Actually, there were still meaningful differences between the two systems.
Ultimate Evolution was a module invented by Azmuth—perhaps he'd once seriously considered artificially assisting certain species in completing their evolutionary advancement ahead of natural schedules.
But ultimately, he'd abandoned the concept. Maybe the decision stemmed from recognizing that Ultimate Evolution would subject selected genetic templates to a million years of compressed suffering—experiencing every possible environmental extreme simultaneously. Or perhaps he'd concluded that deliberate intervention in natural evolutionary processes represented unacceptable arrogance, playing god with forces beyond complete comprehension.
Regardless of his reasoning, Azmuth had discarded the Ultimate Evolution module.
In contrast, the White Event triggered by the Builders' Superflow Universe Structure didn't require enduring a million years of condensed environmental torture. It functioned more like divine intervention—deus ex machina in the most literal sense—randomly bestowing upon selected individuals power sufficient to serve as evolutionary harbingers for their entire species.
The chosen recipient wasn't predetermined or based on merit. It could be you. It could be someone else entirely. Pure cosmic lottery.
In terms of raw power output, the White Event approach clearly generated superior results—individuals who emerged from the transformation were objectively stronger than their Ultimate Evolution counterparts.
However, White Events weren't without catastrophic costs. Each occurrence resulted in thousands of casualties—deaths that were unavoidable, built into the fundamental process.
If you didn't successfully evolve, you died. Simple as that.
This represented equal brutality whether considering Ultimate Evolution or the Superflow Structure. Or perhaps that was simply nature's way—survival of the fittest expressed through cosmic technology rather than gradual adaptation.
Perhaps Ben wasn't quite as philosophically noble as Azmuth. Even while influenced by the Enigma Force's transcendent perspective, he pragmatically accepted the Builders' Superflow technology and the massive machine they'd spent millions of years constructing.
Survival demanded compromises. Ideological purity was a luxury civilizations facing extinction couldn't afford.
Finally, matters at the Behemoth Star Ring reached their conclusion.
One diplomatic conference had resulted in the complete annihilation of two great empires. Though the Kree Empire technically still existed—in name only, having been thoroughly infiltrated and usurped by the Highbreeds—its galactic influence had collapsed entirely.
Everyone understood that the power balance among the major empires, which had remained stable for hundreds of millions of years, had been fundamentally and irrevocably altered.
Of course, the Plumbers' dominance didn't mean they controlled every corner of the universe. Far from it.
The cosmos remained incomprehensibly vast and profoundly mysterious. Nobody knew where some ancient cosmic entity might be hibernating, or where ambitious civilizations might be hiding while plotting their own rises to power.
Ben continued delegating administrative responsibilities to Caiera. With Nebula and Gamora assisting her, plus support from the Azmuth AI, there was no realistic concern about her becoming overwhelmed by the workload.
Beta Ray Bill and Brunnhilde, along with the core Plumber command structure, gradually assumed control over the former territories of both the Incursean Empire and what remained of the Skrulls.
As for Ben himself? He returned to Earth—the planet he'd remained fundamentally loyal to despite his cosmic responsibilities.
"Feels like I've been away for ages," Ben remarked, stretching as he materialized in the Wakandan facility.
"That's not just a feeling—you genuinely have been gone for an extended period," E.U.N.I.C.E. observed. "Peter's already enrolled in college courses."
"Wait, seriously?" Ben felt suddenly suffocated by an unexpected wave of anxiety.
Nobody had reminded him to submit university applications! What if he ended up without even a basic degree? How would that look when he was supposed to be leading a galactic empire?
"Oh god, I didn't even collect my high school diploma!" Ben's expression darkened as realization struck. He felt profoundly tricked by the system.
How could someone without a high school diploma find legitimate employment and contribute to society as a productive worker rather than a drain on resources?
Wait. He was literally the resource. He owned the corporations.
Never mind then. Crisis averted.
"Don't worry excessively," E.U.N.I.C.E. laughed, her holographic avatar grinning. "There's nothing money can't purchase in this country—including academic credentials. Or were you actually planning to experience authentic university life?"
"I can handle the coursework intellectually," Ben said, immediately shaking his head at the latter suggestion. "But I genuinely cannot imagine what university social life resembles anymore."
He'd transcended that entire phase of human development. I'm already a cosmic-level authority figure. Why would I attend undergraduate lectures? Unless the university itself is somehow cosmically significant...
Which, given Earth's track record, wasn't entirely impossible.
"How are Felicia and Looma?" E.U.N.I.C.E. asked, her tone shifting to genuine concern. She'd received reports about the attack but wanted direct confirmation.
"Fully recovered now," Ben assured her. "The situation's been completely resolved."
He'd eventually learned that the Builders had been responsible for attacking Looma and Felicia—and that Attea had genuinely saved their lives by responding to their distress signal. That complicated his feelings about the Incursian princess considerably.
"Actually, I returned primarily because of the collision incidents," Ben said, his expression becoming more serious.
He'd initially theorized the multiversal collisions might be connected to Maltruant or—specifically whoever was actually controlling the Time Variance Authority behind the bureaucratic facade. But current evidence suggested that wasn't accurate.
