Become a Homelander and a Marvel superstar

"This is simply the most perfect operation of my life," the Grandmaster thought smugly.

On Earth.

Although the audience felt somewhat disappointed by the draw, surprisingly, they did not feel much disappointment.

After all, subconsciously, humans don't want to see beautiful women die young, and they always have an innate desire to protect beautiful things.

The Ancient One's stunning appearance and brilliant swordsmanship have completely captivated everyone.

They would rather accept a draw than have this goddess-like mage die in the black hole.

Moreover, the Earth faction still has Homelander and Thor, two absolute trump cards, who haven't played yet, so their chances of winning are still very high.

"Homelanders did the right thing! I would be even more upset if I had to watch my goddess die just to win a point."

"That's right. Besides, we still have the invincible Homelander and Thor not playing yet. Winning the game is only a matter of time."

"Mr. Homelander is truly a hero. His decisiveness and kindness are worthy of our emulation."

Inside the stadium.

With the Grand Master's announcement, the terrain of the miniature universe was dismantled.

The vacuum environment disappeared, and gravity returned to normal.

The Ancient One lost her support and plummeted straight down from mid-air.

A red and blue blur streaked through the air, steadily embracing Gu Yi in his arms.

On the other side, Ebony Maw, frozen into an ice sculpture, crashed heavily onto the hard arena floor.

A crisp "snap" sound.

This leader of the Obsidian Five, who once dominated the universe, shattered into ice shards, ending his sinful life.

Anzu, carrying Gu Yi, landed smoothly on the preparation platform.

Steve, Tony, Peter, and the other heroes immediately surrounded them with concern.

"How is she? Does she need a medical pod?" Stephen asked.

The scanner on Tony's helmet swept over the Ancient One: "Her heartbeat is steady, but... it's strange, she's like she's asleep, showing no signs of waking up."

But everyone noticed that Ah Zu completely ignored their questions.

After he laid Gu Yiping on a chair, he stood there motionless, his eyes unfocused, as if he had been acupunctured.

"Anthony? Can you hear me?" Steve waved his hand in front of Azu, looking puzzled.

Everyone looked at each other, wondering what had happened.

At this moment, Azu had already projected his own celestial body out of his body and began a dialogue with the soul of the Ancient One in a celestial dimension invisible to the naked eye.

The Ancient One's celestial body floated in front of Azu, her eyes filled with a hint of apology.

"I'm sorry, Anthony," the Ancient One said softly. "This was the first time I used the power of the Dark Dimension without any restrictions. The sheer magnitude of that power was beyond my imagination. My physical body couldn't withstand the energy surge in that instant, causing the celestial body to be squeezed out by the dimensional force."

Looking down at the arena, she continued, "Actually, you didn't have to give up the match. I'm still protected by the seventh ring of the Ragdor spell; even if I lose consciousness, that barrier can protect my body for a long time. Giving up the match for me is incredibly unwise."

Looking into Gu Yi's slightly self-reproachful eyes, Ah Zu secretly prepared his script.

"Irrational? Perhaps." He took a small step forward, his voice low. "But I don't care."

"Because I would never gamble with something I cannot afford to lose, teacher."

"Perhaps your magic can hold out, or perhaps Ebony Maw will die first."

"But I can't build your life on a 'maybe'."

"Victory has never been the most important thing to me."

He raised his hand, his illusory fingers gently brushing across the face of the Ancient One's soul.

"You have protected this world for hundreds of years. You are used to sacrifice and putting the greater good first. But here, you no longer need to be that eternally rational Sorcerer Supreme."

"To me, the world is just as important as you."

These words, every single one, struck a chord deep within the Ancient One's heart, a soft spot that had been sealed away for centuries.

She always taught her disciples to put aside their ego and to sacrifice for the greater good.

She did the same thing herself.

In her life, there was only responsibility, protection, and endless loneliness.

No one ever treated her as a woman who needed to be protected.

A wave of indescribable warmth surged through her heart, an emotion that frightened her somewhat.

This also gradually stirred up emotions in her eyes.

She didn't speak, but simply lowered her head slightly, burying this feeling of being moved deep in her heart.

Hint! Gained +20000 special popularity points! (From Ancient One)

Hearing the pleasant notification from the system, Azu silently congratulated himself on successfully cultivating another leek.

"Go back now, teacher. Everyone is waiting for you."

"Mm." Gu nodded, a very charming smile appearing on his lips. "Thank you, Anthony."

Subsequently, their celestial bodies returned to their bodies.

In the real world, Azu, who had been standing motionless, suddenly blinked and returned to normal.

Immediately afterwards, the Ancient One, who was sitting on the chair, slowly opened her eyes.

She let out a soft breath and sat up.

Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her beautiful face remained composed, though a subtle tenderness appeared in her eyes as she looked at Ah Zu.

"Thank goodness, you're finally awake." Peter Parker breathed a sigh of relief.

Tony, observing their strange behavior, couldn't help but ask, "What just happened? It was like you two suddenly lost power and restarted at the same time."

Ah Zu smiled slightly and explained in the simplest way possible, "It's nothing serious. The magic that Master Gu Yi just released was too powerful, causing an energy backlash that temporarily squeezed her soul out of her body."

"A soul?!" Steve's eyes widened, as if he had heard something out of the blue. "You mean... a soul in the literal sense? That sounds like something out of a horror movie."

"What's the big deal, Captain?" Tony chuckled and patted Steve on the shoulder. "We even have a Lord of Hell, so what's so strange about people having souls? Maybe Peggy Carter's soul is watching you flirt with her grandniece from heaven."

Steve blushed instantly and coughed awkwardly twice: "Tony, this isn't funny."

"You Midgardians are truly ignorant," Thor boasted proudly. "In Asgard, the immortality of the soul is common knowledge. Every Asgardian warrior who dies gloriously in battle enters Valhalla, where they receive unparalleled glory and eternal life. There, there is endless mead and feasts that never cease!"