Drax's eyes gradually filled with fury as he clenched his fist and slammed it down on the already damaged floor, which had been ravaged by Ebony Maw earlier.
With Drax's punch, the floor instantly cracked even further. Ancient One couldn't help but look at the damage with a pang of heartache.
Perhaps she could restore it to its original state with magic later?
Her mood had been heavily affected by Ebony Maw's manipulation, but after clearing her mind, she found himself surprisingly calm.
"Drax…" Nebula raised her head and looked at Drax with gratitude. With two people volunteering, maybe Alan would agree to the plan.
"No." Alan finally spoke after letting them say their piece, decisively rejecting their proposal. "More accurately, there's no need to go."
"But—" Nebula had just started speaking when Alan raised his hand, cutting her off.
"Let me finish first. Back in Asgard, I already told you—Thanos has to gather all the Infinity Stones before he can carry out his plan."
The extra Time Stone meant nothing to Alan. A single Time Stone in Thanos' hand wouldn't change anything.
"Nebula, you know Thanos better than anyone. Until he's gathered all the Stones, he won't make his move."
Before Nebula could even fully present her idea, Alan had already connected the dots and linked everything back to the current timeline.
Ever since the angel Angela appeared, Alan realized that the story had deviated significantly from the original plot.
For example, Black Dwarf should have come to Earth alongside Ebony Maw—but instead, Black Dwarf had gone to Asgard, where he was ultimately killed.
With one of the Black Order eliminated, Thanos had lost a key lieutenant.
Alan's simple explanation gradually calmed Nebula down. There was no way Emperor would lie to her.
"He won't use the Time Stone so easily, even if he knows exactly how to wield it." Alan knew Thanos' personality all too well.
Hearing Alan's calm and logical analysis, Wanda's admiration for him deepened. Alan was a walking enigma—holding so many Infinity Stones without showing any sign of being overwhelmed by their power.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alan noticed a newspaper sitting on the Ancient One's desk. A particular image on the front page caught his attention and etched itself into his mind.
It was time to expand the Avengers' roster.
With another hero on the team, Alan could finally have a bit less to worry about.
"Gwen, take Nebula and the others back for now. Let them rest. There's nothing more to worry about for the time being—it's time to relax."
Alan had his own plans for what came next. For now, Nebula and Drax could stand down and breathe easy.
Rocket suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "Alan, what about the Nine Realms? Aren't you worried that Thanos might launch another attack?"
The moment Rocket brought it up, Nebula's anxiety flared again—proof of how deeply Thanos' shadow loomed over her heart.
Alan understood that completely. After all, every time Nebula failed a mission, she had to endure Thanos' cruel punishments and yet another round of painful modifications.
"With both Hela and Angela there, I trust in their strength."
What Alan didn't say out loud was this—he had never interfered with Hela's desire to rule the Nine Realms. If Hela succeeded, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
At the very least, under Hela's rule, the Nine Realms could unite against Thanos. That would make any invasion far more difficult for him.
"You too—get some proper rest."
Seizing the moment when the Ancient One wasn't paying attention, Alan casually took the newspaper from the desk.
...
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