"Since you have defeated Khonshu, the Moon God of Heliopolis, do you plan to challenge the rest of the gods here?" Geb asked cautiously, seeing that Robert had no intention of leaving after Khonshu had completely disappeared.
Geb felt powerless. One Clark was already enough to intimidate the gods of Heliopolis, and now there was Robert, who had defeated Khonshu. Robert's strength seemed comparable to that of a Major God. If a battle ensued, Heliopolis stood little chance of winning.
Of course, Geb was unaware that Robert had specifically countered Khonshu. Even as a powerful god himself, he couldn't fully understand the powers of other gods. More crucially, the notion that the Moon God could be countered by someone else using his own moonlight power was nearly unbelievable. Not even gods of the same domain could counter each other like that, especially since Robert wasn't a higher-ranking moon deity.
"Not today. If there's an opportunity in the future, perhaps we can spar and exchange some techniques..." Robert replied with a smile, shaking his head. Under different circumstances, he might have considered challenging other gods in Heliopolis, especially war gods. Robert was particularly interested in testing his combat skills and fighting spirit against such deities. However, having just absorbed Khonshu's moonlight power and discovered a way to enhance his strength, Robert wanted to study this newfound method further.
Robert needed to understand that the moonlight he absorbed from Khonshu was different from natural moonlight, as it contained divine energy. He needed to research this distinction further. Therefore, he reluctantly declined the suggestion to continue fighting in Heliopolis. Moreover, Geb didn't seem eager to welcome them any longer. Forcing themselves to stay might completely break relations with Heliopolis.
The earlier conflict with Asgard had been instigated by Loki and escalated by Odin's protective nature. But Heliopolis was different. Although Khonshu had sought to spy on Robert's power through Moon Knight, he eventually backed down. Robert had gained much without forming a mortal enmity.
Currently, their relationship was strained but manageable. A full-scale conflict would be troublesome, especially since Heliopolis had no current God-King, but it didn't mean they lacked powerful allies, such as those from the Wakandan pantheon. Underestimating the Egyptian gods would be a mistake. Once Robert's strength advanced further, he might return to probe them, but now was not the time.
"In that case, I won't see you off!" Geb said, casting a deep glance at Clark. Even though Robert had demonstrated his power, Geb was still more wary of Clark. Seeing no objection from Clark, Geb took a deep breath and spoke.
With a hum, a spatial force appeared nearby, an expelling force intending to eject Robert, Clark, and Kara from Heliopolis. They hadn't entered through Heliopolis' means, and with no equivalent to the Bifrost, Heliopolis opted to expel them. Whether they could return to Earth wasn't Heliopolis' concern.
But Robert had prepared for this. Before leaving, he had instructed the guardians. Without the original entryway, they might have been lost in the dimensions around Earth. But with the path they came through, finding the spatial coordinates wasn't difficult. Even without the spatial gateway's aid, the distance between Heliopolis and Earth's dimension wasn't too far. The chaotic void between dimensions wouldn't hinder them much, given their strength. Returning to Earth's dimension would just take some time.
Simultaneously, back in Egypt, the portal opened, and Robert, Clark, and Kara emerged. The portal was still in the same place they had left it, not as versatile as the portals of Kamar-Taj or the Bifrost of Asgard.
"It should be fine now. You don't need to be so on guard anymore," the guardian said, turning to Clara.
"I understand," Clara nodded, her eyes flickering before turning to leave.
"Your strength has reached the peak of what the Shadow Hunters' lineage can achieve, partly due to the limited inheritance but mainly because of your effort..." the guardian said, watching Clara's back.
"But your path ahead won't be easy. The Shadow Hunters' abilities have their limits. You need to find your own way..."
"Though we are called magicians, we differ significantly from them. We are more like learnable superhumans, so the paths of various magicians, including those of angels, aren't suitable for you."
