Ch 40- More Rewards??
Name: [Diffusion Wave Cannon];
Grade: [S];
Description: Destroys the chemical bonds between atoms in any molecule and releases energy waves. Any affected molecules will continue the "chemical bond destruction" reaction.
Tagline: You can also call it another name, Planet Cleaner!
Doesn't sound impressive?
But the record of the Diffusion Wave Cannon was wiping out all life on a planet with a single shot.
"Planet Cleaner" truly lived up to its name.
Especially against a being like Parallax, whose body was spread out everywhere, it was extremely effective.
...
Electric currents crackled across the six barrels as terrifying energy rapidly gathered.
Parallax sensed the danger.
It accelerated again, forcing a small portion of its body through the portal.
Its ugly giant face covered the entire city like a world-ending demon.
The remaining Chitauri army, consumed by fear, became nourishment for it directly.
Large numbers of corpses and Leviathans fell from the sky, causing secondary destruction.
Everyone was busy trying to attack Parallax.
But whether it was Clark's heat vision or Xavier's telepathy, every attack was swallowed by Parallax without causing any effect at all.
Beep beep beep!
The communicator on Fury's waist suddenly rang.
He checked it quickly, and his expression changed dramatically.
"A bunch of idiots!" Fury roared. "Six nuclear missiles are inbound! The fastest one will arrive in one minute and twenty seconds!"
Everyone present was stunned.
They were risking their lives to defend Earth, and meanwhile the people behind them were preparing to nuke the battlefield?
What the hell?
Were they trying to kill everyone together?
"Forget the arguing for now! I'll give you all an explanation afterward!" Fury shouted anxiously. "Marcus, are you sure the thing above us can be handled?"
Marcus glanced at Fury but didn't answer.
The Diffusion Wave Cannon had finished charging.
The six barrels fired simultaneously.
The kilometer-wide beams converged into a single thin ray of light that instantly pierced Parallax's giant face.
At the point of impact, a wave of destruction spread outward like fireworks.
Everything it touched decomposed and collapsed before continuing the chain reaction.
In just seventeen seconds, the giant face covering the sky exploded into a massive fiery red storm.
The destruction even spread through the portal to the other side.
"Aaaaah!"
"How dare you!"
"I will definitely return!"
Parallax screamed miserably.
Without support, the space portal began closing rapidly.
But before it fully closed...
Dense yellow rays shot out from inside, scattering in every direction.
Flash!
Marcus teleported and caught one of the yellow lights.
Inside the Phoenix Force, a yellow ring struggled violently, looking almost identical to a Green Lantern ring.
This was...
A Yellow Lantern Ring?
Marcus immediately understood what Parallax was trying to do.
The Green Lantern Ring drew power from willpower.
The Yellow Lantern Ring naturally drew power from fear.
Not the user's own fear.
But the fear of others, just like Parallax itself.
Because of that, Yellow Lantern Rings were usually favored by supervillains. Heroes generally couldn't use them properly.
So...
Parallax was basically marking Earth while trying to spread chaos along the way.
"The world is going to get very lively for a while," Marcus muttered.
Looking at the completely closed portal, Marcus flashed back to the battlefield.
He retracted the barrels of the Diffusion Wave Cannon and closed the Gate of Babylon.
One shot had completely erased the remaining Parallax fragments.
The weapon really was terrifying.
"See that?!" Fury shouted into the communicator. "The crisis is over! Cancel the nuclear launch authorization immediately! Repeat, cancel the nuclear launch authorization!"
On the horizon, six streaks of light were already approaching rapidly.
Clark looked worried and was about to fly up to intercept them.
Snap!
Marcus snapped his fingers.
Six Space Doors opened precisely in front of the missiles, swallowing them instantly.
"Where did you send them?" Fury asked nervously.
"To the Security Council headquarters," Marcus replied casually. "Since they like nukes so much, I figured I'd return the favour."
The moment he said that, most of the people present almost smiled.
Served them right.
Violence against backstabbers was completely justified.
Only Fury's face turned ugly.
Where was the Security Council headquarters?
Most council members were stationed in different countries and usually held holographic meetings.
The actual headquarters was located at...
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Hearing that Marcus had redirected six nuclear missiles to his home base, Fury's expression became extremely complicated.
Beep beep beep!
Fury's phone rang again.
He answered nervously, then visibly relaxed.
Pierce was screaming curses through the call, which meant the missiles hadn't detonated.
Just as Fury was about to speak...
Marcus casually opened another Space Door directly in front of Pierce.
"How do you people handle things?!"
"You ordered nuclear missiles to be fired at S.H.I.E.L.D.? At the Security Council?!"
"Do you people have any common sense at all?!"
Pierce suddenly stopped yelling.
Because the moment he turned around, he saw Marcus standing there with a half-smile.
Beside him stood every superhero present, all staring at him with ugly expressions.
After all, he had been the one who ordered the nuclear strike.
The atmosphere instantly became tense enough to explode.
Marcus watched happily.
A real-life keyboard warrior meetup.
"Cough!" Fury quickly tried to smooth things over. "Secretary Pierce was only considering the alien threat. The missiles were aimed at the sky, they wouldn't have affected the ground..."
"Are you serious?" Stark interrupted mercilessly. "Four megatons have an effective blast radius of seven kilometers. The two larger missiles had fifteen-kilometer blast radii. Everyone here would've been hit by at least two overlapping explosions. And you call that 'not affecting the ground'?"
Fury twitched and glared at Pierce.
Even I was standing here!
You weren't even planning to spare me?!
If Fury felt that way, the other heroes felt even worse.
They had fought on the front lines risking their lives, only to get nuked by their own side.
Pierce, however, remained surprisingly calm.
"If the yield wasn't high enough, that thing in the sky couldn't have been destroyed."
"Oh really?" Wayne said coldly. "Then explain why one of the ten-megaton missiles was locked onto the ground."
Pierce went silent.
How the hell had he figured that out?
Just as he was trying to think of an excuse...
A yellow light suddenly shattered the nearby glass.
A Yellow Lantern Ring floated in front of Pierce.
Marcus frowned.
He wasn't surprised the ring chose Pierce.
After all, Pierce was the director of HYDRA's infiltration inside S.H.I.E.L.D and one of HYDRA's leaders.
It was just bad timing.
Without hesitation, Pierce grabbed the Yellow Lantern Ring.
Yellow light instantly swallowed him, wrapping him in a cocoon as it began transforming his body.
Tsk.
This guy actually got lucky.
Marcus closed the Space Door in annoyance.
Everyone immediately looked toward him, especially at the Yellow Lantern Ring in his hand.
"That thing that flew out earlier, what exactly is it?" Fury asked. "What does it do? Is Pierce in danger?"
Marcus ignored the question.
The Phoenix Force twisted into a rope and shot a hundred meters away, binding invisible Loki before dragging him back and slamming him onto the ground.
Bang!
Loki coughed blood as Marcus stepped on his chest, forcing him visible again.
"Hey! Marcus, easy!" Thor shouted anxiously. "He's still my brother!"
Marcus said nothing and simply glanced at the ruined battlefield around them.
Thor paused awkwardly.
"...He's adopted."
Marcus kicked Loki over to Fury.
"We'll settle my reward later."
Then he looked toward Sharon and the others.
"You coming with me or staying here?"
"I'll go with you," Sharon answered immediately.
"Same," Jean replied.
Diana smiled faintly.
"You seem a little overloaded right now. I'll stay here for a while. Come find me when you're free."
Marcus made an OK gesture before looking at Kara.
She hesitated.
"I should stay. Maybe I can still help here."
She still hadn't fully sorted out her feelings.
"Alright. I'm leaving then."
With a wave of his hand, Marcus ignored Fury and the others curious looks, wrapped an arm around Jean and Sharon, and disappeared.
"I should go too. You guys can handle the rest," Clark said.
Then he flew away.
Using X-ray vision earlier, he had already seen that almost nobody survived inside the bombardment zone.
Either Barry evacuated them, or they died in the crossfire.
And honestly...
He was disgusted by Pierce.
Stark and Wayne clearly felt the same way.
"Anyone want a ride?" Stark asked. "My private jet will arrive in thirty minutes."
"So will mine," Wayne added.
Suddenly, the sky darkened as a giant aircraft descended.
Everyone instantly became alert again.
What now?
More enemies?
Fortunately, before the ship fully arrived, the hatch opened and Optimus Prime flew out.
"My king ordered me to escort everyone. If you wish to leave, please board the ship."
Everyone: "..."
Stark: "..."
Private jets?
This guy had a private spaceship.
Compared to private jets, getting the chance to ride a spaceship was far rarer.
One by one, the superheroes boarded the ship.
As for S.H.I.E.L.D...
Sorry.
Nobody wanted anything to do with them anymore.
It was disgusting.
Fury's face darkened, but he said nothing.
Pierce had gone way too far this time.
Meanwhile, Thor walked over to Diana with a grin.
"My lady, would you like to grab a drink?"
After fighting side by side, Thor thought there was no way he'd be rejected.
But Diana could easily tell Thor mostly just wanted someone to drink with.
Normally, she wouldn't mind.
