As is well known.
People are different from each other.
Similarly!
Phoenixes differ from each other too.
For instance...
A phoenix perched on a tree is entirely different from one standing on the ground.
What's that saying?
Oh, right!
A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken!
Only a phoenix standing on a tree, on the sycamore tree, is a true phoenix.
A phoenix graces, not resting without the sycamore!
A phoenix cries in the sky, its call sonorous!
Simply put, Hawk can use anything as a fulcrum to manifest his Phoenix Cosmos, but these are only quantitative changes.
Only with a tree, it's different.
Once the World Tree is used as his fulcrum, that's a true qualitative change.
This is why Hawk explains that using the World Tree as a fulcrum requires comprehending the Ninth Sense Alaya Vijnana.
Before the World Tree, the Ninth Sense Alaya Vijnana did not exist, and Hawk could feel that after comprehending the Eighth Sense, that was his end.
But the moment he thought of using the World Tree as a fulcrum, the Ninth Sense Alaya Vijnana appeared so vibrantly.
So...
It's not that he doesn't want to comprehend the Ninth Sense Alaya Vijnana, but because only with the World Tree does it exist.
Only a phoenix perched on a tree is a true phoenix.
Otherwise!
He is a fallen phoenix.
No better than a chicken!
Gwen kept listening to Hawk's words.
Although Hawk had explained the Sixth Sense, Seventh Sense, and Eighth Sense to her, she couldn't grasp them intuitively.
But one thing was certain.
That is, the World Tree is important to Hawk.
So...
"Then let's go get the World Tree back."
"Hmm?"
Hawk was drawn back to reality, looking at Gwen.
Gwen shrugged.
"The World Tree is useful to you, right."
"Yes."
"Then get the World Tree back."
"But doing so means confronting time directly."
"We are already enemies with time, aren't we?"
Gwen smiled, tidying the strands of hair falling over her ears, as she met Hawk's gaze: "My sir has never hesitated like today when facing an enemy."
Hawk heard her and shook his head with a smile.
"This time is different."
"How is it different, you said you're not afraid of time."
"I'm unafraid."
Hawk replied without hesitation.
Once more.
With his current strength, even if Eternity of time joined in himself, he wouldn't falter.
If he couldn't win, he'd run away.
Hawk had already compressed his time, in other words, even if he couldn't beat Eternity, he could escape, and once he escaped, out of Eternity's sight of time, time's Eternity couldn't observe him.
But...
Hawk stared intensely at Gwen: "I'm worried about you."
Gwen was slightly taken aback at his words.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Hawk nodded, his tone calm: "Peter and Felicia, remember?"
Gwen raised an eyebrow: "Are you saying time will make me disappear?"
Hawk shook his head.
"It no longer has this capability, you are my wife, existing in my past, present, and future."
"Then..."
"But it can, like how it transferred Peter and Felicia to Earth's Multiverse, transfer you away from me to Earth's Multiverse."
This is something time can do.
It has already proven its capability after Earth completely fell into its time stream.
Let's put it this way.
Time cannot be reversed by Eternity, but it can reverse time.
Time cannot be reversed by the Time Gemstone, but it can reverse time.
Don't ask.
If asked, it's because it is the time itself!
It has this capability and will definitely do so if Hawk intends to seize the World Tree.
Choosing to confront time directly is like exposing oneself to time, which isn't just going against the natural order, it can be considered as challenging it.
Though time can't compare to the heavenly path in Hawk's mythical memory.
But...
Time may have no means against him, but once exposed, it can retaliate against the most intimate person in his timeline.
And in his time, who's his closest person?
Without a doubt.
Gwen Phoenix.
His wife.
Good news, Hawk is not like Odin, and Gwen is not like Frigga, so time cannot cause Gwen to fall.
Bad news, time can do to Gwen what it did to Peter and Felicia, transfer Gwen to the Multiverse, and make everyone except those deeply entwined with Hawk's time forget Gwen.
Just as Peter and Felicia were forgotten.
Also, like in Spider-Man: No Way Home where Doctor Strange can cast a spell to make everyone forget Dutch Spider-Man.
Time itself can naturally, though it's heartless, heartlessness represents ruthlessness, signifies that once Hawk touches its interests, it will follow its instincts without hesitation to make Hawk comply.
In a word.
This is nothing like the Mephisto back then.
Although Mephisto is also cold, greedy, and shameless, he is life.
