Marvel: I Awake the Little Cosmos-Chapter 533 - 501: Hawk Who Fears Death

Yes.

This time, Hawk is prepared to enter seclusion again, to relive the insights between life and death without any backup plan.

Unlike the time at London Stonehenge with Malekith.

He still had a backup, ensuring that even if the Phoenix couldn’t achieve Nirvana then, he wouldn’t die.

This meant he didn’t truly enter the realm of seclusion back then.

But this time!

Hawk has no backup.

His connection with Little Cosmos is temporarily severed, and the Divine Body Power is sealed. In this situation, if he steps into seclusion and can’t come out of it, he will truly die.

His belief has always been that others are unreliable, only he is trustworthy.

But...

Except for Wanda.

After Hawk accepted that his time perfectly closed a loop because of Wanda, if he had to choose one person to unconditionally trust, it would be only Wanda.

"Do you know what true seclusion is like?"

"What?"

"When I enter seclusion, everything about me will collapse, as if I never existed."

Hawk’s gaze was calm: "That’s why I didn’t dare to place all my hopes on ’Phoenix Undying, just Nirvana’ back then. If I couldn’t walk out of seclusion, then I would die."

Wanda and Hawk looked at each other.

"But you succeeded then."

"Just like my time never looped, my mind never elevated."

Hawk smiled slightly: "As you said, something obtained through cheating, even if you get it, is just an illusion; truly, you’ve never possessed it."

The reason he stayed five steps away from the Eighth Sense of Life’s gateway was because he still had a fear of death.

It’s well known.

Fear means being afraid, and being afraid means running away.

The word "escape" doesn’t exist in the Saint Warriors’ dictionary.

Only when you are not afraid of death, ignore death, step into death, and face death, can you truly be said to have walked through seclusion.

So—

This time, he plans not to make any backup plans, not to have any distractions, to truly, calmly go into seclusion once.

"When I enter seclusion, everything is empty."

"But when I come out of seclusion, I am the only one!"

Hawk’s definition of his life is the only one.

Being the only one is the key to unlocking the Eighth Sense of his life. This key is hidden in seclusion, and he needs the courage of a near-certain death to personally go into seclusion and retrieve this key.

"So..."

Wanda’s smile gradually disappeared because she heard the infinite danger hidden in Hawk’s calm words: "If you mess up this time, you might really die?"

Hawk returned to his senses, facing Wanda, his tone still calm.

"I won’t lie to you, yes."

"Why?"

"Because I’m afraid."

"What?"

"Seclusion requires fearlessness, but I’m afraid, so I chose to cheat back then."

Living beings have an instinctive fear of death.

Hawk is no exception.

This is why he respects those enemies who can remain fearless even in the face of death.

Like Alexander Pierce.

He faced death fearlessly, even in the Frozen Nether Prison, he still showed that calm acceptance of his losses.

This is also the ultimate reason why Hawk chose to spare Alexander Pierce.

Just like everyone dislikes being a saint, but everyone likes to be friends with a saint.

Because he isn’t one.

Wanda listened to Hawk’s confession of ’fear’, and her tone was somewhat surprised: "You’re afraid of death?"

Hawk heard the curiosity in Wanda’s words.

He chuckled.

"What’s so strange about that? You’ve said it, I’m not a good person, so isn’t it normal for a bad person to fear death?"

"You are indeed not a good person."

Wanda looked seriously at Hawk: "But you’ve always been trying to be a good person, a truly bad person wouldn’t give anyone attempting to attack him a chance to live."

Hawk listened to Wanda’s words, chuckled, and didn’t offer any explanation, just shook his head.

Because the reason he spared those lives, he hadn’t told his daughter Jean, and he couldn’t tell Wanda either.

He really is a bad person.

Kindness?

He’s forced to be kind.

Wanda took a deep breath, looking at Hawk, who was shaking his head with a bitter smile: "So, what should I do to ensure you can walk out of seclusion."

Hawk shook his head: "I don’t know."

Wanda frowned. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"What, you don’t know."

"If I knew it, that would mean I still have a backup plan."

Hawk and Wanda exchanged glances: "And if I know that backup plan, it means I’m prepared to step into extinction."

Wanda furrowed her brows: "But are you so certain I can pull you back from extinction?"

Hawk shook his head.

"I don’t know."

"Wha..."

"But only you, and only you, can do it."

Hawk interrupted Wanda’s words, gazing into her eyes, then broke into a radiant smile, chuckling softly: "When I was simultaneously killed by the Mutant Apocalypse across all timelines, didn’t you save me?"

