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Chapter 517 I'm Here to Rob You. Do You Dare Agree?
Knowhere, the personal domain of the Elder of the Universe, the Collector. A paradise for criminals, a haven for mercenaries and bounty hunters.
A giant, broken head floated silently in the dark expanse of the Universe. Everyone who arrived here would be awestruck by these ancient lifeforms known as the Celestials.
A single severed head had formed an unconventional 'planet' for countless weaker lifeforms. Just how powerful would this Celestial have been in its prime?
No one knew. Very few had ever seen the Celestials unleash their full power, because everyone who had was already dead.
"The Celestials..."
Tony's figure appeared in the space above Knowhere. He looked down at the head below, silent.
He knew better than anyone how powerful those ancient Celestials were. They always acted as a unified group; to oppose one was to make an enemy of them all.
"Even a Celestial can die."
Tony smirked, a look that was part mockery, part self-deprecation. With a single step, he moved toward the interior of the head.
The place was as boisterous as ever. Cheers, gambling, curses, and hatred were a constant spectacle. From time to time, one could see mercenaries, pushed over the edge by insults, squaring up and breaking into a brawl.
Sentient beings of all sorts of strange appearances fought fiercely, while more people ran over to enjoy the spectacle, setting up betting pools on the spot.
Tony's figure swept past. He watched with some interest for a moment before moving on. It was just a bunch of drunks letting off steam. Once the fight was over, that would be the end of it.
"You're back so soon..." an old man dressed in a white robe approached. His hair was streaked with gray, and his gait was unsteady, as if a gust of wind could topple him.
"Because I've found the place where I belong," Tony said, tilting his head with a smile.
This powerful old sorcerer had terrifying magic surging around him, causing everyone in his path to subconsciously step aside, as if they had encountered a natural predator.
"It's him, the survivor of the Agalas Sanctuary! The only Archmage to have survived Trigon!"
"Hiss— Hasn't he been living in seclusion? Why has he suddenly appeared? And who is that man in black? Could he be...?"
"I recognize him! He's the one who one-shotted that great deceiver, Dormammu! He's Tony!"
The expressions of beings from all across the Universe shifted. Whether they liked it or not, they all cleared a path for the old sorcerer and Tony.
A powerhouse of this caliber could annihilate them with a single slap.
Tony snapped his fingers. A sharp-eyed attendant hurried over, swallowing nervously. "How may I help you, sir?"
"Just get us something to drink," Tony ordered, then tilted his head and walked straight into a nearby bar.
The old sorcerer gave a wry smile and followed him inside.
"Is Raven alright?" the old sorcerer asked.
"Couldn't be better. She's about to tear my planet apart."
Speaking of Raven gave Tony a bit of a headache. The girl was too powerful, and rather flighty. Her curiosity about everything had caused quite a bit of trouble.
"That's good," the old sorcerer said softly.
"Come back with me," Tony said earnestly. "With your Level Seven strength, you shouldn't let your future rot away here. I can build you a brand new Agalas Sanctuary, a fresh start. Besides, Raven really misses you."
"A new Agalas Sanctuary? No, the Agalas Sanctuary is gone. There's only this old man left, barely hanging on."
"As long as you live, the Agalas Sanctuary will not perish," Tony said, shaking his head. "But if you give in to despair, then it is truly finished."
He genuinely wanted to bring this old sorcerer to Cybertron. He was a powerful, single-universe-level sorcerer who possessed a complete magic legacy and a vast amount of knowledge. As long as this old sorcerer was around, the Agalas Sanctuary could be rebuilt at any time.
Tony had been struggling with how to build an entirely new system of magic. With the old sorcerer's help, it would undoubtedly save him a lot of trouble.
The old sorcerer was silent for a long while before giving a wry laugh. "You made up your mind long ago, didn't you? It seems these old bones of mine have no way of escaping your grasp."
"Don't put it that way. I'm just being kind, offering a warm home to a poor, homeless man," Tony shrugged, taking the drink from the profusely sweating attendant and downing it in one gulp.
Once the old sorcerer made his decision, Tony didn't hesitate. He opened a portal and sent him directly to Cybertron, where a new magic sanctuary would be rebuilt.
After a moment of contemplation, Tony stood and left under countless awe-filled gazes, strolling toward a particular building.
There was still a large, unrepaired hole in the wall—the very same one Tony had made when he'd previously sent the Collector flying through it.
"Tivan."
Tony flew up and entered through the large hole. He paused for a moment, then threw another punch, widening the hole and sending rubble flying.
Collector Tivan flinched, then calmly turned his head. "The items here are very valuable, you... Oh, it's you! What a rare guest. I never imagined someone as great as yourself would grace my humble little place with your presence."
With an incredibly exaggerated motion, Tivan bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. Then, with great deliberation, he used his white-gloved hands to emphatically brush off non-existent dust from his clothes. His face twitched as he forced a smile.
