Chapter 289: 289. War Without Bullets
[You can read the last chapters in advance, OP and GOT fic on -patreon.com/misterimmortal.]
"Ah! This is pretty nice... the Kamar Taj's tea is the best. I never found out where you buy this tea, Yao. What's the big secret? You don't even put it in the East Xandar shops."
Hector was seated in the open training grounds of the Kamar Taj and enjoying the mountain breeze while watching the kids train.
"The first Sorcerer Supreme planted them and harvested them, there is a very limited number of tea leaves left, so it's exclusive," Yao revealed while sipping on her cup.
She looked at his face and knew this was not the usual visit. Hector never appeared as calm as he was right now, and her experience dealing with people told her there was something. "What calls for this visit? I am retired now, you know."
"What do you even do when you retire?" Hector inquired.
She pointed at the kids. "Because of you, we've also had many new sorcerers, and some of them went on to have children. So now we have mini sorcerers whom I have started to train early so they can exceed the current generation when they grow up."
Snap!
Hector snapped his finger and created a new table on the side, on which appeared hundreds of cheeseburgers. "Let them have some fun then. I'm sure you're being as strict on them as with adults."
"They need strictness to stay on the right path." She argued.
"Bwahaha... no, Yao. They are kids, not horses. Morality is not something you teach but show and make them experience. Kids are very impressionable beings. They get inspired by anything. So, instead of being strict, be like a mother who is raising her cubs, who is telling them how to use their fangs but also where to mess and where not to. Let the role of the asshole elder brother fall on Strange's shoulder."
"I heard that!" Just then, a teleportation circle appeared, and Doctor Strange came out of it.
"Anyway, I'm here to say goodbye. My time has come, and you already know I have no option but to go, or everything will be at risk."
"Excuse me, are we talking about your death here? I thought... you'd outlive the Ancient One." Doctor Strange exclaimed in shock.
Hector chuckled and relaxed in his seat. "Kid, nothing is certain in the world. When the shite hits the fan, even the gods fall. Anyway, what about you? Did you propose that doctor from your hospital? Don't brood over her later if she gets married."
"She already did."
(●__●)
Hector sighed and poured the man a cup of tea. "Don't worry. You have someone else in fate. Someone who is also a powerful sorceress and will love you despite your narcissistic, arrogant ass."
"Haha... I quite like your blunt words, Hector." Yao chuckled.
Hector shrugged. "I will be gone in a few days. Why should I pull back my words? Anyway, I have decided to hide the infinity stones in undisclosed locations around the Universe. Nobody shall ever learn of their locations, no matter what."
"Why not destroy them?" Doctor Strange asked.
"Because they are a piece of this Universe... it's the origin. To destroy them is to erase an aspect of this Universe. They may be dangerous tools but are also useful in many ways. Don't worry, not even being such as Infinity or Living Tribunal can find them."
Hector had thought about destroying the stones long ago. But he just didn't feel it right to do it when he was not even supposed to be a part of this Universe. Plus, they may just come in handy if some sort of an Endgame-like threat appears in the Universe.
"Well, I should head out now. I have a date with my daughters. Yao, and Strange, good luck with your future, keep this planet safe, and if you do a good deed, then we shall meet in hell. Here, take these gifts." Hector left them two packages and blinked away to meet the girls.
Doctor Strange opened his package first and found a book inside. It was named "How To Keep Arrogance In Check."
"I'm not that arrogant." Doctor said.
But he noticed Yao was being silent. "What did he give you, Ancient One?"
She chuckled and showed a bottle. "A miracle oil to grow hair. He even put a special letter, telling me to go out and date."
"Well, since you are retired, you should try it. When was the last time you went on a date?" Doctor Strange asked.
After thinking for a while, Yao replied. "I think it was back in the renaissance time. It was a man named Leonardo... but he was perhaps more interested in his gadgets than me, so we ended it and moved our own ways."
"..."
"Is he the man I think he is?"
...
Hector arrived at a nice little restaurant in Germany. Since the girls were busy due to the war, this was the closest place they could all meet.
Hector was walking around Berlin and remembering the old days. The architecture had not changed much since the war, so it all felt like a Deja vu to him.
"Hey, grandpa!" Jean flew down from the sky beside him.
"There is my strong girl. How are you? I thought you'd be somewhere ordering Loki around—wait, he's with Odin, right?"
She gave him a hearty hug and changed her clothes to something normal. But again, being beside Hector was anything but a normal experience. "He wanted some personal bonding time. What about you? How did you find time for me?"
"Us too!"
Yelena and Natasha arrived as they landed with jetpacks that Hector's company made through space technology. They were still in the prototype phase, however.
"Yes, all my girls and the old man will have a good dinner date. Just like the old times. I've booked the whole restaurant, so there won't be any disturbance."
Jean held his arm on the right, and Natasha on the left, while Yelena was just skipping in front of them as she used to when small.
'I can't believe I came into this world to relax and ended up making so many meaningful connections.' He thought to himself. What amazed him was that even though he lived in hell for so long, he never formed such relationships with any demon. It was all just work there.
"What's the special occasion?" Yelena asked happily.
Hector felt sad about telling them he was leaving, knowing they'd be the most affected by his 'death'.
"Let's have dinner first and nice ice cream. After that, I have something serious to talk about with you three. Anyway, Yelena, are you dating someone? You're the only single one among all of us." He asked.
Yelena shrugged. "I haven't found any good boy until now, grandpa. There is just nobody similar to you."
"Haha, you want a boy like me? Well, I guess you will remain single forever then."
"Pfft..." Jean laughed and grabbed Yelena by her shoulder. "Don't worry. We will find a man at least one per cent as grandpa. Even Loki is about 0.001 per cent like grandpa."
"Well, John is not even that much like grandpa. He's very silent but, at the same time, highly reliable. He'd kill every living thing on Earth for me if he must." Natasha added.
For that, Hector felt proud. "Then he's a good lad, Natasha. Cherish him and keep him happy."
Sigh!
"Loki can't even cook," Jean muttered.
And before they knew it, their little discussion turned into dissing their boyfriend's talks. Only Hector and Yelena were the spectators, however, because Hector had nothing to say against Diana, while Yelena just enjoyed hearing them.
...
Russia
Hector's plan to win the war without much bloodshed was so successful that the world had even forgotten war was going on.
Now, the people of Russia were given an option. The people were allowed to live anywhere around the world they wanted since there were no borders anymore.
The first ones to jump the ship were the professionals; doctors, engineers and scientists who wanted out. Sadly, they were under the scrutiny of the state apparatus, for they were valuable to the nation.
At that time, the various mutants and sorcerers in the United Nation's army came forward, made teleportation portals, and secretly took the people. Then once the professionals were taken, the common people were allowed to move.
The best part was that they could bring their valuable items, from their television to their car, and they were allowed to keep their wealth.
The reason for the mass exodus was not the war. But rather, the reason was high inflation and decreased food production due to colder winter.
The population of Russia, which was 114 million originally, started to fall and reached 50 million in the first month alone. Not only that, but since Hector fixed the climate, northern Russia froze again, making the various production plants, oil fields, and military facilities unreachable.
Without bullets, the war was being won. And this was a battle that would go down in the history books for years to come because Hector won with his mind, not arms alone.
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