But now...
Marcus was supposed to come pick her up later.
If he saw her drinking alone with Thor, what would he think?
Diana didn't even realize why she cared so much.
"Sorry, I already have plans. I'm riding with Kara," Diana politely refused.
Thor froze awkwardly.
"Looks like she doesn't like you much," Loki said mockingly. "The mighty Thor isn't so mighty after all."
Thor glared at him.
Shut up.
Only now did Fury finally have time to deal with Loki.
"You're under arrest, Loki."
Loki looked completely unconcerned.
"No," Thor stepped forward. "Loki is Asgardian. Midgard's laws cannot judge him. I will take him back to Asgard to receive proper punishment."
"You're just taking him away like that?" Fury pointed around them. "Then what about all this?"
Thor instantly had no response.
Diana wasn't interested in the argument.
She walked over toward Kara and motioned for her to come along.
Kara looked surprised but followed her.
"What did you want to talk about?" Kara asked.
"It's about Marcus," Diana said directly. "What do you think of him?"
"Huh?"
Kara looked caught off guard.
Diana adjusted the question.
"Can you accept him being with other women besides you?"
Kara fell silent.
If she could accept it easily, she wouldn't subconsciously avoid thinking about it.
But she also couldn't give up on Marcus.
It was complicated.
After a while, Kara asked quietly:
"What about you? Can you accept it?"
"I don't know," Diana admitted honestly. "But I have to admit he's very attractive. Being around him feels comfortable. So... I'm willing to try."
Kara gave a bitter smile.
If only she could think that openly too.
At that moment, Marcus appeared beside them.
"What are you two talking about?" he asked.
"Girl talk. Men shouldn't ask," Diana replied with a smile.
Then she looked at Kara.
"Think carefully about what I said."
Kara nodded with a complicated expression.
Marcus stepped forward without hesitation and lightly kissed Kara on the forehead.
"Don't overthink things. I'll always be here."
Kara pressed her lips together but said nothing.
As Marcus left with Diana, disappointment flashed through her eyes.
And a little envy.
She had met Marcus earlier than Sharon.
So why did it feel like she was the furthest behind now?
London, Diana's cozy cottage.
"Why are you back so soon?" Diana asked curiously. "Shouldn't you be spending time with your wives?"
"They pushed me out," Marcus replied honestly. "Jean and Sharon both like you."
Diana froze.
That was... a lot to process.
She quickly changed the subject.
"That yellow ring earlier. Do you know what it is?"
Marcus took out the Yellow Lantern Ring and projected the image of a Green Lantern Ring.
Although the colors and rules were different, the two looked extremely similar.
"See the difference?" Marcus explained. "The seven Lantern Corps correspond to seven emotional spectrums. Green represents willpower, yellow represents fear."
After hearing the explanation, Diana thought back to the yellow lights raining across the sky earlier.
"The world is going to become chaotic again."
"Forget that for now," Marcus said. "Our date got interrupted earlier. Want to continue?"
"Sure."
That night, Marcus escorted Diana back home.
At the door, Diana smiled slightly.
"Want to come inside for a while? If you're not in a hurry to leave."
Was Marcus really going to refuse that?
"I'm suddenly feeling thirsty."
The moment they entered the cabin, Diana was about to ask what he wanted to drink when Marcus pinned her against the wall.
"I want imported water."
Honestly...
Wonder Woman almost defeated him.
Thankfully, Marcus had the Horse Talisman and could endlessly restore his stamina, eventually convincing Diana completely.
But what surprised him even more was...
[Detected that there are other items available for collection. It is recommended to collect them together before settlement!]
Still stacking rewards?
Was the system refusing to stop until it gave him something beyond S-rank?
What else could he collect?
Right.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Looks like I really do need to wipe them out for that higher reward."
Ch 41- Time God
Early in the morning,
Looking at Diana's sleeping face, Marcus felt extremely satisfied.
The attraction was insane. He had almost drowned in it.
Then he laughed again.
Precisely because Diana was confident in her own combat ability, Marcus had used that as a bet and successfully registered Diana as a family member.
Which meant...
Diana was now his wife legally.
Things progressed much faster than with Kara.
"I need to hurry up and get stronger."
Marcus muttered to himself as he carefully got out of bed.
After cleaning up a little, he teleported directly to S.H.I.E.L.D.
It was time to collect his "handling fee."
Unexpectedly, Fury acted decisively and directly handed over the warehouse containing all the 0-8-4 items.
"Pick whatever you want," Fury said tiredly. "As long as I'm still the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, take whatever you like."
Hm?
Marcus looked away from the pile of items.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like." Fury rubbed his forehead. "After Pierce got that yellow ring, he immediately returned to his youthful state. As Secretary of the Security Council, he's already submitting a proposal to reclaim the position of S.H.I.E.L.D director. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be out within a week."
Marcus blinked.
Ah...
Now that Pierce had gained power, he had completely dropped the act and wanted authority back immediately.
"And about the nuclear missile incident earlier..."
"There's no point talking about it anymore." Fury shook his head. "I originally planned to... forget it."
He looked completely defeated.
But...
How could Nick Fury be this fragile?
Marcus looked at Fury with a half-smile.
If you keep beating around the bush, I'm leaving.
Fury immediately understood.
"I hope you'll support me staying as director," Fury said seriously. "Recently, I discovered there are major problems inside S.H.I.E.L.D. If Pierce takes over again... things will get very troublesome."
That's all?
Marcus turned away and began examining the 0-8-4 items.
Item 0-8-4 was simply S.H.I.E.L.D's classification for objects of unknown origin.
To put it simply, random unknown stuff.
An alien meteorite could end up classified as 0-8-4 too.
The quality varied wildly, so identifying valuable things depended entirely on luck.
So...
Marcus decided to take everything.
Why?
Better to grab everything than miss something valuable.
Even Fury hadn't expected Marcus to literally clean out the entire warehouse, but he still gritted his teeth and said nothing.
He thought Marcus would support him afterward.
Instead, Marcus said:
"You promised to introduce me to people. Make sure you follow through quickly."
He looked like he planned to squeeze Fury dry before he stepped down.
"I'll arrange it," Fury replied with a dark expression. "About the support..."
"I'm not suitable for interfering in Earth's internal politics." Marcus waved his hand casually. "But if you're in danger, you can use my name."
He spoke with a casual "I've got your back" attitude.
Basically...
If Fury didn't pay enough, Marcus wasn't doing free labor.
Fury's face darkened further, but he couldn't argue.
After offending Marcus, he had originally assumed he could naturally forget about that promise.
Clearly...
He underestimated Marcus's shamelessness.
Back at Diana's place,
Marcus held Diana in his arms while looking at the constantly flashing system notifications with excitement.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Mind Gem," gaining control over the law of mental manifestation. Family foundation greatly improved!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the "Space Gem," gaining control over space, realization laws, and unlimited energy. Family foundation greatly improved!]
[Congratulations to the host for marrying "Diana Prince." The family's female combat power ceiling has been refreshed, and offspring potential has greatly increased!]
[Family strength increasing. Comprehensive reward settlement in progress...]
[Congratulations to the host. "Time Stop" has evolved into "Time Controller"!]
Name: [Time Controller];
Grade: [SSR];
Description: Freely accelerate, stop, and reverse time. Completely immune to all time-based effects. Passive ability "Time Rewind": upon receiving fatal damage, your personal time reverses by 10 seconds automatically.
Tagline: You are now the God of Time!
"Holy sh*t..."
Even though Marcus had mentally prepared himself, this reward was still insane.
Especially the passive "Time Rewind."
As long as he didn't choose suicide himself, dying was now almost impossible.
But after fully absorbing the information about Time Controller, Marcus realized something even more ridiculous.
The time he controlled wasn't limited to himself.
He could control the time of others too.
In simple terms...
As long as he wanted, he could revert someone's life to youth, stop their aging entirely, or even grant immortality.
"Now I finally feel confident."
Previously, Marcus had still been somewhat wary of the Ancient One.
But now?
He wasn't afraid at all.
The Time Stone?
Marcus himself was immune to time laws now.
But the Ancient One wasn't.
He was basically unbeatable.
Marcus looked at Diana sleeping in his arms and directly applied an "Immortality Buff."
...
Time Reversal!
Diana's entire state, including her mind and body, reset to peak condition.
She slowly opened her eyes and smiled sweetly at Marcus.
"Morning," Diana said lazily. "I'll make breakfast."
She sat up, the blanket sliding down and revealing her toned bronze skin.
"Breakfast?"
Marcus grinned.
"You're my breakfast."
Marcus and Diana spent three full days together.
The time was basically spent either fighting or on the way to fight.
They completely ignored outside news.
Darcy and the others understood and didn't bother him.
...
Then Sharon sent Marcus a message.
Marcus looked at Diana helplessly.
"Looks like our honeymoon's ending early. Something came up at home."
Diana already expected it.
"Go ahead. You're welcome back anytime."
"You're not coming back with me?" Marcus asked.
"No." Diana shook her head. "I'm used to being alone. Your place is too lively. It doesn't suit me."
Marcus nodded in understanding.
