With a new monster core resting nicely in the palm of my hand, I do wonder if this is how all monsters are created. It just gives a whole new meaning to hatred and malice incarnated.

The dark aura that was radiating from the unconscious Marian Oxford just a moment ago feels similar to the magical essence or maybe I should say, monster essence that monsters give off when they are killed. And by absorbing that monster essence, my magical fortifies, strengthens and grows.

Since I can also absorb this malicious aura into my magical core, it probably has the same effect. That is, my magical will grow stronger as a result. However, this essence feels extremely vile in comparison to the monster essence. And absorbing it will probably corrupt me.

I think more research into this area is needed. Eliana or Sapphire could help in this regard. Eliana more since she is equivalent to an Archmage while Sapphire is just a novice. But before that, I probably need to deal with Marian Oxford and this desolated world.

Marian is easy, as I did promise Henry that I will give him another chance to be a proper father. He did try to be a father to her, but I suppose work responsibility and commitment to me take him away from the family life. He is retired man now, so he will have all the time to be a family man.

As for the world itself, I am somewhat stumped.

There is a good reason why the temporal rift is closed off the moment Marian and I passed through to this parallel reality. It is also the same reason to why the outpost on the other side in the prime-reality is completely void of people, leaving only automated machines to carry out all the necessary tasks.

Whatever causes the plants to die out throughout the universe is magical in nature. And yes, I do mean throughout the universe.

The decaying effect is not only happening here on Earth, causing humanity to go extinct, but it is also happening on every planet and moon within this universe, regardless of where.

Legion did have more than a millennium to spread out to the galaxy. And from what Legion is able to find so far, wherever there is plant life, the magical curse is present. And without plants, animal cannot exist.

Without animal, intelligence life cannot arise.

This is practically a dead universe.

A dead universe brought on by a single spell.

I have seen for myself how destructive magic can be in the future of the prime reality, but I think this just take the cake. And if a single spell can do something like this to an entire universe, is there nothing magic cannot do?

This magical decaying effect on all plant life also seeps through the temporal rift when it is opened the first time. And as soon as the scientists realize what is happening, they immediately shut down the rift and label the reality as extremely dangerous.

Luckily, the decaying effect stops the moment the temporal rift collapses. Otherwise, the prime-reality would suffer the same fate as this one.

It is brought to my attention afterwards, thus requiring Hydra to formulate new procedures and safety measures in regard to exploring the multiverse.

Therefore, from now on, whenever a time distortion is detected anywhere in the world, people within the affected area will be evacuated and handsomely compensated.

Above ground barracks and bunkers as well as underground complexes will be built to accommodate the required research staffs and security personnel.

However, to prevent people from being randomly spirited away by the time distortion and fluctuation, everyone on base above and below ground must carried a portable temporal detector on their person at all time.

The portable temporal detector warns them if a temporal convergence point is forming, thus avoiding those convergence point will prevent them from being dumped into an alternate reality.

It did take a while to get used to, however.

But the device did nothing to stop time lapses, for a lack of a better word. Time in certain spots around the base flows at a different rate, slower or faster. This means that people can experience many days and even weeks, but only for about a couple of minutes has actually passed in the real world.

Time lapses did create a lot of confusion at first, so the detector also has a built-in atomic clock, which tells them how much time they actually experienced in relative to everyone else. Measuring the rate of time is flowing also gives scientists insight into how time lapses works, and I won't bother you with all the boring details.

Just know that the Hydra members immediately take advantage of these spots to get away from work, as technically, they aren't really slacking off, relatively speaking. Since these time lapses are relatively safe when compared to everything else happening in the time distortions, I did not bother to tell them off. They can have their fun while it last.

And as for the temporal rift itself, it will only be opened at a scheduled time and only briefly until the world on the other side are deemed safe to explore. Once it is safe, the temporal rift will remain open until someone said otherwise, usually Hammond, as he is the head scientists in this temporal rift stuff.

It is dangerous to mess with the temporal rift, but I do not think I have any other choice in the matter thanks to Marian. And if I decide to ignore all of this and burry my head into the sand, I will be helpless when something like what had happened to this reality happens to the prime-reality.

To be honest, how the temporal rifts come into existence still eluded me, but I do have several working theories on the matter. None can be fully confirmed at the moment, but I am sure it happens because Marian had me as well as my daughter killed.

In any case, it had already happened, and Marian has paid dearly for that, so I cannot dwell on it any longer. Besides, the temporal rifts allow me to learn about magic.

Magic just opens a whole new path for me and everyone on earth.

But the desolated state of this world cemented my belief that magic should be controlled, preferably by me or someone like me. Otherwise, I might as well give humanity a gun to shoot itself in the head.

There are just too many people who wants to ruin it for everyone else. And killing them all isn't really a solution. It is also extremely tyrannical and oppressive. I already tried the tyrannical and oppressive path. Didn't work out so well in the end.

People are capable of both good and evil by nature.

Someone or something just need to show them the way. And this has been demonstrated very clearly in Marian Oxford in the way she was raised from childhood.

