After watching Wanda's latest performance, Shin couldn't help but glance at her in astonishment. She had only just received the Uchiha bloodline, and yet she had already awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan, bypassing the three-tomoe stage entirely. That level of talent wasn't just remarkable, it was extraordinary.
Wanda's Mangekyō Sharingan had a unique and versatile ability, it could dynamically enhance any one of her existing powers at a time. Whether it was her physical strength, illusions, reality manipulation, telekinesis, telepathy, or even her Susanoo, the Mangekyō could amplify it like a buff. However, only one enhancement could be active at any given moment, and switching between them required her to use her reality-warping ability to recalibrate.
This power was an ideal match for Wanda. Her natural affinity for chaos magic and reality manipulation was already versatile to the point of being overwhelming. The Mangekyō's buff ability allowed her to optimize rather than overload, giving her a level of precision control that made her arsenal even more dangerous.
In addition, Wanda tapped into the Kurama clan's illusory prowess, refining her reality modifications. With it, she could weave illusion into tangible form, crafting barriers, forming alternate dimensions, and even creating illusory constructs capable of combat. If needed, she could even enhance her own body to fight in close quarters, reinforcing her physical form with chakra.
Though Wanda's current strength still fell short of the chaos-wielding Scarlet Witch from the original Marvel Universe, her combat capabilities already placed her firmly in the Omega-level mutant category.
What truly stood out now, however, was her flexibility. Unlike chaos magic and mutant abilities, which were unpredictable and lacked structure, chakra and Devil Fruit powers offered a defined system with rules, training methods, and a clearer growth path. This made them not only easier to control but also easier to master.
After these upgrades, Shin spent some time accompanying Wanda in her training.
Meanwhile, Earth remained unusually active. Grid was still moving behind the scenes, causing occasional disruptions, but Luthor's new artificial intelligence, Brainiac, was keeping it in check. Brainiac relentlessly pursued Grid, forcing it to retreat deeper into cyberspace.
Interestingly, when 'Lightspeed' Flash heard the name "Brainiac," he immediately urged Luthor to dismantle it. According to him, Brainiac posed an even greater threat to Earth than the Grid.
Despite the warnings, the current situation didn't support such action. For now, the Grid's computing capabilities actually surpassed Brainiac's, and its destructive potential had already been witnessed firsthand. Unlike Brainiac, Grid had already tried to plunge the world into digital ruin. So dismantling Luthor's AI wasn't an option just yet.
Thanks to Brainiac's location-tracking capabilities, Grid's operations were confined to cyberspace. Its physical infrastructure, secret labs, robot assembly lines, and nanoparticle factories had all been destroyed. This meant it could no longer manufacture drones or influence the real world, bringing a fragile calm back to Earth.
On one particular day, 'Lightspeed' Flash decided it was time to return to his home universe.
He felt conflicted about the time he had spent in this world. On one hand, it had been a blissfully relaxing experience. On the other hand, it left him feeling out of place like a guest overstaying his welcome.
Why had it been so relaxing? Simply put, the villains in this world were far less dangerous and numerous than those in the comic universe. As a member of the Justice League, Flash often faced powerful enemies. Yet, compared to Gotham's Arkham madhouse, Central City's villains were practically saints.
In truth, most of the Flash's comic book enemies just wanted to rob a few banks, get some notoriety, and maybe have a rematch after a short prison stint. Even if Flash ignored them for a week, the city's crime rate wouldn't skyrocket.
With that context, the Flash found life in this world too easy. His battle-hardened reflexes and training allowed him to subdue local threats before they could blink. He ended up taking on odd jobs just to stay active, repairing rooftops, delivering food, and even running errands for kids. It didn't take long before he grew restless.
Worse still, he had only partially completed his personal mission. The long-term effects of his interference in the multiverse were still unknown.
And when it came to global crises, like dealing with Grid, there was little he could contribute. Barry Allen was a forensic scientist, not a tech expert. Hacking into a sentient AI was well beyond his skill set. Even as a superhero, he could only admit, "I'm out of my depth."
Recognizing that he couldn't help much here, he decided to return.
This time, however, Shin expressed interest in traveling with him. Wanda also wished to go, eager to test her newly awakened powers.
Quicksilver was equally intrigued. His fascination with the DC world had only grown. Perhaps seeing Wanda's eventual marriage to Vision in the original timeline had unnerved him. That future, and the potential mental instability it brought, made him question whether protecting his sister too closely might backfire.
Supporting Wanda was one thing, but if that support led her into the arms of an emotionless robot and a spiral of psychological collapse, then maybe distance was healthier for both of them.
Elsewhere, the Ancient One had grown obsessed with a new form of magic. In this world, Heaven and Hell seemed to be absent. Shin had yet to encounter Constantine or Doctor Fate. Still, remnants of mystical energy lingered, manifested in individuals like Shazam and Wonder Woman. In this universe, divine power and arcane magic were intertwined.
Without the Time Stone and no longer holding the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One was content to live quietly and pursue scholarly magical research. Until he unraveled the mysteries of this world's divine magic, he had no intention of joining the others in multiversal travel.
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