The mirror dimension was an exact reflection of the real world, a silent twin devoid of life. Buildings, streets, and even the sky mirrored reality, yet everything carried an eerie stillness. It was the perfect place for Kurogai Alexander Blackwood to conduct his experiments without fear of collateral damage.
Kurogai slowly withdrew the Orb from his dimensional space, gripping it firmly with both hands. With a deliberate motion, he split it open, revealing a radiant violet light. Nestled inside was the Power Stone, clear and crystalline, pulsating with destructive energy. The gem's aura washed over him, an oppressive force that seemed eager to shatter the very fabric of existence.
"So it really is this feeling," Kurogai murmured, his tone calm though his body thrummed with anticipation. A primal hunger surged within him, a deep craving to consume the stone. It wasn't his conscious mind but something deeper—his Ultimate Body—calling out, desperate to fuse with the Infinity Stone.
He studied the sensation carefully. This was different from his past encounter at Kamar-Taj when he had first felt the Time Stone's pull. Back then, the Ultimate Pupil within him had remained unchanged, but now the resonance came from his very body. The connection was undeniable.
"There are two possibilities," he thought aloud. "Either the Infinity Stones only affect my body and have no influence on the Ultimate Pupil… or my perception back then was incomplete."
It didn't matter. Speculation could only go so far. The truth could only be found by testing it directly.
Kurogai's gaze hardened with resolve. "Enough guessing. It's time to see for myself."
With no hesitation, he grasped the Power Stone. Instantly, a torrent of violent energy surged outward, purple light flooding the entire mirror space. The raw might of the stone sought to annihilate everything it touched. Even with his resilience, the force threatened to tear his body apart.
"Such terrifying power," Kurogai hissed, gritting his teeth. His body strained under the assault, cracks of pain racing through his muscles and bones. By all natural law, a human body—no matter how enhanced—should never withstand the Infinity Stone's might. It was raw destruction incarnate.
Yet two forces within him awakened in response. His Ultimate Body began devouring the Power Stone's energy, painstakingly slow but steady, with no sign of saturation. At the same time, pale-blue flames erupted from him—the regenerative essence of the Immortal Phoenix—mending the damage as quickly as it came.
The clash was immense: Kurogai's body became a battlefield where the Power Stone's destructive might, the consuming hunger of the Ultimate Body, and the endless regeneration of the Phoenix warred ceaselessly. Explosions of power rippled outward, collapsing the mirror-dimension's buildings. If this had taken place in the real New York, the devastation would have been catastrophic.
Still, Kurogai did not move. His entire focus was locked on the stone. His willpower anchored him against the tidal wave of destruction, holding him steady as the process dragged on. Days blurred into nights in the timeless mirror world, until finally, after an entire week, the Power Stone dissolved into nothingness—its essence wholly absorbed into him.
Kurogai collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, sweat rolling down his face. His body trembled with exhaustion, though a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"That was close," he muttered hoarsely. "I almost couldn't hold on."
This was nothing like the fleeting contact others had survived. Star-Lord, Ronan, even Thanos's servants—when they wielded the Power Stone, they merely channeled fragments of its might. What Kurogai had done was far greater. He hadn't just touched the stone—he had consumed it. The gem itself no longer existed. Its essence was now fused with his being, forever part of his power.
The realization was staggering. The universe had lost one of its six primordial forces, and its energy now coursed through him alone.
Kurogai leaned back against the broken ground of the mirror space, letting his body recover. A tired but satisfied grin spread across his face.
"If Thanos ever finds out," he said with a quiet chuckle, "he'll curse my name until the end of time."