[Marvel : Mutant God] Chapter 146 - 150

Chapter 146: Natasha VS Scarlett

Ever since killing Nick Fury and taking the Cosmic Cube, Richard hadn't paid much attention to S.H.I.E.L.D. Likewise, S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't bothered him again. In other words, they lacked the courage to cause him any further trouble.

Richard wasn't surprised that Tony and Reed would call and send messages. But he hadn't expected that Natasha and Banner would also reach out to him. Though he didn't yet know what they wanted, Richard temporarily ignored them and began browsing the messages from Tony and Reed first.

He hadn't seen Tony since giving him the unprocessed dragon scales from Ta Lo. He also hadn't inquired whether Tony was still designing and manufacturing his "Anti-Richard Armor." Regardless, barring any unexpected developments, Tony's special armor would likely be difficult to produce.

Tony had sent five or six messages, and just as Richard had guessed, Tony had only one purpose: to buy some vibranium from him. While not many outsiders knew about Wakanda's vibranium reserves, Tony certainly did. Even Reed could purchase some vibranium on the underground black market, let alone Tony, who had far more channels and connections.

After reading Tony's messages, Richard quickly made a decision: he would exchange vibranium for an artificial intelligence assistant! He didn't waste any time and immediately replied to Tony with his proposal.

After responding to Tony, he began reviewing Reed's messages. Like Tony, Reed also wanted to acquire some vibranium. Although Richard had given him some for free when Reed left Wakanda, it wasn't enough for someone who constantly developed new ideas. In less than a week, Reed had used up all his vibranium.

While Reed could melt and reuse the vibranium, restoring it to its original form, doing so was too troublesome and would mean losing the gadgets he'd already created. Compared to re-melting and reusing vibranium, purchasing new material was more convenient.

Though Richard didn't know whether Reed had been developing equipment for parallel universe travel during this period, he agreed to Reed's request—they had a good relationship and were currently working together.

After replying to Reed, he browsed through messages from Johnny Storm, Susan, and others. Johnny and Susan were updating him on the charity foundation's progress and future plans. As for Magneto and Wanda, when they couldn't contact him, they had gone directly to Emma Frost instead.

After reading all their messages, Richard finally checked what Natasha and Banner had sent. He assumed they also wanted to buy vibranium, as S.H.I.E.L.D. researchers would certainly have use for it. But his guess was wrong.

Natasha and Banner weren't looking to buy vibranium—they had both encountered problems that weren't catastrophic but were certainly complicated. Not catastrophic meant nothing particularly disastrous had happened to them; S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't being destroyed, and they weren't in mortal danger. Complicated meant their situation was beyond ordinary circumstances.

Simply put, a group of aliens had set their sights on Hulk and were planning to capture him and remove him from Earth. Natasha and Banner weren't sure who these aliens were or where they intended to take Hulk. The only certainty was that the aliens looked very strange and possessed considerable power—their weapons and equipment far surpassed what S.H.I.E.L.D. had available.

Initially, the aliens had operated relatively covertly, not daring to enter S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters openly to capture Banner. But as time passed, they'd grown increasingly aggressive, nearly bombing S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. To avoid endangering their colleagues, Natasha and Banner had decided that she would escort him away from S.H.I.E.L.D., preventing the aliens from directly attacking headquarters or Washington.

Their plan after leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. had been to go directly to Silver Manor to seek Richard's help. However, upon arriving, they'd found no one there. They'd considered asking the Fantastic Four for assistance but abandoned the idea after considering their strength. Even Banner transformed into Hulk couldn't eliminate these aliens, let alone the Fantastic Four—unless Reed happened to invent weapons specifically designed to counter them. Otherwise, continued hiding seemed their best option. Though this wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D.'s usual approach, without advanced combat forces or powerful technology, they had little choice.

After reading Natasha and Banner's messages, Richard frowned slightly. A group of aliens coming specifically to capture Hulk? This didn't seem right. Though Hulk was indeed powerful, that was only relative to ordinary humans. To the universe's major players, Hulk's strength was unremarkable.

After pondering for a moment, two names came to Richard's mind: the Collector and Grandmaster!

Apart from those two, with their collecting and gambling addictions, he couldn't think of anyone else who would send agents to Earth specifically to capture Hulk.

Could it really be them? Although in the cinematic universe, the Collector and Grandmaster weren't particularly formidable—more like comic relief characters used to advance the plot—Richard couldn't be certain whether they were mere "clowns" as portrayed in the films or actual members of the Elders of the Universe as in the comics.

If they were Elders like in the comics, their powers would far exceed their movie counterparts. The comic version of the Collector possesses immortality, superhuman strength, durability, and endurance, cosmic energy manipulation, limited precognition, matter and size manipulation, and teleportation abilities. He has genius-level intellect, particularly regarding alien species, history, and technologies, and wields a vast arsenal of advanced artifacts, weapons, and imprisoned creatures from across the universe. The Grandmaster shares similar immortality, superhuman physical traits, and cosmic energy manipulation. In addition, he is a master of strategy and gamesmanship, with reality-warping powers specifically tied to controlling probabilities, manipulating time on a localized scale, reviving the dead under special conditions (usually tied to the rules of a game), and creating elaborate battle scenarios or tournaments with near-absolute authority over their rules and outcomes.

After recalling their comic abilities, Richard decided to accept Natasha and Banner's request for help. He wanted to determine if these aliens were indeed sent by the Collector or Grandmaster. If so, he wouldn't mind traveling across the universe to meet them—and if the opportunity arose, perhaps plunder their extraordinary abilities to further strengthen himself.

Having made his decision, he immediately called Natasha. The call connected quickly, and her voice came through the line.

"You finally saw the message. We need your help now," she said without hesitation.

Although he couldn't see her expression, Richard could tell from her tone that she was anxious and somewhat breathless, as if engaged in intense physical activity.

Could she be doing that kind of thing with Banner? Can Banner maintain control with his current abilities?

These speculations flashed quickly through Richard's mind.

"I can help you, but I won't help for nothing," he replied calmly. "As for my conditions, we'll discuss them when we meet. Tell me your current location, and I'll open a space gate for you."

After hearing his words, Natasha immediately reported their specific location. Canada?

