Recaps

Mercer used Kotoamatsukami to make Hulk coexist peacefully with Banner and protect Earth, then infused him with gamma energy drawn from across the universe. Hulk's new power was tested in a furious attack on Mercer, who remained unhurt as Stark watched.

• Stark warned Mercer that giving Hulk gamma power could be dangerous, but trusted Mercer to handle the risk.
• Mercer cast Kotoamatsukami on Hulk, commanding him to coexist peacefully with Banner and protect Earth.
• Mercer used the Space Stone to gather gamma energy from the universe, briefly encountering the cosmos before returning to Earth.
• Mercer opened a spatial rift and channeled gamma energy into Hulk, whose body trembled in pain as the energy transformed him.
• Mercer released Hulk, and Stark retreated in his armor as Hulk's increased speed and strength sent shock waves through the room.
• Hulk attacked Mercer with a powerful punch, but Mercer remained calm and solidified the space around himself.

Mercer brought Hulk out and used Kotoamatsukami to let Hulk and Banner communicate, while Stark negotiated to study Mercer's Dark Saber. The chapter ended with Mercer lending Stark the saber, secured with a spatial mark.

• Hulk's punch rebounded through a spatial opening and knocked him unconscious after he smashed through Stark's cars.
• Mercer cut off Hulk's arm to test his regeneration, and Hulk regrew it completely in three minutes.
• Banner woke up and learned Mercer had succeeded in letting him communicate with Hulk, who appeared as a green face and demanded another fight.
• Stark offered Mercer money and a share of future profits to study the Dark Saber, and Mercer accepted the deal and marked the saber so he could retrieve it.

Stark prepared to move his workshop to Stark Tower, while Banner learned that Hulk now needed his permission to emerge. Banner then showed Mercer and Stark a recording of a mysterious man arriving through the Artificial Tesseract, and the stranger vanished after announcing he would explore their world.

• Stark said he would move his workshop to Stark Tower because the fight between Mercer and Hulk had ruined his current workspace.
• Banner thanked Mercer for helping him control Hulk, then learned that Mercer had cut off Hulk's right arm before it regenerated.
• Banner received a call and revealed that S.H.I.E.L.D. had used residual Tesseract energy to create an Artificial Tesseract.
• Banner showed Mercer and Stark a recording of the Artificial Tesseract opening a portal and a man with a fishbowl-shaped head stepping through.
• The stranger transformed the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents' guns into unreachable snakes, said he would explore the world, and vanished in a cloud of mist.

After a video revealed a new visitor from another universe, Mercer identified him as Mysterio, a genuine illusionist rather than the fraud he knew. When Nick Fury asked Mercer to locate him, Mercer refused to clean up S.H.I.E.L.D.’s mistake.

• Mercer, Stark, and Banner went to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secret base, where Nick Fury explained that he had authorized weapons research using the Artificial Tesseract to prepare for threats from space.
• Mercer agreed that S.H.I.E.L.D. could use the Tesseract to build weapons because Hydra had been removed from the organization.
• Mercer identified the man in the video as Quentin Beck, known as Mysterio, and explained that this version was a real illusionist from another universe.
• Mercer told the group that he also came from another universe and described how travel between universes was possible.
• Nick Fury asked Mercer to find Mysterio, but Mercer refused, saying S.H.I.E.L.D. should handle the trouble it had caused.

Mercer traveled to Greenwich to search for the Reality Stone and unexpectedly reunited with Peter Parker, who was there on a school exchange trip with Gwen Stacy. Peter told Mercer how rumors about the Great Old Ones incident were spreading, and the chapter left them talking while Gwen and her classmates watched.

• Mercer left Nick Fury to organize the Avengers Initiative with Stark and Banner, then teleported to Greenwich using the Space Stone.
• Mercer searched Greenwich for the Reality Stone but found no clues and rested on a park bench.
• Mercer recognized Gwen Stacy among a group of exchange students, and Peter Parker arrived with ice cream for her.
• Peter recognized Mercer and joined him, asking whether he was searching for divine objects; Mercer confirmed that he was.
• Peter told Mercer that rumors about the school incident were spreading online, while S.H.I.E.L.D. appeared to be steering the public narrative.
• Gwen Stacy and her classmates watched in surprise as Peter and Mercer spoke animatedly.

