Antigonus left.
Suspended in mid-air, Lin Huai lost his restraints; his body went limp, falling heavily onto the rubble-strewn ground.
But he couldn't spare a thought for the pain, merely sitting on the ground in a daze.
The final words of that ancient one echoed repeatedly in his mind.
"The only one you can trust is yourself."
The connection with Sefirah Castle had been severed.
That grayish-white fog, once his greatest reliance since crossing over, was now revealed to possibly be a trap.
Lin Huai felt an unprecedented emptiness, a sense of bewilderment coming from the depths of his soul.
He was like a Puppet whose strings had been cut, suspended in the air, not knowing where to go.
Marionette...
World...
Klein... Celestial Worthy...
It turned out that everything he had experienced might be fake.
The weary Fool, Klein, whom he had seen above Sefirah Castle—was he the real Klein, or the Celestial Worthy's disguise?
He couldn't distinguish anything anymore.
The only thing he knew was that his plan had to continue.
Regardless of whether what Antigonus said was true or false, and regardless of how many divine deceptions lay behind it.
That 'Purple Sweet Potato' and his Black Order were already threats close at hand.
Gathering the Infinity Stones was his only way to break the deadlock.
"Hey! Where's that Werewolf bastard? Could you guys not see me just now? I could see you, but I couldn't touch you! I couldn't hear what you were saying either."
A piercing scream cut through the surrounding silence, mixed with lingering fear and anger.
A ripple spread through the air, and Tony Stark's figure reappeared.
With Antigonus gone, the concealment applied by the Evernight Goddess lapsed, allowing him to reappear.
He scrambled up, wiped the dust off his face, and looked at the mess around him and his injured teammates.
His gaze finally landed on Lin Huai, who was sitting on the ground with hollow eyes.
"What happened? Lin Huai, that man just now—what did he do to you?"balance
"What on earth is going on?"
Hela also walked over, her expression exceptionally grave.
What had just happened was completely beyond the comprehension of her, the Goddess of Death.
Everyone's gaze focused on Lin Huai.
Lin Huai slowly raised his head, scanning the familiar and concerned faces.
Steve's worry, Banner's confusion, Natasha's scrutiny, and Hela's unabashed inquiry.
He took a deep breath, as if making a difficult decision.
"This isn't the place to talk."
Lin Huai stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and the confusion in his eyes was replaced by determination.
"Follow me."
He raised his left hand, which wore the Infinity Gauntlet.
The faint blue light emitted by the Space Stone instantly enveloped everyone.
In a flash of light, they collectively vanished from the ruined island and appeared in the luxurious living room on the top floor of Stark Tower.
The familiar, lavish environment slightly eased everyone's tension.
Lin Huai walked over to the liquor cabinet, poured a glass of whiskey, and downed it in one go.
The strong liquor burned his throat, but instead, it made his chaotic thoughts clear.
He turned around to lean against the bar, looking at the Avengers in the living room and Hela, who was scrutinizing everything like a queen.
"I know you have many questions."
Lin Huai's voice was somewhat raspy.
"Before I answer, I want to tell you who I am first."
He paused for a moment, seemingly organizing his words.
"I am not from this World; I come from a place you cannot understand."
"My appearance is the result of a higher-level game."
"To put it simply, I am a Marionette that has developed humanity—a prop."
He recounted the truth told to him by Antigonus, stripping away the complex concepts and speaking in a way everyone could understand.
From the confrontation between The Fool and the Celestial Worthy, to the birth and madness of himself as a Marionette in that World, and finally to being cast into a space-time rift by Klein to gain a new life in this World.
He spoke very calmly, as if telling a story that had nothing to do with him.
But his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
A long silence fell over the living room.
Everyone was stunned into silence by the story.
Lin Huai gave a self-deprecating smile.
He was prepared to face doubt, alienation, or even hostility.
After all, who would want to be teammates with a prop of unknown origin?
However, none of what he anticipated happened.
The first to speak was Steve.
The centenarian walked up to him, his gaze gentle and firm, without a hint of suspicion.
"So, you are also a poor soul caught in circumstances beyond your control."
Steve patted his shoulder.
"We don't care what you were in the past; we only know that you are Lin Huai."
"It was you who turned the tide in the Battle of New York, and it was you who saved us from crisis after crisis."
"You are our comrade-in-arms, and that's enough."
Natasha also walked over, her voice as calm as ever, yet carrying a reassuring strength.
"That's right."
"Tools have no feelings, but you do."
"You get angry for your friends and sad for the innocent."
"You aren't a tool, Lin Huai; you are a person."
"We're all the same, being pushed along by fate."
Dr. Banner pushed up his glasses and said gently.
"At least now, with your help, I have the chance to choose my own path."
Lin Huai was stunned.
He looked at the sincere faces, seeing the understanding and comfort in their eyes; a warm current surged in the depths of his cold soul.
It turned out that while he was lost in whether his identity was that of a Marionette, his friends had long since treated him as a real person.
"Hahahaha!"
A burst of laughter broke the tender atmosphere.
Tony Stark, holding a glass of wine, walked up to Lin Huai and sized him up like he was looking at a rare animal.
"So, your power system is like leveling up in a game? Seer, Joker, Magician... if you keep going up, what happens? You become a god?"
Lin Huai was silent for a moment, thinking of Antigonus, that Sequence 2 Miracle Invoker.
"Sequence 2 is called Miracle Invoker."
"Theoretically, one can realize any miracle that doesn't touch the underlying rules of the World."
"Or rather... wishes. So a Miracle Invoker is also known as the god of wishes."
"Wishes?!"
Tony's eyes instantly lit up.
"god of wishes? My god! That's way cooler than any Norse mythology!"
He suddenly leaned into Lin Huai's ear, his voice expectant yet tinged with a slight tremor.
"If... I mean if, one day you become that Miracle Invoker thing, could you... let me see my parents one more time?"
Tony's voice was very soft, yet it was like a giant boulder dropped into a calm lake.
Everyone present fell silent.
Steve subconsciously rubbed the pocket watch in his pocket, which contained a photo of a young Peggy Carter.
He spoke in a low voice, as if to himself and also to Lin Huai.
"If possible, I'd like to finish that missed dance."
Thor's eyes were full of sorrow, and he clenched his fists.
"I want to ask my father for guidance one more time on how to... become a true king."
Black Widow Natasha leaned against the window, looking at the night view outside, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
"I want to... obtain real love, or rather, redemption."
Hawkeye Clint leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh, looking very much like a corporate slave waiting to clock out.
"I just want to retire and go home to be with my wife and kids."
Only Loki stood in the corner, pursing his lips, wanting to speak but not doing so.
Lin Huai listened quietly.
Listening to these wishes, some grand and some small—these longings that belonged to humans.
He looked at the companions before him.
They hadn't distanced themselves because of his origins.
Instead, at his most bewildered moment, they revealed their most vulnerable and truest selves to him.
The severed Puppet strings brought not just emptiness and panic.
But also... freedom.
A freedom to truly live as Lin Huai.
He smiled.
This time, it wasn't a Faceless disguise, nor was it a Bizzaro Sorcerer's directorial smile.
It was a heartfelt, incredibly real smile.
"Okay."
He looked at everyone and solemnly made a promise.
"I promise you all."
"Definitely."