With their coordinates confirmed, Richard retrieved the Cosmic Cube from his system space and created a space gate surrounded by thunderclouds. Soon the portal took form, and Natasha and Banner quickly stepped through, appearing before him.

Natasha wore a tight combat suit that perfectly displayed her graceful curves. Banner was dressed in a gray suit.

When they arrived in his study, Richard first closed the space portal, then said, "From the looks of you both, you've had a rough time recently. Sit down and let's talk."

Natasha and Banner nodded and sat on the study's sofa. As they settled in, Richard quietly used his telepathy to read their memories. Without much effort, he found the information he sought.

The moment he accessed their memories, Richard knew who had sent the aliens to capture Banner—the Grandmaster!

The reason for his certainty was a weapon used by the alien group: a small stun device that ignored the target's physical strength! Upon seeing the aliens wielding these devices, Richard immediately thought of Thor being knocked unconscious by one in the cinematic universe. Thor, who controlled thunder and lightning, rendered unconscious by Valkyrie using a simple stun device—a truly ironic image.

After reading their memories, Richard said slowly, "I just used telepathy to read your memories and identified who sent these aliens to capture Banner. I can help you deal with them, but as I said before, I won't help for nothing. If you want my assistance, Natasha, you'll need to do something for me."

"What is it?" she asked immediately.

"It's simple. I want you to fight someone—someone you'll definitely find familiar," Richard said with a smile.

Someone I would definitely find familiar?

Though Richard hadn't specified who, Natasha—being S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agent—immediately guessed his meaning.

"You want me to fight my alternate self—Scarlett Romanoff?" she asked quickly.

"Yes, her exactly," Richard nodded.

He'd had this idea simply because of seeing Natasha in her tight combat suit. Though he knew she would never be a match for Scarlett, who had recently undergone superhuman enhancement, he just wanted to see them fight since they looked identical. Watching beautiful women in combat, especially two identical beauties fighting each other, would be quite entertaining. Black Widow from this universe versus Black Widow from the zombie universe—the spectacle would be magnificent!

"Is that the only condition?" Natasha continued.

"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to fight her a few more times," Richard said with a smile.

"No need—one bout will be enough. Forget I asked," Natasha replied quickly.

Though Richard's condition was unexpected, she didn't care much about it. In her mind, Richard was someone who never played by conventional rules. If he had made a serious request, she would have suspected hidden motives.

"Scarlett just went to rest. She probably won't wake until tonight," Richard explained. "I'll arrange accommodations for you both so you can rest in the meantime."

"Okay, thanks!" Natasha and Banner replied simultaneously.

Richard said nothing more. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed an internal number. Soon, a blonde maid wearing a classic black and white uniform entered the study.

"Provide them with two guest bedrooms," Richard instructed.

"Yes, sir," the blonde maid replied respectfully before turning to his guests. "Please follow me."

After Natasha and Banner left with the maid, Richard used the Cosmic Cube to create a space gate to New York—specifically, to Stark Tower. Though he didn't know when the Grandmaster's aliens would appear, he didn't plan to wait idly in Silver Manor. He needed to handle some personal matters first, such as trading vibranium for Tony's AI assistant, and negotiating with Reed for items of personal interest.

Once the portal formed, Richard stepped through directly into the top-floor reception room of Stark Tower. Immediately upon arrival, JARVIS's distinctive synthesized voice greeted him.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wesley. Mr. Stark is in his lab. Would you prefer to wait here or proceed to the laboratory?"

"I'll wait here," Richard answered.

"Very well. I'll notify Mr. Stark immediately," JARVIS responded promptly.

Shortly afterward, Tony emerged from his lab. Before Richard could speak, Tony said, "Where have you been? Why did it take so long to reply to my message?"

"I wasn't anywhere special. Like you, I've been busy with my own projects," Richard replied calmly. "Let's not dwell on that. I can provide the vibranium you want anytime. Is your AI assistant ready?"

"Does that even require preparation?" Tony asked. "Do you want male or female, older or younger?" He pulled several business card-sized high-capacity memory cards from his pocket.

Though AI assistants had no true gender or age, their voices could be male or female, young or old. Take JARVIS, for example—his voice was that of a typical middle-aged man.

"Young female," Richard specified.

"No problem." Tony selected a memory card labeled "Wednesday" and handed it to Richard. "You should prepare some personal servers and terminals, otherwise it won't perform optimally. Don't blame me if you don't get the expected results."

Chapter 147: Tifa

Although Richard and Tony were trading an AI assistant for vibranium, what Tony actually needed to provide was only the complete program. Richard would prepare the rest himself. Both men understood this arrangement perfectly.

After taking the memory card from Tony, Richard casually tossed it into his system space. Then, he materialized a ton of vibranium from the same space. While his system couldn't store all the vibranium mined from Wakanda, he had installed a substantial amount for situations like this.

Watching Richard produce a ton of vibranium out of thin air like a magic trick, Tony showed no surprise. In fact, he would have found it suspicious if Richard had arranged a conventional delivery.

After presenting the vibranium, Richard smiled. "One AI assistant for one ton of vibranium—you've got yourself a good deal."

"We both know who's really profiting here," Tony replied quickly. "Reed told me the amount of vibranium mined in Wakanda alone is astronomical—and that doesn't include unmined resources. You're the one making out like a bandit."

Many laboratories and tech companies were developing artificial intelligence, but none came close to JARVIS's capabilities. Even Tony's first-generation AI assistant, written when he was eighteen, vastly outperformed current market offerings.

"You can't say that," Richard countered. "Your AI is indeed far superior to others, but vibranium isn't exactly found on every street corner. Speaking of development—how's your 'Anti-Richard Armor' coming along?"

"Let's not discuss that. We're still good friends, after all." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Fine, pretend I didn't ask. Keep working hard," Richard said with a smile.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Richard teleported from Stark Tower to the Baxter Building, headquarters of the Fantastic Four.

Upon arrival, he first completed the vibranium transaction with Reed, exchanging it for several interesting inventions—including equipment that could optimize the analysis of compound number five. Reed also returned the Space Stone from the Zombie Universe to Richard, having completed all necessary analyses.

