When conflicts could be resolved with words, Tony usually chose to speak first.
But Malrick only laughed.
"Tony, if that Stone stays in your hands, it's far more likely to trigger irreversible crises," he said calmly. "What if you lose control and create another Ultron?"
The Avengers glanced at Tony with unease.
"Everything I've done was to protect Earth! Have you all forgotten the Chitauri invasion?" Tony pointed skyward. "When another black hole opens above us, we need the ability to resist, not just to get revenge!"
Captain America interjected firmly, "No, Tony. On this point alone, you absolutely cannot create another Ultron. I repeat, absolutely not!"
Tony retorted sharply, "Don't you see my point? We need an intelligence like Jarvis now!"
The argument escalated, momentarily forgetting the discussion of the Mind Stone with Malrick.
Malrick chuckled, whispering to Jarvis, "We're taking the Mind Stone. Send a copy of the future intelligence to Tony so they're prepared."
"Understood, Master Malrick."
Watching Tony from this universe—unrelated to him—argue fiercely with Captain America, Malrick almost wanted to stay and witness the scene. He had no filters for this parallel Tony, and even this Tony was ruthless when dealing with himself.
In Avengers 4, Tony had traveled through time to obtain the Space Stone, cutting off the Ark Reactor's power circuit for another Tony. Decisive, brutal, and precise.
But Malrick's mind was elsewhere. His mission complete, he no longer wished to linger.
After stabilizing Sokovia, a subtle cosmic fluctuation descended on the Rege Duo Clone, gradually enhancing the third clone's strength.
"Everyone, before making any decisions, the Mind Stone will be temporarily stored with Jarvis," Malrick announced. "Trust me—it's safer with me than with you."
He gestured a farewell with two fingers, placing an arm around Jarvis's shoulder to prepare for the Crossing.
"Oh, and I'll do you one last favor before I leave: I'll restore everything to its original state."
With a sweep of his finger, Malrick activated his magic. Time seemed to reverse. Broken concrete slabs, deformed cars, debris, and fire melted away as the city returned to pristine condition.
The civilians were stunned, some even kneeling in reverence. Hawkeye exclaimed, "Ha, Harry Potter!?"
Tony and the others stared in disbelief. "Harry… what?"
Only Wanda, anxiously observing Malrick, tried to stop him. "Wait, Malrick! Aren't you going to stay… celebrate with us? The Avengers might have dinner or a barbecue tonight—you can join us! You saved Sokovia and Earth!"
Malrick shook his head. "The Avengers' barbecue probably won't be impressive. Another time, Wanda."
With that, he and Jarvis vanished, leaving behind a disappointed Wanda and Avengers suddenly aware that Malrick had taken the Stone with him.
---
Earth in the 199999-S Universe.
Malrick sent Jarvis directly to the Avengers Base, right outside Tony's office.
"Jarvis, go in quickly. Give Tony a scare—let him know you can make him pick up the soap," Malrick said with a mischievous grin.
Jarvis, newly mischievous himself, replied, "Though I lack human traits, that's an excellent idea, Master Malrick."
After becoming a sentient being, Jarvis had developed a strange enjoyment in teasing Tony.
He pushed open the door to Tony's lab, and chaos ensued immediately.
"Hey! Who are you? Why are you breaking in? Are you a Skrull?"
"If you take another step, I'll—"
"What!? You're Jarvis? Oh my God!"
"Who made you like this? Why are you red?"
"All red isn't enough—you need some gold!"
"Wait, dropping the soap… Malrick told you to do that? That brat!"
Outside, Malrick suppressed a laugh and opened a portal back to Kamar-Taj.
Diana and Kara greeted him first, comforted by his calm presence.
Malrick returned to his inner world, cross-legged on the edge of the floating island. His other consciousnesses monitored the Rege Duo Clone.
"What a magical feeling!" Malrick exclaimed. "Since arriving in this parallel universe, the Rege Duo Clone has been continuously growing stronger."
He could sense the alignment of events on Earth with his perception of justice and order. Every action he observed strengthened the clone.
Saving Sokovia triggered three significant boosts:
1. Lowering the city safely.
2. Jarvis defeating Ultron.
3. Restoring the city to its original state.
The greatest increase came from grounding the entire city. The Rege Duo Clone gained power equivalent to a whole Earth.
Further exploration revealed deeper changes. The clone's essence was evolving, moving beyond simple light into something far more profound. Malrick realized that instead of merely increasing in strength, the clone was approaching a conceptual existence—a being whose power could span multiple layers of reality.
"It's like a Dragon King reclaiming its true power," he murmured.
As he contemplated, new cosmic fluctuations descended—feedback from the justice and order he had influenced in his own universe:
Driving away the U.S. military.
Eliminating HYDRA.
Confronting Dormammu.
Expelling the Skrull.
The intensity of each event determined the feedback received. The Dormammu incident, for example, granted immense power.
"Dormammu alone gave me strength equal to another Earth…" Malrick muttered.
The Rege Duo Clone now possessed power surpassing ten times his main body, compounded with over two thousand times amplification—equivalent to four thousand Earths in total.
His future strongest combat form would be the Rege Duo Clone.
"Is this cheat-level life in the Marvel universe?" Malrick chuckled. "The Starry Sky System is normally steady, but this… this is incredible!"
He shook his head, feeling a mix of disbelief and delight.
_____
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