MARVEL: TOAA

"Bang."

John teleported to the top of an abandoned iron tower, surveying the desolate landscape below, scanning for any signs of usable supplies.

Although John's strength now rivaled Ravion's, he still lacked practical combat experience. With few threats capable of challenging him in the Void, Ravion had permitted him to venture out alone.

Reina, however, wasn't granted the same freedom. Despite her protests, Ravion insisted she stay close, citing her lack of sufficient escape skills.

"Damn, this place is endless," John muttered, frustration etched across his face. "The Void may be vast, but between the emptiness and that bottomless pit of Alioth, finding food here is like searching for a needle in a haystack!"

Every disturbance in the Void drew Alioth's attention, leaving behind little more than scavenged scraps. For Ravion to provide them with fresh frozen steaks and snacks was nothing short of a miracle.

"Honestly, props to Ravion for managing to feed me and Reina in this wasteland," John sighed, his eyes scanning the horizon.

He teleported again, appearing next to a rusted-out car on the farthest stretch of the wasteland.

"Whoa, what the hell?"

As John landed, a shimmering golden portal materialized in front of him. His instincts kicked in, and he jumped back, his divine energy surging as he braced for an attack.

He recognized this portal—it was nearly identical to the Time Variance Authority's gateways.

"Hello? Anyone there?" John called out, his voice cautious. No response.

After a long moment of silence, he stepped closer, inspecting the portal from every angle.

"Alright, I'm going in."

With his energy charged, he cautiously extended his hand toward the portal—then immediately pulled it back.

"Nope, not today. I'm hungry. Time to head back."

Just as John turned away, the portal flickered and reappeared directly in his path. Before he could react, an overwhelming suction force yanked him inside.

"Oh, come on—"

The words barely escaped his mouth before he was hurled into a dazzling, kaleidoscopic tunnel of light.

"This... this looks like the Bifrost?"

John's eyes widened as he hurtled through the tubular corridor. It bore a striking resemblance to Asgard's Rainbow Bridge, yet something felt distinctly different.

Before he could make sense of it, the tunnel spat him out with a violent shove.

"Bang."

John landed face-first on solid ground, the impact sending a jolt of pain through his divine frame.

"Ugh, seriously? Where am I now?"

As he pushed himself up, he found himself standing on a bustling modern street. Gunfire echoed in the distance, and faint screams hinted at chaos just beyond the horizon.

"Wait a second... this isn't the Void," John murmured, his senses heightened.

Before he could process further, a thunderous crash drew his attention. A massive Frost Beast tore through a nearby skyscraper, debris raining down as the creature turned its icy gaze toward him.

"Aw, hell no," John muttered.

The beast lunged. John raised his hand, summoning a burst of fiery energy to intercept it, but before his attack could land, space rippled around him. In an instant, he was teleported again, landing in the middle of a large square.

"What the... spatial turbulence? Who's messing with me?"

"John!"

A familiar voice called out. Turning, he saw four figures running toward him—Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Dr. Erik Selvig, and a young man he vaguely recognized as Darcy's new boyfriend.

"Oh, great. The gang's all here," John muttered.

"John, thank God! You need to stop Malekith!" Jane exclaimed, breathless.

"Yeah, the guy's trying to destroy the Nine Realms," Darcy added, her voice tinged with panic.

"Right, the dark elf. Got it," John replied, raising a hand to halt their frantic explanations. "Give me a second to catch up."

Tapping into his telepathic abilities, John scanned their minds, piecing together the events that had led him here.

"Greenwich... the convergence," he muttered, realization dawning.

It was the day of Thor's climactic battle against Malekith. The dark elf had awakened the Aether, the Reality Stone, and planned to use it to align the Nine Realms, unleashing destruction on an unimaginable scale.

John turned to face them, his expression grim. "Alright, where's the bastard?"

"Behind you!" Jane shouted.

Spinning around, John spotted Malekith's massive spaceship hovering on the edge of the square. Above it, eight portals glimmered in the sky, drawing the Nine Realms into alignment.

"Gotta admit," John muttered, "it's one hell of a view. But as for the Reality Stone... now that's interesting."

His hands crackled with energy, and nearby metal debris began coalescing into a sharp, spinning iron cone.

"Let's dance," he smirked.

But before he could make his move, space warped around him once again.

"What the—"

In the blink of an eye, John vanished, the iron cone clattering to the ground.

"Uh... where'd he go?" Darcy asked, bewildered.

"Don't look at me," Jane replied, equally confused.

John was flung back into the same shimmering time tunnel as before.

"Oh, for the love of—"

"Bang."

He landed face-first again, this time in a barren desert. Spitting out sand, he groaned.

"Alright, whoever's behind this is officially on my hit list. And trust me, it's not a list you want to be on."