Ikong Phone

1995, Marvel Main Universe

For three years, Qin Yi lived a busy yet fulfilling life, moving between home, school, and Kamar-Taj.

That day, inside the Mirror Dimension Qin Yi had created at Kamar-Taj.

Ancient One hovered in midair, staring incredulously at the Mirror Dimension Qin Yi had casually set up while floating across from her.

Phoenix stood nearby, blankly watching her master spar with Qin Yi.

She had already grown numb to the fact that her master could not beat her junior disciple.

"Qin, there's really nothing more I can teach you. How about you reconsider..."

Qin Yi hurriedly waved his hand and interrupted Ancient One.

"Enough, Master Yao. You should choose someone else from among your disciples."

Ancient One's original surname was Yao. In the comics, she appeared as an old man; in the movie universe, she appeared as a bald woman.

Ever since Qin Yi had first met Ancient One in 1992.

Over nearly three years, Qin Yi had mastered every spell in Kamar-Taj while bringing his control over the Fairy Force and witchcraft to an unprecedented level.

Thanks to the immense cosmic energy inherent in the Fairy Force and the Phoenix Force he had devoured, Qin Yi had skipped making magical contracts with the trinity of Vishanti altogether.

Without the need for magical loans, his speed in mastering magic left even Ancient One in awe.

Of course, as Qin Yi's body fused more deeply with the Fairy Force, he grew stronger—but his hunger also became more intense.

Looking at his 18% fusion rate, Qin Yi even felt that if Dormammu came over now, he would devour him without leaving a trace.

The reason his fusion rate had increased so drastically over these three years, apart from the Phoenix Force he had digested and Vuk's energy,

was that a year ago, he had secretly taken the Time Stone from Ancient One. When he had devoured half of it, Ancient One discovered him. Unable to withstand Old Yao's desperate pleas, he had no choice but to stop.

From then on, Ancient One realized that she was no longer Qin Yi's match.

To avoid the burning hunger that struck after every spar with Ancient One,

Qin Yi now carried large amounts of food in his magical storage space, such as roast duck and donkey-meat sandwiches.

After suffering enough from Tony-brand hamburgers, Qin Yi had used his pocket money two years ago to take over several Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.

"Alright, Jean, we'll stop here for today."

Ancient One said to Jean Grey.

"Okay, Master." Phoenix bowed toward Ancient One as she turned to leave.

Then she quickly ran over to Qin Yi, grabbed his hand, and pulled him outside.

"Senior Sister, where are we going?" Qin Yi asked in confusion.

Phoenix touched Qin Yi's forehead, then her own.

"Junior Brother, you forgot what you promised me again."

Qin Yi looked at Phoenix speechlessly. Was this karma? The Phoenix in my memories wasn't like this.

Ever since Ancient One had brought Jean Grey back to Kamar-Taj to recuperate.

Jean Grey had woken up with amnesia. After losing her memory, she had been kept by Ancient One's side to study magic.

Over the past few years, aside from Qin Yi's cheat-like talent, her aptitude for magic surpassed everyone else at Kamar-Taj by a Strange.

As one of the few female sorcerers, with fair skin, beauty, red hair, and long legs.

Phoenix was usually respectful only toward Ancient One and indifferent to everyone else.

Yet she was particularly clingy with him. Was it because she had been the Phoenix Force's previous host, and some lingering resentment from the Phoenix Force remained?

But he had devoured it completely back then—he had only stopped short of devouring her life force too.

"Stop spacing out, Junior Brother. Today is the launch of Stark Industries' ikong Phone. If we get there late, we won't be able to buy one. I heard this phone has a ton of features too. Hurry up and get in line—I had a hard time getting a day off from Master."

Holy shit! Tony actually made it? After failing to learn magic last time, Tony had quickly pulled himself out of his slump.

Over the past three years, he had researched applications for his superpowers and magic while managing Stark Industries, all while developing a new phone based on the Steve Jobs phone Qin Yi had described. And it was only 1995.

The real Tony "Time Management Master" Stark.

Using a portal from Kamar-Taj, Qin Yi and Jean Grey arrived at the New York Sanctum. After greeting the gatekeeper, they went to a café outside.

"Uncle Jarvis."

Qin Yi greeted the man in his fifties sitting by the window.

"Little Qin, you got out of school early today." As Jarvis spoke, he studied Phoenix, who was holding Qin Yi's hand.

