The Man of Steel in Marvel

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Banner looked up at Jiro, his expression mixed. "So it really was you?"

Jiro nodded. "Yep. I just got out of the New York battle. Took care of the Chitauri while I was at it."

Banner took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Alright… let's say you're telling the truth. What now? We need the stones to bring everyone back."

"I'll help you guys," Jiro said. "But I've got one condition."

"What condition?" Banner asked cautiously.

"These stones—Space, Mind, and Time—once you're done using them, I get to keep them."

Banner hesitated and looked at the Ancient One.

She smiled gently. "Dr. Banner, his power is far beyond what you can imagine. If he's willing to help, this might be your best option."

Maybe seeing the doubt on his face, she added, "His magical skills are impressive, too."

Banner stayed silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright, I trust you. But we have to get back to 2023 fast. The others are waiting."

Jiro smirked. "No problem. Just give me your universe's coordinates."

Banner told him. Jiro raised his hand, golden energy swirling in his palm until a massive portal opened up.

On the other side was the Avengers' base in 2023.

Banner's jaw dropped. "Is that… cross-timeline teleportation?!"

"Let's go," Jiro said as he stepped into the portal. "Your teammates are waiting."

Banner and the Ancient One exchanged a glance before following. The Ancient One stayed behind in 2012.

2023 — Avengers Compound

Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Scott Lang, and the others were anxiously pacing around.

Suddenly, a golden portal appeared in the middle of the base. Banner stepped out—with a stranger right behind him.

"Doc," Tony rushed over."What's the situation—who's this guy?" He glanced at Jiro, brow furrowing.

Banner quickly said, "This is Jiro. He has the Time, Space, and Mind Stones. But he's willing to help."

"What?" Steve's eyes narrowed as he looked at Jiro. "He's got the stones?"

Jiro didn't waste time. He raised his hand, and three stones floated above his palm.

"They're right here."

He said calmly, "But I need to know—are you all okay with the deal?"

"What deal?" Steve asked.

"We return the stones to him after we're done," Banner explained quickly.

Tony stared at him, his expression unreadable. "Who the hell are you?"

"Just a visitor from another universe," Jiro said with a small smile.

"Or… you can call me Superman."

"Superman?" Scott blurted out. "Like the comic book guy?"

"Something like that." Jiro shrugged.

"But I prefer to solve problems with my fists."

Everyone looked at each other, unsure of how to react.

Finally, Tony sighed. "Alright, the stones are with you and you're willing to help—so we can't say no. But… about the Snap—"

"I'll do it."

Jiro cut him off. "Your bodies can't handle the stones' power—but I can."

Banner looked at him in shock. "Are you sure? The energy from six stones can destroy any living being!"

Jiro smiled. "Trust me, I'm not like you guys."

A faint golden light flickered in his eyes as unseen power flowed around him.

Tony stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. "Well, we don't really have any other options. Welcome to the Avengers, Mr. Superman."

Jiro nodded. "Feels… different."

"Where's Natasha and Clint?" Banner suddenly asked.

Right then—

Clint Barton stumbled out of the Quantum Tunnel, clutching the orange Soul Stone in his hand. His face was full of grief.

"We got the stone..." he said hoarsely. "But Natasha... she…"

Everyone instantly understood what had happened.

Tony walked up and gently patted Clint on the shoulder."We'll remember her sacrifice."

Banner's face turned ghost-white. He stumbled back a couple of steps, bracing himself on the lab table with a screech of metal.

"No... no way…" His pupils dilated."We promised we'd come back together!"

Jiro instantly picked up on the wild gamma energy fluctuations inside Banner.

Without saying a word, he released a bio-energy field, isolating Banner from the others.

"Calm down, Doctor," he said, his voice oddly soothing, almost like it carried a calming power. "Anger won't fix anything."

"Calm down?!" Banner suddenly turned and slammed his fist into the wall.

The wall shattered like paper under Hulk's strength, but Jiro's energy field absorbed the impact just in time, protecting the lab equipment.

"She's dead! Because of that damn stone!" Banner's roar already had that signature Hulk rasp.

Steve stepped forward and held Banner's trembling shoulder."We all miss her. But right now, we need you, Bruce. Fulfilling her final wish is the best way to honor her."

Banner's breathing was ragged, and green flickered in his eyes.

Jiro suddenly reached out and placed two fingers on Bruce's temple. A faint golden light shimmered at his fingertips.

Bruce jerked slightly—then, incredibly, the raging gamma energy inside him began to settle.

"What did you just do to him?" Thor gripped his hammer, eyes wary.

"Just helped him rebalance his hormones a little," Jiro replied, pulling his hand back.

"Now then—shouldn't we get to work?"

Tony gave Banner a thoughtful look—he had calmed down—and turned to activate the holographic display.

"According to the models, we'll need to channel the energy of all six stones into the nano gauntlet..."

With Jiro's help, Banner finally pulled himself together, though his eyes were still filled with sorrow.

"We have to do this," he said quietly, clenching and unclenching his fists."For Natasha."

They all followed Tony to the room with the Nano Infinity Gauntlet. As the glass casing slid open, the gauntlet rose from the platform.

Everyone looked to Jiro.

He stepped forward calmly, slid his right hand into the gauntlet, and it automatically resized to fit him perfectly.

Then, one by one, he placed each Infinity Stone onto the gauntlet. In an instant, six different colors of energy surged through his body.

Everyone held their breath, staring at the gauntlet now gleaming on Jiro's hand—six Infinity Stones shining like stars, lighting up their faces.

Jiro could feel a surge of power like nothing he'd ever known before. Each stone burned like a mini sun on his hand.

Power. Space. Reality. Soul. Time. Mind.

Six primal forces of the universe intertwined at his fingertips, and it felt like the entire weight of existence was pressing down on his arm.

"This feeling…"

Jiro narrowed his eyes slightly. With his body, he could tell—if he wanted to, one punch could blow up Earth, maybe even tear open space itself.

But he held back the urge.

Instead, he turned to look at the other Avengers.

"....."