Though Reed hadn't yet created the parallel universe travel device Richard wanted, he had analyzed the principles behind the Space Stone's portal creation capabilities. He'd even extracted energy from the gem for future research. Despite still having the Cosmic Cube, Richard accepted the Space Stone back for safety reasons—Reed wanted to avoid potential accidents.

After meeting with Reed, Richard visited Johnny and Susan to discuss the charity foundation's development. Though he had relocated to Silver City and wouldn't live permanently in New York, he remained deeply interested in the foundation's progress. As the saying goes, when you give someone a rose, the fragrance lingers on your hands. Occasional good deeds brought him genuine happiness.

After their discussion, and after granting Johnny permission to purchase real estate in Silver City's inner district, Richard created a space gate using the Cosmic Cube. Without further conversation, he stepped through and returned to his palace.

That evening, while dining with Emma and others, Richard briefly mentioned that Natasha and Banner had arrived at the palace, and that Natasha would soon spar with the newly enhanced Scarlett.

Though he hadn't discussed this with Scarlett beforehand, she voiced no objection. Both Scarlett and Emma understood exactly why he'd made such arrangements—Richard simply wanted to watch two versions of Black Widow from different universes fight each other. They were accustomed to his curiosity-driven whims. Compared to some of his stranger requests, this one seemed rather ordinary.

After dinner, Richard went alone to the palace's private training room to begin his daily regimen. Though ordinary training could no longer significantly improve the fusion of his Sephiroth and Vergil templates, he had no intention of abandoning his routine. As the saying went: skip practice for a day, and your hands grow restless; skip for three days, and your mind dulls. Daily training kept him perpetually in peak condition.

To ensure the training room could withstand the damage from his practice sessions, substantial quantities of vibranium had been incorporated into its construction. The football field-sized chamber featured vibranium floors, ceilings, and walls. With the door closed, even Hulk would struggle to escape.

Though the training room could function as a vibranium prison, Richard had no intention of using it that way. If he encountered an enemy that conventional means couldn't contain, he would simply eliminate them rather than expend additional energy and resources on detention. He was certainly no Batman with a no-kill vow.

Inside the training room, Richard retrieved Masamune from his system space and began training. Octoslash, Gravesong, Skyshatter, Hell's Gate, Judgment Cut End—though no enemies stood before him, he practiced each technique meticulously.

Time passed steadily. Before he realized, two hours had elapsed. Despite his diligent practice, skills like Octoslash and Judgment Cut End showed little promise of reaching level five anytime soon. This didn't particularly trouble him.

His current strength allowed him to traverse the Earth unchallenged. As long as he didn't provoke cosmic entities like Death, Eternity, or the Living Tribunal, his safety remained assured. By Marvel Universe standards, his combat capabilities approached God-Tier levels. Even among other God-Tier beings, he needn't worry unless facing the absolute elite among them.

Regardless of classifications, Richard now undoubtedly ranked as an Omega-level mutant. Combined with his Sephiroth, Vergil, and Superboy-Prime templates, he stood among the more formidable Omega-level mutants in existence.

After completing his training, Richard returned Masamune to his system space and teleported from the training ground—not directly to his palace, but to Silver City's Control Center, located one hundred meters underground.

Though he had just acquired the AI assistant from Tony today, he had anticipated this when building Silver City, establishing an underground control center capable of managing the entire city. Arriving at this teleportation-restricted facility, he retrieved the memory card containing the AI assistant program from his system space.

Without hesitation, he inserted the card into a reader and began transferring the program. All equipment in the control center had been salvaged from Wakandan warehouses. Though he lacked development expertise, he could assemble these systems easily, especially with the detailed instructions that accompanied each piece of equipment.

His task was simply to select the required components and assemble them according to the manual—similar to building a computer, though several levels more complex. This presented no challenge for Richard. While he couldn't develop or design such devices himself, failing to assemble them with instructions would have been truly embarrassing.

Soon, the AI program transferred from the memory card to the control center's server.

"Good evening, sir!" An artificially synthesized young female voice immediately filled the control center—clearly the voice Tony had programmed for Wednesday.

Without waiting for Richard's response, Wednesday continued, "You're not Mr. Stark. Who are you?"

"I'm Richard Wesley. I acquired you from Tony in an exchange, so I'm your master now," Richard explained calmly.

"Richard Wesley?"

Upon hearing his answer, Wednesday instantly connected to the internet and searched for information about him. Simultaneously, without alerting Richard, it quietly contacted JARVIS.

After communicating with JARVIS and confirming Richard's claim, Wednesday responded, "Mr. Wesley, it's a pleasure to serve you. I'm Wednesday, nice to meet you."

Though Tony had never actively used Wednesday, it demonstrated capabilities far beyond ordinary AI assistants. Like JARVIS, Wednesday approached something resembling true consciousness. With continued upgrades and integration of additional elements—like Vision in the cinematic universe—it could potentially transform from artificial intelligence into genuine life.

"Wednesday is the name Tony gave you. As my AI assistant now, it seems appropriate to give you a new name," Richard stated.

"Of course, Mr. Wesley. I'll be honored by whatever name you choose for me," Wednesday replied promptly.

Though Tony himself could be arrogant, his AI creations demonstrated far more humility.

After brief consideration, Richard announced, "Tifa! Your new name will be Tifa. I'll also provide you with a new holographic image."

When contemplating Wednesday's new identity, Tifa's image had surfaced unconsciously in his mind. Though Tifa didn't exist in this world, he could have his AI appear with her name and likeness—compensating somewhat for her absence in this reality.

"Yes sir, I like the new name Tifa!" she replied immediately.

Satisfied with her response, Richard nodded. He approached the console and sketched Tifa's image on the screen before him.

"Use this projection when you need to appear visually," he instructed. "There's nothing else for now—take some time to adapt to your new home. The control center has authority over all of Silver City and its related equipment. Take control as needed. If you have any questions or ideas, report to me anytime."

With an AI assistant now available, he intended to utilize it fully. Though he and Tifa had just met, he harbored no concerns about potential backdoors in her programming. Tony might be proud, but he wasn't the type to engage in such underhanded tactics. This Tony's personality aligned more closely with his cinematic counterpart than the occasionally villainous comic book iterations.

"Understood, sir!" Tifa responded without hesitation.

