Chapter 17: Doom

Error_Uzumaki left the first review! Here the bonus chapter!

----

The Avengers and Fantastic Four wasted no time. As they approached the warehouse, Tony's HUD flashed with readings from the quantum tracker. The energy spikes were coming from within.

"He's definitely in there," Tony said, his voice sharp. "Everyone, be ready. This isn't just a simple takedown."

Captain Marvel, flying beside him, nodded. "We'll hit him hard and fast. Don't give him time to react."

Reed Richards, stretched out in the quinjet, looked over the data once more. "This particle collider he's building… it's more advanced than anything we've seen. If he manages to activate it fully, the consequences could be catastrophic."

Bruce Banner, monitoring the data back at the compound, spoke through their comms. "Remember, he's trying to tap into a dimensional rift. If he succeeds, he could potentially tear through space-time. We need to shut him down."

The team landed near the warehouse, their boots hitting the forest floor in sync. Captain America signaled for the team to fan out, their eyes scanning the area for any traps or surprises.

"Stay sharp," Cap said, his shield held at the ready.

As they approached the warehouse, the energy around it crackled, distorting the air. Tony glanced at Reed, who nodded in understanding. "This is it."

With a gesture, Captain Marvel blasted the warehouse doors open, sending debris flying. The team rushed in, but they were met with an eerie stillness. The collider hummed in the background, the room dimly lit by the glow of the machine. And there, standing in front of it, was Ethan.

But he didn't attack. He didn't even move. Instead, he watched them with calm, calculating eyes.

"Finally," Ethan said, his voice smooth, almost mocking. "I was beginning to think you'd never show."

Tony stepped forward, his repulsors charging. "You're done, Spot. Whatever you're planning ends here."

Ethan chuckled softly. "You still don't get it, do you? You think this is about me wanting to destroy your world? It's not. This is about evolution. About reaching beyond the limits of this reality."

Captain America, standing beside Tony, narrowed his eyes. "And you're willing to tear apart everything for that?"

Ethan's gaze shifted to Cap, and for a moment, his black circles pulsed with faint energy. "You think small, Captain. I'm thinking of what comes after."

Captain Marvel didn't wait for another word. She flew forward in a burst of energy, her fists glowing with cosmic power as she aimed a punch directly at Ethan. But just as her fist connected, a portal opened, and she flew straight through, only to emerge on the other side of the room, her momentum sending her crashing into the far wall.

Ethan didn't flinch. He didn't lose his composure. He simply watched, like a predator observing its prey.

"Still relying on brute force?" Ethan said calmly. "You won't win like that."

Suddenly, Tony fired a barrage of repulsor blasts, each one aimed directly at Ethan. But as the blasts closed in, Ethan opened multiple portals, redirecting the energy back at the Avengers. Steve raised his shield just in time to deflect one of the blasts, while Reed stretched his body to shield Sue and Ben from the others.

Reed's voice was tense. "He's controlling the battlefield with those portals. We need to disrupt his focus."

Sue, now cloaked in her invisible force field, nodded. "Leave that to me."

As the heroes spread out, preparing their next move, Ethan remained calm. His black circles swirled with growing intensity, but he showed no signs of impatience. He was learning from them, studying their tactics, adapting to their strategies.

Sue Storm, now invisible, moved closer to Ethan, preparing to use her powers to contain him. But Ethan had already sensed her presence. With a subtle flick of his wrist, a portal opened beneath her, and she found herself suddenly free-falling through a series of disorienting dimensions before landing back on the warehouse floor.

"You're predictable," Ethan remarked, his voice almost bored. "All of you."

But as he spoke, something strange began to happen. The collider behind him flickered, the energy within it destabilizing once more. Ethan glanced back, his calm demeanor wavering for a split second. The setback was more severe than he'd anticipated.

Tony noticed the shift immediately. "He's losing control. That's our opening."

With a nod, the team moved in, coordinating their attacks. Captain Marvel flew overhead, blasting Ethan with energy, while Ben Grimm charged forward, his massive fists ready to crush anything in his path. Steve Rogers led the ground assault, his shield deflecting the energy blasts while Reed and Johnny covered their flanks.

Ethan, still calm but now more focused, opened a flurry of portals, redirecting their attacks. But the heroes were pressing harder, faster. They had learned too. Every time Ethan opened a portal, Sue Storm's force fields would counter it, limiting his ability to manipulate the battlefield.

The pressure mounted, but Ethan didn't falter. He absorbed every lesson, every move they made, adjusting his tactics with each passing second. But as the energy within the collider continued to destabilize, he knew his time was running out.

....

Ethan stood amidst the treeline, his eyes narrowing as he watched the Avengers and the Fantastic Four descend upon him. The hum of Tony's Mark 45 suit echoed overhead, a warning of the power that was about to rain down on him. But something else stirred in the shadows. A darker force, watching and waiting.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ethan caught the gleam of armor, the unmistakable presence of Doctor Doom. Victor von Doom stepped forward, his green cloak billowing behind him as if the very air bent to his will. His mask glinted under the dim light filtering through the trees, and his eyes burned with the cold fire of intellect.

"Doom," Ethan muttered under his breath. The ruler of Latveria had arrived just as expected, but the tension between them was palpable.

Doom's voice, laced with arrogance, cut through the stillness. "You should have accepted my offer, Spot. You are a fool to think you can achieve your goals without allies."

Ethan's lips curled into a mocking smile. "I don't follow anyone, Doom. Least of all a man whose arrogance blinds him."

Doom's eyes darkened, his fingers twitching as dark energy began to coalesce around him. "Then you leave me no choice."