The current Skyblade VII was far more powerful than the original model stored in Yan's database.
Its hull had been forged from a combination of vibranium and adamantium, granting it both unmatched durability and extraordinary energy absorption properties.
Inside its core flowed the power of the six Infinity Stones, along with advanced technological systems derived from Cybertronian technology that had been integrated into the ship's design.
With these upgrades, Skyblade VII was now capable of interstellar travel, including high-speed spatial jumps and ultra-long-distance cosmic navigation.
After synchronizing with the ship, Yan's own power experienced a tremendous amplification.
Her strength had now reached the peak of the Skyfather level.
Despite finishing the warship, Karl did not immediately leave Earth.
Instead, he traveled to Wakanda.
When Karl appeared inside the royal hall, both King T'Chaka and Prince T'Challa immediately bowed respectfully.
Karl nodded slightly and seated himself on the throne.
He waited calmly.
Soon afterward, the leaders of the five Wakandan tribes arrived.
Each of them first bowed toward Karl, then toward their king.
They had been summoned here through Karl's mental influence the moment he appeared in the palace.
"Now that everyone has gathered," Karl said calmly from the throne.
"In recognition of your contributions to vibranium mining over the past few years…"
"You will each receive one opportunity for resurrection."
"In addition, each of you will receive one thousand years of lifespan."
"You may divide that lifespan among yourselves as you wish."
Karl raised his hand.
Five boxes floated out from his system space, hovering before them.
For a moment, the tribal leaders were stunned.
They struggled to comprehend what they had just heard.
Then—
T'Chaka suddenly dropped to one knee.
"We thank you, Master!"
The other tribal leaders and T'Challa quickly followed suit.
They knelt respectfully and expressed their gratitude.
Karl then used the True Rewrite ability to resurrect one person for each of them.
After completing the resurrection, Karl stood and prepared to leave.
Before departing, he also collected all vibranium currently stored in Wakanda, including both raw and refined reserves.
Then he returned to his manor.
At the same time—
A massive shadow began forming in the sky above Los Angeles.
Inside an abandoned factory nearby, the situation had already become horrifying.
Every human present had been reduced to skeletons.
Their flesh and blood had vanished entirely.
On the floor of the factory, a strange summoning symbol glowed intensely.
Dark energy poured from the ritual circle, spreading outward like an expanding storm.
The moment Karl returned to his manor, he sensed it.
A vast and terrifying dark energy was erupting from the direction of Los Angeles.
Something was trying to descend into reality.
At the same time, the magical protection surrounding Earth began to fail.
The three Sanctums of Kamar-Taj suddenly experienced a violent disturbance.
Their protective spell formations shattered.
Inside Kamar-Taj, Stephen Strange immediately realized something was terribly wrong.
When he sensed the overwhelming dark energy above Los Angeles, he instantly understood the truth.
The enemy was none other than Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension.
But what shocked Strange even more was the method used.
Dormammu had apparently manipulated human cultists, forcing them to perform a sacrificial summoning ritual that allowed him to project his presence from the Dark Dimension into Earth's reality.
Stephen Strange immediately opened a sling ring portal.
It led directly to the entrance of Karl's manor.
There was no way Strange could defeat Dormammu alone.
He needed Karl's help.
As for the destruction Karl had caused earlier—killing hundreds of millions and destroying entire countries—
Stephen Strange chose to ignore it.
The duty of Kamar-Taj was to protect Earth from interdimensional threats, not interfere with the political affairs of humanity.
This had been the philosophy taught to him by the Ancient One.
Besides, even if he wanted to stop Karl—
He lacked the strength to do so.
And trying would only destroy their fragile alliance.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark had also detected the anomaly in Los Angeles.
He immediately launched his armor and headed toward the location.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D. had mobilized its forces.
When Stephen Strange arrived at Karl's manor, the gate opened automatically.
He hurried inside.
Soon, he found Karl.
"Brother, something terrible has happened!"
Stephen Strange approached urgently.
"Dormammu has used a sacrificial summoning ritual."
"He manipulated ordinary humans to bring his presence from the Dark Dimension into Earth's reality."
"If we don't stop him quickly, his dark energy will eventually consume the entire planet!"
Karl listened quietly.
Then he stood up.
"Alright."
"I estimate that after this incident, I'll be leaving Earth."
He placed a hand on Strange's shoulder.
"From now on, protecting Earth will be your responsibility."
"What?"
Stephen Strange was stunned.
"You're leaving Earth?"
He had never expected Karl to say such a thing.
If Karl truly left—
The burden of defending Earth would fall entirely on him.
"Yes."
Karl smiled calmly.
"Don't worry."
"I'll leave you a few things before I go."
"They will be enough to deal with dimensional lords."
"Now let's go."
Karl opened two portals.
He stepped through one of them.
Stephen Strange quickly followed.
Even Black Phoenix and Ganata entered the portal with them.
When they arrived in Los Angeles, the battle had already begun.
Tony Stark was attacking the spreading dark energy using his armor.
Several S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet aircraft were parked nearby.
Bruce Banner was also present.
It appeared that Tony—or possibly Peggy Carter—had summoned additional support.
BOOM—!
BOOM—!
Terrifying monsters continuously poured out of the swirling dark energy.
At the same time, a massive crack opened in the sky.
Within that crack—
A gigantic eye slowly appeared.
It stared down upon the Earth.
Karl simply observed the scene calmly.
Dormammu's true power might reach pseudo single-universal levels within the Dark Dimension.
But once separated from his native dimension, his power would decline significantly.
Karl therefore did not consider him a serious threat.
After all—
Karl possessed the six Infinity Stones.
And he could even stop time itself.
Dormammu was manageable.
Nearby, Tony Stark and Peggy Carter noticed Karl's arrival.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Even Tony had to admit it.
Whenever Karl appeared—
The situation immediately felt more stable.
The dark energy surrounding Los Angeles was extremely strange.
Even Tony's armor systems could not fully analyze it.
And the giant eye staring down from the sky had genuinely frightened him.
At that moment, the dark energy suddenly began expanding at an alarming rate.
The monsters emerging from it also began to grow.
Creatures that had once been the size of normal humans were now as large as cars.
Tony and the others quickly discovered something terrifying.
The creatures could not be killed.
Whenever they were injured, the surrounding dark energy healed them—and even strengthened them.
As the number of monsters increased, the pressure on Tony and the others grew heavier.
Seeing this, Stephen Strange immediately began casting spells, launching magical attacks against the creatures.
At the same time, Black Phoenix raised her hand.
A massive crimson energy barrier formed around their position.
The Phoenix Force burned brightly as it protected them from the approaching swarm.
...
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