Therefore, Hawk can ignore Mephisto's threats against his sister and play a game of 'fear him who is fearless' with Mephisto.
But time is merciless.
It won't think of delaying anything because of Hawk's threats.
The eternity of time might, although it's the abstraction of time, but even an embodiment has self-awareness if it is a life.
But time only has instinct.
So...
Hawk looks at Gwen with a serious expression.
"Once I set foot on the battlefield, I might lose you."
"Uh..."
Gwen looks at Hawk, who has a serious face, purses her lips, glances at Hawk, her expression somewhat odd.
"Losing me, this topic is a bit heavy, darling."
"I'm not joking, Gwen."
"I know."
Gwen laughed, the playful expression vanishing as she also looked at Hawk seriously.
"Three questions, first, will I die?"
"No."
"Second, will I forget you, and will you forget me?"
"No."
"The last question, if I went to Earth's multiverse, would you find a way to locate me and bring me back?"
"I would!"
"Then go get back the World Tree."
"Time is a bad thing."
"It killed the Supreme Mage guarding Earth to acquire Earth."
"To prevent anyone from escaping its control, it initiated the Twilight of the Gods around the World Tree."
"Likewise, it has targeted you, Hawk."
"When you go to get the World Tree, it will use me to threaten you."
"But even if you don't go, it will still use me to threaten you to prevent your transcendence."
"So..."
"You should reclaim the World Tree, regardless of whether it lets me temporarily leave you."
"Because compromise happens either zero times or countless times."
"Don't let it think it can firmly grasp you, even if it uses me to threaten you."
Gwen's voice was gentle, but her gaze was resolute as she looked at Hawk. After saying this, she playfully smiled: "Additionally, as you yourself said, it can't make us forget each other or make me leave you forever, only temporarily leave you, so, Earth's multiverse, wow, I'm really curious what difference there is between Earth's multiverse and here."
Speaking of this.
Gwen changed her tone, as if she thought of something fun, blinked, and looked at Hawk.
"Do you think, on Earth's multiverse, there might also be a you?"
"Aside from our Main Cosmos, the multiverse is all different. Some have another Earth, but yes, there's another you, and certainly another me."
"So sure?"
Gwen, hearing Hawk's answer, looked at Hawk with some curiosity.
Hawk smiled slightly.
"Have you ever dreamed?"
"What does that have to do with dreaming?"
"The self in dreams is actually a projection of yourself from the multiverse."
Just like Doctor Strange would dream of himself being chased by a monster in the multiverse.
When you dream of yourself, there's a great probability that it's not you, but another you in the multiverse.
Although Hawk doesn't believe those multiverse versions of himself are him.
Because he is unique.
The path his soul traveled destined him to be one of a kind and different from others.
So...
In the multiverse there is another him, but that he is not him.
Similarly.
"Those other you's are not you."
"What do you mean."
Gwen continued to look at Hawk.
Hawk stared unblinkingly at Gwen, speaking firmly: "Because only you, and only you, are my Madam Phoenix."
Gwen blinked, then stepped back half a step, made a bow: "Thank you, my Mr. Phoenix."
Hawk couldn't help but laugh.
At that moment.
The toaster made a ding sound.
Gwen snapped back, turned her head to look, laughed, then walked over, took out the toasted bread slices, spread sauce, and with a graceful spin, handed them to Hawk.
Hawk took them, took a bite, and his eyes lit up.
"New sauce?"
"Yes."
Gwen lowered her voice, saying mysteriously: "This is my unique recipe, even my mom doesn't know, it's the Phoenix Clan's first exclusive recipe, future members of the Phoenixes will know it."
Hawk quickly finished the bread slices with the new sauce recipe.
Gwen smiled brightly.
"Are you full?"
"Yes."
Hawk nodded.
Gwen, hearing this, smiled radiantly: "Then let's get to work, promise me, don't let time take our World Tree."
Hawk gazed into Gwen's expressive eyes without speaking.
"Promise me, Hawk."
"...Alright."
Under Gwen's gaze, Hawk responded, then, urged by Gwen, turned and left.
Gwen watched the spot where Hawk disappeared, blinked, then took a deep breath, removed her apron, and walked toward the stairs.
After a while.
Returning to the bedroom, Gwen took her charging phone from the bedside table, then opened the contacts, dialed one of the numbers.
The call was answered quickly.
"Wanda."
"Do you have time to go shopping with me today?"
"..."