!
The Ancient One, reacting extremely quickly, turned and leaned back, blocking with the two circular light discs in her hands. After the discs were instantly shattered by Arthur, the Ancient One conjured a golden chain to bind Arthur's fist.
Arthur forcefully flung the Ancient One, who was on the other end of the chain, away. With the immense strength granted by the Ox Talisman, he easily broke the chain.
The Ancient One, who had been flung away, stopped in mid-air. She rapidly formed hand seals, and a magic attack, like lightning, spread along the wall, then converged and blasted towards Arthur.
Arthur activated the Dragon Talisman to conjure an energy shield for defense, but the magic attack actually ignored his energy shield and directly struck his chest!
Arthur flew backward. He felt a searing pain in his chest, but it was fleeting. The Horse Talisman automatically activated, healing the injury on his chest.
The Ancient One took a step in the air, displacing hundreds of meters to appear before Arthur. The Ancient Onesilently chanted profound incantations and slammed her palm onto Arthur's chest, but instantly, the Ancient One's eyes were filled with astonishment!
This was a soul-touching palm strike, which, with the incantation's enhancement, could easily knock a person's soul out of their body. The Ancient One had never failed since learning this powerful incantation, but Arthur, after enduring this strike, showed no reaction whatsoever... This greatly alarmed the Ancient One. Not only did the demon possess immense power, but it also had flawless soul defense!
Arthur instantly used the Rabbit Talisman to shed his kinetic energy. The Sheep Talisman had the ability to ignore mental attacks, so the Ancient One naturally couldn't make his soul leave his body.
Just as the Ancient One intended to escape, Arthur had already extended his hand and accurately grabbed her wrist. Arthur hadn't even used much force, but the Ancient One's wrist was crushed, her hand broken and revealing stark White bones.
Arthur's other hand swung a full-force punch at the Ancient One's head. The Ancient One extended her arm to block, but her arm was instantly broken. Although she possessed powerful magic, she was still flesh and blood, and in close combat, she was completely overwhelmed by Arthur.
Arthur punched and exploded the Ancient One's head, but the next moment, the Ancient One's shattered corpse in his hand turned into green fragments and floated into the air.
Arthur turned around, and another Ancient One stood in the air not far away.
Arthur was not surprised by this. If the Ancient One were so easily killed, then she wouldn't have been able to protect Earth for hundreds of years from invasion, and even repelled a ruler of the Dark Dimension like Dormammu... Of course, unless she was seeking death.
"You should be afraid. If I can kill you once, I can kill you a second time."
As he spoke, Arthur activated the Rabbit Talisman. His speed began to stack, and after getting close to the Ancient One, a burst of flame shot out.
The Ancient One's hands conjured golden light discs for defense. Arthur continuously output energy until the Ancient One's defense broke, and the powerful energy engulfed her!
A flurry of green fragments floated up, slowly disappearing.
After the Rabbit Talisman's speed stacked, Arthur's reaction speed also greatly increased. He instantly found the reappeared Ancient One and activated the Pig Talisman, shooting two penetrating laser beams from his eyes!
The two laser beams easily pierced through the Ancient One's defense and entered her chest. The deceased Ancient One hadn't even fallen before she turned into a flurry of green fragments and flew up... Arthur realized something was wrong. This time, he didn't attack again.
Arthur looked at the reappeared Ancient One. On the Ancient One's chest, the Eye of Agamotto emitted a faint green light, and the Eye of Agamotto was the container for the Time Stone... "You used the Time Stone? You initiated a Time Loop?" Arthur asked calmly.
"You know about Time Loops?" Perhaps Arthur had surprised the Ancient One too much, for she was now very calm. "Since you know that you and I have entered a Time Loop, then you should also know that such a loop cannot be broken. Why are you still so calm?"
"You are also trapped in the loop," Arthur said with a smile. "You can't keep fighting me indefinitely. It doesn't matter how long a demon disappears, but if the Sorcerer Supreme doesn't appear for a long time, those who covet Earth will probably soon become restless, won't they? Especially Dormammu, he won't miss this opportunity. Shall we wait together for Earth to be devoured by the Dark Dimension?"
