Chapter 46 – Shadows of Wakanda, All Corrupted Revealed
The battlefield shuddered as Wakanda's barrier rippled like liquid shadow.
For a moment, it was quiet—too quiet.
Then, the corruption roared to life. The skies split open with streaks of violet lightning, and the ground tore apart, vomiting out shadow-beasts. But behind them… something worse arrived.
Figures began stepping forward, twisted mockeries of Earth's mightiest heroes.
• Black Panther (T'Challa): Vibranium armor warped with jagged, obsidian corruption, his claws lengthened into spears of living shadow. His eyes glowed an unnatural purple.
• Doctor Strange: His corrupted cloak writhed like a living creature, and countless black glyphs rotated around him, his sorcery tainted into unstable dimensional tears.
• Vision: Half his body phased in and out of existence, red gem corrupted into a black sun, projecting destructive pulses of void energy.
• Falcon (Sam): His wings twisted into blades of corruption, cutting through the air like shadow razors.
• War Machine (Rhodey): His armor bulked unnaturally with corruption spikes, each missile slot leaking blackened energy.
Natasha's grip on her twin batons tightened. "It's… all the ones we hadn't found yet."
Steve's jaw clenched as his shield gleamed. "Then this is the last wave."
Thor slammed Mjolnir to the ground, lightning splitting across the barrier. "A grim sight… but better to face them here, all at once, than let this poison spread further."
Wanda, standing with Neo's group, shook her head in pain. "I can still feel it—they're bound deeper to the source than I ever was…"
Bruce's voice was steady despite his clenched fists. "Then we tear that bond apart. No one gets left behind."
Velgrynd's flames flared, golden and wrathful. "This ends in Wakanda. No further."
📲 The Chat Group's Intervention
The oppressive weight pressed down on all of them—until the familiar system voice cut through the chaos.
[Global Announcement]: Final corrupted concentration detected. Difficulty spike acknowledged.
[Adjustment]: Partial Rewards issued mid-battle.
A surge of light hit every member like a second heartbeat.
• Steve's shield resonated, gaining Purification Layers, allowing him to intercept corruption directly.
• Natasha's batons became adaptive resonance weapons, reshaping against enemy defenses.
• Thor's lightning inherited a Divine Purge, searing corruption at its roots.
• Wanda's chaos magic stabilized, now weaving with Purification Threads alongside her scarlet power.
• Hulk gained refined Gamma Control, channeling strength without slipping into corruption again.
• Tony's nanotech adjusted on the spot, integrating Purification Alloy Armor, resilient against shadow damage.
• Velgrynd's flames ignited into a higher form: Dragon Purification Blaze.
And Neo—
[Reward: Cocoon Adaptation 98% → 99%. Evolution imminent.]
[Aeternus Expansion: unlocked tri-form weapon shift.]
[Bonus Points: +500,000 distributed equally to all members.]
Neo inhaled sharply, Cocoon energy stirring violently inside him, just shy of breaking free. Manas: Seraphina's calm voice echoed within:
[Stability critical. Awakening process beginning. You must maintain focus.]
Neo muttered, "…I'll hold it. Just a little longer."
⚔ Final Formation
The corrupted Avengers advanced, their powers tearing the landscape apart.
But Neo's group stood united—Wanda and Bruce alongside them now, shields and blades ready, flames and magic burning with purpose.
Steve raised his shield. "Avengers—"
Neo's Dragon Spirit Haki radiated outward in tandem with his Aeternus. "And allies."
Together, voices thundered in defiance of the corruption: "ASSEMBLE!"
The final battle began.
Chapter 47 – Clash of Shadows, Divided Fronts
The corrupted Wakandan barrier quaked as the full roster of corrupted Avengers surged forward, each radiating warped power that bent the world around them.
Inside the battlefield, the team split without hesitation—each knowing who they had to face.
🌌 Neo vs. Corrupted Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange floated above, cloak writhing like a beast, countless black glyphs spinning around him like broken planets. His corrupted voice echoed, layered with distortion:
"The fabric of reality… bends only to me now."
Neo's eyes narrowed. Manas: Seraphina's calm tone resonated within:
[Caution. Dimensional distortions ahead. Recommend Imaginary Space deployment.]
