CHAPTER 179

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[Reinhard POV]

How curious.

Thor's power was increasing exponentially as an unknown beam of light engulfed him in a blinding display.

He was becoming stronger, just like those before him.

It seemed that perhaps that was the purpose of this tournament, helping them grow.

I wonder.

Did our creator ever truly wanted us to win?

"Father…" Thor mumbled, as the light cleared out.

So the one behind that light was his father.

I scoffed, that seemed hardly fair.

Getting a power up in the middle of a fight that by all means was already mine.

"You are stronger," I sighed, taking a step forward. Perhaps our God, our father, our creator intended us to die right here, right now, but if I was allowed to wish, I wanted to win.

"Yes," Thor nodded, a somber look on his face.

"Then let us resume our fight." No matter how strong he had become, no one was immune to the fear in their hearts, if it lives, it knows fear.

"Let's," Thor nodded, getting into position. His wounds bleeding into the ground beneath us, it seemed his power up had not healed his broken body.

Good.

"I will win, for I fear what awaits me beyond the mortal veil," I muttered, extending my shadows around him.

However.

As my shadows reached and tangled around the God of Thunder, the God in question disappeared out of sight, blurring in a single motion of unimaginable speeds, appearing right in front me, hammer already ready to strike me.

I didn't even see it coming.

No, that wasn't accurate.

I saw it coming.

I just couldn't move or dematerialize my body in time.

His attack was swift, and powerful, and it brought me down with the might of a thousand suns creating a crater of massive proportions as my body violently crashed with the unforgiving soil I once stood above firmly.

However, as strong as he was, I was an idea, a concept, a primordial thing within everyone's heart, "Fear can't be broken," I spoke, forcibly regenerating my body.

"I suppose not," Thor nodded.

He was agreeing with me?

How peculiar.

"Then why try?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Why?" Thor sighed, looking at his friends with a longing look as a wide smile spread on his face, "Because I fear disappointing my brother, as his big brother, I must protect him, it's my duty," he grinned.

He wasn't looking at them, I see, he was looking at Alex.

"You defy fear, because of a friend?" That concept felt foreign to me. Then again, I had been alive for less than a few months, much of this wonderful universe was foreign to me, unknown.

Still, to fight a natural phenomenon, fear, for the sake of a friend, I didn't have to understand to know it was stupid.

"You think of me as a stupid man because of that, because even in death I would swing my hammer for my brother," Thor spoke, drawing my attention, "And perhaps I am, but know that this stupid man pities you, really, I see that look in your face… you can't comprehend what it means to be ready to die for others, what it means to value someone beyond your own life, because in reality you are alone, and that's your fear, isn't it?"

My fear?

Was that my fear?

Being alone?

"You truly are an interesting individual," I laughed, perhaps he was right, perhaps I was afraid of the inevitable truth. Of the crushing reality of my loneliness.

Even if I won.

Would that man reward me?

Even if I won… would my destiny have any light?

Would winning ensure my life?

No, no matter what the result was, my life had an expiration date.

just like Dorothy's.

I just didn't want to admit it before.

We were created for a purpose, and beyond that our creator had no use for us.

We were toys, ready to be broken once we stopped being entertaining.

"I am, after all, I am mighty!" Thor beamed at me with a smile.

Fight, win, lose, life and death.

What did I want?

Did I truly wanted to fight?

Did I actually wanted to win?

No…

I didn't want that.

What I truly wanted was a choice.

The freedom to choose, at the very least how to end it all.

"I give up," I announced with a smile.

"You can't," The Beyonder stated, appearing above of me.

"You can't!" Thor shouted, agreeing with the Beyonder.

"I refuse to indulge your sadistic desire to see us dance," I replied, after all, if I was to die, I would die on my own terms, because what I feared the most, was being a puppet.

"I see," The Beyonder laughed, "To think you of all, would evolve,"

I sighed, turning to look at Thor.

"Tell your friend to be careful, for Morpheus still stands above you all," Morpheus was the embodiment of one of the strongest forces in all of creation, the imagination.

"Hey, don't you fucking dare! We still haven't finished our battle," Thor roared in indignation.

I laughed, "I was made to be the embodiment of fear, I'm afraid I'm not the best example of what a warrior should be,"

"Well, the winner is Thor!" My creator announced, meaning my end was near.

I guess I can die happy, knowing I made my own choice.

"Wait! We haven't-," As just like that Thor disappeared, back with his friends.

"And you," My creator turned to look at me, his usual smile still in place.

"I know, I made my peace with it." I wonder if this counts as dying for someone else, how curious, here I came to teach the God of Thunder about fear, and he ended up teaching me about hope and sacrifice, life sure is funny, and unpredictable, even for a monster like me.

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[Alex Walker POV]

Thor was losing, and then in the blink of an eye, his power and level changed, he was now seventy levels higher, sporting a new title, [Thor The All-Father - Power Locked - Evolution in Progress = LV 421]

And then, in another fucking turn of events, his enemy surrendered!

"We still haven't finished our battle you fucker!" Thor roared, "This isn't a victory! I refuse to take it as one!"

The Beyonder laughed, pointing at Reinhard, "You truly changed, oh well, bye bye~" and with that said, he erased Reinhard from the map.

"You bastard! Bring him back, so that I can kill him!" Thor roared.

"Stupid," Bucky muttered.

"Well, Alex," The Beyonder appeared in front of me, "Are you ready to see where your limits lay?"

Not really, but what other choice did I have…

"I created Morpheus to push you beyond the breaking point, after all," The Beyonder grinned.