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Chapter 287: The Homelander’s Plan to Collect the Infinity Stones
🕑 Added 2025-08-27 16:41:30 +0000 UTC
Although Charles spoke lightly, the weight behind his words was unmistakable. These were not ordinary machines but intelligent robots, deliberately left behind by the mutants to safeguard the plan’s success. Even a fool could guess that their power must have been extraordinary.
At the very least—
Powerful enough that the mutants could confidently conclude they were capable of contending with beings on the level of the Eternals.
Alex’s eyes flickered slightly, and an involuntary surge of admiration welled up within him.
Hank.
That man was truly a treasure among the mutants. His brilliance, his unparalleled grasp of technology and science—Alex realized it was in no way inferior to Tony Stark’s genius.
Robots that could stand toe-to-toe with the Eternals… who could claim such creations weren’t at least the equal of Tony’s vaunted Mark series armors?
Yet, unfortunately, no matter how advanced, robots were still just robots. And the Eternals were, after all, the Eternals. Even with such preparations, something unexpected had still occurred.
“Alex from the past.”
The 2016 Alex’s voice rang out again, calm but carrying a solemn weight that made everyone in the chamber focus on him. His expression was unusually grave as he turned to Alex.
“When the ceremony begins, you will be the only one not being transported. So, everything depends on you.”
His tone sharpened, the words carrying the tension of one entrusting a crucial lifeline.
“If anything goes wrong, I need you to interrupt the transmission immediately!”
“Alex—er, the other Alex.”
Raven, seated at the head of the household, also spoke up at that moment. She turned her gaze toward Alex, her eyes filled with an earnest light, almost pleading. “You are the only one we can rely on now.”
“Leave it to me.”
Alex hesitated only briefly before nodding. His reply was firm.
The truth was, when he had first traveled from 2023, his plan had been simple. He would act merely as an observer, a silent witness to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of mutants. He hadn’t come to meddle. He hadn’t intended to alter their choices, their fate, or the outcome written in history.
But reality rarely yielded to intentions.
From the moment he stepped into this timeline, the Eternals had detected him.
If not for the 2016 Alex persuading Ajak to keep his existence secret, the more rigid members of the Eternals—especially Ikaris—would have inevitably sensed something amiss.
And that… would have spelled disaster.
The exact shape of that disaster was uncertain, but Alex could easily imagine it. With timing this delicate, Ikaris would never have tolerated the sudden appearance of a weaker version of the Homelander. The confrontation would have been unavoidable.
It wasn’t that Alex feared Ikaris—far from it. With his current strength, Alex had no reason to dread a clash. But to openly oppose the Eternals meant stepping into direct conflict with them, and worse still, it could draw the gaze of Arishem himself.
The 2016 Alex had already helped smooth over one potential catastrophe. To return the favor, Alex couldn’t simply turn his back now.
Besides, could he truly refuse the request of another version of himself?
Seeing Alex’s agreement, a wave of relief passed over the faces of the key mutant leaders. Their shoulders slackened, their tight expressions loosening for the first time since the discussion had begun.
“Alex.”
Charles spoke again, though this time his gaze shifted toward the 2016 Alex. His brows furrowed slightly, his voice carrying both caution and urgency.
“I think we still need a backup plan. If this transmission ultimately fails, how do we intend to deal with the threat of Arishem?”
The moment his words fell, silence swallowed the room. The air grew heavier, oppressive, as if the mere mention of that name invoked an invisible pressure.
The Celestials.
A colossal, incomprehensible race—gods among gods. To the mutants as they stood now, they were simply an enemy beyond all measure.
Such an adversary could not be defeated through discussion alone.
The truth was bitter: they had debated countless times, turned the question over from every angle. If there had been a viable path, a reliable method of resistance, they would never have resorted to deception—never allied with the Eternals simply to mislead Arishem.
“I think there’s only one way!”
The silence cracked. Erik’s voice cut through like steel, his eyes flashing with cold determination.
“No, Erik, I know what you’re going to say, but we can’t do that…”
Hank reacted instantly, his face paling as he shook his head firmly.
The tension spiked. Other voices quickly joined, spilling into heated argument.
“Erik, we mutants do not initiate war. We are a peaceful and friendly species.”
“We’re staring extinction in the face! What use is peace or friendliness if there are no mutants left to embody them?”
“If you ask me, this is long overdue. I agree with Erik!”
Alex, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow. The sharpness in their words hinted at something more than ordinary strategy. His curiosity stirred. From the sound of it, Erik truly had a plan—something concrete.
And when the answer came, it stunned him to the core.
Collecting the Infinity Stones.
That was Erik’s audacious solution. To gather all six Stones and wield them against Arishem, just as Thanos once had.
For a heartbeat, Alex was speechless.
One had to admit—Erik was Erik. His boldness, his sheer refusal to cower before the impossible, was astounding.
And yet… the more Alex considered it, the less absurd it seemed.
The Celestials were mighty, yes—capable of brushing aside single-universe gods like Odin. But they were not truly untouchable. Odin himself had once forged the Destroyer with the express purpose of confronting them. Whether it could triumph was uncertain, but it proved the Celestials were not beyond challenge.
So what would happen if the Silver Homelander—his current self—was the one to wield the ultimate force of the universe?
The idea was mad. And yet… it had potential.
“If things truly reach a dead end,” the 2016 Alex finally spoke, his voice steady amid the uproar, “I’ll have no choice but to become a Thanos myself.”
The declaration stilled the room.
Charles and Hank exchanged troubled looks. Their disapproval was evident, but they also knew—the 2016 Alex was not a man easily swayed. Once he chose a path, further persuasion was useless.
Besides… this was only a contingency plan.
Perhaps it would never come to that.
“Charles,” the 2016 Alex continued, turning toward him with resolve, “contact Danvers. Have her locate another planet suitable for mutant habitation, and quickly.”
He swept his gaze over the others, his words ringing with absolute authority.
“Everyone, if our plan fails this time, we will have no choice but to flee. We hide on another world. And before Arishem can find us, we gather the six Stones, seize their power, and prepare to stand against him!”
He rose to his feet, his tone final, brooking no argument. The direction had been set.
Alex, watching all of this unfold, felt a strange heaviness in his chest. He saw with crystal clarity the struggles of this alternate timeline, the desperate determination etched into every face. It moved him in ways he hadn’t expected.
When the meeting finally adjourned, Alex didn’t immediately leave. Instead, he sought out his 2016 self privately. Patiently, he questioned him in detail—how exactly had the Eternals noticed him? What signs had given him away? What precautions had failed?
Alex recorded each word in his mind. Preparation was survival. With the knowledge his other self shared, perhaps he could delay that inevitable discovery—or even avoid it entirely.
By the time he looked up again, evening had already arrived.
The palace was bathed in warm light, its long corridors illuminated by flickering flames and glimmering crystal fixtures. The 2016 Alex had spared no expense. A lavish banquet was prepared in Alex’s honor, tables laden with delicacies, wine flowing freely.
When they finally sat together as host and guest, the tension of the day slowly eased.
Needless to say, both enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
