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Chapter 159: Infinite Gems and the Magic Net, The Despised Captain Marvel
🕑 Added 2025-03-20 20:24:47 +0000 UTCLooking at the Extremis Warrior, magically killed by Iron Man, Killian’s heart ached.
Extremis was the pinnacle of his research—a creation capable of granting people extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, due to limited funding and research capabilities, several key issues remained unsolved, preventing the production of a larger army.
Just a short while ago, he received funding from a mysterious organization. A man wielding a scepter offered to provide all the funds necessary for his research, along with a dedicated research base. The condition was that the research data must be uploaded at all times.
At first, Killian rejected the offer. He had other ways to secure funding. But the mysterious man demonstrated power that Killian couldn't refuse—he revealed a world of magic and showed Killian the consequences of rejecting him. Reluctantly, Killian agreed and sent the Extremis materials right then and there.
The support he received from the mysterious organization was substantial. In addition to the vast sums of money, Killian also gained access to numerous veterans, homeless individuals, and unknown agents who provided a wealth of experimental subjects. Though many died due to their inability to adapt, the number of Extremis soldiers created was impressive.
At first, Killian worried that the man would be angry about the low success rate, given that many of the subjects were part of his organization. However, the man didn't seem to care. He had no sorrow over the deaths of many in Midgard. What mattered was the creation of viable warriors, not useless ones. Killian didn’t fully understand, but it encouraged him to push forward.
The experiments were progressing well, and the risks of being detected by the Avengers were minimal.
This time, Killian knew that Tony Stark had something big in the works, and many high-ranking politicians were involved. So, he came with a large group of Extremis soldiers. However, he never expected that Iron Man, known for his technology, would suddenly turn to magic!
"Where's your battle suit?" Killian thought. "Is it just for decoration?"
"Is there really a magic bureau?" He scoffed. "Isn't that just a gimmick used by politicians to fool the ignorant?"
He stared at the screen, watching as Tony Stark used magic to effortlessly defeat the Extremis warriors. For a moment, there was silence. Killian had hoped to prove that he was a genius scientist, surpassing Tony in technology. But now, the enemy had abandoned science for magic. How could he compete with that?
He saw several others performing magic in the crowd around the president. Their gestures were flashy, and the colorful magic was dazzling. The Extremis Warriors, who had approached, were easily taken down on the spot. However, they weren’t as proficient as Tony. After only casting a few spells, their magic ran out, and they were left vulnerable.
This gave Killian a boost of confidence. He thought, So, their magic is finite. What’s the big deal if there is a Magic Bureau?
"So what if magic is real?" he muttered. "Even if you have magic, what can you do once your power is drained? Tony Stark, director of the Magic Bureau? Huh!"
He smirked, believing that once Tony’s magic was exhausted, he would be nothing more than a regular man. Killian thought that the Bureau of Magic was a fake, but now he realized that it might be real, and the government could mass-produce mages.
At that moment, he even entertained the thought of escaping. If all the people in the Magic Bureau were like this, why should he worry? With enough money and test subjects, his Extremis warriors could still be mass-produced. Plus, he had the support of the mysterious organization, so resources weren’t a concern.
His plan was still on track—these losses were just part of the equation.
But before he could dwell on his thoughts further, a ray of light fell from the sky. The soldiers he sent to capture the president were decapitated in an instant!
Chilled, Killian realized something: this was no ordinary enemy. Tony Stark had used duplication to distract the Extremis warriors, then struck them down one by one. The battle continued, but Tony’s magic was still strong.
"Magic is indeed more practical than technology," Tony thought. "This is fun!"
Tony was thoroughly enjoying himself. For the first time, he was using magic, and it was just as effective as any technology he had ever created. He marveled at how he could defeat his enemies without them even knowing what hit them.
It was a thrilling experience, and Tony couldn't wait to learn more magic. If this was just the beginning, how much more powerful could he become with more magic in his arsenal?
However, Tony had no intention of abandoning technology. He planned to combine magic and technology to create new magical technologies, much like Asgard had done.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., find out where these people are coming from," Tony ordered. He was ready to take on these troublemakers.
As Tony continued to absorb energy from his reactor, Killian, realizing the situation was getting out of hand, fled without looking back. Tony had mastered magic—he couldn’t do anything against that. Worse yet, the woman who came with them seemed even more formidable.