After hearing her acknowledgment, Richard teleported from the control center back to his bedroom. He then summoned Scarlett and Emily, who had rested for half the day. Both had successfully undergone superhuman transformation, and he planned an in-depth "communication" with them to explore potentially new pleasurable experiences.

Soon after, Scarlett and Emily arrived at his chambers. What followed were sounds inappropriate for younger audiences.

The following day at noon, after lunch, Richard escorted Scarlett—dressed in a black form-fitting combat suit—to the vibranium training room. As they arrived, Natasha, who had enjoyed a full night's rest, also entered wearing a tight combat suit that accentuated her figure.

"How was your rest?" Richard asked her.

"Excellent—the best sleep I've had in the past two weeks," Natasha replied immediately.

Her eyes fixed on Scarlett, who looked identical to her in every way—appearance, physique, and demeanor matched perfectly.

Though this was their first meeting, Natasha had known for some time about her alternate universe counterpart living with Richard. Initially, like many outsiders, she had suspected Richard of secretly creating a clone. But deeper investigation revealed greater complexity. Though lacking concrete evidence, she was convinced that Jessica, Scarlett, and Emily were actually Susan, Natasha, and Agent 13 from another universe.

As Natasha studied Scarlett, her counterpart returned the scrutiny. Since arriving in this universe, Scarlett had learned everything about her alternate self. Though she had no intention of replacing this world's Natasha, she couldn't help feeling a strange connection—after all, the other woman was herself, just from a different reality.

Chapter 148: Wolverine and Sabretooth Captured

If not for Richard, they would never have known of each other's existence, let alone stood face to face as they did now.

As Natasha and Scarlett regarded each other with complex expressions, Richard spoke. "There's no need for introductions. You both know yourselves quite well."

"Before you fight, Natasha, I should warn you that Scarlett is now a superhuman with physical attributes and reaction abilities far beyond ordinary people. This fight was never meant to be fair from the beginning."

"To avoid a completely one-sided match, Scarlett, try not to use your powers for now. Keep your strength and speed at normal human levels. Otherwise, this fight would be meaningless."

After hearing Richard's words, Scarlett nodded calmly. Natasha, however, showed surprise. Though she knew she'd be fighting her counterpart from another universe, Richard hadn't mentioned yesterday that Scarlett had become superhuman.

Are these powers similar to mutant abilities? Or was she injected with something like the super soldier serum that enhanced Rogers? Or did Richard somehow transfer his own powers to her?

Several theories flashed through Natasha's mind. Though curious about how her alternate self had been transformed, she focused on the immediate situation.

"She's been transformed into a superhuman by you, which means you knew from the start I couldn't win," Natasha observed. "Why have me fight her at all?"

Richard smiled in response. "No special reason. I simply want to see you two fight each other once. If you can push Scarlett to use her powers—force her to exceed normal human limits—you win. Besides, win or lose, I'll keep my promise to help you."

Natasha said nothing more. She immediately assumed a fighting stance, prepared to engage Scarlett at any moment.

Seeing her serious expression, Richard teleported more than ten meters away. There was no need for him to referee or announce the start. As soon as he vanished, Natasha and Scarlett rushed toward each other simultaneously.

When they met, they immediately displayed their superb close combat skills, trading blows with fists and feet in a dazzling display of technique. There was something uniquely compelling about watching two beautiful women engaged in close combat—especially when they shared identical appearances and physiques.

Since both were top spies trained in the "Red Room," they recognized each other's moves instinctively. They were intimately familiar with their own habits and tendencies, which resulted in a stalemate where neither could gain the upper hand. Of course, this equilibrium existed only because Scarlett was suppressing her enhanced abilities. Otherwise, even with Natasha's knowledge of her patterns, Scarlett could have overwhelmed her with superior strength and speed.

Time passed steadily. Before long, five minutes had elapsed. Though not a particularly long duration, five minutes of high-intensity combat had consumed considerable stamina for Natasha, whose physique only marginally exceeded that of ordinary humans. In contrast, Scarlett showed no signs of exertion—no flushed face, heavy breathing, or even perspiration.

Even without using her powers and keeping her capabilities at normal human levels, Scarlett maintained a significant advantage. Her physical strength alone gave her an edge, not to mention her enhanced reaction speed and resistance to injury. Had she not deliberately held back, the fight would have ended much sooner, even with her strength and speed suppressed.

Recognizing she couldn't sustain a prolonged battle, Natasha quickly changed tactics, deploying various gadgets she carried. Seeing this shift, Scarlett also began using her equipment. The battle resumed with renewed intensity.

Compared to their earlier close combat, the aesthetic quality diminished somewhat when they started using gadgets. Nevertheless, compared to ordinary fighting, the spectacle remained impressive.

Another six or seven minutes passed. When Natasha had depleted all her disposable equipment, leaving only the "Widow's Sting" on her wrists, Richard's voice rang out.

"Okay, let's stop here. This match is a draw."

At his command, both women halted immediately. Though she'd known from the beginning this wasn't a life-or-death confrontation, Natasha had still committed her full skill to the encounter. Consequently, she'd expended nearly half her physical reserves in just over ten minutes of combat. While not completely exhausted, her chest heaved noticeably as she caught her breath.

"Do you need me to escort you back?" Richard asked her.

"No, I can manage on my own," Natasha replied quickly.

"Very well. We'll go first," Richard said. He approached Scarlett, slipped his arm around her slender waist, and initiated teleportation. In an instant, they vanished from Natasha's sight, reappearing in Scarlett's quarters.

"There's nothing else for now," he told Scarlett. "Just continue adapting to your new abilities. If you have any questions, you can always come to me."

"Mmhmm," Scarlett nodded.

After her acknowledgment, Richard teleported again, this time to his study. Settling behind his desk, he said, "Tifa, access the surveillance footage from the training ground and replay Natasha and Scarlett's battle."

"Right away, sir!" Tifa's voice responded immediately.

A moment later, a holographic projection materialized before him, displaying the combat sequence between the two women. After watching the footage several times, he continued, "Record and catalog all techniques they employed."

"No problem, sir," Tifa confirmed.

After a moment's consideration, Richard added, "Access my private server and analyze all information regarding Compound V and the metahuman transformation experimental data. Identify any potential optimizations."

