Gactus's deep, rumbling ughter echoed through the chamber, shaking its very foundations. His energy strued rger, pulsating with ic power.

  "You, a mere spe the vastness of the os, dare to threaten me? Do you even prehend what you hold, mortal? The Ultimate Nullifier—the power to annihite not just me, but the delicate fabric of existeself," Gactus intoned, his voice a mix of s and curiosity.

  Peter tightened his grip on the Nullifier, his spider-sense prig like never before. "Yeah, yeah, i and all that. I get it. But here's the thing: I'll do anything to save my world. If I pull this trigger, you're toast, big guy. So, let's skip the intimidation routine and talk business."

  Gactus's energy form leaned closer, the immensity of his presence pressing down oer like a tidal wave. "Foolish i. Do you not uand the sequeny death? I am not merely a destroyer—I am a y. My existence curtails the untrolled proliferation of life. Without me, the bance of creation would tip, and the universe would colpse us ow."

  "I know. Your death will unleash chaos and more enemies. But with this little thing, I simply rewrite this reality, a reality where no vili, and evee an unbreakable barrier around this universe to prevent anyone from entering this reality. I am more than ready to pay the cost. So, what's it gonna be? Will you turn away from Earth or face oblivion?"

  The struct leaned closer, its burning eyes b into Peter. "Your bravado is mispced, child. The Nullifier will destroy you as much as it does me. You may hold it, but it will e you utterly."

  Peter snorted. "I already said, I am prepared to pay that cost. So, will you do as I ask or not?"

  Gactus pohe question. He khis man was a human with immense power, it was nothing he couldn't handle. He tried to use soul trol oer, but it failed, almost instantly. He once again tried to use it but failed, he tried to use his ises to check his in, but that too failed. His power was nullified,

  "Hahahahahaha! Iing. In my eons of existence, I have entered many species, but never a hybrid with such resolve and power. To nullify my power without aance is really iing. There only be one possible expnation... The blessing of One Above All... You getting the Ultimate Nullifier and we meeting like this must be his will. Very well, I'll spare Earth, but Knull and Thanos are your problems. All I do is devour half of their energy, that is all I do without breaking the bahe rest is up to you."

  Peter smiled, satisfied with the result. "Deal!"

  "Take the Ultimate Nullifier with you. It may e in handy," Gactus added before vanishing.

  The itity disappeared, leavier aloh the Ultimate Nullifier. 'One Above All is reted to my Immunity ability!! Well, the big guy must have some pn. Oh, well. One danger averted. With Gactus out of the picture, all we gotta do is take down a weakehanos and Knull.' He thought.

  The Watcher teleported Peter bato the between, "I did what I could. The rest is in your hands."

  "You knew Gactus would die in the uping battle. You just saved his ass though, didn't you? Hahaha! I was w why you were so calm."

  "Without Gactus, bance will break. Evil itities will emerge from the shadows. The energy level of your universe will slowly go out of trol. Chaos will break out. I had to save him somehow," The Watcher said.

  "So, you already know the future. Who killed Gactus?" Peter asked out of curiosity.

  "That I 't reveal. The multiverse is already at stake as it is. If I interfere any further, the sequences will be disastrous," The watcher replied as he opened a portal back to the Time Chamber. "Now go. A war awaits you. The enemies will be there in one week. I wish you luck."

  "What about this?" He took out the Ultimate Nullifier and held it before the Watcher.

  "It's yours to keep," the Watcher said.

  "What do I do with it?" Peter asked.

  "You'll find a use for it, Peter Parker," the Watcher replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

  Peter shook his head as he stepped through the portal. As soon as he stepped into his time chamber, the portal disappeared. He took a deep breath, the weight of the Ultimate Nullifier in his hand an ever-present reminder of the stakes at hand. "One week," he muttered to himself. "Oo prepare for the biggest fight of my life. No pressure, right?" He pced the Nullifier carefully inside his special dimension pocket.

  ...

  Far across the os…

  Gactus's t form materialized on a barre, his energy swirling as he pted the events that had just transpired. Despite his pride, he could not deny that the young mortal had intrigued him, especially with the unmistakable blessing of the One Above All proteg him. Gactus raised a massive hand, summoning his most loyal herald.

  In an instant, a streak of silver light shot across the void, ing to a halt before him. The Silver Surfer k, his board h slightly off the ground.

  "My master," the Surfer said, his voice calm and reverent.

  "Rise, Norrin Radd," Gactus anded. "The bance of this universe hangs precariously. Thanos and Knull seek to destroy what I must preserve. I have agreed to aid the mortal knoeter Parker, though it is not my usual way. You are to intervene."

  Silver Surfer stood, his eyes glowing faintly with iergy. "What would you have me do?"

  "Seek out Thanos's fleet. Half of his forces must be annihited. Do not front Thanos directly—that is not your battle to fight. Ehat this world and its champion have a ce to prepare for the ing storm."

  The Surfer nodded. "It shall be done."

  "And one more thing," Gactus added, his voice dark and foreboding. "Exercise restraint. We do not want the scales tipped too far iher dire."

  Silver Surfer hesitated, then bowed. "As you wish, my master."

  With that, the Surfer mounted his board and streaked into the void, leaving a trail of silvery light in his wake.

  "Well, even without my intervention no one would be able to destroy that puny p," Gactus said as he pulled up the surveilnce s. "Since my daughter is already there hiding among the mortals... Hahahaha... I wonder what would happen if Gali aer were to meet?" He tried to see the future of Peter Parker but failed. His power was nullified. "Even I ot prehend that child. This will be iing."

  ...

  Elsewhere, in the depths of space…

  Silver Surfer approached the heart of Thanos's fleet, his presence masked by Gactus's iergy. A staggering array of battleships stretched before him, their dark hulls bristling with ons.

  The Surfer raised his hand, his body glowing with radiant light. With a thought, he unleashed a devastating wave of iergy, obliterating aire vanguard of ships. Explosions rippled through the fleet as arms bred. Thanos's forces scrambled to respond, but the Surfer was relentless, dartiween ships with precision strikes.

  Ihe fgship, Thanos sat on his throne, his dark eyes narrowing as the reports came in. "The Silver Surfer," he mused aloud, rising to his feet. "So, the world-eater meddles in my affairs. Why?"

  "Bance must be maintained. Do not resist if you wish to live," The Silver Surfer's voied ihanos's mind.

  Thanos scowled, his fists g in anger. "This is my destiny, Surfer. I ot be denied."

  "Resist if you must," the Surfer replied, his voice tinged with resignation. "The oute won't ge."

  Thanos closed his eyes, sensing the power of Gactus swirling around the Silver Surfer. Even the Mad Titan knows the e of such a battle. He just sat there, as half of his army was destroyed by the silver herald.

  ------