American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

Walking out of the alley, Alex turned and entered a nearby eyeglass store.

A zombie spotted Alex and lunged at him, claws outstretched. However, Alex merely raised his hand, and several steel rods shot out like arrows, piercing the zombie and turning it into a sieve.

If the corruption only targeted ordinary humans, it wouldn't have caused such chaos. A single nuclear bomb could have wiped out all sources of contamination in one fell swoop.

But what if the corruption was all-encompassing, capable of infecting heroes, extraordinary beings, and even gods?

From the moment this plague began, it was unstoppable. No one knew where it came from, and no one had any idea how to deal with it. This world had become a petri dish, fermenting uncontrollably.

Picking up a pair of sunglasses, Alex murmured an incantation before snapping them in half. The next moment, the sunglasses dissolved rapidly into smoke, and Alex's body disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

This was a form of optical magic that used specific objects to achieve an invisibility-like effect. However, mere invisibility wasn't enough—zombies were deeply drawn to the scent of flesh.

To counter this, Alex summoned the demonic aura of the Seven Deadly Sins to mask his human scent. This allowed him to move undetected in the open.

Of course, these spells only worked against regular zombies. If he encountered another magic practitioner, things wouldn't be so simple.

But it didn't matter. If someone capable of seeing through Alex's disguise appeared, he would be the first to detect their presence.

As Alex left the optical store, a series of sonic booms echoed through the air.

Looking up, he saw several glowing figures streaking across the sky, heading toward the other side of New York.

[Energy signatures detected: Thor, Nova, and the Fantastic Four] Miss Minutes reported.

Even without the reminder, Alex recognized them. If his guess was correct, the Fantastic Four had just fallen, and their two children had likely been devoured by She-Hulk.

How tragic. It seemed that, outside the main universe, Franklin Richards in alternate universes was either a sacrificial lamb or on his way to becoming one. In major events, Reed's children were often the first to die.

[They're heading toward the Helicarrier. It looks like S.H.I.E.L.D. has already taken action, gathering all the heroes who haven't yet been turned into zombies.]

Although Alex was a bit rusty on the original storyline, his advanced mental faculties, honed through magic, allowed him to recall many details as long as he had some time to think.

[It seems they haven't been infected yet. With so many of them together, perhaps you could reach out to them, Sir] Miss Minutes suggested.

"Precisely because so many are gathered together, I won't approach them. Remember, I can't alter the flow of this world's timeline."

Alex watched the figures grow smaller in the distance and sighed deeply.

He had come here to find a way to defeat the source of corruption, not to save the world. Any interference with history could cause catastrophic consequences.

For example, in this world, Reed Richards had not yet turned into a zombie. This meant he hadn't sent any messages across the multiverse.

If Alex changed this event, who would the Reed in the Wasteland have received the message from?

After a moment's pause, Alex turned and walked in the opposite direction, immersing himself in this hellish landscape.

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

Above New York, aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.

The zombie crisis had erupted so violently and suddenly that it gave the heroes no time to react. By the time S.H.I.E.L.D. agents grasped the situation, the world had already fallen.

Now, the superheroes who had received the distress call and rushed to the Helicarrier had all witnessed the horrors of the zombies firsthand. Watching their comrades transform into flesh-eating monsters was a nightmare no one could process quickly.

The heroes no longer exuded their usual grace and confidence. Instead, they gathered in small, solemn groups in the main hall, their faces etched with terror and despair.

The appearance of the zombies left them shaken to their core. Memories of friends and family being devoured alive or transformed into monsters haunted them, suffocating them with fear.

By the time they arrived here, they understood the gravity of the situation. They also knew that anyone who hadn't made it to the Helicarrier was unlikely to still be the person they once knew.

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

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Command Center.

Although Nick Fury had prepared for the worst, he was still overwhelmed by a profound sense of helplessness.

Sitting in his office chair, he stared at the screen on the wall, which displayed scenes of hell on Earth. His heart sank to the depths.

"Is there truly no solution? We still have Mister Fantastic. With Reed Richards' intellect, he might be able to help us develop a cure for this virus."

"Do you really believe that?"

Across the table, Tony Stark swirled a glass of red wine, leaning against the table as he spoke in a low voice.

"Everything is out of control. From the moment that speedster carried the virus to other countries, the situation became irreversible. At his speed, it won't take long before the entire world becomes a playground for zombies, just like in Resident Evil."

"But we have to deal with this mess somehow. There are still heroes and civilians out there waiting for me to issue orders."

Nick Fury frowned as he replied.

"At any rate, we need to develop a cure first. We can't just sit here and wait to die."

"And even if a cure is developed, what then? Do you know how many people have died since the outbreak began? Thousands? Tens of thousands?"

Tony shook his head, placing his glass on the table and speaking seriously.

"Even if Reed manages to create a cure, even if we save more people, what then? This world is finished, Nick. It will never go back to the way it was. We don't even know how many people will be left when this is over."

"Then what do you want to do, huh? Are you happier promoting defeatism here? Do you even realize how close the heroes out there are to breaking down? Some of them are just kids, Tony!"

Nick Fury stood up, walked quickly to Stark, and let out a heavy sigh.

"I… I really don't know what to do. I know this situation is terrible—worse than anything we've ever faced. Captain has already turned into a monster. Tony, I don't know how to give people hope again."

Tony stared blankly at the one-eyed man in front of him. For the first time, he noticed that Nick Fury had streaks of gray hair, and his face looked far more haggard than before.

This plague, which had swept across the entire world, had clearly dealt a heavy blow to this man. Even someone like Nick Fury was beginning to show signs of despair.

"Fine..."

After a long silence, Tony Stark finally spoke.

"I'll figure something out. You go calm the people outside. If possible, do your best to bring back any survivors."

"What are you going to do?" Nick Fury asked, his tone filled with doubt.

"I'm going to build a device for interdimensional travel. Think of it as an escape pod. I don't believe creating a cure will solve everything. Besides, I'm no expert in virology like Reed is—my expertise lies in engineering."

Tony pointed to his chest, where his arc reactor emitted a faint glow.

"With this device, we can leave this universe and find a way to live in another one. As long as I can figure out how to avoid landing in other apocalyptic universes, we can take the remaining survivors and escape."

Hearing this, Nick Fury took a deep breath, unsure of what to say.

He knew Stark was right. This world was beyond saving. Given the speed and adaptability of the virus, it was only a matter of time before Earth became a wasteland.

Even with the remaining superheroes gathered, it didn't matter. The zombified heroes retained their powers, and any mistake could result in more infections.

This was never a fair fight. Every fallen comrade would rise again as an enemy. With the balance constantly tipping against them, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.

But if they followed Tony's plan, it would mean abandoning those who had already become zombies. These monsters might still have a chance at salvation.

"Tony, I once swore to fight for the protection of all humanity and the continuation of human civilization."

Nick Fury's voice was hoarse and low.

"So what?"

Tony frowned.

"Are you planning to stop me?"

"No."

Nick Fury shook his head, slowly raising a hand to pat Tony on the shoulder.

"I mean, do what you think is best. But I'll still have Reed and the others work on a cure or a serum. As long as there's even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I have to try to save this world."

At this, Nick Fury raised his head, fixing his one good eye on Tony's face.

"But if all hope is lost…"

Nick Fury tightened his grip on Stark's shoulder.

"Then you are our only hope."

.....

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢

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388. Zombie Sentry.

389. Traces of Contamination.

390. Chaos!

391. Contamination and Counter-Contamination.

392. The Grave Situation.