Zzzzt! Zzzzt!
Terrifying currents surged through the cables connected to the Tesseract, crackling with unbridled power.
The energy was so intense that it breached into the void itself, carving open a dreadful black rift.
Boom!
A shockwave swept through the lab.
From the rift emerged a sinister black substance, swirling like a living shadow.
"Is this dark matter?"
Tony Stark eyes glimmered with excitement. The potential applications of this strange material were staggering.
Based on their calculations, this substance could catalyze human evolution, potentially granting individuals superhuman abilities.
"Yes! This must be dark matter!"
Dr. Erik Selvig was flushed with excitement, his clenched fists trembling as he stood before what he saw as the pinnacle of scientific achievement.
Coulson and Nick Fury exchanged a look, both filled with a rare sense of exhilaration.
After the severe blows S.H.I.E.L.D. had suffered—particularly the Hydra infiltration that left the organization a laughingstock—the success of the Pegasus Project felt like a much-needed turning point.
This was their chance to reclaim their power and prestige.
The two leaders couldn't help but envision a stronger, more formidable S.H.I.E.L.D.
Meanwhile, the other Avengers were visibly awestruck, staring at the dark matter and the sheer power emanating from the Tesseract.
But amid the rising tension, Victor Von Doom broke into an unexpected fit of laughter.
"It time!"
"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice laced with madness,
"I must apologize. But today, you will witness the birth of a true miracle!"
His words, charged with unrestrained ambition, sent a chill through the room.
With determined steps, Doom began moving toward the Tesseract.
"What?!"
"Victor, what are you doing?"
"Stop! The energy from the Tesseract will kill you!"
The team erupted in panic, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
Harry Osborn, however, was less surprised than the others. He was stunned, yes, but deep down, he found Anton earlier warning echoing in his mind.
"Anton was right again!"
Harry muttered under his breath, his expression a mix of awe and bewilderment.
"What does he plan to do?" Harry wondered, struggling to comprehend why Doom would willingly approach the Tesseract at such a perilous moment.
The Tesseract was radiating unfathomable energy. Under Selvig control, most of it had been channeled into electrical currents.
However, a significant portion was spilling out, distorting the surrounding magnetic field and creating an indescribably dangerous zone.
To approach the Tesseract now was suicide.
Anyone stepping into its vicinity would likely be obliterated by the raw energy, their bodies disintegrated without a trace.
And yet, Doom kept moving forward.
"Cut the power supply!"
Nick Fury voice rang out, sharp and decisive.
Even though the experiment had reached a critical phase and shutting off the power would likely result in failure, Fury didn't hesitate. The risk was too great.
Technicians scrambled to comply, their hands flying over the controls.
But it was too late.
Doom raised his arms, stepping into the volatile magnetic field as if it welcomed him.
The energy swirling around the Tesseract seemed to coalesce, drawn toward him rather than repelling him.
"It mine!"
Doom voice echoed with triumph, his figure bathed in the Tesseract ominous blue light.
"Victor! Stop! You'll die!" Tony shouted, rushing toward the controls, but Doom was already beyond anyone reach.
A surge of energy erupted, sending a shockwave through the room.
The Avengers shielded their eyes as the magnetic field intensified, and the Tesseract light burned brighter than ever before.
Through the chaos, Victor Von Doom stood tall, the energy from the Tesseract flowing into him.
"With this power, I will transcend humanity. I will become a god!"
His voice boomed across the lab, filled with a chilling certainty.
Coulson and Fury stared, their faces grim. This wasn't a scientific breakthrough this was the beginning of a catastrophe.
Harry mind raced as he watched Doom transformation.
His instincts screamed that this wasn't just a moment of ambition—it was the birth of something far more dangerous.
"Anton… we need you now."
The lab descended into chaos.
"Cut the power!" Coulson shouted again, but the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents near the controls didn't move.
Instead, they raised their weapons, pointing directly at Coulson and the others.
"What the—?!"
Bang!
"Get down!"
Tony Stark instinctively tapped his arc reactor, activating his nano-tech armor. In an instant, his body was encased in sleek, metallic protection.