Mercer and Peter rushed to the Greenwich Museum after an explosion and discovered Rhino robbing its exhibits. They confronted him as he prepared to leave, while Mercer wondered why Rhino had chosen such an unusual target.

• An explosion at the Greenwich Museum prompted Peter to leave with Mercer, while Gwen Stacy and the other girls returned to the hotel.
• Peter changed into his spider suit in an alley, and Mercer used the blacklight virus to create a masked Batman-like disguise.
• Peter swung to the museum as Mercer leaped and ran along walls, and they watched Rhino steal exhibits while injured people lay inside.
• Peter charged into the museum to confront Rhino with a joke, and Mercer followed him.

Mercer easily defeated Rhino and discovered that the thief had stolen a vibranium pickaxe, but an unseen attacker struck after Peter pulled him out of the way. The chapter ended with the attacker questioning how Mercer had anticipated an illusion attack.

• Rhino laughed at Mercer and Peter, charged them, and was ensnared by Peter’s webs before turning on Mercer.
• Mercer withstood Rhino’s punch, then overwhelmed him with powerful blows and destroyed his armor, leaving him unconscious.
• Mercer and Peter examined Rhino’s stolen loot, and Mercer recognized a rusted pickaxe as vibranium and explained its properties to Peter.
• Peter pulled Mercer aside just before an attack left a scorch mark where Mercer had stood.
• An unseen attacker expressed surprise that Mercer had anticipated the illusion attack.

Mercer confronted Mysterio, who claimed that Elementals had destroyed his universe and warned they would threaten Mercer's world. After verifying Mysterio’s account using the Space Stone, Mercer discovered the other universe had been annihilated.

• Mercer shattered Mysterio’s Mirror Dimension illusion and confronted him in the ruined Museum.
• Mysterio explained that he had crossed universes through an artificial Tesseract and warned Mercer about the Elementals.
• Mercer restrained Mysterio with the Book of the Vishanti and questioned how he knew its magic.
• Mysterio offered the polar coordinates of his universe, and Mercer checked them with the Space Stone while Lockdown guarded him.
• Mercer confirmed Mysterio was telling the truth and found that his universe had been reduced to a void by a terrifying power.

Mercer confirmed that Mysterio had not stolen the Vibranium and recruited him as the first member of his new faction. Mercer then set out to find the Reality Stone, using his enhanced Blacklight Pulse to search for it.

• Mercer accepted Mysterio's explanation that the Greenwich museum had already been robbed and informed Nick Fury that Vibranium was missing.
• Mysterio asked to join Mercer so he could learn the Book of the Vishanti, and Mercer made him the first member of his faction.
• Mercer and Mysterio left Greenwich while Peter returned to the hotel.
• Mercer flew over the city with Mysterio and began searching for the Reality Stone, also known as the Aether.
• Mercer's system suggested that his enhanced Blacklight Pulse could detect special forms of energy.

Mercer used an enhanced Blacklight Pulse to locate the Reality Stone, but Mysterio’s reconstruction spell revealed that the Dark Elves had already taken it. Mercer decided to leave the pursuit to Asgard and learned that Mysterio’s universe lacked Asgard and its Avengers, while Tony Stark had never become Iron Man.

• Mercer combined psychic power with his Blacklight Pulse and detected the Reality Stone’s energy at an abandoned warehouse.
• Mercer found the stone pillars empty, and Mysterio reconstructed the past to show the Dark Elves taking the Reality Stone.
• Mercer identified the thieves as the Dark Elves and refused to pursue them, saying Asgard should handle the matter.
• Mysterio revealed that Asgard did not exist in his universe and that only sorcerers had fought the Elementals on Earth.
• Mercer learned that Mysterio’s Tony Stark had never become Iron Man and spent his time partying.

