As time flowed on, Thanos's state of mind remained a mystery to Herta. All she knew was that it was high time to delve deeper into her research.
In Herta's vision, the Reality Stone held far more utility for her current needs than any of its peers.
It wasn't just its capacity to rewrite reality—functioning essentially as a "knock-off" wishing machine—but more importantly, its potential for pioneering work in Chaos Magic.
Both were birthed at the dawn of the universe; both could alter the fabric of existence; both manifested as crimson energy; and both exacted a grueling toll, threatening to backfire on the body of the wielder.
To claim the two were entirely unrelated would be a baseless judgment.
However, once her hypotheses were put to the test, the conclusion was clear: most of it was mere conjecture. The two forces did not share a common source. Though they appeared strikingly similar, their fundamental essences were worlds apart.
Still, to say they were completely disconnected wasn't quite right either.
At the very least, her research into the Reality Stone had pushed Herta's understanding of the cosmos a step further. And as her grasp of the universe deepened, her mastery over Chaos Magic naturally followed suit.
Though... it was starting to feel a bit redundant.
Herta's sole reason for mastering Chaos Magic was to use it as a lens to parse the universe. This was a stepping stone toward her ultimate goal: creating a universe of her own—perhaps even a multiverse.
Unlike this current universe, which was shackled by its own pre-established laws and boundaries that could only be skirted but never surpassed—a place where talent was stifled by everything except the threat of destruction—Herta wanted to build a world where her inspiration and genius could dance and soar without restraint.
But she was getting ahead of herself.
To put it simply, rather than taking the long way around through Chaos Magic, it was better to stick to the plan and use the Infinity Stones to drive her progress forward.
Of course, that didn't mean Chaos Magic was suddenly irrelevant. In experimentation, the smallest detail could determine success or failure. It was common for something once thought to be fully understood and cast aside to end up being the final, missing piece of the puzzle.
That was why, lately, the Avengers had been testing with feverish intensity inside a Simulated Universe she had specifically updated for Chaos Magic.
Researching the Reality Stone with one hand while using others to harvest Chaos Magic data with the other—now that was what she called a sound workflow.
However, as mentioned before, Herta already had her sights set on the next stone.
Including the Time Stone, she now had four in her possession. That left only two: the Power Stone on Xandar and the Soul Stone on Vormir.
The Power Stone would be easy enough to handle, but the Soul Stone was a bit... tricky.
She could certainly put out a universal bounty, offering immense riches to sway the hearts of those desperate, deeply-in-love souls who would do anything for one another. But was that really the right way to go about it?
There were plenty of pairs willing to sacrifice their lives for their true love, and her bounty would undoubtedly help them in its own way, but could she actually go through with it?
"Asta, what's your take on the Soul Stone situation?"
Thinking of this, Herta dialed Asta's comms.
"Eh? Uh... maybe wait until Thanos gets it first?" Asta mused for a moment, offering an awkward answer after some deliberation.
Herta then threw the question to her group chat.
[Amber: It's a bit unethical... but it seems like waiting for Thanos to grab it is our only choice... or should I head over there myself?]
[Castorice: Hmm... if it must be built upon sacrifice, perhaps we could use a 'self' soul as the offering. After all, we have an essentially infinite supply of ourselves.]
As expected, Amber's words wouldn't lead to the same choice Herta might make.
Herta's expression remained unchanged, but internally, she noted the shift in her own perspective.
Fine, she would wait for Thanos to bring the Soul Stone to her.
As for how to let Thanos know its location... that wouldn't be hard at all. She just needed to bring the Nebula from the original parallel universe here. By letting the two Nebulas synchronize their memories just like in the original timeline, Thanos would naturally discover where the Soul Stone was hidden.
Fetching that Nebula and ensuring Thanos didn't see anything he wasn't supposed to was child's play for a genius.
When the Future Tony and his crew had returned the stones, that brief back-and-forth had allowed Herta to snag the coordinates of their parallel universe. Popping over to grab someone was hardly an effort.
But... now wasn't the time.
Thanos was likely anxious, but not desperate enough yet. Only when he was cornered and without options would she let him see Nebula's memories. That was the only way to ensure he would pursue the Soul Stone.
After all, at that point, Thanos wouldn't know that she already knew the location.
He would believe that the intel and the power of the Soul Stone were his alone.
Whether it was to stop her from eventually completing the set or to stage a desperate comeback, Thanos wouldn't be able to resist the lure of the Soul Stone.
With that step settled, the next objective was obvious: the Power Stone on Xandar.
Having made her decision, Herta explained her thoughts to Asta. Later, once the Avengers emerged from the Simulated Universe, she summoned everyone.
The Avengers had seen significant growth during this period. Thor, in particular, who had received a percentage-based boost from some equipment, couldn't wipe the grin off his face.
"Did you need us for something, Madam Herta?"
As the leader of the Avengers, Rogers was naturally the first to speak.
"I have two things to announce," Herta said, her arms crossed, her tone steady and unhurried. "I'm quite satisfied with your exploration of the Simulated Universe. Because of that, I've added some new items to the Herta Store. They should prove useful for your development."
At those words, everyone's eyes lit up.
They had spent this time experiencing all sorts of worldviews across different realms, gaining a wealth of knowledge and combat experience. Aside from a few tragedies they were powerless to change, testing the Simulated Universe had become an enjoyable part of their daily routine.
It was fun, it helped others, and there were rewards—the Simulated Universe had become an essential part of life for the Avengers.
"The second matter is..."
Herta was only halfway through her sentence when the lab door hissed open.
Then, Asta's voice rang out.
"Madam Herta!" Asta rushed in, her face etched with urgency. She faltered for a second upon seeing the Avengers there, but quickly pressed on.
"I have an urgent matter that needs your immediate attention!"
As she spoke, she handed her terminal over to Herta.
The Avengers were left in a state of confusion and shock.
In their memory, they had never seen Asta lose her composure like this. Even when they were trapped in Asgard, or earlier when they were forced into an emergency landing after being caught in a battlefield, Asta had never looked this rattled.
Just what had happened?
The confusion on the Avengers' faces quickly turned to grim focus, and their surprise hardened into resolve.
Through their time spent together, they had come to view Asta as a friend.
Herta might not be as easygoing as Asta, and the Simulated Universe was technically a business transaction, but the benefits they received were real.
Besides, Herta was really only "difficult" toward Asta; in truth, they had never been given a hard time by Herta at all.
Just like Thor, if Herta or Asta were in trouble, they wouldn't just stand by and watch.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.