After Wanda left, Malrick leaned back on the sofa, returning to his usual routine: Cultivation.

Over the past month, this had become his rhythm. Aside from occasionally delegating tasks across his departments or dealing with the Natasha sisters at night, Malrick spent nearly all his time honing his strength.

The reason he took the time to counsel Wanda wasn't entirely selfless—sure, he was attracted to her, even if he wouldn't admit it aloud—but more importantly, he recognized her unparalleled potential.

Helping her now was an investment in the future.

To Malrick, Wanda was one of the most remarkable figures in the Marvel Universe. Her powers weren't just rare—they were profound. Her mindset, her fragility masked by fierce determination, made her stand out even among gods and legends.

If Tony Stark was a mortal who reached for the divine, and Star-Lord a god grounded by his humanity, then Wanda was something even rarer: a mortal heart wielding divine power.

From her quest for revenge to her quiet sacrifice, she had always been a Sokovian girl who simply wanted a peaceful life. Every evolution of her strength came at the cost of tragedy. Her decision to protect others wasn't born from ambition but obligation—because of the terrifying force she awakened within herself.

Much like Peter Parker, whose sense of duty came after loss, Wanda's steps into heroism were reluctant. If she were given a chance to exchange Chaos Magic for a safe, quiet life with her family, she'd take it in an instant.

And someone like that—someone selfless, someone sincere—was worth helping.

"Hopefully she puts in the work and truly polishes her Chaos Magic," Malrick muttered, exhaling softly as he sat cross-legged.

But he had a feeling she'd return tomorrow with some excuse, claiming the spells were too difficult and requesting more help to calm her 'traumatized mind.'

"Ding."

The doorbell interrupted his thoughts.

The apartment door unlocked on its own.

Tony Stark strolled in.

Malrick didn't even look up. "Why are you here?"

Tony lowered his sunglasses. "Why can't I be here? What, not happy to see me?"

Malrick frowned. "I was cultivating."

"Ah, so now that our Clark Kent has moved to Metropolis, he thinks his old Smallville buddy is a nuisance, huh?" Tony smirked.

Malrick rolled his eyes. "If you needed something, Jarvis could've just told me."

Tony clutched his chest in mock pain. "Can't I drop by without needing therapy?"

"Anxiety again?" Malrick asked, finally glancing up.

After the Dimension War, Wanda wasn't the only one suffering mental aftershocks. Tony had developed mild anxiety, though he tried to mask it. Whenever the tension became too much, he'd pop over to Malrick's apartment. A quick visit, a casual chat, and he'd leave, somehow feeling better.

That tendency only eased after he helped Sherry resolve a bullying incident at school—and heard something from her that clearly struck a chord.

But even then, his anxiety hadn't fully vanished.

And when Tony got nervous, he got creative.

According to Jarvis, Tony had thrown himself into studying the optical computer tech from the Starry Sky World, his latest obsession: building a starship.

Not for escape, though—no, this was Tony's version of a doomsday device. A planetary-scale weapon that could act as Earth's last defense against an invasion from a Dimensional Demon God. It would let Earth and the invader go down together.

But the project hit two roadblocks: he hadn't fully mastered the tech yet, and he lacked the ultra-durable materials required to build the ship's core.

Malrick had once pointed at Wakanda on a map and simply said, "There."

Tony had immediately sent Hawkeye and a team to Africa to investigate.

Now, Hawkeye had been missing for three days.

Malrick suspected that was why Tony had come.

"You found him?" Malrick asked.

"Yeah," Tony replied, already helping himself to the wine cabinet.

He pulled out a bottle of Napoleon Cognac—his own stash, of course. No one else in the apartment drank, so the collection was exclusively for his use.

"But the Wakandans aren't letting him go," Tony added, pouring a small amount into a glass.

"They say Hawkeye stumbled onto something critical—so sensitive they'd rather bury him in the Indian Ocean than release him."

"But since he's an Avenger, they're not killing him. Just… keeping him."

Tony swirled the glass, more like he was rinsing his mouth than drinking.

"Fortunately, they underestimated Clint. He transmitted the intel the moment his position was confirmed."

He took a small sip, then re-corked the bottle with a satisfied pop.

"Want to guess what it was?"

Malrick didn't even blink. "A Vibranium mountain under Wakanda."

Tony's mouth dropped. "Are you serious? You knew? Why didn't you just tell me?!"

"Even if I had, you'd still have to negotiate with them," Malrick said, shrugging. "At least now that they've detained one of your people, they're more willing to talk."

Tony muttered under his breath. "Still, you could've told me."

"Next time," Malrick replied, waving him off. "Now that you've updated me, you can leave."

Tony turned to go—then stopped mid-step. "Wait. That's not even why I came."

Malrick raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"

He focused briefly, lowering his mental barriers to tap into distant sounds.

After a second, his brow lifted.

"Oh, so you found Captain America under the ice. North Pole. Coulson's leading the dig?"

Tony groaned. "I swear, your eavesdropping ruins all my dramatic reveals."

Malrick chuckled. "My bad. Go ahead, tell me the story. I'll pretend I'm surprised."

"You're a menace," Tony muttered, though a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "But that's not it either."

"No?" Malrick leaned back. "Then stop teasing and just say it."

Tony set the glass down. "Remember those green-skinned aliens we fought alongside Fury when we dismantled HYDRA?"

His tone shifted, more serious now.

"They're back."

Malrick's expression changed. "The Skrulls?"

Tony nodded grimly. "They've infiltrated S.W.O.R.D. And worse… the Avengers."

Malrick sat up straighter. "I started gathering evidence on them two weeks ago. I even sent the Men in Black to look into S.W.O.R.D., planning to shut the agency down from within. So it's confirmed now?"

"Not exactly," Tony said. "But Jarvis caught someone trying to breach your network. Turns out, someone inside the agency has been replaced."

He narrowed his eyes. "They were trying to steal your data, Malrick."

The room fell silent.

Then Tony added, "Wait a second. You already suspected them? And you didn't tell me?"

"I was still gathering evidence," Malrick said. "Didn't want to jump the gun."

"You were going to dismantle a space agency without telling your best friend?" Tony feigned betrayal. "And you say I'm dramatic."

"You wouldn't have stayed quiet either," Malrick said calmly.

Tony didn't argue that.

___

Thanks for the Power stones.