Aeternus shifted into its sword form, coated with Dragon Spirit Haki. Neo slashed, opening a rift of pure Nihility Collapse, consuming Strange's unstable glyphs before they detonated.
From the live broadcast:
• Kiana: "He's literally cutting apart dimensions like threads… that's insane."
• Himiko (HSR): "That Strange is terrifying, but Neo's space control is even sharper."
• Asuna: "He's holding back, though. He's not pushing his Cocoon yet."
The clash was catastrophic—portals clashed, broken mirror realities shattered and reformed, yet Neo kept pressing forward, isolating Strange into Imaginary Space, step by step unraveling the corruption around him.
⚡ Thor vs. Corrupted Black Panther
Thor's lightning clashed with T'Challa's corrupted vibranium claws, sparks and shadow flaring with each strike.
"Brother Panther, resist this darkness!" Thor roared, his voice shaking the air.
But T'Challa's corrupted growl came only with sharpened claws and a burst of shadow-speed, slashing Thor's side.
From the live broadcast:
• Himiko: "Even Thor's having trouble? That speed is unreal."
• Kiana: "That's vibranium enhanced by corruption—like anti-lightning armor."
• Asuna: "No, look—Thor's adjusting. He's layering divine purification into his lightning."
Indeed, Thor's storm shifted, lightning turning white-gold. Every strike now burned away corruption, forcing T'Challa into defense instead of offense.
🔥 Tony & Bruce vs. Corrupted Vision
Vision phased in and out, firing blasts from his corrupted gem that cracked the earth. Tony's purification-alloy nanotech shielded him, while Bruce—half-Hulked, controlling his gamma now—slammed corrupted constructs to pieces.
Tony cursed over the comms: "Friday, tell me I'm not seeing his gem turning into a black hole generator!"
Bruce roared back, calm yet furious: "Then we stop it together. Banner and Stark—brains and fists!"
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "Oh! Science bros combo, let's go!"
• Asuna: "It's more than science… Bruce is finally using gamma like a scalpel."
• Himiko: "Tony's nanotech is syncing with Bruce's rhythm. That's… kind of beautiful, actually."
A synchronized strike—Tony's purification pulse + Bruce's focused gamma punch—disrupted Vision's corrupted gem, forcing him to stagger.
🦅 Steve & Natasha vs. Corrupted Falcon & War Machine
The skies above Wakanda became a hurricane of fire and steel.
Sam swooped in with blade-like corrupted wings, while Rhodey's armor unloaded missile salvos warped by corruption.
Steve raised his shield, layers of purification glowing with every impact. "Natasha, with me!"
Nat leapt off his shield mid-block, batons reshaping midair into twin spears of light. She struck Sam's wings, severing the corruption growths, while Steve countered Rhodey's artillery with shield throws charged by his purification resonance.
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "Cap and Nat are moving like one person."
• Himiko: "This is a dance… but the kind that kills."
• Asuna: "It's not just teamwork—it's trust rebuilt after everything."
Each blow carried memory and conviction, slowly pushing Falcon and War Machine back toward purification.
🌍 Unified Push
As each sub-battle raged, Neo's Cocoon stirred deeper, reaching for awakening. Seraphina whispered:
[98.7%… 99.1%… Evolution trigger approaching. Maintain stability.]
Neo exhaled. "Not yet. First, we save them all."
And with that, each clash surged toward its breaking point—corruption unraveling against unity, against fire, against void.
The final Wakandan battle had truly begun.
Chapter 48 – Dawn of Purification, Cocoon Awakens
The battlefield in Wakanda trembled as the final clash's echoes faded. One by one, corrupted Avengers were forced to their knees, light and shadow peeling away under the relentless synergy of the group.
Neo hovered at the center, Aeternus humming with both void and dragon light, while Seraphina whispered in his core:
[Stability confirmed. Cocoon of the End: 100% threshold reached. Evolution sequence beginning.]
But before Neo could sink into it fully, he clenched his fist. "Not yet. Let's bring them back first."
🌌 Doctor Strange's Purification
The corrupted glyphs shattered like glass as Neo closed the Imaginary Space around Strange, compressing the corrupted dimension until it crumbled to nothing. Strange collapsed, cloak falling limp, his body convulsing.
