Authors Note-
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A tremor ran through Thanos as he scrutinized the phantom. An inexplicable sensation washed over him, causing his body to convulse. He stared intently at the image, his voice laced with suspicion, "What is this? I sense the power of an Infinity Stone, specifically the Reality Stone. Shouldn't that power reside in you?"
Ivan offered a curt nod. "Indeed, your knowledge of the Infinity Stones is impressive. This," he gestured towards the phantom, "is a manifestation I condensed from nothing, utilizing the power of the Reality Stone. It is an embodiment of altered reality."
Darkseid scoffed from beside him. "The Reality Stone truly shines in your hands. Is it condensing a mere phantom? What use is such a thing? Its vacant eyes lack even basic emotions. How could it possibly aid you in combat?"
Ivan remained unfazed by Darkseid's mockery. He retrieved the mirror before explaining further. "A mere image may seem useless, but what if it were an image of my future self?"
Darkseid's expression darkened. A vague sense of unease gnawed at him, though he couldn't pinpoint the source. "Your future self? What do you mean?"
"Did you know Earth harbors a multitude of cultivation systems," Ivan began, his voice lecturing. "Mimicry techniques, ninjutsu, even native martial arts. However, the Taoist method is the most enigmatic, an ancient Eastern tradition. It holds a secret technique known as the 'Future Star Tribulation.' This technique supposedly summons one's future self to fight alongside them. However, it doesn't truly summon your future self. It manifests an image of yourself, honed to its peak through the imagined completion of your chosen cultivation path. Mental power fuels this process, solidifying the virtual body into a condensed Dharma body. The power required for this technique is astronomical, utterly out of reach under normal circumstances. But with the Reality Stone, anything becomes possible."
"The fragment of the Future Star Tribulation I acquired was incomplete, and Earth's ever-changing nature makes successful cultivation nearly impossible. However, it sparked an idea. I possess a unique advantage – from the very beginning, I held a vision of my potential. Thus, I began utilizing the Reality Stone long ago, meticulously crafting an image of my imagined future self. This phantom, however, appears to have transcended the limitations of the Reality Stone itself. It lacks a physical form, yet that's sufficient."
Over the years, Ivan rarely used Reality Stone's power, reserving it solely to solidify this future phantom. Despite its lack of emotions or combat prowess, the phantom embodied the culmination of Ivan's imagined future – a state where his brain had reached its full potential.
Initially, the phantom was a mere reflection of Ivan's physical condition. Merging with the phantom would amplify his strength severalfold. This potential made it his ultimate trump card. Sealed within the mirror, it could further cultivate within the Mirror World. Conversely, the future phantom was a repository of Ivan's understanding of the rules, constantly refining the Mirror World. The future phantom held a position akin to a heavenly law within the mirrored realm.
As Ivan explained, the future phantom dissolved into a stream of light, merging with his body. The world around him seemed to distort, an overwhelming influx of rules bombarding his senses. He nearly lost himself in the deluge.
Thanos and Darkseid perceived a stark change. Ivan's vibrant presence diminished, replaced by a blank, emotionless stare. His aura, instead of escalating, dwindled rapidly. He appeared utterly ordinary, stripped of any power. Yet, his movements held an uncanny precision, adhering to some unseen law. Intuition screamed at them – the current Ivan was far more dangerous than before.
"The second battle commences," a monotonous voice echoed from Ivan's lips. "A fair warning: my emotions are now suppressed by pure reason. My actions will be driven by efficiency and lethality. In simpler terms, I will eliminate you. Proceed with caution. Don't blame me for your demise."
In a flicker, Ivan vanished. When he reappeared, he was already before Thanos, a fist aimed squarely at the Mad Titan's face.
The tables had turned. Moments ago, Thanos was contemplating an alliance with Darkseid, but now he was staring down the barrel of a fist. Their blows met in a resounding boom, but Ivan held his ground this time. The impact rippled outwards, but Ivan's arm grew grotesquely large, the surge of power propelling Thanos backward like a ragdoll.
Not expecting such ferocity, Darkseid lunged at the opening in Ivan's defense. With surprising agility for his size, he aimed a haymaker at Ivan's back. But Ivan seemed to possess eyes in the back of his head. With a swift spin, he met Darkseid's blow fist-to-fist, the other hand grabbing the tyrant's wrist. In a move that defied Darkseid's immense size, Ivan flipped him over his head, sending the colossal being flying like a tossed toy.
The scene was surreal – a being seemingly insignificant in stature manhandling a creature several times his size. With renewed focus, Ivan located Thanos, who had just regained his footing and flung him with brute force. The cosmic titans, Thanos purple and Darkseid obsidian black, collided in a mid-air tumble, rolling across the ground like a pair of monstrous gourds.
