"He failed, but the Infinity Stones didn't."
Diana stepped forward and swung her Lasso of Truth, pulling the six Infinity Stones into her grasp.
"The Stones can indeed push Universes apart. We only need to increase the output."
She held the six Stones tightly as their power surged violently into her body. The overwhelming energy made her frown slightly.
She looked at Tony. "I need a gauntlet."
"Alright, but we still cannot be sure how much energy is needed to completely push a Universe away, or what the cost will be." Tony had already scanned the structure of the previous Iron Gauntlet. With precise control over the nanobots, he immediately forged a new one on the spot.
"You are right, but if we delay any longer, the two Universes will be forced into negotiations again."
Diana smiled faintly, took the Iron Gauntlet, and embedded the Infinity Stones into the slots.
"Do not worry. I am a true God."
She held the gauntlet in her left hand and placed her right hand above it as the nanobots opened automatically. At that moment, another fair and slender arm reached in, gently pushing Diana aside and slipping into the open gauntlet.
The nanobots immediately sealed around the pale pink palm, adjusting perfectly to its shape.
"Kara?" Diana did not expect Kara to act so quickly.
After the resurrected half of the b2 Universe returned and warriors from every faction flooded the battlefield, Kara and Captain Marvel had temporarily ended their battle. Captain Marvel was not Kara's opponent. Yet Kara also could not break through Captain Marvel's defense. Even at maximum output, her heat vision only left faint red scorch marks on Captain Marvel's Binary form.
As a result, neither of them suffered serious injuries. Kara, whose strength was balanced in every aspect, remained calm from beginning to end.
"My body is stronger. I will snap my fingers," Kara said evenly.
She studied the gauntlet and flexed her right hand. The nanobots moved as smoothly as liquid.
Diana teased, "Alright, but do not be reckless. If the backlash is too severe and leaves scars, be careful when Malrick comes back to train you."
For the first time, the corner of Kara's lips lifted slightly. The faint smile vanished just as quickly, and she returned to her usual impassive expression.
"Do not worry about me. There is sunlight here."
Then she added softly, "And I also have…"
Kara suddenly shot into the sky.
"Shazam!"
Her clear voice echoed across the battlefield as a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens and struck her body. When the lightning faded, Kara's Kryptonian battle suit transformed into a blue Shazam battle suit, with a brilliant lightning bolt symbol blazing across her chest.
"What is she doing? Is she really going to snap her fingers?"
Everything had happened in just a few seconds. By the time the heroes of both Universes realized Kara's intent, Iron Man and the others who had been rushing forward were forced to stop.
Kara raised her right hand high in the air and gently snapped her fingers.
Snap!
A second blinding white light burst outward. This time, it carried a powerful shockwave that sent many people stumbling backward. Even Deadpool's scattered ashes were blown apart.
When everyone opened their eyes again, Kara was falling from the sky, her golden curls drifting in the fading light.
Diana flew up and caught her.
"Kara, are you alright?"
Kara's usually calm face looked fragile. Fine purplish black cracks spread across her right hand, but under the sunlight, they slowly began to fade.
"I am fine. The divine stamina from Shazam made my body much stronger. Put me down and let me sunbathe for a while," she said quietly, gazing toward the horizon.
Out of instinct, she spoke the name again.
Another bolt of lightning struck.
Kara instantly reverted to her Kryptonian battle suit.
Diana's hair smoked faintly as she stared at Kara in speechless disbelief.
"Next time you say that name, at least find a secluded place like before."
She released Kara, letting her land on her own, then slowly looked back up at the sky.
The Main Universe Earth, which had once been reduced to the size of a dinner plate, was now completely gone.
The heroes from both Universes noticed it at once.
"It worked."
"The other Earth is gone."
"Doctor, are we finally safe?"
"I am Groot?"
Doctor Strange from the Main Universe activated his third eye and carefully observed the dimensional shifts. After a long moment, he exhaled slowly.