Mercer informed Heimdall that the Dark Elves had stolen the Reality Stone, prompting Odin to send Thor and Loki to hunt them down. Back on Earth, Mercer brought Quentin Beck home as a new housemate and worker, and suggested a barbecue to celebrate.

• Mercer called out to Heimdall and warned him that the Dark Elves had stolen the Reality Stone.
• Heimdall heard Mercer, hurried to Odin, and reported the theft.
• Odin ordered Thor and Loki to find and execute the Dark Elves, then asked Heimdall to send Mercer gifts.
• Mercer gave Quentin Beck a room and hired him as muscle in place of rent.
• Galacta returned home, met Quentin Beck, and heard Mercer suggest a barbecue.

Mercer, Mysterio, and Galacta shared a rooftop grill until a shooting star turned out to be Silver Surfer, who came to summon Galacta. He said her father, Galactus, wanted to see her about the God War, leaving the threat unexplained.

• Mercer hosted Mysterio and Galacta for a meal made with expensive ingredients on the rooftop.
• Mysterio spotted a shooting star, and Mercer and Mysterio made wishes while Galacta dismissed the custom.
• The shooting star changed course toward them, and Mercer transformed into electricity as Silver Surfer approached.
• Silver Surfer told Galacta that gods could not interfere in wars between planets and ordered her to come with him.
• Silver Surfer said Galactus needed to see Galacta about the God War but refused to explain further.

Mercer stopped Silver Surfer from taking Galacta and attacked him after Silver Surfer threatened to destroy the city. After a clash, Mercer sealed the area with the Space Stone so he could collect Silver Surfer’s Cosmic Energy.

• Silver Surfer asked Mercer to let him take Galacta, but Mercer refused and Mysterio joined him in preparing to fight.
• Silver Surfer tried to create chaos with a powerful energy ball, but Mercer’s lightning saber strike blasted him out of the atmosphere and stripped away part of his silver covering.
• Mysterio gave up on fighting and returned to grilling meat while Mercer confronted the descending Silver Surfer.
• The system gave Mercer a mission to collect Silver Surfer’s Cosmic Energy in exchange for a Dimensional Travel Card.
• Mercer used the Space Stone to seal off the area and prevent Silver Surfer from escaping.

Mercer fought the Silver Surfer while draining energy from his Surfboard, using the Space Stone to contain what he absorbed. After overpowering him, Mercer faced the Surfer’s warning that keeping Galacta would endanger the universe.

• Mercer attacked the Silver Surfer with Thunder Lion’s Song and used the opening to absorb energy from his Surfboard.
• Mercer used the Space Stone to store the extracted energy as his absorption progress reached 13%.
• Mercer and the Silver Surfer fought in the sky while Mercer repeatedly drained energy and reflected the Surfer’s attacks.
• Mysterio watched the fight from the rooftop as Galacta reacted to his enthusiastic commentary.
• Mercer returned to the rooftop with the wounded Silver Surfer kneeling on his Surfboard.
• The Silver Surfer said he was following orders and warned Mercer that keeping Galacta would oppose the interests of the entire universe.

After Galacta left to answer the call of a God War, Mercer settled his mission and received a Dimensional Travel Card. He chose the Super God World and stepped through a portal to begin his journey.

• Galacta left Earth to return to the God War, and Silver Surfer followed her.
• Mercer told Mysterio that he and Galacta were only friends, then returned to his room.
• Mercer settled his mission and received a Dimensional Travel Card as a reward for absorbing Silver Surfer's energy.
• The system offered Mercer three destinations, and he chose the Super God World to help its suffering people and train his abilities.
• Mercer opened a portal with the card and walked through to the other world.

Mercer arrived in Super God World and was tasked with creating his own Battle Engine, but he lacked the knowledge to configure it. He reached a Great Xia battle against a demon just as Wen He sacrificed himself, and appeared beside the soldier before the others could mourn.