"Maybe only people from that organization can deal with them?" Killian thought, feeling increasingly desperate.
This battle made him realize that his Extremis soldiers weren’t invincible. Against the Avengers, they were still too inexperienced. To avoid retaliation, and perhaps to seek revenge, he decided to align with that mysterious organization. Maybe, with their help, he could learn magic and challenge Tony again.
"Nick, this is... Mr. President, this is Carol Danvers, code-named Captain Marvel, one of the Avengers, and the strongest Avenger!" Nick Fury introduced Carol, stepping forward to show off his team.
"The strongest Avenger?" The president’s eyes lit up, and he scrutinized Carol. She stood tall and unimpressed, showing no fear even before the most powerful person in the country.
"Not bad!" the president remarked. "You really do have the demeanor of the strongest Avenger!"
He then pulled Nick Fury aside and whispered, "Who’s more powerful—Captain Marvel or that man?"
"Uh... this..." Nick looked uncomfortable. He glanced at Carol, who seemed deflated, and reluctantly replied, "She can fight Ms. Spider, the apprentice of the God of Magic."
The president was disappointed. "Is that all? Can’t even defeat the apprentice of the God of Magic? Is that the strength of the strongest Avenger?"
Nick Fury felt the pressure. "You still have a tough job ahead of you."
The president’s gaze turned cold as he said, "We’re relying on the Avengers to defend against aliens. The Magic Bureau, though, relies on the magical net. Even if mages can be mass-produced, they’ll never be able to defeat Tony Stark."
The president turned his back and left with his bodyguards.
Carol’s mood soured instantly. Is this how they treat the strongest Avenger? she thought, her face showing clear displeasure.
"Director Fury, your subordinate is rude!" she called out before storming off.
Nick Fury sighed. "What can I say? Politicians are all talk, but they don’t know what they want."
The president looked back at the Ark reactor with an eye of greed. "I heard the Magic Bureau is being built. Can it compete with Stark's technology?"
Nick Fury was candid. "It's nearly impossible to replicate Stark's Ark reactor technology."
The president’s eyes gleamed. "Let’s work on it. Stark is part of the Magic Bureau now—maybe he can contribute."
Nick Fury could sense the unspoken meaning in the president’s words. The dignitaries were no longer satisfied with just ordinary power. They wanted more. They wanted to control supernatural forces.
The Magic Bureau was just a stepping stone—once they had access to magic, they could move forward with their true plan.
"By the way, how’s the Magic Bureau coming along?" the president asked. "I heard you’re building a nuclear power plant. Can it compare to Stark’s work?"
Nick Fury responded, "It’s a challenge, but we’ll get there."
The president nodded, his greed evident. "Let’s hurry up. We need results."
After they left, Fury turned pale, realizing just how dangerous the situation was. The government was eager to get their hands on magic, and once they had access to it, there was no telling what they might do.
Meanwhile, Aaron was awakening. His reason for waking wasn’t because of Tony’s actions—it was the realization that something needed to be done.
"The Magic Net is growing faster than I expected," Aaron thought. "I can't handle this alone anymore."
With his strength at its peak, Aaron still found it difficult to process the massive amounts of data coming from the connected mages. He had no choice but to focus on upgrading his supercomputing systems.
Finally, a solution came to mind: use the Mind Gem to handle the computing load. The Mind Gem’s power was perfect for managing such a vast network of information.
As he thought about the potential of the other Infinity Gems, a plan started to form. What if I could use the Space Gem to hide the Magic Net’s structure? What if the Time Gem could accelerate the Magic Net’s expansion or make it exist across time?
Aaron’s mind raced with possibilities. The Infinity Gems could be used to perfect the Magic Net in ways he hadn’t even imagined.
He realized the potential of combining the Gems. Time, Space, and Reality to hide the network; Power, Space, and Time to automatically expand it...
With the Infinity Gems, he could create a multiversal magic network, connecting universes at lightning speed, controlling them with unimaginable power.
First, he needed the Mind Gem from Loki. Then, he could focus on getting the others.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Aaron stood up. He could feel Loki's presence—he knew where to find him. Opening a portal, he stepped forward.