"I know. I will find my own path forward," Clara replied, her expression unchanged. Having surpassed the guardian in strength, she had already realized these truths. Though finding her own path would be difficult, she wouldn't give up.
Meanwhile, outside the ancient Egyptian tomb, Moon Knight had been waiting for further instructions from Khonshu. Seeing Robert and the others emerge from the tomb left him confused. Although Khonshu wore a mask, Robert and the others noticed Moon Knight's stunned expression.
Moon Knight had been communicating with Khonshu when Robert suddenly shouted, and the three of them vanished. Moon Knight lost contact with Khonshu, leading him to ponder what had happened. He suspected Robert might have chased Khonshu to the heavens. Though theoretically implausible given Robert's apparent strength, the events suggested otherwise.
Thus, upon seeing Robert, Moon Knight paused and began sensing his own power. He wondered if Khonshu had been defeated. However, discovering his powers were intact, he sighed in relief, mocking himself for his wild imagination. Robert couldn't have hunted down Khonshu; he must have attempted a failed pursuit, as Moon Knight still wielded Khonshu's power.
"What are you standing there for? Are you staying here?" Robert asked, shaking his head. He bore no ill will towards Moon Knight, who had helped lead him to Khonshu's tomb and facilitated Khonshu's appearance, enabling Robert's journey to Heliopolis.
"Are you heading back?" Moon Knight asked hesitantly.
"Of course. The matter is resolved, so why not return?" Robert shrugged, using his mind to lift Moon Knight.
Initially uneasy with being lifted, Moon Knight fell silent as he realized he was flying with Robert and the others.
"Your god's not bad, giving you a replica of his artifact," Robert said, glancing at Moon Knight's crescent darts, recalling Khonshu's crescent staff.
"You've seen the Moon God's artifact?" Moon Knight asked, touching his crescent darts and testing his previous thoughts.
"Just did. His artifact is similar to your crescent darts but has a staff attached, and it's quite powerful. But it's essentially a manifestation of his divine power," Robert replied with a smile.
Moon Knight gulped, realizing Robert had indeed confronted Khonshu and seemingly won. He wondered about Khonshu's fate.
Moon Knight felt confused. How could a human be so powerful that even gods couldn't match him? This thought led him to glance at Clark, recalling his title as the God Among Men. He realized there was little difference; if someone like Superman could be called a god, it made sense for his powerful ally Robert to be similar.
This revelation made Moon Knight question the gods' perceived grandeur. Even though Khonshu had once saved his life, he might just be a powerful being, not the lofty deity Moon Knight had believed.
"What were your plans before?" Robert asked, seeing Moon Knight's contemplative silence.
"The Moon God tasked me with seeking the origin of werewolves and exploring their fundamental power," Moon Knight replied after a moment's hesitation.
"I see. If you encounter any trouble, contact this number. Someone will communicate with you," Robert said, giving Moon Knight a contact number, not his own but that of Jarvis.
Robert had initially considered recruiting Moon Knight into the Avengers. Despite his average strength, Moon Knight's resilience was impressive.
Moreover, Robert intended to study the differences between natural moonlight and Khonshu's divine moonlight. Having contingencies was always wise; he couldn't always go to Heliopolis to see Khonshu.
Even though the guardians had recorded Heliopolis' spatial coordinates, reaching it without the realm's power wasn't easy. Forcing a portal might land them in the void outside Heliopolis, not ideal for a visit.
Thus, recruiting Moon Knight into the Avengers would enhance their strength. But since Moon Knight had a mission, Robert didn't rush. Given that someone like Nero could kill Moon Knight, and even with Khonshu's artifact, Moon Knight wouldn't likely overcome the werewolf lineage.
This werewolf lineage wasn't like Clara's stepfather Luke. Their progenitor, with powers comparable to a Hell Lord or Major God, might rival Khonshu. Robert had initially planned to explore this, but with Khonshu giving Moon Knight the task, he decided to let Moon Knight scout the path first.
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