Ch 52- New Base
Optimus Prime looked troubled and hesitantly glanced at Sentinel Prime.
Kill his own teacher?
That really wasn't in his nature.
But...
Could he disobey his king's order?
Seeing his hesitation, Sentinel Prime immediately saw hope.
"He's trying to drive a wedge between us!" Sentinel Prime shouted. "We're the same race! He's just an alien! An outsider! He's..."
"Boom!"
A figure shot past Optimus Prime. The jet exhaust swept across his face, forcing him to cover it.
When he could see again,
Bonecrusher, Barricade, Jazz, and Bumblebee had already pinned Sentinel Prime down, while Megatron shoved his fusion cannon into Sentinel Prime's mouth.
"Drive a wedge between us? You're the unstable element here!"
Optimus Prime subconsciously raised a hand to stop them, but froze halfway.
He turned his head away, closed his eyes, and remained silent.
"Boom!"
A muffled blast rang out.
Sentinel Prime's head was blown apart, and his body was dragged away like scrap metal.
"Compassion doesn't make a good commander." Marcus looked at Optimus Prime. "Cybertron is about to be rebuilt. There will be a lot of work to do. Your personality is too cautious and not decisive enough."
Optimus Prime smiled bitterly and lowered his head.
"I have failed you, my king."
Marcus didn't respond and simply moved on.
"Megatron isn't bad. He's decisive enough," he said. "From now on, you'll be the leader of Cybertron."
Megatron was overjoyed.
"Yes, my king! Megatron will not fail your trust!"
Optimus Prime and the other Autobots sighed helplessly.
But they understood.
If Optimus Prime could act as decisively as Megatron, he wouldn't be Optimus Prime.
...
With a wave of Marcus's hand, cube after cube of Vibranium appeared, piling up into a massive wall around the playground.
"Use these wisely. If you run out, ask me for more," Marcus said.
"Thank you for your gift, my king!" Megatron declared. "With this Vibranium, I guarantee I'll build a powerful army!"
Marcus nodded casually before turning his attention to the boxes on the ground.
Inside were the Space Bridge pillars. Once assembled into a complete system, they could open a massive Space Bridge and transport the entire planet Cybertron.
After thinking for a moment,
Marcus vanished and returned ten seconds later with an excited Jane Foster.
"Jane, go with Megatron and the others. You'll absorb solar energy faster on New Krypton, and you can help choose a location for the new Cybertron while you're there."
"No problem! Leave it to me!" Jane said excitedly. "A giant Space Bridge! If we can understand this technology, humanity could enter the era of interplanetary migration!"
Jane ran over and touched the pillars one by one, her eyes practically glowing.
Marcus wasn't surprised. Scientists were always like this.
He then placed the Black Teleportation monolith on the ground, activated it in front of Megatron, and told them to record the frequency.
"Copy this frequency signal."
Shockwave stepped forward from the crowd. A device extended from his shoulder, and after a few adjustments, he successfully activated the Black Teleportation monolith.
"Good." Marcus nodded in satisfaction. "Work out the details yourselves. Call me when you're ready to open the large Space Bridge."
"Yes, my king!"
Jane had already entered full scientist mode and wasn't paying attention to anything else.
Marcus didn't mind.
The more focused she was now,
The easier it would be to persuade her later when he asked for things.
There was plenty of time.
Activating his mental scan, Marcus planned to locate Lauren.
"Huh?"
In a flash, he appeared beside Lorna.
"When did you get here?" Marcus asked with a smile. "You were exhausted last night. Shouldn't you be resting?"
Lorna looked full of energy.
Tired? What was that?
"I didn't expect things to move this fast!" Lorna said excitedly. "There are sixteen batches arriving today, over four hundred mutants in total. I need to keep an eye on everything."
"Hmm..." Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to put all of them here? This is still a Transformer base. It wasn't designed for human living."
Lorna immediately realized the problem.
The previous shelter only housed a few hundred people and made use of abandoned buildings.
She had never considered something on this scale.
"We could find an area in the city?" she suggested.
Marcus shook his head.
"A mutant gathering area is bound to attract trouble. Putting it too close to ordinary people might not be a good idea either."
Lorna scratched her head.
She was completely out of her depth now.
In the end, she simply looked at Marcus.
"do you have any ideas?"
With her pleading expression, it was hard to refuse.
"If the problem is lacking a place to live, then build a city," Marcus said casually.
Lorna's eyes widened.
The scale of that idea was unbelievable.
And besides...
Would the United States really allow a brand-new city to appear out of nowhere?
Then she remembered Marcus's identity and strength and immediately relaxed.
A proud smile appeared on her face.
Such an incredible husband was hers.
Just then,
Several unexpected figures appeared in the distance.
Professor X led the group, followed by Logan, Ororo, and the other teachers. Behind them were students like Bobby, Kitty, and Colossus.
The entire school had come.
Marcus and Lorna exchanged glances before walking over.
"Charles, what's all this?" Marcus asked.
Xavier didn't hide anything.
He answered honestly.
"The creation of Dawn is a historic moment for mutantkind. We can't afford internal divisions, so we've come to join you."
Even though they had already guessed it,
Hearing Xavier say it directly still felt strange.
Who was Xavier?
Professor X.
The former symbol of mutant hope.
The founder of the only officially recognized mutant sanctuary.
And now...
He had come to join Lorna.
Just from that alone, his character and vision were worthy of respect.
Because now,
Mutants only had one choice.
Dawn.
What kind of power would emerge once countless mutants gathered together?
Marcus was looking forward to finding out.
"Perfect timing," Marcus said. "Lorna is planning to build a mutant city. We'll use your old school grounds as the foundation, and this Transformer base can support it as well."
Good grief.
Even Xavier and the others looked at Lorna in surprise.
Their instincts told them that such a major decision probably wasn't Lorna's idea.
But since Marcus said it was,
Then the credit naturally belonged to Lorna.
So...
Ch 53- Angry Pierce
"No problem!" Xavier said without hesitation. "My family trust still has tens of billions. It can be used for city construction!"
Marcus didn't refuse.
Although he wasn't short on money, there was no reason to dampen someone else's enthusiasm.
"Everyone, help me get things organized," Lorna took the initiative. "There are too many people. John and the others are overwhelmed."
Ororo and the other teachers immediately spread out to help.
Calming emotions, arranging accommodations, distributing supplies.
