It had taken almost two full days to systematically test all the new spells—not every single one, but most of the important ones—that he'd received from the Overlord version of himself.
The experience could be described as both exciting and disappointing simultaneously.
The exciting part was undeniable: many spells, like the Black Hole magic he'd tested first, had been strengthened to an extreme degree compared to their Yggdrasil versions. They no longer had artificial limits imposed by game mechanics.
Now, as long as he could provide sufficient energy, they would continue to grow in power and effect. Theoretically, if he could somehow access and channel enough magical energy, he could create a black hole large enough to directly consume the entire multiverse.
Of course, that's just a pipe dream, Elric thought with wry amusement. The energy requirements would be astronomical—literally. Beyond anything he could reasonably access.
But everyone needs dreams, right?
It could definitely be said that he'd received a massive power-up.
But there were also some disappointing aspects that tempered his enthusiasm.
Time Stop, for instance, had been his biggest expectation. The ability to literally halt time within an area, giving him unlimited freedom to act while everyone else remained frozen...
He'd tried it. Multiple times, in carefully controlled tests.
It simply didn't work. Or more accurately, it worked too well.
The spell itself wasn't broken or malfunctioning. The problem was that he fundamentally lacked the energy required to activate it properly. Time Stop had a fixed area of effect—specifically, the entire space-time continuum where he was currently located.
When he attempted to cast it, the spell tried to use the entire universe as its target, attempting to halt time across all of reality simultaneously.
Maybe he could control and reduce its effective area with extensive practice, Elric had theorized after several failed attempts. Limit it to just a city block, or a building, or even a single room. But for now, without that level of refined control, it's completely useless.
Trying to stop time across an entire universe required more energy than he could possibly channel. It was like trying to lift a mountain with a spoon—theoretically possible if you had enough time and the right leverage, but practically impossible.
On the positive side, he'd also gained many incredibly useful resistances. Immunity to time manipulation from external sources. Complete resistance to mind control and mental intrusion. Resistance to instant-death effects, soul manipulation, reality warping within certain parameters.
For someone who lives in marvel, these defensive abilities were arguably more valuable than offensive firepower.
And there were some dangerous 10th-tier spells, the absolute peak of Yggdrasil's magic system, that he hadn't dared to test at all. Spells with names like "Fallen Down," "Iä Shub-Niggurath," and "Wish Upon a Star" that could allegedly reshape reality or summon eldritch horrors.
Those would have to wait for more controlled circumstances. Maybe testing them in uninhabited dimensions, or possibly never using them at all.
But overall, he was very satisfied with the results.
After gaining these new abilities and confirming their functionality, the small kernel of cautiousness that had remained in his heart—the last lingering fear that he might not be ready to face the Marvel Universe's major threats—completely vanished.
I'm ready, he realized.
"ALICE," Elric called out to the AI assistant that ran through Sokovia's infrastructure, "inform Wanda and the others to gather at the usual meeting location. I need to discuss something important with the leadership."
The AI's synthesized voice responded immediately: "Understood. Meeting scheduled for one hour from now. All core members will be notified."
After giving the instruction, Elric sat quietly for a moment, then made a sudden decision.
It's been a long time since I just walked through Sokovia's streets, he realized. Might as well see how things are progressing.
Sokovia - City Streets
It had only been five or six months since Elric had effectively taken over Sokovia through Anastacia's puppet government.
So the physical changes to the nation were present but not yet dramatic. There were still broken buildings throughout the city, structural damage from years of civil war. But now those damaged structures were being repaired slowly. Construction crews worked on multiple projects simultaneously, rebuilding infrastructure with methodical efficiency.
But more significant than the physical transformation was the transformation in people's attitudes.
Elric saw several groups of children playing in the streets—actual playing, with laughter and energy. Running, chasing each other, imagining adventures.
Before the change in government, people had mostly stayed inside their homes out of fear and desperation, only venturing out when food was being distributed or when absolutely necessary for survival. The streets had been empty, silent.
The gloomy, haunted faces he remembered from his first days here had changed, replaced with something that could almost be called hope. Reluctant smiles appeared on faces that had forgotten how to express joy. People made eye contact again, acknowledged each other's existence.
It wasn't paradise. It wasn't even prosperity yet. But it was the beginning of recovery.
After walking for almost an hour, observing the gradual transformation of his adopted nation, Elric came to stand in front of a decent-looking house in one of the better-maintained residential areas.
Before he could knock, the door opened immediately, revealing Wanda standing in the doorway.
"Why so early?" she asked, surprised to see him. "Didn't you say the meeting would be in one hour?"
"Yo, am I unwelcome here?" Elric replied with a slight smile, deliberately teasing.
"No, no! I wasn't... I was just... you caught me off guard!" Wanda's face flushed slightly with embarrassment, and she stepped aside quickly to let him enter.
"Okay, okay." Elric decided not to continue teasing her and walked past into the house, heading directly to the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and sat down at the small table.
It's not like he can't see that this girl likes me, he thought, watching Wanda bustle around preparing tea with slightly flustered movements. And it's not like he don't find her attractive either. Beautiful face, sexy body, powerful abilities...
But mainly, this girl is genuinely crazy.
In the comics, in the movies, across multiple continuities—Wanda Maximoff consistently demonstrated a certain instability. When pushed to her limits, when suffering loss or betrayal, she had a tendency to... reshape reality.
A crazy woman wasn't necessarily bad. Some level of passionate intensity could be exciting.
But when that woman also wielded one of the strongest reality-warping powers in existence? When her emotional breakdowns could potentially rewrite the universe?
That was another matter entirely.
It would be fine if he could be satisfied with just her, if he could commit completely to one relationship and dedicate himself to keeping her stable and happy.
But after coming to this fictional world—after being reincarnated into a reality, he was definitely not going to limit himself to just one person.
So for now, he'll maintain a deliberate distance. Keep things professional. See how the situation develops first before acting on anything.
While he was thinking, another knock sounded at the door.
"That'll be Anastacia," Wanda said, moving to answer it.
The woman who entered was tall, elegant, with the bearing of someone accustomed to command. Anastacia Volkov—the official monarch of Sokovia, at least on paper. In reality, she was more like a highly competent administrator who handled the day-to-day governance while following Elric's strategic direction.
Shortly after her arrival, another figure entered without bothering to knock—Borgir, the ancient frost giant, now appearing in his human disguise form. Tall, white-haired, with an aura of barely contained power that made ordinary people instinctively nervous.
These three comprised the core leadership of Sokovia currently.
Anastacia—the monarch and the absolute power holder in Sokovia on the surface level, managing diplomatic relations and public-facing governance.
Wanda—in charge of internal defense and the judiciary system, using her powers to maintain order and detect threats.
And Borgir—in charge of military affairs, training the armed forces and developing strategic capabilities.
The three of them currently controlled Sokovia fully, and Elric deliberately didn't interfere too much in the usual matters of running the country, as long as everything proceeded according to his broader plans.
Mainly because he know my own abilities. He is not even remotely comparable to Anastacia when it comes to actually running a country. Especially a broken country like Sokovia that needs careful rebuilding.
Better to delegate to competent people and focus on what he is actually good at: overwhelming force and strategic planning.
"Boss," Anastacia spoke first after everyone had settled around the table, her tone professional but curious. "Is there something urgent?"
Elric looked at the three faces watching him expectantly and nodded.
"Yes. There will be major changes to our future plans."