Could Little Qin really be Master Howard's child? No wonder the newspapers reported it that way. At such a young age, he's already like Master Howard and young Master Tony... Those family genes are way too strong.

"Uncle, let's go see Tony's launch event first. This is my senior sister, Jean Grey."

Qin Yi was instantly rendered speechless by the mess of thoughts in Jarvis's head.

Three years ago, after a busty girl who had struck up a conversation with Tony near the school secretly took photos, shameless media outlets had blown them up everywhere. Qin Yi had long since become immune to such rumors.

A moment later.

Sitting in the back seat, Jean Grey held Qin Yi's hand and curiously looked around at the streets outside.

"Junior Brother, talk to Master later, okay? Just ask her to give me one day off every week. It's so boring studying alone at Kamar-Taj. One day off is enough."

"Sure. Once we buy the ikong Phone, I'll talk to Master."

Qin Yi silently cursed that damned Kamar-Taj. It was worse than capitalists—seven days a week without even letting people rest.

"Little Qin, traffic is too jammed ahead. We won't get through anytime soon," Jarvis said helplessly as he looked at the packed stream of cars.

"Uncle Jarvis, let's go home first. I'll call Tony and have him bring me a few phones later."

Jarvis suddenly remembered something.

"You mean the ikong Phone? Tony put them in your room this morning. He said he didn't know which color you liked, so he left one of every color. But I've never understood why it's called an ikong Phone."

Fair enough. It couldn't exactly be called Steve Jobs Number Four.

It took five times longer than usual to return to Howard Estate. If he had not been worried about causing panic, Qin Yi would have drawn a circle and teleported over.

Looks like he needed to make time to check outer space around Earth. Maybe he could find Mar-Vell's laboratory—the cloaked Kree Empire cruiser.

He had been craving the Space Stone inside for a long time. Once he devoured the Space Stone, he would not even need to draw circles anymore. He could truly go wherever he wanted.

Over these years, he had not interfered with the Marvel timeline apart from Tony's. Captain Marvel should return to Earth soon, so he needed to secure the Space Stone before she came back.

"After two and a half years of development under the leadership of the genius Tony Stark, Stark Communications Group's latest masterpiece, the ikong Phone, has officially launched.

The launch event drew an enormous crowd, and New York City has seen its worst traffic congestion in nearly a hundred years.

As a revolutionary product, how will the ikong Phone shape our future lives? Let us invite our special commentator, Chuan-Tronde-Pu, to analyze it for us..."

Watching the overwhelming promotional coverage on the news, Qin Yi had to admit that Tony's 270 IQ was no joke.

On the sofa, Jean Grey lovingly fiddled with her phone. Qin Yi picked one up and took a look. This was not Steve Jobs Number Four at all.

It was even more advanced than Number Fourteen—full-screen display, satellite communications... I just wanted to play mobile games, Big Brother Tony.

For the world of 1995, this was simply a dimensionality-reduction strike.

"Senior Sister, bring one back to Master when we return to Kamar-Taj. Oh, and one for that chubby kid Wong too."

Qin Yi imagined Ancient One playing games on an ikong Phone. The image was simply too beautiful.

On television, Chuan-Tronde-Pu, who bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain Comrade Jianguo, finished analyzing a pile of phone features and said to the camera:

"Stark Communications Group's future achievements are absolutely limitless. Besides the famous Tony Stark as a shareholder, another mysterious individual holds the same percentage of shares as Tony.

"It's truly unbelievable. Perhaps this mysterious person will bring us even more surprises."

At that moment, the phone in his hand rang.

After Qin Yi accepted the video call, Tony's image appeared on the other side.

"Ha! I knew it. Black is your favorite color. So? The phone's pretty good, right?"

Qin Yi looked at the several phones in front of Jean Grey, then at the black ikong Phone in his own hand. I didn't choose black—I just didn't get a choice.

"Oh, right. I put the share documents in your drawer. Qin, after today, you're a billionaire too."

"Tony, there's no need..."

Qin Yi said to Tony on the video call.

"I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm going to a party. Once you're a little older, I'll bring you along."

Watching the call end, Qin Yi silently murmured to himself.

With my current strength, there probably isn't anyone on Earth who can defeat me.

Although money was no longer something he pursued.

Still, thanks.

It seemed he needed to work harder too. At the very least, when he was living comfortably in the future, he did not want some Family Planning Office Director or multiversal Kang coming to bother him.

Conquering the world was far less practical than finding good food.