The situation, which had been somewhat chaotic before, quickly came under control and gradually became organized.
John, Marcos, and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They had only ever run a small operation before. They had no experience managing something on this scale.
Xavier had arrived at the perfect time.
Lorna didn't put on any airs either. She followed behind him and learned everything step by step.
Marcus had already provided so much support. If she still couldn't manage things properly, she would truly be letting him down.
Xavier stood beside Marcus, looking at the harmonious scene in front of them.
"I've imagined this day many times, but I never thought it would be an alien who brought us this change."
Marcus shrugged.
"Strictly speaking, all of this happened because of Lorna."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered."
The blunt answer made Xavier smile helplessly.
Sometimes...
What you spend your whole life chasing is effortless for someone else.
Was that fair?
Probably not.
At that moment,
[Master, Kara is calling!]
Hmm?
Did Supergirl miss him?
Marcus answered with a smile.
A moment later, his expression turned cold.
Xavier immediately noticed.
They had been chatting just fine. Why the sudden change?
"I have something to take care of. I'm leaving first."
Without waiting for a reply, Marcus disappeared.
Leaving Xavier rubbing his bald head.
"Someone's about to have a very bad day."
Michigan, Kara's home.
Marcus teleported directly into the house.
Kara was slumped on the sofa looking sick.
Her brows were tightly furrowed.
Marcus stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
He first used the Horse Talisman to cure her cold, then used Mental Scan to check her condition inside and out.
"Not a single bit of solar energy left? No wonder you caught a cold." Marcus looked surprised. "What happened? How did you use up so much energy?"
Kara smiled bitterly.
"Didn't I tell you before that I was helping the military test weapons?"
"They developed a robot specifically designed to counter Kryptonians."
"Someone modified it and set it loose in the city to lure me out. After fighting it, I ended up like this."
A cold light flashed in Marcus's eyes.
The military?
Someone dared target his woman?
They had a death wish.
But now wasn't the time to deal with that.
Marcus tapped Kara on the forehead.
"If you can't handle something, call for backup."
"Why didn't you call me? Where's Clark?"
Kara looked embarrassed.
"He... went on his honeymoon."
Good grief.
So he'd finally settled down?
Marcus sighed and stood up.
"You're basically a normal person right now. I'll stay with you for the next few days."
"Really?" Kara asked happily, then hesitated. "Wouldn't... the others mind?"
"Let's ask them."
Marcus projected multiple screens and connected to his wives.
Some were training at Kamar-Taj.
Some were doing research in laboratories.
Some were out among the crowds.
Others were relaxing in quiet cafes.
For the first time, Kara realized Marcus's wives all had lives of their own.
Marcus briefly explained Kara's situation.
"Why even hesitate?" Diana said directly. "Stay there and take care of her for a few days."
"Yeah!" Darcy said reluctantly. "Even though we won't see you for a few days, Kara needs you more right now!"
That only made Kara feel more guilty.
She felt like an outsider monopolizing someone else's husband.
"Actually, if Kara doesn't mind, she can stay at Dawn Tower," Sharon suggested.
Kara was tempted, but still hesitated.
Then Faora delivered the perfect assist.
"If your solar energy reserves are depleted, I can research a solar energy supplement. But I'll need your cooperation, Kara."
Now Kara had no reason to refuse.
"Okay..." Kara said cautiously. "Then... I'll stay there for a few days?"
"Woo! Welcome!" Darcy cheered.
"Don't worry, it's great here," Esme assured her.
"Marcus personally flew to London to bring me back before. It's a good chance to get familiar with everyone," Diana said warmly.
During the daytime, Dawn Tower was usually quiet.
Everyone was busy studying, researching, or training.
Diana happened to have time and could keep Kara company.
All of Marcus's wives understood the complicated relationship between Kara and Marcus.
Since Kara had already been brought here, there was no way they were letting her escape.
Soon,
Kara found herself brought to Dawn Tower in a daze.
She was a little nervous at first.
Then Diana directly chased Marcus away.
"Go on. We'll take a look around ourselves. Go do whatever you need to do."
Marcus looked at Kara.
Kara hesitated slightly.
Remembering their previous battle together and her conversation with Diana,
She finally nodded.
"Alright. Do whatever you need to do."
Marcus smiled.
"I'll have Rob1 temporarily handle the building's management. If you need anything, just ask."
"Go, go. Stop standing around here," Diana said.
Marcus shrugged and left.
Kara visibly relaxed.
Being alone with Marcus here always felt like they were having an affair.
It was awkward.
Marcus trusted Diana completely.
Once Kara got past the awkward stage and became comfortable with everyone, she wouldn't be able to escape.
All he needed to do now was give her some space.
As for the general responsible for this mess?
Marcus couldn't be bothered tracking him down personally.
So...
He called Pierce.
As soon as the call connected, Marcus asked directly:
"Pierce, are you trying to start a war?"
Pierce nearly had a heart attack.
A war?
With Marcus?
Did he look suicidal?
"There must be some misunderstanding!" Pierce said hurriedly. "Tell me what happened! I'll handle it!"
"Hmm... wasn't it your doing?" Marcus asked.
Pierce felt like crying.
What was he even talking about?
"S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't taken any action against you. I can guarantee that!"
Pierce was telling the truth.
Marcus was far too dangerous to provoke.
"Fine. I'll trust you for now."
After the warning,
Marcus explained what had happened to Kara.
Pierce's teeth almost cracked from grinding them.
What kind of idiot subordinate had caused this disaster?
"Don't worry!" Pierce said through gritted teeth. "Give me one hour. Just one hour! I'll personally make that idiot go apologize to Ms. Kara!"
"Good."
Marcus ended the call.
He didn't need to worry about the rest.
Pierce would be far more anxious to solve this than anyone else.
As for him...
It was time to move on to other things.
Ch 54- Upgrade
Time to go back and check on Wanda.
Back in Sokovia, in front of the out-of-place little house.
Marcus knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Wanda's voice came from inside.
"It's me."
Hurried footsteps sounded, followed by Wanda's surprised face.
"You're here!" Wanda's eyes curved into crescents. "I thought last night you would... would..."
Marcus looked at Wanda with a smile.
That teasing look
made her ears turn red, and the blush spread across her face and neck.
Soon, her whole face was flushed.
Well then!