• Mercer fell from the sky on the outskirts of Huangshi City and learned that he had to create a Battle Engine before leaving the world.
• Mercer examined the blank engine template, but the system told him to consult a local for details.
• Mercer heard gunfire and raced toward it, where Great Xia soldiers were defending a civilian camp from a demon.
• Wen He charged the demon with a bundle of grenades and detonated them, apparently sacrificing himself to kill it.
• Mercer appeared among the soldiers beside a bewildered Wen He and told them it was too early to grieve.

Mercer saved Wen He from a demon, introduced himself to Zong Yi’s Wolf Warriors Special Forces, and learned that only five soldiers remained as they escorted civilians toward Huangshi City. Seeing the camp’s desperate hunger, Mercer supplied fresh beef and vegetables for everyone, then took watch as the camp prepared a proper meal.

• Mercer destroyed the demon that was about to kill Wen He, and the wary soldiers questioned him before Captain Zong Yi introduced himself and lowered his weapon.
• Mercer told Zong Yi that he was from Earth and considered himself a super soldier, and Zong Yi said only five members of his original platoon remained.
• Zong Yi and his team brought Mercer back to their camp, where the relieved civilians welcomed him and offered him plain noodles made for the group.
• Mercer declined the large bowl of noodles and produced fresh beef and vegetables from a spatial ripple, giving the ingredients to the elderly man to feed the camp.
• Mercer told Zong Yi and his men to eat while he kept watch, and the soldiers saluted him as the civilians began cooking.

Mercer used the Space Stone to bring Zong Yi and the civilians to Huangshi City, then spent the night transporting more refugees there. Rose, Liang Bing, and Angel Yan learned of Mercer’s unexplained ability and began considering its connection to Rose’s space-time power.

• Mercer showed Zong Yi Huangshi City’s location on a map and told him to gather everyone so they could leave immediately.
• Mercer activated the Space Stone and transported Zong Yi, four soldiers, and eighty-four civilians to Huangshi City, where Great Xia soldiers inspected them before letting them enter.
• Mercer stayed outside the city and searched for other groups, bringing several more groups of civilians to Huangshi City that night.
• Rose heard that Mercer had delivered over three thousand people to the city, while Liang Bing asked whether he had made them appear out of thin air.
• Angel Yan told Rose that Mercer’s ability sounded like her space-time power.

Rose, Liang Bing, and Angel Yan went to meet Mercer after he transported thousands of civilians to Huangshi City overnight. Liang Bing and Yan investigated his abilities, but Mercer’s system instead copied their Angel Queen and Demon Queen engine templates, leaving Yan to question whether he possessed a Third-Generation Engine.

• Rose rejected the idea that Mercer had the same space-time ability as her, while Liang Bing wondered who he was and agreed to meet him with Rose and Yan.
• The next day, the three women waited at the city gate, where soldiers reported that Mercer had brought in as many as three thousand people overnight.
• Mercer arrived with nearly a hundred more civilians, and Rose teleported herself, Liang Bing, and Yan to meet him.
• Liang Bing approached Mercer and asked how he knew their names, while he recognized her lethal fragrance and noticed the women scanning him.
• Mercer’s system detected and copied the Angel Queen and Demon Queen engine templates, then he told Rose he had brought in all nearby civilians heading for Huangshi City.
• Yan estimated that Mercer would need at least a Third-Generation Engine to teleport so many people and asked whether he had one.

Mercer entered Huangshi City after helping evacuate thousands of people, then began designing a combat engine for himself and his future allies. He named the engine Cloud Heaven.

• Rose stopped Liang Bing from charging Mercer after he called her abilities weak.
• Mercer followed Rose into Huangshi City, where evacuees recognized him and Rose told him the city held about 150,000 people.
• Mercer noted that communications needed to be restored and settled into a dusty room beside Rose, Liang Bing, and Angel Yan.
• Mercer reviewed the Void Engine templates linked to Yan and Liang Bing, then decided to build an engine suited to himself and his Shadow Alliance.
• Mercer defined his engine's abilities and energy source, then named it Cloud Heaven.

Mercer activated Cloud Heaven, analyzed the Angel Queen template, and gained the ability to claim her authority. When a Giant Wolf Civilization squadron approached Huangshi City, Yan and Rose headed to assess the threat with Mercer.

