Somewhere in the Middle East, the Mandarin received news through his sources that Killian had failed.
"Why do fools insist on provoking enemies beyond their means?" he mused. After a moment of thought, he continued, "Tony Stark seems to have a strong relationship with the headmaster of the Mutant Academy. That presents a threat to us. Prepare my travel arrangements to America. I want to meet this young man."
"Shang-Chi, the Avengers have destroyed several of our bases while eliminating the remnants of Hydra. Take some men and pay them a visit." The Mandarin was furious at being caught in the crossfire.
While collecting data on the Bloodedge Armor, Tony's wristwatch chimed. Steve Rogers' voice came through, "Tony, we've found another Hydra base. We're moving out now."
Though Hydra's key leaders had been eliminated and nearly all of their bases in the U.S. reduced to rubble, numerous remnants persisted across the world. The Avengers had been working tirelessly to eradicate them.
"Garus, drop by Avengers Tower when you get a chance. I've got to go," Tony said before vanishing in an instant, not even sparing a glance at his chaotic mansion.
Shortly after returning to Naxxramas, Garus received a call from Wilson Fisk. A wealthy businessman named the Mandarin wanted to discuss a major deal with their company and had requested to meet Garus personally.
While Garus' multiple identities weren't exactly secret, not everyone was privy to them. This Mandarin fellow likely had no idea who he really was.
"Alright, I'll meet him," Garus said, intrigued by the man's identity.
The next day, atop the Azeroth Tech Tower, Garus met the supposed Middle Eastern magnate.
As they shook hands, Garus took note of the ten distinct rings adorning the man's fingers. Each was unique, radiating an aura of immense power.
Recognition dawned upon him—this Mandarin was the infamous warlord himself. A mystical energy emanated from him, and Garus knew these ten rings were legendary artifacts. While not as powerful as Frostmourne, their sheer number granted their wielder formidable versatility.
As Garus studied him, the Mandarin scrutinized the young man in return. Within Garus' eyes, he perceived an eerie lifelessness—something he had only seen in the dead or in Wilson Fisk, who stood beside him.
"Leave us," the Mandarin commanded his subordinates.
Uncertain of his true intentions, Garus cast a glance at Fisk before gesturing for him to leave as well.
Now, alone on the skyscraper's summit, the Mandarin took in the panoramic view. "I hear you and Tony Stark are quite close," he said casually, his expression betraying nothing.
Garus knew the Mandarin and Stark were bitter enemies. Once Tony had committed to combating terrorism, their feud had been inevitable—after all, many of the militant groups in the Middle East served the Mandarin.
"We get along. He brought me to America, and I've saved his life a few times."
"I'm here to procure weapons from you. I plan to launch an armed uprising against a tyrannical regime in the Middle East." The Mandarin spoke as if discussing the weather, his demeanor unnervingly calm.
"You might also want to remind Mr. Stark to stop targeting my men during Hydra raids. Collateral damage is unacceptable."
Garus detected the veiled threat in his words. "I'm just a businessman. I can't control him."
Suddenly, the environment around him changed. The once-clear sky darkened, replaced by an expanse of endless stars. Day became night in an instant.
But Garus noticed a flaw—the stars repeated in a monotonous pattern. This was no cosmic phenomenon; he was under a psychic attack, trapped in a constructed mental realm.
The Mandarin's eyes shimmered with a swirling galaxy.
"You're attacking me?"
Garus wasn't worried. His mental fortitude was unparalleled. However, he found the Mandarin's techniques fascinating. Could he be a cultivator?
"Young man, the world isn't just for mutants. If you had grown up in China, you would understand the wonders of Eastern mysticism."
"I am quite interested in Eastern sorcery," Garus admitted. "But you've barely scratched the surface of its true power."
With that, his mental energy coalesced into a massive hammer, shattering the Mandarin's psychic construct. The Mandarin staggered, his mental assault utterly dismantled.
"Tch!" Unwilling to admit defeat, the Mandarin activated another ring. White lightning crackled between his fingers before surging toward Garus.
The electricity was unimpressive; Garus' anti-magic shield absorbed it effortlessly.
As the last sparks faded, the Mandarin saw Garus, untouched and unimpressed.
Retaliation was inevitable. Garus summoned his weapon and unleashed a razor-thin spatial slash at his adversary.
Sensing imminent danger, the Mandarin activated another ring. A brilliant light erupted as he generated an intense gravitational field, warping the space around him and neutralizing the attack.
"Boom!" With immense force, Garus' weapon struck him. His gravitational shield shattered instantly.
As Garus prepared to land a finishing blow, a system notification interrupted him.
[Mission Alert: S-Rank Task Issued—Retrieve the Terrigen Crystal from the Mandarin. Reward: 100,000 Exchange Points.]
System missions were unpredictable, but after so long, another one had finally appeared. He was currently at zero exchange points—this was an opportunity he couldn't ignore.
The Mandarin, initially hoping to intimidate Garus, now found himself scrambling to his feet. His techniques had failed. His opponent's weapon was far more powerful than anticipated.
"Mandarin, I'm just a businessman. Violence is bad for business."
Humiliated, the warlord turned away and strode out of the room.
"Master, shall we deal with them?" Fisk, watching the retreating Ten Rings members, radiated bloodlust.
"No need. They might still be useful to us, and they're not a threat," Garus replied. He was curious about the energy within the souls of cultivators, but the mission took priority.
The mention of the Terrigen Crystal reminded Garus of the Inhumans. Currently, S.H.I.E.L.D., under Phil Coulson, already had two Inhumans among their ranks—Yo-Yo and Quake.
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