Marcus didn't expect the shy witch to be this shy.
"It's not that I didn't want to come. I didn't want to interrupt your reunion with your parents," Marcus said with a smile. "Besides, I was helping improve the situation for Mutants, so you can walk the streets openly in the future."
Wanda lowered her head silently, but her heart felt sweet.
If it had started as a transaction...
After Marcus helped her get revenge and resurrected her parents, Wanda had truly fallen for this handsome and gentlemanly alien.
At that moment,
the Maximovs came out of the house. Seeing Marcus at the door, they were surprised and immediately welcomed him enthusiastically.
"Why are you standing outside?"
"Come in and sit down!"
"It's almost lunchtime, I'll prepare something."
"Is there anything you like to eat?"
The enthusiasm
made it seem like they already considered Marcus their son-in-law.
Although Marcus wasn't used to this kind of scene, he still responded patiently.
After chatting for a while,
he asked, "Where's Pietro? Why isn't he here?"
"He said he went back to some base to find his friends," Wanda's father said.
"He said some Saviour founded a Mutant organization, and he wants his friends to join it," Wanda's mother added.
Marcus blinked and looked at Wanda.
You didn't tell them who I am?
Wanda shrugged helplessly.
She hadn't had the chance.
Besides, the two of them had only recently been resurrected and were completely out of touch with the current world.
They probably hadn't even left the house yet.
That was fine too. It made things easier.
After lunch,
the couple immediately started "chasing them out."
"You young people should go have fun."
"Don't disturb us while we're catching up."
"The world has changed so much! It feels like time travel!"
Then,
Marcus and Wanda stood outside the door, looking at each other with amusement.
The older couple's intentions couldn't have been more obvious.
"Then... should we go to an amusement park?" Marcus suggested.
"Okay!" Wanda's eyes lit up. "I've always wanted to go!"
Marcus raised a hand.
"Whoosh!"
The two arrived directly in the United States, at one of the world's largest theme parks.
Roller coasters, pirate ships, merry-go-rounds...
Everything was a new experience for Wanda.
After playing all day, she never got tired, and the smile never left her face.
Until night fell,
Marcus brought Wanda back home, and she was still reluctant to part.
"Why don't you stay tonight?" Wanda asked.
Marcus was tempted.
But...
Kara was still waiting for him back home.
And...
With Wanda's parents right next door, it wouldn't exactly be convenient.
Marcus rubbed Wanda's head and looked at her gently.
"Spend more time with your parents. Days like this won't come often in the future."
"And..."
"What are you planning to do about your biological parents?"
Wanda's expression changed.
Her biological parents...
"No need!" Wanda said firmly. "It's just blood. They mean nothing to me! Even if he... I won't acknowledge him!"
Good grief.
Magneto really failed as a father. Neither of his daughters acknowledged him.
But it was his own fault.
If you only have children and never raise them, who can you blame?
"I support your decision," Marcus said. "In a few days, once Dawn stabilizes a bit, I'll bring you to New York. Enjoy this last bit of freedom."
He lowered his head and kissed Wanda.
A long time later,
their lips separated, and he left.
Wanda remained standing at the door for a long time before going inside.
...
"Huh? Why are you standing outside?" Pietro asked strangely. "Did you forget your key?"
Wanda snapped out of her daze and glared at Pietro.
"Where have you been all day?"
"What do you mean fooling around? I went to find Outlaw and the others!" Pietro argued. "I'm telling you, when Baron Strucker heard my brother-in-law is Marcus, everyone got released! It was awesome!"
Seeing Pietro's proud expression, Wanda didn't correct the "brother-in-law" title.
Instead, she found herself thinking about Marcus again.
They had only been apart for ten minutes, and she already missed him.
Dawn Building, top floor.
When Marcus returned,
Kara was already getting along with the other wives, sharing cosmetics and helping each other with makeup.
Everyone was having fun.
No one even noticed Marcus had returned.
Only Gwen, with her Spider-Sense, seemed to notice something and turned around.
"Hey! Marcus, you're back?"
The women heard her.
Darcy instinctively stood up and wanted to run over, but Sharon grabbed her.
"Darcy, didn't you say you had a breast-enhancement recipe last time? Let me try it."
Sharon winked.
Darcy glanced at Kara and finally understood.
"Oh! Right! Let's go!"
"Count me in, I want to try too!" Jean said quickly.
"We want to try too!" the five Cuckoo sisters said together.
"Does it really work? I'm curious too," Diana joined in.
Even Gwen, who felt she already had more than enough, followed along.
In the lively scene from moments ago,
only Marcus and Kara remained.
It was obviously intentional.
Kara's expression became a little awkward, and her gaze drifted toward the window.
But this time she didn't run away.
Her light energy had already recovered. She could have left long ago.
After spending the day with everyone,
Kara had finally relaxed. She was no longer worried about fitting in and had let go of her concerns.
So she decided...
"Marcus!" Kara spoke first. "I want to stay! I want to..."
Marcus pressed a finger against her lips and interrupted her.
"I should be the one saying that."
Marcus asked, "Kara, will you marry me?"
A diamond ring appeared out of nowhere in front of her.
Kara covered her mouth, deeply moved, and nodded repeatedly.
Even though she had already made up her mind, who wouldn't love a proper proposal?
When Marcus slipped the ring onto her finger, Kara immediately threw herself at him.
...
It was definitely a sleepless night!
Early the next morning,
Marcus felt a rare soreness in his waist.
Things had gotten a little intense last night.
Using the Horse Talisman to recover himself, Marcus smiled when he saw the equally exhausted Kara.
Last night, this female Superman's stamina had been nowhere near Diana's level.
A system notification appeared before him.
[Congratulations to the host for marrying "Kara Danvers", adding powerful combat strength to the family! Excellent genes have been added to future descendants!]
[Congratulations to the host! "Superman Bloodline" has been upgraded to S-Rank!]
The super cells were hungry and desperately needed large amounts of solar energy.
Ch 55- Skye
Marcus directly opened a long-distance Space Gate and stepped through it, arriving near the sun in a single step.
His seemingly small body
directly intercepted all the solar energy coming from one direction, and the super cells inside his body absorbed it all!
A complete physical enhancement!
In just a moment,
he surpassed Clark and became an S-Rank Superman!
Marcus's first reaction was...
"Now when I meet Kara and Diana again, I won't have to worry about my kidneys anymore!"