• Mercer activated Cloud Heaven and analyzed the Angel Queen template, causing a pair of wings to appear on his back.
• The system told Mercer that only one Angel Queen could exist, and he chose to keep the privileges available without activating them.
• Liang Bing and Rose visited Mercer, and Liang Bing asked about his unusual blue-green eyes and spatial jumping ability.
• An air-raid siren sounded, and Mercer spotted a fleet of one flagship and four escorts approaching in the distance.
• Yan identified the fleet as belonging to the Giant Wolf Civilization and warned that Huangshi City could be in mortal danger if the ships got within range.
• Rose suggested they go assess the situation, and Mercer agreed to join her and Yan.

Rose, Mercer, and Liang Bing set out to infiltrate the Giant Wolf fleet while Yan kept its warships occupied. Yan survived the fleet’s cannon attack unharmed and waited for Rose’s signal to continue.

• Wei Qi reported that the full-strength Giant Wolf fleet had ignored their warning, and Yan proposed using herself to distract it while Rose sent missiles through wormholes into a flagship.
• Rose gave Mercer and Liang Bing Dark Matter Armor, then used a spatial ripple to take them with her toward the fleet.
• Yan approached the flagship, where Commander Badara ordered his forces to fire despite his adjutant’s warning to flee from angels and Black Armor.
• Yan blocked the Giant Wolf F1121 Cannon’s blast with a shield and asked Rose for permission to retaliate.
• Rose told Yan that she and the others had reached a warship but were not ready, so Yan sat in the sky and continued holding the fleet’s attention.

Mercer intercepted Angel Yan’s Flame Sword transmission and used the weapon to destroy five Giant Wolf warships. After returning to Huangshi City, he disarmed Yan and warned her not to interrogate him, leaving her wary of his power and motives.

• Rose failed to open a micro-wormhole into the protected flagship, so she and Mercer warned the ground forces to hold off their attack.
• Angel Yan sent Rose the Flame Sword’s data, but Mercer intercepted it and summoned the weapon into his hand.
• Mercer used the Flame Sword to cut through the fleet’s shield and destroy five Giant Wolf warships before returning the sword to Yan.
• Yan questioned Mercer about his identity, but he opened a Portal and returned to Huangshi City with Liang Bing following him.
• Yan caught up with Mercer in the city, but he took the Flame Sword from her, pulled her toward him, and warned her that he would not explain himself.

Yan questioned Mercer's origins after he effortlessly took her Flaming Sword, while Liang Bing's analysis found no dark energy in him. When Yan explained she was staying to find Leina and heal her wound, Mercer gave her an unidentified substance that began spreading through her body.

• Yan told Rose that Mercer seemed to come from another world, and Rose said he did not appear to mean Great Xia any harm.
• Liang Bing asked A'To to analyze Mercer, but A'To reported that Mercer appeared to be an ordinary human with no dark energy.
• Yan, Rose, and Liang Bing crowded into Mercer's room, where Yan demanded to know who he was and why he had not helped Earth earlier.
• Mercer challenged Yan's accusatory tone, while Liang Bing refused Rose's request to calm the confrontation.
• Rose explained that Yan was looking for Leina because Yan needed her solar energy to heal her wound.
• Mercer put an unidentified nourishing substance into Yan's mouth and told her to feel its effects.

Mercer healed Yan with a lightning-based energy orb and secured her promise that the Angels would help Earth. After learning about the worsening crisis in Great Xia, he revealed his plan to create a Battle Engine for every soldier.

• Mercer used a charging orb to heal Yan, whose injuries quickly closed as lightning energy filled her body.
• Mercer reminded Yan that he had healed her as someone from Great Xia, and Yan agreed that the Angels would remember the favor.
• Rose showed Mercer a map and explained that communications were down, fighting was fiercest in North Star, and human traitors were also attacking people.
• Mercer explained that he had stayed because he wanted to protect the people of Great Xia, and Rose became less wary of him.
• When Liang Bing teased Mercer about the women nearby, he said he planned to create a Battle Engine for every soldier in Great Xia.