Malrick's expression darkened.
Doctor Strange and Clea had entered the Dark Dinsion to resolve a World Collision crisis—just like the post-credits scene from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Back when he was just a regular person watching the movie in his previous life, that scene only sparked curiosity about what would happen next.
But now, he was inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And he wasn't excited.
He wanted to scream.
If this so-called World Collision only involved the Main Universe and a parallel one, he wouldn't care. The Multiverse had endless realities—dozens collapsed every day.
Over a year, the total might outnumber kangaroos in Australia.
One Main Universe falls, another rises. Maybe even Earth-616, the one he was in now, could take its place as the central reality.
But then he rembered.
The last ti World Collisions were ntioned in Marvel lore wasn't in the films.
It was in Secret Wars (2015) from the comics.
That crisis had been triggered by Wolverine constantly traveling through ti, fracturing history again and again. Eventually, it caused a domino effect, and Universes across the entire Multiverse began colliding and collapsing.
The result?
Total Multiversal annihilation.
Everything ended—until Reed Richards rebuilt a new Universe: the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe.
In other words, that World Collision had served as a total reboot of Marvel's cosmic order.
Malrick's scalp tingled at the thought.
If Strange's current situation mirrored Secret Wars, then this Universe might already be on borrowed ti.
Even if the chances were low, he had to prepare.
He thought for several tense seconds. Then he made his decision.
Let Dormammu go.
Forget extracting compensation—resolving the crisis in the Main Universe took priority.
Still, Malrick wasn't about to rush into the Dark Dinsion to help.
If this really was a cosmic-level catastrophe, he wouldn't be able to stop it anyway.
And if it wasn't?
Then the collapse wouldn't touch his world.
Either way, focusing on becoming stronger was the smarter move.
Because if his power reached high enough, even if the entire Multiverse—or the Omniverse—was obliterated, he'd survive.
That familiar sense of urgency, the sa one he'd felt when he left the Starry Sky World, returned in full force.
"Dormammu," Malrick said calmly, holding up two fingers, "you can leave, but I have two more conditions."
"Any conditions are fine," Dormammu replied, though he sounded cautious. "But if they're excessive, I won't agree."
"First, I don't want your Dinsional Authority. But you have to help locate an ownerless Dinsion."
Dormammu flared up instantly. "Impossible! Do you have any idea how rare that is? If a Dinsion has no ruler, it'll be claid by a Demon God in minutes."
He didn't ntion that he would snatch it up the mont he found one.
Malrick revised the request: "Fine. Then just keep an eye out. If you hear of an unclaid Dinsion—whether it's accurate or not—you tell . Every ti."
When he eventually reached the Immortal stage, his inner world would need to rge with a fragnt of space—preferably a Dinsion.
In the Marvel Universe, that ant claiming an ownerless one and becoming a Dinsional Lord.
Dormammu considered. "That's acceptable. I'll notify you of any rumors."
Simple information trading was no loss to him.
"And your second condition?" he asked.
"When you return," Malrick said, "you're going to help Doctor Strange and Clea deal with the crisis. If they fail—or if things go sideways—you inform imdiately."
"Agreed," Dormammu said quickly. "Though I'm surprised. Are you planning to step in if sothing goes wrong?"
"No," Malrick said flatly, "I want to watch two Universes collide and burn."
He said it like soone bored out of their mind cleaning fish at Stark Tower for nineteen years.
Dormammu blinked. "Are you really the Sorcerer Supre? Even the darkest version of Strange would fake so concern."
"You really like comparing people to Strange," Malrick muttered. "Anyway, sign the contract, then get out."
He extended his palm.
A massive golden contract made of solid magical energy materialized and unrolled into the air, stretching hundreds of ters long.
It recorded the three terms they'd agreed upon, encoded in ancient arcane runes.
At the very bottom, the penalty clause glead in large, unmistakable script:
Violation of this contract will result in Dormammu forfeiting ninety percent of his Dinsional Authority to Vishanti, the witness.
Dormammu looked it over. All the terms were exactly what he had agreed to—no traps.
But the penalty was… steep.
"Even Vishanti would be tempted by a deal like this," he muttered. "Sorcerer Supre, you really are… pragmatic."
"If the stakes weren't high," Malrick said, "they wouldn't enforce it. And without them, this contract would an nothing."
"Tch. Whatever you say." Dormammu signed with a strand of Dinsional energy.
The mont his signature touched the paper, the contract ignited in golden light and vanished from existence.
"The pact is sealed," Malrick said, dismissing the Space Stone's energy.
The shimring field surrounding the Small World faded, pouring its power back into Malrick.
Dormammu imdiately sensed the pull of the Dark Dinsion again.
He gave Malrick one last long look, then tore open the fabric of space.
A swirling vortex of distorted light appeared, revealing the chaotic landscape of his ho.
Standing at the threshold, Dormammu asked, "Sorcerer Supre, tell your na."
Malrick raised a brow. "Didn't you read the contract? Or are you planning to send a fruit basket?"
Dormammu chuckled dryly and stood taller again.
"Malrick Stark. I'll be waiting in the Dark Dinsion. We'll talk again… soday."
"Appreciate the invitation," Malrick replied, smirking. "Just don't forget your obligations. That's your punishnt clause, after all."
He wasn't surprised by Dormammu's switch in tone.
After all, Demon Gods had long shed concepts like morality. They spent their eternities floating through dark voids, absorbing planets and feeding off followers.
A bit of posturing? Harmless.
Dormammu turned with a grunt. "I don't need you to remind ."
"Oh, and if you miss ," Malrick called out cheerfully, "drop by Earth again! Our Universe designation is 199999, by the way."
Dormammu visibly twitched, then hurried his exit.
The mont the rift sealed shut, the Dark Dinsion vanished.
Malrick sighed as he glanced across the wrecked continent around him.
"Yeah… he's not coming back anyti soon."
He looked up, the endless night of space stretching above.
"This place is a ss. Ti to go."
With a single thought, he activated the world ring and disappeared.
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