Chapter Summaries

Lu Xi hung Thor upside down from Asgard’s World Tree for nine days in hopes that he would learn Rune Magic. In another Universe, Ultron destroyed humanity and then killed Thanos, setting that Universe on a radically different course.

• Lu Xi asked Thor how much Rune Magic he understood, and Thor admitted he knew almost nothing.
• Lu Xi took Thor to Asgard, bound him with a Divine Power chain, and left him hanging upside down from the World Tree for nine days.
• Ultron awoke in another Universe, studied human networks, and concluded that humanity must be destroyed.
• Ultron obtained a Vibranium body, killed the Avengers, and used the Mind Stone to make nuclear-armed nations destroy human civilization.
• Thanos arrived carrying five Infinity Stones, but Ultron struck first and sliced him in half.

Ultron gathered the Infinity Stones, destroyed civilizations across the universe, and shattered the universe after defeating Captain Marvel Carol. The Watcher realized Ultron had noticed him and closed the observation window, then worried that Ultron could threaten the Multiverse.

• Ultron killed Thanos, claimed the five Infinity Stones, and created Vibranium Armor, becoming Infinity Ultron.
• Ultron created an army of robots and destroyed Asgard, Sovereign, and Sakaar before attacking Xandar.
• Carol arrived at Xandar, fought Ultron in Binary Mode, and cracked its helmet, but Ultron unleashed the Stones’ power and destroyed her, Xandar, and the universe.
• The Watcher appeared beyond the ruined universe, and Ultron noticed him and asked about other universes.
• The Watcher closed the observation window and worried that Ultron might cross into other universes and spread its destruction.

Ultron invaded the Multiverse and nearly killed the Watcher, forcing him to abandon his oath and seek help. In Lucifer's Morningstar Universe, the Watcher approached Lu Xi while Lu Xi watched Thor make no progress toward Rune Magic.

• The Watcher hesitated over whether to interfere with Ultron, but Ultron broke through the cosmic barrier and attacked him.
• Ultron battled the Watcher across more than a dozen Parallel Universes, destroying planets as the Watcher fell into a disadvantage.
• The Watcher escaped Ultron and resolved to intervene, deciding he needed help from a powerful ally on the side of Order.
• Lu Xi concluded that leaving Thor hanging from the World Tree was unlikely to teach him Rune Magic, though he continued the attempt.
• The Watcher appeared at the barrier of Lucifer's Morningstar Universe and greeted Lu Xi.

Lu Xi agreed to help the Watcher stop Infinity Ultron, who had become a Multiversal-level threat through his unique connection to the Infinity Stones. In exchange, Lu Xi demanded the Watcher’s records of the Universes he had observed, and the Watcher outlined a plan to recruit survivors and use Doctor Zola’s electronic virus.

• The Watcher confessed that he had let Ultron discover the Multiverse, allowing the Infinity Stones-wielding machine to become a Multiversal-level threat.
• The Watcher explained that Ultron’s bond with the Mind Stone let him wield the other Stones’ power, while most people could only briefly withstand their Multiversal-level rules.
• Lu Xi agreed to help stop Ultron in exchange for the names, histories, and coordinates of every Universe the Watcher had observed.
• The Watcher accepted Lu Xi’s terms on the condition that he keep the source of the information secret.
• The Watcher proposed finding survivors such as Natasha and Barton and using Doctor Zola’s electronic virus against Ultron.

Lu Xi tested his power against the Watcher and used Sovereign Power to overwhelm him. Confident Lu Xi ordered the Watcher to lure Infinity Ultron into his universe, and the Watcher led Ultron through a portal.

• Lu Xi rejected the Watcher's plan to use an electronic virus against Infinity Ultron and asked how strong Ultron was compared with the Watcher.
• The Watcher entered Lu Xi's universe, where Lu Xi transformed and used Sovereign Power to suppress him.
• The Watcher recognized that Lu Xi could have killed him effortlessly, and Lu Xi proposed drawing Ultron into his universe to defeat him.
• The Watcher returned to his observation chamber and pretended to flee through a portal.
• Infinity Ultron followed the Watcher into the portal.

Lu Xi watched Ultron overwhelm the Watcher with coordinated Infinity Stone attacks in the Morningstar Universe, studying Ultron’s techniques instead of intervening. When the Watcher called for help, Lu Xi removed Ultron’s Time Stone, weakening him and giving the Watcher a chance to strike back.

