Marvel: Death Knight

"I'm leaving this universe now. What about you, Erik?"

Erik floated in midair, his expression resolute. "I'm staying. This mess is my responsibility. I can't just walk away from it."

"And what exactly do you plan to do?" Garus asked, his tone measured. "Death is about to cleanse this world. Soon, there won't be a single living being left in this universe. Staying here serves no purpose. Besides, this universe will be sealed off."

The vast cosmos stretched endlessly, but after this catastrophe, it would become nearly impossible to access. This universe was beyond saving, which was why the One Above All had granted Death the authority to initiate a full purge.

Above them, a fleet of warships descended, their bay doors opening at the bottom. Inside, several mutant pilots glanced up as Garus approached, quickly offering a salute.

"Hold on for a bit," Garus instructed. "Round up all the zombified superheroes and lock them away. Make sure they're secured."

"Understood, Headmaster!" The pilots exchanged uneasy glances, recognizing the once-great heroes now reduced to monstrous husks.

"Be careful not to get bitten. Even I won't be able to save you if that happens," Garus warned.

Down below, Erik watched as the warship's doors remained open. He sighed, shaking his head before turning away, his shoulders heavy with resignation.

"Let's go. If we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave at all." The Goddess of Death's seal was beyond Garus's ability to break—unless he reached the power level of a Multiversal entity, surpassing even Death herself.

A few seconds passed before two mutants hesitantly turned to Garus.

"Headmaster, where are we headed now? Back to Earth?"

The Sargerite Keystone projected a holographic star map, displaying only a handful of viable coordinates.

Garus made his decision. "We need to warn the Nova Corps on Xandar. At the very least, they should be prepared for what's coming. We can't let their world fall to the zombies."

"Hey, Garus, shouldn't we keep moving through the multiverse?"

"Yeah, I'd rather not see any more of those disgusting zombies. And can I finally get rid of this stinking mess?" Wade complained, holding up a severed Deadpool head before tossing it unceremoniously into a corner.

The severed head rolled across the floor, coming to a stop before grumbling, "Hey, you bastard! What the hell did you just say?"

One Deadpool was already equivalent to a flock of unruly ducks. Two of them? That was like a chaotic swarm of a hundred. Before another round of bickering could break out, Garus silenced them both with a well-placed muting spell.

The Sargerite Keystone activated, emitting a beam of light from the warship's top deck, opening a portal to another universe.

When they emerged, they found themselves at the outer edges of Xandar. Since the Power Stone had never been hidden here in this timeline, the planet had escaped Thanos's wrath.

...

Elsewhere in the universe, an enigmatic entity composed of celestial bodies and swirling nebulas gazed upon the demon before it.

"Kneel before the great god Eternity."

Mephisto's son, Blackheart*, crouched atop a floating asteroid, his head bowed low. "What do you require of me, my lord?"

A voice filled with cosmic authority resonated within Blackheart's mind. "You once spent time on Earth. Tell me, what do you know of the one called Garus?"

Garus? Blackheart immediately recalled the powerful being who had clashed with his father multiple times. He had even attempted to form an alliance with Garus to seize control of Hell, but circumstances had always kept them apart.

"He's strong," Blackheart admitted. "Of course, he's no match for you, my lord. But my father… my father has suffered several defeats at his hands."

"So, he and your father are not allies?"

"Far from it, Lord Eternity. My father has long sought to invade Earth, but Garus has thwarted him at every turn."

Eternity fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Garus recently met with Death. I do not know what they conspired about, but it appears there was no conflict between them over Mephisto. I need you to investigate their relationship. If you succeed, I shall grant you the title of Hell's ruler in place of your father."

Currently, Mephisto's soul was imprisoned by Garus, but his dominion over Hell had not yet transferred. Blackheart had come to Eternity precisely for this reason—to seize his father's throne. He had even whispered the idea of imprisoning Death into Eternity's ear.

Blackheart hesitated. "But… I'll be discovered the moment I get close to him."

His father wasn't even Garus's match—what chance did he have?

Without warning, a pitch-black portal materialized beside Blackheart.

Eternity's vast gaze locked onto him. "Beyond this portal lies the domain of the Celestials. They are already moving to capture the human. I need you to extract whatever intelligence you can regarding his connection to Death."

Blackheart exhaled in relief. "Understood, Lord Eternity."

As long as he wasn't expected to fight Garus directly, he had no objections. Torture and interrogation were well within his skill set—no one could endure his black magic unscathed.

While Blackheart had never encountered the Celestials personally, he had heard of them. The strongest among them surpassed even Mephisto, and they were a race of cosmic titans who roamed the universe, shaping and modifying planets at will.

Stepping through the portal, Blackheart arrived on the other side, where a group of colossal warriors stood. Each one towered at least several hundred meters tall, their mechanical exteriors exuding an overwhelming presence. Few beings knew what lay beneath their imposing armor.

"Halt!" one of the Celestials declared, raising a hundred-meter-long staff and pointing it at Blackheart. "State your purpose, or you will be eradicated."

Facing the mighty Celestial known as the Executioner, Blackheart dared not act rashly. Instead, he carefully explained his mission.

The Celestial known as Arishem the Judge stepped forward, gazing down at the demon. Eternity's mark shimmered on Blackheart's body, carrying a silent message from the cosmic entity.

"I understand your purpose," Arishem intoned. "However, we are not responsible for your safety."

"Of course, great Celestial. I will take care of myself," Blackheart assured.

To Arishem, Blackheart was nothing more than an insignificant insect. But since Eternity had requested it, they would allow him to proceed.

Another Celestial, the Searcher, approached. "Arishem, the human has crossed into another universe. He is now on Xandar."

"Then we depart. The heretic must be purged."

Blackheart hesitated before calling out, his voice small compared to the titans before him. "Lord Arishem, Lord Eternity tasked me with extracting information about his dealings with Death…"

Arishem cast him a single glance. That was all it took for Blackheart to shut his mouth.

The Celestials did not require spaceships to travel. One by one, they opened portals in the void and stepped through.

Blackheart hurried after them. He had no means of traversing dimensions on his own—this was his only chance to follow.

-----------------------

TL/N:

The raw didn't say Blackheart but 巫心魔 (Wū Xīn Mó). However, seeing that this guy knows black magic, it might be Blackheart.

TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON