Mary Jane was furious.
Her anger, however, wasn't directed at Ben. It was aimed squarely at Felicia Hardy, her best friend, who had secretly become the vigilante known as the Black Cat. MJ had known Ben's secret for a while, but to discover that Felicia had been living a double life without telling her felt like a profound betrayal of their friendship.
Still, when she confronted them both in Ben's office at Primus Tower, she didn't demand the serum. Felicia's had come from her father; it was her birthright, in a sense. Mary Jane felt she had offered nothing to earn such a gift.
Of course, that was before she'd pried the full story out of a smugly triumphant Felicia—including the part about a certain "fight". At that, Mary Jane's sense of betrayal morphed into a fiery, competitive determination. Other things could wait, but this could not.
What followed was less a physical confrontation and more a whirlwind of emotional warfare, with Ben caught directly in the crossfire. Mary Jane, never one to be outdone, volunteered to help him with his paperwork, her every move a playful challenge. Felicia, not about to lose her territory, joined in, her wildcat persona clashing with MJ's bold confidence. For a while, Ben was wonderfully, terrifyingly overwhelmed.
In the end, after a crushing defeat that left both women laughing breathlessly, the two sister finally reconciled, their bond forged anew in the crucible of their shared affection for the boy who was currently hiding behind his desk. It was after this that Ben, seeing the fierce loyalty and determination in Mary Jane, made his decision. He insisted she take a modified version of the serum. He even provided a diluted vial for her aunt, a simple health booster to ensure her well-being.
Mary Jane accepted, but she had no intention of becoming a superhero. The Plumbers and Primus Technologies needed more than just soldiers and scientists. Inspired by Pepper Potts, she declared her new ambition: to learn the ropes of the business and help Ben manage his rapidly expanding company.
Ben had no doubt she could do it. In other timelines, she had been a successful CEO. And with the serum subtly enhancing her already sharp mind, her potential was limitless. "No need to wait until graduation," he said, a genuine smile on his face. "You can start now. Primus is hiring."
It was true. While he had been away, Norman Osborn had completed construction of the Plumbers' new orbital headquarters, a massive space station that would serve as their primary base. With the command center moving to orbit, Primus Technologies was transitioning back into a more conventional, albeit world-changing, corporation.
The recruitment drive was already well underway. Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters, had started in the legal department a month ago, hired personally by Ben Sr. and May after acing every assessment Eunice had thrown at her.
In the main Primus lab, Bruce Banner was packing his research materials, bidding farewell to his colleagues. "I'm moving to the space station," he announced to Dr. Connors and Dr. Octavius.
He had longed to leave the dense confines of New York, to find somewhere quiet where he couldn't hurt anyone. The station, constructed from vibranium alloys, was the perfect solution. It was a fortress that could hopefully contain the Hulk if he lost control. And if it couldn't? Well, a fall from orbit might just do the trick. It was a grim thought, but better than the alternative.
Otto and Connors would remain on Earth. They had families, lives, and in Connors' case, a biological laboratory filled with delicate mutant organisms that might not survive the environmental shift.
"We'll come visit," Otto promised. After working alongside Banner, he was humbled by the man's genius. Seven doctorates, with revolutionary insights in each field—Banner made Otto feel like a first-year student. His only regret was that their time had been too short to fully unlock the secrets of the Mind Stone.
Primus's public recruitment brought the once-mysterious company back into the spotlight. Among the many applicants were two familiar faces. Jane Foster, Thor's brilliant girlfriend, applied for a position on the medical research team. When Thor heard the company name, he immediately remembered the business card Ben had given him. He tagged along and, after a surprisingly formal interview, landed a job in the security division.
Ben himself paid little attention to these details. His AI, Eunice, was more than capable of screening applicants. As the boss, his time was better spent elsewhere. After the… resolution… with Mary Jane and Felicia, he took a long shower and then headed for 177A Bleecker Street: the New York Sanctum.
The Sanctum Sanctorum stood out even in Greenwich Village, a grand French Baroque building with a strong Victorian flair. It was a nexus point for the multiverse, sitting atop a magical dragon line. To find the Ancient One, this was his best bet.
He knocked. The door was opened by several robed sorcerers who, upon recognizing him, immediately sent word to their master. Soon, a shimmering golden portal crackled to life, and the Ancient One stepped through. She wore her simple yellow robes, the Eye of Agamotto resting on her chest, and she was smiling.
