Marvel, start by marrying the Scarlet Witch

Compared to Carl, Ivan clearly hadn't taken Wanda seriously. Though her transformation spell was mysterious, it hadn't displayed destructive force during the battle so far—at least, not in Ivan's eyes.

So after knocking Carl away with his electric whip, Ivan immediately lashed the second whip toward where Carl would land. At the same time, he commanded the remaining seven robot soldiers to concentrate all their firepower on Carl.

In his mind, if Carl was neutralized, the half-crippled Tony and the "average-level" Wanda wouldn't pose any real threat.

It was this miscalculation that taught Ivan what true tragedy meant.

Wanda, her face twisted in rage, saw Ivan move to attack her beloved husband again. Without hesitation, her left hand snapped forward, and a ball of crimson chaotic energy erupted from her palm, wrapping around Ivan's body and lifting him into the air.

Her right hand slammed downward. The same red energy surged toward the seven airborne robot soldiers. In the next instant, they were pulled violently down and crushed into the ground like tin cans under a sledgehammer.

Boom!

The crash echoed like thunder as the seven robots shattered into twisted metal, their armor crumpling under Wanda's furious power.

And yet, all she had used was a basic relocation spell—one that most wizards learned early in their training. But when fueled by the raw force of Chaos Magic, even the simplest spells could achieve devastating results. It was, in fact, more potent than what Grindelwald had once unleashed in the Magical Congress of the United States of America.

"How... how is this possible?!"

Inside the Whip Suit, Ivan panicked, trying desperately to override the lockdown. But apart from the screech of the suit's alarm, nothing worked. He was completely immobilized.

Wanda's eyes burned with fury. "Let's see what you look like without that iron skin."

With a wave of her right hand, her fingers spread, and the battle suit around Ivan's body began to unravel. Piece by piece, the armor plates tore free from his frame, flying outward like shrapnel suspended in slow motion. Within seconds, Ivan hung in mid-air, stripped of all technological protection.

Tony, who was barely standing after taking a heavy hit, watched in disbelief as Ivan's suit was torn off like wrapping paper.

"…I'm really glad she forgave me," Tony muttered under his breath, wincing as he took a shaky step forward. "Because this would be... a nightmare."

He realized that if Wanda could do that to Ivan's Whip Suit, then the same fate could easily await his Mark armor. He had already thought Carl was absurdly powerful—but it turned out Carl's wife was even more terrifying when provoked.

"Aaargh!"

Without his armor, Ivan was nothing more than a particularly well-muscled man. But even that was no match for the overwhelming pressure of chaos magic. He let out a tortured scream as the invisible force around him began to crush inward.

"Wanda, I'm fine. Don't kill him," Carl's voice suddenly rang out.

The chaos around her dissipated instantly.

Carl's words broke through her haze of fury. Her crimson eyes softened as she turned toward him, rushing to his side. "Sweetheart, are you hurt?!"

"No. He didn't actually land a direct hit," Carl replied calmly, pulling her into a reassuring hug. "I just needed to redirect some of the impact when I landed."

She clutched him tightly, checking him for any bruises or burns. "I thought—when he struck you—I thought…"

"I'm fine," he said softly, brushing a hand down her back. "Really."

Truthfully, with his current physique and stamina—sharpened by years of magical training and strengthened through repeated use of the Power Pill—Carl was more than capable of handling Ivan's electric whips. The impact hadn't even cracked his skin. Even without Wanda's intervention, Ivan and the robot soldiers wouldn't have stood a chance.

But Carl hadn't anticipated how deeply Wanda cared. She'd nearly killed Ivan in her rage. And that was something he wanted to avoid.

Wanda was normally kind, with a heart full of empathy. Carl didn't want her soul tainted by the blood of her first kill—not unless there was no other choice. His training had been to empower her, not turn her into a killer like some of his more militant subordinates—Amelia, Leo, or David.

Moreover, Ivan Vanko still had value.

The man may not be as naturally gifted as Tony Stark, but he was no idiot. He had recreated arc reactor technology on his own, developed a functioning Whiplash suit, and even designed drones based on decades-old blueprints. That made him useful. The Hudson Group always needed minds like his—scientists who could improve production, design weapons, and create tech for his agents and operations.

As for loyalty? That was a non-issue. For someone like Ivan, Carl could simply use the Forgetfulness Charm combined with the False Memory Charm—standard procedures for rogue scientists or ex-Hydra personnel, like Dr. Lister and the others currently being rehabilitated at the base. Their memories could be wiped clean and replaced with identities that served the cause.

Tony, watching the exchange, finally limped over. "It would be good to see someone actually care about me too, you know."

Carl smiled faintly, then raised his wand. "Episkey Maxima."

A soft glow enveloped Tony, mending bruises, fractured bones, and internal injuries within seconds. Tony exhaled sharply as the pain drained from his body.

"Okay, that's... freaky," he muttered. "I mean, it's amazing, but freaky."

"Magic usually is," Carl replied, lowering his wand.

"Still," Tony said, cracking his neck with a grin, "this 'Dark Wizard' title of yours is a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

"It wasn't my idea," Carl said simply. "Wanda gave me that name."

Tony's smile froze. "Ah. I see. Well, in that case—it's... uh... elegant. Regal, even! Yes. 'Dark Wizard' has a sort of... noble menace to it. Very stylish. Good pick, Wanda."

Wanda beamed. "Right? Some online trolls said it was too ominous, but I think it suits Carl perfectly."

Carl looked toward the crowd of reporters now gathering behind the shattered battlefield, their cameras clicking rapidly.

"Well, this has gone public enough," he said. "I'll take this guy and get out of here. Make sure none of this reaches the press."

With a snap of his fingers, he summoned a swirling vortex of magical energy. He grasped Wanda's hand, levitated the unconscious Ivan with a flick of his wand, and together, the three of them vanished into thin air—leaving behind nothing but whispers of awe and a very relieved Tony Stark.