Diana's situation was different from Kara's.
Diana could accept him having multiple women and fully acknowledged her identity as his wife.
But she was also independent and didn't enjoy crowded living situations.
...
More accurately, she still hadn't fully crossed that emotional hurdle.
After giving Diana another light kiss, Marcus turned and left.
The moment he returned to Dawn Tower, he saw Jean dressed entirely in black.
Her eyes were swollen red, and dark circles were visible under them.
Marcus immediately felt bad for her and stepped forward to hug her.
"I'm back. I'm okay."
"Ororo is dead," Jean said sadly. "If I had joined the battle earlier, maybe she wouldn't have..."
Storm, Ororo.
An Omega-level mutant with incredible weather manipulation potential.
While Marcus had been pretending to be weak in space, Ororo had been summoning lightning from high altitude.
But she got separated from the main group and was swallowed by a Leviathan.
By the time Marcus noticed, she was already dead.
Fortunately,
Marcus now possessed the Time Controller ability.
Was he really going to let Jean stay sad over this?
"You want me to revive her?" Marcus asked.
Jean froze.
Then she looked at Marcus in disbelief.
"You can really do that?"
Smack!
Marcus lightly slapped Jean's butt.
She immediately covered it with a blush.
"You still doubt me?" Marcus said with a grin. "Come on. Let's go revive your friend."
Jean quickly grabbed Marcus's arm.
Flash!
The two arrived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Three coffins were lined up in the main hall.
More people died?
Marcus honestly hadn't paid attention.
"Marcus, can you revive Kitty and Hank too?" Jean pleaded.
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Ok"
As they walked inside, Xavier came over to greet them.
He glanced suspiciously at Jean.
Why did she look embarrassed instead of sad?
"Charles, sorry." Marcus sighed. "Things were too chaotic yesterday. I was exhausted for a while and didn't notice in time..."
Xavier didn't pay attention to Jean's expression.
He simply sighed sadly.
"It's not your fault. You've already done enough." Xavier forced a smile. "Besides, Ororo always wanted a vacation. Now she finally gets to rest properly."
"I'm afraid that's not happening," Marcus replied. "You're already old enough. Why are you talking about rest too?"
He walked directly toward the coffins.
Xavier thought Marcus simply wanted to pay respects.
Then...
Marcus used the Phoenix Force to directly lift all three coffin lids.
"What are you doing?!" Scott shouted angrily.
"Put them down!" Logan roared.
Everyone else looked furious too.
They couldn't understand Marcus's disrespect toward the dead.
Nobody remembered Marcus having any conflict with Ororo.
Why disturb the bodies?
Scott's eyes turned red.
Logan extended his claws.
Everyone looked ready to attack.
"Enough!" Xavier shouted angrily. "I'm still alive. Do you all think I'm dead too?"
Then he turned toward Marcus with a dark expression.
Just as he was about to question him...
Marcus casually activated Time Controller and began reversing the time of the three corpses.
Green energy surrounded them.
Their stitched wounds reopened briefly before reversing completely.
Xavier's expression changed instantly.
Just as he was about to panic...
The wounds rapidly healed.
Their pale skin regained color.
Their stopped hearts began beating again.
Finally...
All three opened their eyes at the same time, completely confused.
Then they saw everyone surrounding Marcus with murderous expressions.
Ororo immediately panicked.
"Stop!" she shouted. "Are you all insane?!"
Marcus's strength was obvious to everyone.
None of them together could beat him.
Now everyone froze awkwardly.
Ah...
What the hell was going on?
Marcus nodded in satisfaction.
First resurrection attempt successful.
Then he grinned.
"So? You guys still planning to attack me?"
Scott quickly deactivated his optic blast.
Logan also retracted his claws.
"No way!"
"Total misunderstanding!"
"Why would we attack you?!"
Looking at everyone's awkward expressions, Marcus laughed.
The prank succeeded.
He intentionally hadn't explained anything just to mess with them.
Besides, Xavier probably wouldn't get angry anyway.
Jean lightly smacked Marcus afterward.
You could've warned everyone first.
At this moment, Ororo and the others finally understood what happened.
They walked over to Marcus in shock.
"Thank you... seriously, thank you." Ororo looked grateful.
"Ororo, your resurrection is a miracle!" Xavier announced loudly. "The memorial is canceled. We're having a celebration party instead!"
"Woohoo!"
"Awesome!"
"Welcome back!"
"The savior is incredible!"
...
Marcus wasn't interested in the celebration and left early.
Marcus immediately picked Jean up and teleported back to Dawn Tower to inspect the progress personally.
"Completely shaved clean!"
"So..."
"Hehehe!"
Ch 42- The Ancient One
Marcus originally planned to go next door and find Sharon for another round of practice, but the girl wasn't in her bedroom.
"What is going on?"
Marcus was a little puzzled and closed his eyes to sense her location.
It had been a while since he mastered the Phoenix Force, and now he could perform a "mental scan" similar to Xavier's.
Also,
Because the Phoenix Force enhanced his telepathic abilities, he could even detect life signatures.
Combined with his Super Hearing, it was basically like watching a live broadcast.
Soon,
Marcus discovered Sharon's unique green energy signature about a dozen blocks away.
Besides that...
There was also the energy of a Yellow Lantern Ring!
He immediately guessed what was happening.
"Whoosh!"
He teleported to the scene.
There, he saw a man using a Yellow Lantern Ring while fighting Sharon.
Marcus watched with interest.
Although Sharon's Green Lantern armour was still form-fitting, it was no longer just a thin layer. It had evolved into a proper suit of armour with sharp edges and reinforced plating.
It still highlighted her figure, but wasn't revealing.
Marcus was very satisfied with that.
Interestingly,
Aside from being powered by fear, the Yellow Lantern Ring functioned almost exactly like the Green Lantern Ring.
Its primary attacks also relied on energy constructs.
The young man had only recently obtained the Yellow Lantern Ring, and because of his lack of experience, the constructs he created were limited to things like bricks, cars, and guns.
By comparison,
Sharon was firing six-barreled Vulcan cannons, missile launchers, and even laser cannons.
Logically, the fight should have ended quickly.
But...
People really weren't afraid of danger.
A large crowd had gathered to watch from a distance. Although they stayed back, they were still terrified, generating massive amounts of fear energy.
The young man continuously absorbed that fear, allowing him to keep fighting.
And,
As the battle continued, he gradually learned how to use the ring and became stronger.
A comeback wasn't impossible.
Of course,
That was before Marcus arrived.
The moment Marcus appeared,
The fear among the spectators dropped sharply and eventually disappeared completely.
After all, why be afraid when a saviour was standing right there?
The young man's power immediately weakened.
"Whoosh!"
A web shot from the side and wrapped perfectly around the Yellow Lantern Ring.
It was pulled off instantly.
The young man reverted to normal, his face visibly aging as his body shrank into a thin, exhausted shell.
If a Yellow Lantern Ring was used improperly, it could drain its wielder dry.
Only then did the police officers, who had been standing by the entire time, dare to approach and arrest him.
A graceful figure landed beside Marcus and handed over the web-wrapped ring.
Marcus accepted it.
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Yellow Lantern Ring. Family heritage has increased and the family has been strengthened. Reward acquired: Increased Mental Strength.]
Nice.
At least this thing could be collected.
Now...
He looked at Gwen with amusement.
"Superhero, thanks for the help."
Gwen burst out laughing.
Playing along, she replied, "Could this kind citizen do me a favour?"
"Oh? A superhero needs my help too?" Marcus asked with mock surprise.
"Of course!" Gwen said seriously. "Spider woman has needs too, and only you can help."
...
Listen to that sentence.
At this moment,
Sharon walked over, glanced at Gwen, and exchanged a nod with her.
"Marcus, I have to return to S.H.I.E.L.D.," Sharon said with a frown. "Director Nick Fury has been demoted to Deputy Director, and Director Pierce has summoned all Level 5 agents and above for a major announcement."
"Go ahead." Marcus tossed the Yellow Lantern Ring into the air. "That guy is probably up to something. If you're unhappy there, just come back. He won't dare stop you."
Sharon nodded and flew away in a beam of green light.
Marcus turned back toward Gwen.
"I'm free right now. I can help you with those needs."
"Yeah right. Who's helping who?" Gwen rolled her eyes. "Not at my house. My dad could come back at any time."
"Easy."
Marcus wrapped an arm around Gwen's waist and instantly teleported them to the top of Dawn Tower.
Standing atop one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan, they overlooked New York City's night skyline.
It was thrilling.
Especially...
"Huh? You're keeping the mask on?"
Gwen crossed her arms.
"Yes"
Marcus blinked.
Was this...
Roleplay?
Now he was interested.
Marcus grinned.
"Miss Spider woman, you've fallen into the hands of this criminal."
"Ah! Stay back!"
The next morning,
Marcus sent Gwen back to her room.
He had intended to teleport away immediately, but noticed something outside.
Opening the door, he found George sitting in the living room.
George glanced at Marcus.
His eyes made it obvious he had stayed up all night.
Marcus sat down across from him and casually cast a Light of Recovery spell, removing his fatigue.