The Ancient One's expression remained as still as an ancient well. Her body slowly floated up, and her hands drew in the air before her, one intricate inscription after another appearing. Those inscriptions looked incredibly profound, each containing extremely terrifying power.
"In a Time Loop, I can make infinite mistakes until I find a way to banish you from this Universe, or to kill you completely," the Ancient One said calmly. "It won't take too long."
"Well, I'm sorry to say that no matter what means you exhaust, you will never be able to kill me," Arthur said confidently.
The Ancient One said noncommittally, "In the past, I have traveled through star systems large and small, and seen many races and life forms. Never has there been anything that is eternal and indestructible. Even this all-encompassing Universe will have an end..."
As she spoke, the Ancient One pushed those inscriptions. The golden-lined disc in front of her rotated rhythmically, like the gears of a high-precision machine.
Countless magic energy beams shot towards Arthur. After Arthur moved at high speed to dodge them, those magicenergy beams even bent back in mid-air, curving towards him as if locked onto him.
Arthur flashed in front of the Ancient One, striking with a punch of absolute power that shattered her inscriptions. The Ancient One once again turned into green fragments before him.
But those powerful magic energy beams still didn't disappear, relentlessly pursuing Arthur.
Arthur looked at the reappeared Ancient One and lost his patience. Even though the Ancient One couldn't stay in this Mirror Dimension's Time Loop for too long, Arthur also didn't have the patience to keep wasting time with her.
Since he couldn't kill the Ancient One in the Time Loop, Arthur decided.
Arthur pulled out the Space Stone. In the instant of blue light, this Mirror Dimension space was paused. The high-speed flying magic energy beams also froze in mid-air.
But the Ancient One was unaffected by the Space Stone. Possessing the Time Stone, she not only wasn't trapped in the spatial pause but could also move freely and cast spells within this paused space.
"An unbreakable Time Loop? That's not necessarily true," Arthur said coldly.
"The power of the Infinity Stones is on the same level. You are already caught in a Time Loop, and pulling out the Space Stone now is useless," the Ancient One said calmly. She had controlled the Time Stone for hundreds of years and was intimately familiar with its power. She said confidently:
"You cannot break through the Time Loop."
"With me, nothing is impossible."
Arthur naturally wouldn't give up using the Space Stonejust because of the Ancient One's words. The Ancient Onewas known for her magic and wisdom; who could be sure this wasn't her bluff?
Arthur reactivated the Space Stone. He used the Space Stone's teleportation ability to bring himself to a detached Villa in Queens.
A blue light flashed, and he successfully returned home, but Arthur frowned slightly. He knew he hadn't broken through the Ancient One's Time Loop yet.
As expected, a green light appeared, and the Ancient Onealso appeared in his living room. She threw the light disc in her hand, and the disc spun and flew rapidly towards Arthur.
But ultimately, the disc only cut through a burst of blue light, and after hitting the wall, it tore apart the entire Villa...
Chapter 162 Parallel Universe
Arthur once again used the Space Stone to instantly teleport to Asgard, a great distance from Earth. He stood at the top of the Bifrost Bridge, gazing at the entire city-state.
Asgard was unchanged from his memory: magnificent, grand, and majestic... except for the deathly silence.
Arthur didn't sense any energy fluctuations, which meant that Asgard here was merely a dead land, devoid of any signs of life.
Suddenly, the space around Arthur rippled, and powerful energy began to converge. Arthur, being locked onto, felt a prickling sensation on his back.
The Ancient One had not yet arrived, but her magic attack was already brewing.
Arthur activated the Space Stone again. This time, the Space Stone teleported him to an unknown part of the Universe. He gazed at the vast, brilliant galaxy in the distance, not knowing where he was.
Green ripples spread through the space in front of him, and the Ancient One appeared, like a shadow.
"You have nowhere to run," the Ancient One's voice echoed in Arthur's mind.
The Ancient One pushed out her hands, and the vast galaxy behind her began to move. Planets, hundreds of times larger than Earth, were pulled and moved rapidly, instantly crossing tens of thousands of light-years to directly collide with Arthur.
