American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

96. Enemy in the Dark, I Am Also in the Dark.

Punisher didn't know what state he was in now. He wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. His usually clear mind felt like it was glued shut, unable to think, trapped in a quagmire from which he couldn't escape.

Similarly, Punisher didn't notice that his hand holding the gun was trembling slightly, as if he were trying to break free from something. But the 'web' tightly wrapping him only made his struggle deepen his entrapment. Worse yet, his resistance might even alert certain entities.

"So, what should we do now? This is a serious situation, and we must notify others. Captain America has already ordered some heroes to gather and not act alone. But now, gathering the heroes might be even more dangerous," Punisher murmured.

"It's useless. We can't determine how many heroes have been contaminated. We can't even identify the source of the contamination. If the opponent has tampered with the timeline, all our actions will be noticed by the enemy. They've already contaminated everyone without us realizing it."

Moon Knight's face looked grim. Even though his expression was hidden behind a mask, the emotions he displayed made the atmosphere unusually oppressive.

"What's worse, that thing has already integrated into some people's minds, replacing their original identities. The people we trusted before may no longer be the 'them' we recognize."

"Damn it, is this another battle like the Skrull invasion!?" Punisher cursed under his breath. The three present understood that this time their enemy was even more terrifying than the secret invasion.

"If it's contamination of the timeline, could it be Kang?" Moon Knight suddenly thought of something and spoke.

"When we were examining the death scene of the Fantastic Four, we suspected him. If it's Kang, he might have the ability to gather some powerful artifacts to taint history. And throwing Deadpool as a pawn to distract us also seems like something Kang would do."

Indeed, Kang the Conqueror, the time traveler, had a nonlinear existence. Each of his invasions created different variants in the timeline, making it hard for heroes to keep track of him.

"It's unlikely. Besides the question of whether Kang still has that much power, his variants have done similar things before, like stealing Khonshu's artifacts and battling Moon Knights across timelines. But as far as I know, Kang has left this dimension." Pausing, Alex said seriously, "Moreover, if that thing can affect your perception, it would also make you ignore its existence. Since you still remember 'Kang,' it naturally isn't him."

"That makes sense. Kang wouldn't leave such a big flaw. But why haven't you been affected by that thing?"

Moon Knight looked up at Alex, who was hidden behind a bird-beak mask, as if trying to see through his eyes.

Alex silently met his gaze and then slowly spoke. "Because I'm not from this universe. I told you before, I'm a traveler from another world, and my goal is merely to save your world from impending doom."

"Do you have a plan?" Moon Knight asked.

"It's hard to say right now. I don't think that thing comes from your universe. It should be an invader from another universe, like Dormammu, but with much more terrifying power," Alex replied quietly.

If the Marvel Universe were described as a sandbox world, there would inevitably be an 'upper-level narrator' outside it, with absolute control over the lower narrative and the ability to arbitrarily alter any element within it. From Alex's macro perspective, any existence outside this sandbox universe could be considered an 'upper-level narrator,' including himself. Any entity not belonging to the Marvel Universe descending here would cause significant contamination.

"So how do we face an enemy we've never encountered, especially when we don't even know their identity?" Punisher couldn't help but ask.

"Well," Alex sneered, "maybe because that thing didn't anticipate my arrival, or perhaps due to some unique aspect of mine, it hasn't affected me and hasn't even noticed me."

"...So the enemy is in the dark, and so am I. What are you afraid of?"

Alex's words made Moon Knight and Punisher fall silent. Their eyes gradually focused, and the noise in their minds slowly faded as they began to clear their thoughts. Yes, so what if the enemy was hidden? They also had their own reinforcements.

"What should we do next?" Punisher clenched his fists, eagerly asking.

"Split up," Alex didn't hesitate, quickly laying out his plan. "Punisher, you go find Doctor Strange. He understands the matters of other dimensions better and his stance is crucial. But this journey is dangerous; I can't guarantee that Doctor Strange isn't also under mental contamination."

Punisher grinned at this. "No matter. If I don't return within two days, assume I'm dead. Dying on the road of resistance is better than dying in obscurity. But remember, if I contact you in any way other than directly, don't believe it. That won't be me."

Alex and Moon Knight solemnly nodded at Punisher. As an ordinary human, Punisher had reached one of the highest levels of human strength. His willingness to accept a highly dangerous mission showed he had long since put his personal life and death aside.

After a moment, Alex looked at Moon Knight and continued. "You come with me. I have a severely injured person who might have clues about that thing. But her condition is dire. Your divine power might save her."

"Okay. Who is the injured person?" Moon Knight did not refuse.

"I'm not sure. She should be a superhero who survived an encounter with Deadpool. She's an alien, and I also need you to confirm her identity," Alex explained casually.

Moon Knight nodded, but then quickly asked, "What about Deadpool? If we don't deal with him, Jessica and the others will still be in danger."

"Don't worry," Alex smiled slightly. "I have plans for Deadpool."

...….

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97. A Massacre.
98. Supergirl Takes Action!
99. Astral Projection.
100. Karolina's Dream.
101. The Real Illusion.