George looked surprised, but quickly accepted it.
After all, it was Marcus.
He silently stood up and prepared to leave for work.
Marcus stopped him.
Taking out the Yellow Lantern Ring, he poured Phoenix Force into it, erased the lingering influence of Parallax.
Then he handed it to George.
George didn't immediately accept it.
Concern filled his eyes.
"In the past few days, a lot of people wearing rings like this have caused chaos around the world. Doesn't it affect their minds?"
"It's power, not the ring itself," Marcus explained. "The Yellow Lantern Ring gains strength through fear, and crime is one of the easiest ways to generate fear."
After a pause, he continued.
"It's like a gun. In a criminal's hands, it hurts people. In your hands, it protects them."
George's eyes widened.
Power gained through fear?
That really did suit him.
Ordinary people had limited opportunities to gather fear.
But as a police captain, he dealt with criminals every day.
George accepted the ring with a serious expression.
"I'll use it to uphold justice."
"If one day I lose my way..."
"Promise me you won't hold back."
Marcus waved dismissively.
"It's just a tool. Don't take it so seriously."
He wrote a string of numbers in the air.
"This is my wife Sharon's number. Her Green Lantern Ring works similarly to yours. If you have questions, ask her."
"..."
George felt awkward.
Asking his future son-in-law's other wife for advice felt strange.
But who told Gwen to like this guy?
George memorized the number and left with mixed emotions.
Marcus teleported to Dawn Tower.
He pressed the intercom.
Five seconds later, Natasha Romanoff hurried over and bowed.
"Boss, what are your orders?"
"Gather information on Yellow Lantern Rings," Marcus instructed. "The moment you find one, notify Sharon and have her collect it."
"Understood, Boss!"
Marcus watched Natasha walk away, her figure swaying slightly.
His eyes flickered.
Then he sighed.
What a beauty.
While thinking about it,
He suddenly looked up.
Sparks appeared in the air, forming a portal.
The Ancient One stepped through with a gentle smile.
"Forgive my unannounced visit," she said. "I have some questions that only you can answer."
Marcus remained completely calm.
"A guest is always welcome. Please, have a seat."
With a wave of his hand,
A tea set appeared out of nowhere.
The Ancient One stared.
There had been no spatial fluctuation whatsoever.
It was truly created from nothing.
She sat down and picked up a cup.
It felt completely real.
As though it had always existed.
"A remarkable ability. Is this also a power of your civilization?" she asked.
"It's innate," Marcus replied. "And since I'm speaking with the Sorcerer Supreme, there's no point pretending anymore. The so-called civilization is just me."
No more disguises.
At his current level, he no longer needed a mysterious background story.
The Ancient One nodded calmly.
"No matter where you come from, Mr. Marcus, Kamar-Taj has no interest in your origins as long as you don't threaten dimensional stability."
"I came here today because of something else."
"The future has changed."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I'd be happy to explain."
The Ancient One began describing the situation.
Apparently,
Tony Stark and the others from a future timeline had traveled back to the events of The Avengers in order to borrow two Infinity Stones.
But when they arrived,
The Space Stone was somehow in Japan.
Everyone was completely stunned.
How was that supposed to work?
In the end,
They followed their original plan and borrowed the Time Stone from the New York Sanctum.
When the Ancient One compared that timeline to her own...
The differences were enormous.
And the divergence point,
Was Marcus's arrival.
"Timelines naturally change, so your existence didn't attract my attention at first."
"But when I tried to examine your past..."
"I discovered that you don't exist within the timeline."
"Your existence seems to stand outside it entirely. That's something only entities on the level of the Vishanti can accomplish."
"So I'm curious. How exactly did you do it?"
Her tone was polite, almost as if she were seeking guidance.
Marcus found that very satisfying.
See?
This was how smart people acted.
No arrogance.
No hostility.
He decided to reveal a little information.
"It's simple. Time bends to my will."
Marcus pointed at the Ancient One.
Green temporal energy flowed into her and granted her an immortality buff.
At first she didn't react.
Then her eyes widened.
Her personal time had stopped.
But her thoughts and actions continued normally.
Meaning...
Her lifespan would never decrease.
Immortality?
Such an incredible ability.
Even with the Time Stone, she couldn't achieve something like this.
"Are you... a Time Mephista?" the Ancient One asked excitedly.
"That's right." Marcus took a sip of tea. "I was born in the void beyond the multiverse and crossed the barriers between universes. I don't have any hostile intentions toward this world."
The Ancient One's eyes flickered.
Marcus drank his tea leisurely while watching her changing expressions.
It was rather entertaining.
After a long silence,
The Ancient One seemed to reach a major decision.
"What a blessing, to have a Time Mephista born among us," she said respectfully. "Lord Time Mephista, would you be willing to sign a contract with Kamar-Taj? After death, we would dedicate our souls to serving you."
Marcus blinked.
Uh...
It seemed he had exaggerated things so much that the Ancient One had completely misunderstood him.
Kamar-Taj's magic relied on drawing power from other dimensions and borrowing strength from powerful entities.
It was basically like connecting to public electricity while secretly using someone else's Wi-Fi.
As for souls after death...
What use did he have for those?
Marcus shook his head.
"I have no need for souls. Let's forget that."
"You may not know this," the Ancient One explained. "Most dimensional entities inhabit realms where life cannot naturally develop. They rely on souls from other worlds to sustain themselves."
"But someone like you, who can freely cross universal barriers, probably has little use for them."
After a pause, she continued.
"Then perhaps we could change the arrangement?"
Marcus stared out the window, uninterested.
The Ancient One understood.
Her time was running out.
"We are willing to sacrifice our spiritual power in exchange for your power," she said through gritted teeth.
After all,
The amount of power a Kamar-Taj sorcerer could borrow depended heavily on their mental strength.
Giving up spiritual power was essentially sacrificing part of their training in exchange for immediate access to greater abilities.
Marcus became interested.
Mental strength?
"Can I absorb that spiritual power?" he asked.
The Ancient One visibly relaxed.
If he was willing to negotiate, then a deal was possible.
"Yes," she explained patiently. "Spiritual power offered through a contract becomes purified energy. It can permanently increase your mental strength without side effects."
Marcus nodded.
Then another thought occurred to him.
"If spiritual power can be offered, what about life force?" he asked curiously. "My physical body is relatively weak and could use some enhancement."
The Ancient One hesitated.
In principle,
There wasn't much difference between spending mental power and spending lifespan.
After all, time-based abilities were rarely used unless someone's life was already at risk.
And...
Many lower-level sorcerers didn't possess enough mental strength to effectively use temporal power.
But everyone had life force.
Wait...
Wouldn't that mean every sorcerer could use time magic?
No.
Absolutely not.
The timeline would become a complete mess.
Time-related abilities definitely couldn't be made available to ordinary sorcerers.
"No problem," the Ancient One replied. "Can each user decide whether to sacrifice vitality or mental strength?"
"Sure." Marcus nodded.
Mental strength was important too.
Why not collect both?
All of Marcus's abilities operated without any energy cost.
Still, to be safe, he asked internally:
"System, can this work?"
[No bugs detected!]
Good enough.
Then he looked back at the Ancient One.
"I have some other abilities as well. Do you want contracts for those too?"
The more benefits, the better.
"If you're willing," the Ancient One answered immediately.
After all, whether a power was used or not depended entirely on the user.
Having more options was never a bad thing.
She opened a portal and retrieved a golden book.
"This is the Book of Contracts," she explained. "It is protected by the Trinity of Vishanti. You may record any powers you're willing to lend."
Marcus accepted the Book of Contracts and casually flipped through it.
[Mephista Raggador: Rings of Raggador!]
Only a single ability.
"Some dimensional entities are rather stingy and lend very little power," the Ancient One explained.
Marcus paused and flipped through several more pages.
[Shields of the Seraphim]
[Winds of Watoomb]
[Bolts of Balthakk]
Most entries only granted a single ability.
"Could it be..."
Marcus turned directly to the first page.
What appeared there was a contract whose counterpart was...
Note: I know there is no such thing as book of contract and they are tomes that work differently but since author has introduced it that way, then I will leave it this way. As it is fanfiction, author can add whatever he wants.
Ch 43- Getting more op
[The All-Powerful Okkara]!
[Old Hoggoth]!
[The All-Seeing Agamotto]!
The three established the Vishanti. Because of this, if the creator of the Book of Contracts violates a contract, the three will jointly punish them!
Looking further,
[Vishanti: Holy Sword of the Vishanti, Holy Shield of the Vishanti, Holy Eye of the Vishanti...]
Several pages were filled with abilities.
Marcus seemed to understand.
Those dimensional entities in the later pages...
Could it be that they had been beaten up by the Vishanti and forced to sign contracts?
"Interesting."
Marcus closed the Book of Contracts, causing the Ancient One's heart to skip a beat!
What happened?
Not signing?
Then...
A Book of Contracts!
Another book glowing with golden light slowly emerged from nothingness.
What could normally be created instantly took a full ten minutes this time.
It was nearly at the limit of the Dragon Language.
Until the moment it was completed...
The Ancient One stared with wide eyes!
Ridiculous!
