Chapter Summaries

Tony returned to Stark Tower and persuaded Pepper to join him in studying the zombie world, but Nick Fury interrupted them with news that Pietro had vanished with Mephisto after a battle. Tony realized Mephisto’s abduction had put Wanda and Li Ge on a collision course with him.

• Tony summoned Pepper to his office, charmed her, and asked her to accompany him to the zombie world to study and forge divine artifacts.
• Pepper agreed to go with Tony after he said management and JARVIS could look after the company.
• Happy interrupted Tony and Pepper, and Nick Fury arrived to discuss events involving Li Ge.
• Nick Fury explained that Ghost Rider, Mephisto, and Blackheart had attacked Wanda, Peter, and the others, while Strange and Master Wong helped fight them.
• Strange and Master Wong sealed Blackheart, and Pietro delivered the final blow against Mephisto before disappearing with him into a crater filled with the aura of Hell.
• Tony grew furious and recognized that Mephisto’s abduction of Pietro could provoke Wanda and Li Ge.

Tony reassured Nick Fury that Pietro’s Ultraman transformation would protect him, while Wanda explained that Li Ge had foreseen Pietro’s abduction. The chapter ended with Wanda beginning to tell the others how Li Ge had examined the future using the Time Stone.

• Nick Fury told Tony, Pepper, and Happy how Mephisto abducted Pietro after Strange and Master Wong stopped Mephisto and Blackheart from threatening S.H.I.E.L.D.’s agents.
• Tony explained that Pietro could not be separated from his Ultraman body without permission and could remain alive as long as its energy lasted.
• Wanda sat with Peter, Harry, Gwen Stacy, and Mary while holding cards depicting Mephisto and Blackheart, and the others urged her to seek Li Ge’s help.
• Wanda reassured the group that Li Ge had foreseen Pietro’s abduction and said she had been analyzing what he told her.
• Wanda asked Peter whether he knew Li Ge had the Time Stone, then began explaining that Li Ge had examined the future.

Li Ge used his new Divine Descent method to reach Pietro in Hell, where Mephisto had captured him inside Ultraman's body. Li Ge materialized before Pietro as Heavenly Dao, while Mephisto remained unaware of the rescue attempt.

• Li Ge used karma and a contract to send a projection of himself into the void, then recovered from the strain with a Spirit Fruit.
• Mephisto kept Pietro trapped inside a Hellfire cocoon and plotted to seize Li Ge's powers and possessions.
• Pietro taunted Mephisto from inside the cocoon, relying on his confidence in Li Ge.
• Mephisto reinforced Pietro's restraints and sealed the hall before leaving, unaware Pietro had fallen silent to hide Li Ge's arrival.
• Li Ge materialized in Ultraman's inner space, checked on Pietro, and introduced himself as Heavenly Dao.

Heavenly Dao rescued Pietro from Mephisto’s Hell by using him as a covert way in, then escaped with him and explained his plan. They headed deeper into Hell, where Heavenly Dao offered to teach Pietro to build a domain and forge a divine artifact.

• Heavenly Dao used Spacetime Phantom to replace the cocoon containing Pietro, broke the Hell chains around Ultraman, and escaped with Pietro through Spacetime Jump.
• Mephisto rushed into the hall, found the seal and cocoon apparently intact, and heard the captive Pietro taunt him.
• Heavenly Dao and Pietro appeared on a rocky hilltop far from Mephisto’s castle, and Heavenly Dao revealed that he had deliberately let Mephisto capture Pietro so he could enter Hell unnoticed.
• Pietro demanded compensation for being used as transportation, but Heavenly Dao refused and said he would teach Pietro to construct a domain and forge a divine artifact.
• Pietro agreed to follow Heavenly Dao so he could catch up with Wanda, then excitedly asked for help choosing a divine artifact as Heavenly Dao hurried ahead to escape his chatter.

Wanda learned that Li Ge had rescued Pietro and planned to take him to Zombie World, while Tony joined the Avengers to confront evidence that his former enemies had returned. The chapter ended with Tony confident he could face Mephisto’s scheme using the strength he had gained.

