"For the past two and a half years," Malrick began, his voice steady, "I have fully mastered the rules of Time, Space, and Reality. With the help of the Anti-Life Equation, I have mastered seventy percent of the Mind rule. I've also grasped forty percent of the Power rule. Within my perception, I can now shape rules to generate a power comparable to the Space, Time, and Reality Stones."
He paused, energy flickering in his eyes. "And now, with all six Infinity Stones in my possession, my understanding of these rules has deepened. I can wield them more perfectly than ever."
Malrick raised his hand and unleashed a wave of energy powered by all six Stones toward a rift in space. For a brief instant, a miniature universe bubble formed in the void — but it shriveled and collapsed just as quickly.
He studied the aftereffects carefully. "At least the backlash from using the Stones is far less than I feared. And I don't need to clench my fist or snap my fingers like Thanos to channel their power."
He considered the comparison. After fusing the six Stones into his Inner World, his state felt very similar to what Infinite Ultron achieved. The difference: Ultron suffered no negative feedback from using them; Malrick still felt some rebound, though significantly reduced.
As for raw strength, he admitted to himself, he wouldn't truly know how he measured up until he faced Ultron — or someone equally powerful. He wasn't sure if, like Infinite Ultron, he could erase entire universes in a single moment. But destroying one? That, he felt confident he could handle.
Even if his physical body were destroyed by the Stones' backlash… he could always rebuild another one using his Inner World.
"To ascend into a singular cosmic-level entity… These Stones are unbelievably powerful."
Malrick sighed softly. Years ago, back in the Starry Sky System at his Chaos Dominator stage, he could unleash attacks that might devastate a world-size observable universe. But now, with the Infinity Stones, a thought was enough to collapse a universe. Marvel's reality truly was something extraordinary.
He calmed the storm of energy inside him, channeling it back into his Inner World. Then, he pulled out the Time Tablet and opened a Space-Time Gate into a parallel universe.
He had no intention of bringing Tony or the young Spider-Man with him. Confronting this Thanos — potentially part of a multiversal Thanos Council — would be difficult, but adding more people would only complicate things.
In this universe, Thanos needed to clench his fist to activate the Infinity Stones' power — and to unleash their full strength, he had to snap his fingers. Compared to his comic-book counterpart, this Thanos was limited — but that didn't make him any less deadly. Malrick's only real concern: stopping Thanos from snapping.
Yet Malrick also wanted to test Thanos's strength under the full unleashing of the Stones.
With that in mind, he stepped through the orange portal. The rectangular gate closed quietly behind him.
---
Parallel World — New York in Ruin
Dark clouds churned overhead, lit by flashes of lightning. Shadows twisted over a crumbling, burning city — a vision of apocalypse.
In the wreckage, the remaining Avengers stood, battered and bleeding. This was New York.
Weeks ago, they had fought in Wakanda, supposedly defeating Thanos and driving him from Earth. But now: Thanos had returned.
Suddenly, people on Earth vanished, turning to ash. Wanda tried desperately to reach Malrick — but got no response. Moments later, Thanos reappeared, leading an army.
The battle began anew. Explosions rocked the sky, but in short order, every resisting Avenger was defeated.
Atop the ruins, amid fire and smoke, Thanos stood. His right hand was concealed behind him; his left hand wore all six Infinity Stones, held out deliberately. Blood stained his arm and shoulder — the backlash from his first snap, the one that had wiped out half the universe's population.
He surveyed the scene with rage in his eyes. "What a pity," he said, voice heavy. "In your universe, people died at random. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor… they're all gone."
He spoke each name like a counted loss. "Had they remained, I might have told them their universe will be destroyed because of their ingratitude."
Thanos's voice trembled with suppressed fury. "I sacrificed everything, everyone I loved, to bring balance. And you… you ruined it."
He stood like a molten volcano, his anger barely held in check. Around him, injured Avengers watched in horror and disbelief.
