Even with the Corrupted Doctor Strange fighting with everything he had, there was still no hope of victory — Ultron, wielding all six Infinity Stones, was simply too strong. Their trump cards had all been played, and none had succeeded.
That was when Natasha, watching from outside the screen, suddenly brightened.
"Wait — they still have one more card to play. Doctor Zola!"
Almost as if on cue, in the footage, Natasha was blasted away by the shockwaves of the battle. She landed near the motorcycle she'd used earlier — and not far from it lay a special arrow, the one containing Dr. Zola's consciousness.
Ultron, having recognized the threat posed by the Corrupted Doctor Strange, had increased his attacks. Strange was blocking most of the damage himself, but the rest of the team, caught in the crossfire, was beginning to falter.
The protective enchantments Strange had cast on them were rapidly weakening.
The situation was critical. Natasha and Captain Carter quickly devised a desperate counterattack. They both climbed to the rooftops, eyes fixed on Ultron in the sky, shining like a blinding sun.
Natasha drew her bow, nocked the arrow, and whispered, "This one's for you, Clint." She released the string, and the arrow shot forth.
Before that, Captain Carter had already leapt high into the air, landing behind Ultron. With a sharp motion, she ripped off his faceplate — just in time for Natasha's arrow to fly straight into his exposed eye.
Tony applauded from outside the screen.
"Beautiful work, Natasha! You, Clint, and Carter nailed it! And I've gotta say, Nat, you've got some serious skill with a bow. Been sneaking lessons from Clint, huh?"
Natasha simply smiled. "We all believe that no matter what happens, you never give up hope — because fate will always reward you for it."
Back in the video, Dr. Zola's consciousness traveled instantly through the arrow into Ultron's body. Both being sentient digital minds, they clashed — but Zola proved the stronger. In moments, he overwhelmed and consumed Ultron's mind.
Ultron's body froze midair as if it had crashed, then plummeted to the ground.
Before Thor and the others could make sense of what happened, Erik Killmonger was already at Ultron's side.
In his hands, he held a modified android head. Using it, he transferred Ultron's armor — along with the six embedded Infinity Stones — onto himself.
The other Guardians immediately tensed, ready for another fight. One crisis had barely ended, and now another loomed.
Tony immediately shouted, "See? I knew it! This guy is trouble! The Watcher must be blind to bring him onto the team. He barely lifted a finger for the real fight, then swoops in to steal the win and betray them at the last second!"
Natasha frowned. "What I don't get is why the Watcher didn't intervene immediately. If I were him, I'd be right here keeping an eye on things."
Magneto shrugged. "Who knows? But Natasha, remember — nobody's here to babysit you. The Watcher's only goal was to stop Ultron, and from the looks of it, he's done that."
In the footage, Killmonger, now holding the six Stones, didn't attack the others. Instead, he tried to tempt them.
"This is what the Watcher owes us! With these Stones, we can save worlds — save lives T'Challa, Thor — don't you want to be the saviors of your homelands? Peggy, you could reunite with your true love. And Strange — you, more than anyone, know there's no going back. This is our one and only chance!"
To be fair, his words were tempting. Every Guardian present had regrets, and this could be their chance to set things right.
The problem was, the choice wasn't in their hands — it was in Killmonger's. And while he talked about saving the multiverse, could anyone really believe he'd use the Stones selflessly?
When T'Challa stood firm and told him to hand over the Stones, Killmonger dropped the pretense. Smiling coldly, he said, "Sorry — I'm not your brother. I have to do this."
He unleashed the full power of the Infinity Stones, flooding the air with blinding light.
But before he could revel in his victory, another twist struck.
Having completely absorbed Ultron's mind, Dr. Zola now controlled his body — and he wanted the Stones just as badly. "No, no, wait. That armor and those Stones… they're mine."
Laughing maniacally, Zola reached out, and Killmonger's armor began to crack. The Infinity Stones wrenched free, suspended in midair between them. The two locked in a fierce tug-of-war.
The other Guardians could only watch helplessly — except for Doctor Strange.
With a sudden surge of magic, Strange conjured a torrent of energy, forming a small pocket universe that instantly enveloped both Zola and Killmonger, trapping them inside.
At that moment, the Watcher finally appeared, transporting Strange — and the pocket universe — back into the crystal-like dimension Strange had originally created.
It turned out the Watcher had foreseen trouble from both Killmonger and Zola, and had warned Stephen in advance. Together, they had prepared this contingency plan.
Now the two troublemakers were sealed away, but it still wasn't foolproof — someone had to guard the prison. That responsibility, inevitably, fell to Stephen Strange.
It was a thankless task, but the Corrupted Doctor Strange only shrugged. "It's fine. Time's the only thing I have left."
The video ended there.
In the timeless void, the players stared at one another in silence.
The footage they had just seen was overwhelming — from Ultron beating down the Watcher and demonstrating his terrifying dominion over the multiverse, to the formation of the Guardians of the Multiverse, to Strange repeatedly turning the tide, and finally to Ultron's downfall.
"The MVP title for Stephen is well-deserved,"
Tony finally said, breaking the silence. Resting his chin on his hand, he mused, "His fate is pure tragedy. Honestly, I can't help wondering… if he had all six Stones himself, maybe things could've ended better for him."
Bruce nodded in agreement. "You're right. Stephen sacrificed more than anyone to win this fight."
_____
T/N:
For readers who would like early access, my Patreon is available for just $4 per month. You'll unlock 40+ advance chapters and help support ongoing works.
🔗 patreon.com/user?u=79514336
You may also search Translator-Sama directly on Patreon.
Your support is sincerely appreciated
...
Guys I see zero support on this. So please show support by giving the power stones so I can get motivated