Malrick had already collected nearly every known type of Kryptonite.
This time, however, his goal was far more ambitious — he sought the Life Codex.
His destination: the DCEU Universe, home to Superman himself.
Malrick intended to travel to the earliest moment of the "Superheroes' First Appearance." The earlier he arrived, the younger Clark Kent would be — and a younger Clark would be easier to reason with.
If he could appear during the time when Clark first awakened his powers, perhaps demonstrating their similar abilities would be enough to gain his trust. With that, Clark might willingly allow Malrick to extract the Life Codex from his body.
With calm anticipation, Malrick activated his dimensional traversal ability.
Crossing within the same omniverse was relatively straightforward for him. After passing through the shimmering veil of the void, his body sank slightly — and the new world embraced him.
He opened his eyes to see an endless expanse of blue sky and drifting white clouds. The salty scent of the sea filled his lungs.
Then he realized he was in freefall.
To his right, Tony Stark was also plummeting through the air. Fortunately, Jarvis had already activated the armor's thrusters, stabilizing Tony's descent.
Malrick flipped midair and floated upright, controlling his position effortlessly. Tony, still unconscious, was being safely guided by the AI, leaving Malrick free to assess their surroundings.
Before he could use his super-hearing, a deafening explosion cracked through the sky.
Bang!
A fiery bloom erupted behind him. Turning his head, Malrick saw Tony's Mark Armor — thrusters blazing — collide with an aircraft that was spiraling out of control.
The plane tore apart in an inferno of fire and steel, scattering burning fragments across the ocean below.
Jarvis quickly reacted, seizing control of the armor and pulling a pilot from the wreckage before it hit the waves.
"Apologies, sir," Jarvis reported. "During descent stabilization, the Mark Armor's detection systems weren't fully initialized. The collision was unavoidable."
The AI carried the pilot toward Malrick. "Fortunately, he's only unconscious from the impact, not fatally injured."
"Pilot?" Malrick echoed, eyeing the man.
The man's hands were rough with calluses, his skin marked with old scars — clearly a soldier or mercenary. Even while unconscious, his grip remained tight around a leather-bound notebook.
Malrick gently pried it free. Inside were sketches and chemical formulas — notes describing a poison gas experiment.
"Poison gas…" Malrick murmured, studying the faded handwriting.
Then it clicked. Familiar scenes flashed through his mind. "This is Wonder Woman."
A voice rang out from behind him — firm, curious, and distinctly female.
"Are you people from the outside world?"
Malrick turned toward the sound.
He was hovering beside a massive cliff overlooking a turquoise sea. The waves below crashed rhythmically against the rocks.
Standing atop the cliff was a young woman with a curious gaze. She wore a simple leather breastplate and skirt, her tall boots made from bronze and hardened leather. Sunlight reflected off her bronzed, athletic skin — strong yet graceful.
She looked like a warrior carved from the legends of ancient Greece.
Malrick's mind flickered briefly — she reminded him of Cassandra from Assassin's Creed, yet there was no mistaking who she truly was.
Diana of Themyscira.
He'd arrived during Wonder Woman's timeline — 1916.
"So this is when the first superhero appeared…" he murmured. "I came too early."
He realized Superman hadn't yet arrived on Earth. Still, the timing didn't matter. He was in the right universe — and that was enough. From here, he could shift to the correct point in time.
"Are you men?" Diana's voice broke his train of thought.
Her curiosity was open and disarming. She examined all three figures — Malrick, Tony's armored body, and the unconscious pilot — with the wide-eyed wonder of someone who had never seen men before.
Her gaze lingered on Malrick the longest, moving from his face down to his chest, then back again.
The sea breeze carried a salty warmth through the air, yet when it touched him, it seemed to grow lighter, cleaner.
"You're more beautiful than any woman on this island," Diana said with childlike wonder. "Are all men like you?"
Malrick couldn't help but smile at her blunt honesty.
"The word you're looking for isn't beautiful," he replied. "Men are usually called handsome."
He gestured toward his unconscious companions. "And yes, all three of us are men."
Diana tilted her head, studying them again. "Only you are… good-looking."
Her gaze shifted to Tony's suit. "Is that one even a man? He doesn't look human at all."
Jarvis wisely stayed silent.
Malrick chuckled. "He's wearing armor. The man's inside."
"Oh," she said, seemingly satisfied with that explanation. Her eyes, however, quickly returned to Malrick — unwilling to leave him for long.
"My name is Diana. Diana Prince," she said proudly. "What's your name? How did you fall from the sky? And… you can fly?"
Her eyelashes fluttered as she spoke, her gaze flickering between his eyes and his chest.
"Malrick Stark," he said. "I'm from another world. I came here to find someone — Superman."
"Another world? Superman?" she echoed, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
Diana had lived her entire life on Themyscira, surrounded only by Amazonian warriors. The idea of other worlds — of men, flying machines, and aliens — was entirely foreign to her. Everything about Malrick fascinated her, from his words to the effortless calm he carried.
Malrick found himself equally intrigued. Diana had always been one of his favorite heroes — noble, fierce, and pure-hearted. But this version of her was younger, more spirited, and breathtakingly beautiful.
He descended gently from the air, landing beside her on the sun-warmed grass.
"Superman is a Kryptonian," he began. "He won't arrive for several decades, so—"
Before he could finish, Diana gasped softly. Her curiosity got the better of her.
She stepped forward and pressed her hand against his chest.
Malrick froze. The nanotech armor had already reshaped itself into a simple shirt, and Diana's palm rested directly over his heart.
"Your body is incredible," she said in genuine awe, tracing the lines of his muscles with innocent fascination. "Stronger than any warrior on the island. How do you train like this?"
Her touch was exploratory, not seductive — the unfiltered curiosity of someone raised in a world without men.
"Diana…" Malrick began awkwardly, stepping back slightly. "In the outside world, women don't usually touch men like that."
She blinked, puzzled. "Why not? Is it forbidden?"
Then, as if offering a fair exchange, she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her arm. "You can touch mine too."
Malrick couldn't help but laugh softly — not mockingly, but in disbelief at her innocence.
Standing this close, with the ocean roaring below and the wind catching in her dark hair, he realized just how remarkable this woman was — fierce yet untouched by the world's corruption.
He exhaled, half amused, half amazed. "You really are something else, Diana."
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