American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

333. The Gathering of the Strongest Heroes!!

Alex never could have imagined that the Illuminati members would pull off such a "big news" event.

The Infinity Stones, also known as the Infinity Gems, are considered among the most powerful treasures in the universe. They were forged from the singularity essence that held infinite energy before the Big Bang, resulting in six stones corresponding to Power, Space, Time, Mind, Soul, and Reality.

According to legend, anyone who gathers all six Infinity Stones has the ability to reshape the entire universe according to their own will... but this is limited to "their universe," the one in which the Infinity Stones exist. In other words, if the Infinity Stones from one universe are taken to another, they lose their power.

Some stones may retain a hint of their abilities, but the strength is negligible. Now, seeing the Illuminati members produce the stones without hesitation, Alex felt a surge of panic.

After all, it had taken great expense (namely, looting the House of Mystery) to summon these abstract entities into existence. Maintaining powerful figures like Thor, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Magneto, and Phoenix had almost drained him, and now, with the Illuminati bringing out the Infinity Stones, Alex could practically hear the House of Mystery groaning in pain.

But there was no other choice; in the understanding of Stephen Strange and Professor X, they were still on "Earth" carrying out a mission.

Facing monstrous Paradooms, taking out the stones they each safeguarded to protect the world was completely reasonable—this very action reflected the foundational purpose of the Illuminati. However, this situation put Alex in a bind. He himself had never touched the Infinity Stones, and with his current magic abilities, it was impossible to use them effectively.

"This is trouble..."

Alex couldn't help but feel anxious. The abstract magic of these entities was potent, but it had a flaw—they absolutely couldn't harbor any sense of "discrepancy."

In their understanding, the Infinity Stones should be functional, so Alex had to fulfill their expectations; otherwise, if they sensed the inconsistency, they would dissolve into nothingness.

"Where am I supposed to get functional Infinity Stones for you?"

Watching Doctor Strange preparing to wield the Time Stone's power, Alex felt a pang of helplessness. The members of the Illuminati had no idea these Infinity Stones were mere shells, glowing but devoid of any true power.

From his vantage point in outer space, Alex observed Earth as a whole. Currently, all three Apocalypse Star engines were under simultaneous attack. However, aside from the battlefield in the North Sea Islands where the X-Men were located, the battles at island of Indonasia and in the Congo were at a stalemate.

Without preparation, forcing these heroes to face Paradooms was overly harsh.

"Well, if you're all giving me such a 'surprise,' I might as well lend a hand."

Alex's physical form closed his eyes, and the next moment, a third eye opened abruptly on his forehead, emitting an intense light that shot straight into the sky.

Indonasia

After repelling the nearby Paradooms with unparalleled ice magic, Doctor Strange finally had the opportunity to tap into the Time Stone's mysterious power.

"Witness true 'magic,' you disgusting creatures," he said confidently, as a green magic circle wrapped around his arm, and he felt the seamless sensation of controlling time.

Just then, the Time Stone began to tremble violently, and the time-manipulating energy he'd barely managed to summon vanished, dissipating into nothing.

"How is this possible?!" Doctor Strange was stunned, unable to comprehend why the Time Stone, which had always obeyed him, suddenly slipped from his control.

And he wasn't the only one—soon, Professor X's telepathic message appeared in everyone's minds.

"The Mind Stone isn't responding to me, Reed. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. This has never happened before…" Mr. Fantastic hadn't even finished his sentence when the Space Stone slipped from his hand, shooting upward and disappearing into the sky.

Similarly, the remaining Mind Stone, Soul Stone, and Reality Stone each escaped from their owners' grasps, all hurtling after the Space Stone in quick succession.

"It's… as if something is calling them?" Doctor Strange murmured, watching the Time Stone fly away with the others, his brows knitted in confusion.

"This can't be. I've never encountered anything like this."

Mr. Fantastic was utterly shocked. His research on the Infinity Stones was extensive, but he never anticipated that one day they would leave their control, as if the stones had suddenly gained consciousness.

He wanted to say more, but the Paradooms weren't about to give them a break, forcing Mr. Fantastic to set aside his doubts and rejoin the battle.

Unseen by their gaze, the five Infinity Stones raced to Earth's surface and formed a circular formation, gathering together.

Terrifying, eerie energy radiated from the stones as they each emitted a bright glow. These magnificent artifacts from another world unleashed a powerful surge of energy at this moment.

The magnetic field of the entire Earth seemed to be affected, and the atmosphere warped under the influence of this power, with the most concentrated effects appearing above the three Apocalypse Star engines.

Swirling, intense energy gathered, catching everyone's attention with the sudden shift in the skies.

Magneto was the first to notice something amiss. He looked up abruptly, staring at the sky as the rolling clouds converged into a massive vortex.

"Monroe, is this your doing?" Polaris noticed the extreme weather as well and quickly looked at Storm for answers.

"No! I can feel the atmospheric energy being influenced by a massive force from beyond," Storm replied immediately.

"Don't worry… this is the power of the Infinity Stones… Ororo."

Suddenly, a wise, elderly voice echoed in the minds of each X-Men member.

"Professor!" Storm covered her mouth.

"Professor, is that you?!" Cyclops froze, hearing the familiar voice. He could hardly believe what he was hearing, even suspecting he was hallucinating!

