The swirling projection flickered with ominous intensity as the names materialized.
"Thanos!!" someone gasped.
"Gorr!?" another voice echoed in shock.
"Is that Stark Tower? It's filled with cosmic villains. Could what Jarvis said actually be true?"
Every face shown in the projection was a well‑known villain, each capable of upheaval on a universal scale.
It was impossible to believe these individuals, who could each wreak havoc alone, had somehow assembled together.
The Superheroes stared in stunned silence as the scene continued.
Inside the hologram, four figures sat around a sleek cocktail bar at the top of Stark Tower. Thanos rested one massive arm on the bar, while in his other hand he held four gleaming gems.
Four Infinity Stones.
The sight was terrifying.
Yet strangely, no one reacted in awe.
These once mythical treasures, the Infinity Stones, had been beyond reach for most defenders of the universe. Now, on the Dimension Continent, they were no longer unheard of. They were still rare, but no longer unimaginable.
Once, Thanos armed with even a single gem would have struck fear into every hero. But since aiding the merging of countless universes into the God‑Kingdom Universe, the Superheroes had faced many Thanos variants. He was no longer an unbeatable final threat, merely a formidable opponent among many.
While the sight of four stones drew attention, the greater concern was what the High Evolutionary was saying.
Clad in dark purple battle armor, the High Evolutionary leaned on the bar, his expression unreadable beneath the mask. His gaze fixed on the stones in Thanos's hand.
"Why not allow White Can to also take these four gems? With five stones, would his odds not improve?" he asked.
Thanos shook his massive head. "It is unnecessary. He is confident. I believe in him, and you should as well. He is a man burdened by wisdom."
"Besides," Thanos added while studying the stones, "bringing these gems onto that continent is not simple."
The High Evolutionary frowned, agitated. "Alright, alright. But that other Iron Man is also burdened by wisdom, and he has someone backing him!"
His impatience grew. He struck the bar and began pacing beside the stools.
"It has been half a day, and White Can still has not returned. What if the plan failed? What if it was exposed? What if he leads them to us…"
He trailed off into anxious muttering, pacing back and forth like a restless animal.
Nearby, the white‑haired old man Ego, who had been rolling dice, looked annoyed. He frowned and said, "Enough. Calm yourself, Mortal. That Iron Man crafted a detailed plan. Whether it succeeds or fails, we can handle it."
The silent, bald figure Gorr nodded. "We simply follow the plan."
The High Evolutionary glanced at Ego, then Gorr, then Thanos. These three cosmic forces were composed and unshaken. When he opened his mouth again, his words came out in a rambling rush.
"Very well, let us review the plan again. First, White Can uses his connections to bring the Space Stone to the Dimension Continent via the TVA, then uses it to defeat the Iron Man from the S Universe. Next he will seize the chance to capture that Iron Man, using his ties with someone he cares about as leverage. Our intelligence indicates that person values family above all else. With the S Universe Iron Man in hand, we can negotiate…"
He continued explaining, stepping through each point with increasing urgency and verbosity, as if convincing himself.
"If the plan works, we will step over every obstacle to seize control of the Multiverse! Then Thanos can pursue his desired culling of life, Gorr can resurrect his daughter, Ego can pursue whatever pleasures he seeks, and White Can can chase the freedom he desires. And I…"
His voice rose with manic excitement.
"I will use the entire Multiverse for experiments, use that person's core essence for study, and lead all life toward ultimate evolution, ultimate transcendence!"
He laughed with wild fervor, lost in his own grand delusions.
Thanos regarded him calmly. "Dreaming of the future is for after success. For now you should contemplate failure."
The words struck cold. The High Evolutionary froze, trembling, as if encased in ice. He was the weakest of the four and feared failure above all.
"Yes... failure," he stammered. "If the Kryptonite fails, if the plan collapses… then we fall back and negotiate with that person to share control of the Multiverse. That is not a bad outcome."
"But if we fail outright, like if we cannot capture Iron Man, or if that person does not value him… then we execute the final step: surrender and admit our errors."
Their intelligence had concluded that their target was a traditional superhero. He sought consent before saving worlds and created the Dimension Continent as a place for communication when humans expressed unease. Such a hero, respectful of humanity and hopeful that everyone could be saved, might be swayed by repentance and public support.
The High Evolutionary spoke rapidly, soothing his own fears. He finished with a deep exhale as tension left him.
Meanwhile, Thanos toyed with the Infinity Stones and nodded.
"If we fail, we lie low and wait for another chance," he said firmly, clutching the gems. His resolve was clear and unbreakable. The others looked at him almost with admiration — a villain needed that sort of fearless spirit.
Back on the Dimension Continent, after watching the projection, White Can's expression went blank.
Every hero present felt the same uneasy surprise. They had never expected their plan to be so thoroughly exposed, and with such brazenness.
Party Thor and the Rocket Raccoon variant exchanged worried glances.
Tony Stark's cheek twitched with fury.
"What nonsense is this!? You can't handle Malrick, so you think I'm an easy target?"
In a burst of rage, Tony leapt forward. His superhuman physique let him lift White Can's Iron Man armor with one hand and yank the other by the collar, his eyes flickering with red intensity.
Whether out of fear that Malrick might be implicated or anger at being underestimated, he spoke through clenched teeth.
"You can't handle Malrick's reflection of kill intent, so you target me? Great plan, truly great!"
His voice trembled with rage as he launched a powerful punch.
Without armor, White Can was struck with such force that he flew backward. Teeth shattered and consciousness slipping, his life hung by a thread.
Everyone stared in shock.
They had assumed Tony's strength was tied to his armor. No one expected him to be capable of a single strike with such devastating power.
Still burning with fury, Tony tore open his collar, revealing his muscular torso, ready to leap forward again and continue the assault.
But a robot controlled by Jarvis intervened.
"This is a live broadcast," the robot said quietly, gesturing toward the still‑hovering projection.
He did not need to say more. Everyone's attention snapped back to the screen.
===
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