"The two Universes are no longer in contact. It should be stable now."
Relief swept through the battlefield. Some heroes collapsed on the ground laughing weakly. Others grabbed the nearest person and pulled them into tight embraces.
Iron Man from the b2 Universe finally lowered his defenses. The worst outcome he had feared never arrived.
From a distance, he exchanged a look with Tony. After a few seconds, both of them turned away at the same time with identical expressions of disgust.
Holland Spider wiped the sweat from his forehead, exhaled, and hurried off to carry a concrete slab to collect what remained of Deadpool.
"That is great, Deadpool. Even though you died for nothing and did absolutely nothing, we still succeeded."
He carefully laid the regenerating bones onto the slab and gently picked up the skull, which had already begun to grow skin again.
At that moment, an orange time space portal opened in front of him.
A pair of TVA combat boots stepped out, followed by a second set of metallic tech shoes.
Holland Spider froze and looked up.
It was Ms. B15 and Doctor Doom.
"Sorry, Peter. You did not succeed," Ms. B15 said quietly, shattering his relief the instant she arrived.
"What? That is impossible," Holland Spider blurted out. "You already knew everything?"
"The TVA detected the collision the moment it happened," Doctor Doom said coldly.
He continued, "Spider Man, what you see now may not be real. Time, reality, and space are all in constant motion. When two Universes become entangled, part of their timelines and realities begin to overlap. They will continue to draw closer until they collide and are destroyed."
Holland Spider felt his breath hitch. "You mean the Universe has been pushed away, but it is still moving closer?"
"Exactly."
Doctor Doom's frigid gaze swept across the cheering heroes. Countless tragedies across countless worlds had always been born from moments like this. Victories were never free. Every triumph came at someone else's destruction.
"Once Universes become entangled, they cannot be saved," Doctor Doom said. "To prevent a greater catastrophe, sacrifices must be made."
He lowered his voice. "We must destroy this b2 timeline."
Ms. B15 took over, pain flickering in her eyes. "It is the only way."
"What?" Holland Spider stared at her in disbelief. "This is a Universe, B15. There are countless lives here."
"The TVA exists to protect the Sacred Timeline," she said softly. "We cannot allow the Main Universe to be destroyed."
Holland Spider's mind spun helplessly. Then suddenly, he lifted his head.
"We still have Malrick. He only left temporarily. We can wait for him to come back and fix everything."
Ms. B15 paused. "If it is Malrick…"
Doctor Doom interrupted coldly. "Even Malrick cannot fully prevent the collision of these two worlds."
"Why?" Holland Spider demanded.
"Because his power comes from the Infinity Stones. No one can use the Stones to untangle an entanglement between Universes."
Holland Spider turned to Ms. B15 with desperate hope. She closed her eyes and nodded.
His heart sank.
Then another thought struck him. "Malrick is still an abstract entity, right?"
Ms. B15 froze, realization flashing in her eyes.
"Abstract entities are part of the Universe itself," she murmured. "Eternity, for example, is said to grant any wish. Perhaps Malrick truly might have a way."
She turned to Doctor Doom. "We return to the TVA for now. Peter will guard this place. When Malrick returns, we decide then."
Doctor Doom considered it for several seconds before giving a slow nod.
"Very well."
The two stepped back into the time space portal.
Holland Spider, dragging Deadpool's regenerating skeleton behind him, returned to the group and delivered the grim news.
The joy of survival vanished instantly.
"Then we wait for Malrick," Tony said steadily. "For me, there is no such thing as impossible."
Two days later.
When Malrick finally arrived in the b2 Universe through a time space portal, he was greeted by a makeshift laboratory.
Inside, two Tonys, two Banners, and Rocket Raccoon were slumped in chairs. All of them had dark circles under their eyes and empty, exhausted stares.
"Still no solution," Rocket muttered at the ceiling.
"Where is Malrick…" Banner from the s Universe whispered weakly.