In the silent vastness of the Void Dimension, where the boundaries of reality dissolved into nothingness, six of the most powerful cosmic entities gathered. Living Tribunal, In-Betweener, Eternity, Infinity, Death, and Oblivion stood in a circle, their presence warping the fabric of space.
In-Betweener broke the stillness, his voice a sharp contrast to the surrounding void. "Why is Protégé still alive? How did we miss this for so many years?" His tone was laced with frustration and suspicion.
The Living Tribunal remained silent, his three faces reflecting the cosmic balance he maintained. After a moment, he responded, though his words did not directly address In-Betweener's question. "It was the punishment of The One Above All—retribution for nearly destroying the multiverse."
The revelation hung heavy in the air as the others processed the implications. The idea that Protégé had been alive, hidden from their gaze all this time, was unsettling.
"He has chosen a successor," Eternity said, his voice resonating with the weight of countless realities. "A mortal named Ritsuka Fujimaru."
The mention of the name caused ripples of concern among them. They knew the chaos Protégé had unleashed before and feared
history might repeat itself with Ritsuka.
In-Betweener's gaze shifted accusingly to Oblivion. "This reeks of your involvement," he spat, suspicion darkening his tone.
The other entities turned toward Oblivion, who remained impassive, his void-like presence absorbing their scrutiny without a flicker of emotion.
Death, her voice calm and calculating, inquired, "explain?"
In-Betweener's eyes narrowed. "Ritsuka Fujimaru... his soul contains the same destructive power as Oblivion. He's another avatar of Oblivion, like the Chaos King before him. And both from Japan—it's too much of a coincidence. Now, with Protégé's powers, Ritsuka could surpass the Chaos King and destroy the multiverse. We should kill him now and punish Oblivion for this."
The accusation lingered in the void, but Oblivion remained silent for a moment before finally responding. "I have no connection to Ritsuka Fujimaru. He is not my avatar. I do not know why his soul possesses the same power as mine. But I can tell you this—he has no control over it. If I were to train him, perhaps he could learn to master it."
In-Betweener was unconvinced. "Lies! This is your doing."
Before the tension could escalate further, Eternity interjected. "Ritsuka Fujimaru was summoned from the void by Gaia of Earth 69420 to fight against her brothers, Set and Chthon."
Oblivion's gaze darkened at the revelation, anger flickering across his usually indifferent expression and angry towards Eternity for not saying earlier. Infinity, sensing the shift, asked, "So what do we do with Ritsuka Fujimaru?"
In-Betweener, his focus unshaken, insisted, "He must be destroyed."
But the Living Tribunal raised a hand, his voice carrying the weight of the multiverse. "I will judge him. If Ritsuka Fujimaru seeks to cause chaos in the future, I will personally deal with him. However, if he proves noble, if his soul remains pure, I may consider offering him a position among us."
In-Betweener bristled at the suggestion, anger boiling over as he prepared to leave. But before he could go, Oblivion's cold, deep voice cut through the void. "If you attempt to harm Ritsuka Fujimaru in any way, I will remind you who is stronger between us."
The threat hung in the air, a palpable tension that the others chose not to challenge.
As the meeting ended, the cosmic entities departed one by one, leaving only Oblivion and the Living Tribunal in the void. The Tribunal, ever enigmatic, turned to Oblivion with a rare hint of humor in his tone. "Are you sure Ritsuka isn't your child?"
Oblivion simply stared at the Tribunal, his expression unreadable. "Hahahaha" The Tribunal chuckled softly before fading away, leaving Oblivion alone.
Oblivion returned to his throne, the vast emptiness around him echoing with silence. "Interesting," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the unfolding events in the mortal realm. From this moment forward, he would watch Ritsuka Fujimaru's journey closely.
***
Morgan le Fay gently cradled Karen in her arms, feeling the soft warmth of the little girl's body against her own. "Karen," she said in a firm yet soothing tone, "it's time. Take back the cosmic power that those Hydra agents stole."
Karen nodded, her small face determined as she reached out with her hand, focusing on the energy that flowed through the battlefield. The Hydra agents, now on their knees, suddenly convulsed as the stolen power left their bodies, floating back to Karen as shimmering particles of light. The X-Men and Brotherhood of Magneto quickly seized the moment, capturing the now powerless Hydra agents.