Neo extended a hand, void energy restrained into a fine thread of purification. Light sank into Strange's chest, unraveling the corruption knot by knot.
"Stephen," Neo said softly. "Your fight isn't here. It's with us."
Strange gasped awake, corruption burning away, and his tired eyes locked on Neo. "…You… pulled me back from the abyss."
From the live broadcast:
• Kiana: "Strange looks like he aged ten years in that fight…"
• Himiko: "No, look—his eyes are clear. That's real Strange again."
• Asuna: "Neo didn't just fight him, he respected him. That's why it worked."
⚡ Black Panther's Purification
Thor's storm pressed T'Challa down, white-gold lightning burning away corruption that writhed in his veins. Thor knelt beside him as the shadows broke.
"Rise, brother. Wakanda still needs its king."
T'Challa's breath was ragged, but his voice was steady as the glow of purification filled him. "Then let us… protect it together."
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "He's back… and even his aura feels noble again."
• Himiko: "Thor was the only one who could've reached him."
• Asuna: "The bond of kings. That's what saved him."
🔥 Vision's Purification
Tony and Bruce stood side by side, purification alloy smoking and gamma radiation stabilizing Vision's unstable form.
"Come on, V," Tony muttered, his voice breaking just a little. "Don't make me say I lost another teammate."
Bruce added his calm strength, channeling a steady pulse of green-white energy into Vision's gem. Corruption shattered like shards of black glass, dissolving into nothing.
Vision opened his eyes—clear, luminous again. "…I remember. I nearly destroyed everything…"
Tony sighed, relief heavy. "Yeah, well… now you get to help us fix it instead."
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "Tony's trying not to cry. Totally failing."
• Himiko: "Bruce being steady here… I like this side of him."
• Asuna: "It's their science bond. That's what anchored Vision."
🦅 Falcon & War Machine's Purification
The aerial battle finally ended as Steve and Natasha pulled their corrupted comrades back down. Their purification resonance glowed like twin flames, burning the corruption from Sam's wings and Rhodey's armor.
"Sam, Rhodey… come home," Steve said firmly, his shield pressed against the final corruption sigil.
Natasha finished with a soft whisper: "We fight together, or not at all."
Both men collapsed, coughing, as the last of the corruption smoke drifted off their armor. Their eyes cleared—recognition dawning.
Sam weakly chuckled. "Cap, you never change…"
Rhodey groaned. "…And Nat still hits like a truck."
Steve and Natasha both smiled faintly, relief pouring out of them.
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "That was… surprisingly tender."
• Himiko: "Sam cracking jokes even right after purification—classic."
• Asuna: "It really feels like family finding each other again."
🌍 Unified Reunion
The battlefield finally stilled. One by one, the corrupted Avengers stood free again—Strange, T'Challa, Vision, Sam, and Rhodey—all purified, all reunited with their comrades.
The Avengers gathered in a wide circle, bruised but smiling faintly, their eyes turning to Neo and his group.
Tony broke the silence. "…I guess we owe you guys everything. Again."
Steve placed a hand over his heart. "No. We stand together now. As Avengers—and beyond."
From the broadcast:
• Kiana: "They're all back. Every single one."
• Himiko: "So this… is the true Avengers lineup."
• Asuna: "And Neo's group made it happen."
🌌 The Cocoon Awakens
And then—the sky shook.
A blinding radiance burst from Neo's body as the Cocoon of the End finally cracked open. Scales of void-light spread along his arms, his form shifting into something both draconic and transcendent.
Seraphina's voice rang in his mind:
[Cocoon Awakening: Complete. Evolution Phase One Initiated. Adaptation: 100%. You are now harmonized with Nihility Collapse and Azathoth.]
Neo exhaled, his aura stabilizing, not destructive but overwhelming—a living void that now coexisted with creation itself.
The Avengers and his allies all stared. Even Thor's breath caught. "By the gods… what manner of being have you become, Neo?"
Neo only gripped Aeternus tighter, gaze steady. "…Someone who'll see this through to the end."
The final arc had truly begun.
Chapter 49 – The Bonds of Victory, A Warning Beyond
The smoke over Wakanda finally thinned.
