Oath Under the Moonlight and the Countdown to Endgame

The night in Wakanda has finally deepened.

That epic battle between the three kings, a battle worthy of being recorded in history, left a scorched crater several kilometers in diameter on the ground. The once lush jungle was turned into a flat, glassy plain, and the residual heat of nuclear radiation still lingered in the air (fortunately, the energy of the Atomix was also controllable, and Jiang Li absorbed most of the radiation before deactivating his transformation).

The atmosphere inside the temporary camp was tense yet bustling.

Who exactly is that green-armored monster?

While performing emergency repairs on his damaged nanotech armor, Tony Stark frowned and asked, "His technological level... to be honest, it gives me a sense of being utterly defeated by a dimensional attack. Time Stripping? What the hell is that principle?"

His name is Kang.

Jiang Li sat on a piece of Vibranium ore, holding a bottle of Wakanda's specialty energy drink, his face slightly pale. The "miniature sun" that had just struck him had almost drained him of his strength.

"A time traveler from the 31st century, or rather... a conqueror." Jiang Li glanced at Doctor Strange. "Doctor Strange, you should have seen countless futures inside the Time Stone, haven't you seen him before?"

"I've seen fourteen million,605 endings," Doctor Strange shook his head gravely, "But in those futures, Thanos was the only protagonist. This 'Kang'... never appeared."

"Because of my existence, the timeline has shifted." Jiang Li shrugged. "The flapping of a butterfly's wings not only brings a storm, but also predators lurking from beyond this timeline."

Everyone fell silent.

Thanos alone was despair enough, but now there's Kang the Conqueror, who can jump back and forth across timelines. This battle seems to be getting harder and harder.

"Don't be discouraged, everyone."

Jiang Li stood up, clapped his hands, and said, "The good news is that Kang is an arrogant bastard; he's just here to 'evaluate' things and won't interfere for now. The bad news is that Thanos is definitely furious. Next time, he won't play one-on-one with us."

"He'll bring his entire fleet," Thor (who has already returned from the escape pods to rejoin the fleet, or is still on his way—we'll leave that aside for now to avoid distracting the audience)... no, it was Captain America said in a deep voice, "The real war has only just begun."

So, take a break while you can.

Jiang Li waved his hand and walked out of the camp alone, arriving at the edge of the huge meteorite crater.

He looked up at the huge, bright moon overhead. On the far side of the moon lay his Plumbers base, his foundation in this world.

What are you thinking about?

A soft voice sounded behind me.

Jiang Li didn't turn around, but a gentle smile curved her lips, "I was thinking... if you don't come down soon, I'm going to come up to you."

A blue ripple spread through the air.

Gwen Stacy, dressed in a black and white hooded battle suit, stepped out. She removed the hood, and her short, golden hair shimmered in the moonlight. She didn't speak, but silently walked to Jiang Li's side, sat down, and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

You scared me to death just now.

Gwen's voice was soft, but trembled with lingering fear, "When I detected that miniature sun detonating in your chest, my heart skipped a beat."

"I know what I'm doing." Jiang Li grasped Gwen's hand, their fingers intertwined. "I have a reason to live."

"Really?" Gwen looked up, her beautiful eyes meeting Jiang Li's. "Is it because of saving the world?"

"No."

Jiang Li turned his head and looked at the girl who was so close to him.

"Saving the world was a side effect. The main thing is... I still owe someone a proper date. In this godforsaken place full of aliens and purple sweet potato spirits, I haven't had a chance to take you out for a decent dinner yet."

Gwen chuckled, tears welling in her eyes.

"Fool."

She reached out and gently touched a scratch on Jiang Li's cheek (a mark left by the Power Stone from Thanos).

"Jiang Li, promise me." Gwen's expression turned serious. "No matter how fierce the battle ahead, no matter how strong Thanos is... don't be reckless. The Plumbers is everyone's responsibility, not just yours alone."

"I know."

Jiang Li nodded, his eyes becoming deep.

"But I have to win. For this universe, and for... to take you back to your hometown."

Under the moonlight, their shadows stretched long.

On the edge of this battlefield filled with smoke and death, this moment of tranquility seemed so precious. Jiang Li lowered his head and kissed Gwen's lips.

There were no earth-shattering vows, only a simple promise.

"I will win."

However, heartwarming moments are always fleeting.

Beep beep beep!

The idyllic atmosphere was shattered when the Omnitrix suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.

At the same time, Wakanda's global surveillance system also sounded the highest level of red alert.

"What's going on?" Gwen instantly went into battle mode, pressing the communicator on her ear, "Moon Base? Report!"

"Sir! A massive space warp reaction has been detected!" a technician's terrified shout came through the communicator. "It's not just one ship... it's... God, the entire edge of the Solar System is lit up!"

Jiang Li suddenly stood up and looked up at the night sky.

The once pitch-black starry sky was now filled with countless tiny points of light. These points of light were rapidly expanding, obscuring the stars.

Those are not stars.

Those are the warship's engines.

The Chitauri army, the Sakaaran mercenary group, the Outriders mothership, and the Sanctuary II with its engines repaired...

Thanos kept his word.

He did more than just come back.

He brought darkness to the entire universe, plunging forth in its entirety.

"It seems dinner will have to be postponed."

Jiang Li took a deep breath, the tenderness in his eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by boundless fighting spirit. He released Gwen's hand, and the Omnitrix shone with a dazzling green light in the darkness.

"Gwen, return to the Moon Base. Activate the ' Plumbers ' final defense protocol."

"Bring out everything we've collected in the Multiverse... everything!!"

"Yes!" Gwen didn't hesitate and turned to step into the portal.

Jiang Li turned around and looked at the Avengers behind him who had been awakened by the alarm and were rushing out of the camp.

"Everyone!"

Jiang Li's voice was amplified and carried throughout Wakanda.

"The Endgame... has begun ahead of schedule!"