For all of his intelligence, Henry Oxford fails to understand that by showing a child love and care all of her life and then neglecting her in favors of others or things will undoubtedly make her despises and loathes everyone and everything he has cared about.

While I do not want to get involved in the family matter of other people, but Henry should understand this simple fact. If Henry did, Marian wouldn't have turned out this way, but it did allow me to capture the malice within her.

That malice has manifested into another persona when everything Marian ever cares about stripped away from her. Her wealth. Her power. Her status. Her father. Her mother. Everything!

Did I plan all of that? Yes, I did. It is an appropriate punishment for her.

However, the creation of a monster core surprises me.

It also opens a door to new possibilities.

Since the darkness has been stripped away from her, I suppose Marian will live a different life now.

I will confirm this when I look into her future, right after I return her to her father.

As my power cannot duplicate this malicious essence just like I couldn't duplicate the monster essence, I suppose that I will be able to only obtain just one monster core from each person. This is actually the best-case scenario, as not everyone will be harvestable.

Wow. Did I just consider people as wheat in a field?

Meh. It isn't like I haven't done much worst before. It is all for the greater good, my greater good. And if I can capture the darkness within their mind and spirit, they will be better off afterwards.

I do think that breaking everyone's mind and spirit seems a tad extreme. Most people do not deserve to be treated like Marian even if they will not remember anything in the end after all said and done.

Maybe there is another way to harvest this malicious essence? I will have to find out.

So much things to do on my list.

I pick up Marian Oxford into my arms as she slowly reverts into a twelve years old child. Her memory of what happened is also gone. She slowly opens her eyes and look at me groggily.

"Dad…?"

Marian questions and rubs her eyes. She is just an innocent child, right now. She would never have to remember what happened.

"I am not your father, Marian. I will take you to your father, soon."

The surrounding changes as I jump into the past with her my arms. It is to the moment just before we both had stepped into this reality.

The temporal rift in midair opens, and I could see myself beyond the rift for a nanosecond.

As paradox cannot happen thanks to my power, my past self is erased the moment the temporal rift connects two realities together.

Marian's past as well.

That is poetic, to be honest.

I quickly jump through the temporal rift before it closes, returning to the prime-reality. There is simply nothing I could do for that reality at the moment.

The decaying curse is too powerful to be undo. But I promise myself I will find those who is responsible for the death of humanity.

Someone is obviously causing chaos in the multiverse.

And the prime-reality is not off the table. Even if I want to live in peace, whoever this is will not allow me to do so. Terra has hinted this when we have our siblings talk.

Speaking of Terra, I wonder why she didn't appear to fix this problem. Just like the Nazi Reality, magic has been introduced to a scientific reality, and a magical curse have killed everyone, even if indirectly.

And as Master of Chaos, shouldn't she rectify this problem.

I will ask her about it when I meet her again.

For now, I will have to focus on my problem.

With a thought, I am back to the room where Marian has been locked up for weeks.

Henry is there all alone, tearfully. He had entered the room the moment I took his daughter away. To bear witness to her agonizing deaths repeatedly is his punishment.

I didn't do it for fun. Alright, I did, but it serves more than one purpose.

As for Marilyn Oxford, I spared her since the knowledge of her beloved daughter's impending torture and death is far more than enough to haunt her day and night.

I also didn't let her see her daughter, thus she couldn't sleep for the last few weeks.

"As I have promised, old friend. I hope you understand your responsibility as father this time around, and please do neglect others in favor of hers either. Each of your children needs you and your guidance even if they are all grown up. This is not your boss talking, but as a father to another."

I speak up and let Marian onto her two little feet. She blinks at the old man before narrows her eyes, trying to see who this is.

"Dad!?"

Marian shouts and runs to her father. Henry takes her into his tight embrace, never wanting to let her go again. Seeing such kinship between them does bring a sense of joy and warmth to my cold heart.

I want to see my daughter or maybe daughters, and I did so right after I send Henry and Marian home.

But since Antigone and Lexi are both asleep peacefully in their respective beds, I suppose I will have to settle for Allison. She is still awake in her apartment. She does stay up very late every day, working on her cases, regardless whether it is the weekend or not.

Tomorrow is Sunday, so she should have a day off just like everyone. Well, today to be more precise.

"Hello, Miss Allison. I know it is late, but may I come in?"

At the door to her apartment, Allison is surprised to see me so late in the night.

Nevertheless, Allison is very happy to see me. It has been a while, but she does know I have business I must attend.

"Ah, yes, Max. I mean Mr. Maxwell. Please, come in. Umm… don't mind the mess. I was about to clean up."

Allison allows me inside her apartment, rather happily even if she try not to show it. She didn't bother to put on any clothes and simply settle for what she is wearing to sleep – loose blouse and no pant.

The room has changed greatly since last time I was here. As she is now a full pledged member of Hydra, she is rewarded with all kind of new toys.

The apartment looks like it is from the 22nd or maybe the 23rd century. It does bring me back a little since I did live in the future for a time. But I am not here to check out her apartment.

I am here for some kinship. Heh. Just kidding, but if it leads to that, who am I to refuse.

"I want to tell you something, Miss Allison. It might change the relationship between us in the process, but it is for the best."