Authors Note-
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A wave of dizziness washed over Ivan, causing him to stumble and expel a mouthful of black blood. His face drained of color, and his breaths grew ragged.
"Ivan!" cried Shaw, rushing forward to steady him. His voice laced with worry, he inquired, "What happened? Are you injured? How serious is it?"
Ivan coughed several times before regaining his composure. "Don't worry," he rasped, "it's nothing life-threatening. I sustained some injuries during the fight, but I've treated them already. This is just my body expelling the dead cells."
Shaw's worry eased slightly at these words. "Who emerged victorious?" he pressed further. "And who was the other guy who joined the battle? He wasn't with Thanos, was he?"
Despite the dust and sand obscuring the battlefield, Apocalypse possessed various mutant abilities, including a unique sensory power that allowed them to monitor the situation. This is how they discovered Darkseid's arrival and relayed it to Shaw, Stakar, and Borjin.
When Shaw learned that another being, not affiliated with Thanos, had joined the fight and teamed up against Ivan, he nearly intervened out of fear. Fortunately, Apocalypse later confirmed that Ivan still held the upper hand, and the Four Horsemen calmed down.
With Ivan's well-being seemingly assured, their curiosity about the new powerhouse burned bright.
"That," explained Ivan, "was another super overlord from the cosmic news, Darkseid. He rules Apokolips and is no weaker than Thanos. However, he prefers to operate in the shadows, so few know his name. Be wary if you ever encounter him, especially you, Apocalypse. Your name clashes with his planet, Apokolips. If you two ever cross paths expect a brutal clash."
"Ugh! Can I still change my name?" Apocalypse groaned. "Someone else bestowed this name upon me, and now it's causing trouble again. Didn't Chris and the others want to fight over it before? I should've just given it to them..."
Ivan, Shaw, Stakar, and Borjin all directed a look of disdain towards him. They were dealing with powerful cosmic beings, and he was fretting over a name. It wasn't precisely a leaderly display.
Ivan shared some additional intel he had gathered about Darkseid, leaving Apocalypse and the others sighing in defeat. The universe seemed to be teeming with powerful beings. Thanos alone was a handful, and now they had Darkseid to contend with. How were they supposed to navigate this complex cosmic landscape?
Sensing their dejection, Ivan offered words of comfort. "There's no need to be overly worried. I emerged victorious in the end. Live your lives as you see fit. Don't let these concerns hold you back. Avoid provoking them directly, but if their underlings cause trouble, don't hesitate to eliminate them."
Shaw gazed at Ivan, a hint of pride tinged with sadness welling up within him. His son had surpassed him by leaps and bounds, becoming the pillar of strength for all mutants. Here he was, the supposed leader, now relying on his son for guidance.
Ivan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The injuries themselves aren't a major concern. They're worse off than me in that regard. However, both Darkseid and Thanos possess racial abilities that far surpass mine. Their recovery is nearly instantaneous, unlike mine. They'll return to full strength in no time, while I'll need years to recover fully."
"My condition is a bit trickier. The injuries weren't severe, but I pushed myself beyond my limits by using uncontrollable forces. My body's endurance reached its breaking point, and my cells were on the verge of collapse. This resulted in some internal damage."
A shadow of frustration crossed Ivan's face. Although his strength was superior, his physical limitations prevented him from capitalizing on his advantage. Ultimately, a golden opportunity had slipped through his grasp. Strengthening his body to avoid such constraints became a top priority.
Apocalypse glanced at Ivan, a fleeting thought of taking advantage of his weakened state flickering across his mind. He quickly squashed the idea. Even a wounded Ivan was a formidable opponent, and Apocalypse wasn't guaranteed victory. Moreover, eliminating Ivan would leave him facing the wrath of both Thanos and Darkseid – a prospect that filled him with dread. For now, Ivan would have to remain a necessary evil. 'Let the tallest one bear the burden,' he thought, a touch of cowardice coloring his internal monologue. 'I'll stay hidden until the storm passes.'
"In that case," Apocalypse offered, his voice taking on a placatory tone, "we should adopt a more cautious approach in the future. Let's avoid missions involving Thanos or Darkseid's forces. There's no need for a head-on confrontation. I believe they'll share this sentiment."
