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Wanda's ears twitched; it was the voice she was most familiar with.
She didn't even look up before the seriousness on her face transformed into a pleasant surprise.
The magic circle in her hands instantly dissipated as she turned and ran toward the descending figure.
The apprentices practicing magic around them merely glanced up at him before refocusing on the circles in their hands.
Clearly, the matter of the Sorcerer Supreme's newly recruited "special" disciple was no secret here.
"Anthony!"
Homelander had just landed, and before he could strike a pose, he was hit by a warm body in a full embrace.
"How did you get here so fast? Didn't you say you'd come next week?"
Wanda's current aura was quite different from before—confident, composed, and carrying a hint of the ethereal quality unique to practitioners.
"I missed you, so I came to visit."
Anthony smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist, casually pinching her cheek.
"It seems the Ancient One hasn't mistreated you; your complexion looks good."
"Of course! I've already learned how to draw circles!" Wanda said, showing off as she traced a circle with her finger. A sparking portal appeared out of thin air, and the scene on the other side was exactly Anthony's office.
"Very good, well done!" Anthony encouraged. "But call before you come over in the future; don't just open a hole in my office."
"Want some milk?" Wanda winked playfully. "I'll go warm some for you."
"Next time," Anthony politely declined. "I need to see your teacher now; there's a bit of trouble."
Seeing Anthony's slightly serious expression, Wanda dropped her playful demeanor.
"She's in the meditation room. I'll take you there."
...The two arrived at the meditation room.
The Ancient One stood there with her hands behind her back, quietly watching him.
Anthony stepped forward and, without any pleasantries, got straight to the point.
"Master, do you know about the Celestials?"
The Ancient One's expression faltered slightly.
"The Celestials... they are ancient deities in the Universe. They are both creators and Destroyers."
"Because one of the Celestials is a 'bad egg' and planted a landmine on Earth."
Anthony revealed everything he knew from his past life regarding Ego's 'Expansion' plan.
"You're saying... an avatar of a living Planet is right here on Earth?"
Even the Sorcerer Supreme couldn't help but be moved by this news.
"Yes, and it could be activated at any time."
Anthony looked at the Ancient One, a hint of questioning in his tone.
"What I want to know is, as the dimensional Guardian of Earth, why didn't you notice it?"
The Ancient One fell silent.
She stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the distant snow-capped mountains.
After a long while, she finally spoke slowly.
"Mr. Starr, you overestimate me and underestimate the Celestials."
"Kamar-Taj's defense network is primarily aimed at invasions from other dimensions—like Dormammu or Hell Lord."
"As for the Celestials... they are among the rule-makers of this Universe."
"If Ego intentionally concealed it while planting this seed... and kept it in a dormant state."
"Then in my perception, it is no different from an ordinary rock or a large tree."
"Unless..." The Ancient One's eyes sharpened, "...it begins to awaken."
"Furthermore, in the timelines I previously observed, this kind of global disaster never occurred."
"That's because the Guardians of the Galaxy resolved it before it fully erupted," Anthony explained.
"But now, the situation has changed."
"I'm worried about the butterfly effect." Anthony shook his head. "This is no longer the timeline we are familiar with. I'm not sure if that group of losers can still handle that big head like they did in the original script."
"Moreover, his seed is buried on Earth," Anthony continued. "That silly kid named Star-Lord has already been found by Ego. Once Ego starts utilizing Star-Lord's divine power, this seed will be activated."
The Ancient One's expression became serious.
"Where is the seed?"
"Missouri. My assistant has already arranged for people to search there."
"Let's go have a look."
The Ancient One didn't waste words, raising her hand to draw a perfect golden circle in the air.
Sparks flew, and the other side of the portal revealed a dense forest.
The three of them stepped through the portal.
The air instantly changed from the thin, cold mountain climate to the moist, warm scent of a temperate forest zone.
"Skynet, report location."
Anthony pressed his earpiece.
"Sir, according to the energy spectrum analysis, the anomaly is located 300 meters northwest of your current position."
Skynet's voice came through.
"The Vought Special Forces have already cordoned off the area and conducted excavations, but there is only soil and rock there."
"Excavation was useless?" Anthony frowned.
"Yes, it's like a ghost."
"Lead the way."
Anthony led the Ancient One and Wanda through the woods to the large pit excavated by the special forces.
Several fully armed Vought soldiers were busy at the bottom of the pit with shovels and detectors. Seeing Anthony arrive, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.
"Boss! There's nothing here! Our energy spectrum shows a high-energy reaction in this spot, but digging down reveals nothing but dirt!"
Anthony frowned.
But he wasn't surprised.
If it were that easy to find, Ego wouldn't have been able to keep the seed hidden for decades without anyone knowing.
He looked at the Ancient One.
"Master, it's up to you."
The Ancient One nodded.
She closed her eyes and formed hand seals.
The Eye of Agamotto on her chest slowly opened. The green light didn't fully reveal itself, merely emitting a hint of a profound aura.
"Ancient Body of Hoggoth, let this be my sight... reveal yourself."
The Ancient One gave a low shout and pressed her hands down sharply.
Hum—!
A green ripple centered on her and spread out toward the surrounding forest.
The ripple swept over trees, grass, and rocks.
The seemingly ordinary scenery changed under the vision of magic.
In the previously empty soil, an eerie blue light suddenly lit up.
"There!" Wanda pointed to the bottom of the pit.
A sphere the size of a fist, emitting a faint blue glow, was quietly suspended there.
It seemed alive, its surface covered with vessel-like veins, slowly expanding and contracting with an extremely weak rhythm.
"Found it."
"This is... the seed of a God."
The Ancient One looked at the seed, her brow furrowed.
"I can feel that although it is dormant, its root system has already merged with the ley lines of this land."
"Can it be destroyed?" Wanda asked.
"I'll give it a try."
Anthony's eyes instantly turned crimson.
Sizzle—!!
Two beams of high-energy Heat Vision shot out, accurately striking the blue seed.
Core temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees poured onto the seed's surface without reservation.
The blue light on its surface suddenly brightened, channeling the energy of the Heat Vision through those tentacles and dispersing it deep underground.
Anthony increased the output, and the soil around the seed turned into lava.
Yet, amidst the flashing blue light, the seed remained perfectly intact, its pulsing even becoming more forceful.
"Stop, Starr," the Ancient One spoke to stop Anthony. "It's no use."