"It seems you have come to a decision," she said, her eyes crinkling with pleasure. "Are you ready to take on the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme?"
"Let's forget about the Sorcerer Supreme part," Ben replied, declining the offer as always. He had enough responsibilities. "I'm here to develop my Mana. You mentioned leaving seeds of it with you, so your mages wouldn't have to draw power from… less savory dimensions."
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement; he was confident she wouldn't refuse.
"Of course," the Ancient One agreed readily, looking at him like a prospector who had just discovered an entire mountain of gold. "However, I would advise using your body as a carrier." She gestured toward the Omnitrix on his wrist. "Use one of your alien forms to cultivate the energy."
Ben was puzzled. "Why? I thought you said my own body had potential."
"It does," she explained patiently. "Immense potential. But that is the problem. Once you fully develop your Mana, you will become its source. In time, it will become one of a handful of fundamental forces in the universe, on par with the Phoenix Force or Chaos Magic. Your life-form will transform to match it. You will become a being like a dimensional lord, and the Earth will no longer be able to contain you."
This was the very outcome Ben had worried about, though he'd thought it a problem for a distant, theoretical future. To the Ancient One, who perceived time differently, a few millennia were but a blink of an eye.
"By using one of your aliens as a host for the power," she continued, "it is the alien that will become the Dimension Lord, not Ben Parker. You can maintain that form for as long as needed without causing undue strain on your home world."
This gave Ben pause. Technically, all his aliens possessed Mana—it was life energy, after all. But certain species had a greater natural affinity for it. Anodites were the obvious choice, but he didn't have their DNA. The next best would be a Geochelone Aerio, Terraspin's species, who hailed from a magic-rich world. Or perhaps Charmcaster's species, natives of the dimension Legerdomain itself. He had none of those samples.
"It seems I'll have to ask Alien X for a favor," he sighed. The Omnitrix had its own quirks about recalibration; he couldn't force it.
"There is no rush for that," the Ancient One soothed. "You misunderstand. The beginning of all things is still you. We must first create the new dimension—your Genesis. Once the dimension is built, the endless and abundant Mana within it will naturally give birth to celestial creatures. You need only shape one, make it a part of you."
First comes the energy, then the beings made of it. The order could not be changed. Now, Ben finally understood.
"Then let's begin," he said, his resolve hardening.
The Ancient One nodded. "To create a dimension is no small feat. I will need the assistance of the Infinity Stones."
"How many?"
"The more the better, of course," she said with a smile. "But Time and Space are the most essential." She knew Ben possessed three stones, and with her own Eye of Agamotto, they had four—more than enough to create a small pocket dimension.
"Two? How can two be enough?" Ben raised an eyebrow, a flash of showmanship in his eyes. "What would people think? That we're cutting corners?" He slapped the table playfully. "If we're going to do this, we're going big."
He laid out five gleaming stones on the table, one by one, like a child showing off his marbles: Time, Space, Mind, Soul, and Reality.
The Ancient One's eternally calm expression finally broke. "Six?" she whispered, her eyes wide. She reflexively checked the Eye of Agamotto, relieved to find her own Time Stone still resting within. But if mine is here, then what is that?
"They aren't the real ones," Ben explained, enjoying her shock. "They're perfect, one-time-use replicas, courtesy of a powerful friend. Their energy will fade, so we might as well use them for something spectacular." He grinned. "You open a portal to Sakaar, and I'll go get the real Power Stone."
"A friend from outer space… capable of such a feat," the Ancient One murmured, her mind reeling. "Truly terrifying."
She didn't press further. "With six stones, this will be much simpler." She sent Ben to retrieve the true Power Stone while she herself went to Asgard. There, she met with Odin, who generously provided the Infinity Gauntlet from his vault. The All-Father knew that a stronger Ben Parker was the best possible news for the future of the Nine Realms.
Minutes later, Ben returned. He stood before the Ancient One, the real Power Stone now among its five shimmering copies. He activated the Omnitrix. In a flash of green light, he transformed into Four Arms with Oldpower enhancement.
He held out his massive hand. The Infinity Gauntlet slid onto his arm, magically resizing to fit. One by one, the six Infinity Stones clicked into place. Power pulsed, light blazed, and reality itself seemed to hold its breath.
Then, with all the power of creation at his command, he snapped his fingers.
And in that silent, brilliant instant, the dimension of Genesis was born.
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