He had originally planned to perform these analyses himself, but with Tifa available, he could delegate these tasks. Though Tifa lacked human intuition and creativity, her computing power far exceeded human capability. Even with his Superboy-Prime template, Richard couldn't match Tifa's data processing abilities. Analysis and computation were Tifa's core strengths—the fundamental advantage of artificial intelligence.

"Certainly, sir. Is there anything else I can assist with?" Tifa inquired.

After brief consideration, Richard replied, "I'll provide you with a new voice profile. Replace your current voice accordingly." Since he had already given Tifa her name and image, her voice couldn't remain unchanged. Though he could only reconstruct Tifa's voice from memory, this presented no significant challenge.

"Understood, sir," Tifa acknowledged.

Time passed quickly. Three days elapsed before they knew it.

On a grassland more than ten kilometers from Silver City, three peculiar spacecraft were parked—each thirty to forty meters long, with strange configurations and somewhat shabby appearances. Dozens of aliens of various shapes knelt before the vessels.

These were the Grandmaster's agents—interstellar mercenaries sent to Earth to capture potential gladiators, with Hulk as their primary target.

"What do you plan to do with them?" Natasha asked Richard, observing the aliens who had forced her and Banner to flee S.H.I.E.L.D. and live as fugitives.

"What else? Kill them, of course," Richard replied casually while using telepathy to probe their memories. Though he already knew they were mercenaries hired by the Grandmaster, certain information in their minds intrigued him—particularly spacecraft operation procedures.

After hearing his response, Banner, standing beside Natasha, asked cautiously, "Won't killing them cause problems?"

"What problems could there be? They're merely mercenaries. If they die, their employer—the Grandmaster—will simply assume they failed," Richard explained. "However, since Hulk has caught the Grandmaster's attention, he won't abandon his pursuit easily. This means he'll likely hire others to continue the hunt."

Banner's expression darkened at this revelation. Though unfamiliar with the Grandmaster, he understood one thing clearly: whoever came next would be more formidable than these mercenaries. For Richard, this might not pose a significant threat, but for Banner, it represented a serious problem. These aliens had already forced him and Natasha to abandon S.H.I.E.L.D. and live on the run. If the Grandmaster sent stronger agents, they might not even have a chance to escape.

As Banner prepared to speak again, Richard frowned slightly. While reading the memories of a red-skinned alien with a crayfish-like head, he discovered unexpected information. Though these mercenaries had come to Earth specifically for Hulk, they had captured additional subjects to maximize their expedition's value—namely, Wolverine and Sabretooth.

Upon discovering this, Richard immediately suspended his memory probing and teleported directly into the spacecraft where Wolverine and Sabretooth were held. He materialized before their hibernation chambers, observing both men lying unconscious within. Without hesitation, he approached the control panel—covered in alien symbols—and began operating it.

Soon after, the coffin-like chambers slowly opened. Within seconds, Wolverine and Sabretooth, both possessing accelerated healing abilities, opened their eyes and burst from their confinement like feral beasts. Whether due to disorientation or memories of their capture, they instinctively lunged toward Richard with perfect coordination.

Matter Manipulation!

As they sprang from the chambers, Richard utilized his matter manipulation ability, freezing them mid-air.

"Wake up. It's me," he said calmly.

Upon hearing his voice, the rage in their expressions gradually subsided, replaced by confusion.

Before they could speak, Richard explained, "I didn't come specifically to rescue you. In fact, I didn't even know you'd been captured. Their primary objective was Hulk—you two were incidental. Banner requested my help, so I intervened against these aliens."

Though his explanation might have seemed discouraging to Wolverine and Sabretooth, Richard prioritized conveying the complete situation efficiently.

After processing his words, Wolverine and Sabretooth exchanged glances. Finally, Wolverine said, "Regardless, you saved us both. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Richard replied. "If there's anything to discuss, let's continue at Silver City."

With that, he teleported back to Banner and Natasha, resuming his memory probing of the aliens. After completing his examination, he summoned hellfire, reducing them to ashes.

Meanwhile, Wolverine and Sabretooth descended from the spacecraft, approaching the group. "Let's head back," Richard instructed.

"What about these three spaceships? Are we just leaving them here?" Banner asked, puzzled.

"Others will handle this matter. I'm the mayor of Silver City, after all. If I had to do everything personally, that would be excessive."

With that, Richard walked toward a vibranium aircraft parked several dozen meters away. Like Silver City itself, he had modified Wakanda's vibranium fighter to suit his preferences. Due to time constraints, only the exterior and interior had been transformed; the operating system and weapons remained unchanged, apart from converting Wakandan text to English.

Seeing Richard approach the sleek, silver-white aircraft—redesigned with more conventional human aesthetics—Natasha, Banner, Wolverine, and Sabretooth quickly followed.

Minutes later, the vibranium fighter soared toward the palace of Silver City. As they flew, five transport planes launched from Silver City, heading toward the three abandoned alien spacecraft.

Chapter 149: Fantasy

Silver City Palace

In the palace reception room, Natasha and Banner sat together on one side, while Wolverine and Sabretooth occupied the other.

Looking at the four of them, Richard addressed Natasha and Banner first. "Do you want to return to the United States now, or stay a few days longer?"

Banner replied with slight embarrassment. "I'm rather interested in the technology used on those alien spacecraft. If you need researchers, I'd be happy to stay and help."

Though Banner's expertise wasn't in mechanical engineering, he remained a scientist with seven doctoral degrees. His scientific curiosity far exceeded that of ordinary people—even compared to those with a single PhD. For Banner, alien technology held more attraction than beauty or power ever could.

"If you're interested, you're welcome to stay," Richard replied. "On one condition: you cannot share your research results with S.H.I.E.L.D. Meet that requirement, and you can study here alongside me."

Though Richard approved of Hulk more, he didn't genuinely dislike Banner. Among the Avengers, Captain America was the only one he truly despised.

"No problem. I guarantee I won't share any alien technology with S.H.I.E.L.D.," Banner answered without hesitation.

Richard nodded and spoke to the AI that seemed present everywhere. "Tifa, arrange a laboratory for Dr. Banner in the inner city. Send the items recovered from the spacecraft directly to his lab."

"Right away, sir," Tifa's voice responded immediately. Her voice had changed significantly from three days ago—now matching the Tifa in Richard's memory perfectly.

