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[Superman] Chapter 190: Linking the Entire Multiverse?
🕑 Added 2024-08-11 06:46:18 +0000 UTC"In such a short time, more than a dozen universes have been destroyed?"
Peter nodded slowly, his expression serious.
The infinite multiverse is vast beyond measure, with each universe having its own distinct history and timeline. This also means that there is a possibility for a universe to be destroyed due to some unexpected event, just as the countless stars in the cosmic sky are not eternal.
However, for more than a dozen universes to be destroyed in such a short period is no ordinary occurrence. Moreover, before these universes collapsed, there were reports of strange energy fluctuations emanating from them.
This implies that...
"So, the destruction of these universes isn't just a rare, random event caused by the vastness of the multiverse."
"It's... deliberate!"
Peter's expression grew increasingly grim as he voiced his suspicion.
"That's right, sir. At first, we also thought it was just a coincidence. After all, with the infinite scale of the multiverse, even the rarest events are bound to happen eventually. But then, less than a few hours after the first universe collapsed, another universe experienced the same event, with an abnormal energy surge leading to its sudden destruction."
"At that point, we realized this might not be a coincidence, but rather the beginning of a massive crisis that could engulf the entire multiverse."
Reed, equally serious, agreed with Peter's assessment. They had long suspected that the destruction of these universes signaled the onset of a crisis that could sweep across the multiverse. Those collapsed universes were likely destroyed by some immensely powerful entity.
"But who could it be, destroying universes and the billions of lives within them without any apparent reason? And it's unlikely that an ordinary person would possess such terrifying power, capable of annihilating entire universes."
Due to this sudden crisis, nearly all council members had gathered to find the cause of the universe's destruction and a solution. These questions lingered in their minds, and despite days of relentless searching and exploration, they still hadn't identified the culprit behind the destruction.
The only valuable information they had gathered was that, before a universe collapsed, there was a unique and massive energy surge. Moreover, the rate of universe destruction hadn't slowed down; it had even accelerated. This left them feeling somewhat hopeless, as they couldn’t comprehend or counteract such a destructive force.
However, Peter's return had finally brought a glimmer of hope amidst their despair.
"Sir, could it be that the crisis you mentioned, one that would sweep across the infinite multiverse, has started earlier than expected?"
At that moment, nearly everyone recalled Peter's previous warning. He had already predicted that a multiverse-wide crisis could soon erupt.
"No, this isn’t the multiverse crisis I was referring to..."
Faced with their inquisitive gazes, Peter slowly shook his head, dismissing their speculation.
Peter had previously "predicted" the multiverse crisis due to the mysterious incursion of the DC Universe and the strange dark energy that didn’t belong to the Marvel multiverse. However, having witnessed firsthand the process of a singular universe's sudden destruction, Peter hadn’t detected any trace of that eerie dark energy.
This indicated that this mysterious crisis wasn’t caused by the DC Universe meddling in secret. Instead, it was a unique crisis originating within the Marvel multiverse itself.
...
"Damn it, what should we do now? Are we just supposed to sit back and watch as the infinite universes continuously explode like fireworks in the void, without knowing why?"
At that moment, when Peter denied their hopes, the faint glimmer of hope that had just risen in everyone's hearts began to fade away. The unknown existence possessing the terrifying power to destroy entire universes left these "ordinary people," who had only recently begun exploring the multiverse, feeling utterly helpless.
Even though the multiverse is vast beyond comprehension, with countless individual universes, the thought of their own universe being destroyed one day—without knowing when—left them with a sense of despair and powerlessness, like a sword hanging over their heads, ready to drop at any moment.
"No, it's not entirely hopeless..."
However, just as everyone was sinking into despair, Peter spoke up, offering a sliver of hope to those who were losing it.
"Mr. Superman, do you..."
The crowd, regaining some hope, looked at Peter with anticipation, waiting for him to continue. Yet their eyes also showed a trace of hesitation, fearing that the hope they had just found would turn into despair once again.
"In fact, after all this time exploring, you haven't come away empty-handed. You must have noticed that every time a universe was destroyed, there was a unique energy fluctuation beforehand..."
Peter didn't hesitate and slowly shared his thoughts.
"Mr. Superman, are you suggesting that we use this special energy fluctuation to locate the universe that's about to be destroyed and then go there to prevent its destruction?"
The people present were some of the smartest beings in their respective universes. Even before Peter finished speaking, they had already drawn the appropriate conclusion from his words. However, this realization made their hopeful expressions turn to despair once more.
"It's no use, Mr. Superman. We've known about this for a while. It was precisely by using this special energy fluctuation that we were able to pinpoint the universes on the verge of collapse and observe their complete destruction."
"But we couldn't find any pattern in these energy fluctuations that we could exploit."
"Moreover, the multiverse is so vast that energy transmission doesn't happen instantly across the entire multiverse. By the time we detect the energy fluctuation, that universe is already completely destroyed. We simply don't have time to stop it."
As the smartest beings in the universe, they had long noticed and utilized this characteristic of the collapsing universes. However, that only deepened their despair at Peter's words.
"Of course, it's not entirely impossible. If the universe about to be destroyed is close enough to ours, then there's a chance we could sense the energy fluctuation in time and rush to that universe to prevent its destruction..."