• Wanda received Li Ge’s projection, and he told her that Pietro was safe in Hell and would soon go with him to Zombie World.
• Li Ge invited Wanda’s companions to visit him, and Wanda began telling them about Zombie World.
• Nick Fury brought Tony to a S.H.I.E.L.D. base, where the Avengers showed him surveillance footage of several enemies he had defeated.
• Thor urged Tony to fight the resurrected enemies, while Coulson and Natasha warned that Mephisto might have brought them back to target Tony and threaten Li Ge.
• Tony said he believed Pietro was safe and declared that his time away with Li Ge had prepared him to face the threat.

A corrupted Strange secretly devoured a dimensional creature to increase his power, driven by his obsession with resurrecting Christine. Back at the New York Sanctum, he suspected that Christine might be alive in a parallel universe and vowed to find her.

• Strange used a magic circle and crimson chains to drag a creature through a spatial rift and absorb it into his body.
• Strange suppressed the monstrous changes inside him as the rift closed and the magic circle faded.
• Strange remembered how Christine's repeated deaths had driven him to forbidden magic and to secretly devouring dimensional beings.
• Strange returned to the New York Sanctum and wondered whether space-time fluctuations meant Christine was alive in a parallel universe.
• Strange vowed to find Christine.

Li Ge discovered that a new Dark Strange had formed in a splinter timeline and become bound to him by a powerful karmic connection. He left Dark Strange to deal with on his own and turned his attention back to the Solar System, Hell, and the others under his influence.

• Li Ge sensed an unusual karmic disturbance and used the Eye of Chaos to inspect the threads connecting him to people across four worlds.
• Li Ge found an extra, ominous karmic thread belonging to a fifth Strange, which began connecting to Strange from the Endgame World.
• Li Ge deduced that Dark Strange had been born in a split timeline despite his attempt to prevent it by saving Christine, and decided to deal with him if he came looking.
• Li Ge chose not to warn Strange from the Endgame World about the connection and wondered whether Strange had found any leads on his black hole.
• Li Ge synchronized with the Heavenly Dao, saw that it had reached the edge of Hell, and noted Pietro's accelerated progress and Tony's trouble with Mephisto.

Wade arrived on Krakoa with Logan and immediately provoked him with crude taunts, while Professor Charles and Erik discussed the danger Wade had reported in another world. Erik decided to ask Arale to contact Li Ge rather than rely on Logan alone.

• Wade mocked the Sacred Square and its statue, and Logan threatened him before walking toward the academy.
• Wade continued making lewd remarks and posing as Logan left him behind.
• Professor Charles and Erik watched the exchange from the academy rooftop and discussed Wade's warning about timelines and the multiverse.
• Professor Charles revealed that his younger brother had become an evil younger sister in another world and threatened the multiverse's timelines.
• Erik decided to find Arale and ask her to contact Li Ge.

Erik traveled from Earth to the Divine Eye Continent to speak with Arale, interrupting her private declarations of devotion to Li Ge. The chapter ended with Arale letting her teacher through the barrier so he could reach her temple.

• Erik confirmed that Arale was on the Divine Eye Continent and used the Church of Divine Revelation’s teleportation formation to travel there.
• Arale confided her desire to serve Li Ge more closely while reclining before his statue, unaware that he was not listening.
• The chapter described how Arale and Erik had shaped the Church’s sacred objects and teachings, while Li Ge remained largely indifferent to its rituals.
• Erik arrived on the Divine Eye Continent and approached the barrier that kept unqualified visitors off its roads.
• Erik called to Arale through a grass block, and Arale granted him permission to enter the road leading to her temple.

After learning from Arale and Erik about Deadpool, Knowhere, and Cassandra, Li Ge planned to use the Time Variance Authority to travel between universes and make Knowhere his base. He sent Human Way to accompany Deadpool, intending to take control of Knowhere and Cassandra and repair Deadpool’s world, as a portal opened between them.

• Arale relayed Deadpool’s news to Li Ge through Erik, and Li Ge comforted her while considering her feelings for him.
• Li Ge learned that Deadpool’s arrival in the main world and his early knowledge of Cassandra differed from what he remembered, and he suspected his actions had changed events.
• Li Ge decided that the Time Variance Authority could help him travel between universes and that Knowhere could serve as a sanctuary and base for collecting supernatural beings and powers.
• Li Ge told Arale and Erik that Human Way would accompany Deadpool to the Time Variance Authority, while he would take control of Knowhere and Cassandra and repair the timeline of Deadpool’s Mutant world.
• A portal formed before Arale and Erik, revealing Li Ge’s Asgard hall and a second figure identical to him approaching from the throne.

