With the last Skrulls hiding throughout the Earth completely wiped out, the eerie atmosphere that had hung over the planet finally dissipated.
I sprawled out on the beanbag chair in my yard, completely relaxed and feeling utterly comfortable.
Finally, it's quiet.
Those disgusting green-skinned guys, after causing so much trouble, from infiltrating in the shadows to causing chaos in the open, making the earth a mess, are finally all gone, wiped out completely.
A huge weight lifted from my heart, and I stretched comfortably, unable to help but sigh to myself.
Now I can finally take a proper long vacation.
I had planned to go on vacation to Hawaii with Natasha, to enjoy the sea breeze and sun, and just relax and unwind. But one bad thing after another has happened, and the plan has been delayed until now.
This time, everything has finally come to an end.
Surely Nick Fury wouldn't completely disregard my feelings, would he?
I helped the Earth avert such a massive, lurking catastrophe. Let alone just taking a vacation, even if I were to take over an entire beach in Hawaii, he would probably have to hold his nose and nod in agreement.
Then I thought about it again and couldn't help but sigh, feeling a little annoyed.
The commotion they caused this time was just too big.
The forces involved and the personnel clearing things out are spread across government departments around the world. The approval process for the exclusive plot of land I had previously finalized will definitely be delayed for quite some time.
If I had known it would cause such a huge mess, I should have just sent the Ultimate Nullifier to force those people to approve the paperwork, instead of waiting anxiously like this now.
Now, with a massive overhaul of relevant departments worldwide, a large number of people have been purged and replaced, and the entire process has been disrupted and reset. Who knows when it will finally be fully implemented?
It's truly a losing proposition; it's just asking for trouble.
My thoughts drifted, and I couldn't help but think of Tony again.
The Battle of New York was so thrilling, with nuclear bombs blasting into a wormhole and facing the unknown horrors of the universe, yet that guy remained incredibly calm and didn't have the slightest psychological problem.
As a result, the Skrulls' secret attempt to overthrow Earth caused him to develop anxiety disorder.
The destiny that was meant to come was indeed inescapable.
It's an absurd sense of fatalism.
Because of this, I haven't had a single moment of peace lately.
Tony is acting like he's possessed, going into seclusion to frantically build suits of armor, one after another, filling a whole garage with all sorts of new models and configurations.
What annoys me most is that he comes to my place wearing brand-new armor all the time, insisting on using me as a test subject.
He kept saying I was the most perfect test subject in the world, the most suitable person for his armor testing, and he kept pestering me to accompany him to test all sorts of extreme data on offensive and defensive performance.
I know perfectly well that this guy is up to no good; he's probably plotting some outrageous new invention or plan.
Just as I was complaining and venting, thinking about how to get rid of Tony as soon as possible and sneak off on vacation, I heard Black Dragon's calm voice reporting in my mind.
[Sir, Steve Rogers, accompanied by Peggy Carter, has arrived outside the mansion and requests an audience.]
Upon hearing this, I raised an eyebrow slightly, straightened my languid posture a little, and instantly recalled all the previous agreements and plans in my mind.
Oh, it's them.
It seems Peggy Carter has finally seen the light.
Just as I predicted, everything was exactly the same, without the slightest deviation.
I straightened my clothes, slowly got up and walked out of the living room, just as Steve and the elderly Peggy Carter, with his full head of white hair and weathered face, walked in.
The two men had completely different temperaments. Steve remained as upright and composed as ever, while the elderly Peggy Carter had trepidation and anticipation in his eyes, and his nervousness was clearly visible.
Upon meeting, Steve went straight to the point without any pleasantries, his tone unusually serious.
"Mr. Rimuru, do you remember what you promised me? The plan to help Carter regain his youth and extend his life."
I nodded slightly, my tone calm yet resolute.
"Of course I remember."
"Recently, Earth has faced a series of crises. The Skrulls threat has just been eliminated, but no one knows how many unknown dangers will befall Earth in the future."
Steve took a deep breath, glanced at Peggy Carter beside him, and continued.
So, Peggy has agreed to your original proposal.
As soon as she finished speaking, the aged Peggy Carter took a small step forward.
She looked up at me; time had etched deep wrinkles on her face, and her hair was completely white. She was no longer the beautiful agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.. she once was.
Those eyes, weathered by time, were filled with trepidation, unease, and a sliver of hope that dared not be touched.
Her voice was soft, trembling slightly, as she spoke to me solemnly.
"Mr. Rimuru, hello, I'm Peggy Carter."
Even though she had long heard of my terrifying strength and heaven-defying methods, and even though Steve had confirmed with her countless times, this kind of thing—reversing the passage of time and defying life and death—was simply too unbelievable and beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
So she still couldn't help but feel uneasy, looking at me cautiously and asking softly.
"Can you... really make me young again?"
I gazed quietly at this legendary woman before me, who had lived a life of perseverance and regret for half her life, her voice calm and her words clear.
"I simply cannot reverse the aging process of your body and instantly return you to your peak youthful state."
Seeing the slight unease on their expressions, I changed the subject and continued.
"But simply helping you peel away the wear and tear of time, prolonging your life, and giving you a long life again is not a difficult task for me."
Having said that, I said no more and gestured for the two of them to follow.
"Come with me."
After I finished speaking, I turned around and walked straight into the depths of the mansion, leading directly to the private underground laboratory.
The moment you step into the underground laboratory, the entire space is slowly illuminated by cool white lights.
A row of sophisticated incubation chambers, biological instruments activated one after another, and a soft mechanical humming sound surrounded the room.
This is a private laboratory that I specially modified. It can perfectly handle experiments on both biotechnology and spiritual levels, with top-notch confidentiality and stability.
I turned to Steve and Peggy Carter, who looked rather reserved, and laid out my complete plan without beating around the bush.
"Let me explain my method first. The process is very simple. You can decide after you hear it."
"I won't reverse the aging process you're currently experiencing. After all, the foundation laid by time is already completely rotten. Forcibly repairing it will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause, and problems will arise sooner or later."
I pointed to the giant, empty biological cultivation chamber in the center of the laboratory.
"My solution is simple: using cutting-edge bio-regeneration technology, I will cultivate a completely new, flawless young body from scratch, based on your genetic makeup from your youth."
"Your bones, blood vessels, muscles, and organs are all in peak condition, without the slightest damage from age; they perfectly replicate your appearance and physique in your twenties."
Steve and Peggy Carter both paused for a moment. Rimuru had told them that this plan would be unusual, but this was far too unusual.
It feels like it goes against basic human ethics.