Black Widow had only known Richard for three days, but she was not an ordinary woman. She was one of the most experienced agents on Earth. More importantly, she had spent several nights in close proximity to him. She could read people quickly.
If she couldn't tell that he disliked Captain America Rogers, she wouldn't deserve her reputation.
"I don't have a problem with him," Richard said calmly in the Quinjet cockpit. "I just don't like him. And in my universe, I killed him."
Natasha's brows drew together immediately.
In this world, Rogers had been old-fashioned, stubborn, sometimes rigid—but dependable. As a teammate, he was reassuring. You never had to worry about betrayal.
"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why did you kill your Rogers?"
"Stance," Richard replied. "And personal dislike."
He didn't elaborate.
Everyone had their own worldview. Explaining it would not change hers. To him, Rogers represented a kind of moral absolutism he had no interest in tolerating.
Natasha studied him for a moment longer, then let it go.
"All right."
The Quinjet returned to New York in less than thirty minutes.
…
Another week passed.
Richard did not wait idly for Spider-Man and Ant-Man to complete their super-zombie tracker. While they worked, he acted.
He traveled to Kamar-Taj alone and retrieved the Eye of Agamotto, securing the Time Stone. He emptied the mystical library into system space for later study. The Sorcerer Supreme was long dead; resistance was nonexistent.
He then crossed half the United States searching for this universe's Cosmic Cube.
That search was less successful.
Despite extensive telepathic sweeps and detector scans, he failed to locate it.
Still, he did not return empty-handed.
Along the way, he eliminated multiple "super zombies"—Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, the Human Torch, members of the Black Order, Abomination. When dealing with Reed and Johnny, he brought Invisible Woman and the Thing so they could witness the end and hold a small funeral afterward.
He did not notify anyone when killing the others.
He also made a deliberate trip to Sokovia and neighboring regions to confirm whether Wanda and Pietro existed in this universe. He found no trace of zombie Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver.
Back in New York, reconstruction accelerated.
With the underground base as the center, nearby streets slowly regained life. Survivors from other cities migrated inward. Markets reopened in crude form. Patrol routes stabilized.
It would take decades to restore pre-apocalypse New York—but a structured human society had reemerged.
Richard paid little attention to the rebuilding.
He cared about three things.
Zombie Thanos.
The Cosmic Cube.
Invisible Woman.
Of the three, the third was currently the most accessible.
After helping Sue hold funerals for Reed and Johnny, their emotional distance narrowed. She carried grief now—a quiet widow's air that hadn't existed before. It made her guarded but also vulnerable.
He was patient.
He had time.
…
Inside the underground base conference room, Falcon, Black Panther, War Machine, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Sharon Carter, and Invisible Woman discussed reconstruction plans.
Richard was absent.
He remained in a laboratory, examining the Mind Stone Scepter and the Eye of Agamotto. He did not remove the gems from their housings. Without an Infinity Gauntlet, separating them was unnecessary risk.
He confirmed again that he could absorb their energy freely if required.
Satisfied, he stored both artifacts and stepped out of the lab.
He had barely taken a few steps when the ground trembled violently.
Boom.
The entire base shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. Buildings above rattled.
Without hesitation, Richard teleported into the sky thousands of meters above the city.
He scanned.
And saw him.
Zombie Thanos stood in the distance on a shattered street.
On his left hand gleamed the Infinity Gauntlet—with the Space Stone embedded.
Armor intact.
Double-edged blade in his right hand.
Behind him stood ranks of infected Chitauri and Vanguards.
In the sky beyond, several Leviathans drifted like massive undead whales.
Richard frowned.
The Chitauri and Vanguards had died during the original invasion. Yet here they were, animated.
The virus had evolved.
Not only were super zombies retaining combat skill and fragments of rationality—they were stronger than before. Even ordinary infected now moved in coordinated packs rather than aimless swarms.
Thanos looked up.
Their gazes locked across distance.
Despite decay, the aura remained.
Dominant. Commanding.
Richard sent a telepathic message to the others.
"Zombie Thanos is here. With an army."
Moments later, Black Widow and the others emerged onto rooftops.
They saw the Chitauri horde encircling blocks of the city.
"Can you clear them like last time?" Natasha asked.
"Yes," Richard replied. "But then you deal with Thanos."
Invisible Woman answered immediately. "We'll handle the army. You take him."
"No problem."
He summoned the authentic Yama Sword.
Then, with controlled magic, his clothing shifted.
Casual wear dissolved into a long black windbreaker and silver shoulder armor—the attire of Sephiroth.
His presence changed instantly.
No longer relaxed.
Now he radiated cold divinity.
Spider-Man stared, awestruck.
Richard vanished.
He reappeared directly before Thanos, blade pointed forward.
"I've wanted this fight," Richard said calmly. "I don't know how much of you remains—but I've been waiting."
Thanos responded immediately.
He clenched his gauntleted fist.
A blue beam—pure Space Stone energy—erupted toward Richard.
Richard lifted his blade.
Eight Swords Flash.
Eight precise slashes shredded the incoming beam, dispersing portions into harmless dissipation while others deflected into buildings behind him.
Thanos ceased ranged fire instantly.
Then he charged.
The ground cracked under each step.
Within seconds, the Mad Titan closed the distance and brought his double-edged blade down with overwhelming force.
Richard did not retreat.
He swung.
Clang.
The Yama Sword met the Titan's weapon in a deafening collision.
A shockwave exploded outward from the point of impact, rippling visibly through the air and slamming into both combatants without discrimination.
The battle had begun.
.....
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