The lawn of the Avengers Compound was scarred with charred craters and twisted metal wreckage, forming an abstract painting of apocalyptic aftermath. Engineering drones hummed quietly as they methodically cleared away the ruins.
Tony Stark stood beneath the shadow of the main building's porch, arms crossed as he stared at the devastation. The smug grin that usually hung on his face had been replaced by lingering exhaustion.
Levi walked past him silently, his gaze fixed on the mobile medical chamber nearby.
Behind the transparent walls, the boy from the future—Nathaniel Richards—lay motionless. The respirator cast rhythmic shadows over his pale face.
His vital signs had stabilized, but the vitality expected of someone his age seemed drained away. Most striking of all was his wrist. The once bone-deep scar used to carve the dimensional beacon now emitted a faint yet pure golden glow.
That was the lingering essence of the Alchemy Law—a seed Levi had intentionally left behind when removing the beacon.
This power had long surpassed the level of mere residual energy. Like a master craftsman, it was quietly merging with Nathaniel's life essence, using his genes as a blueprint for profound reconstruction.
This was not a curse.
It was an expensive gift.
The Richards bloodline already granted him extraordinary intelligence, an understanding of technology and matter far beyond ordinary people. Now, under the catalysis of the Alchemy Law, a dormant talent hidden deep within his genes was being forcibly awakened.
Tony walked over and stood beside Levi, both of them watching the boy in silence.
"How's he doing?" Tony asked, his voice rough.
"He'll live," Levi replied simply. "And he'll become stronger."
Tony raised an eyebrow, curiosity surfacing in his eyes. "Stronger?"
"Haven't you always wanted an apprentice to inherit your legacy?" Levi tilted his head toward the chamber. "He's a good candidate. From the future, brilliant mind, and now he's got a little… extra talent. Though Kang really messed him up psychologically. He'll probably need guidance."
Tony fell silent.
His thoughts drifted unwillingly toward Peter Parker. That kid who used to look at him with worshipful eyes and call him "Mr. Stark" had turned to dust in the Snap, then returned five years later with far too much pain and maturity in his gaze.
And now another child carrying the burden of the future had appeared.
"So this is you assigning me homework?" Tony's tone carried self-mockery.
"You could say that." Levi turned to leave. "I'll be going into seclusion for a while. Earth is in your hands for now."
Tony blinked in disbelief. "Seclusion? You?"
Levi didn't turn around. He simply waved casually and disappeared into the building's shadows.
He needed solitude.
A violent force was roaring deep within his origin, clawing at him from the inside. It wasn't a law, but something older… more primal.
Ever since he devoured the condensed Death Origin of Black Armor Kang, the dormant volcano had finally reached eruption.
The Phoenix Force.
During his journey through the X-Men universe, he had forcibly copied that cosmic authority using his own power. Ever since, it had slumbered quietly within the depths of his origin sea like an imprisoned star.
But now, the energy of death had become the key that unlocked its cage.
---
Inside the medical room, Nathaniel's eyelashes trembled before his eyes slowly opened.
The first thing he did upon waking was stare at his wrist.
The grotesque scar remained, but now soft golden light flowed through it. Not only was there no pain, but a strange warmth seeped into his bones.
"You're awake?"
A familiar yet tired voice sounded nearby. Tony Stark stood beside the bed, holding a tablet scanner displaying streams of incomprehensible data.
"There's something interesting inside you now." Tony shifted his gaze from the screen to Nathaniel's face. "A form of energy I've never seen before. It's actively optimizing your genetic sequence."
Nathaniel slowly raised his hand, staring blankly.
He remembered the soul-rending agony before losing consciousness. He remembered Levi's calm eyes, and that hand pressed against his wrist—as though it could reshape all things.
"What… what did Levi do to me?" Nathaniel's voice was dry from disuse, trembling with both awe and unease.
Tentatively, he reached out mentally toward that warm sensation.
The instant the thought formed, the metal tray beside the bed let out a humming vibration.
The hard alloy softened like mercury, visibly melting and flowing before gathering beside his hand into a flawless metallic sphere under his invisible will.
"This… this is…" Nathaniel's eyes widened in disbelief.
Tony lowered the scanner, expression complicated—part wonder, part understanding from experience.
"Looks like you awakened," he said, patting the boy's shoulder lightly. "Liquid metal manipulation. Pretty cool power. Welcome to this crazy world, kid. And by the way, from now on, you can call me Teacher Tony."
Nathaniel froze.
He came from the future. He knew his bloodline. He knew he was supposed to be a genius without powers. Everything he'd achieved had come from intellect and stolen future technology from Kang.
But now, a brand-new power born from within himself had awakened.
This was… a miracle.
Just what had Levi left inside him?
---
Levi found an isolated meditation chamber and sat down cross-legged.
His consciousness instantly sank into the vast universe within his origin.
Twelve dazzling rivers of law—Space, Power, Time, Reality, Life, Death, Mind, Alchemy, Body, Devouring, Darkness, and Soul—flowed endlessly, interwoven into the foundation of his power.
And deeper still, within the primordial sea of chaos, floated two completely different forces.
One was a bottomless abyss that seemed capable of devouring all light.
The other… was a giant bird curled into itself, burning with crimson-orange flames.