A low-powered repulsor blast shot from his palm, pushing Coulson out of the line of fire.
Boom!
The bullet meant for Coulson slammed into the ground, leaving a noticeable dent.
"How can this be?" Coulson stammered, staring at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who had fired. He recognized the shooter—it was one of his most trusted men.
"This isn't a spy," Black Widow interrupted, her sharp eyes narrowing.
"Look at their expressions—there no focus. They've been mind-controlled, just like the agents who attacked the base days ago."
"That mysterious superhuman again…" Hawkeye murmured, his gaze shifting to Victor Von Doom, who was now dangerously close to the Tesseract.
"Could this have something to do with him?"
"It doesn't matter if it him or not. None of you would believe otherwise anyway," Harry Osborn muttered.
With a mental command, his black armor formed over his body in seconds. From a nearby resting area, his glider activated, soaring through the corridors of the base until it reached his feet.
In the blink of an eye, Harry was fully equipped for battle.
"This is no coincidence," Harry said grimly.
"Someone orchestrating all of this, waiting for the Pegasus Project to succeed so they can steal its results.
Victor Von Doom is the likely mastermind—or at least one of them."
"Harry right," Captain America finally spoke, his expression dark.
For a moment, his eyes locked on Von Doom. Tightening his grip on his shield, he growled, "Let stop him before it too late!"
Boom!
Steve Rogers hurled his iconic shield with all his might. The spinning disc sliced through the air, aiming straight for Doom.
Clang!
Doom didn't flinch. His hand, now fully metallic, snatched the shield from mid-air, stopping it cold.
"Captain, there no need to rush," Doom said, his voice dripping with arrogance.
His golden eyes glinted as he examined the shield in his grasp. "The true spectacle is about to begin!"
Electricity crackled in Doom hand, and with a flick of his wrist, he hurled the shield back at Steve.
Bang!
Steve caught the shield, but the sheer force of Doom throw drove him backward.
His boots scraped across the ground, leaving a deep groove before he finally stopped.
"What?!"
The sight left the rest of the team stunned.
In that instant, it became clear to everyone: Victor Von Doom wasn't just involved—he was a major threat.
And yet, their troubles didn't end there.
The mind-controlled agents around them began firing indiscriminately, spraying bullets across the room.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sandman morphed into a swirling storm of sand, allowing the bullets to pass harmlessly through him.
Hawkeye and Black Widow, bolstered by the Extremis virus coursing through their veins, shrugged off the impacts as if the bullets were mere pebbles.
Harry and Tony, clad in their advanced armor, didn't even flinch. The bullets failed to leave a single scratch on their suits.
Captain America raised his shield, expertly deflecting the projectiles, while Doctor Octopus' mechanical arms created an impromptu barrier, blocking the incoming fire.
The only ones struggling were Coulson and Nick Fury.
Without any special abilities or advanced gear, they were forced to dive for cover behind a sturdy lab table. Hunched low, they peeked out cautiously.
"Stop him!" Fury barked, his voice laced with urgency.
His gaze darted to Von Doom, who was now standing face-to-face with the Tesseract.
Fury mind raced. He had seen the devastation caused by the Tesseract during the events with Captain Marvel.
The idea of Von Doom wielding that kind of power sent chills down his spine.
This isn't just a threat. It a disaster waiting to happen.
"No time to hold back!"
Tony repulsors flared as he launched into the air, heading straight for Doom.
At the same time, Harry glider shot forward, blades unsheathing as he prepared for combat.
But before either could reach Doom, a shockwave of raw energy erupted from the Tesseract, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
"Yes!" Doom roared, his metallic form glinting in the blue glow.
"Bow before your new ruler! I will ascend beyond humanity—I will rule the world!"
Boom!
Tony Stark repulsor beam surged through the air, aimed squarely at Victor Von Doom back.
"Hmph!"
Doom turned his head slightly, raising a hand. A shield of crackling electricity materialized in an instant, absorbing the energy blast like it was nothing.
"What the—?!" Tony muttered, momentarily stunned.