Where moments ago the battlefield was a nightmare of corruption and despair, now there was only the heavy quiet of relief. The Avengers—once bound by corruption—stood shoulder to shoulder again, purified and free.
Steve was the first to break the silence. His shield rested at his side, eyes sweeping over the gathered heroes. "We did it. Not just as Avengers… but all of us, together."
Natasha leaned into him slightly, the weight of relief softening her sharp expression. Wanda lingered near, head bowed but clear-eyed, while Bruce steadied himself with deep breaths, his form calm for once after the storm. Thor's laughter rolled like thunder, unrestrained and full of life again. Tony cracked a tired grin, though his eyes shimmered with unshed emotion.
For the first time in what felt like forever, they were whole.
🌌 The Arrival of Zhongli
A steady, composed voice interrupted the moment.
"Then, allow me to extend my congratulations as well."
A pillar of geo energy descended, and from its golden light stepped Zhongli. His amber gaze carried both gravity and calm, and though he was not of this world, his presence felt timeless.
"I have completed my purification of the other lands," Zhongli explained. "The corrupted fragments that spread beyond Wakanda are gone. The civilians and warriors touched by corruption have been guided to a temporary center of stabilization, where they will recover in safety."
Neo nodded at him. "Thanks, Zhongli. That saves us time—and lives."
Thor tilted his head, studying him. "Another god-wielder among us… your presence is most welcome."
Zhongli simply inclined his head. "I am but a consultant, here to ensure balance. But it seems the balance has shifted in your favor today."
🌐 Group Chat Announcement
The golden screens of the Chat Group unfolded across the battlefield, visible to every member—fighters, allies, and even those watching the live broadcast.
[System]: The Avengers of Marvel Multiverse have been officially registered as permanent members of the Group Chat.
[System]: The source of corruption has been verified—Lord God Space deliberately seeded this Marvel Multiverse with corruption.
[System]: Resolution achieved. By the combined efforts of group members, the corruption spread has been neutralized. The Marvel Multiverse is temporarily safe.
The chat filled with bursts of reactions:
• Kiana (Parallel World): "YES! They're really in! That means more allies in future raids!"
• Himiko (HSR): "Wait wait wait. Lord God Space again? Those pests won't quit."
• Asuna: "Temporary safety… which means the real war hasn't even started."
• Velgrynd: "Hmph. As expected. This was but a test."
• Zhongli: "A dangerous omen. If the corruption has been pushed here once, it may find its way elsewhere."
The group chat pulsed again, delivering its final words:
[System]: This is only the beginning. Other multiverses, universes, timelines, and worlds remain at risk. Remain vigilant. Keep up the good work.
🎁 Rewards
A dazzling cascade of light engulfed the battlefield, each member feeling the resonance of power and gifts flooding into them.
• Core Marvel Mission Participants (Neo, Seraphina, Kiana [parallel], Velgrynd, Asuna, Himiko, Zhongli, Bruce, Wanda, Steve, Natasha, Thor, Tony, Strange, T'Challa, Vision, Sam, Rhodey, etc.) received greater rewards—massive points, new abilities, evolutions beyond their original world's limits, and deeper synchronization with their bodies and souls.
• Neo in particular felt his adaptation surge to perfect stability at 100%, his Cocoon fully awakened, and his evolution stabilizing. Azathoth no longer felt like a looming threat, but a power he could integrate safely into himself.
• Other Chat Group Members not present received rewards too—though far smaller, reflecting their lack of direct participation. Still, the live broadcast buzzed with their chatter, curiosity, and excitement.
The system concluded:
[System]: Rewards distributed. Evolution potential has increased. Use them wisely.
🌍 A Moment of Breathing
The Avengers gathered with Neo's group around the heart of Wakanda, the barrier finally dissolved. There was no more corruption, no more looming shadow. Only the stars above, and the battered but victorious warriors beneath them.
Strange adjusted his cloak, voice still hoarse. "So this Lord God Space… it won't stop here, will it?"
Neo shook his head. "No. This was just one battlefield out of many. But we'll face it together. That's the point."
Steve smiled faintly, placing his hand on Neo's shoulder. "Then count us in. Avengers, Chat Group, whatever the name—you've got us."