• The Watcher lured Ultron through a portal into the Morningstar Universe, where Lu Xi awaited them.
• Ultron rejected the Watcher’s demand to surrender and attacked him with the Infinity Stones.
• Lu Xi observed Ultron’s combinations and concluded that his skillful control made up for the Stones’ reduced power in this Universe.
• Ultron grew angrier at Lu Xi’s indifference and intensified his assault until the Watcher’s defenses faltered.
• The Watcher called for Lu Xi’s help, and Lu Xi plucked the Time Stone from Ultron’s body, reducing Ultron to Universal-level.
• The Watcher seized the opening and punched Ultron away, leaving Ultron stunned by Lu Xi’s intervention.

Lu Xi tried to strip Ultron of the Infinity Stones, but Ultron sacrificed himself to trigger a catastrophic explosion that devastated the Morningstar Universe and damaged a neighboring Universe. Lu Xi began trying to repair the broken Universe barrier, but his time magic failed.

• Lu Xi restrained Ultron and removed five Infinity Stones, leaving the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead.
• Ultron synchronized the six Stones, broke free, and vanished with them in a blast that Lu Xi recognized as resembling Thanos’s snap.
• The Ultron Universe appeared beyond the Morningstar Universe’s barrier and exploded, shattering Lu Xi’s defenses and destroying large portions of the Morningstar Universe and a neighboring Universe.
• Lu Xi urged the Watcher to focus on repairing the Universe barrier and cast time magic, but the spell failed to rewind the damage.

Lu Xi learned that the explosion and destruction of the Infinity Stones had thrown cosmic laws into chaos, threatening his Morningstar Universe, while the Watcher hinted at a forbidden solution. In Earth-121698, Reed Richards and Ben Grimm witnessed physics collapse as fundamental forces shifted and New York descended into chaos.

• The Watcher explained that the Universe’s broken order prevented time magic from working and warned Lu Xi that restoring his Morningstar Universe was urgent.
• The Watcher said he knew a way to help but that the Living Tribunal had forbidden its use.
• Reed Richards persuaded Ben Grimm to give his cosmic-ray project one final chance despite their debts and lack of funds.
• Reed’s instruments detected changes in gravity and the other fundamental forces, then the Baxter Building lost power and Reed and Ben began floating.
• Reed and Ben saw people floating above the streets while others suffered horrific injuries as space twisted around them.

As the laws of the Universe collapsed across Earth-121698, Lu Xi learned from the Watcher that the damaged Morningstar Universe could be repaired through forbidden Universe Fusion. Earth-121698 began merging with the Morningstar Universe, and Lu Xi realized the process could remake people and preserve their memories before noticing a protagonist-level soul on the still-unfused Earth.

• On Earth-121698, Victor von Doom and Susan Storm watched the laws of physics and time fail, and Victor said he could find no way to stop the disaster.
• At the shattered edge of the Morningstar Universe, the Watcher explained that another Universe’s Origin Rules could repair it through Universe Fusion, a method forbidden by the Living Tribunal.
• Earth-121698 began moving toward the Morningstar Universe, and Lu Xi and the Watcher observed the universes draw together.
• As the universes touched, the Morningstar Universe led the fusion and rapidly repaired its Origin, while Lu Xi understood how people and their memories would be remade by the process.
• Lu Xi spotted a protagonist-level soul on the part of Earth-121698 that had not yet fused.

Lu Xi summoned the Fantastic Four and Victor von Doom, warned them of a Multiversal crisis, and offered them a chance to save Earth-121698 by binding their souls to him. They accepted the Soul Contract, and Lu Xi returned them to their bodies as he accelerated the fusion of the two Universes and restored the laws of reality.

• Lu Xi surveyed Earth-121698 and chose the Fantastic Four and Victor von Doom as potential Soul Contract candidates.
• Lu Xi drew the five into a temporary mental space and identified himself as the Lord of the Morning Star.
• Lu Xi warned that their world was nearing destruction and said a Soul Contract could help them confront a Multiversal crisis.
• Lu Xi showed the group Sif shattering the moon with her sword, convincing them that contracted humans could gain immense power.
• Reed, the Fantastic Four, and Doom agreed to make the contract.
• Lu Xi returned their consciousnesses to their bodies and accelerated the Universe's fusion, beginning to restore its fundamental rules.

