Chapter 58: Ripples into Waves
Just as Benjamin was wondering where she picked up such things, he heard her mutter.
âHmm, it doesnât sound as cool as I thought it would. Should I have spoken it in Japanese?â
â...â
So she really has been watching animes!
Death noticed his look and rolled her eyes.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âWhat? I was bored at home and decided to try out the internet. I must say, although you humans are very weak, human imagination is something else. Especially Japanese animes are very interesting.â
Then she tilted her head.
âHowever, what is it with trucks that they must keep running over the main characters and then reincarnate them in a different world? Do trucks hold that kind of power here?â
âOf course not!...I think.â
Benjamin faltered a bit.
After all, this Marvel universe is just fiction from his original world. Who knows what kind of nonsense worlds are out there?
At this moment, the Aether has been fully extracted from Jane as she collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.
Thor tossed Malekith at the side and quickly ran over to Jane to comfort her.
The Aether hovered around Death obediently as if waiting for her orders.
Death closed her stretched-out hand into a fist and suddenly, the Aether began to compact itself, turning into a beautiful ruby stone.
Now itâs finally worthy of its name, the Reality Stone!
Death didnât even glance at it for more than a second and just tossed it to Benjamin.
âTake it. However, I advise not using this one. This is the Reality Stone of this universe. Although Iâm unfamiliar with the Infinity Stones of other universes, there is a chance a conflict will happen if you were to use them together.â
â...I got it.â
Benjamin simply answered. Anyway, he was never gonna use it.
This worldâs Infinity Stones have so many drawbacks and unknown effects or consequences. He didnât want to risk it. The Systemâs Infinity Stones are more reliable.
[Of course! The System is the most powerful!]
Yes yes, all hail the great System.
[Incidently, if you had placed this Reality Stone onto your Infinity Crown, the whole of reality will break and this universe may start to merge with your old universe. This is because the laws that are in place in the Infinity Stones will conflict with one another and a âcorrectionâ will occur to fix the conflict. Itâs estimated that 90% of the whole universe population on both sides will die from the cataclysm.]
â¦
Benjamin broke into a cold sweat.
All sorts of curious thoughts as to what will happen if he uses this stone are now gone from his mind.
He no longer dared to even think about it!
Benjamin quickly shoved the Reality Stone inside his Inventory.
Heâll think of what to do with it later.
Maybe I can give it to Wanda?
Benjamin thought for a moment then shook his head.
Wanda still hasnât fully explored her powers, itâs best to wait it out for now.
Benjamin had planned before about entrusting the various Infinity Stones to specific people and being the one who forms the Illuminati in this world.
After all, itâs kind of a waste if he just let them collect dust in his Inventory.
While Benjamin was thinking of such things, another figure appeared in the room.
Looking over, Benjamin saw an old man with a gold eyepatch on his right eye holding a long golden spear.
This must be Odin.
âFrigga!â
Upon entering, Odin immediately saw his wife collapse on the ground in front of Benjamin and instantly appeared beside her to hold her up.
As soon as he touched her, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Goodâ¦sheâs still aliveâ¦I wasnât lateâ¦
He doesnât know what he would do if he didnât make it in time and Frigga dies.
But heâs sure of one thing. A lot of people will die if that had happened.
Even if he had to burn his small remaining lifespanâ¦heâll do whatever it takes to get revenge!
But it was a good thing that Frigga is alive. This let Odin calm down a bit more.
He looked up and saw Benjamin and was confused about who this person was.
Benjamin smiled and introduced himself.
âGreetings, Odin, Son of Bor. I am Benjamin Freed of Earth. I came to assist your people along with a few others.â
âBenjamin Freedâ¦is it? I can sense divinity within you. Are you a new god?â
Divinityâ¦was it because of the God of Nature skill?
Benjamin nodded.
âYes. I have some control over Nature.â
Benjamin suddenly pointed at the side and a tree trunk sprouted from the ground, immediately wrapping itself on Malekith and the large dark elf who were trying to escape while they were talking.
In just a second, the two of them were planted inside a large tree with only their heads stuck out of the tree trunk.
Finally remembering about them, Thor quickly explained.
