Arthur's tone carried a hint of confusion.
Tony, however, naturally curled his lips. "I don't understand!"
"Hm?"
"Hm what, hm?"
Tony said with a shrug: "Life is finite, but within that finite life, infinite brilliance can burst forth. The most important thing in what you just said is… you should be brave! Yes, that's exactly what I think. Only children hesitate when making choices, thinking that simply causing pain can make those willing to give their lives for you retreat. But in reality, when a feeling surpasses the weight of life itself, its greatness can no longer be measured in ordinary emotions.
"Old man, be brave. You've already lived through so many years. Don't you know how long your life might be? Don't you understand what kind of life form you are?"
"Endless years!"
Tony looked at Arthur seriously: "Maybe you will have endless years. But the people you love, do they? That young woman, does she? Natasha, does she? Time eventually ages, but will you?"
"…How do you know?" Arthur couldn't remember ever discussing this with anyone.
"You'd be surprised how little can really be hidden," Tony said. "Do you think a normal human could have caused the scene earlier?"
He reached out and pressed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "No matter how you see yourself, at least from our perspective, you are our God of War. You are Earth's rightful protector… Of course, I'm not saying that being a protector gives you the right to have multiple wives. After all, you can't force anyone, right? Besides, what about those guys who haven't even had a girlfriend? The real question is, do these two women care deeply for you? Are they willing, within their limited lifespans, to accompany you through these years?"
This was something Arthur had never considered.
So he fell silent.
But after the silence, he let out a bitter laugh: "He's selfish."
"Not selfish is being heartless," Tony said. "The choice is yours: be a scumbag, or be a true lover. You decide."
A "true lover"?
Arthur was speechless. Since when did he have anything to do with a "true lover"?
And why did Tony's words, instead of clarifying things, make everything even more confusing?
Finally, he let out a deep sigh: "Get lost."
"A man who burns bridges, huh?" Tony gave Arthur a sharp look and started to leave, but then he suddenly turned back: "There's one thing I need a clear answer on."
"Go ahead."
"What about Ego?"
"Erased," Arthur said. "Completely erased."
"Good." Tony said again. "Will something like this happen again in the future?"
"That's the second question…" Arthur glanced at Tony. "But what I can answer is… it won't."
The Disassembler had been upgraded to Advanced. It should have reached its peak. Although he hadn't yet tested the full extent of its capabilities, there shouldn't be a more advanced option available… After all, this isn't one of those endless novels where upgrades have no limit.
Everything has a peak. On the path to Advanced, the Disassembler has only these two thresholds. Depending on how energy is used, one experiences different lives.
Ego's Soul Crystal had clearly helped Arthur traverse a life experience beyond imagination.
Millions of years!
Though the negative aspects had long vanished, the benefits it brought to Arthur were limitless, indescribable!
Finally, Tony left. Arthur sat alone at Natasha's bedside, gazing at the woman who had willingly risked her life for him. Deep in his heart, he felt a pain as sharp as a blade.
"How… how should I treat you?"
Sitting by her bed, holding Natasha's hand, Arthur saw that in this moment, she was no longer the strong woman he had first met. She was fragile, almost heartbreakingly so.
No matter what happened later, no matter what she would be like when she woke, at this moment, Arthur only wanted to quietly hold her hand, to let her feel his presence… and to feel hers.
…
…
Her unconsciousness was due to the damage to her soul.
Physical pain could injure the soul, and in such cases, sleep was one of the best ways to recover.
Of course, some people, when pushed to their limits, could never fully recover no matter how much rest they took. In the years to come, they would always feel as though a part of their soul was missing.
Natasha hadn't reached that point. The passage of time during Arthur's upgrade process wasn't equal to the flow of time outside.
So even though it seemed that Arthur and Ego were engaged in dialogue and battle, in reality, very little time had passed. His emergence was timely; he had instantly activated the Eye of Horus's Recovery power. Natasha's soul therefore, suffered no irreversible damage.
Even so, she slept for two full days before waking.
Arthur, meanwhile, had not slept at all during those two days.
It was only when he sensed that everything about the woman in the bed had begun to revive that he quickly released her hand. As he tried to stand, Natasha grabbed him.
"I know…"
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. Turning around, he showed the surprise one should feel: "You're awake?"
"You've always been by my side, haven't you?" Natasha said. "Even though I was asleep, I could feel it."
"Do you want something to eat?" Arthur asked. "I'll cook a pot of porridge for you with some vegetables. It's probably been a long time since you had any proper nourishment."
"I love you." Natasha spoke.
Arthur blinked, as if he hadn't heard clearly.
"I love you!"
Natasha sat up. Her body bore no injuries; everything had been repaired perfectly. Her voice was loud, her movements vigorous.
She trusted that Arthur could hear her clearly.
"I…" Arthur opened his mouth. "I… don't dare…"
"You don't need to dare." Natasha extended a finger, touching Arthur's lips, then slid down to his chest. "There's a voice saying the same words as mine. The mouth may be a coward, but the heart is brave."
"It… really said that?" Arthur's eyes reddened slightly.
"Clearly." Natasha leaned her head against his chest. "It's saying… I love you too."