What?
Fighting?
Isn't that something you settle with words?
Why use brute force?
When the super cells were fully charged, Marcus returned to Earth.
Interestingly,
he had just blocked all the sunlight headed toward Earth.
Light takes average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth.
The sunlight that had been shining moments before suddenly vanished, and the bright daytime sky instantly turned into darkness.
Not like a solar eclipse.
The sun had simply "disappeared"!
Marcus happily watched the show.
The world was probably in chaos right now, right?
Anyway, everything would return to normal in a few minutes, so he couldn't be bothered to warn anyone.
...
[Master, Pierce is calling!]
Oh?
Looks like there's an unexpected bonus.
The call connected.
As expected,
it was about the sudden darkness.
How could Marcus pass up a chance to fleece a fat sheep that delivered itself to his door?
Marcus put on a serious expression and said,
"It is a rare cosmic creature."
"It only takes ten minutes for it to devour a fixed star."
"Unfortunately, your sun was targeted by one of them."
Pierce froze on the spot.
No!
His grand plans had only just begun.
Was the world really ending now?
Ten minutes?
That wasn't enough time to launch a rocket, let alone reach the sun!
No choice...
"Can you deal with it?" Pierce asked anxiously.
"It's very difficult..." Marcus said thoughtfully.
Was it possible?
"Last time you promised me an opportunity to make a request. Now is the time!" Pierce said hurriedly. "We must save the sun! Please!"
"Well... since that's the case, fine. I always keep my word."
Marcus hung up.
The grin on his face almost reached his ears.
That was it?
Too easy.
Marcus didn't even bother moving and simply waited leisurely.
Ten minutes later,
the darkness disappeared, and the sun once again hung high in the sky.
Everything that had happened felt like an illusion.
But shortly afterward,
the news exploded.
[Earth narrowly escapes doomsday again! Rare cosmic creature capable of devouring a fixed star in ten minutes!]
[S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Pierce personally begs the Saviour to save the sun!]
[The Saviour saves the world three times in a row! The greatest alien in history!]
The overwhelming flood of "Saviour" headlines made Marcus laugh out loud.
It had to be Pierce putting on a show.
...
The only favor Marcus owed him was now gone.
Of course Pierce was going to take advantage of it.
"Heh, with that IQ, no wonder Fury used to play him."
But speaking of Fury...
"Ding!"
The private elevator opened, and a battered Steve Rogers stepped out.
Marcus blinked.
"What's going on?"
"I'm here to see you," Rogers said seriously. "Before Fury died, he came to me and gave me a..."
"Wait." Marcus raised a hand to stop him. "I accepted a favour from Pierce. This is an internal conflict on your planet. I'm an alien, so I won't get involved."
Rogers fell silent.
He had risked everything to get here,
and that was the answer?
Taking benefits and saying it so openly?
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Dozens of Quinjets rapidly approached and stopped outside the Dawn Building.
"Ding!"
The private elevator opened again.
Rumlow stepped out with a bruised face, leading a team behind him.
Rogers immediately became alert.
Raising his Vibranium Shield, he looked ready to fight at any moment.
...
Rumlow made no move.
Instead, he bowed respectfully to Marcus and apologized.
"Director Pierce asked me to apologize to you. But Steve Rogers has betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D., and we must bring him back."
Marcus didn't even glance at him.
"I already agreed not to interfere in your mess..."
Rumlow breathed a sigh of relief.
"But I'm enjoying the view, and your aircraft are blocking my sunlight. That makes me very unhappy."
Rumlow went silent.
Then he took out a communicator and turned the volume to maximum.
"I'm truly sorry," Pierce said sincerely. "They'll withdraw immediately. As compensation, I'll send another list. Please forgive us."
Marcus waved a hand casually.
Rumlow immediately led his team away.
Not even daring to use the elevator, they took the emergency stairs instead.
Outside the window, the Quinjets retreated like a receding tide, restoring the view.
Pure respect.
Still,
the area around the Dawn Building was undoubtedly surrounded by forces.
Rogers had only escaped temporarily.
"Thank you," Rogers said seriously. "May I meet Natasha Romanoff?"
Marcus glanced at him.
"You've got a lot on your plate," Marcus said. "There's a phone on the table. Pick it up and call her."
Although Natasha Romanoff was studying magic,
she still handled her duties as a private secretary.
Her phone remained available twenty-four hours a day.
Rogers nodded.
Knowing better than to say more, he walked to the phone and spoke quietly for a few moments.
Soon,
a Portal opened, and Natasha Romanoff stepped out.
She looked apologetically at Marcus.
Seeing that Marcus was ignoring her and staring at the sun outside,
she didn't dare disturb him.
She quickly signaled Rogers to leave.
Before the portal closed, Rogers voice drifted through.
"Luckily the sky suddenly went dark earlier, otherwise I would've never escaped."
"Fury left me a USB drive. We..."
It seemed the plot hadn't changed much.
Would the Insight Project still be activated?
S.H.I.E.L.D. was actually pretty useful.
It would be a shame if it collapsed.
Or...
Maybe help Pierce?
Then Rogers, Stark, Banner, Natasha Romanoff...
Kill all these people.
The fun in this world would disappear immediately.
"Tsk..."
"Sure enough, it's more reliable to recruit people."
S.H.I.E.L.D. was about to fall apart.
People like Hill would always be looking for new jobs.
My Dawn is developing rapidly, and I'll revive Cybertron in the future. There can never be too many people.
"That's it!"
"I'll just enjoy the show!"
[Master, Pierce sent a list. Do you want to accept it?]
"Project it and let me see."
Since he had nothing to do right now, Marcus opened the list and browsed through it casually.
This time the list was small, but the quality was high.
And it wasn't limited to people with superpowers. Some people with special talents were included as well.
Especially diving and swimming champions. Anyone of the right age was listed.
"Now this looks more reasonable."
Last time...
It seemed they had used a bunch of average candidates to make a few specific ones stand out, so they could place informants around him.
Unfortunately...
There were very few people like Wanda, beautiful, with an amazing figure, and huge potential.
In the past, Marcus might have picked out two or three.
But now...
There were really very few who caught his eye.
"Huh?"
One profile made Marcus stop scrolling.
[Skye, female, 19 years old, genius hacker. Height: 167 cm. Measurements: 84, 61, 84...]