Loki, the God of Stories, watched Li Ge assimilate the Solar System and decided that Li Ge was uniquely suited to take control of Knowhere. He planned to lure Li Ge there through Deadpool and the Time Variance Authority, while keeping his own involvement secret.

• Loki reviewed Li Ge’s past actions and inferred that he was assimilating the Solar System and forging its celestial bodies into divine artifacts.
• Loki observed events on Krakoa, including Erik meeting Arale, and saw a burst of reddish-gray light from the temple.
• Loki explained that he had influenced Deadpool to learn about Cassandra, Knowhere, and the timelines, then sent him toward Li Ge’s universe.
• Loki resolved to guide Li Ge into taking control of Knowhere through the Time Variance Authority rather than meeting him directly.
• Loki and Li Ge had independently settled on Li Ge taking control of Knowhere.

The Human Way returned to his base, explained the Time Variance Authority and Knowhere to Wanda and the others, and prepared to send them to the Zombie World while arranging his next steps against Mephisto. Meanwhile, Nick Fury worried over the resurrected enemies, who gathered in an abandoned factory and argued about whether to fight Tony Stark or keep out of danger.

• The Human Way told Wanda and the others about the Time Variance Authority, Knowhere, and his plans, then sent them away to prepare for their stay in the Zombie World.
• The Human Way asked Wanda to retrieve Wade's spacetime teleporter and prepared mutant blood for later use in Knowhere before leaving to find Tony.
• Nick Fury watched the sleeping yin-element kitten and resolved to seek materials for his divine artifact so he could reach the domain realm.
• Ivan Vanko urged Obadiah and Aldrich Killian to hide until his Iron Legion grew stronger, while Obadiah threatened him and Aldrich warned that Mephisto wanted to use them against Tony.

Tony and the Avengers confronted Aldrich Killian, Obadiah Stane, and Ivan Vanko in an abandoned factory, then split up to fight them. As the Avengers gained the advantage, Tony stayed back and watched, leaving the battles unresolved.

• Tony mocked the three resurrected enemies as he and the Avengers appeared in the factory, and the enemies retreated and armed themselves.
• Thor charged Aldrich Killian, while Coulson and Natasha attacked Ivan Vanko and Obadiah Stane; Barton and Ultron joined the assault on the Iron Overlord.
• Steve followed Thor into the fight against Aldrich Killian, using his shield to support Thor as Killian fought with a giant lava hammer and Hellfire.
• Natasha used Li Ge’s thread ability to counter the demonized Iron Overlord, while Barton struck its joints with energy arrows.
• Tony remained outside the fights and watched as Natasha and Barton kept the Iron Overlord on the defensive.

Coulson, Tony, and their allies fought Ivan Vanko and the other two demonized men amid the ruins of the factory. The three demons were left severely wounded and unable to resist, but alive.

• Coulson and Ivan Vanko battled as their bodies and armor transformed into increasingly demonic forms.
• Tony's Ultron struck Ivan Vanko from above and slammed him into a crater.
• Coulson tore Ivan Vanko's demonic wings and ripped off part of his tail whip, while Ivan's wounds began to heal.
• Ivan Vanko saw Thor and Steve's shield Stand batter Aldrich Killian until he was barely breathing.
• Natasha's threads and an energy arrow overwhelmed Obadiah Stane, leaving all three demons severely wounded and unable to fight back.

Tony overpowered Ivan Vanko with his reforged Ultraman Belial divine artifact and prepared to seal him. Ivan, Aldrich Killian, and Obadiah Stane then revealed their defeat had been a setup and opened the Gate of Hell, leaving Tony and the Avengers facing a sudden new threat.