"This place of yours is hardly a small one," Tony said, scanning his surroundings. Many items looked familiar, and he couldn't help but nod.
Good stuff.
"To someone like you—the great, the glorious, the noble, the holy you—this is nothing but an utterly remote, broken-down hovel."
Tivan kicked away a rather unsightly low chair and quickly pulled over the one he usually used for himself. He patted it down a few times with his palm and gestured for Tony to take a seat.
His movements were deliberately stiff, as if to show he had never done such a thing before, thereby expressing his solemn respect for Tony.
Though it was completely useless; Tony never paid attention to such meaningless superficialities.
"Tivan, I'll be direct," Tony said, remaining standing. "I want this place."
Tivan's face twitched. He shot a quick glance at Tony before immediately lowering his head again, a bitter taste in his mouth. He was hesitant, vexed, and more than a little resentful. "Including my precious collectibles?"
"...Most of your collectibles are junk in my eyes," Tony said flatly. "I know full well what you want, and I can guess what your Elders of the Universe want as well. Right now, I only care about one thing: besides you, how many people know about my situation?"
"Only I am certain," Tivan said decisively, his eyes brightening. "The Grandmaster and the others all think I merely want to invest in you; they aren't aware of your unique nature."
What he wanted, to put it bluntly, was to find a way to shed his identity as a being of the Multiverse and achieve true eternity.
That way, he could pursue his hobby with greater peace of mind.
In any case, all he had to give up was some worthless deference and a few of his treasured items.
Tony nodded.
Tivan had lived for a very long time, long enough to rival the lifespans of the Guardians of Oa, though he lacked their ambition. Tony was well aware that Tivan understood his own fundamental nature.
"Very well, Tivan. I want you to relocate to my star system. I'm going to dismantle this head beneath our feet and replace it with Warworld, which will serve as the new mercenary hub for the entire Universe."
"Warworld? But that's Mongul's planet," said Tivan.
"I killed him."
"Oh, magnificent Tony! Your prestige blankets the entire Universe," Tivan said, once again performing his exaggerated, stiff etiquette.
"Then I'll begin." Tony stomped his foot on the ground. The entirety of Knowhere trembled violently as an immense golden halo appeared. Like a terrifying cosmic monster, it opened its great maw and swallowed Knowhere whole.
All of Knowhere descended into chaos and panic. Countless mercenaries and bounty hunters, cursing loudly, grabbed their weapons and stormed out of their rooms, ready to see if they were being invaded.
But in an instant, the light flared, and they found themselves in a completely new star system, where a yellow sun burned brightly.
(end of chapter)
Knowhere, the personal domain of the Elder of the Universe, the Collector. A paradise for criminals, a haven for mercenaries and bounty hunters.
A giant, broken head floated silently in the dark expanse of the Universe. Everyone who arrived here would be awestruck by these ancient lifeforms known as the Celestials.
A single severed head had formed an unconventional 'planet' for countless weaker lifeforms. Just how powerful would this Celestial have been in its prime?
No one knew. Very few had ever seen the Celestials unleash their full power, because everyone who had was already dead.
"The Celestials..."
Tony's figure appeared in the space above Knowhere. He looked down at the head below, silent.
He knew better than anyone how powerful those ancient Celestials were. They always acted as a unified group; to oppose one was to make an enemy of them all.
"Even a Celestial can die."
Tony smirked, a look that was part mockery, part self-deprecation. With a single step, he moved toward the interior of the head.
The place was as boisterous as ever. Cheers, gambling, curses, and hatred were a constant spectacle. From time to time, one could see mercenaries, pushed over the edge by insults, squaring up and breaking into a brawl.
Sentient beings of all sorts of strange appearances fought fiercely, while more people ran over to enjoy the spectacle, setting up betting pools on the spot.
Tony's figure swept past. He watched with some interest for a moment before moving on. It was just a bunch of drunks letting off steam. Once the fight was over, that would be the end of it.
"You're back so soon..." an old man dressed in a white robe approached. His hair was streaked with gray, and his gait was unsteady, as if a gust of wind could topple him.
"Because I've found the place where I belong," Tony said, tilting his head with a smile.
This powerful old sorcerer had terrifying magic surging around him, causing everyone in his path to subconsciously step aside, as if they had encountered a natural predator.
"It's him, the survivor of the Agalas Sanctuary! The only Archmage to have survived Trigon!"
"Hiss— Hasn't he been living in seclusion? Why has he suddenly appeared? And who is that man in black? Could he be...?"
"I recognize him! He's the one who one-shotted that great deceiver, Dormammu! He's Tony!"
The expressions of beings from all across the Universe shifted. Whether they liked it or not, they all cleared a path for the old sorcerer and Tony.
A powerhouse of this caliber could annihilate them with a single slap.
Tony snapped his fingers. A sharp-eyed attendant hurried over, swallowing nervously. "How may I help you, sir?"
"Just get us something to drink," Tony ordered, then tilted his head and walked straight into a nearby bar.
The old sorcerer gave a wry smile and followed him inside.
