Most symbiotes bowed their heads in submission, but a small fraction, unwilling to relinquish their freedom, fled frantically in all directions.
Adam understood their defiance and even commended their noble resolve to resist a mighty god. Nonetheless, he issued a decree to all Xenomorphs: henceforth, any symbiote not under his command was to be exterminated.
"The escaped symbiotes number at least eighteen million, not counting the scattered ones across the universe. A full-scale hunt would require immense resources, wouldn't it?" Moira asked, puzzled.
Adam displayed great patience with Moira. "Most symbiotes align with justice, driven by noble traits like kindness, courage, and sacrifice. That's why they rebelled against Knull's control. But a tiny minority have evil etched into their core, seizing every chance for slaughter and destruction."
Adam extended his gaze, watching the fleeing symbiotes in the void. "I can't discern the nature of those who reject me, but by refusing, they must bear the consequences. I'll assume they're malevolent symbiotes and eliminate them."
Crucially, the Xenomorph legion wouldn't waste energy chasing these symbiotes across the cosmos. The escapees could not flee the Yggdrasil.
The Yggdrasil had but one supreme god: Adam.
His terrifying divine power surged once more, shaking the Nine Realms and rattling countless stars.
Chains of divine energy swept through, obliterating every rogue symbiote in their path.
In that moment, even those symbiotes who returned to pledge loyalty to Adam were too late, slain without mercy.
This instilled deep fear in the symbiotes who had aligned with Adam from the start.
But after this act, the vast divine power within Adam began to show signs of dissipation.
Adam refused to embrace the identity of a Yggdrasil god. He had merely used the Those Who Sit Above In Shadow' divine power as a temporary tool.
Gods closely monitoring Adam immediately noticed his rapid weakening.
"What… is he doing? Voluntarily shedding the Yggdrasil's divine power? Abandoning his godhood?"
"Has he lost his mind? He just defeated a formidable foe, cementing his place in the universe, and now he's demoting himself? It's as if he's inviting enemies to attack."
"Or perhaps it's deliberate, baiting other Cosmic Beings to challenge him so he can crush another…"
"It's possible the Yggdrasil's power has flaws. I don't know what Knull uncovered, but there's a reason Adam ascended to an unprecedented Yggdrasil god so swiftly."
Countless eyes scrutinized Adam, the universe's mightiest beings eager to understand how he had leapt to Cosmic Beinghood and why he would forsake such power. Was it a forced sacrifice due to some hidden cost, or did he have another motive?
If Adam truly lost his divine power, falling from single-universe godhood, it might open a window for audacious Cosmic Beings to strike.
All were intrigued by Adam, his Xenomorphs, and especially the one capable of sealing Knull. Even gods craved to explore the unknown.
But none were more elated than the Those Who Sit Above In Shadow.
They were genuinely overjoyed, praising Adam's integrity and marveling at his nobility.
He had taken their Yggdrasil power, bravely faced Knull, saved the Yggdrasil, and now, with lofty pride, relinquished that power.
"Adam's character is truly noble. No wonder he was so defiant when he spoke to us, he never intended to keep this power. He was merely borrowing it."
"I feared he'd defeat Knull, refuse to return our power, and use it against us to seize control of the Yggdrasil. We misjudged him."
"It's a bit foolish, but undeniably the best outcome for us."
The Those Who Sit Above In Shadow lauded Adam, eagerly watching as he stripped the boundless divine power from his being, hoping he'd discard it like refuse for them to reclaim.
But Adam did not comply.
He shed the power but did not fully release it, clutching it tightly. He even summoned one of his lieutenants.
Jane Foster, the Mighty Thor.
Wielding Mjolnir, the Goddess of Thunder stood before him, her face alight with awe and exhilaration.
She faced a god, a being at the universe's pinnacle, wielding cosmic laws, whose power could ripple across countless galaxies and shatter space-time. It was mesmerizing.
As a mortal, Foster would have admired Adam but lacked a clear grasp of his true might.
But as the Mighty Thor, tied to the Yggdrasil's system, she understood Adam's immense power more profoundly.
Foster could even claim she had witnessed Adam's ascent to Cosmic Beinghood step by step.
"What do you need me to do?"
Jane Foster stole a quick glance at Adam, bathed in endless divine radiance, then swiftly lowered her head, speaking with reverence.
"Foster, among all my lieutenants who tread the path of divine power, you stand at the forefront. From now on, you are a true god. I will grant you a portion of the Yggdrasil's authority."
"What… you're giving me the power you wield? But then, won't you, "
"Don't worry about me. The powers you possess, I can wield as well. But the reverse isn't true, my powers aren't always at your disposal. My strength has never relied on any single force."
Adam's divine aura was fading, making him appear once more like an ordinary human. Yet even the mightiest Cosmic Beings recognized the terrifying intellect and power within him. God or not, no cosmic deity could underestimate him.
"Besides, you underestimate me. I don't place my faith in external forces, nor do I see them as the core of my existence."
What was it like to be a Cosmic Being? Adam would admit it was intoxicating, the ability to parse billions of data points in an instant, to pierce the veils of countless worlds was utterly captivating.
To step into single-universe godhood, matching an entire cosmos with one's own might, carried a weight few could fathom.