He had meticulously reviewed every Avengers member power set. The abilities Doom now displayed were leagues beyond anything he had previously shown.
"He mastered electrical manipulation to this level?" Tony brow furrowed. What happened to Victor over the past two months?
The other Avengers exchanged uneasy glances.
The electromagnetic field created by the Tesseract still lingered, forming an invisible barrier that none of them dared approach.
Their priority shifted to neutralizing the mind-controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who continued firing blindly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sandman took the lead, his body dissolving into a whirling mass of sand that swept through the room.
In seconds, most of the agents were incapacitated, their weapons rendered useless. The remaining agents were quickly handled by the others.
"Dr. Selvig, get your team out of here!" Captain America ordered, his voice firm.
Selvig and the other scientists, still trembling with fear, nodded quickly and fled the scene, disappearing down the corridors of the base.
Now, only Doom remained.
"Cut the power!" Steve shouted, moving to the control panel.
Click!
The room dimmed slightly as the power was severed—but it was too late.
Doom hands were already plunged into the swirling dark matter emanating from the Tesseract. He absorbed it greedily, his body shuddering with visible ecstasy.
"Ahhh…" Doom let out a slow, satisfied exhale, his expression one of pure bliss.
With a sudden motion, he wrenched the Tesseract free from its containment chamber.
His body instantly transformed, metallic and shimmering, glowing with an eerie blue hue as electricity danced across his form.
"It too late!" Harry Osborn said grimly. He stood motionless for a moment, assessing the situation. The odds of stopping Doom now seemed slim.
And then there was the unsettling feeling gnawing at him—someone else was watching, lurking in the shadows.
"Doom isn't acting alone," Harry thought, his armored fingers tightening into a fist.
"There another player here. Someone with the power to control minds and turn S.H.I.E.L.D. agents into puppets."
"Anton was right," Harry murmured, his voice bitter beneath his mask.
"Victor Doom was a problem from the start."
Regret flickered across his face. He should have taken Anton warning more seriously.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Doom spread his arms wide, his voice booming with unchecked arrogance.
"Behold! The miracle is here!"
The magnetic field surrounding the Tesseract dissipated in an instant.
"The field gone…" Tony said softly, his eyes narrowing.
The implication was clear. They could now attack Doom directly.
"Go!"
The Avengers sprang into action.
Swish! Hawkeye loosed an arrow, its tip aimed directly at Doom chest.
Boom! Captain America hurled his shield with precision.
Doctor Octopus' mechanical arms lunged forward, their serrated pincers glinting menacingly.
Harry armor morphed into a spear-like appendage, which shot through the air with deadly intent.
Tony unleashed his most powerful repulsor blast, the beams of energy roaring toward Doom.
Sandman, now a swirling vortex, charged forward, his sandy tendrils reaching out to envelop their target.
Black Widow body began to glow, a fiery red aura surging as she pushed the limits of her Extremis-enhanced abilities.
"Fools!" Doom snarled, his metallic frame crackling with energy.
He raised both hands, and a wave of electrified force rippled outward, colliding with the incoming projectiles and attacks.
Boom! Boom! Crash!
The shield ricocheted off, Hawkeye arrow shattered mid-air, and the mechanical arms were thrown back.
Sandman vortex was disrupted, and Tony repulsor blast fizzled out against the surge.
Even Harry spear-like attack was deflected, sparks flying as it clanged against Doom electric barrier.
Black Widow charged assault managed to graze Doom armor but failed to penetrate.
"Pathetic!" Doom roared, slamming his hands together. The resulting shockwave sent most of the Avengers stumbling backward.
Only Captain America and Harry managed to stay upright, their resolve unshaken.
"You're not a god, Doom. You're a madman drunk on power!" Steve shouted, gripping his shield tightly.
"Madman?" Doom laughter rang out, dark and menacing. "You're wrong, Rogers. I am evolution itself. I am the future of this world!"
His hands surged with electricity, and his gaze turned cold.
"Let me show you why resistance is futile."
"So naive!"
Victor Von Doom metallic body shimmered under the Tesseract ominous blue glow.