Though defeated, the Hydra agents refused to remain silent. "You fools!" one of them spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Hydra should control the world. History proves humanity is weak and flawed! Only Hydra can cleanse this world of its failures!"
Tony Stark, Da Vinci Rider, and Edmond Dantès stood tall before the prisoners, their expressions cold and resolute. Tony stepped forward first, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Really? Hydra in control? Because that worked out so well every other time. Newsflash: Your so-called 'cleansing' is nothing more than tyranny wrapped in delusion."
Da Vinci Rider's eyes narrowed as she took a step closer to the Hydra agent who had spoken. Her normally cheerful demeanor was replaced with a rare intensity. "You talk about cleansing, but all Hydra has ever done is exploit humanity's fears. You've never understood the essence of what it means to be human." She paused, gathering her thoughts, before continuing with a tone that resonated with everyone present. "Freedom. That's what defines humanity. Throughout history, humans have faced every disaster imaginable—floods, plagues, wars. Not even the mightiest creatures on Earth could survive them all. But humans did, because they fought for their freedom. And it's that freedom, that resilience, that placed us at the top of the food chain."
Tony nodded in agreement and added, "Humans make mistakes—that's true. But that's what makes us who we are. We learn from those mistakes, we grow, we get better. It's not about perfection; it's about progress. And that's something Hydra will never understand."
Edmond Dantès, ever the avenger, added with a cold finality, "Your vision of the world is nothing but a graveyard. And you'll find nothing but death there."
As Da Vinci spoke, the X-Men looked on with admiration, impressed by the little girl's wisdom and eloquence. Cyclops exchanged a glance with Jean Grey, his expression showing how taken aback he was. "Who exactly is this girl?" he whispered.
"She's… incredible," Jean replied, her eyes widening as she tried to grasp how someone so young could possess such insight.
Karen, sensing their curiosity, giggled softly, her innocent demeanor returning now that the threat was gone. Da Vinci noticed their gazes and, in her usual playful manner, spun around gracefully on her heel. "Ah! I see we have an audience. Allow me to introduce myself properly!" She curtsied with a flourish. "Hello Meta humans!! I am Leonardo da Vinci—artist, inventor, genius, and, of course, the most beautiful and cute girl you'll ever meet!"
The X-Men blinked in disbelief. Beast, in particular, was both intrigued and amused by her antics. He adjusted his glasses, leaning slightly forward as if examining a rare specimen. "Fascinating. But I must ask, why do you describe mutants as 'meta-humans'? It's not a term we hear often."
Da Vinci's expression softened as she realized the sincerity behind his question. "Ah, good point, Dr. McCoy. 'Mutant' has such a negative connotation, don't you think? In scientific terms, mutants are often seen as aberrations—like goblins or creatures born from contamination. But you," she gestured to the X-Men, "are far from that. Meta-humans—beings who have transcended ordinary human limits due to genetic evolution or cosmic influence—sounds much more fitting, don't you agree? Thats what I understood"
The X-Men exchanged thoughtful glances. For so long, they had struggled with the label of "mutant," which society had often used against them. But hearing Da Vinci's perspective was a breath of fresh air. She was treating them with respect, acknowledging their abilities as something extraordinary rather than something to be feared.
Jean smiled warmly at Da Vinci. "Thank you for that. It's… nice to be seen that way."
Da Vinci returned the smile with a wink. "Of course! After all, isn't evolution just another form of creativity? And as a master of creativity, I recognize genius when I see it."
Even the ever-serious Cyclops found himself softening under Da Vinci's charm. "You're something else, Da Vinci."
She puffed out her chest proudly. "And don't you forget it!"
As the conversation settled, the X-Men couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of camaraderie. Da Vinci's words had shifted something within them—a reminder that they were more than just the labels others placed on them. They were evolving, and so was their understanding of themselves.
Karna, Juggernaut, and Magneto regrouped with the others, and as soon as Magneto noticed the surviving Hydra agents, his eyes narrowed. "Why are they still breathing?" he demanded, his voice cold and unforgiving.
Scott, trying to de-escalate the situation, quickly responded, "We need to hand them over to the government. They need to answer for what they've done."
But before Scott could say more, a sharp, sickening crack echoed through the air. In an instant, the heads of the Hydra agents snapped back violently, crushed by Magneto's powers. The lifeless bodies fell to the ground, and Scott's face twisted in horror as he turned to Magneto.
