"Let's hope Arishem will be willing to give you that much face."
Raven glanced at Alex with an expectant look and sighed softly.
"My face may not be worth that much."
Alex shook his head with a faint smile.
In the end, it still came down to strength.
If Alex could defeat Galactus relying solely on his own power—without the Infinity Stones—then Arishem's attitude toward him would be completely different.
His bargaining power in negotiations would naturally be much greater, perhaps even leaving little room for doubt.
After all, that would place Alex squarely at the level of the Five Abstract Entities.
But as things stood now—
He could only take things one step at a time.
…
After leaving Krakoa, Ajak looked positively radiant, her entire demeanor completely different from when she'd arrived.
Only she knew how many sleepless days she'd spent worrying over Tiamut's situation.
To her, this problem had once seemed utterly unsolvable.
As someone who had followed Arishem for hundreds of thousands of years, no one understood better than she did how crucial the Emergence was.
Ensuring the smooth completion of the Emergence was their one and only mission.
And yet now, what Ajak intended to do—
Was to stop an Emergence.
Inviting Homelander to intervene was the most promising option among all her contingency plans.
And now, that highest-probability plan had successfully taken its very first step.
Ajak felt as though even her footsteps had become lighter.
Returning to her secluded little home in high spirits, the first thing she did was contact Arishem.
Whoosh!
Her vision blurred, and she found herself standing in a boundless cosmic void.
Before her loomed a colossal figure, vast as a star itself—
Profound, distant, and unfathomable.
Like the universe incarnate.
One could not help but feel awe.
There was no doubt—
It was Arishem.
"Ajak! Why have you come?"
Arishem's six-faced visage looked down upon her as he asked coldly.
Under normal circumstances, it was he who issued commands directly to Ajak.
She rarely initiated contact—unless something truly significant had occurred.
"There is a matter that has exceeded the Eternals' capacity to handle."
"Tiamut has been detected by Homelander. He also knows that once Tiamut emerges, the entire Earth will be destroyed."
Ajak delivered the explanation she had prepared in advance.
Though it was the truth, it was framed with subtle guidance.
Arishem showed no surprise.
Someone of Homelander's level detecting Tiamut within Earth was not strange.
Realizing that Tiamut was absorbing the planet's life energy was equally unsurprising.
"What does Homelander intend to do?"
Arishem asked bluntly.
"He wishes to speak with you."
After saying this, Ajak maintained her composure outwardly, though inwardly she felt a trace of nervousness.
"Arrange it."
After a brief pause, Arishem agreed.
"I understand."
Ajak replied, suppressing her excitement.
From here on, all she needed to do was coordinate the timing of the "talk" with Homelander, and her task would be complete.
As for the outcome of that discussion—
That was beyond her control.
Just as she was about to head out and finalize matters with Alex, Ajak paused in surprise as she stepped outside.
Hovering in midair was a man, looking down at her from above.
Ikaris.
The strongest warrior among their branch of the Eternals.
At this moment, however, he wasn't here to fight.
He had come at Ajak's invitation—to visit her home.
In his arms were beer, grilled meat, and other food supplies.
Seeing this, Ajak couldn't help but smile.
"Ajak, I'm here."
Like a feather, Ikaris gently floated down from the sky, landing before her.
"It must have been over a hundred years since we last met, right?"
Ajak looked him over with a sense of nostalgia.
Since their group of Eternals had disbanded a thousand years ago, each of them had gone their separate ways across Earth, largely cutting off contact.
Her last interaction with Ikaris had been more than a century ago.
Though for beings who lived hundreds of thousands of years, such a span was hardly significant.
"One hundred and twenty-three years."
Ikaris answered precisely.
"One hundred and twenty-three years, huh?"
Ajak smiled and gestured toward the house.
"Come in."
Ikaris followed her inside.
They didn't discuss serious matters right away.
Instead, like old friends reunited, they reminisced and chatted.
They even worked together to prepare a lavish lunch and enjoyed it thoroughly.
"Ikaris, you should have sensed it too—the time of the Emergence is drawing near."
Only after their pleasant reunion did Ajak turn serious.
"How many days are left?"
Ikaris nodded and asked.
He could sense Tiamut's imminent awakening, but only Ajak knew the exact timing.
"Twenty-seven days."
Ajak answered gravely.
Ikaris simply nodded, his expression calm.
They had assisted Arishem with many Emergences before—this wasn't anything unusual to him.
"Ikaris, we have to tell the others the truth."
Ajak suddenly said.
That's right.
Among the Eternals, only Ajak and Ikaris knew the full truth.
Everyone else had been kept in the dark.
"They won't be able to accept it. Sersi won't—she loves this world too much to face its destruction."
Ikaris shook his head.
"We must tell them. Listen to me—we have to stop the Emergence!"
Ajak clenched her teeth and revealed her plan, just as she had in the original timeline.
And this was precisely why she had summoned Ikaris.
No one could guarantee the outcome of Homelander's negotiations with Arishem.
With the Emergence date approaching, Ajak needed contingency plans.
"Ajak, what are you saying? Stop the Emergence?"
Ikaris looked utterly shocked.
Yet just as in the film, he was ultimately "convinced" by Ajak.
Believing him fully, Ajak also told him about her plan to facilitate talks between Alex and Arishem.
"If I can make this meeting happen, and if things go as I hope, that would be ideal."
"But Ikaris—we can't place all our hopes on Homelander."
"We must prepare other plans as well."
"It's time to gather everyone again."
Ajak said firmly.
"I trust you, Ajak. I will follow you as I always have."
Ikaris immediately declared his loyalty.
But what Ajak didn't know—
Was that a flicker of killing intent had already crossed Ikaris's mind.
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