"What about you, Natasha? Staying or going back?" Richard asked.

"I'll stay for now and return to S.H.I.E.L.D. later," she replied slowly, glancing at Banner's excited expression. Though the alien technology didn't interest her personally, she wouldn't leave immediately since Banner had chosen to stay.

"There's nothing else for now. You can both go rest," Richard told them.

"Sounds good," Banner and Natasha replied in unison before standing and leaving the reception room.

After their departure, Richard turned to Wolverine and Sabretooth. "You were detained for some time, so you may not know where you are. This is Silver City—formerly the capital of Wakanda, a small African nation. It's now my private territory and will become a city of mutants."

From the mercenaries' memories, Richard knew that Wolverine and Sabretooth had been captured before Magneto's public call for mutants to relocate to Silver City.

A mutant city? Both men showed surprise at Richard's words. Though they had been to Wakanda before, neither recognized it.

This connection related to the adamantium in Wolverine's body. The special metal discovered by Colonel Stryker had actually been vibranium. The tribe they had attacked years ago was a border tribe of Wakanda—they had essentially stolen vibranium from Wakanda decades earlier without realizing the tribe's affiliation.

Even if they had known, the name "Wakanda" would have meant nothing to them. Wolverine had lost his memories, and Sabretooth had never cared about the tribe's origins—he only remembered that Wolverine had abandoned him back then.

Though Sabretooth had no impression of Wakanda, Wolverine immediately showed interest in the concept of a mutant city.

"What happened to the original residents?" Wolverine asked.

"I drove them out," Richard replied simply.

"They had no objections to you taking their capital?"

"Of course they objected, but after I killed some of them, the rest kept their opinions to themselves. Or if they have objections, they don't dare express them to my face," Richard said. "But that's not important. You're both mutants—if you want to live here, I can provide houses in the inner city since we're acquainted. Of course, if you're not interested, just disregard the offer."

Though not an X-Man and having only met Wolverine a few times, Richard didn't mind offering them homes. Sabretooth was Clarice's adoptive father, after all, and many houses in the inner city remained vacant.

"Where's Clarice? Is she in Silver City now?" Sabretooth asked immediately.

"Yes, she's in the palace. If you want to see her, I can call her here."

"I'd better see her later," Sabretooth replied. "I don't want her knowing I was captured by alien."

"You probably can't hide that from her," Richard noted, understanding Sabretooth's concern. "But you could clean yourself up first and look more presentable."

Even if Sabretooth said nothing, Clarice would learn about it from other sources—Tifa or Natasha, for instance.

"I need to contact Jean first and get her opinion," Wolverine said slowly.

Richard's expression said "as expected." Though Wolverine wasn't young anymore and resembled an uncle in appearance, he remained Jean's devoted follower.

"No problem." Richard retrieved a phone from his system space and tossed it to Wolverine. Though Jean's contact wasn't saved in his phone, Wolverine undoubtedly knew her number by heart.

Wolverine dialed Phoenix's number without hesitation. The call connected quickly.

"Jean, it's Logan. I'm in Silver City now..." He quickly explained the situation.

After a moment, he nodded. "Okay, I understand." Rather than ending the call, he handed the phone to Richard. "Jean wants to speak with you."

Richard took the phone casually. "Go ahead. What did you want to discuss?"

"We'd like to move to Silver City as well. Would you agree to that?" Jean's voice came through clearly.

"There's nothing to agree or disagree with. You must have seen Magneto's announcement—Silver City welcomes all mutants. As long as you're mutants, there's a place for you here."

Though the current X-Men weren't as powerful as before, Jean and Cyclops remained substantially stronger than ordinary mutants. Their relocation would strengthen Silver City's defenses and serve as an example for pacifist mutants who might otherwise hesitate to move there.

In terms of appeal, Richard's influence exceeded that of Magneto and Jean combined, but some mutants—particularly those with pacifist leanings—disapproved of his methods. To these pacifists, he represented the type of mutant who abused his powers for selfish ends.

While Richard didn't require their support or approval, from a security perspective, pacifist mutants would create a more balanced environment in Silver City. After all, these pacifists wouldn't relocate without good reason.

"I understand," Jean replied. "And thank you for rescuing Logan. On behalf of the X-Men, I'm grateful for your help."

"Anything else? If not, I'll end the call," Richard said.

"No, I won't take more of your time." Jean disconnected.

Richard turned to Wolverine. "Jean told me they want to move here as well. You can stay with peace of mind."

Wolverine nodded.

"That's all for now. I'll arrange for someone to show you to your accommodations in the inner city."

"Sounds good," Wolverine and Sabretooth replied together.

After instructing Tifa to arrange their housing and guides, Richard teleported to his study. Though they'd dealt with the Grandmaster's mercenaries, no one could predict when he might send more.

Seated behind his desk, Richard considered whether to let Hulk completely replace Banner and have Hulk remain in Silver City permanently. After reflection, he abandoned the idea. While he preferred Hulk's company, Banner possessed qualities Hulk lacked—particularly his scientific genius. In research fields, a hundred Hulks couldn't match one Banner with his seven doctorates.

Never mind. Let's leave things as they are for now. We'll reconsider when the Grandmaster sends more agents.

Richard set the question aside and asked Tifa to display the optimization plan for Compound V.

After reviewing Tifa's proposal, he instructed, "Begin with animal experiments. Collect data to identify any omissions or areas for further optimization."

"Yes, sir," Tifa responded.

Time passed quickly. A month elapsed before they realized it.

During this period, Richard spent most of his time in Silver City, either engaged in daily training or interacting with his women. As mutants continued relocating to Silver City, his responsibilities multiplied.

Having grown accustomed to a hands-off leadership style, he established a Silver City Outer District Affairs Department to manage these matters. He appointed Magneto and Jean as department heads.

Beyond the Outer District Affairs Department, he instructed Tifa to establish several additional departments managing the inner district, logistics, technology, and city defense. He entrusted all these departments to Emma Frost for comprehensive oversight.

To distribute her workload, Emma followed Richard's example, delegating different responsibilities to Clarice and Scarlett. She allowed them to determine appropriate staffing levels for each department.