Good lord!
Did he really hit the jackpot?
Skye, the heroine of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a descendant of the Inhumans. She needed Terrigen Crystals to awaken her powers.
Great potential.
When she smiled, she looked even better.
Perfect target!
Marcus rubbed his chin.
"Definitely taking this one!"
Skye ended up on the list because she hacked into the S.H.I.E.L.D. database. After being caught, someone thought she had excellent potential and reported her up the chain.
Because of the major changes in the timeline,
Phil Coulson never "died" this time, so he never formed the S.H.I.E.L.D. team or recruited Skye under his command.
She was still locked up in S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marcus quickly checked the rest of the files to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
Then he teleported directly to the prison where Skye was being held.
Unfortunately...
Skye happened to be using the toilet when Marcus suddenly teleported in front of her.
The two stared at each other.
"Ahhhh!"
Skye threw the roll of toilet paper at him, but couldn't get up immediately because of the situation she was in.
"Help!"
"Pervert!"
"Somebody get in here!"
Skye screamed, and Marcus awkwardly turned around.
The prison conditions weren't bad. She even had a private cell.
The shouting attracted an agent.
Marcus casually waved his hand and blocked Skye from view with the Phoenix Force.
The toilet was just a corner setup that was visible from anywhere in the room.
The agent froze when he saw Marcus.
Then his expression turned fanatical.
He had clearly recognized him.
"This doesn't concern you. Report to your superior and tell them I'm taking this person."
The agent nodded obediently and left.
This was the Saviour.
If he wanted to take this woman away, there had to be a reason. A low-level agent like him wasn't going to question it.
Inside the room,
Skye finally dealt with her problem, but found herself in an even more embarrassing situation.
In her panic earlier, she had thrown away her only roll of toilet paper...
What was she supposed to do now?
While she was panicking...
The roll of toilet paper floated back to her under the Phoenix Force.
Half a minute later,
Skye walked up to Marcus, ready to question him...
Then she froze.
"Y-you... you're the alien Saviour?"
Before Marcus could answer,
Skye frowned and said, "No matter who you are, couldn't you have shown up at a better time? Ever heard of knocking?"
Marcus scratched his head.
Then sincerely said, "Sorry for the trouble I caused you."
That completely caught Skye off guard.
Who was Marcus?
The alien Saviour!
The man most women on Earth wanted to marry!
The man who destroyed Parallax with a single attack!
Skye was surprised that someone like him would apologize so easily.
She immediately waved her hand.
"Forget it. Let's just drop it. Did you come here to see me?"
Marcus didn't hide anything and briefly explained the situation.
Now that she knew who he was,
She also knew about his responsibility of "expanding the family," meaning a normal romance was impossible.
Skye's expression became strange.
"So you took a liking to me?" Skye pointed at herself. "You want me to become one of your wives?"
"You can think of it that way," Marcus said with a smile.
For a moment, Skye was speechless.
Just from reading a file?
...
This was way too ridiculous!
"I don't understand. Why do you like me?" Skye asked in confusion.
"It's simple. Because you're attractive," Marcus said honestly. "Sweet appearance, great figure, genius-level intelligence, and hacker skills. Aren't those enough reasons?"
Skye: "..."
Seriously?
You're choosing a wife based entirely on external conditions?
Doesn't it matter whether she's willing or not?
Even though Marcus was ranked number one on the world's "most wanted husband" list,
Skye had spent most of her time trying to uncover her origins and find her biological parents.
As for Marcus achievements, she only knew about them casually and wasn't particularly obsessed with him.
A confession on the first meeting...
It was just...
Too direct!
"I bet you're thinking I'm a straight guy," Marcus said with a smile. "And that I'm arrogant enough to think every woman will fall for me."
Skye's expression immediately changed.
"You can read minds?"
Marcus nodded, then shook his head.
Skye was confused.
"I can read minds, but I didn't need to for that," Marcus said. "The reason I came to see you directly is because I want to confirm a few things, not because I'm being controlled by desire."
Skye: "..."
And you're still claiming you didn't use telepathy!
You practically described her exact thoughts!
Whether Marcus had actually read her mind or not, Skye had no way to resist him.
"What exactly do you want to confirm?" Skye asked cautiously. "Let me make one thing clear. Even if I broke the law, I still have rights. I have the right to refuse!"
Marcus blinked.
"Even though I don't know what you're imagining, please stop making up weird scenarios."
Ch 56- Clueless Marcus
Marcus opened the "Gate of Babylon" and took out the [Obelisk] he had obtained earlier.
The [Phoenix Force] emerged.
The outer metal shell was instantly broken down, revealing the blue Terrigen Crystal inside.
"This is a Terrigen Crystal. It can awaken the abilities of the Inhuman race," Marcus explained. "I'm very interested in the awakening process, but I haven't found a suitable test subject."
Skye was smart and picked up on it immediately.
"You mean... I'm an Inhuman?" Skye asked in surprise. "I've heard of Mutants, but what's an Inhuman?"
"About 3,000 years ago, an alien civilization called the Kree Empire came to Earth and conducted genetic experiments on humans. The Inhumans were the final result."
Even Skye's quick mind was stunned by that revelation.
She was created by aliens?
No.
More accurately, she was descended from people altered by aliens.
Wait.
"How do you know I'm an Inhuman?" Skye asked eagerly. "Do you know my parents?"
She wasn't willing to let go of any possibility.
And she had asked exactly the right person.
"Inhumans, like Mutants, have distinctive genetic traits," Marcus said calmly. "As for your parents..."
Skye's eyes widened with anticipation.
Had she finally found a clue?
"I don't know them."
Skye's face immediately fell.
Then why drag it out like that?
Marcus continued, "That doesn't matter. I have plenty of ways to find them."
"Really?" Skye asked excitedly. "Great! Help me... help me..."
She suddenly stopped.
Help her find her parents?
Why would he do that for free?
Then she had an idea.
"If you help me find my parents, I'll help you with your experiment. How about that?" Skye asked hopefully.
Marcus couldn't help laughing.
"Hey! What's so funny?" Skye asked impatiently. "Isn't that a fair deal? I'm volunteering to be your test subject!"
"I think you've misunderstood something," Marcus said with a smile. "Even though the Inhumans were the result of genetic experiments, Terrigenesis isn't dangerous. If it succeeds, it's all benefits and no drawbacks."