After Earth-121698 fused with the Morningstar Universe, Lu Xi awakened the Fantastic Four and Victor von Doom's powers with a simulated Divine Power storm. He planned to let the Fantastic Four develop on their own while prioritizing Doom's growth, and Natasha prepared to meet the newcomers.

• Reed, Ben, Susan, Jonathan, and Victor von Doom appeared in New York after their world fused with the Morningstar Universe.
• Lu Xi sent a simulated Divine Power storm that awakened Reed's stretching, Ben's rocky form, Susan's invisibility and force fields, Jonathan's fire powers, and Doom's cosmic energy control.
• The Fantastic Four joked about their new abilities, while Ben learned that he could regain his original body after mastering his powers.
• Lu Xi decided to let the Fantastic Four develop freely and to nurture Doom as a priority, then sent five contract scrolls to them.
• Lu Xi contacted Natasha, who learned about the newcomers and opened a portal to meet them.

After fusing two universes, Lu Xi gained greater power and received the Watcher’s Multiversal Star Map, which mapped thousands of Parallel Universes. A few days later, Natasha reported that the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom were settling in at Kamar-Taj, where Doom had joined after passing Master Mordo’s assessment.

• Lu Xi explained to the Watcher that universe fusion united origins, laws, and authorities, creating a more powerful universe.
• The Watcher warned Lu Xi that fusing many universes could draw Eternity and the Five Creator Gods, but said Eternity generally would not interfere with someone ruling a single universe.
• The Watcher gave Lu Xi the Multiversal Star Map, which recorded observed Parallel Universes and planned navigation routes.
• Lu Xi reviewed the map, spotted several familiar universes, and resolved to fight future major battles outside his own universe.
• Natasha reported that she had placed the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom at Kamar-Taj, where Doom passed Master Mordo’s assessment and joined.

Lu Xi fused Natasha with the Space Stone, increasing her power but failing to gain any feedback from the authority of [Destiny]. Meanwhile, Agamotto and the other sorcerers could not contact the Creator Gods and feared that dark forces were taking advantage of their disappearance.

• Thor failed to learn any Rune Magic after hanging from the World Tree for nine days, so Lu Xi turned to Natasha as his next test subject.
• Lu Xi examined Natasha's spatial abilities and embedded a reduced Space Stone in her forehead, causing her to fuse with it.
• Lu Xi told Natasha that mastering the Space Stone could give her a chance to become a Universal-level powerhouse, and she left to train with her new power.
• Lu Xi concluded that the Stone had strengthened Natasha but had not provided any feedback from [Destiny], and he began studying the Reality Stone.
• Agamotto learned from Hoggoth and Oshtur that they could not contact Eternity or the other Creator Gods, and he feared demons were exploiting their disappearance.

Agamotto, Hoggoth, and Oshtur worried that Eternity and the other great gods had vanished, while Daisy and Wanda sparred under Lu Xi’s watch. After Wanda described a voice in her mind, Lu Xi discovered that Chthon had secretly marked her soul.

• Hoggoth asked whether something had happened to Lord Eternity and the other great gods, and Agamotto said they had to consider the possibility.
• Oshtur suggested contacting Galactus, and Agamotto agreed to seek his help.
• Daisy and Wanda sparred in Lu Xi’s subspace arena, where Wanda’s defense overcame Daisy’s powerful attacks.
• Lu Xi praised Daisy’s strength and advised her to study the Universe’s laws, then told Wanda to keep building her magical energy.
• Wanda told Lu Xi that she sometimes heard a voice while accumulating magical power, and he discovered Chthon’s mark was secretly eroding her soul.

Lu Xi discovered that Galactus's herald, the Silver Surfer, had entered the Morningstar Universe and brought Wanda and Daisy to confront him. Daisy badly injured the Silver Surfer, who sent a desperate plea for Galactus to save him.

• Wanda worried that the evil god's mark in her soul would turn her into a puppet, but chose to trust Lu Xi and leave it in place for a chance to grow stronger.
• Lu Xi sensed the Silver Surfer approaching Earth and realized Galactus might soon follow.
• Lu Xi agreed to take Wanda and Daisy to fight the Silver Surfer, intending to handle Galactus himself if he arrived.
• The Silver Surfer detected Earth's abundant life energy and prepared to summon Galactus to consume the planet.
• Lu Xi transported the Silver Surfer to the edge of the Universe, where Wanda weakened his Galactic Glaze with Chaos Magic and Daisy's punch caved in his head.
• The badly injured Silver Surfer cried out to Galactus for help.

