The familiar voice made Tony Stark whip around.
There, sitting on the steps behind him, was an all-too-familiar figure, grinning at him.
Ronan!
Only this Ronan had shed the boyish edge from his face, replaced with a matured vibe.
Safe to say, he looked way more girl-magnet than the seventeen-year-old Tony remembered.
"You're… Ronan?"
Tony Stark still couldn't quite buy it.
Why'd Ronan look like *this*?
"Of course it's me. Just a few years apart—did you really forget what I look like?"
Ronan stood up with a laugh, strolling toward Tony Stark.
Instinctively, Tony took a step back.
"A few years?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Tony Stark eyed Ronan warily.
After that Dormammu mess, he'd gotten real paranoid about stuff like this.
No way he was risking another soul-out-of-body trip, vanishing from everyone's memory forever.
"Everything you're seeing right now? It's a glimpse of the future."
"And me? I was just cruising through the timelines when I caught a ripple here."
Ronan stepped up to Tony Stark, spinning a wild yarn.
Timeline cruising? Future glimpses?
Cut the crap—Tony Stark was seeing this vision thanks to Scarlet Witch's Chaos Magic, most likely.
"Future glimpses?"
"This… this is the future?"
Tony Stark spun around, staring at his fallen teammates.
Every single one—an Avenger.
Was the future really like Ronan said? Some dude named Thanos showing up and causing *this*?
"No, this… isn't the future."
But Ronan shook his head, shooting down Tony's question.
"Not the future?"
"But you just said this was about the future!"
Tony Stark's eyes widened, confusion setting in.
He'd *heard* Ronan say "future" clear as day—no way he was hallucinating!
"Tony, remember what I told you?"
"Everyone's future isn't set in stone. The moment you make a choice, the future you're part of shifts."
"Like right now, you being here."
"If you didn't believe this scene, I wouldn't show up."
"But you did believe it, so here I am."
Ronan pointed at the familiar corpses on the ground, then at Tony Stark standing there.
He'd said this to Tony and Steve Rogers before.
Hearing it, Tony froze, then dropped his head, silent.
Yeah, the second he saw this, he'd kinda bought it.
Those aliens heading for Earth just now? Felt like proof.
"So, will this happen or not?"
Tony Stark looked up at Ronan.
He wanted a straight answer.
"Same old line: it's all down to your choices—and everyone else's."
"If I told you the *real* future, an even bigger disaster would hit down the line."
Ronan shook his head again, his words sounding like riddles to Tony.
Maybe worried Tony didn't get it, Ronan pressed on: "Say I tell you what happens next—what do you do?"
Ronan asked with a grin.
Tony didn't answer.
He just… thought about it.
"Would you tell Steve and the gang what's coming?"
"Or keep it to yourself, quietly gearing up for it?"
"Build some disaster-proof gear, or something else?"
Seeing Tony clam up, Ronan filled in the blanks for him.
"Don't deny you'd do nothing—once you know, you can't help but try to dodge it."
"That's human nature. You, me, everyone."
Ronan glanced at Tony's pensive face, smiling.
Once humans know the future, they'll change it.
But in trying to tweak it, the future you knew shifts too.
That's what Ronan was banking on.
He'd long given up expecting the futures he knew to play out.
"Phew."
"Got it."
Tony Stark let out a breath, like a weight lifted.
But Ronan knew Tony wasn't the type to let go that easy.
"So, what's this 'dumbassery' you mentioned at the start?"
Tony circled back to Ronan's opening line.
Ronan shrugged, pointing at the bodies.
"The dumbassery is you buying this scene."
"Which leads future-you to pull off something earth-shattering."
"I'm just here to say: don't rush into it, old man."
"Hand stuff off to the right people—don't hog it all yourself."
With that, Ronan stepped up and patted Tony Stark's shoulder.
Next second, Tony jolted awake, staring at Ronan's hand in disbelief.
He *felt* the weight of that pat!
"Don't freak—mages always got some tricks up their sleeves, right?"
Ronan winked.
But then, like he'd spotted something, he spun around.
"Time to snap out of it, Tony."
"Wallowing like this? Not your style."
"And me? Got a little trouble to handle."
"Catch you later."
With that, Ronan took a step forward and vanished from Tony Stark's sight.
In that instant, Tony blinked, and the scene melted away.
Back came the familiar scepter and the Leviathan corpse off to the side.
He took a deep breath, raised his right hand high, and summoned his Iron Man suit's arm.
Behind him, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch stood watching.
Scarlet Witch gaped at Tony Stark—she'd seen everything he just went through.
The Avengers' bodies, that mystery guy—all of it!
Quicksilver stepped forward, ready to take Tony out.
This Tony Stark was the仇人 (enemy) they'd been hunting forever!