In other words, she was the one gaining something.
Having him help her on top of that was a bit much.
Skye wanted to argue, but considering who Marcus was, she couldn't convince herself he was lying.
In the end, she could only let him set the conditions.
"Then what do you want in exchange for helping me find my parents?"
Now they were finally getting somewhere.
That was exactly why Marcus had come to see her.
"It's simple. Ten dates," Marcus said casually. "I won't force you to do anything inappropriate. Just go on ten dates with me, and I'll help you find your parents."
Skye blinked.
Was he actually interested in her?
But this was still an opportunity.
If Marcus hadn't shown up, getting out of this prison would have been difficult enough.
So there wasn't much to think about.
"You get twelve dates!" Skye raised a hand. "But by the sixth one, you have to find at least one of my parents first."
"If it's a deal, let's seal it with a pinky promise."
Marcus was a little surprised.
That was pretty childish.
Still, smiling, he hooked his pinky with hers.
"Pinky promise. No taking it back."
Marcus couldn't help laughing.
Skye actually had a childish side to her.
Skye ignored his reaction and looked at him seriously.
"Then this counts as our first date. I'll cooperate with your experiment. Deal?"
Fair enough.
Marcus shrugged.
The Phoenix Force immediately crushed the Terrigen Crystal.
Blue mist exploded outward. Wrapped by the [Phoenix Force], it completely surrounded Skye.
Then Skye watched in horror as petrification spread from her feet upward, gradually turning her into stone.
"Hey! Is this really supposed to happen?" Skye shouted. "My feet are turning to stone!"
Marcus didn't answer.
He simply smiled mysteriously.
The smile made Skye even more nervous.
Could it be...
Was this so-called Saviour actually plotting against her?
No.
That didn't make sense.
He had just asked her out.
Why would he kill her now?
Thinking about that, Skye gradually relaxed as the petrification reached her waist.
"I figured it out," Marcus said with a grin. "Close your eyes. It'll be over in a few seconds."
Skye instinctively obeyed.
The moment she closed her eyes, the petrification reached 100 percent and completely encased her.
Then Marcus activated the [Time Stone's Power] and accelerated her transformation.
A process that normally took days or even weeks was completed in just three seconds.
Cracks spread across the stone shell.
Pieces fell away, revealing Skye's skin underneath.
"See? I wasn't lying," Marcus said, spreading his hands.
"You could have warned me!" Skye complained. "Did you do that on purpose?"
"Heh. Why don't you try out your new powers first?"
Skye pouted.
During the transformation, she had instinctively learned how to use her new ability.
Using it felt as natural as breathing.
So...
Skye raised both hands.
Two distorted shockwaves shot toward the ground near Marcus.
Boom!
The ground shook violently, like a magnitude six earthquake.
Marcus simply floated into the air, completely unaffected.
But Skye wasn't so lucky.
She lost her balance and stumbled forward, instinctively catching herself with her hands.
Crack.
Skye gasped.
A sharp pain shot through both arms.
The recoil from her own shockwave had fractured the bones in her arms.
"Oh, I forgot to mention it," Marcus said with a grin. "Inhumans are different from Mutants. Their powers often come with drawbacks. It seems your drawback is that your body has to absorb part of the recoil."
Skye glared at him.
That seemed like a pretty important detail to leave out.
"Don't look at me like that," Marcus said innocently. "If you weren't trying to show off and make me look bad, you wouldn't have used so much force and hurt yourself."
Skye gritted her teeth.
Once again, it really was her own fault.
How was she supposed to argue with that?
Marcus clearly intended to teach her a lesson.
Just because she was clever didn't mean she should get carried away.
Of course, he wasn't going to just stand there and watch her suffer.
"A pair of Vibranium bracelets."
Two bracelets made entirely of Vibranium appeared out of nowhere.
Since Vibranium absorbed kinetic energy, it perfectly complemented Skye's weakness.
"Permanent Mirror Space."
Orange magical patterns spread across the bracelets, forming intricate runes.
This was a Kamar-Taj spatial enchantment that anchored a small section of the Mirror Dimension inside a magical item.
It could be used for storage.
Finally...
"Shockwave Burst."
A new magical pattern was engraved onto the bracelets, perfectly integrating with the previous enchantments.
The [Vibranium Bracelets] were complete.
Marcus grabbed Skye's wrist.
He first used the [Horse Talisman] to heal her injuries, then put the [Vibranium Bracelets] on her wrists.
Before Skye could react, he had already let go.
Although she was still annoyed, she knew Marcus had just healed her.
As a result, she found herself caught between being angry and not being angry.
It was an incredibly frustrating feeling.
Skye couldn't stay angry, so she could only glare at Marcus.
She carefully moved her wrists and confirmed that they no longer hurt.
Then she looked curiously at the [Vibranium Bracelets].
"What are these two things?"
"The bracelets are made of Vibranium. They can absorb all kinetic energy."
Skye raised an eyebrow.
Didn't that mean...
She boldly released another shockwave.
This time she used much more force, but it only kicked up some dust.
Her eyes lit up.
The recoil was really gone!
Like a child with a new toy, she kept firing shockwaves again and again.
Then she noticed something.
A section of magical runes on the [Vibranium Bracelets] had started glowing yellow.
And...
As she continued using her power, the orange glow kept spreading.
This time she was smarter and immediately went over to Marcus.
"What does that mean?"
"Looks like you're learning," Marcus said with a smile. "The kinetic energy absorbed by the Vibranium is stored in those magical runes. You can release it all at once whenever you want. As for how to do it..."
Before he could finish speaking,
Skye had already figured it out.
A powerful shockwave burst out from the [Vibranium Bracelets], sweeping through the area indiscriminately.
Boom!
Cracks appeared on the walls, floor, and ceiling.
The power was incredible.
And that was only with a small charge.
If the entire [Vibranium Bracelet] was fully charged...
Even Skye herself probably wouldn't be able to match that level of power.
And...
Skye also sensed something else.
There was a cube-shaped storage space inside the [Vibranium Bracelet].
A full thousand cubic meters.
She could store and retrieve items with just a thought.
Skye had watched Harry Potter before.
Wasn't this basically magical storage equipment?
This...
Marcus had created it in less than ten seconds right in front of her.
That was terrifying.
Skye looked at Marcus with a complicated expression.