But Adam refused to indulge in it. He had grander ambitions, loftier goals. Even the easily attainable rank of Cosmic Being could be shed, bestowed upon a Xenomorph. Should the need arise, he could dispatch that empowered Xenomorph into battle or use astral projection to transfer his soul, taking control himself.
After all, single-universe power could be discarded but never wasted, nor entrusted to those with ulterior motives.
Jane Foster's divine forces had always been outmatched by Reynolds' superhuman troops. That concern was now obsolete.
Foster, Laufey's Xenomorph, Scorch… those wielding the Yggdrasil's divine power, granted Adam's authority, would experience an explosive leap, instantly ascending to new realms.
"This is the optimal outcome. Should another fool challenge me, I can consolidate all their powers into myself for use. Whenever I wish, I can be a Cosmic Being. As for someone attempting a decapitation strike on my true self…"
Adam shook his head, chuckling. A decapitation strike? He was fearless.
Everything the Xenomorphs possessed, no matter what, ultimately belonged to Adam.
The Those Who Sit Above In Shadow, however, were left dumbfounded, their hopes dashed. Adam had feinted at relinquishing the power, only to retain it, passing it to his subordinates rather than returning even a fraction to them.
"Adam, we lent you that power."
"It's the Yggdrasil's authority, not your personal property. You should return it to us."
The Those Who Sit Above In Shadow, unwilling to give up, tried to salvage their claim.
Adam responded with mock surprise. "Power? What power?"
"The divine power we lent you."
"What divine power? That's Foster's power, and the power of my many Xenomorphs on the divine path. What does it have to do with you? Why should I return what was earned through ability?"
The Those Who Sit Above In Shadow fell silent. Adam refused to yield, and they were powerless. They could no longer muster a single-universe god, and even if they did, it might not defeat Adam. The worst outcome would be Adam turning the tables, transforming them into Xenomorphs on the spot.
Massive figures writhed in the shadows, forced to watch as Foster and Adam's forces brazenly divided the divine power that was once theirs, helpless to act.
"Asgard faces Ragnarök soon. You should be its harbinger, your destined role." One of Those Who Sit Above In Shadow ventured, attempting to draw Adam into their fold.
Adam ignored them entirely.
Ragnarök? Even if he could consume all the apocalyptic energy it unleashed, what of it? He assessed the meager gains and dismissed the notion as trivial.
The Those Who Sit Above In Shadow' hearts bled, their domain roiling, yet ultimately stilling.
Beyond Adam, no one knew of these Those Who Sit Above In Shadow' existence.
As for the impending Ragnarök, how they would drive it forward was no longer Adam's concern.
The Yggdrasil gradually calmed.
Godly armies from various realms retreated to their domains, wary of drawing Adam's attention at this critical juncture.
"What a fascinating figure, refusing to be a Yggdrasil god? He must have found a stronger, more reliable path." Queen Sindr mused, her fiery eyes tracking Adam's departing figure, trailed by a tide of countless symbiotes.
That such a being hailed from Midgard, a world of mortals, was extraordinary. The Yggdrasil had never seen such a thing.
One truth was certain: from this moment, the Yggdrasil harbored a figure far more ferocious than Odin ever was. If Adam willed it, he could annihilate both person and world alike.
...
Earth.
Adam returned to his residence, the clamor of the cosmos and the myriad thoughts crisscrossing the universe insufficient to capture his attention.
"So, it seems we can finally have a proper talk, Knull, the evil god… Across the entire universe, I'm likely the only one still willing to call you a god." Adam closed his eyes, sensing the stirrings within the Abyss dimension.
Under Moira's mechanism, Knull was trapped in an endless cycle, raging impotently. He had yet to find a way to escape, fully imprisoned.
"How long has it been out there, you wretch? This cursed place has no concept of time, everything just keeps resetting!"
"Don't be angry. At least your cognition and memories remain intact, thanks to your status as a Cosmic Being. But then again, if you weren't a Cosmic Being, you wouldn't have been worth sending Moira to defeat."
A single-universe god wouldn't be easily subdued by a force capable of affecting an entire cosmos, but escaping was equally impossible. If a universe could be influenced, how could a Cosmic Being, its equal, remain unaffected?
Adam observed the struggling Knull. "By the physical universe's measure, only a few minutes have passed since your defeat and sealing. I've granted you this brief 'freedom.' Now, it's time for you to serve me."
Adam set to work, deploying a vast cluster of consciousness to thoroughly dominate the Abyss dimension, ensuring every remote corner was irrevocably under his control.
As for Knull? Let him cycle endlessly within Moira's unmatched mechanism.
"Is this why you captured me? To turn my Abyss into your soul world?" Knull roared, enduring yet another reset, burdened with memories of countless cycles.
"Rest assured, you'll have a place here. As an amalgam of the Abyss, you'll wallow in eternal torment. Even eons from now, my servants will hear your curses and screams, a perfect seasoning."
From the perspective of his consciousness, Adam surveyed the countless Xenomorphs scattered throughout the Abyss.
Not only the living Xenomorphs but also the traces of those long dead began to slowly revive in this world firmly under Adam's command.
Dead, yet alive, bypassing death, evading the eternity of time itself.
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