âFather! They were the ones responsible for the attack! He called himself Malekith! They were after the Aether that was inside Janeâs body and nearly killed mother! Thankfully, Ben arrived in time and healed her, otherwiseâ¦â
A cold gleam appeared in Odinâs one eye when he heard that his wife nearly died.
However, he still restrained himself and turned to Benjamin.
âBenjamin Freed, God of Nature. I thank you for saving my wife and for your assistance.â
âIt was nothing. I would appreciate it if you turn a blind eye to our trespassing this time.â
Odin nodded.
âIt was an emergency so it canât be helped. However, in the future, I would not mind you visiting Asgard anytime you wish. These halls shall be forever open to you.â
âThanks.â
Odin then turned to Death who was silently standing at the side, not caring about anyone.
Odinâs eye widened in shock.
âThis isâ¦â
Just as he could sense a trace of divinity in Benjamin, he felt something far far worse in the child.
Something dark and dreadful.
As if he was looking at Death itself!
Benjamin coughed and quickly pulled Death behind him.
âJust a kid Iâm looking after. Donât mind her.â
âHmph.â
Death pouted but didnât bother saying anything.
She felt it was beneath her to keep explaining and introducing herself.
âWell then, weâll go check on the others and be on our wayâ¦â
Benjamin didnât want to stay any longer in case something bad happens and Death decides to kill everyone or something.
Although he feels like he can trust her character, there may still be some unknown variables in play and he didnât want to risk it.
In any case, the situation has been more or less resolved. There was no need to stay any longer.
Thor saw that they were leaving and quickly called out.
âAh! Canât you stay for the banquet at least? We shall hold a feast to celebrate our victory!â
Benjamin hesitated for a moment. After all, he was quite curious about Asgard cuisines too. But there was still the matter of Deathâ¦
Suddenly, Death turned in a direction somewhere and hummed as if she found something interesting.
She then turned to Benjamin and spoke.
âI think I saw something interesting. Iâll be off first. You go deal with your own things.â
âAh? Wai-â
Before Benjamin could stop her, she already disappeared somewhere.
Benjamin felt even more nervous.
This girlâ¦what is she up to now?
No, this canât keep happening. I need to do something!
Suddenly, an idea struck his mind.
Doesnât she like animes? Then she should surely like games too right?
I can let her try out the VR games we make and turn her into a full-blown shut-in! To the point where she wouldnât want to leave her room!
Operation: Turn Death into a Shut-in is a go!
[...Host, donât forget you still have the quest to court Death. At this rate, Death might fall in love with 2D characters instead!]
That wonât happenâ¦.probably.
Benjamin decided not to think about it and just hope for the best.
Meanwhile.
In a certain corner of the Nine Realms sat a dark and cold place with a single throne. Sitting on it was a woman with jet-black hair that dropped all the way to her bountiful chest.
She wore black and dark green slim armor around her body that highlighted her curves.
Her expression was one filled with hatred.
Hatred to her own father who trapped her in this realm for eternity.
She was known as Hela. The God of Death. Ruler of Hel.
At this moment, she was waitingâ¦waiting for that old geezer father of hers to finally croak and be free!
Once he dies, she will finally take her rightful place in Asgard as its Queen!
As for those so-called brothers of hers, they were nothing in her eyes.
This day was just like any other day.
Waitingâ¦patientlyâ¦
But suddenly, a figure appeared in front of her without warning.
Aâ¦child?
Noâ¦this powerâ¦she was all too familiar with itâ¦
It was the power of Death!
The child looked at her and smiled.
âYou must be Hela. I am Death.â
Hela quickly stood up and knelt in front of Death.
Although she didnât recognize her, the power of Death within the child far surpassed her own!
She may just very well be Death itself!
Hela knew her standing so she didnât try anything rash and simply knelt down.
Death smiled and nodded.
âIt has been millions of years since I finally had an apostle of my own. Youâre quite suitable for the job. How about it, do you accept to be my apostle?â
Helaâs mind quickly thought of a lot of things in a second and answered.
âI am willing! Howeverâ¦I am currently trapped in this place. Iâm afraid I canât serve you just yet.â
Death rolled her eyes.
âDonât think I donât know what youâre thinking. I am not going to intervene in your revenge. And I also advise you not to do so. Odin is already near his endâ¦unless Ben decides to do something about it. Of which there will be nothing we can do. Anyway, you do not need to mind this small trap. I can just bring you with me.â
Hela fell silent.