The weight of the two gifts she had received today was becoming a little overwhelming.
But...
There was no way she would give them up.
So what was she supposed to do?
Maybe...
Get together with him?
Skye quickly shook the thought out of her head.
"It's only the first time we've met!"
"You don't even know him!"
"Don't overthink it!"
"He's an alien with several wives!"
"Why would he fall for me?"
"I'm just a test subject!"
"Yeah! That's definitely it!"
Skye desperately tried to convince herself while avoiding eye contact with Marcus.
Instead, she focused on testing her powers.
Marcus noticed everything and smiled.
There was no way he couldn't win her over.
Marcus stepped forward.
"Ah! What are you doing?" Skye backed away nervously. "Don't think these gifts can buy me off! I'm not that easy! I'm not!"
Marcus looked at Skye with amusement.
Had he even done anything?
Her reaction seemed a bit excessive.
Skye immediately blushed.
"I just wanted to ask where you live," Marcus said. "I'll take you home."
Skye glanced at the locked prison cell door and reluctantly gave him an address.
Queens, New York.
Marcus stepped forward again.
This time Skye didn't retreat.
He wrapped an arm around her.
Whoosh.
The two instantly appeared inside a small apartment.
Marcus quickly let go and casually looked around.
Although the sofa was covered with underwear and camisoles, the floor was clean and tidy.
Messy, but organized.
Not bad.
"Hey!" Skye shouted angrily. "Stop looking around!"
In her panic,
She jumped behind Marcus and covered his eyes.
"Who said you could look around!"
Marcus didn't argue.
He simply enjoyed the moment.
The feeling in his hands wasn't bad.
Skye suddenly realized something was wrong and immediately jumped away.
Even without turning around, Marcus knew she was blushing bright red.
She was probably still a rookie when it came to relationships.
"I'm heading out. I'll make an appointment for tomorrow."
Waving without looking back, Marcus disappeared.
Leaving Skye crouched on the floor with both hands covering her burning face.
This was way too embarrassing.
Marcus returned to Dawn Tower.
The next moment,
A [Portal] opened.
Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff jumped out in a panic.
Immediately afterward,
A massive stream of flames burst through the portal and rushed toward them.
The orange-red [Phoenix Force] transformed into a shield and protected Natasha Romanoff.
Rogers only had time to hide behind his [Vibranium Shield].
Unfortunately, his legs were still exposed.
His pants immediately became a victim of the flames.
Sizzle.
The portal finally closed.
Natasha looked at Rogers burned pant legs and couldn't help smiling slightly.
Whether she was laughing at Rogers situation or Marcus protection was hard to tell.
Maybe both.
"Natasha, couldn't you have opened the portal somewhere else?" Marcus complained. "The floor got burned."
"Sorry, I'll fix it," Natasha replied with a smile. "Everything happened too fast. I only recently learned how to open portals again. In an emergency, home was the only place I could think of."
The important word was home.
Marcus didn't respond.
He simply waved a hand and erased all traces of damage on the floor.
"Marcus, Earth needs you!" Rogers stepped forward and said seriously. "Pierce is HYDRA! HYDRA has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and is planning something huge! Earth is in danger!"
He sounded completely sincere.
Marcus glanced at Rogers.
"Whether it's HYDRA or S.H.I.E.L.D., do you think either side would dare attack me?"
Rogers froze.
Would they?
No.
Not a chance.
So from Marcus' perspective, it didn't matter who was in charge.
"No! HYDRA is ruthless!" Rogers insisted. "If they take control of the world, law and order will collapse!"
Marcus couldn't even be bothered to look at him.
After all that,
What exactly did this have to do with him?
Trying to use Earth's morality to pressure an alien was ridiculous.
Rogers clearly hadn't expected this.
Marcus, the so-called "alien Saviour," was completely indifferent to Earth's crisis.
He couldn't help feeling anxious as he searched for another way to persuade him.
"Steve, stop," Natasha said. "This is a conflict within our own planet. It's not Marcus responsibility to get involved."
Rogers fell silent.
Even Natasha agreed.
"But why..."
After a long sigh, Rogers expression became firm again.
"Natasha, we're going back to S.H.I.E.L.D."
"We need to find out exactly what Project Insight is planning."
Natasha nodded and activated her Oath Ring.
A portal opened.
Rogers stepped through first.
Natasha Romanoff wasn't in a hurry to leave.
"Boss, I'd like to take a few days off to help save our civilization," Natasha said sincerely. "You don't want to get involved in humanity's internal conflict. I understand."
After saying that,
She stepped through the portal.
The sparks faded.
Leaving Marcus feeling a little confused.
Understand?
What exactly did Natasha think she understood?
The reason he wasn't getting involved wasn't just because he was too lazy.
He was also convinced that Nick Fury was already preparing his comeback.
Pierce wouldn't be in power for much longer.
Marcus simply wanted to sit back and enjoy the show.
As for Natasha...
Who knew what conclusion she had reached on her own?
"Whatever."
"When the time comes, I'll go watch the show and collect a little protection fee while I'm there."
"I wonder what kind of surprise Fury has prepared for Pierce."
After all...
Pierce himself possessed a [Yellow Lantern Ring].
And he had gathered a group of lunatics who also had rings.
The ordinary forces from before definitely wouldn't be enough anymore.
Ch 57- Overconfident Zod
It would take Rogers some time to uncover the truth.
Marcus simply waited calmly for the show to begin.
Speaking of that,
Marcus suddenly remembered that there was still a "Strike Freedom Gundam" stored inside the "Gate of Babylon."
This thing was slightly larger than Optimus Prime. It could be considered a small mechanical lifeform, and it could be activated using the AllSpark!
Whoosh!
Marcus directly teleported to the Transformers base.
There, he saw a large number of Transformers working among the fiery clouds.
Shockwave continuously activated the [Black Teleportation Monolith], transporting huge amounts of materials.
Bumblebee was the first to notice Marcus and immediately dropped to one knee.
"My King!"
The other Transformers followed his gaze.
The moment they saw Marcus, they all knelt down as well.
"My King!"
"My King!"
"My King!"
"Rise." Marcus looked at Bumblebee. "Where are Optimus Prime and Megatron?"
"Zzzzt..."
Static crackled from Bumblebee's radio as he searched for a suitable audio response.
Marcus almost forgot.
Bumblebee's voice box was still damaged.