One hand held the Tesseract, arcs of electricity crackling around it, while the other clenched into a fist, the compressed energy in his palm pulsing with deadly intensity.
"You're all too naive!" Doom sneered, his expression twisted with manic glee. "I am God now!"
Boom!
Doom opened his fist, unleashing the compressed energy in a devastating explosion.
The blast expanded outward like an overturned bowl, a wave of electricity ripping through the room with terrifying force.
Crash! Boom!
The Avengers' combined attacks were obliterated in an instant, the lightning shockwave neutralizing them effortlessly.
The devastating energy sent everyone flying. Even the elemental Sandman couldn't escape unscathed—his sandy form was scattered into a whirlwind of particles.
The base trembled violently under the strain of Doom power. Structural walls cracked, and massive fissures formed in the floor, radiating outward from the epicenter where Doom stood.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Avengers crashed into walls and equipment, their bodies flung like ragdolls.
While most of them managed to endure the blast with minor injuries, Doctor Octopus lay motionless, his mechanical arms twitching feebly.
Sandman had yet to reassemble himself, his scattered particles swirling aimlessly in the air.
But the worst off were Coulson and Nick Fury.
Even though they had taken cover at the last moment, the residual energy from Doom blast burned through their hiding spot.
Both men bore scorch marks across their bodies, their bones fractured from the sheer force of the shockwave.
"Cough, cough!"
Captain America pushed aside a metal table that had pinned him to the ground. Rising to his feet, he tightened his grip on his shield and glared at Doom.
"Doom, what your endgame?!" Rogers demanded.
Doom expression sobered, but his eyes glimmered with arrogance. "Haven't you seen enough?"
"I've already achieved what I set out to do."
Lifting the Tesseract in his hand, Doom pressed it against his chest like a trophy for all to see.
"This… this is the key to my ascension."
Gesturing around him, he declared, "No one can stop me now!"
"You're dreaming!"
Harry Osborn, his armor battered but still intact, staggered back into view. He stared coldly at Doom, his voice dripping with venom.
"Even if you beat us, the Justice League is waiting for you."
At the mention of the Justice League, Doom let out a scoff, his disdain evident.
"The Justice League?" He laughed mockingly.
"Let them come. I have my own ways to deal with them."
Doom confidence filled the room like a suffocating fog, leaving the Avengers with no choice but to regroup.
Yet, even amidst the chaos, one question lingered in the air:
How far would Victor Von Doom newfound power go—and who, if anyone, could stop him?
As the voice fell, all members of the Avengers reassembled.
The scattered, elemental body of Sandman also began to gather back together.
However, just as the Avengers stood at full alert, ready for anything, the figure of Doom before them began to twist like a shadow, rippling like water disturbed by a breeze.
"Something wrong!"
Tony immediately noticed the anomaly. "Don't let him escape!"
Boom!
All their attacks converged at a single point, piercing through Doom body with ease—yet they didn't inflict a single trace of damage.
It was nothing more than an illusion.
"Your time is running out!"
Doom voice echoed again, omnipresent and directionless, as if coming from all around, leaving no trace of its origin.
"Just wait, everyone. Watch as I ascend to rule the world."
With those parting words, Doom presence vanished entirely.
The Avengers exchanged glances, frustration and defeat clear in their eyes.
Yet, they didn't charge after him blindly.
On one hand, they knew Doom had been preparing for this for a long time, and chances were slim they'd catch him now.
On the other hand, the abilities Doom had just demonstrated shattered their understanding of the possible.
Even if they managed to catch up, attacking him as a group might not succeed in retrieving the Cosmic Cube.
After all, they had all seen it—the shadowy figure helping Doom from the sidelines.
Someone who could manipulate minds and treat ordinary people like puppets.
Meanwhile, in New York.
After a week of hard work, Anton had wrapped up the post-production for Hellblazer. The movie was now screening nationwide.
At this moment, he stood outside a movie theater, watching the first wave of moviegoers exit.
They filled out review forms, their reactions varied. Anton, however, remained calm.
Only he could see the system panel in front of him. The fan approval ratings for Constantine were already hinting at the outcome.