Maltruant were powerful, certainly. But they were nowhere near formidable enough to make the Builders—who'd casually destroyed the Skrull Empire—too terrified to even mention them by name.
E.U.N.I.C.E.'s expression shifted to match his seriousness. "The collisions are intensifying in both frequency and severity."
Her systems generated a status report: "Since the initial collision crisis, we've actually experienced five separate incidents."
Initially, Tony and the other Avengers had struggled tremendously with the moral implications—the weight of destroying entire universes to save their own. But repeated exposure had created a degree of emotional numbness born from necessity.
Their first encounter had been extraordinarily fortunate—colliding with a lifeless Earth, a dead planet where no moral calculus was required.
Subsequent collisions hadn't been so merciful.
During the third crisis, the opposing universe had been completely unaware of the danger until their own Illuminati—their universe's equivalent of Earth's greatest minds—discovered a second planet Earth materializing in their sky.
"T'Challa wanted to evacuate as many people as possible before deployment," E.U.N.I.C.E. explained. "Everyone agreed with that proposal initially."
Even Tony and Otto weren't genuinely cold-blooded enough to completely disregard life in parallel universes—not when alternatives existed.
However, their compassionate intentions hadn't been appreciated by the opposing Illuminati whatsoever.
As E.U.N.I.C.E. spoke, she guided Ben deeper into Wakanda's secure facilities, where he finally reunited with friends he hadn't seen in months.
"Honestly, this is significantly more comfortable than deep-space operations," Ben said, relaxing into an expensive sofa while gesturing for them to continue their debriefing.
Nobody immediately noticed the casual comment—they were too focused on their own experiences.
T'Challa began the explanation, his expression carefully neutral. "The collision point between the two Earths manifests in a secure dimensional pocket above Wakanda. This unknown war has been ongoing for quite some time now. We've personally destroyed five Earths with our own hands."
His tone carried no sadness—just exhausted acceptance of necessity.
Tony, by contrast, wore a deeply self-deprecating expression that suggested he'd been engaging in extended self-flagellation.
"Perhaps we were catastrophically arrogant," he admitted.
"On one hand, I'm strategizing about obliterating someone else's planet. Simultaneously, I'm trying to save as many lives as possible from that same doomed world..." He shook his head bitterly. "And now I've finally realized exactly how venomous my own mouth can be."
T'Challa clarified the situation: "One member of their universe's Illuminati was an alternate version of Tony himself."
He continued, accurately mimicking the other Tony's sardonic delivery: "As expected from a renowned arms dealer! He even graciously notified people to evacuate before bombing their homes into radioactive dust! How extraordinarily noble! The Nobel Peace Prize committee should immediately honor Mr. Stark for his humanitarian contributions!"
The mimicry was devastatingly accurate.
Ben could perfectly visualize that alternate Stark delivering those lines with a contemptuous smirk, his goatee somehow appearing even more punchable than usual.
Classic Tony—when he got truly vicious, he didn't spare even himself. Different universes, same personality.
The insult might not seem particularly creative or devastating on the surface. But it was precisely calibrated to cause maximum psychological damage to someone who genuinely was trying to balance impossible moral equations.
"Don't blame yourself excessively," Ben offered, attempting consolation. "This isn't a war about justice or righteousness. It's purely about survival and positioning. Every day, various species on Earth go extinct because of human activity. We attempt to save them when possible, but we can't choose our own extinction just to preserve theirs."
Everyone intellectually understood the principle. Emotional acceptance was considerably harder.
"Don't bother trying to comfort me—I was already mentally prepared for this outcome," Tony said, waving off the sympathy.
"But seriously, now that your space situation is resolved, shouldn't Norman Osborn bring the Thunderbolts back to Earth? We're critically understaffed here, and we nearly catastrophically failed once. Fortunately, E.U.N.I.C.E. brought Wanda and Pietro when she arrived."
Tony's expression shifted to something resembling embarrassment mixed with grudging gratitude.
"Pietro saved my life during the engagement."
That had occurred during the fifth collision crisis, approximately three weeks ago.
The opposing universe had obviously experienced previous collision events—they'd arrived prepared for war. During the eight-hour buffer period before actual planetary contact, they'd launched a full military assault against Earth's defenders!
That had been a completely prepared, fighting-at-peak-capacity Avengers team.
Their roster included the Hulk, Thor, Scarlet Witch, and even Doctor Strange—reality-warping power on a scale that should have been completely overwhelming.
"But they didn't have Hawkeye," T'Challa interjected, remembering Ben's previous comment about always including Clint Barton in any team composition.
Essentially, the opposing team had possessed superior firepower and versatility, but lacked a precision marksman. Earth's Illuminati had won by the narrowest possible margin.
Hawkeye—the man whose presence somehow guaranteed victory regardless of power differentials!
"Gentlemen, I'm afraid this isn't the appropriate time for casual reminiscing," Shuri announced, walking briskly into the room while carrying a tablet. Her expression radiated profound concern.
"Our instruments have detected spatial fluctuations again. A new collision is beginning imminently."
She looked up, making direct eye contact with each person present, her voice dropping to emphasize the gravity of what she was about to say.
"And this time, there are two simultaneous collisions occurring."
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