Alex Ray would never have imagined that someone would be so bored as to watch him stand on the second floor balcony for a full hour.
And it wasn't just one person—it was an entire group.
That's right. When Alex walked onto the balcony, whether it was the rooftop across the street, beneath the restaurant, or inside the adjacent building, there were eyes on him.
"So… the boss is emo now? This is the first time I've seen him like that," Tobey's version of Peter Parker whispered as he landed beside Tony Stark.
Tony slowly descended from the rooftop without answering. At the moment, he was wearing his newly designed Super Mark Suit 1.0.
This armor was carefully built using salvaged tech from the Chitauri Legion after the Battle of New York. Its design and performance far surpassed any previous Mark series suit.
The sleek black-and-white color palette gave the suit both elegance and an intimidating presence.
In the center, a compact Arc Reactor emitted a soft white glow, providing a constant, near-limitless energy supply.
The helmet—complete with rabbit-ear-like extensions—and the Nebula Bottles embedded across the armor were clearly inspired by Kamen Rider Build, blending Tony's signature tech aesthetic with a touch of fantastical flair.
Now, the Super Mark Suit was not only comparable to Kamen Rider Build's combat capabilities—it likely surpassed them.
And Tony didn't even need to transform. He had fully integrated the power of the Nebula Bottles into the suit's tech systems.
He had, essentially, become a walking Kamen Rider.
Tony had originally intended to show off the suit when Alex returned—maybe brag a little, enjoy the moment.
But the second he saw Alex's furrowed brows, the dark depths behind his calm expression—every ounce of excitement drained away.
Tony could feel it. Something was weighing on him. Something heavy. He hadn't seen Alex like this before.
Being the genius he was, Tony didn't need long to guess the cause.
"Is there another powerful enemy?" he muttered to himself.
He didn't understand why someone as strong as Alex would be so anxious—unless something serious had happened.
Could it be someone or something that had even shaken him?
"Damn it… this world is seriously messed up. I guess even this suit isn't strong enough." Tony cursed under his breath, then took off into the sky.
He was frustrated. Deeply.
Tony had always been arrogant—but not stupid. He knew Alex hadn't confided in them because they likely couldn't help.
Talking would just make things worse. Tony understood that. If he were in Alex's place, he would've done the same.
But understanding it didn't stop the anger.
Not anger toward Alex—anger at himself.
Because even after everything he had built, all his breakthroughs, he still wasn't strong enough to stand beside Alex in battle.
And Tony Stark simply couldn't accept that.
"Technology alone won't cut it. Kamar-Taj's magic doesn't suit me… Maybe Hogwarts magic would be a better fit."
With that thought, Tony shifted course and rocketed toward Hell's Kitchen Community College.
Left behind on the rooftop was Tobey's Peter Parker, still confused.
But not for long.
He, too, had a brilliant mind—after all, he was accepted into some of the most prestigious universities.
"Master… no matter how hard the path ahead may be, I'll follow you. I'll stand beside you."
With a determined whisper, Peter activated his Dimensional Watch and vanished, heading for the only place that could help him grow stronger—
The Spider-Man Base.
He had heard many secrets from Spider-Man 2099.
It turned out the base wasn't built by 2099 himself. It had been created by a predecessor—an original Spider-Man whose power shook the fabric of the universe.
But this predecessor chose anonymity, preferring to avoid interference and conflict. He never once appeared publicly at the base.
Without his support and the protection of the Spider-Man Base, they likely would've been annihilated by Thanos or Kang the Conqueror long ago.
Peter had even learned the name of this mysterious figure from 2099:
Spider-Man Beyond.
Back on the streets of Hell's Kitchen, Wanda Maximoff and Pietro stood watching from below.
"Brother-in-law looks gloomy. Did you guys break up? Sis, did you dump him?" Pietro teased with a grin.
Wanda was already on edge, having seen the heavy expression on Alex's face.
Her brother's flippant remark pushed her over.
Without hesitation, Wanda flicked her fingers. A surge of chaotic magic, dense with turbulent emotion, erupted from her hand and shackled Pietro to the ground.
He didn't even see it coming.
Shock and confusion spread across his face as the invisible force pinned him down.
He struggled but couldn't move—only managing to look up at Wanda, eyes wide, pleading for understanding.
Wanda stared at her restrained brother, emotions churning. She knew she'd overreacted—but the frustration and worry in her heart had been building for too long.
She exhaled, trying to calm herself, and spoke with cold conviction:
"It's because we haven't done enough that Alex is like this. And you're out here joking and playing delivery boy? Do you think this is a game?"
"Starting now—train me. No more of your nonsense."
She turned away, not giving Pietro another glance.
Instead, her eyes returned to Alex, still sitting silently on the balcony.
"Alex… what have you encountered?" she murmured. "Is it something we truly can't face together?"
"Am I still not strong enough to fight beside you?"
While Alex had been away, Wanda had thrown herself into managing his company—and training relentlessly. She had come far.
She believed she had finally caught up.
She believed she could share his burden now.
But then… a voice echoed in her mind.
Cold. Familiar.
"Hmph. Your sweetheart's aura… feels familiar."
"If it's really him… then no. You're nowhere near strong enough."
Wanda wasn't surprised. She knew that voice well—her other self. A version of her bound by a different fate, but still part of her.
She didn't panic. She simply replied with calm curiosity:
"What do you know… my other self?"
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
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