Back then, Stark Industries' weapons trashed their home, killed their parents in the strike.
But Scarlet Witch stopped him.
She scanned around warily, whispering one word to Quicksilver.
"Go."
Even if he didn't get it, Quicksilver obeyed.
He grabbed her arm, and they blinked out in a flash.
*Bang!*
Next second, a dull crash echoed through the basement.
Tony Stark acted like he heard nothing, lifting his armored hand to snag the scepter off the table.
*Bang bang bang!*
The crashes kept coming.
Soon, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch popped back into view.
Quicksilver clutched his forehead, eyeing the room uneasily.
Just now, when he tried speeding out, every direction—up, down, left, right—hit an invisible wall.
Trapping them tight.
Scarlet Witch scanned around, on high alert.
She felt *something*.
"Man, that speed's something to envy."
"Just wondering if you're that fast in… other areas."
As the twins puzzled it out, Ronan's figure faded into view.
The second Scarlet Witch saw his face, she knew.
This was… that future guy!
Why was he *here*?
"Looks like you caught my chat with Tony."
"No surprise there—"
Ronan glanced at Scarlet Witch, narrowing his eyes.
He could feel the power simmering in her.
Sure, it was nothing next to the Ancient One—or even him now.
If he whipped out the Infinity Stones, she'd be toast in one hit.
Guess the Ancient One was right.
The world's changes kept Scarlet Witch's Chaos Magic from fully waking up.
As his words landed, Quicksilver didn't care who Ronan was—his figure blurred, charging straight at him.
Even Ronan's eyes couldn't track him.
But too bad—he had a "cheat code."
*Whoosh!*
Quicksilver stopped cold, only to find himself right back at square one.
Next to his sister, Scarlet Witch.
He glanced at himself, then at Ronan across the way, and—unconvinced—blitzed again.
Same result as last time.
Back to the starting line.
Like nothing ever happened!
But stubborn as hell, Quicksilver wouldn't buy it.
He rushed Ronan again and again, each time landing back where he started.
Tireless, he pushed faster every go!
Switched paths, attack styles—even tried chucking nearby junk.
He figured if he was fast enough, he'd break through!
Too bad anything touching Ronan—
His speed wasn't like that guy next universe over, all sparks and lightning.
Fast, sure, but no space-breaking, let alone outrunning time.
"Give it up."
"You're not touching me."
Ronan shook his head, barely holding in a laugh.
Why was Quicksilver stuck like this? Simple.
Ronan's "cheat code."
Mirror Dimension.
His system-tweaked version let him reshape the space.
Paired with his Eye of Agamotto form, the second Quicksilver hit "Ronan"—no, his illusion—he'd teleport back.
In his Mirror Dimension, Ronan was damn near invincible.
"Who the hell are you?"
Scarlet Witch shoved Quicksilver behind her, stopping his attacks.
But her right hand, tucked back, was quietly charging up.
Too bad—Ronan caught that little move ages ago.
"Who I am doesn't matter. You two do."
Ronan pointed at the siblings, flashing a grin.
Anyone who knew him would clock it—this was his "time to bullshit" smile.
Not that he did it *that* often.
Right?
"Us?"
"What are you getting at?"
Scarlet Witch frowned.
From Tony Stark's vision, she'd pegged Ronan's identity.
A guy from the future.
Looking at him now, did they know each other later?
"I know you're guessing, but sorry—I can't say squat."
"All I can tell you is…"
"Magic's not something to mess with lightly."
*Snap.*
Right as he finished, Ronan raised his left hand and snapped his fingers.
The crisp sound bounced through the space.
Next second, Scarlet Witch clutched her head, screaming in agony.
"Ahhh!!!!"
Her piercing wail filled the underground chamber.
Quicksilver grabbed her tight.
"What'd you do?"
Seeing her in pain, Quicksilver roared at Ronan.
He'd tried attacking before—zero effect.
Even reckless as he was, he knew hitting Ronan wouldn't hurt him and might give him a shot at his sister.
But Ronan didn't bother answering.
His eyes stayed locked on Scarlet Witch!
He could feel it—the red energy surging around her.
Per the books, Chaos Magic users sometimes couldn't fully control it.
In other words, Chaos Magic could cast spells on its own, no intent needed.
Put it this way: if some powerhouse insta-killed a zoned-out Chaos Magic user—
Physiologically, they'd be dead!
But Chaos Magic's unconscious casting could bring them back.
Yeah, rumor had it Chaos Magic could resurrect!
That's what Ronan was testing!
He wanted to see if, at this stage, Chaos Magic would auto-shield its user!
And those rippling red waves around Scarlet Witch gave him the answer.
The answer was…
Yes!!!