I Am in Marvel with Unlimited Cards-Chapter 634: IMUC - 626 Bets It All on the Future

I have finished translating this fanfic, IMUC (I Am In Marvel With Unlimited Cards) and have posted all the advanced Chapters on Patreon (Last Chapter -- 706). (https://www.patreon.com/c/marvel6395). You can read all the advanced Chapters there.

"Stark wasn't wrong— the nuclear launch device is here."

Black Panther's eyes glinted with purpose. Extending his Vibranium-clad claws, he shredded through the highly fortified door like it was made of paper. On a planet where Vibranium reigned as the hardest and strongest material, no defense could hold against it.

He crouched slightly to step inside the control room, flipped on the lights, and moved toward the control panel. Pulling out a USB drive Stark had provided, he retracted his claws and began typing in decryption codes at lightning speed. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Cracking the security of such a weapon— one of the nation's ultimate military safeguards— was no small task. The encryption and defenses were the most advanced on Earth. Even with Stark's preparation and Black Panther's genius, bypassing it would take time.

In these precious moments, it was up to Iron Man and Spiderman to keep Ancient One and her team occupied.

Thankfully, they had one significant advantage that might tip the balance in their favor: it was their 'mindset and strategy'.

As protectors of Earth, people like Ancient One had safeguarded the planet for so long that their approach had become predictable in which they would prioritize defense above all else.

Their defensive mindset meant they would almost certainly leave one or two team members to guard their base. This left only two available members to engage in battle.

What Ancient One's team couldn't foresee was Stark's audacious strategy. From the outset, his team had decided not to defend their base at all. They abandoned it entirely, going all-in on the offense, and placing everything on the line to win this match.

"Peter should be holding up on his end. But Stark— he's the key. He must keep Ancient One occupied. That's the linchpin of our entire strategy," Black Panther murmured to himself as his fingers danced over the keyboard.

With a final keystroke, he hit the confirm button, and a progress bar appeared on the screen:

Decryption progress: 00:07:59.

Eight minutes.

...

Virtual New York City, Stark Industries Building Rooftop.

Iron Man leaned back and collapsed with a metallic clang, his armored body hitting the rooftop. The glow in his arc reactor dimmed until it was completely extinguished.

The Ancient One stood unmoving, her left hand resting calmly behind her back while her right remained poised in a palm-strike position. The expression on her face was serene, almost emotionless.

"What... what just happened?"

Tony's translucent soul floated above his lifeless, armor-clad body, staring at it in disbelief.

The armor, designed to withstand rocket blasts, deep-sea pressures, and extreme cold, packed with Stark's cutting-edge tech— from Kryon energy and miniature missiles to charged lasers— had been rendered useless. It had taken only one effortless strike from Ancient One.

He had lost and he had lost badly at that

Whether he could accept it or not, the truth lay before him. At last, he understood why the woman before him had been hailed time and again by his mentor as the Earth's mightiest sorcerer. She wasn't just powerful; she was incomprehensibly so.

"It's time to come clean, Mr. Stark," Ancient One said, her calm voice breaking the silence. "Otherwise, I'll simply deal with your teammates one by one."

"Ancient One" Tony's soul steadied as he locked eyes with her. His voice was calm, resolute. "I've lost, sure— but Iron Man hasn't lost yet."

He smirked faintly. "I told you— I'll do whatever it takes to keep you here. I didn't want to use this, but you've forced my hand."

Ancient One's brow furrowed slightly as her gaze shifted toward the horizon. In the distance, dozens of black dots appeared, growing larger as they approached. Moments later, a fleet of Iron Man Mark Series armors of various models hovered into view, surrounding the rooftop.

Each armor hovered in the air, flames jetting from their engines. They surrounded the Stark Tower rooftop, their glowing eyes fixed on Ancient One. The sight was nothing short of spectacular.

"The Mark armors— the family reunion," Tony quipped, clapping his hands together in his spectral form. "They are not mass-produced this time. They are limited editions, all of them. Soulless machines immune to the trick you just pulled."

He continued, his tone steady. "Before this match, I programmed them. If my suit ever stopped functioning, or if I triggered a specific command, they'd deploy to target you— relentlessly."

"Old relic," Tony smirked, "Get ready to witness the power of a new era."

With that, the Mark armors unleashed a synchronized barrage of laser beams, each one aimed at Ancient One.

Boom!

The top floor of Stark Tower collapsed in a spectacular explosion, its fiery light visible from over ten kilometers away.

"What the—?"

Amid his battle, Spiderman glanced up to see the distant explosion lighting up the skyline. A fiery whip lashed toward him, but his reflexes kicked in, and he narrowly dodged.

"Damn it!"

Mordo growled in frustration. Despite Spiderman's superhuman strength, it was his incredible reflexes that made him nearly untouchable. Worse, Spiderman wasn't even engaging fully— he was just stalling for time. Mordo's irritation grew with each missed strike.

In the New York Sanctum, Doctor Strange sat alone in the second-floor hall of the Sanctum, the only sound the occasional rustling of his Cloak of Levitation. He stared blankly at the antique clock on the wall.

"No one's coming," He muttered. "Am I just going to sit here and miss the entire match?"

As if answering him, the dark red Cloak tugged at his collar, pulling him toward the staircase.

"What are you doing now?" Strange protested as he half-floated down the stairs. The Cloak led him to the first floor, stopping before a massive, ancient cauldron.

"This is... the Cauldron of Cosmos," Strange murmured, recognizing the artifact. It was one of the sorcerers' most prized treasures, capable of sensing threats and glimpsing into worldly events.

"Well, if I'm not out there fighting, I might as well take a peek," He said before placing his hands on the cauldron and channeling his magic into it.

The cauldron's surface rippled before revealing vivid images.

The first scene showed Ancient One amidst the ruins of Stark Tower, effortlessly dismantling Mark armors with fluid, graceful movements. Each suit was reduced to shattered fragments by an invisible force.

"The Sorcerer Supreme is handling Stark. So, where are the others?" Strange wondered aloud.

The image shifted to show Spiderman and Mordo locked in combat.

"Spiderman's giving him a hard time. I've never seen Mordo look this rattled," Strange chuckled.

Finally, the cauldron displayed Black Panther, standing before the nuclear launch control panel.

"This is..." Strange's eyes widened. In his casual investigation, he had uncovered the opposing team's entire plan.

'(To be continued)'