Frog Thor and Supreme Strange, along with the others, watched Malrick from a distance.
The team members exchanged uncertain looks.
"Ultron is dead, and the Stones are now in his hands, so…" someone muttered.
"Is our mission over, or are we supposed to fight him too and take the Stones?" another asked.
Captain Carter tightened her grip on her shield and looked toward Frog Thor.
"There's no chance," Party Thor said, hugging Mjolnir tightly. "We couldn't even beat Ultron. Are we seriously thinking about fighting that guy next?"
"Heh heh." Frog Thor chuckled softly.
His battle armor dissolved into a simple blue robe. One hand rested calmly at his waist, while the other folded behind his back.
"There's no need," he said. "Malrick is an Abstract Entity who embodies justice and order."
"Ultron and the Infinity Stones pose no threat in his hands."
Frog Thor had sworn never to interfere with the Multiverse. Yet Ultron's rise had happened because of his negligence.
That was why he had been so desperate to gather help and stop Ultron in the first place.
By his oath, he should not have intervened after fleeing, but his conscience would not allow him to walk away.
For countless years, he had observed Earth and its heroes. Their victories, sacrifices, and choices had shaped the stories that filled his long existence.
He could not accept seeing those heroes suffer because of his mistake.
Now that Malrick had defeated Ultron, the crisis was finally over.
The crushing weight on Frog Thor's heart lifted at last.
"As expected of Malrick," he said quietly. "He's even more powerful than I imagined."
He turned to the group and spoke clearly. "Thank you all for your courage. The crisis has ended, and the Multiverse owes you a debt of gratitude."
"But honestly, we didn't really do much," Star-Lord T'Challa said, spreading his hands. "Except that my variant cousin, Killmonger, died."
"That loss will not be forgotten," Frog Thor replied solemnly. "His sacrifice mattered."
He raised his hand, opening a radiant portal of light.
"Step through," he instructed. "You will return to your own worlds, to the moment you were taken."
With his guidance, the Guardians of the Multiverse drifted toward the portal.
One by one, they returned home amid quiet farewells.
What had been meant to be a deadly mission had turned into little more than a brief journey, once their plan collided with Malrick's overwhelming power.
Captain Carter hesitated as she approached the portal, clearly wanting to say something.
Before she could speak, the light swallowed her, and she was gone.
Soon, only Frog Thor and Supreme Strange remained suspended in the void.
"You're resisting my power, Strange," Frog Thor said calmly. "You have something you want to say."
Supreme Strange smiled faintly. "I'm not short on time anymore, am I?"
"My universe has collapsed into a single pocket of space. If I return, there's nothing waiting for me except endless isolation."
"I'm sorry," Frog Thor said softly. "I can't help you."
"I know," Strange replied. "You swore an oath."
"I appreciate your help," Frog Thor continued, "but neither of us are gods. We cannot prevent the destruction of a universe, and I cannot interfere with the Multiverse."
Strange nodded, then looked toward Malrick, hope flickering in his eyes.
"Then at least," he said quietly, "could you introduce me to that Abstract Entity again?"
At the same time, across countless dimensions, powerful beings who had been watching the battle began to turn away.
The conflict had affected hundreds of millions of universes.
Anyone capable of observing beyond their own reality had followed the clash closely.
Some feared their worlds would be caught in the aftermath. Others wondered if they could intervene and claim something for themselves.
Most, however, simply watched.
The spectacle ended, and in a hidden dimension, Eternity, Anti-Entropy, and other Abstract Entities dispersed, satisfied.
In the God Realm, Galan withdrew after preparing himself for a fight that never came.
Dormammu, Mephisto, Nightmare, and other dimensional beings roared in frustration, furious that Ultron had failed to meet their expectations.
At the TVA Command Center, Hunter B-15 finally exhaled in relief.
The Multiverse had survived yet another catastrophic threat.
They had no means to punish someone like Infinite Ultron, who existed beyond the reach of time manipulation.
She had even been preparing to summon Malrick from another universe.
Instead, Malrick had already erased Ultron in the Void.
Nearby, Doctor Doom, now acting as a trusted assistant, stared at the screen in silence.
"The Void," he murmured. "So that's what it really is."
The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place.
"Watcher," Malrick said calmly, resting a hand on Frog Thor's shoulder, "next time you observe the universe, try to talk less."
"You're not a critic. You don't need to comment on every story."
Frog Thor fell silent.
Observers and Abstract Entities did not outrank one another, but Malrick was not wrong.
"I'll try," Frog Thor said at last.
"Trying means you won't succeed," Malrick replied flatly. "Do you want another Ultron-level disaster? Say it again."
"I…" Frog Thor hesitated. "If I observe alone without speaking to anyone, I'll lose my sanity."
"Then talk to your own kind," Malrick said. "Go back to the Observer Dimension and gossip with the other bald heads."
Frog Thor sighed. "I'll do better next time."
Malrick continued, his tone firm. "You say you don't interfere, yet your actions nearly destroyed the Multiverse."
Frog Thor lowered his head. He had not spoken to anyone for millions of years. Being reprimanded like this left him helpless.
Thankfully, Supreme Strange stepped in.
"Your Excellency, embodiment of justice and order," Strange said with a cough.
"The Watcher has observed the Multiverse since time immemorial. An anomaly like Ultron was an extreme exception."
"He understands your warning," Strange added. "Please forgive him this once."
Malrick studied Strange with mild surprise.
The proud Sorcerer Supreme still had compassion in him after all.
"He's right," Frog Thor said quickly. "Malrick, the countless Earths of the Multiverse mean everything to me."
"Your stories are my entire existence."
"I swear," he said solemnly, his bald head gleaming with reflected light, "nothing like Ultron will ever happen again."
_____
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