"Eric! You can't just—" Scott began, but Magneto cut him off with a withering glare, his words laced with a harshness that left no room for argument. "And hand them over to whom, exactly? The same government riddled with Hydra spies? If they escape, the next time, it'll be another mutant strapped to their tables, another of our kind turned into a test subject. I won't allow that."
The tension was thick in the air when they sensed an approaching presence. All eyes turned as Morgan's group came into view. What truly caught everyone off guard was the sight of a little girl who bore a striking resemblance to both Morgan and Ritsuka.
Eric, Tony, and Da Vinci exchanged looks, their surprise evident. BB and Ereshkigal took a moment to introduce themselves, and "Ereshkigal How?...." when Da Vinci caught sight of Ereshkigal, she fainted almost instantly. Tony, quick to react, grabbed her before she hit the ground. "Jarvis, what's wrong with her?"
Jarvis responded calmly, "Miss Da Vinci is alright, sir. It seems she fainted from overwork."
Eric, still focused on the child, asked, "Who is she? She looks… familiar."
Morgan stepped forward, placing a protective hand on the girl's shoulder. "This is Karen Fujimaru, daughter of Ritsuka and me."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the group. Karna, Dantes, and Tony were visibly stunned. Tony, though initially taken aback, quickly switched to a mock anger. "You kept this a secret from me, Morgan? Ritsuka has a cute daughter and lovers, and I'm the last to know? But I guess I can't stay mad… this does explain why he was so insistent about getting a safe house." He misunderstood Ritsuka.
Storm's eyes widened in surprise. "Ritsuka… a wife and daughter? And multiple lovers?"
Eric, too, was taken aback but didn't comment, his mind trying to process the information.
As the group absorbed this new development, Ritsuka appeared, drawing their attention. Immediately, Karna, Dantes, Ereshkigal, BB, Morgan, and even little Karen felt a powerful aura emanating from him. They exchanged glances.
(Ritsuka POV)
I surveyed the group, taking in their expressions of surprise and concern. Their reactions were understandable—things had changed so drastically in such a short time. "The old mutant," I began, breaking the silence, "he's dead. But before he passed, he transferred his powers to me."
They stared at me, trying to process what that meant. Rogue was the first to speak, her voice a mix of curiosity and caution. "What kind of powers are we talking about?"
"Copying others' powers," I replied simply.
To demonstrate, I turned to Gambit. "Mind showing me yours?"
Gambit raised an eyebrow but nodded, pulling out a card and charging it with his signature kinetic energy. I watched closely, and after a moment, felt the power surge within me. I focused and held out my hand, charging a card with the same energy—but with a distinct blue glow instead of Gambit's usual pink.
I tossed the card, and it exploded in a burst of light. "It works," I said, though my voice was more subdued than I'd intended. "But I'll need a lot of practice to get it right."
I glanced at my servants, who were all watching me intently. They looked pleased but also a bit uneasy, as if they were worried about what this meant. They'd always been my strength, my support. If I became too powerful, would I start to rely less on them?
Seeing their concern, I quickly added, "I'll always need your help, no matter how strong I get."
BB and Ereshkigal exchanged a look before BB smirked. "Of course you will, Master. We know how hopeless you are."
Ereshkigal nodded, her smile more gentle. "We're happy to help, Ritsuka. We'll always be by your side."
Tony then stepped forward, and before I could react, he playfully punched my shoulder. "You've got a lot of nerve, Fujimaru. Not telling me you had a daughter?"
I winced slightly, but his tone was more teasing than anything else. "Sorry, Tony. It's… a family matter."
Tony gave me a knowing look but eventually let it go. "Alright, I'll let you off the hook this time. But speaking of things you missed, Da Vinci's out cold over there. And Bucky's still alive, thanks to her and Dantes."
That caught me off guard. "Really? They stopped you?"
"Yeah," Tony replied, his voice softening. "I wanted to finish him, but Da Vinci and Dantes… well, they made sure I didn't go through with it."
I glanced at Bucky, lying unconscious but alive. It was a relief, honestly. I trusted my servants—Da Vinci and Dantes knew what they were doing. "Thanks, guys," I said quietly, feeling a mix of gratitude and admiration for my friends.
***
This story takes place in Earth 69420. Please support me with infinity stones