It wasn't until now that Malrick truly began to grasp the abilities of his third clone.
He had originally created this clone to pursue idealistic powers — and that goal had now been far surpassed.
This Rejedo (Rege Duo) Clone already held the potential to become a conceptual being. Everything else was a remarkable bonus.
Malrick felt his clone's new talents awakening:
Conceptual Entity of the Cosmic Will: the embodiment of universal justice and order.
m‑Body: the ability to condense its essence across multiple universes (and, once fully conceptual, to compress its m‑body at will).
Incarnation: Rejedo's light splitting into two forms, manifesting as bodies of Justice and Cosmos.
Aurora: an ultimate radiance born from the Great Cosmic Will, tied to fundamental principles like light, time, and space.
Aurora Power: the ability to absorb incoming attacks with its body and return them magnified.
Spark Legend: spinning the body to instantly unleash all of its latent powers.
Rejedo Teleportation: high-speed teleportation enabled by ultra-telekinesis.
Stasis: the capacity to render the surrounding universal space motionless.
Telekinesis
Defense
One Mind, One Body, and more.
This suite of talents exceeded Malrick's expectations. Even his primary self, modified by Source Will, had never displayed such a broad array of abilities. Spark Legend, once considered the ultimate universal skill, now existed as a mere talent within this clone.
Originally, the Rejedo Clone was already formidable. Now, combined with Aurora Power and Spark Legend, it possessed the strength to obliterate a star system. In the Starry Sky World, that placed him on par with a nascent Universe Venerable.
Malrick couldn't help but think wryly, "So that's what they mean by 'you can't get something for nothing.'"
He decided to invest in this clone first, to deepen his understanding of the Time Stone. He had not forgotten his broader goal: to break through to Immortality.
Reaching Immortality was simpler than most believed — all he needed was complete comprehension of the Law of Light. With the Rejedo Clone's abilities, he was confident he could master it fully in just a few days.
Still, he could not yet transcend.
Once Immortal, his inner World would transform into an external Divine Kingdom. He needed, first, to secure an unclaimed spatial fragment large enough to host this Divine Kingdom. He also needed his inner World to harmonize with domain rules. He planned to study the universe's fundamental principles from within, using the Infinity Stones. It would be like immersing himself in the very source of the cosmos.
But if his inner World became a Divine Kingdom, could he still use the Stones inside? Could they help him comprehend cosmic rules then? There was uncertainty. So Malrick resolved to fully master the rules tied to the Stones he already possessed before transforming.
Thanks to the Rejedo Clone, his plan was simpler: Blood Clone would master space, Rejedo would master time, and Blacklight would master reality. Coupled with time acceleration, he believed he could fully command those three fundamental rules within two or three years. The remaining rules — Mind, Soul, and Power — could come later.
Regarding his other Stones, he casually contacted his Skrull allies in another part of the universe, instructing them to seize the Mind and Power Stones. Only last month, they had launched an assault on Thanos. The Skrulls, relentless as locusts, attacked only Thanos's forces, just as Malrick had ordered.
Thanos, known as the Cosmic Tyrant, had earned the universe's fear, but his aggression drew many to encircle the Skrulls. The Kree, embroiled in civil war, put aside their differences and formed a united front. The Shi'ar sent a small fleet. Even the Cosmic Raiders, led by Yondu, joined in — this time supposedly on the side of justice. Meanwhile, Ego the Living Planet, The Collector, the Grandmaster — all tried to take advantage.
Some aimed to kill Thanos, others sought the Skrulls for ransom, and a few planned to abduct them for breeding. The universe descended into chaos.
When Malrick received a report from Gaya, daughter of a former Skrull general, he felt a thrill of apprehension. If everyone knew the Skrulls answered to him, his reputation would shift from benevolent savior to feared overlord.
But in his eyes, the Skrull were expendable. His only order was to retrieve the Mind Stone — no matter the cost.
The situation for the Skrulls remained dire. Thanos held the Mind Stone. To take it, they first had to break through his fleet's blockade, then defeat the Black Order. By the time they reached Thanos, only a handful of Skrulls — perhaps seven or eight out of hundreds — remained coherent. These survivors, mentally battered by the Stone's power, often retreated to gather themselves before charging again.
Even though they served Malrick, they still fell prey to Thanos's mental manipulation. Unless they betrayed Malrick, their loyalty remained intact, but the Mind Stone continued to be a formidable barrier.
Malrick instructed Gaya to have his Skrulls strike Morag, an abandoned planet, to secure the Cosmic Orb — the Power Stone. He believed it would not be long before another Stone was in his grasp. Yet he wasn't desperate; he still needed to master what he already held. With the Skrulls pressuring Thanos, perhaps Thanos would rush to find other Stones, like the Soul Stone, which demanded a sacrifice of love.
With his plans laid out, Malrick finally stood, facing the sunlight from a cliff's edge. He stretched his arms, calling out, "Diana, Kara — it's time for us to leave!"
The two women, who had been browsing magical tomes at the academy, joined him. Together, they exited through a wooden door on the fringe of their small world. From Kamar-Taj, they soared across the Pacific Ocean, all the way to New York.
As they traveled, Malrick explained local customs and traditions. Eventually they arrived at a spacious Brooklyn apartment. There, Natasha and the others were waiting. Malrick introduced his companions, and Natasha greeted them warmly — she adored expanding their family; she likened it to the Men in Black, saying what she missed most was a real family.
Young Sherry was overjoyed. She kept staring at Diana and Kara — here were living comic book heroines.
Yelena raised a spatula, promising to cook a grand feast in their honor, but Natasha gently stopped her: even Sherry couldn't stomach her cooking.