In this universe, the Mind Stone Thanos used for his snap was not native — which meant those who vanished were not Wanda, Spider-Man, or Nick Fury. Rather, the victims had been Tony, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, and others.
Nick Fury, one-eyed and bleeding out from a grievous wound, rallied the survivors. He organized the Avengers alongside whatever mystic defenders remained. But they never stood a chance — not when Thanos wielded all six Stones.
"He killed so many," Fury snarled. "And he still expects us to bow?"
"Wanda, call Malrick! Now!" Fury demanded, voice strained.
Wanda, sweat and soot covering her face, poured every ounce of her Chaos Magic into healing her fellow Avengers. She trembled as she spoke. "Soon. He'll be here. I told myself this moment would come."
Nearby, the young Peter Parker (Spider-Man) lay wounded, missing an arm. He looked to Wanda with fear in his eyes. "Ms. Maximoff… can we really stop him? Mr. Stark's gone — everyone's gone."
Wanda closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "Yes. As long as Malrick comes, there's hope. Stay quiet — I'll stop your bleeding."
Amid them, only Wanda appeared less physically hurt — but emotions tore at her. Pietro, the brother she once saved, was gravely injured. The Avengers, the defenders of Earth, were now hanging on by a thread.
Thanos, for his part, did not seem interested in total slaughter. His fury was focused. It was not random destruction; it was retaliation — a punishment for those who had dared to undo what he believed he had built.
He raised his voice, projecting his conviction. "You will try to overthrow the balance I created! But it's useless. You call me a madman, but I am the savior. You think you save the world — but you only delay the inevitable. You think you will win — but I am inevitable!"
He raised his golden left hand, as though delivering a final decree. "You do not understand my benevolence. I will destroy this world and remake a universe that will finally know gratitude!"
Wanda floated forward, chaos magic crackling around her hands, fury blazing on her face. "Your 'benevolence' is death! I will not let you do this!"
Thanos's eyes narrowed. "Who are you to stop me? I paid every price. You cannot defy me."
He brought his thumb and forefinger together, preparing to snap.
"I, am inevitable…" he began.
Suddenly, he felt a powerful force tearing his fingers apart.
"What!?" he roared.
"Malrick!?" Wanda cried.
In a sudden flash, Malrick stood between his fingers, forcing them apart. He wore a dark battle suit, his cape fluttering in the smoky wind. His hair was cropped short, his posture confident but calm.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said with a slight, knowing nod to Wanda.
His gaze flicked to the orange portal several hundred meters away. "The Time Tablet was perfectly timed — right when you were about to snap."
At that moment, Thanos roared again. "I AM INEVITABLE!"
Malrick did not hesitate. He flickered forward at light speed, placing his palm in the web between Thanos's thumb and forefinger, physically prying them apart.
Around them, the injured Avengers watched in disbelief. "Is that… Superman?" Pietro asked weakly. "Can he actually stand up to Thanos?"
"He saved me before," one whispered. "If Wanda trusts him… maybe he can."
Even the young Spider-Man, voice quivering: "Does Superman always look this… cool? Where's the red underwear?"
Thanos, towering over Malrick, glared down. "You… you are the one who crossed worlds and destroyed all our plans!"
Malrick released his firm grip on Thanos's fingers, shifting his stance. He pressed his palm firmly into the web of Thanos's hand, looking up, puzzled. "I only took the Mind Stone. That hardly seems like destroying your plan."
Thanos's anger twisted into a grin. "So you do know who we are. Then very well — since you brought this on yourself, I'll destroy you and this universe together."
He raised his fingers again, threatening to squeeze. "I, am, inevi—"
But Malrick simply held firm. His palm was unmovable, like a rock wedged into granite.
Thanos's eyes widened in shock. He pushed harder — only to realize he might as well be trying to move a mountain.
Malrick tilted his head, smiling. "You can try harder."
---
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