I Am Destiny!

"I never expected misfortune to turn into a blessing. I just don't know how much of the Mind Stone's power my [Warp] can wield right now..."

Carl planned to find a suitable opportunity later to personally test whether he had gained the ability of [Mind Control].

But for now, to avoid stumbling in the gutter, it was better to familiarize himself with his newly acquired abilities before the enemy rushed in.

Even a lion used its full strength when hunting a rabbit!

There was never anything wrong with being a little more cautious!!

A few minutes later.

The two steel doors leading into the laboratory chamber slowly rose.

Dr. List led a group of researchers and a large number of heavily armed Hydra soldiers inside, all of them filing in with nervous expressions.

"What exactly happened just now? Why did all the surveillance equipment and energy-monitoring devices malfunction the instant Subject 380 came into contact with the scepter... Huh?!!"

Before Dr. List could finish speaking, he saw Carl standing across from them, alive and well, staring at them with a teasing look.

He immediately cried out in disbelief, "What? You... you actually withstood the scepter's energy and didn't pass out?"

What did he mean by "actually," too?

Who the hell was he looking down on?

A sunny, boy-next-door smile appeared on Carl's face. "The scepter? You mean this thing?"

He then tossed over the scepter in his hand, which had bent out of shape from the energy impact.

"This is..."

Dr. List picked up the scepter, and a look of utter shock, as though his parents had died, appeared on his face. He roared furiously,

"Bastard! You actually dared to destroy the scepter?"

"And... where is the energy core, the most crucial part of the scepter?"

"I suggest you return it immediately before I lose my temper. Otherwise, I'll have the guards skin you alive!!"

Carl simply ignored his threat.

He spread his empty hands and said without the slightest attempt at concealment,

"I'm sorry, but you came too late. That energy... I've already absorbed all of it."

"Hmph, do you think you're being funny?"

Dr. List's lips trembled slightly with rage.

He immediately gave the Hydra soldiers behind him an order,

"Take him down... Remember, don't shoot. That energy core must be on him!!"

Yeah, right.

The enormous power contained within the scepter had shown no signs of weakening whatsoever, even after they had stored so much of it in special containers.

And a mere human like him could absorb it all?

Although Dr. List had no idea how Carl had survived after coming into contact with the scepter,

compared to that energy core, whether Carl lived or died had instantly become insignificant.

Because if he failed to wrap up this farce before Baron Strucker returned, then he would be the one who died!!

"Hehe... I really didn't expect you to be so good at courting death, kid!"

Pick rubbed his fists together and stepped forward with a savage grin, his eyes filled with venom.

How could he possibly miss such a perfect chance to settle a personal score?

Carl had not only ruined his plans, but had also "played dead" to deceive him, then publicly ambushed him and made him lose face before his coworkers. His crimes were simply unforgivable!!

So even if Dr. List had not given the order right now,

Pick would have found every possible way to kill Carl afterward.

"I didn't expect you to fall into my hands so quickly..."

Pick did not take Carl seriously at all.

He could not even be bothered to draw the tactical knife strapped to his thigh.

After all, a weakling who could be knocked down with two punches was not worthy of making him draw a blade!

Pick reached out with a large hand and grabbed directly for Carl's throat.

The Hydra soldiers behind him all wore expressions as though they were watching a show.

Some of them even secretly started taking bets.

They wagered on whether Carl would use another ball-busting kick to fight back!

However...

The scene everyone had expected never appeared.

Carl simply ignored Pick's outstretched hand.

To him now, the other man was as tiny and laughable as an ant, unworthy of being targeted, much less of making him angry.

Carl slowly raised his left hand.

As he assumed a snapping pose,

he looked down at them and said,

"The gears of fate have begun to turn. From today onward, I... am... destiny!!!"

Snap...!!!

The instant he completed the snap,

a golden radiance as dazzling as a supernova flashed between Carl's fingers.

Ring after ring of visible energy ripples exploded before the horrified eyes of Dr. List and the others.

Boom...!!!

The violent energy instantly swallowed everyone present.

Pick, who was closest, did not even have time to scream.

His clothes, flesh, bones, and internal organs were all reduced to dust in the exploding torrent of energy, vanishing completely...

Those farther back were likewise unable to escape death.

The neurons in their retinas had only just converted the horrific sight before them into bioelectrical signals and transmitted them to the visual centers of their brains.

Before the signals could even register on their faces, they all disintegrated into ashes!

"Haha, success! My experiment has finally succeeded!"

"This guy must have had his cells activated by the scepter, which is why he gained this superpower... No, I created a god!!!"

That final thought flashed through Dr. List's mind before his body exploded just like the others.

In the end, he vanished into the surging torrent of energy.

"Huh? That might have been a little too much force!"

Carl was startled by the gruesome sight before him.

Perhaps the cramped space had unexpectedly provided a "boost."

A single snap from him had actually unleashed such tremendous power.

A bold yet absurd thought suddenly popped into Carl's mind: What if I gathered all six Infinity Stones and snapped my fingers again...

Are you okay???

Carl could now somewhat understand the "fun" Thanos got from snapping his fingers!

Just then,

lines of text suddenly appeared on the screen before Carl.

[Collectible souls detected. Warp soul count +1, +1, +1...]

"Huh? I didn't expect an unexpected gain too?!"

"Could it be that the souls of people I kill are automatically absorbed by the [Warp]?"

"But what use are these souls..."

Carl stared at the words displayed on the screen, his head full of question marks.

Fortunately, the system quickly answered his doubts.

[Because the host currently does not possess the "Authority of Creation," you cannot actively use the souls of intelligent lifeforms to create or evolve entirely new Warp creatures!!!]

[Does the host wish to immediately abandon the flesh and return to your exclusive dimension, becoming an omniscient and omnipotent Lord of Dimensions?!!]

"No."

Carl could not help but remark, "So souls can be used to create creatures in the [Warp]?"

"But I wonder whether the creatures I create will all be demons?!"

Although Carl had no intention of abandoning his physical body for the time being,

it was still necessary to collect more souls in advance in case they were needed someday.

Maybe after he had had enough fun in the real world, he could retreat back into the [Warp].

Then he could use these souls to create a group of female succubi and throw orgies in his dimensional space every day... Ahem, ahem, no, he would turn the [Warp] into a paradise filled with song and dance!!!

In short, everything seemed to be heading in a good direction...