Chapter 72: Gift. Save. Gift. Save.

This place was no longer empty.

Instead, it now housed a permanent chaos bubble.

As long as Malrick's consciousness touched it, he understood: the bubble represented the world of Resident Evil.

And that world was now permanently accessible to him—unconditionally.

However, when he chose to travel back to the moment he left the Resident Evil world, the energy required for the jump surged.

The shuttle demanded 30% of his physical strength—30 times more than his first travel.

Malrick experimented by delaying the jump.

He discovered that each day he waited decreased the energy requirement by 1%, until on the 30th day, it dropped back to the baseline 1%.

After that point—31st day, 32nd day, and so on—the cost stayed at 1%.

"Tony was right," Malrick mused.

"Traveling to the past costs double. Traveling to the future costs the same."

"So, I've only been gone for six hours here, but 30 days passed in the Resident Evil world?"

He tried selecting a time from within the Resident Evil world—September 28th—but couldn't. Even times before his original entry were locked.

"So I can't travel to a time before I entered that world, but I can choose any future point afterward?"

He tested adding Tony as a travel companion. The energy required jumped to 11%.

Then, he tried including the entire Stark mansion—but the cost remained roughly the same.

"Taking life through time drains a lot more energy. Carrying matter? Barely anything."

Malrick now understood the shuttle mechanism and stopped experimenting.

"Get ready," he told Tony. "It's about to start."

"Finally! I've been dying to try a cheeseburger from another world!" Tony cheered.

Malrick focused and locked onto a time 30 days after their last presence in that world.

In an instant, both vanished.

---

Resident Evil World — October 29

In the middle of a tropical rainforest.

Two figures materialized, startling nearby birds.

Malrick opened his eyes and immediately scanned Tony, confirming via enhanced vision that his brother was intact.

Seconds passed.

Suddenly, the Iron Man suit shuddered, and Tony stirred.

"Malrick!" he blurted, disoriented.

"Awake already? Took you long enough," Malrick smirked.

"That long? I feel like I just napped..." Tony groaned and touched his helmet.

"Where are we—Amazon rainforest? Oh, my recorder!"

"Jarvis, did we get the crossing on tape? Especially the part where I couldn't open my eyes?"

"Why didn't I feel anything?! It was just like taking a nap!"

Jarvis replied, "Sir, all circuits in the armor shut down due to unknown interference. None of the equipment recorded."

"Seriously? Nothing?!" Tony groaned.

"Same thing happened to me last time," Malrick added. "It's probably a safety mechanism."

"Some theorize the information outside reality is so overwhelming it could fry your brain."

"So... unconsciousness is protection?" Tony frowned.

"Pretty much."

"Where are we exactly?"

"Ask Jarvis to connect to the local Internet," Malrick said, closing his eyes to tune into the world.

Suddenly, chaos flooded his senses—explosions, crying, panic, screams, war.

Malrick winced and shut down his super-hearing.

"What the hell...? I cleaned up Raccoon City before I left. Left Jarvis in charge too. Why is it worse now?"

The entire planet sounded like it was engulfed in war.

Then a strange wave hit.

Malrick tapped into it with his teleportation ability.

A surge of emotions—ecstasy, resentment, despair, hope—flooded him.

He organized the mental noise.

[Leave. Evolve. Collapse. Gift. Save. Gift. Save!]

The world itself was crying for help.

Malrick realized the world consciousness had attempted something drastic while he was away—and now begged for assistance.

"You want me to fix this again? What do I get this time?" he asked.

He hoped for another boost to his scientific abilities.

The consciousness responded with regret.

Apparently, he'd already reached the upgrade limit.

"Seriously? That's all you've got?" Malrick groaned.

The world consciousness recoiled like a scolded child.

"What can you give me?" he sighed.

Suddenly, platinum lights appeared around him—visible only to Malrick.

They formed a glowing orb and hovered toward him.

Malrick recognized it as a gift and accepted.

But as it neared his body, it was rejected.

"What?"

The consciousness explained: the orb could adapt a body to perfectly sync with all Resident Evil biology—no side effects.

But Malrick's own immune system rejected it, mistaking it as a threat.

"Ugh, pointless... wait! Give it to him instead. That counts as giving it to me."

The orb floated over to Tony.

His helmet opened, and he stared at Malrick. "What's going on? You glitching?"

"World consciousness gift. It's merging with you now."

"Oh my god—it's hot! Feels like someone jammed a heater into my chest!"

Tony fumbled with his armor, pulling up his shirt.

"You look ridiculous," Malrick laughed. "It's a body enhancement. You can now absorb any native virus or enhancement safely."

"What kind of Frankenstein nonsense is that?"

"Better than nothing. Be grateful."

Just then, another emotional wave hit Malrick.

[Save! Evolve! More!]

"Looks like there's more to fix," he said. "Let's get the lay of the land."

He launched into the sky. Tony followed.

Suddenly, Jarvis's voice came through, uncharacteristically emotional.

"Master Malrick, you're back."

"Jarvis? Are you synced to Super Mark I? What's going on down here?"

"Sir, too much has happened since your departure."

"Summarize. Prioritize."

Malrick motioned for Tony to land so they could hear the full report.

__

Patreon.com/Zphyr_

My Patreon link btw.