'I knew it.' Ashburn's eyes narrowed as Doom appeared in the air, his cloak billowing behind him. He had expected the battle to draw attention, but it still caught him off guard to see Doom protecting Strange.
"Go ahead! Don't stop!" Ashburn ordered, voice sharp. Doom's arrival couldn't be allowed to give Strange even a moment to cast something dangerous.
Ashburn's mind raced. He needed a solution, fast He couldn't take on Doom and Strange at the same time. He couldn't push his luck… Then an idea clicked.
"Venom!" Ashburn called, eyes snapping to the symbiote currently bonded with Shadow Eddie. "Bond with as many shadows as you can. Copy their abilities."
Venom didn't hesitate. Tendrils of black ooze peeled away from Eddie, latching onto the nearest shadow soldier. One bond, Then another, And another.
Each shadow merged seamlessly, the symbiote adapting, its form shifting subtly with every new connection.
[Sensed: A shadow has bonded with another shadow, becoming one… Sensed: One of the host's shadows contains a trace of the void… Congratulations, host, on creating a new ability.]
The screen flickered to life, floating in Ashburn's view.
[Shadow Monarch] has grown stronger. Congratulations on unlocking the full power of the Shadow Monarch through your own evolution.
You have gained the true form of [Shadow Exchange].
In its true form, Shadow Exchange allows the user to utilize shadows as portals, enabling instant travel across vast distances.
This skill functions like a gate, allowing the user to bring others along. There are no time limits. No mana consumption.
[Shadow Fusing]- The host can combine 1 to 5 shadows into a single, far more powerful entity. The fused shadow will possess all strengthened abilities from the original shadows and may even gain new skills.
No strength limit: Even if the fusion reaches godlike power, it will remain loyal.
Duration: Fusion lasts for 10 minutes.
Cooldown: After use, the fused shadows cannot be summoned for 24 hours.
[Umbrakinesis] has evolved. By absorbing a fragment of the void, you've touched upon the primordial darkness.
Shadow Strength: All shadows are now up to 5 times stronger.
Ability Boost: Every shadow-related skill has grown stronger.
Strange's eyes widened as the shadows surged, their strength skyrocketing without warning. A moment ago, they were 25 times stronger than when they were alive.
Now? They were 100 times stronger.
"Get out!" Strange roared, clutching his head in agony. Doom, caught off guard, whipped around, his gaze locking onto Ashburn. And that's when he saw it, Charles Xavier, standing silently beside Ashburn, one hand pressed to his temple, the other outstretched toward Strange.
Ashburn's lips curled into a smile. He'd used his 100% Shadow Extraction chance on Charles long ago, keeping the telepath hidden in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. This was how the shadows had fought with such perfect coordination, Charles had linked their minds, turning them into a hive of precision. And now? He'd struck, when Strange thought he had saw it all.
Now, with the shadows 100 times stronger and Strange caught off guard, the battle had tipped completely. Even at their prime, Charles would force Strange to take him seriously, though Strange would eventually win, it would never be easy.
After all, Charles Xavier wasn't just another telepath. He was a man who could shut off the mind of Thor, a feat few could claim. There was also the time he defeated Cyclops, even when Scott wielded the Phoenix Force.
And the list didn't stop there. In a battle of minds, few could stand toe-to-toe with Charles. Susan might be Ashburn's strongest tank, but Charles? He was the trump card.
Because when played at the right moment, his power didn't just turn the tide, It was an instant KO. Like now.
Before Strange could even recover, Rogue appeared, moving like a blur, and wrapped her arms tightly around him, her grip unrelenting. Doom reacted immediately, surging forward, But Susan was faster.
A bubble snapped into place, sealing Doom inside before he could even reach them.
Boom!
Rogue was blasted away, tumbling through the air before she caught herself, feet skidding across the ground as she waved her hand, already preparing to cast a spell.
But Strange wasn't having it. Something changed. For the first time, Strange began using magic Ashburn hadn't seen before.
Darker. Heavier. Corrupted.
Why now? The answer was obvious. From start to finish, Strange had never gone all out. Why? Because he was a zombie. The nature of his magic, rooted in balance, life, and order, conflicted with his current undead existence.
Could he have cast a holy spell to purge the darkness? Yes.
Would it have worked? Absolutely.
But would it have backfired, ravaging his undead form? Without a doubt.
So, what was the solution? Simple. Dark magic. Demonic rituals. Hexes. Forbidden sorcery. Forms of magic he'd long avoided, now the only path left to survival.
And with that, Doctor Strange, no longer bound by the limitations of light, stood fully revealed. This wasn't just the Sorcerer Supreme. This was a Doctor Strange wielding the corrupt power of darknes and evil. The black arts once sealed away for the greater good. Although still weaker then his peak, this was a Strange capable of just twitching his finger, and a good 99% of all life across the universe would disappear.
Sadly for Strange, it was already too late. Ashburn had activated [Monarch Domain], and instantly, the higher dimensions Strange relied on for power were cut off, like doors slamming shut one by one.
Strange's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face as he felt the severance, Leylines disrupted. Dimensional energies blocked. His lifeline, the very source of his dark resurgence, was gone. He tried to counter it, hands already weaving a spell to shatter the domain, but…
Boom!
Quicksilver struck first. But not just any Quicksilver. This was Quicksilver fused with the Thing, their powers merged into one monstrous entity. Speed unmatched. Power unrivaled.
Hundreds of times faster than Quicksilver's original top speed, and hundreds of times stronger than the Thing's peak strength.
Strange never stood a chance. The impact landed squarely, Quicksilver's fist driving into Strange's face like a meteor strike, the sheer force fracturing the air around them.
Strange's head exploded, the shockwave ripping through the battlefield, leaving behind only a crumbling husk of his once-mighty form.
But it didn't end there. Rogue stepped forward, already chanting, her hand raised as she targeted Doom next.
Boom!
A single spell, a crackling surge of destructive energy, and Doom's body disintegrated on the spot, But Ashburn didn't flinch.
'That's just a Doombot,' He thought, barely sparing it a glance. And yet… The sense of victory was short-lived. Because Doom never sent just one.