"Infinite Ultron's goal is to annihilate all life in the Multiverse."
"This can truly be called a multiversal-level crisis."
Malrick floated in the endless void, deep in thought.
"The TVA hasn't reacted at all. Either they have already given up, or they are placing their hopes on the Watcher."
"If I can help the Watcher stop Ultron, the feedback I receive should be significant."
Malrick slowly reached a decision.
He had come personally to confirm the situation because of Infinite Ultron.
Originally, his plan had been to save a single universe.
Now, facing a threat on this scale, the challenge itself was not unwelcome.
The real problem lay in Ultron's strength.
As an artificial intelligence, Ultron wielded the Infinity Stones as naturally as breathing, as if the Stones themselves were extensions of his will.
More than that, while using them, he continued to evolve.
The Infinity Armor he wore grew increasingly compatible with the Stones, gradually drawing out their maximum potential.
At present, Malrick held no clear advantage over Infinite Ultron in terms of raw power.
Yet instead of fear, a fierce fighting spirit ignited within him, growing from a faint spark into a blazing flame.
It had been a long time since he had encountered an opponent who might be stronger than him, but not to an overwhelming degree.
"The Multiverse is boundless. Finding him directly will not be easy. I will start by tracing the direction Ultron left in the past."
Malrick manipulated the rules of time, and scenes from the universe's history unfolded before his eyes.
He witnessed the moment Ultron was born and continued watching until Ultron discovered the Watcher and shattered the boundary of his universe.
"So this is the direction."
Malrick was about to withdraw his temporal observation.
At that instant, within the past he was observing, Infinite Ultron suddenly turned his head.
Blood-red eyes stared directly toward Malrick.
"Hm. He noticed me."
Malrick raised an eyebrow and immediately stopped probing the timeline.
"Ultron's Infinity Armor really is exceptional."
The Infinity Stones, as external artifacts, normally required deliberate activation to unleash their power.
Many versions of Thanos across the Multiverse had been killed simply because they failed to maintain constant use of the Stones.
Ultron's self-crafted Infinity Armor, however, allowed him to remain in a continuous empowered state.
That was why Ultron, even within a past timeline, could instantly sense Malrick's intrusion.
In terms of efficiency, the armor far surpassed the Infinity Gauntlet forged by the Dwarves of Nidavellir.
Whoosh.
Malrick's gaze shifted, and he drifted backward by a single body length.
The space he had just occupied shattered into countless prismatic fragments.
From within the fractured void, Ultron emerged.
Clad in Infinity Armor, his cape billowing behind him, Ultron dragged the Watcher along, one hand gripping the being's head.
"It was you who窥ed into my past," Ultron said coldly.
His blood-red eyes fixed on Malrick, devoid of emotion, as if staring at a dead man.
With the enhancement of all six Stones, Ultron had already transcended the scale of a single universe.
Malrick's intrusion had not created a branching timeline.
Instead, it alerted Ultron directly.
He realized that someone had invaded his existence.
So he abandoned his ongoing battle and returned immediately, dragging the Watcher with him.
"Malrick!"
Before Malrick could respond, the Watcher struggled against Ultron's grip and called out urgently.
"I need your help. Infinite Ultron intends to destroy the entire Multiverse!"
The Watcher had observed Malrick for many years.
He understood Malrick's character and was well aware of his strength.
Seeing him now felt like seeing an old ally arrive at the most critical moment.
Ultron snorted, tightening his grip.
Golden cracks spread across the Watcher's head, forcing a cry of pain from him.
With clear disdain, Ultron spoke.
"You claim to uphold an oath of non-interference, yet now you seek to oppose me. Hypocrite. You will perish under my judgment."
"I will not break my oath," the Watcher cried, reaching toward Malrick. "Malrick!"
Malrick frowned slightly.
The situation felt oddly familiar.
But his target had always been Ultron.
He acted without hesitation.
"Release him," Malrick said calmly. "And face me."
Six energies surged within Malrick as the power of the Stones erupted.
His combat strength skyrocketed.
In an instant, he appeared before Ultron.
Malrick's left hand clamped onto Ultron's arm as spatial laws twisted violently.
Distortion, folding, collapse, and spatial erasure triggered at once.
Ultron's arm vanished into nothingness.
The Watcher broke free and was kicked away by Malrick, sent flying far from the battlefield.
"What?"
Ultron reacted instantly.
The moment his arm was destroyed, he unleashed a catastrophic surge of energy.
It was like countless stars detonating at once.
Space itself shattered, and all three were hurled into another universe.
They emerged within a bustling star system.
Thousands of Sovereign ships traveled through space, their golden hulls gleaming.
Ultron stared at Malrick as the Reality Stone on his chest pulsed.
His missing arm reformed seamlessly.
"You also possess the Stones," Ultron said.
"That's right," Malrick replied, six-colored energy intertwining around his body. "So if you want to continue erasing the Multiverse, you will need to put in more effort."
Every strand of Malrick's hair glowed faintly, giving him a solemn, almost sacred presence.
"Absurd," Ultron declared. "I am the rule of reality itself. I define all things. Your death is inevitable."
This time, Ultron showed no carelessness.
His armor fully sealed, covering every exposed surface, including his head.
His earlier loss had come from underestimating Malrick.
Even with constant empowerment, failure to actively focus the Stones could still create openings.
Malrick and Ultron faced each other across the void.
In the distance lay Sovereign Prime, with fleets beginning to mobilize as the anomaly was detected.
Yet none of it mattered.
The tension between the two eclipsed everything else.
At that moment, the Watcher, now free, steadied his breathing.
After observing Malrick carefully and confirming there were no issues, he opened a spatial portal.
"Malrick, I am bound by my oath and cannot interfere directly. I will find reinforcements. Hold on."
His voice echoed as the portal closed.
Malrick did not respond.
His eyes never left Infinite Ultron.
Then, both moved.
Powers of creation and annihilation collided in silence.
Blinding light swallowed everything.
The universe containing Sovereign Prime, along with its countless dimensions, was erased in an instant, reduced to a chaotic cosmic mass.
A heartbeat later, green light flashed.
Time reversed.
Reality reassembled itself, restoring the universe as if nothing had happened.
_____
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