The tide had turned decisively. Ivan, now a one-person wrecking crew, dominated the battlefield. The sight would have been enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most seasoned warriors.
As Thanos and Darkseid disentangled themselves, a grudging realization dawned on them. "We must combine forces," Darkseid rumbled, his voice heavy. "This foe is more formidable than either of us alone. We have no chance in a one-on-one fight. Only by working together can we hope to prevail."
"Agreed," Thanos conceded, his voice laced with a hint of begrudging respect for his former adversary. However, the allure of the Infinity Stones remained an unshakeable obsession. "But after we win, the Reality Stone belongs to me."
"Very well," Darkseid acquiesced. "But I won't leave empty-handed while you claim the prize."
"What do you want?" Thanos demanded, suspicion coloring his tone.
"His body!" Darkseid declared.
A flicker of unease crossed Thanos's face. The idea of a user's corpse transformed into a monstrous pawn unsettled him. He harbored a grudging respect for Ivan, even if they were on opposing sides. The thought of Darkseid wielding such a weapon filled him with apprehension. "His corpse? Do you intend to turn him into some… monster? He's a powerful being, on par with us. Isn't that a bit… reckless?"
"That is my offer," Darkseid pressed. "Do we have a deal?"
Thanos hesitated the allure of the Infinity Stones warring with his trepidation. For now, collecting the Stones remained the priority. A tense silence hung in the air before Thanos finally spoke. "Very well. We agree."
A silent pact formed, the two titans locking eyes before simultaneously launching themselves at Ivan.
Ivan's face, a mask of emotionless rationality, met their assault head-on. His outstretched palms slammed against their fists, the force of the impact pushing him back several meters. A low hum resonated from his palms, and a strange suction force erupted, dragging the two giants toward each other. With a sickening crunch, their bald heads collided.
"Ow!" Thanos and Darkseid roared in unison, both collapsing to the ground clutching their throbbing heads.
Ivan, devoid of sympathy, approached them with a single-minded purpose: eliminate the threats with maximum efficiency. "Fist of Destruction!" "Erase Shooting!" roared Thanos and Darkseid, desperate to break free. A surge of destructive energy erupted from Thanos' fist, a black and red harbinger of doom. Darkseid unleashed a pair of crimson beams from his eyes, merging into a thick, bucket-like beam of light.
Unfazed, Ivan met the attacks head-on. He diverted the brunt of Darkseid's omega rays with a single, well-placed punch. As if possessing a perverse sentience, the beam arced back toward its source at an alarming speed.
Even Darkseid himself couldn't withstand the full brunt of his Omega beams. A direct hit would be catastrophic. Fortunately, his reflexes kicked in just in time, allowing him to divert the energy away, narrowly avoiding self-inflicted harm forcefully.
Meanwhile, Thanos' Destruction Fist materialized into a condensed sphere of destructive energy. With lightning reflexes, Ivan morphed his left hand into a powerful claw, quickly grabbing and crushing the attack.
Unrelenting, Ivan lunged forward, aiming to overpower his adversaries. But Thanos and Darkseid, veterans of countless battles, reacted swiftly. Thanos unleashed a ferocious roar, pounding his fists against Ivan in a relentless barrage. Darkseid, capitalizing on the distraction, fired twin Omega beams from his eyes. The irony wasn't lost on them – sometimes, your greatest enemy is the one who knows you best. Despite their first-time collaboration, their movements held an unexpected synergy.
Ivan, however, remained unfazed amidst the storm of attacks. He weaved through Thanos' blows with an almost leisurely grace, his body twisting and contorting like a willow branch to evade Darkseid's crimson rays. An opportunity arose as Thanos overextended himself. Ivan seized the moment, his finger poised to strike Thanos' chest.
A scarlet streak of light flashed from behind Thanos, intercepting Ivan's attack. Forced to react, Ivan deflected the blow, but another beam curved around, striking him in the back. With remarkable skill, Ivan reached out, palm meeting beam, redirecting the energy to collide with its twin, effectively canceling them.
A new threat emerged as Ivan sensed danger overhead. He looked up just in time to see Thanos descending from the sky, arms outstretched in a powerful strike. Ivan braced himself, arms crossed, meeting the impact. The force of the collision sent him recoiling, but with lightning speed, he coiled his body like a spring, ready to propel Thanos back. Anticipating this, Thanos gripped Ivan in a desperate grapple just as Darkseid's Omega beams converged once more, forming a thick beam of destruction aimed directly at them.