He recreated it after seeing it only once?
This was the Book of Contracts jointly created by the Vishanti at their peak!
Could it be...
The "Time Mephista" before her was only newly born, yet already comparable to the Vishanti at their peak?
Marcus opened the new Book of Contracts.
The first page was blank.
He nodded in satisfaction.
Closing the new Book of Contracts, he opened the Gate of Babylon and stored it away.
Then he casually opened the system interface.
[Family System!]
Host: Marcus;
Rating: [A+]
Rewards: A-rank "Twelve Talismans", A-rank "Gate of Babylon", D-rank "Strength Enhancement", S-rank "Time Stop", A-rank "Word Spirit", S-rank "Vector Control", B-rank "Kryptonian Bloodline", A-rank "Dark Plane Computer", A-rank "Psychokinetic Cannon", S-rank "Phoenix Force Fragment", C-rank "Light of Recovery", S-rank "Dragon Language", SSR-rank "Time God";
Wives: [Darcy Lewis], [Sharon Carter], [Faora], [Jean Grey], [Diana Prince];
Huh?
"System, why am I only rated A+?"
[Please improve your own strength to fully utilize your abilities and increase your overall rating!]
...
So his physique was holding him back?
Thinking about it,
His physical body still relied mostly on the B-rank Kryptonian Bloodline.
Against Diana, he had nearly drowned in the swamp.
"Kara needs to be registered as soon as possible."
"And Gwen's reward shouldn't be bad either."
Thinking this,
Marcus reopened the Ancient One's Book of Contracts, flipped to the latest page, and began writing abilities into it using Dragon Language according to the system's guidance.
[Light of Recovery: Healing power capable of regenerating severed limbs!]
[Vector Control: The ultimate computational power of physics!]
[Phoenix Force: The primal power of the soul at its peak!]
[Dragon Language: The power of laws made manifest!]
Basically every ability was written into it.
Ensuring that every sorcerer
Could find something useful.
Each ability formed its own unique magic circle.
It was quite miraculous.
The Ancient One watched with burning eyes!
Just the regenerative Light of Recovery alone was enough that every sorcerer would want to master it!
And Dragon Language, which was practically reality-altering speech, was also being lent out?
There was even Phoenix Force?
Every single ability
Made the Ancient One incredibly tempted.
Then...
[Youth: Reverse your personal timeline and return to a chosen state!]
[Evolution: Accelerate your personal timeline and grow into a chosen state!]
[Immortality: Halt your personal flow of time and live forever!]
The Ancient One stared at the Immortality section.
Her eyes lit up instantly!
Why was she so eager to find a successor?
Aside from being tired after living for centuries,
The main reason
Was that she had prolonged her life by leaching dark energy from dark dimension.
The darkness within her body served as Dormammu's beacon.
If she wasn't careful, he could invade this universe through it.
After centuries of guarding against that threat, she had long wanted to retire.
With her death, the universe would become safer.
But!
Now she had a better option.
Borrow Marcus's Power of Time and become truly immortal!
And,
It wouldn't interfere with her retirement plans.
Once Strange was ready, she could travel and relax.
After all...
After death, her soul would serve the Vishanti anyway.
So,
When Marcus handed back the Book of Contracts, the Ancient One immediately used the Immortality spell without hesitation.
Green magical patterns formed in the air.
They intertwined into a complex magic circle before turning into an immortality buff that settled onto her body.
At the same time,
The dark mark between the Ancient One's brows rose into a thick black mist and vanished into the void.
Several seconds later,
Marcus received a massive amount of life force from the void.
His physique improved dramatically.
His system rating jumped directly to [S-]!
The Ancient One had...
Sacrificed Dormammu's dark power?
Good grief!
Marcus couldn't help but laugh.
What a clever move.
Using someone else's resources as an offering.
Those few seconds just now...
Were the Vishanti fighting Dormammu?
"Tsk. Dormammu is probably losing his mind right now," Marcus said with amusement. "Not only did he get used for free, now part of his power has been sacrificed too."
Seeing that Marcus didn't mind, the Ancient One relaxed.
It wasn't surprising that Marcus knew Dormammu.
After all,
Wasn't it normal for powerful dimensional beings to know one another?
"By the way," Marcus said while admiring the Book of Contracts, "I'm planning to make copies and give them to my wives. Can you help determine which of them have talent for magic?"
There was no better way to lend power to his wives.
Unfortunately,
Using the Book of Contracts required constructing magic circles, which meant one had to possess magical aptitude.
"Of course. That's easy," the Ancient One replied respectfully. "It's easier to sense dimensional energy at Kamar-Taj. Why not let me teach them personally?"
"Then wait a moment."
Marcus disappeared and quickly returned with his wives.
After briefly introducing them to the Ancient One,
The Ancient One demonstrated basic magic and created a magnificent magical shield.
The girls were surprised, but not excessively so.
There were aliens already.
Was a little magic really that strange?
"Alright, who wants to learn magic?" Marcus asked. "As long as you master the basics, there will be a surprise waiting."
"Me!" Darcy raised her hand first.
"I want to try too," Jean immediately followed.
"This is awesome! I want to try too!" Gwen said excitedly.
Aside from Faora,
Even Kara was willing to give it a shot.
"Good. Then go with the Ancient One," Marcus said. "Study there during the day. I'll pick you up at night."
"I can arrange transportation for them," the Ancient One quickly offered.
"That works. Thanks."
"No trouble at all. It's my responsibility."
The Ancient One opened a portal and beckoned everyone to follow.
Just as they were about to enter,
"Wait!"
Marcus and the Ancient One both turned toward Natasha Romanoff.
"Can I learn too?" Natasha asked cautiously. "If I could open portals like that, my work efficiency would increase dramatically."
The Ancient One remained silent and looked toward Marcus.
Marcus smiled.
You just want to learn portals?
"Well, I want to become stronger too," Natasha admitted. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has a new director, Yellow Lantern Rings are appearing all over the world, and I desperately need more power."
At least she was honest.
"Go ahead," Marcus said. "I'll give you a week. If you don't have the talent, come back."
Natasha was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Boss!"
She rushed into the portal before it could close.
The Ancient One stepped backward through the portal, bowed slightly to Marcus, and then disappeared.
Marcus looked toward Faora and applied an Immortality Buff to her as well.
He originally thought Faora would continue her research.
But...
Faora immediately attacked him.
Tsk.
Could Marcus just sit there and take it?
Of course not.
He responded immediately.
It had been a long time.
Faora's combat ability was still impressive, only slightly below Diana and Kara.
And,
The woman who had once been cold and indifferent was surprisingly responsive today.
That caught Marcus off guard.
After they finally took a break,
Before Marcus could ask, Faora explained everything herself.
"During this period, I modified the technology of the life chamber and developed a genetic correction serum."
"It adjusts Kryptonian cells toward Clark's state."
"Without changing DNA, it allows people to gain a Superman-level physique."
"The initial tests succeeded. Darcy and the others can use it."
Marcus was genuinely surprised.
He hadn't expected Faora to be working on this.
This was even better than Strength Enhancement Serum!
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Kryptonian Blood Serum, greatly increasing the family's physical baseline!]
[Congratulations to the Host. Kryptonian Bloodline has been upgraded to A-rank!]
His physical attributes improved once again!
...
Marcus had never expected his physique to improve twice in a single day.
"If you're confident it's safe, let them decide for themselves," Marcus said with a smile.
"This is your achievement. Let them accept your gift."
Faora said nothing.
She simply wrapped her arms tightly around Marcus.
Previously,
As a genetically engineered Kryptonian, her emotions had been relatively muted.
She married Marcus only because it had been Zod's order.
But now...
She realized she genuinely liked him.
It was a strange feeling.
One strong enough that she had willingly given up the opportunity to study magic just to spend time alone with Marcus.
Marcus clearly felt that affection.
After thinking for a moment,
He took out the Tiger Talisman and merged it into Faora's body.
"This is the Tiger Talisman. It allows you to create a duplicate of yourself. It should be useful for research."
Faora was delighted.
Instinctively activating the Tiger Talisman,
She split into two identical Faoras.
The two exchanged glances.
Then both attacked Marcus together.
"Hiss..."
"Oh..."
Was this the joy of twins?
Amazing.
The combined combat power of two Faoras had surpassed even Diana or Kara.
Marcus had no choice but to activate the Horse Talisman to maintain his position as head of the family.
Even so,
His legs still felt weak afterward.
Probably because...
"Hiss..."
"I never expected someone so serious to secretly study so much."
Looking at the two Faoras again, Marcus couldn't help being impressed.
Some people really did a lot of studying in private.
Yawning,
Marcus skipped using time reversal.
Instead, he pulled both Faoras into his arms and fell asleep.
Until...
He was awakened by an excited scream!
Glancing over,
The two Faoras were still asleep.
They clearly hadn't recovered yet.
Marcus carefully got dressed and walked into the living room.
There he found Darcy looking excitedly at an object she was constructing with magic.
Oh?
She learned it on the first day?
Not bad.
When Darcy saw Marcus,
Her excitement caused the magical construct in her hand to collapse.