Natasha added quietly, "We've already lost too much. We're not letting this happen again."
Thor roared, raising Mjolnir. "Then let us prepare for the storms yet to come!"
The group laughed, some weary, some defiant. For now, they had earned this moment of rest. But beyond the laughter and relief, everyone felt the truth of the warning:
This was just the start.
And the next battle could be even greater.
Got it 👍 You don't want characters to be self-aware of arcs, just missions. The arc structure will only exist for the readers to follow the story progression. So I'll rewrite Chapter 50 with that in mind:
• For the characters, it's "the next mission", not "Arc 3."
• For the readers, I'll frame it at the end of the chapter as the close of Arc 2 and foreshadow Arc 3 (HSR) without telling the characters.
Chapter 50 – The Dawn of Growth, A Shadow Yet to Come
The battlefield of Wakanda had finally gone still.
The corrupted Avengers were free, their souls no longer shackled by darkness. The last traces of corruption scattered like ash on the wind. For a brief moment, the world itself seemed to breathe in relief.
⚔ Training & Strategy Session
The group didn't rest for long. In the heart of Wakanda, Shuri and Bruce helped set up training facilities combining Wakandan tech with arcane constructs. Here, Chat Group members and Avengers tested their newly acquired abilities.
• Thor traded strikes with Velgrynd, his purified thunder clashing with her blazing dragonfire.
• Tony tweaked his adaptive nanite suit, now infused with the adaptability upgrade from the Chat Group.
• Wanda and Bruce experimented together, channeling chaos magic and Hulk's stabilized power to create suppression fields.
• Steve and Natasha drilled in tandem, their shields and strikes sharper, faster, unshakably coordinated.
At the center of it all, Neo practiced with his weapon of compressed universes, shifting it seamlessly from blade to spear to bow. Each form pulsed with energy, coated in his Dragon Spirit Haki.
Inside his mind, Manas: Seraphina spoke in calm precision.
"Adaptation progress: 95%. Azathoth is stable. The Cocoon of the End is stirring. But don't let stability fool you—there is always further growth."
Neo exhaled slowly, the Cocoon's pulse thrumming in his chest. "Good. I'll need it for what's coming."
🌌 The Chat Group Announcement
The golden system screen shimmered before all members:
[System]: Mission Complete. Marvel Multiverse temporarily stabilized. Rewards distributed.
[System]: Warning – Corruption persists beyond this world. New missions will appear. Be ready.
The live broadcast burst with chatter:
• Kiana (Parallel World): "Finally! But… wait, new missions? That's way too fast!"
• Himiko (HSR): "Tch. Of course it doesn't end here."
• Asuna: "We'll need more strategies. Everyone should keep training."
• Zhongli: "Calamity rarely sleeps for long. The roots spread deeper than what we've faced."
⚖ A New Arrival – Danmachi Members
Before speculation could grow, new names lit up the group list.
"…What an unusual gathering."
The voice belonged to Hermes, the sly god of Orario. Bell Cranel appeared beside him, wide-eyed, with Hestia nervously fussing over him.
• Thor: "Another god, huh. Seems the hall grows lively."
• Tony: "Dungeon delvers? Great. What's next, dragon slayers?"
• Natasha: (half-smile) "As long as they're allies, I don't mind."
• Bell: "Uh… w-what is this place?!"
Hermes smirked, glancing around the unfamiliar faces. "Looks like fate has dragged us into a curious game. For now, we'll observe."
The newcomers weren't tasked with missions yet. They were simply present, proof that the multiverse web was expanding.
🌠 Foreshadow – The Next Horizon
When the training session wound down, Neo found himself staring at the night sky above Wakanda.
The stars flickered strangely, as though distant rail lines threaded through the cosmos.
"Neo," Seraphina's voice whispered in his mind. "Your Cocoon stirs. And with it, a new path. The next mission will take us far beyond this world… along a road written in the stars."
Neo's grip on his evolving blade tightened. The battle here was over, but destiny was already calling them onward.
✨ End of Arc 2 ✨
(For the reader: The next stage—Arc 3—will follow the trail of the stars: Honkai Star Rail.)