Shaw readily agreed. "Absolutely. The Black Shadow Mercenary Group has established a reputation across the universe. We don't need to push ourselves as hard as before. Let's lay low until Ivan recovers."
"Agreed," Ivan said. I'll be cultivating on Earth for the foreseeable future. The mercenary group will be in your capable hands. Don't contact me unless a major event arises."
As Ivan emerged from the spacecraft and approached Apocalypse on the Cosmic Walker, a faint smile played on his lips. The gesture sent a shiver down his spine, a cold sweat breaking out on his skin.
Apocalypse's earlier lapse into malice hadn't gone unnoticed by Ivan. After all, the body Apocalypse currently inhabited was sculpted from the very worms Ivan had refined. Ivan had a deep connection to it, allowing him to sense any changes. The moment Apocalypse harbored ill intent, Ivan picked up on it.
However, Ivan kept his cards close to his chest. He understood Apocalypse's simmering resentment, a wild card with the potential to lash out at any moment. Yet, the contract they had formed still held some power, even if weakened by their departure from Earth. It wasn't something Apocalypse could break.
Ivan wasn't overly concerned with Apocalypse. While a powerful asset, he wasn't irreplaceable. Having unlocked his secrets, Ivan was confident that he could significantly enhance Shaw and Red Devil's abilities with enough time. Even if they couldn't overpower Apocalypse, they wouldn't be far behind. Besides, Ivan had an army of mutants at his disposal. Overwhelm what you can't overcome – that was the strategy. Ultimately, Tianqi was a necessary evil, and as long as he didn't overstep his bounds, Ivan would tolerate him. But any further transgressions would be met with swift and merciless consequences.
Ivan's return to Earth marked a period of recovery and a return to a simpler life. For a full day and night, he slept, his body recovering from the toll of the fierce battle with Thanos and Darkseid.
His injuries, however, demanded a lengthy recovery process. Thus, Ivan embraced an unexpected domesticity, content to stay on the farm and become an "otaku."
This newfound normalcy held a certain charm for Ivan. He reveled in spending quality time with his family, teaching Chris magic, playing space catch with Clark, and guiding Eli in honing her abilities.
Years flew by in a blink. The world continued to spin, witnessing significant events. 1988, the Red Queen detected an invisible alien spacecraft as it spirited away. Ivan recognized this as pivotal when the future Star-Lord Peter Quill embarked on his cosmic adventures.
While not actively interfering, Ivan harbored a curiosity about the seed his father, Ego, had left on Earth, a potential threat to the planet. The Red Queen, ever vigilant, dispatched a legion of nanobots to locate Star-Lord's mother, eventually succeeding.
Meanwhile, Kerry remained in charge of the forces controlled by the Hydra and watched its activities. Ambitious and ruthless, Alexander Pierce had been steadily expanding Hydra's reach. However, thanks to Kerry's subtle manipulations, any attempt to exploit the research stolen from Ivan backfired spectacularly. Pierce was forced to relinquish his ill-gotten gains.
Hydra also had a branch leader, Whitehall, who stumbled upon the Inhumans. He captured Jia Ying, one of them, intending to use her organs for rejuvenation. In Ivan's eyes, this was a crude and ineffective method.
The narrative then shifts to S.H.I.E.L.D., where a rift formed between Hank Pym and Howard Stark, leading to Pym's resignation.
The Red Queen, the world's most advanced AI, kept Ivan abreast of these developments. Its superior intellect allowed it to bypass security measures and access information at will. Despite having this knowledge, Ivan chose not to intervene, content with his peaceful life on the farm.
One day, a sudden suspicion jolted Ivan from his tranquility. He materialized on a deserted road, where a wrecked car lay amidst the debris. Inside the mangled vehicle was an elderly yet beautiful woman. Outside, a white-haired man lay lifeless. All signs pointed towards a tragic car accident.
A chilling smile crept across Ivan's face. He extended a hand, unleashing a wave of dark magic that enveloped the surroundings. With a flick of his wrist, a spectral figure emerged from the body of the white-haired man, drawn towards Ivan like a moth to a flame.
"Hello, Howard Stark," Ivan greeted the phantom with a hint of amusement.