The Phoenix.
Death and rebirth. Destruction and creation.
Black Armor Kang's Death Origin had detonated this sleeping power like a drop of water splashed into boiling oil.
The flames were no longer dormant stars.
They had become an ever-expanding supernova.
It released a silent shriek—a cosmic symphony spanning dimensions, singing of destruction while chanting rebirth. Levi felt as though his soul itself was being ignited, burned away, and reforged from ash.
This was both an unprecedented opportunity and a crisis capable of condemning him forever.
He abruptly opened his eyes.
Scarlet Chaos Magic drifted around him like mist. Wanda had appeared beside him at some point, concern written across her beautiful face.
"Your energy is going berserk," she whispered.
"The Phoenix Force has awakened," Levi said gravely.
Wanda's expression instantly changed. No one understood the terror represented by the word Phoenix better than she did.
"Can you control it?"
"I don't know." Levi shook his head honestly. "But I have to try. I need to make it… truly mine."
He rose and walked to the window, gazing at the calming sky outside.
Yet beneath that peaceful blue, he could sense endless undercurrents.
The Anti-Monitor. The remnants of the Council of Kangs. The young Kang hiding within the cracks of the multiverse…
Threats surrounded him. He had no time to waste.
Wanda stepped behind him and gently wrapped her arms around his waist.
"How long will you need?"
"I'm not sure. A few months at minimum. Years at worst."
Wanda fell silent.
After a long while, she released him, stepped in front of him, and rose on tiptoe to place a soft kiss on his forehead.
"I'll guard this place and wait for you to return."
Levi smiled faintly, about to speak—
A green magical projection suddenly appeared.
Loki's handsome face wore unprecedented seriousness.
"Sorry to interrupt the touching moment," he said bluntly, "but the TVA has detected… an ominous sign."
Levi's eyes sharpened. "Speak."
"The young Kang left a coordinate beacon within the cracks of the multiverse. It resembles some ancient summoning ritual." Loki's expression darkened. "Our oldest archives contain records of similar energy fluctuations. They point toward something… hungry. There's no name in the records. Only a codename."
"Devourer of Worlds."
Levi's pupils contracted slightly.
The words alone carried malice that transcended time and space. He recalled the strange anticipation on the young Kang's face as he escaped.
"So you came here to hurry me up?"
"I'm just the messenger." Loki shrugged. "But if there's anything capable of stopping that thing before it descends… I think it's the power awakening inside you."
The projection vanished.
Only Levi and Wanda remained.
Levi looked into the distance.
Tony was bent over speaking to Nathaniel. Steve directed cleanup efforts on the lawn. Natasha and Clint sat together atop a broken wall, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
These were the things he intended to protect.
"Looks like seclusion alone won't be enough," Levi murmured, determination flashing in his eyes.
He raised his right hand. The power of twelve laws gathered into an incredibly complex sigil array.
"I'm creating another clone."
"Another one?" Wanda looked worried. "Last time—"
"This time is different," Levi interrupted firmly. "This time, I'll invest far more of my origin. The clone's purpose isn't combat—it's exploration. It needs to find a power system capable of carrying and harmonizing the Phoenix Force… or a universe that can push my physical body to another level entirely."
As he spoke, he closed his eyes.
He tore away a massive portion of his origin and consciousness. The sensation was like ripping open his soul itself—agonizing beyond words.
Minutes later, a golden sphere brighter than the sun emerged from his body and floated in midair.
The light condensed into a humanoid form identical to Levi, though its eyes were empty and pure, containing only absolute will.
"Go," Levi ordered his clone. "Find what I need."
The clone nodded silently and sliced open space with one hand.
A black fissure appeared. Beyond it flowed the chaotic currents of the multiverse.
Without hesitation, the clone transformed into a streak of golden light and plunged into the unknown chaos.
The crack slowly closed.
Levi withdrew his gaze. His body swayed slightly from the loss of origin energy, and Wanda hurriedly supported him.
"Don't worry." He stroked her hair gently. "I'll be fine."
"I know," Wanda said softly, a faint sigh hidden in her voice. "I'm just wondering… when will you finally stop and rest?"
Levi froze.
Stop?
Ever since gaining this power, growing stronger had become as natural as breathing. He had never considered the question.
After a long silence, he finally answered, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion he himself hadn't noticed:
"When I'm strong enough that nothing can threaten the things I want to protect anymore… maybe then."
Wanda stared at him, emotions swirling in her eyes.
She knew Levi too well. That goal might never truly end. The universe was too vast. Threats would never disappear completely.
"Alright," she said at last, no longer trying to persuade him. "Then I'll stay here and wait for you to become strong enough."
Levi smiled. There was warmth in it—and a hint of apology.
After one final look at her, he turned and walked toward the isolated chamber prepared for him deep within the base.
Behind him, scarlet Chaos Magic glowed softly at Wanda's fingertips like an eternal flame, protecting this brief moment of peace.
And within the endless torrent of the multiverse, that streak of golden light sped onward faster than concepts themselves.
It passed countless universes being born and destroyed.
Then—
It sensed a unique energy signature.
A force that was primal, savage, overflowing with thunder and bloodlust.
The clone abruptly changed direction, tore through space, and charged toward that brand-new world.
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