Meanwhile, Tifa—originally Richard's personal assistant—was promoted to Deputy City Lord. Within Silver City's hierarchy, Tifa's authority ranked below only Richard and Emma, exceeding that of Magneto and Jean, who managed only the outer district.

Though Richard minimized his involvement in Silver City's daily management, he remained productive. After a month of intensive work, Banner and Tifa successfully constructed Silver City's first vibranium spacecraft: "Fantasy."

Unlike the shabby vessels used by the mercenaries, Fantasy boasted superior performance and firepower. Banner and Tifa had completely disassembled the three alien ships, then integrated their technology with vibranium engineering to create Fantasy.

To ensure reliability, they had consumed an astonishing quantity of vibranium. The completed vessel measured 150 meters in length with a sleek, silvery-white streamlined form resembling a luxury cruise ship.

Though no weapons were visible on its exterior, Fantasy was undeniably a space battleship. Within its silver-white hull resided various armaments incorporating vibranium technology. Essentially, everything from Wakanda's arsenal had been adapted and installed by Banner and Tifa.

When Fantasy was completed, Richard immediately boarded it for inspection. Despite its brief construction period—just one month—the vessel's performance and comfort exceeded his expectations.

After confirming Fantasy's readiness, Richard instructed Tifa to create a clone program, Aerith, to serve as the vessel's artificial intelligence.

Back in the study of Silver City Palace, Richard sat in a high-backed chair, casually reviewing documents before him. Though he delegated most matters to Emma and others, certain decisions required his personal attention—whether to sell vibranium and vibranium products to other nations, whether to establish diplomatic relations, whether to permit ordinary foreigners to enter Silver City, and so forth.

Emma and her team could manage Silver City's daily operations on his behalf, but only Richard could make these strategic decisions.

After reviewing the documents, he addressed Emma, who sat opposite him. "You may sell some vibranium and civilian vibranium products to foreign countries, but nothing related to military or advanced applications. Regarding diplomatic relations—Silver City is just a city, not a country, so disregard that issue. Don't allow ordinary foreigners into Silver City for now. If they want to sightsee, they can visit the Wakandans. Silver City isn't a zoo or an amusement park."

"Understood," Emma replied quickly. "By the way, Magneto has sent an invitation for you to attend dinner at his residence tonight."

"Dinner?" Richard frowned slightly. "What kind of dinner?"

"He didn't specify. It's likely a private affair," Emma answered.

Chapter 150: Naruto Universe

A private dinner?

After hearing Emma Frost's answer, Richard frowned slightly. A private dinner meant he would be the only guest. Though Magneto had invited him to larger gatherings before—like the celebration when the Brotherhood of Mutants officially joined Silver City—this was his first invitation to a private dinner.

After considering for a few seconds, Richard asked, "What time is the dinner?"

"Eight o'clock tonight," Emma replied promptly.

"Alright, I understand. Come with me tonight," Richard said calmly. Though it was a private dinner, he wasn't obligated to attend alone. Bringing a female companion was an unspoken rule—and how many companions to bring remained at the guest's discretion.

"Of course," Emma accepted without hesitation.

"Anything else to discuss?" Richard asked.

"Not for now. I need to attend to other matters," Emma stood up and replied softly.

"Thank you for your hard work," Richard said sincerely. As her power grew, Emma had taken on an increasingly important role. Without her, he wouldn't enjoy his current level of freedom.

Hearing his thanks, Emma gave him a seductive look and said in a soft tone, "It's hardly work. If you want to thank me properly, spend a few more nights at my place. That would certainly boost my motivation."

Though Richard occasionally stayed at Emma's place, he could never devote enough time to her alone. With several women requiring his attention, he couldn't satisfy everyone simultaneously. This wasn't due to physical limitations, but rather time constraints. Of course, if Emma, Clarice, Scarlett, Jessica, and Emily all agreed to a collective "debate on the origin of life" with him, that would be different—but such a five-against-one scenario remained only in his imagination.

"I'll do my best," Richard replied slowly.

"Then I'll take that as consent," Emma smiled. With that, she departed the study, her white form-fitting dress accentuating her figure as she left.

After Emma's departure, Richard teleported to his private training ground in the palace to begin his daily regimen.

At eight o'clock that evening, Richard—wearing a custom-made black suit—and Emma Frost—in a white deep-V backless evening gown—arrived at Magneto's manor in the inner city. Though Magneto now primarily managed outer city affairs, he resided in the inner city.

A four-door ultra-luxury vibranium sedan with automatic driving capabilities brought them to the manor, stopping before the main building. As they exited the vehicle, a silver figure appeared before them with lightning speed.

The silver figure was none other than Quicksilver. Pietro, who typically avoided formal attire, wore a well-fitting silver suit tonight, giving him a more polished appearance than usual. However, his first words revealed his unchanged personality.

"Dad asked me to escort you inside," Quicksilver said to the pair.

"Lead the way," Richard nodded.

Hearing this, Quicksilver restrained his mutant powers and led them toward the restaurant on the main building's first floor. Being a private dinner, they weren't utilizing the banquet hall but instead the more intimate restaurant space. Despite being a restaurant, the décor remained magnificent.

In the past, Magneto hadn't particularly embraced luxury. However, after reuniting with Wanda and Pietro, he'd altered his lifestyle. While he personally cared little about extravagant surroundings, he spared no expense in providing his children the best life possible—attempting to demonstrate his paternal love and atone for past absences.

Though Magneto lacked Professor X's privileged background, his wealth matched or exceeded Xavier's. The gold he'd recovered from the Nazis alone rivaled the entire Xavier family fortune. Add his other assets, and his net worth surpassed that of the late Professor. Otherwise, he couldn't have financed the Brotherhood of Mutants for so long.

Soon, Richard and Emma reached the restaurant. Like Richard, Magneto wore an expensive, custom-tailored suit that gave him the air of an old-school British aristocrat. The Scarlet Witch Wanda, standing at Magneto's left, wore a red evening gown that perfectly complemented her graceful figure.

After a period of living comfortably under Magneto's care, Wanda had grown increasingly enchanting. Observing her current refined demeanor, one would never guess she and Quicksilver had once lived as homeless wanderers in the United States.

Upon their arrival, Magneto approached Richard with enthusiasm, greeting him warmly. After brief pleasantries, everyone took their places. Once seated, Magneto signaled the staff to serve the carefully prepared dishes.