Reed from Peter's universe spoke up, suggesting a plan that could work under specific conditions. But this seemed almost impossible. Would they have to constantly monitor the energy fluctuations of nearby universes and then, after an unknown number of years, rush to stop the destruction of a universe the moment they detected an anomaly? Find out who was responsible for the cosmic extinction?
"We indeed cannot constantly monitor the entire multiverse for energy anomalies..."
However, faced with their doubts, Peter remained unfazed and continued speaking.
After a pause, seeing the hopeful expressions return to their eyes, Peter went on, "If we consider our universe as a single point, we can only monitor the energy fluctuations of universes within a limited range around us, giving us enough time to stop the destruction of that universe."
"But what if universes like ours, each serving as a focal point, were spread throughout the entire multiverse?"
Peter's voice was not loud, but it was like a thunderclap in their minds.
"Exactly, just like the neural network that forms the human brain, connecting the entire infinite multiverse into a special network. We could then detect which universe in the network is experiencing an energy anomaly in the shortest possible time."
"Then, we could rush to that universe at the fastest speed and prevent its destruction..."
Peter's words sparked an idea in Reed's mind, making him instantly grasp Peter's yet-unfinished plan.
"That's right. If we could truly connect the entire multiverse, or even just one-tenth or one-hundredth of it, we could quickly find out the real cause behind the chain reaction of universe extinctions."
Reed from another universe also realized that this approach could indeed work after a brief consideration.
"Although I hate to dampen everyone's enthusiasm, I must point out the fatal flaw in this plan..."
However, just as the majority of people were beginning to feel that this plan was feasible and their faces showed excitement, Reed from the zombie universe spoke up, his cold voice pouring cold water on their excitement.
"Have you considered how much energy would be required to connect an infinite number of universes across the entire multiverse?"
"Moreover, with our current technology, we simply cannot support such a massive project..."
"With our current technology, it would take decades, if not centuries, just to connect a few thousand nearby universes."
Reed from the zombie universe spoke calmly, but his words caused the smiles on their faces to fade, replaced by solemn and serious expressions.
The reason they hadn't expanded the council to include more members to fight against the impending multiverse crisis was that their technology and energy resources were insufficient to support such an endeavor.
Just opening the space-time passage connecting their five universes had already consumed an enormous amount of energy. If they wanted to connect more universes, even all the energy that could be produced on Earth combined wouldn't be enough to sustain it.
...
"Sigh, even though our technology has advanced to the point where we can comprehend the infinite multiverse, we’re still shackled by the most crucial resource: energy..."
Reed sighed deeply. Since Peter’s appearance, in just a few short years, Earth's progress had exceeded everyone's expectations. They could now construct human fleets capable of voyaging into the distant cosmos. They had even built multiverse shuttles that allowed exploration beyond their universe, making the creation of a universe-level council a reality.
But now, at this moment, energy—the foundation that supports all scientific development—continued to limit their progress.
"Yes, energy remains the fundamental issue that science cannot overcome," echoed the others with a sigh. A plan that might have solved the multiverse crisis was once again crossed off the list.
"Heh, energy isn’t the problem, nor is more advanced technology..."
While everyone else was sighing, Peter suddenly broke into a smile. Fortunately, during his recent trip to the DC Universe, he hadn’t rushed back. Now, he had obtained the most crucial and essential thing to save the entire multiverse.
"Mr. Superman, can you really solve the problems of energy and technology?"
All eyes turned to Peter once again. The constant shifts between hope and despair had left everyone’s emotions in turmoil. At this point, some even doubted Peter's words. After all, how could the energy issue be resolved so quickly?
"In fact, our universe already possesses supreme artifacts that contain near-infinite energy, such as the Infinity Stones…"
"However, each Infinity Stone only contains a specific type of energy, making them unsuitable for powering a multiverse connection device."
"But fortunately, during my recent journey to another universe, I not only gathered enough Speed Force but also acquired another treasure containing infinite energy. It’s called the Mother Box..."
In a flash, Peter reappeared before the group, raising his hand to reveal a massive cube made of an unknown metal.
"This is... the Mother Box?"
The crowd stared at the seemingly unremarkable metallic Mother Box in Peter’s hand, their eyes betraying a hint of doubt. The Infinity Stones constantly radiate a brilliant light, indicating the boundless energy they contain. But this Mother Box appeared merely ancient, like an antique passed down for millennia, with no apparent sign of the immense energy it supposedly held.
"Today, I’ll show you what it’s capable of..."
Peter smiled slightly, then activated the Mother Box with a special technique.
Buzz!
Accompanied by a sudden humming sound, an invisible whirlwind seemed to rise within the room. The group’s eyes were fixed on the once-unremarkable Mother Box in Peter’s hand as it began to twist and ripple.
Simultaneously, in the bustling city of New York on Earth, the streets were filled with people and the honking of cars echoed all around. Suddenly, the space above the streets began to twist to an extreme degree, as if even the sunlight itself was being bent.
"What’s happening up there?"
Crack!
As people noticed the distortion in the sky and stared in shock, the twisted space suddenly shattered like a mirror. A dark void appeared through the broken sky, drawing everyone's gaze. And beyond the shattered space, two figures locked in combat tumbled through the void, crashing into the reality of this universe.
...
(End of Chapter)