Just now, it feels like Death said a lot of things that were a bit hard to understand.
Whoâs Ben? Why did she mention him? Why is she also powerless against him? Why would such a being help Odin?
Hela didnât understand. But she knew better than to keep asking questions at this time.
âAs long as I can leave this place, Iâm willing to serve Death.â
âGood! Then, you shall be my maid- ahem- apostle from now on!â
â...â
Did she just say maid?
No, Iâm probably imagining things.
Just like that, Death waved her little hand and sucked Hela into the Soul Stone with her.
And just like thatâ¦Benjamin gained yet another powerful tenant in his Soul Stoneâ¦
Unlike with Death, there was no need to split Helaâs soul since she was only trapped in this place so she remained whole. Otherwise, Benjamin wouldâve needed to deal with two lolis capable of destroying the worldâ¦
Just thinking about it can send shivers down their spine.
Back in Asgard, Odin naturally sensed Hela disappearing in Hel.
He looked to the horizon and sighed.
âIs this fate? How come it seems different from what that bald woman told me will happenâ¦â
He wanted to immediately deal with Hela butâ¦he was afraid of the child from before.
That child was all too powerful for him. Even if he rallies all the gods in Omnipotence City, they will still all die if they fight her.
Whatever, whatâs done is doneâ¦he can only try to solve any problems when it comes.
Odin wasnât the only one confused about this matter.
Earth, Kamar-Taj.
A bald woman in yellow robes had her eyes closed and sat cross-legged while floating.
Strapped on her neck was a necklace with an eye. At the center of the eye was an orb that glowed green.
The bald woman had both hands making a sign on both sides of this eye and a green magical circle appeared on her wrists.
After a while, the bald woman sighed and stopped her magic.
âWeirdâ¦this is too weirdâ¦the timelineâs changed completelyâ¦and something is blocking me from looking further in the futureâ¦just what is happening here?â
This bald woman was none other than the current Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One.
For a while now, she had been used to looking into the future and planning for a better outcome one step at a time. But now, the future is all murky and hidden from her.
Even with the Time Stone, she is unable to look into it.
Something that even an Infinity Stone can blockâ¦must be another Infinity Stone!
Butâ¦there canât be two Time Stonesâ¦right?
The next moment, she put one of her hands in her sleeve and pulled out a magical deviceâ¦no, a smart phone.
Checking on the news, she looked at the one thing that was unknown to her before.
[Benjamin Freed - Captain of the newly established EPD!]
âBenjamin Freedâ¦this person isnât supposed to appear in the future that I knowâ¦there must be something about him.â
The Ancient One sighed.
âIt seems I need to make a trip to New York.â
Meanwhile, in an unknown location.
Several people were looking at a retro screen with a yellow line in the middle.
From time to time, branches would occur now and then but would suddenly disappear and revert back to normal.
A white-haired man scratched his hair in confusion.
Beside her, a woman asked him.
âMobius, what do you make of this?â
âYou ask me, who do I ask? Besides, canât you ask the Time Keeper, Ravonna?â
âI did but they wonât answer.â
Ravonna sighed.
Mobius just shrugged.
âThen thereâs nothing we can do. As I see it, itâs not causing any problems in the sacred timeline. As long as it doesnât go past the red line, allâs well and good, right?â
â...Fine. Just tell me if something happens.â
These people were the Time Variance Authority, in charge of maintaining the sacred timeline and preventing branches from occurring, hence maintaining a single timeline.
The branches they saw that keeps glitching out were none other than Benjamin himself of course.
As for why it reverts back to normalâ¦well, it was naturally thanks to the System.
All of his actions were converted to be part of the sacred timeline.
Thatâs why, even though he keeps changing the timeline, no TVA shows up at his doorstep to prune him.
At the same time, in a certain location.
A man looked at the timeline in confusion.
It was He Who Remains.
He just sat there in utter confusion, looking at the script that he had âsupposedlyâ written for the timeline and finding new entries popping up now and then.
â...What the multiversal shit is going on!?â
At this moment, Benjamin was still unaware of the ripples that followed from his actions and is currently having a feast in Asgard while laughing without a care in the worldâ¦
Time would surely turn those ripples into waves.
As for whether he will drown on it or ride on itâ¦is a story for another time.