Arthur let out a soft breath. He squeezed his wrist, watching the incoming celestial bodies. At this moment, Arthur was getting a bit agitated.
Although the Ancient One's attacks were not enough to kill him, or even scratch him, he couldn't break through the infinite Mirror Dimension under the Ancient One's Time Loop. This Sorcerer Supreme, with insufficient damage but extremely strong control, had already infuriated him!
Arthur charged forward. With the Rabbit Talisman's enhancement, his speed, after accumulation, even surpassed the speed of those Planets, and it was still increasing. He punched and exploded a blue Planet, and the Impact swept in all directions, shaking the flowing galaxy. The Ancient One in the distance instantly shattered into green fragments.
Arthur continued to stack his speed, punching and exploding the Planets that the Ancient One controlled and sent flying towards him, one after another. During the battle, the power of the Ox Talisman also grew infinitely, and the Impact caused by the bombardment continuously spread, each wave more astonishingly powerful than the last!
The Ancient One's body had barely reformed before it shattered into fragments again. The speed of the Time Loop couldn't keep up with the speed of her death in the powerful aftershocks of this battle.
As the battle progressed, Arthur's speed had far exceeded the speed of light. When he swiftly passed by smaller celestial bodies, the spatial vibrations generated by his superluminal movement crushed those weaker celestial bodies.
Arthur quickly pierced through stars hundreds of times larger than the Sun. After he had flown a great distance, the pierced stars behind him began to explode, and the successive explosions released immense light and flames, illuminating the entire dark Universe!
The continuously spreading Impact pushed out the shattered matter. When several circular Impacts converged, the pushed matter also began to accumulate and compress. Several such matter accumulation points formed in this Universe, their density immeasurable. The surrounding matter was also sucked in by their immense gravity, and even light, once it entered, could not escape... Due to Arthur's battle, several black holes formed in a short period within a section of space. Their gravitational pulls canceled each other out, but this stability would not last long. Once a black hole absorbed more matter and increased its mass, the balance would be broken, and it would attract the other black holes. When these countless black holes gathered together, a supermassive black hole capable of devouring the entire Universe would form... Just as Arthur was making moves capable of destroying the Universe in the Mirror Dimension, Gwen initiated a connection with him through their psychic link.
The Sheep Talisman's psychic link ability is unaffected by spatial distance, dimension, and time.
Gwen: "Where are you now? I rushed back, but I didn't find you, and there was no battle in the nearby blocks!
I checked the street corner surveillance cameras through the Anti-Demon Alliance's authority, and you suddenly disappeared! Besides that, there were no other anomalies.
Reply to me as soon as possible, Arthur, I'm very worried about you..."
Arthur: "I'm fine, no danger at all! I'm in the Universe right now, meaning I've left Earth..."
Gwen: "You left Earth?"
Arthur: "That's right, the scenery here is quite nice. The good news is the battle is over."
Gwen: "Then how long will it take you to come back?"
Arthur: "Ten minutes? An hour? I can't be sure, but I'm on my way... Over? (End)"
Gwen: "Alright, when you get back, you absolutely have to give me a good explanation of what just happened. Don't think about deceiving me with lies! Over."
After some more time, Arthur, moving at several times the speed of light, already felt the spacetime barrier. If he wished, he could travel through time at any moment, but traveling through time in this looped space was meaningless... A blue light emanated from Arthur's palm. Because Arthur's speed was far greater than the speed of light, he dragged a blue arc through the dark Universe.
Arthur once again activated the power of the Pig Talisman, his eyes continuously emitting lasers with space-piercing properties!
At the same time, Arthur used the Rabbit Talisman's ability to travel through time by moving at superluminal speed to counter the Time Loop created by the Ancient One using the Time Stone.
Then Arthur activated the Space Stone, teleporting himself back to Earth.
The moment the blue light flashed, Arthur used the Rabbit Talisman to instantly nullify his motion speed of dozens of times the speed of light, to prevent the spatial vibrations caused by superluminal motion from destroying Earth.
The blue light dissipated, and Arthur once again felt gravity and the sensation of air flowing over his body. He opened his arms, inhaling deeply, greedily absorbing oxygen. He was currently flying above New York.
