Subdue

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Dazed, Apocalypse found himself trapped in a dark space. No matter how far he walked, escape eluded him. After an indeterminate time, a faint light caught his attention, compelling him to move toward it.

He abruptly opened his eyes inside a cultivation tank in the real world.

Surveying his surroundings, Apocalypse noticed he was encased in a peculiar glass tank filled with an unfamiliar liquid. Strands of pure energy penetrated his body.

As Apocalypse awoke, a continuous beeping emanated from an instrument. The tank's cover automatically opened, prompting Apocalypse to sit up, his body somewhat rigid. Tubes surrounded him.

Unplugging the tubes, Apocalypse observed a room with white walls. Prepared clothes awaited him, which he quickly put on.

"Welcome back, Mr. En Sabah Nur. The name's a bit long, so I'll call you Apocalypse," said Ivan, entering with a smile.

Startled, Apocalypse's face betrayed alertness. Though he only glimpsed Ivan briefly, he remembered the appearance, wary of Ivan's ability to decompose bodies effortlessly, a skill likely fueled by formidable strength.

"Don't be so vigilant, Mr. Apocalypse. I harbor no malicious intentions; otherwise, I wouldn't have resurrected you. How about testing your new body? Theoretically, it adjusts to your soul, making it ideal for you."

Apocalypse, recalling his recent death, sensed his rejuvenated body. It no longer matched his old, worn-out form; vitality surged within a much younger vessel. His abilities had significantly intensified.

Apocalypse attempted to utilize his powers but encountered an unexpected failure. Bewilderment crossed his face.

"Your ability hasn't disappeared. I merely masked it with a special technique. It will return once you leave here," assured Ivan.

Ivan responded calmly, "I am a researcher obsessed with the truth. You can call me Ivan. Once, you ruled the world, but now, as a former king, you have two choices. Despite your past brilliance, victory has its privileges, and now, you must decide how to proceed."

"What are the two choices?" Apocalypse's tone lacked condescension, recognizing Ivan's strength and deserving equal consideration. Strength, after all, formed the basis of everything.

Ivan expressed contentment with Apocalypse's comprehension. Extending a finger, he offered two choices.

"First, you can opt for a dignified death, and I'll accord you the highest funeral rites. However, given the cost of resurrecting you, I must conduct some experiments on your body. I hope you understand," Ivan explained.

"Cut to the second one!" Apocalypse clenched his teeth, refusing the initial proposition.

Ivan presented a second option. "You can buy your freedom with wealth—not gold, silver, or jewels, but knowledge or utility to me. We can modify the terms since you're no longer the world-ruling king and likely lack sufficient resources. Serve me for fifty years, and then regain your freedom."

Apocalypse swiftly decided. Fifty years might seem lengthy to others, but it was inconsequential to a long-lived being like him. In this scenario, anyone would choose the second option.

"I'll serve you for fifty years, but I have a question. Even if I agree, will you trust me? Aren't you afraid of my potential regrets? What if I promise and then attempt to escape?"

"I honor my word. I trust you won't regret it. I'll have a guarantor witness our contract. If either of us breaks it, there'll be severe consequences," Ivan assured.

On the surface, Ivan claimed no trust in Apocalypse. However, he intentionally said reassuring words to lower Apocalypse's guard. Ultimately, Ivan desired Apocalypse's formidable combat prowess. If Apocalypse became unmanageable, Ivan aimed to utilize him against formidable foes like Thanos and Darkseid.

Apocalypse promptly agreed. He harbored his motives, knowing that the so-called guarantor's strength was irrelevant. The guarantee was merely a facade, and he begrudgingly accepted the situation.

However, post-liberation, his restored strength would alter the dynamics. Even if he regretted the agreement, he could evade consequences.

Soon after agreeing, Ivan transported Apocalypse through a spatial portal to a location known as the Devil's Cabin. In addition to the cabin's manager, Chris, a teenage girl caught Apocalypse's attention. After Ivan nodded at her, the girl's demeanor transformed, embodying an otherworldly aura.

Apocalypse, an ancient mutant, sensed that the girl, seemingly containing the entire world in her eyes, held a unique connection with the Earth. Her energy surpassed his own by tenfold, with room for further enhancement. Apocalypse identified her as the Earth goddess Gaia, leaving him startled by the revelation.

Observing Apocalypse's bewildered expression, even though it hadn't been officially stated, the Earth's mother goddess, Gaia, could sense his presence. Apocalypse, cautious, dared not be presumptuous.

Ivan internally chuckled, aware that regardless of Apocalypse's thoughts, presenting the heavily cloaked Gaia would likely keep him in check. Post-contract signing, he'd have limited options to express any reservations.

Faced with these circumstances, Apocalypse had little choice but to obediently inscribe his name on a dragon parchment contract. A peculiar restraining force manifested, penetrating the minds of Ivan and Apocalypse. The agreement stipulated that any breach would incur a potent joint attack from Apocalypse, Ivan, and Gaia, a formidable consequence even for Ivan.

Unknown to Apocalypse, the seemingly fair contract favored Ivan.

Seeing Apocalypse sign the contract brought relief to Ivan. Although various treasures could annul contracts, the higher-tiered ones posed more significant challenges. Ivan's contract, inscribed on dragon skin, ranked among the most advanced. As far as Ivan knew, only the Reality Gem in his possession could abolish the contract, but there was no chance he'd use it to harm Apocalypse.

Now, Apocalypse was considered part of Ivan's faction. Leading him to Skull Island's underground laboratory, Ivan retrieved twenty tubes brimming with mutant blood from the same storage box. Placing the test tubes in front of Apocalypse, Ivan initiated an explanation.

"I know you have a method of taking over others' bodies to acquire their abilities. However, in my opinion, your approach is too primitive."

"Mutants derive their abilities from genes. My research discovered that mutants and ordinary individuals share 99.99% identical genes, with only a 0.001% difference."

"While others call it genetic mutations, I believe these mutated genetic segments should be termed 'rule fragments.' Your soul has reached the ruling stage, yet, for some reason, your rules are mostly blank, like a book with only a few pages filled and the rest left empty."

"Now, you'll need to fill in these blank pages. The rule fragments in these mutants' blood contain information. Copy these rules and information into your soul using my method."

Ignoring any objections from Apocalypse, Ivan made a small incision in Apocalypse's hand and injected a tube of blood.