[Light of Restoration]!
"Boss, they're both on the new planet. Since Cybertron was summoned, they've been..." Bumblebee suddenly froze. "Huh? My voice is fixed?"
He scratched his head in confusion.
Right!
Just now, his king had...
But when Bumblebee looked up again, Marcus had already disappeared.
Passing through the [Black Teleportation Monolith], Marcus arrived on Krypton.
The gravity of Krypton was at least one hundred times that of Earth.
Still,
After being exposed to two yellow suns every day, this level of gravity was nothing more than routine training.
A building similar to a silo had been constructed around the portal exit.
Kryptonian soldiers stood guard around the area.
With a quick mental scan,
Marcus discovered that outside the building, Optimus Prime and Megatron were directing operations, preparing to load large amounts of cargo onto a spacecraft.
Judging from the markings, it had been provided by Krypton.
As soon as Marcus appeared,
Megatron immediately bowed respectfully.
"My King!"
The other Transformers were startled and quickly knelt as well.
Marcus signaled for them to stand.
Then he stepped forward and released the [Strike Freedom Gundam].
"Take out the AllSpark and activate it."
Megatron immediately stepped forward.
Half of his chest opened, revealing the [AllSpark].
It floated out and was placed against the forehead of the [Strike Freedom Gundam].
Electric currents spread through its entire body repeatedly.
The [Strike Freedom Gundam] opened its eyes and moved stiffly, as though adapting to its new body.
A few seconds later,
It knelt on one knee before Marcus and respectfully offered the [AllSpark] with both hands.
"Thank you, My King, for giving me life!"
"Good. You'll be called Strike from now on," Marcus said.
Megatron stepped forward and retrieved the [AllSpark].
"Yes, My King!" Strike said respectfully. "My King, although I have been reborn and possess triple transformation capabilities, some functions still require human cooperation. Please assign me a pilot!"
Marcus was slightly surprised.
A Transformer that needed a pilot?
That was rare.
But after thinking about Strike Freedom's original design, it made sense.
"Do you have any requirements for the pilot?" Marcus asked.
"No," Strike replied through the communication channel. "I can control most functions myself. Even a robot pilot would be fine."
Oh.
So he just needed someone to fill the seat.
Understood.
No need to specially recruit someone.
One of his wives could handle it.
Most of them already had their own specialties.
The Cuckoo Sisters lacked enough combat power.
That left Jane and Lorna.
Jane already had [Mjolnir], along with the enhanced [Kryptonian Blood Serum], making her less suitable.
But Lorna...
Her [Magnetic Field Manipulation] could still affect the outside world while inside Strike.
They were practically a perfect match.
"Stay here for now. I'll bring her over later," Marcus said.
"Yes, My King!"
Strike transformed.
His humanoid Gundam form folded inward and became a fighter jet.
Judging by the weapons mounted on it, the firepower was definitely impressive.
Whoosh!
The sound of tearing air echoed overhead.
It was General Zod arriving.
"Hahaha! Long time no see!" Zod laughed. "So, what do you think of Krypton's construction progress?"
Marcus looked around.
All he could see was a single silo-like building.
What exactly was he supposed to judge from that?
Zod's smile froze.
Right...
"How about I give you a tour?" Zod suggested.
Marcus didn't refuse.
Once Cybertron was relocated nearby in the future, Krypton and Cybertron would be neighbors.
It was good to build relations.
Both of them could fly.
They immediately took off.
Zod proudly showed Marcus around Krypton.
"This is the life cultivation chamber. Every Kryptonian is born here!"
"This is the genetic archive. Knowledge can be directly implanted into our genes!"
"This is..."
Zod enthusiastically introduced one facility after another.
The smile on his face was brighter than Krypton's third sun.
After decades of exile, Krypton had finally been restored under his leadership.
There was nothing that made him happier.
One interesting thing Marcus noticed...
There were almost no vehicles anywhere.
Kryptonians flew through the skies carrying one or two tons of cargo as if it weighed nothing.
Noticing Marcus gaze, Zod became even more proud.
"Every Kryptonian receives combat memories encoded into their genes. If necessary, anyone can enlist and become a warrior!"
...
A society where everyone was a soldier.
"As expected of you, General Zod," Marcus said.
Zod didn't care about the comment.
"Krypton is a warrior civilization. How could we be content hiding in one corner of the universe?"
No need to ask.
This was the difference between naturally born Kryptonians like Clark and Kara, and genetically designed Kryptonians.
The former had freedom of choice.
The latter followed the path determined by their genes.
With a war fanatic like Zod leading Krypton...
The universe was going to become very lively.
"The best path is the one that suits you," Marcus said.
By now,
The tour was basically finished.
Only one final stop remained.
Looking at the arena in front of him, Marcus turned toward Zod.
"Let's fight!" Zod declared excitedly. "After being strengthened by two suns, I've surpassed you now!"
When the wind dies down and the rain stops, you think you're unbeatable again?
Marcus wasn't particularly interested in fighting.
But once Cybertron arrived, he would need to show some strength.
Otherwise, Zod might get the wrong idea.
"Fine. Let's test it."
"Good! Come down!"
Zod shot down toward the arena.
The surrounding crowd immediately erupted with excitement.
"General Zod is here again!"
"Who's getting beaten up today?"
"I don't think anyone dares challenge him!"
"If you beat General Zod, you get promoted straight to Lieutenant General!"
"If I had the confidence, I'd go too!"
Clearly, Zod fought here often.
Marcus smiled and descended to stand opposite him.
"Here I come!"
Zod warned.
A sonic boom exploded behind him as he charged forward.
His fist was already right in front of Marcus.
Hum.
The [Phoenix Force] formed a shield and easily blocked the punch.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed through the arena.
The usually immovable [Phoenix Force] rippled like waves.
Still, it was nowhere near breaking.
Zod refused to give up.
His fists came down like rain.
Every punch carried power comparable to a small nuclear explosion.
The [Phoenix Force] shield vibrated continuously.
Its thickness visibly decreased under the barrage.
S-Class!
The current Zod definitely possessed S-Class combat power.
Marcus had not yet fully developed the [Phoenix Force], and victory wasn't guaranteed.
But Marcus also possessed abilities such as [Vector Control], which perfectly countered power-based fighters like Zod.
Besides...
Standing there and taking punches was never Marcus style.