"Kyle didn't watch the rest of the matches for the top eight spots. His mind was in turmoil, completely detached from the competition. The matches felt trivial, a mere rehearsal for an Earth-bound civil war. Only his fight with Vision had truly impacted him.
Kyle instructed the God system to continue the matches, telling Logan to inform him before the semi-finals. Then, he left the main hall of the Watchtower alone.
Without a spacesuit, Kyle shifted into his double star form, his body enveloped in flame-like energy. He soared out of the Watchtower's hatch, reaching its peak, which hovered in Earth's near-space.
Kyle sat on the cold, regal throne, gazing down at Earth's vast blue surface. He then looked up at the empty, silent space, where the constellations formed a star map in his mind.
Time passed, though Kyle wasn't sure how long.
Kyle infused some of his double star energy into the Watchtower, using its scanners to locate Vision.
After their duel, Vision should still be within Carl's domain.
Kyle scanned Carl's domain but found no trace of Vision. He increased the scan's power, extending it to the Atlantic...
Nothing.
He scanned the entire hemisphere, but still no sign of Vision...
Kyle furrowed his brow. If Vision had shielded himself and cut off all signals, even the Watchtower's powerful scans might not have detected him.
He injected more Double Star energy into the throne, his body ablaze with dazzling, colorful flames. His presence radiated like a massive energy field as he amplified the Watchtower's power.
The antennae at the Watchtower's base intertwined into an electric grid. An invisible light wave, imperceptible to the naked eye, spread across Earth, like ripples in water.
A flash of light passed through Kyle's eyes as he detected Vision's position. However, the location...
Without hesitation, Kyle left the throne. He flew at incredible speed, his body a shooting star across the sky above the Atlantic, heading towards the African plate beneath the Earth's surface.
"Africa, a remote and desolate wilderness."
This place had once been a secret research facility of an African nation. After Ultron and the Iron Man Regiment invaded, it was abandoned, falling into ruin. Months later, weeds overgrown the surface.
A large hole gaped in the ground, light pouring in from above, illuminating the underground research lab.
Beneath, on a collapsed experimental table, a tall man in tight-fitting attire and a golden cape sat alone, his forehead buried in his knees, hands clutching his red-silver painted head.
A bright streak of light descended from the sky, entering the hole, slowing before coming to a stop. The powerful wind sent dust and rubble flying across the room.
After the blazing light of the double star energy faded, Kyle's form reappeared. He landed lightly on the basement floor.
He looked at Vision sitting on the experimental table and said, "You're really here."
"Because I have nowhere else to go." Vision lifted his head, his blank gaze scanning the surroundings. He murmured, "This is where you created me. I would have preferred not to be created by you."
Kyle shook his head before he spoke. "What you did today wasn't your own will."
Recalling his earlier actions, Vision trembled slightly, and it looked as if he was enduring unspeakable pain. "But it was still me. Even in a virtual space, I... killed my companions, trampled over their bodies."
"Were you conscious at the time?" Kyle asked, seeking more details and clues.
Vision pressed his hands to his head, pointing a finger at the Mind Stone on his forehead. "I wasn't conscious; it felt like my consciousness was forcibly stripped away. I was imprisoned within the stone, my body controlled by a single thought. I could only helplessly 'watch' myself lose control."
Kyle pondered for a moment and asked, "Did you see the star map and the two temporal coordinates?"
Vision nodded. "I saw them, but I've never seen anything like it before. I don't know what they mean."
Silence.
The two were lost in thought for a long time.
Finally, Kyle broke the silence. "It seems someone, a long time ago, tampered with this Mind Stone."
Vision clenched his fists tightly, his voice strained. "I despise this feeling— being controlled, losing my mind, and hurting the people I love. So, here, I made a decision."
"What decision?" Kyle had a feeling he knew what was coming.
"I want to take this gem off my forehead," Vision said, pointing at the Mind Stone, which seemed to respond by glowing with a strange yellow aura.
Kyle frowned slightly. "You should know that it's the stone that gave you new life and thoughts. It's part of your soul. If you take it off, you'll probably die."
"I know," Vision replied, "But if I don't get rid of this stone, I will be its slave for the rest of my life."
Vision's eyes were filled with pain. He punched the experimental table, causing the surface to crack like spider webs.
"Since you've made your decision, let me handle it," Kyle said, taking a deep breath. He knew there was only one place that could safely remove the stone from Vision's forehead...
The place with the most advanced technology on Earth.
"However, we'll have to wait until the competition is over. If I don't take first place, the Space Stone will be given away," Kyle said with a helpless smile. This was a hole he'd dug for himself and would need some time to fill.
"There's no rush," Vision nodded in agreement.
Kyle and Vision returned to the Watchtower. By the time they got back to the main hall, the matches within Carl's domain had just finished, and the top eight contenders were decided.
In addition to Kyle and Doctor Strange, the remaining six contenders were: Ancient One, Raina, Wanda, Hellfire, Deadpool, and Gluttony.
Gluttony was one of the more powerful of the seven deadly sins, and Kyle wasn't surprised to see it advance to the top eight.
"Lucy was eliminated?" Kyle asked, feeling surprised.
Logan chuckled. "Yes. Mother faced Wanda and surrendered right away, saying she wanted to give the youngsters more of a chance to grow."
"She's probably tired and wants to rest," Kyle smiled. The final few didn't particularly surprise him.
Since the beginning, the only person he considered a true rival was Ancient One.
As Kyle thought about this, he heard the mechanical voice of the God system in his ear:
"The semi-final matches are about to begin. The first match will be Ancient One vs. Raina!"
"Oh? This is interesting," Kyle's eyes gleamed.
(End of Chapter)
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.