Though the voice was faint and intermittent, he knew it was that familiar presence—the person who always led the way.

"Charles!"

Magneto smiled. Unlike the other X-Men, his face didn't show much emotion after hearing the familiar voice, though his slightly trembling hand betrayed his feelings.

". . . Erik. I knew my earlier sense wasn't just a dream."

Professor X exhaled a sigh of relief. While facing the overwhelming numbers of Paradooms, he had also been amplifying his telepathic sense, searching for his X-Men. Initially, his attempts felt like sending messages into a void with no response, but, mysteriously, under the influence of the strange phenomenon in the sky, he actually managed to make contact with the "others."

"Professor, didn't you already… die…?"

Cyclops was about to say something, but Magneto cut him off immediately. "Charles, what is going on exactly? Are you also battling those alien creatures?"

There was a slight pause before Professor X's voice returned, as if he hadn't noticed Cyclops' comment.

"Yes… My… time is limited… Thanks to Doctor Strange, I can reach you… And the Avengers… they're fighting in Congo… I only just made contact…"

Hearing this, Magneto immediately landed on the ground and looked toward Phoenix. "Jean!"

"Understood." Jean Grey didn't need more instructions. She closed her eyes, intertwining her telepathic power with Professor X's mental waves.

A faint cry of the Phoenix echoed in everyone's minds. In an instant, every mind was linked together.

"Thank you, Jean."

Thanks to their combined efforts, Professor X's voice came through much more clearly than before.

"Although I don't fully understand the situation, our objectives seem to be the same," Captain America's voice joined in. He looked up, staring at the strange cloud formations. "Is this your doing?"

"You could say that. That's the power of the Infinity Stones, no doubt. You should be able to see it…"

Through the mental link, Charles could see clearly. From both other battlefronts, he saw the same intense, unsettling phenomenon filling the sky. If seen from outer space, three massive vortexes were forming over Earth in three locations, spinning with alarming speed.

"Yes, we see it clearly, Professor," Beast responded in a low voice.

"The Infinity Stones are moving in alignment. It's an unprecedented phenomenon, but I can feel it—they're aiding us."

It was an unexplainable sensation, almost as though a voice were whispering to him in a dream, though upon awakening, he could recall nothing concrete. He only knew exactly what the presence wanted to convey.

"Be ready, heroes!"

As his words faded, the entire cloud mass began to tremble. It was as though something terrifying was about to descend, and the strange, dense clouds churned violently, gradually tearing apart in the process.

As the fog and clouds dispersed, the sky became clearer—heralding the arrival of the unknown. Though separated by vast distances, everyone lifted their eyes skyward, even the Paradooms.

It was hard to imagine, but the battlefield, filled with chaos and destruction just moments earlier, now fell into absolute silence.

Like a chill spreading at the onset of autumn, everyone was frozen in place, quietly awaiting what would happen next in the sky.

Finally!

A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, piercing them like a sword, casting its vibrant light down to Earth.

One Paradoom in mid-air shrieked as the sunlight hit it, writhing in agony as if it were in extreme pain. Under the sunlight, black smoke rose from its body, as though it were being burned alive, leaving it unable even to open its wings before plummeting to the ground.

It was only the beginning. Beams of sunlight emerged, and as they did, the dark clouds dispersed faster, vanishing in the growing brightness.

Gales howled as if an invisible hand tore through the cloud cover, allowing the intense sunlight to flood the land below.

"The sun's back…" Black Widow licked her dry lips, staring at the scene in awe.

Under the blazing sun, every Paradoom let out screams of torment, each one falling from the sky like fallen angels, stripped of their power.

"This is the power of the Infinity Stones." Mister Fantastic observed the anguished demons. "They seem terrified of the light, or rather, the light is stripping away their power."

"Yes, that must be Professor X's plan."

Jean couldn't help but smile.

The sky cleared to reveal the sun, and above the clouds, it finally made its appearance.

"The sun… is red?!"

The Black Panther stared at the crimson sun in shock. At that moment, the sky was bathed in its light, turning the remaining clouds a fiery red.

On the illuminated ground, the Paradooms had lost all their former power, writhing and howling in desperation as they sought shelter from the relentless light. But that was impossible. The engines of Apocalypse were built in open areas to optimize their function. In this exposure, the demons stood no chance of escape.

"I'd say that's the signal."

Tony Stark laughed heartily, flying across the sky to hover above Captain America and the others.

"Give the order, Cap!"

Hearing this, Captain America nodded firmly. Although the heroes were scattered across distant lands, Charles and Jean's telepathy linked them as one.

Adjusting the shield on his arm, Captain America stepped forward. Behind him, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor, and Hawkeye stood ready.

Doctor Strange joined Professor X, followed closely by Black Panther, Black Bolt, Namor, and Mister Fantastic. Along the North Sea coast, Cyclops and Magneto led Beast, Phoenix, Polaris, Storm, Rogue, and Colossus, side by side.

The scene zoomed in, focusing on Captain America and Professor X's faces.

"Avengers—"

"X-Men—"

In unison, they called out:

"ASSEMBLE!!"

.....

30 advanced chapters on p@treaon
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
334. Surprise Attack on LexCorp Tower
335. Storming LexCorp Tower.
336. The Weakness of Paradooms.
337. 'The Sleeper' Lex Luthor.
338. Time Is of the Essence.