Richard had initially assumed Magneto had invited him to discuss something important. However, he soon realized his assumption was incorrect—Magneto simply wanted to share a meal with him. Though somewhat surprised, Richard didn't dwell on it and calmly enjoyed the food before him.

Time passed pleasantly. After nearly two hours at Magneto's manor, Richard said his goodbyes and departed with Emma Frost, returning to the palace.

"Did Magneto seem unusual tonight?" Richard asked Emma as they traveled.

"Why do you ask?" she replied.

"Just a feeling," Richard continued. Though nothing unexpected had occurred during dinner—they'd engaged only in casual conversation without addressing formal topics—something about Magneto's demeanor had struck him as odd. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what seemed different.

"Perhaps he wanted to request additional authority?" Emma suggested. "In recent reports, he proposed expanding the Outer City Affairs Department's jurisdiction to improve management capabilities."

"That doesn't seem likely. He's never been power-hungry," Richard replied quickly. "Though he's committed many seemingly villainous acts, his motivation has always been advocating for mutant interests, not personal power."

"Maybe you're overthinking it," Emma continued.

"I hope so," Richard conceded.

They moved on to discuss Fantasy, the recently completed spacecraft that hadn't yet undertaken its maiden voyage. Though Richard hadn't explicitly mentioned his interest in interplanetary travel, both Emma and Magneto had likely deduced his intentions. Otherwise, he wouldn't have instructed Tifa and Banner to construct Fantasy, consuming vast quantities of vibranium in the process.

While Fantasy could technically participate in Earth-bound conflicts, such deployment would be illogical. Rather than utilizing the spacecraft in terrestrial warfare, Richard—with his reputation as a "humanoid self-propelled nuclear bomb"—could personally deliver more precise and devastating attacks. However, no nation on Earth would currently risk destruction by engaging in conflict with him. Even the United States, despite claiming global supremacy, wouldn't dare challenge him—let alone smaller countries.

After returning to the palace, Richard proceeded directly to Emma Frost's quarters rather than his own.

Early the next morning, following an intense "debate on the origin of life" with Emma, Richard—wrapped in a bathrobe and in sage mode—stepped onto the bedroom balcony to observe the starry sky.

Silver City had begun establishing its new normal. Though the outer city's mutant population remained modest—just two or three hundred thousand—it would eventually fill with mutants, transforming Silver City into an undisputed mutant haven. For the moment, Richard had no pressing matters requiring his attention.

Perhaps I should visit Xandar, headquarters of the Nova Corps? he considered. Or maybe the Collector's domain in Knowhere, or Sakaar under the Grandmaster's control? Perhaps Hala, homeworld of the Kree Empire, to experience their culture?

Various possibilities cycled through his mind. Despite possessing the ability to visit these locations since acquiring the Cosmic Cube, he had never done so. Partly because Earth still presented matters requiring his attention, and partly because those destinations weren't necessarily appropriate for him. Like potential vacation spots, visiting or not visiting wouldn't significantly impact his daily existence.

As he contemplated which location might serve as his first extraterrestrial destination, he opened his attribute panel for a quick check.

[World Travel: 1 (number of challenges)]

Seeing the refreshed world travel opportunity, Richard raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had checked just days ago to see if new World Travel challenges were available. Unexpectedly, the system had refreshed a new opportunity within that short interval.

Though uncertain which world the system would select this time, he quickly reached a decision: complete this World Travel challenge first, then commence his interstellar journey. His reasoning was straightforward—the time ratio between World Travel and his home dimension was 100:1. Even if he needed to remain in the challenge world for several years, minimal time would pass in the Marvel universe.

Having decided, Richard rose from the balcony sofa and returned to the bedroom.

The following day at noon, after lunch with Emma and the others, Richard entered the vibranium-reinforced private training room alone and instructed Tifa to seal all entrances and exits.

During lunch, he had informed Emma and the others of his intention to practice in seclusion. During his absence, they would manage Silver City's affairs. Though they didn't know the nature of his seclusion, neither Emma nor Clarice pressed for details.

After Tifa secured the training room, Richard immediately opened his attribute panel.

[World Travel: 1 (number of challenges)]

[Do you want to randomly travel to another world to begin a challenge?]

Without hesitation, Richard selected "Yes."

Instantly, a pitch-black sphere resembling a miniature black hole materialized before him. With the sphere's appearance came an overwhelming gravitational pull. Richard didn't resist, allowing the sphere to envelop him completely.

Unlike his previous dimensional travels, this journey lasted nearly ten seconds before the sphere expelled him. Emerging from the dark void, Richard found himself in an unfamiliar forest.

A moment later, the challenge parameters appeared before him:

[Current Universe: Naruto Universe]

[World Challenge: Defeat "Rabbit Goddess" Kaguya Otsutsuki]

[Challenge time limit: 5 years]

[Challenge Reward: Increase Sephiroth template fusion by 10%]

[World Restrictions: Except for template abilities and plunder, other extraordinary abilities cannot be used]

Richard frowned slightly at the information. He hadn't expected to be transported to the Naruto universe, nor anticipated such extensive limitations. Though his template abilities and plundering powers remained unrestricted, the inability to use his previously acquired extraordinary abilities would prove uncomfortable.

Take teleportation, for example—without it, he would be limited to flying and super speed, unable to instantly travel wherever he desired as before.

Despite his surprise, he quickly accepted the situation and focused on the challenge time limit. Defeating Kaguya Otsutsuki seemed reasonable for this universe. Assuming this universe hadn't yet entered the Boruto timeline, Kaguya would represent the final antagonist, with other Otsutsuki clan members appearing later. This meant the Naruto world hadn't yet transitioned from the "beautiful contact lenses" era to the "tattoo" era.

The five-year time limit suggested he had arrived in the 63rd year of Konohagakure, when Naruto and Sasuke had just graduated from the Ninja Academy. Richard knew this because exactly five years separated their graduation from the conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War.

After mentally reviewing Naruto's storyline, Richard prepared himself for a five-year stay in this world. Though lengthy, the challenge duration remained acceptable—even if he remained here for five years, only eighteen days would pass in the Marvel universe. Such a brief absence from Silver City shouldn't cause significant concerns.