She didn't care at all and immediately threw herself into his arms.
"Ancient One is amazing!"
"She just took me on a trip through the multiverse once, and I learned it!"
Looks like the Ancient One was putting in real effort.
"Not bad, Ms. Sorcerer," Marcus said with a smile.
He glanced around.
"Huh? Where's Diana?"
"Diana said the divine power in her body rejects magic, so she went back to London early this morning," Gwen explained softly.
Marcus nodded.
"What about everyone else? Did they learn?"
The women all shook their heads.
Only Natasha Romanoff cautiously raised her hand.
"I think I learned a little?"
"Oh?" Marcus looked surprised. "Show me."
Natasha began tracing magical patterns through the air.
Although she formed them slowly, each line was extremely stable.
Soon she completed a magic shield that floated steadily in midair.
The other women immediately looked jealous.
"Not bad. You can stop training for now," Marcus praised.
"Yes, Boss!" Natasha replied respectfully. "Then I'll head downstairs. Just call me if you need anything!"
After Natasha left, Kara also stood up.
"The military invited me to participate in an experiment. I'm already half a day late, so I should leave."
No problem.
Watching Kara leave, Marcus turned toward Jean.
"I figured with the Phoenix Force and the serum coming soon..."
"I thought so too," Jean said helplessly. "But the Dark Phoenix rejects magic as well..."
Her eyes suddenly sharpened.
Dark Phoenix had taken over.
"That magic is way too weak!" Dark Phoenix said angrily. "Stop making her learn that stuff and focus on mastering the Phoenix Force!"
Marcus wasn't upset.
After all, Dark Phoenix was also his wife now.
He took out the Book of Contracts and explained how it worked.
Dark Phoenix's expression immediately improved.
Then...
Using Phoenix Force directly, she replicated the magic circle from the book and successfully cast Light of Recovery on Marcus.
Marcus carefully examined the effect.
Compared to his own Horse Talisman, it was only around one percent as effective.
Makes sense.
Borrowed power was naturally weaker.
"Anything magic can do, Phoenix Force can do too!" Dark Phoenix declared proudly.
Marcus was pleasantly surprised and immediately handed over the Book of Contracts.
"Then learn everything in it."
If his wives borrowed his powers, it would obviously be free.
Otherwise, why would he bother creating a new Book of Contracts?
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Book of Contracts, increasing the family's magical heritage!]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining Kamar-Taj's offering and establishing a positive relationship between the family and the Vishanti!]
[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward "...";]
Ch 44- Scarlet Witch
[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward "Magic Immunity"!]
Name: [Magic Immunity]
Rank: [S]
Description: You are passively immune to all magical effects!
Slogan: You are the ultimate magic killer!
Good grief!
Magic Immunity combined with Vector Control practically made Marcus immune to all kinds of nonsense abilities!
Wasn't this basically invincible?
Although Kamar-Taj's most broken abilities were time-based magic, and Time God already made him immune to those,
There were still some magical effects that could affect him.
Tracking spells,
Mirror Dimension traps,
Memory-erasing spells...
Now,
He was completely immune to all of them once and for all.
Marcus was very satisfied with this reward!
And while Marcus was thinking,
Darcy and the others sensibly didn't interrupt him. Instead, they quietly surrounded Gwen.
"Gwen, come live with us!"
"Yeah, Gwen!"
"You're not free at all living at home!"
"You can see Marcus anytime here!"
Gwen was clearly tempted!
These days, she had to avoid George whenever she went out to "fight for justice."
Her chances to meet Marcus had become much lower...
Seeing this,
Sharon struck while the iron was hot.
"Gwen, don't you like staying with us?"
"Ah? No! Of course not!" Gwen waved her hands frantically. "It's super fun staying with all you!"
"Then that's settled!" Sharon said. "Since you're happy here, stay with us. If you're unhappy, you can always go back."
"Well..."
Gwen looked hesitantly toward Marcus.
Marcus immediately stepped forward, held her shoulders, and looked into her eyes.
"Gwen, let me take care of you forever, okay?"
Those gentle words instantly melted Gwen's heart.
She nodded firmly.
"Okay!"
Marcus smiled.
"Then pick any bedroom you like and talk directly with Natasha Romanoff."
"Sharon, register Gwen's title as well."
Sharon nodded and headed toward her room.
Darcy grabbed Gwen's arm.
"Come on! Move in next to me!"
"No!" Jean grabbed Gwen's other arm. "Gwen is mine! She'll live next to me!"
Watching the girls get along so well, Marcus smiled in satisfaction.
A harmonious harem really saved him a lot of trouble.
[Congratulations to the Host for marrying Gwen Stacy. New combat power has been added to the family. After stabilization, reward granted: "Danger Sense"!]
Name: [Danger Sense]
Rank: [B]
Description: Before you encounter danger or an attack, you will receive a warning in advance!
Slogan: A tingling sensation doesn't necessarily mean you've already been hit!
...
It seemed kind of useless.
Marcus was already immune to most broken abilities. What danger could he really face?
Still, knowing where an attack was coming from beforehand wasn't bad.
He opened the system panel to check Gwen's status.
Wife: Gwen Stacy
Rank: [C+]
Ability: "Spider Enhancement"
Only a C+ rating...
Not bad for a B-rank reward.
But!
Looking at Gwen, did he really care about system rewards?
"Click, click, click..."
Natasha Romanoff walked over quickly, her high heels tapping rapidly against the floor.
Everyone turned to look.
"Something happened!" Natasha said seriously. "Pierce has begun gathering Yellow Lantern Ring users from around the world. As long as they're willing to reform, all prior criminal records will be erased!"
"And in the name of the World Security Council, the Mutant Registration Act has been revised into the Superhuman Registration Act. Anyone with superhuman abilities must register under their real identity!"
"In addition, a Superhero Registration Act has been proposed, requiring all superheroes to register and submit to government oversight. They must report their activities and obtain approval before using their powers!"
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
That was fast.
The girls were shocked as well.
Every single person present qualified as "superhuman."
Especially Gwen, who looked completely stunned.
She only wanted to be a friendly neighbourhood hero.
How had it turned into mandatory registration?
"Ignore him," Marcus said dismissively. "A little power has gone to his head. He's digging his own grave."
"Will that really be okay?" Gwen asked worriedly. "It's the World Security Council. What if..."
At that moment, Sharon walked out.
"Gwen, doubting Marcus is a mistake," Sharon said with a smile. "Not to mention this is only a proposal. Even if it passes... do you really think Earth's laws can control us?"
"Exactly!" Darcy said playfully. "We're married to an alien. What do Earth's laws have to do with us?"
Sharon blinked.
Was that what she meant?
She had meant that Marcus was too powerful for Pierce to challenge.
After all...
Laws were created by the people at the top.
Meanwhile, Jean frowned.
"Fury originally promised us he would abolish the Mutant Registration Act..."
That was going to be difficult now.
Marcus wrapped an arm around Jean's shoulders and comforted her.
"Don't worry. Pierce won't be around much longer. Just wait."
With moves this drastic, Pierce was bound to get himself killed.
Besides...
Had Fury already noticed?
[Master, Alexander Pierce is requesting a video call!]
Speak of the devil.
"Put him through."
A projection appeared.
Pierce's face looked energetic and full of confidence.
Completely different from the exhausted old man he had been before.
"Look, our saviour!" Pierce laughed. "You've heard about the new legislation, right?"
Marcus nodded but said nothing.
"I was worried you might misunderstand, so I called personally," Pierce said with a smile. "Those laws only apply to Earth's internal affairs. As our alien friends, you and your family naturally aren't included."
Marcus smiled.
At least Pierce still knew who not to provoke.
"I'm not very interested in Earth's internal politics," Marcus replied. "As long as it doesn't bother me, I'm happy to watch the show."
The statement was blunt.
Yet Pierce continued smiling.
Old fox.
"Of course, of course," Pierce agreed. "Our previous agreement with S.H.I.E.L.D. still stands."
"While testing the Superhuman Registration Program, I discovered quite a few outstanding candidates."
"I'll send you the list. If anyone catches your eye, I'll make introductions."
Marcus had almost forgotten that S.H.I.E.L.D. planned to introduce women to him.
Pierce really was an old fox.
Very thoughtful.
"Fine. Send it over."
"If you need anything, just ask. As long as I can do it, I'll make it happen," Pierce said confidently.
"Don't worry. I won't be polite."
Pierce looked like he wanted to continue talking.
Marcus simply snapped his fingers and ended the call.
Pierce's smiling expression instantly turned cold.
He picked up the phone on his desk.
"Activate Decapitation Plan Level One."
Marcus put the matter aside and explained everything to the girls.
See?
It really had nothing to do with him.
"My husband is amazing!" Darcy said proudly.
"Of course he is. Whose husband do you think he is?" Sharon laughed.
Gwen finally relaxed.
Then...
"Marcus, could you talk to Xavier for me?" Jean asked.
"No problem," Marcus agreed immediately. "I'll also have Optimus Prime keep an eye on the academy."
Jean smiled again.
"Since there's a list, let's help you choose!"
"That's right! Let's review it together!" Darcy immediately became interested.