Wanda grinned at the words, locking eyes with Hawk: "Two years ago at the Apocalypse Pyramid, you had a backup plan then too, didn’t you?"

Hawk nodded.

"Yes."

"But this time, there’s truly none?"

"Truly none."

"...Alright."

Wanda looked seriously into Hawk’s eyes, as if trying to see through to his spiritual world, then also revealed a bright smile: "You’re not a good man, but you’re a good father. To ensure our children don’t lose their daddy, I’ll bring you back."

This was the sentence Wanda said two years ago in front of the Apocalypse Pyramid, stepping into Hawk’s Time Galaxy as it was collapsing simultaneously.

That time, Wanda also stepped into Hawk’s Time Galaxy with a resolve to die.

After speaking, Wanda sensed the heaviness of death, feigned a light-hearted smile, and looked at Hawk: "So, when do you plan to die?"

Hawk raised an eyebrow.

"It depends on how Bolivar Trask’s Sentinel Robots are coming along, after all, a strong person should have a strong person’s way of dying."

Just like an emperor needs an emperor’s way of dying.

If he must die at some point, then in his imagination, death must be spectacular and heroic.

What’s the old saying again?

A true man!

In life, eat from the five cauldrons; in death, be cooked in the five cauldrons!

Just like back then, even when faking death, he had to find a place like London Stonehenge for a ritual, this time, if he truly has to die, he must find a good place and the right opponent to send him into extinction.

Bolivar Trask’s complete Sentinel Robot would do.

"By the way, how’s that shorty’s Sentinel Robots coming along?"

"Probably won’t be on time."

Wanda shrugged: "Weren’t they capturing Mystique Raven? They just caught Mystique Raven a few days ago, and these days, they’ve been working overtime to study the ’mimetic gene’ and the Sentinel Robots’ compatibility program."

Mystique Raven isn’t some naïve girl. Especially in recent years, she’s been rescuing mutants far and wide, already having rich experience in tracking and countertracking.

But in the end, when one’s strength doesn’t show overwhelming dominance, an individual can never compete with state machinery.

Just the other day, accurately speaking, five days ago, Mystique Raven was finally cornered by Sentinels in Bodo and successfully captured.

But Mystique Raven is not in mortal danger.

Wanda has been looking after her.

"Did Professor X and the others receive the news of Mystique being captured?"

"Not yet, Washington has the information tightly sealed."

Wanda shook her head, looking at Hawk: "Should we inform our daughter about this news?"

Hawk thought for a moment, then shook his head: "No need, as long as Bolivar Trask’s complete Sentinels haven’t come out, Washington doesn’t dare to fall out with me. By the way, I think Magneto went to X Academy today, didn’t he? After all, they’re setting off to Washington tomorrow."

Bolivar Trask is progressing slowly.

But Professor X’s side is progressing rapidly. In just half a month, he successfully persuaded his good buddy to give humanity another chance for trust so that humans and mutants can achieve permanent peace, successfully convincing Eric the Magneto to agree to accompany Professor X for a visit to Congress in Washington.

Poor Magneto, probably going to be scammed by Professor X again this time.

No wait.

This time might not scam, since Bolivar Trask’s progress seems delayed, failing to produce a complete Sentinel Robot as scheduled before the congressional hearing.

Hawk thought to himself.

While he was pondering, Wanda nodded.

"Yes, they should be flying to Washington tomorrow morning. Did you think of something else?"

"To give Washington a reason to confront me."

"Using your daughter as bait?"

"Bait?"

Hawk raised an eyebrow and looked at Wanda: "Where did you learn that term?"

Wanda smiled slightly: "You taught me."

Hawk frowned, just about to speak, then realized something, and abruptly stopped the topic: "Not exactly bait, just seeing Bolivar Trask’s progress is a bit slow, planning to hurry them up. After all, we’ve been here long enough, it’s time to go home."

Although the time flow here compared to the main Cosmos is ten years for one month.

But they truly have lived here for over two years, although the years can’t be added to their lifespan, memories don’t deceive.

Therefore—

Hawk wants to go home.

Wanda, hearing this, thought of their two sons back in West View Town of the main Cosmos, being looked after by their grandparents and great-grandparents, and felt tempted: "What kind of message do you plan to have our daughter convey?"

Hawk, hearing this, looked at Wanda.

Their eyes met.

Hawk’s face revealed that indescribable smile, ready to start baiting and fishing.

...