• Ivan Vanko planned to escape, but Coulson read his intentions and charged at him before he could flee.
• Tony transformed into Ultraman Tony and fought Ivan, overpowering him with a barrage of punches and absorbing the attacks of his demonic powers.
• Tony took out a Vibranium sealing card and moved to seal Ivan, but Aldrich Killian and Obadiah Stane began struggling as Ivan revealed his apparent defeat had been a ruse.
• Tony and Steve warned the others to retreat, but the three demons converged in midair and opened the Gate of Hell.

Human Way appeared as Mephisto’s trap began pulling Tony and the others into Hell, then reversed the destruction and bound the demons. Mephisto revealed that he had already taken the older brother of Human Way’s girlfriend and asked what Human Way would pay to get him back.

• Mephisto’s magic array sealed the factory inside an independent space and began opening a passage to Hell, trapping Tony and the others.
• Tony called for Li Ge, and Human Way appeared beside the group as the ground began collapsing beneath them.
• Human Way stopped the collapse, restored the factory and surrounding space, and bound Ivan Vanko and the two other demons in crimson chains.
• Mephisto admitted defeat but revealed that he had taken the older brother of Human Way’s girlfriend and demanded to know what he was worth.

Human Way subdued Mephisto and the demons, then told the Avengers that he had already rescued Pietro and gave Tony the sealed demons. He later caught up with Thor, who described his life with Sif and Jane Foster, while Human Way reflected on Odin encouraging Asgardians to worship him.

• Human Way slapped Mephisto and the other demons, taunted Mephisto about his plans, and claimed he had anticipated the abduction.
• Human Way sealed the three demons into cards and told Natasha that the Pietro Mephisto had taken was real, but that he had already rescued him.
• Human Way gave the sealing cards to Tony and explained that he intended to grant the demons’ souls new life after keeping their bodies.
• Human Way spoke privately with Thor, who described his adventures and relationships with Sif and Jane Foster.
• Human Way recalled that Odin had encouraged Asgardians to revere him and considered saving his believers when Ragnarok came.

Human Way inspected the Mother Cube’s reports on the Transcendents’ block islands and located David, James, Li Chuang, and Alice. He planned to bring them to Zombie World to guide their development, and found Li Chuang and Alice living in the Secret Realm.

• Human Way visited the temple and connected with the grass-block Mother Cube to review its reports on the Daughter Cubes and their owners.
• He learned that Transcendents were making block islands their homes and using them to build spacecraft, gather resources, and travel away from Earth.
• Human Way searched for David and James, whom Li Ge had called his disciples, and found their islands near Jupiter, where they lived with their families.
• He found Li Chuang and Alice living on their floating block island in the Secret Realm, which they regarded as Li Ge’s treasury on Earth.
• Human Way intended to take David, James, Li Chuang, and Alice to Zombie World and arrange their studies and advancement.

The Heavenly Dao revealed that he had been planting crystals and other objects throughout Hell to give demons the power to claim and assimilate territory. He planned to unite the resulting “little Hells” under his own power and wrest control of Hell from Mephisto.

• The Heavenly Dao continued placing unusual objects around Hell while Pietro questioned what he was doing.
• The Heavenly Dao teased Pietro about neglecting his magic studies, then asked what he thought of Hell’s endless violence and its powerful demons monopolizing opportunities.
• The Heavenly Dao suggested that weak demons could gain the power to carve out territories and grow by assimilating their surroundings.
• Pietro realized the Heavenly Dao intended to split Hell apart, and the Heavenly Dao confirmed his plan.
• The Heavenly Dao explained that demons who found his crystals would be assimilated by his power and could establish little Hells that would eventually merge into a Hell beyond Mephisto’s control.

Heavenly Dao and Pietro discovered a little demon praying to Mephisto and decided to recruit him for Heavenly Dao’s plans in Hell. After Heavenly Dao summoned him, the frightened demon followed them up the cliff, unsure what awaited him.

• Heavenly Dao sensed an interesting little demon praying beside a lava pool and led Pietro to watch him.
• The little demon begged Mephisto for power while offering sacrifices into the lava.
• Pietro offered to kill the demon, but Heavenly Dao stopped him and said he wanted to use him.
• Heavenly Dao revealed himself, and the little demon mistook him and Pietro for human mages and pleaded for his life.
• Heavenly Dao told the little demon to come with him, and Pietro urged him to follow.
• The little demon followed Heavenly Dao and Pietro as they flew up to the clifftop.