American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

125. On the Wasteland.

Being choked by Pietro's remark, Alex couldn't help but shake his head, cursing with a smile.

"Just keep eating. Even with all that food, you can't seem to keep your mouth shut."

"Seriously though, every time you tell me it's safe, we end up facing a massive crisis, each one worse than the last." Pietro got more agitated as he spoke, pointing to the nearby ruins.

"Look over there. Before, we got teleported next to a garbage bin. Now, we've ended up in a junkyard. This place looks like it's been plowed by missiles, and you're telling me it's safe?"

"Alright, I admit, my choice of words was definitely a bit off." Alex touched his earlobe, then refocused on the campfire before him.

"What I meant was that we are 'currently' safe. I haven't sensed any unfamiliar life signs in the vicinity. If my magic isn't malfunctioning, it means that there aren't any living beings left in this wasteland."

"You can still use magic? I mean, are you still as powerful as before? Honestly, your previous performance was amazing. That colossal figure in the sky really shocked me." Pietro looked up, asking curiously.

Hearing this, Alex extended his hand and snapped his fingers crisply. In the next moment, the color of the campfire instantly turned a ghostly green, dancing rhythmically with Alex's fingers. The green flames illuminated their faces, making them look particularly eerie in the dark night.

"Using simple magic isn't a problem. After all, I didn't waste those seventeen years. However, my source of magic power has encountered some issues. To prevent any unforeseen incidents in that world, it's now very difficult for me to draw energy from that dimension."

As Alex spoke, the hazy image of those eyes flashed through his mind. Due to his mishap, the ruinous universe had suffered irreversible consequences. Although the breach was sealed, Alex, after consulting with Miss Minutes, decided not to engage too much with the ruinous universe for safety reasons.

Unless he possessed enough strength, enough to uncover the secrets behind everything. For this reason, Alex contemplated recording a new timeline to use as his ace in the hole and a backup source of magical energy. The previous worlds had fallen into disaster too quickly, not giving Alex enough time to record, causing him to miss two worlds that would have been perfect for his needs. But now, things were different.

This world was already shrouded in the shadow of the apocalypse. Long before Alex's arrival, the land had turned into scorched earth. The shadow of war covered every corner here, with carrion vultures circling high above, never lacking in food. Like the ruinous universe, this world had no hope. Or rather, compared to the despair enveloping this wasteland, any hope was too insignificant.

"We sort of crash-landed in this world. Logically speaking, this universe should be similar to the one we were in before, belonging to the same parallel universe timeline. And I can use magic here smoothly without any interference from other rules, which should confirm my guess."

"So there's another me in this world too?" Pietro asked casually.

Previously, according to Moon Knight, Pietro in that world had already sacrificed himself, killed by Deadpool in an extremely tragic manner. This outcome baffled Pietro because he couldn't fathom how, as a speedster, another version of himself could be killed by someone with a knife.

"Well..." Alex took a deep breath, looking at the distant ruins. After a pause, he murmured, "I really can't guarantee that."

Pietro's expression became quite interesting. There was no helping it. Alex truly couldn't guarantee it. As a speedster, even if Pietro couldn't traverse timelines or alter history, his ability was still formidable. Thus, in major events, Quicksilver, like the Flash, was often the one to die heroically. They say that as long as you're safe, the sky will be clear. Judging by this wasteland environment, this world's Pietro was probably already gone.

"Seriously? Are my counterparts in parallel universes doomed to such tragic fates? Alex, I can't even imagine what kind of fate I would have met if you hadn't saved me from that world," Pietro couldn't help but shiver.

"Don't think too much about it. It's not your fault. In normal universes, although there are various crises, heroes generally unite to overcome them. It's just that we're probably unlucky, always ending up in these kinds of universes." Alex chuckled bitterly.

"I don't think it's about luck," Pietro suddenly said.

Alex, hearing this, looked up, showing interest in Pietro's words.

Pietro, in turn, looked seriously at Alex. "I think our journey has a purpose. It's not that we come to these worlds, but these worlds need us!"

Alex was stunned. It was the first time he had seen Pietro so serious. It seemed that this kid had grown up a bit after experiencing so much. Recalling their first encounter, when this kid was still fighting stray dogs for food, Alex couldn't help but feel a bit bitter. Perhaps only those who have experienced despair can empathize more deeply with others who have tasted suffering.

Is this what it means to say 'those who have been through the rain can hold an umbrella for others'?

Alex laughed silently. "You kid, suddenly getting serious like this makes me a bit uncomfortable."

Pietro had no idea what Alex was thinking. He just felt that his conclusion had made Alex smile, which clearly meant Alex didn't take his words seriously and thought he was joking.

"Alex, I'm serious. We've been through three universes together, and this is the fourth. Haven't you seriously thought about the events behind all these..."

"Pietro."

Alex interrupted him, smiling as he looked at the anxious Pietro, enunciating each word clearly.

"You are very kind, and that's great. You can stay optimistic even after witnessing countless painful things. That's also great. I hope you can keep it up."

The atmosphere froze for a few seconds.

"Why do you sound like you're giving a last will..." Pietro's expression changed.

Alex twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Screw you."

.......

20 advanced chapters on p@treaon
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
126. Kara Awakens.
127. Nightclub in the Wasteland.
128. A Tender Trap in a Nightmare.
129. Orb.
130. The Gaze.