Sharon and Gwen also stared at Marcus.
Marcus laughed.
How could he refuse wives this open-minded?
With a wave of his hand,
Rob1 projected the entire list, complete with photos, personal information, abilities, and detailed records.
The four girls immediately began discussing enthusiastically.
"Wow! These are huge! Darcy, move over!"
"Still smaller than mine, and not as pretty."
"Look at this one! Such long legs! She's 1.9 meters tall!"
"Marcus is only 1.88. Do you think that's a good match?"
"Good point."
It was obvious that the four girls were seriously helping Marcus choose.
Meanwhile, Marcus sat back and watched them with amusement.
"Huh?"
"This one isn't bad!"
"She's on Darcy's level!"
"Pretty too!"
"Her ability is Telepathy?"
One profile received unanimous approval from all four girls.
It was presented directly to Marcus.
The woman had a beautiful face and a cold expression, which contrasted sharply with her stunning figure.
Sokovia.
Surname: Maximoff.
"Huh?"
Marcus frowned.
Wasn't this...
Wanda Maximoff?
The Scarlet Witch.
Possessor of Chaos Magic, a force comparable to the Phoenix Force and capable of altering reality itself.
In the comics, a single sentence, "No more mutants," nearly erased mutantkind.
Her power was obvious.
Wait.
The current Wanda should still be under HYDRA experimentation.
And,
Since Marcus had taken the Mind Stone, her abilities were much weaker.
The file only listed basic telepathy.
Even telekinesis hadn't awakened yet.
So...
Was she being sent to him just like Sharon had been?
But just like Sharon, Marcus didn't care about having a spy nearby.
And...
This was Wanda!
Her looks, power, and potential were all top-tier in Marvel.
Who would refuse?
"Interesting."
"Pierce has no idea what he's giving away..."
Marcus marked Wanda's file.
The four girls immediately understood.
The girls became even more enthusiastic and continued searching.
Marcus also watched to see whether there were any more hidden gems.
Unfortunately...
The others were either unfamiliar, unattractive, or lacked useful abilities.
In the end,
Only Wanda's file was sent back to Pierce.
Pierce's reply was equally interesting.
"This woman came from a research facility. Her brother has a strong hatred for Stark..."
Aside from omitting the fact that it was a HYDRA base, nearly all of Wanda's information was revealed.
Which made things interesting.
Was Wanda merely an observer?
Or was Pierce trying to drive a wedge between Marcus and Stark?
Marcus's answer was simple.
Compared to Wanda, how important was Stark?
"No problem. Just send me her address. I'll go personally."
Pierce didn't hesitate and immediately sent it.
A S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility on the outskirts of Sokovia.
"I'll go pick her up."
"Go!" Sharon urged. "Being treated like a test subject is torture. Every extra minute matters!"
"Yeah! Bring her back!" Darcy encouraged.
"Go!"
"Go!"
Seriously.
Having your wives encourage you to chase another woman felt like a fantasy story.
Marcus waved his hand and disappeared.
He appeared above a very familiar bunker.
"Tsk. So it really is here."
It was Baron Strucker's HYDRA base from Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Was Pierce planning something?
Marcus descended and walked directly to the entrance.
Although Baron Strucker didn't appear personally, he cleared the way and guided Marcus directly to the laboratory.
At the same time,
A message was sent to Pierce, indicating the plan had begun.
Marcus knew nothing about that.
He stood before a glass containment chamber.
Inside, Wanda still wore the black dress from her file photo.
She looked at him coldly.
Beside her,
Her brother Pietro stared just as coldly.
The hatred wasn't directed at Marcus.
The siblings had once had a happy family.
Then a shell fell from the sky and destroyed everything.
Afterward, they spent days trapped beside an unexploded Stark Industries missile.
How could they not hate Stark?
For revenge,
They had even volunteered for dangerous experiments.
Could anyone blame them?
"Why..."
Marcus sighed.
The glass chamber disappeared.
"I know who you are, Marcus the Saviour," Wanda said coldly. "They told me that as long as I marry you, you can help me get revenge. Is that true?"
Pietro pressed his lips together and stared at Marcus.
As long as Marcus agreed, Wanda would marry him.
And the price was Stark's life.
...
Did that even require consideration?
This was Scarlet Witch.
Who wouldn't want her?
As for whether it was a transaction...
Marcus smiled warmly.
"I don't like treating feelings as a trade."
"Especially not with you."
"I can help you get revenge first."
"We can talk about everything else later."
"What do you think?"
A flash of surprise crossed Wanda's face.
But it was quickly buried beneath hatred.
As long as she could kill her enemy...
"Okay."
"Good."
Marcus extended his hand.
"Come on. I'll take you to get your revenge."
Without hesitation, Wanda placed her hand in his.
Pietro tried to follow.
Marcus directly used the Phoenix Force and teleported all three of them away.
The rooftop of Stark Tower.
Tony Stark happened to be on the phone and was walking toward the roof with a serious expression.
The moment he saw Marcus, he looked overjoyed.
"Quick! Come save someone with me!"
"Nick Fury got sniped and he's dying!"
Marcus immediately understood.
So that was why Pierce had exposed the base.
A classic diversion.
"No rush. Let's deal with this first."
Marcus pointed at Wanda and Pietro.
The hatred in their eyes was intense.
Stark's hair practically stood on end.
"Who are these people?" Stark asked with a bad feeling.
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the sky.
"Do you want to kill him outright, or..."
"I'll kill you!"
Wanda screamed and charged straight at Stark.
Pietro followed immediately, moving so fast he left afterimages behind.
His fist smashed into Stark's eye socket first.
Then Wanda followed with a vicious kick.
Instantly shutting down any possibility of resistance.
The siblings didn't need weapons.
They simply beat Stark with their bare hands without mercy.
Soon blood was pouring from his mouth.
He was on the verge of collapse!
Ch 45- Thrashing Stark
Seeing Stark getting beaten half to death,
Marcus cast [Light of Recovery] and restored him to perfect condition.
Wanda and Pietro immediately looked over at him in confusion.
What are you doing?
"Motherfker!" Stark took the chance to shout, "J.A.R.V.I.S! Launch the Mk-43 armour!"
A steel suit burst out from the wall and flew toward Stark.
But...
Marcus moved a finger.
Using the [Phoenix Force], he wrapped up the armour and threw it directly into the Gate of Babylon.
Confiscated.
"Warning! Warning!" J.A.R.V.I.S announced. "You have violated public security regulations. Emergency services have been notified. Please cease criminal activity immediately. Please imme..."
"Silence."
The warning stopped instantly.
Marcus explained casually, "Keep beating him. Vent your anger. Just don't actually kill him."
Wanda and Pietro exchanged a look and nodded heavily.
Then they continued.
"Argh!"
"Marcus! What the hell are you doing?!"
"J.A.R.V.I.S! Call the police! No, notify the rest of the Avengers!"
"Share the screen direc..."
Pietro flew up and kicked half of Stark's teeth out.
Brutal.
As for J.A.R.V.I.S, Marcus did not stop him.
Whenever Stark was about to die, Marcus simply healed him back to full health.
"No!"
"I don't even know you!"
"Pfft..."
Pietro kicked him again and more teeth flew out.
Wanda got a little tired from hitting him and paused to rest.
[Light of Recovery]!
Wanda instantly recovered her stamina.
Marcus thoughtfully handed her the [Mind Scepter].
Wanda grabbed it and stabbed it straight into Stark's thigh.
"AAARGH!"
"Ding."
The elevator doors opened.
Pepper stepped out and immediately screamed at the scene.
"Oh my God! What the hell is happening?" Pepper shouted. "Stop them! Tony's going to be killed!"
Before Marcus could answer,
Crash!
Thor smashed through the window with Mjolnir pointed at Wanda.
"Freeze."
Thor stopped in midair.
Pepper froze as well.
Neither could move a single muscle.
Only their thoughts remained active.
No explanation was necessary.
Wanda and Pietro continued beating Stark as if nobody else existed.
"Ding."
The elevator rang again.
Banner rushed out.
Then froze.
Why was Marcus standing there doing nothing while Stark was getting beaten?
Why couldn't Pepper and Thor move?
There was too much information to process.
Then Banner saw Wanda raise the [Mind Scepter] and thrust it toward Stark's heart.
"Wait, wait..."
Banner raised a hand and was frozen in place too.
Psst!
The [Mind Scepter] pierced through Stark's heart.
Blood splashed everywhere, only to be blocked by a layer of orange energy.
Pietro, standing nearby, got sprayed with blood.
Stark's eyes widened as he stared at Marcus.
He actually...
Really watched him die.
Unwillingness, confusion, anger...
In the end, everything faded.
His head dropped and only his open eyes remained.
The siblings stood there silently.
There was relief, freedom, and a strange emptiness in their eyes.
Buzz.
Green energy flowed over Stark's body.
The blood flowed backward.
The wound healed.
The [Mind Scepter] backed out.
Stark revived on the spot, fully restored.
The siblings, having finally gotten revenge, suddenly felt lost.
What now?
Even Stark looked confused as he stared at Marcus.
"What the hell are you trying to do?"
