In Cairo, Apocalypse finally moved.
He stood from his throne slowly. His massive form towered over everything in the room. Fifteen feet of ancient power and Celestial enhancement.
For a long moment, he simply stood there. Processing what he'd just heard.
Then he began to laugh.
The sound echoed through the citadel like thunder. Dark. Amused. Terrifying.
"Now," he commanded his systems.
"Broadcast my response. All frequencies. I want every insect on this planet to hear what I say to their so-called champion."
[Acknowledged. Global broadcast ready.]
"Transmit now."
Apocalypse's image appeared on screens worldwide. His massive form filled displays. His eyes blazed with power that made the screens themselves seem to vibrate.
"Tony Stark."
His voice was like an earthquake given sound.
"Mere falsely evolved mortal. The insect who thinks himself evolved. The genius who freed my Horsemen through cleverness and technology."
Apocalypse walked forward toward the camera projection. Each step was deliberate. Powerful.
"You challenge me? You, who has existed for merely twenty-six years, challenge one who has walked this Earth for five millennia? You, who only recently transcended your human limits, albeit just a little, challenge one who has mastered evolution itself?"
He leaned forward. His face filled the screen.
"I accept."
Those two words sent shockwaves across the globe.
"Tomorrow at dawn. Cairo. I will meet you in single combat. And I will crush you before the eyes of the world. Your broken body will be the lesson that teaches humanity their place in my new order."
Apocalypse's expression shifted to something that might have been anticipation.
"You freed my Horsemen? Impressive. But they were merely tools. Extensions of my will. I am the source. I am the wellspring from which all power flows."
He gestured and energy crackled around his hand. Reality itself seemed to bend near his fingers.
"Come, little insect. Come and face a god. Let us see if your evolution means anything before five thousand years of accumulated power. Let us see if your genius can overcome true divinity."
His smile was terrifying.
"I look forward to dissecting you. Understanding what makes you different from the humans I've been converting. Perhaps your corpse will teach me something useful."
The broadcast ended.
Silence fell across Earth. Then pandemonium.
---
In the Avengers bunker, Captain America slammed his fist on the table. "He's going to toy with Tony. Make an example of him."
"That's the point," Doctor Strange said quietly. "Tony knows that. He's counting on it."
"Counting on being made an example of?" Falcon asked incredulously.
"No. Counting on Apocalypse's ego making him predictable." Strange's eyes glowed briefly with mystical energy. "I'm starting to understand. Tony doesn't plan to win through brute force."
"Then how?" Peggy Carter demanded.
Strange opened his mouth. Then closed it. "I don't know. But I think we're about to find out."
---
In Prague, Tony received confirmation that Apocalypse had accepted.
'Perfect. He took the bait exactly as predicted.'
Tony's knowledge from his previous life gave him insights others didn't have. He'd read hundreds of comic storylines featuring Apocalypse. He knew the ancient mutant's patterns. His psychology. His weaknesses.
'Apocalypse's ego is his blindspot. He can't resist proving his superiority. Especially when challenged publicly. That predictability is what I'm exploiting.'
Tony opened a portal back to the bunker using the Space Stone energy techniques he'd learned. The swirling gateway appeared in front of him.
'Twenty-four hours until dawn. Twenty-four hours to finalize everything. The pieces are already in motion. Now I just need to make sure everyone executes their parts perfectly.'
He paused before stepping through the portal.
'This is it. The moment everything has been building toward since I came back. Since I became Homo Supreme. Since I realized what kind of threat Apocalypse really represents.'
Tony looked back at the destroyed plaza one last time.
'Four Horsemen freed. Reconnaissance complete. Data collected. Apocalypse's ego baited. The stage is set.'
He smiled behind his helmet.
'Now I just need to win tomorrow. And I've got some tricks he's never going to see coming.'
Tony stepped through the portal. It collapsed behind him, leaving only empty air.
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