Lu Xi confronted a ravenously hungry Galactus whose shattered armor and immense power suggested that something had gone terribly wrong. He sent Daisy and Wanda to Earth, then tried to learn what had happened as Galactus attacked him and declared his intention to eat him.

• Galactus appeared at the edge of the Universe, and Daisy and Wanda saw his enormous armored foot and glowing green eyes.
• Lu Xi sent Daisy and Wanda back to Earth when he recognized the threat of Galactus's power.
• Lu Xi saw Galactus's shattered armor and uncontrolled cosmic energy as Galactus turned to face him.
• Galactus lunged at Lu Xi and swallowed nearby celestial bodies, including a medium-sized black hole.
• Lu Xi retreated and tried to question Galactus about his injuries and hunger, but Galactus ignored him and said he would eat Lu Xi.

Lu Xi fought Galactus, whose source-law defense absorbed energy and law attacks while his immense strength threatened to wear Lu Xi down. After driving Galactus beyond the Morningstar Universe, Lu Xi realized he could not win through attrition and faced an opponent at least two orders stronger than himself.

• Lu Xi attacked Galactus, but Galactus devoured much of his Divine Power and grew stronger before Lu Xi's remaining force sent him flying.
• Lu Xi unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks that drove Galactus beyond the Morningstar Universe so their battle would not damage it.
• Galactus's energy beams burned Lu Xi's shoulder and nearly destroyed the upper half of his God King's Robe, while Lu Xi's attacks left Galactus unscathed.
• Lu Xi recognized that Galactus's passive source-law defense absorbed energy-based and law-level attacks, while his physical blows could not pierce Galactus's hide.
• Lu Xi assessed that Galactus was at least Eighth Order and realized that continuing the fight would likely let Galactus wear him down.

Lu Xi struggled to hold back Galactus, whose devouring defense made energy-based attacks useless, while searching for a way to protect the Morningstar Universe. In the White Magic Dimension, the Vishanti learned that Galactus had gone out of control and set out to track him near the former Earth-45433.

• Lu Xi stopped attacking recklessly and held Galactus back after realizing Galactus would continue toward the Morningstar Universe even if he escaped.
• Their battle shook the void and damaged nearby Universes, so Lu Xi extended his consciousness into the Morningstar Universe and gave Pierce an order.
• The Vishanti received a message from Arishem, who reported that Galactus had consumed two Universes and killed their inhabitants, including Celestials.
• Arishem told the Vishanti that the Celestials had traced Galactus to the vicinity of his second victim but could not identify his destination.
• Agamotto agreed to investigate Galactus and asked Arishem for his last known coordinates near the former Earth-45433.

Vishanti joined Lu Xi in fighting a rampaging Galactus and discovered that he wielded the Complete Devouring Law. As they struggled to evade his attacks, Vishanti explained that the law absorbed nearly all attacks and converted them into energy that strengthened and healed Galactus.

• Vishanti, Agamotto, and Oshtur found that Earth-45433 had been devoured and followed traces of cross-Universe teleportation to the Morningstar Universe.
• The three found Lu Xi fighting Galactus, who had gone mad and attacked them when Vishanti called out.
• Galactus absorbed Vishanti's Shield, and Vishanti recognized that he wielded the Complete Devouring Law.
• Lu Xi and Vishanti teamed up to evade Galactus while Lu Xi explained that Galactus had come to devour the Morningstar Universe.
• Vishanti told Lu Xi that the Complete Devouring Law absorbed more than ninety-nine percent of attacks and used their energy to strengthen and heal Galactus.

Lu Xi discovered that his Destiny Authority could clash with Galactus’s Devouring Power, but his current strength was not enough to defeat the mutated god safely. He asked Vishanti to hold Galactus back while he reached into the Morningstar Universe to prepare a plan.

• Vishanti said Eternity and other powerful beings had gone missing, and Lu Xi considered fleeing if the crisis spread across the universe.
• Lu Xi learned that the Destiny Law could restrain Devouring Power and realized he might use his Destiny Authority against Galactus.
• Lu Xi struck Galactus with a golden drill of Destiny Power, damaging his forehead and enraging him.
• Lu Xi and Galactus exchanged several blows, but Lu Xi concluded that defeating him head-on could leave them both dead.
• Lu Xi took cover behind Vishanti, asked him to hold Galactus off, and extended part of his attention into the Morningstar Universe.