"Oh, I'm worried one death won't satisfy them," Marcus said casually. "So let them kill you again."
Stark stared at him in disbelief.
What kind of logic was that?
Looking at Wanda and Pietro again, neither of them continued.
Their eyes were full of confusion.
Stark suddenly realized something.
The anger in his eyes faded.
He looked at the siblings with a complicated expression.
"You... were attacked by Stark Industries weapons?"
One sentence instantly reignited the hatred in Wanda and Pietro.
One grabbed the [Mind Scepter].
The other grabbed a chair.
Both started attacking Stark again.
Now Stark understood.
He curled up and protected his head while letting them vent.
Whirr, whirr, whirr!
Armed helicopters appeared outside.
A large number of NYPD officers rappelled through the windows and aimed their weapons...
Then froze.
The entire situation confused them.
The Savior?
The Avengers?
Everyone was here.
Why was the police needed?
Wait.
Tony Stark was getting beaten up?
The officers immediately aimed at the siblings.
"Stop!"
The person shouting was Stark himself.
"Who told you to come? Leave! Nobody called the police!"
The NYPD officers were speechless.
Wanda and Pietro were equally stunned.
What was Stark doing?
At that moment,
A streak of yellow light descended from the sky.
George appeared.
Even as director, he still looked too young to seem intimidating.
Then he froze too.
He looked at Marcus with questioning eyes.
How should this be handled?
"Just a personal grudge," Marcus said casually. "Nothing serious."
"That's right! Personal grudge! Everybody leave!" Stark immediately agreed.
George: "..."
What else could he say?
"Stand down. Withdraw."
George activated Yellow Lantern flight and left.
The officers who had rappelled in could only retreat through the elevators.
"Left side! Use the left side!" Stark shouted. "The middle one is my private elevator! The employee elevator is on the left!"
Seriously?
This was what he cared about right now?
As the NYPD evacuated,
Marcus looked at Thor, Banner, and Pepper.
"I'm releasing you. Don't ask any questions. Otherwise I'll freeze you again."
Snap.
The time stop ended.
Although Thor and Banner were confused, they quietly moved aside and whispered to each other.
Pepper ignored everything and rushed toward Stark.
Then she got frozen again.
Marcus created chicken drumsticks and started watching Wanda and Pietro while snacking.
"Go on. Why'd you stop?"
Hearing that,
Stark skillfully curled into a ball.
A true professional.
Wanda: "..."
Pietro: "..."
How were they supposed to continue now?
The room fell silent.
Only the sound of Marcus eating remained.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
After a while,
Stark cautiously poked his head out.
The Wanda siblings looked at him with complicated expressions.
"Done beating me?" Stark asked carefully. "Maybe we can talk?"
"We have nothing to say to you!" Pietro snapped. "Executioner! Murderer! War criminal!"
The moment Stark heard those words, he knew he had guessed correctly.
Without standing up, he sat directly on the floor and apologized.
"Can you tell me where you were attacked by Stark Industries weapons?"
"Sokovia!" Wanda gritted out. "You greedy arms dealer! You sold weapons to terrorists! You deserve to die!"
Her anger exploded.
She raised the [Mind Scepter] and stabbed forward.
Stark gritted his teeth but did not dodge.
Psst!
A clean headshot.
Even Wanda took a frightened step back.
Marcus, having already frozen Pepper, casually reversed time and revived Stark again.
Stark's face was pale, but his eyes were bright.
"J.A.R.V.I.S, check Obadiah's transaction records. Was there anything involving Sokovia?"
Marcus lifted the speech restriction.
"Sir, there were three transactions involving Sokovia. All were made with a criminal organization. The transaction dates were..."
"The weapons were used for..."
J.A.R.V.I.S projected all related records while reporting them.
Stark smiled bitterly.
Case closed.
Then he looked seriously at the Wanda siblings.
"Since Stark Industries was founded, weapons were supposed to be sold only to the U.S. military."
"But after I took over, I focused only on research and development."
"Obadiah handled the sales."
"He wanted money. He didn't care who paid for the weapons."
"The Sokovia orders did come from Stark Industries."
"But they were never authorized by me."
"I'm not saying this to avoid responsibility."
"I'm saying it so you'll know your real enemy wasn't me."
That was also why Stark stopped resisting.
Because he genuinely felt guilty.
Of course,
The main reason was that Marcus was present, so nobody could actually die.
Might as well let them vent.
"Do you think we'll believe that?" Pietro said with hatred. "Records can be forged."
Wanda also looked doubtful.
Subconsciously, she looked toward Marcus.
"Don't ask me." Marcus shrugged. "You have telepathy, don't you? The scepter amplifies it. Search his mind and find out yourself."
Wanda narrowed her eyes.
Stark simply spread his hands.
"I'm right here. Go ahead."
Being mind-read was uncomfortable.
But he had nothing to hide.
Wanda remained silent.
Crimson energy flowed from her hand into the Mind Stone embedded in the [Mind Scepter].
She touched the scepter to Stark's forehead.
Playboy.
Inheritance.
Years of research.
Almost being killed by his own weapons.
Shutting down the weapons division.
Obadiah stealing the Arc Reactor.
Working with Pepper to defeat Obadiah.
One memory after another.
Everything was clear.
Evidence could be forged.
Memories could not.
Clang.
The [Mind Scepter] fell to the floor.
Wanda took a step back.
Her eyes were empty.
All those years of hatred...
She had hated the wrong person.
Seeing her reaction, Pietro understood immediately.
He nearly shut down mentally.
This was...
"Where is that man?" Pietro gritted out. "I'll kill him myself!"
Stark smiled bitterly.
"Sorry. I already killed him."
Pietro was completely broken.
What had all those years been for?
"It's not impossible," Marcus suddenly said. "Where is Obadiah buried?"
Stark froze.
Then his eyes widened.
No way...
"You're serious...? Fine."
He gave the location.
Marcus waved his hand.
The [Phoenix Force] connected everyone present.
Then they teleported to a cemetery.
Marcus produced two shovels and pointed at a tombstone.
"There."
"Dig him up."
"I'll resurrect him so you can kill him yourselves."
Wanda: ∑(-QAQ:)
Pietro: ∑(⊃QQ:)
Holy sh*t.
Holy sh*t!
This revenge method...
Might be the craziest thing in Earth's history.
Even grave robbing wasn't this outrageous.
Now that was satisfying revenge.
The siblings immediately grabbed the shovels and started digging.
When they got tired,
Marcus handed them milk.
Instant full recovery.
Stark and the others watched in silence.
Never offend Marcus.
Ever.
Death itself might become a luxury.
Taking advantage of the opportunity,
Stark moved beside Marcus and pointed at his bruised face.
Could he get healed?
"Don't act like you're innocent," Marcus said casually. "Keep suffering for a while."
What could Stark say?
He went back to Pepper for emotional support.
Thor cautiously walked over.
He looked like he wanted to say something.
Marcus's methods were terrifying.
Thor genuinely didn't know how to start.
"If you've got something to say, say it," Marcus laughed. "Am I really that scary?"
Thor subconsciously nodded.
Then immediately shook his head.
"Well, actually..."
"The Bifrost is broken."
"I can't return to Asgard."
"I'd like to borrow the Space Stone from you."
"As soon as the Bifrost is repaired, I'll return it."
Marcus had no intention of handing over a Stone.
He still wanted to study it himself.
So...
Marcus closed his eyes.
Through Vishanti's [Book of Contract], he contacted its only connected believer.
He sent a message.
A divine revelation.
The next second,
Sparks flew.
A portal opened.
The Ancient One stepped out and bowed slightly to Marcus.
"You summoned me?"
Marcus pointed at Thor.
"He wants to go back to Asgard. Open a portal for him."
The Ancient One: "..."
The Supreme Sorcerer had been called here for this?
Thor, meanwhile, didn't know who she was.
He assumed she was one of Marcus's subordinates.
"My brother Loki is coming too," Thor said. "Come with me and pick him up."
"..."
Marcus looked at Thor with admiration.
That took courage.
Fortunately,
The Ancient One had excellent self-control.
She simply nodded.
"Very well. Odin and I haven't seen each other in a hundred years."
Good grief.
Was she planning to settle old scores face to face?
Thor looked surprised.
"You know my father?"
"Yes." The Ancient One replied calmly. "We've fought before. It's a pity he's old now and can't fight at full strength."
Thor: "..."
Holy sh*t.
Even he realized it now.
This was a terrifying boss.
Thinking about how he had just spoken to her...
Thor looked at Marcus helplessly.
You could've warned me!
The Ancient One beckoned.
A strand of Thor's hair flew into her hand.
She tossed it casually.
A portal opened, revealing Loki on the other side.
With another wave,
Portals appeared beneath both Thor and Loki.
Whoosh.
The brothers vanished.
The Ancient One turned to leave.
"Wait."
Marcus stopped her.
"Give me the contract book."
The Ancient One paused.
She opened a small portal, took out the Book of Contract, and handed it over.
Marcus wrote a few lines inside and returned it.
The Ancient One glanced at the page.
Then froze on the spot.
Magic immunity…
Seriously?