Even at high altitude, he could still hear the boisterous sounds of people and see the bustling traffic on the prosperous streets.
Arthur confirmed that he had returned to real space. He had used the Pig Talisman's space-piercing laser, the Rabbit Talisman's time travel after exceeding the speed of light, plus the power of the Space Stone, finally breaking free from the Mirror Dimension constructed by the Ancient One.
Arthur sent a message to Gwen via their psychic link: "I'm back on Earth, heading home."
"Good, you wait for me obediently at home, no running around!" Gwen replied fiercely.
Arthur smiled and shook his head. He took off the demon mask from his face, controlled his descent, and used the Space Stone to teleport back to his detached Villa in Queens... but he was still descending.
Arthur instantly stopped his descent. He pulled out the dim Space Stone. Only after the Dragon Talisman's power surged into it did the Space Stone emit a faint glow.
Arthur couldn't help but wonder. The Space Stone, also possessing infinite power, clearly couldn't run out of energy. Was the Space Stone interfered with during its confrontation with the Time Stone?
Besides the Infinity Stones themselves, Arthur couldn't think of anything in the Marvel Universe that could limit their power.
Arthur didn't pay too much attention to this, after all, his power came from the Twelve Talismans, not the Infinity Stones. It was just that Wanda would need some serious comforting... Should he snatch the Ancient One's Time Stone and compensate her with it?
Arthur activated the Snake Talisman's spatial displacement, arriving inside his detached Villa in Queens, but his face instantly darkened!
In the Villa's large living room, a Black man was sprawled on his sofa, a pile of large U.S. dollar bills scattered on the coffee table, and an on-demand adult program was playing on the television mounted on the wall. The high-end stereo system, which Arthur had bought for over a thousand U.S. dollars, was playing "decadent music"... Were there such audacious criminals in New York? After stealing, not immediately leaving the scene, but daring to use the owner's TV account to order and watch adult programs?
Arthur even suspected that the Black man in front of him was using 2G internet, otherwise, how could he be so short-sighted as to not even know the recently famous Arthur? Who in Queens didn't know Arthur's address?
Arthur's face was filled with anger. The Black man also noticed Arthur. He opened his mouth, about to shout something, when Arthur calmly waved his hand and threw him out the window!
Fortunately, Arthur still retained his sanity and didn't want the Black man's blood to splatter all over his room, otherwise, Arthur would have definitely executed him immediately!
Arthur flashed and appeared outside the Villa. The Black man, flying down from the second-floor window, crashed onto the lawn, then broke through the fence and rolled to the roadside, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.
The Black man lay motionless on the ground, staring at the sky. Blood continuously flowed from the corners of his mouth, and intense pain surged through him. He didn't know how many bones in his body were broken. He unconsciously let out groans of agony.
Arthur's anger hadn't subsided. He stretched out his hand, accumulating the Dragon Talisman... "Whoosh!"
A web-line shot from the side, accurately grabbing his wrist.
"Hey! Sir, please stop your violent behavior!" A familiar voice came.
Arthur turned his head to look. Gwen, in her White and black spider suit, was standing on the rooftop.
"Gwen, stop messing around!" Arthur turned his head and said, "He snuck into my Villa. According to the 'Castle Doctrine,' I have the right to execute him!"
Gwen's figure on the rooftop trembled slightly. "Who's Gwen?"
Saying that, she pulled hard on the web-line, but she couldn't pull him and almost stumbled and fell!
Arthur casually grabbed the web-line and pulled. Gwen, at the other end of the web-line, hadn't even reacted before she flew down from the rooftop and was caught in his arms.
"Don't be naughty, Gwen... Ah!"
Arthur's words abruptly stopped because Gwen in his arms delivered a heavy punch squarely to his face. Spider-Woman's strength is terrifying!
Although Arthur, possessing immunity to all physical attacks, ignored the damage from this punch, Gwen's sudden attack on him still greatly shocked him.
He even began to suspect that the Gwen in his arms was disguised by the Sorcerer Ancient One!
Suddenly, Gwen's voice came through the psychic link:
"I'm at your house. Where are you? How come I don't see you?"
Arthur was stunned.