"Is Raven alright?" the old sorcerer asked.
"Couldn't be better. She's about to tear my planet apart."
Speaking of Raven gave Tony a bit of a headache. The girl was too powerful, and rather flighty. Her curiosity about everything had caused quite a bit of trouble.
"That's good," the old sorcerer said softly.
"Come back with me," Tony said earnestly. "With your Level Seven strength, you shouldn't let your future rot away here. I can build you a brand new Agalas Sanctuary, a fresh start. Besides, Raven really misses you."
"A new Agalas Sanctuary? No, the Agalas Sanctuary is gone. There's only this old man left, barely hanging on."
"As long as you live, the Agalas Sanctuary will not perish," Tony said, shaking his head. "But if you give in to despair, then it is truly finished."
He genuinely wanted to bring this old sorcerer to Cybertron. He was a powerful, single-universe-level sorcerer who possessed a complete magic legacy and a vast amount of knowledge. As long as this old sorcerer was around, the Agalas Sanctuary could be rebuilt at any time.
Tony had been struggling with how to build an entirely new system of magic. With the old sorcerer's help, it would undoubtedly save him a lot of trouble.
The old sorcerer was silent for a long while before giving a wry laugh. "You made up your mind long ago, didn't you? It seems these old bones of mine have no way of escaping your grasp."
"Don't put it that way. I'm just being kind, offering a warm home to a poor, homeless man," Tony shrugged, taking the drink from the profusely sweating attendant and downing it in one gulp.
Once the old sorcerer made his decision, Tony didn't hesitate. He opened a portal and sent him directly to Cybertron, where a new magic sanctuary would be rebuilt.
After a moment of contemplation, Tony stood and left under countless awe-filled gazes, strolling toward a particular building.
There was still a large, unrepaired hole in the wall—the very same one Tony had made when he'd previously sent the Collector flying through it.
"Tivan."
Tony flew up and entered through the large hole. He paused for a moment, then threw another punch, widening the hole and sending rubble flying.
Collector Tivan flinched, then calmly turned his head. "The items here are very valuable, you... Oh, it's you! What a rare guest. I never imagined someone as great as yourself would grace my humble little place with your presence."
With an incredibly exaggerated motion, Tivan bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. Then, with great deliberation, he used his white-gloved hands to emphatically brush off non-existent dust from his clothes. His face twitched as he forced a smile.
"This place of yours is hardly a small one," Tony said, scanning his surroundings. Many items looked familiar, and he couldn't help but nod.
Good stuff.
"To someone like you—the great, the glorious, the noble, the holy you—this is nothing but an utterly remote, broken-down hovel."
Tivan kicked away a rather unsightly low chair and quickly pulled over the one he usually used for himself. He patted it down a few times with his palm and gestured for Tony to take a seat.
His movements were deliberately stiff, as if to show he had never done such a thing before, thereby expressing his solemn respect for Tony.
Though it was completely useless; Tony never paid attention to such meaningless superficialities.
"Tivan, I'll be direct," Tony said, remaining standing. "I want this place."
Tivan's face twitched. He shot a quick glance at Tony before immediately lowering his head again, a bitter taste in his mouth. He was hesitant, vexed, and more than a little resentful. "Including my precious collectibles?"
"...Most of your collectibles are junk in my eyes," Tony said flatly. "I know full well what you want, and I can guess what your Elders of the Universe want as well. Right now, I only care about one thing: besides you, how many people know about my situation?"
"Only I am certain," Tivan said decisively, his eyes brightening. "The Grandmaster and the others all think I merely want to invest in you; they aren't aware of your unique nature."
What he wanted, to put it bluntly, was to find a way to shed his identity as a being of the Multiverse and achieve true eternity.
That way, he could pursue his hobby with greater peace of mind.
In any case, all he had to give up was some worthless deference and a few of his treasured items.
Tony nodded.
Tivan had lived for a very long time, long enough to rival the lifespans of the Guardians of Oa, though he lacked their ambition. Tony was well aware that Tivan understood his own fundamental nature.
"Very well, Tivan. I want you to relocate to my star system. I'm going to dismantle this head beneath our feet and replace it with Warworld, which will serve as the new mercenary hub for the entire Universe."
"Warworld? But that's Mongul's planet," said Tivan.
"I killed him."
"Oh, magnificent Tony! Your prestige blankets the entire Universe," Tivan said, once again performing his exaggerated, stiff etiquette.
"Then I'll begin." Tony stomped his foot on the ground. The entirety of Knowhere trembled violently as an immense golden halo appeared. Like a terrifying cosmic monster, it opened its great maw and swallowed Knowhere whole.
All of Knowhere descended into chaos and panic. Countless mercenaries and bounty hunters, cursing loudly, grabbed their weapons and stormed out of their rooms, ready to see if they were being invaded.
But in an instant, the light flared, and they found themselves in a completely new star system, where a yellow sun burned brightly.
(end of chapter)
