"Relax."
Leon patted Loki on the shoulder reassuringly.
"I've got a plan. This thing can still be salvaged."
"Really?"
"It can be, right?!"
Loki grabbed Leon by the collar, looking seconds away from dropping to his knees if necessary.
"Off we go."
Leon didn't bother explaining. A Sling Ring portal flared open, and the two of them were instantly transported to Kamar-Taj.
Kamar-Taj
The Ancient One had just gone to bed.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
A thunderous knock echoed outside her room.
"Master, you're not asleep yet, are you?"
"…That brat."
A vein twitched faintly on her forehead. She didn't even need to look to know who would show up at this hour—
The only person in existence with less sense of boundaries than the Shield of the Seraphim itself.
She had just started to rise—
BANG!
The wooden door hinges gave way entirely and the door collapsed inward.
Leon stood there mid-knock, awkwardly locking eyes with her.
"Haha… I knew you weren't asleep, Master."
Reception Hall – Kamar-Taj
A pot of hot tea sat steaming on the low table.
Scattered beside it were several prototype Sling Rings—three-finger variants, functional but unfinished experiments derived from Leon's The Ancient One 's Ring.
The Ancient One, clad in her yellow robes, stood with her back to Leon and Loki—both sporting identical lumps on their heads.
Under the white light overhead, she studied the severely cracked yellow Mind Stone in her hand.
"While the Infinity Stones are not indestructible," she said calmly, "they are extraordinarily difficult to damage. Even for me, reducing one to this state would require… effort."
She turned and smiled at Leon.
"You continue to surprise me."
"I believe I should commend your growth."
Her smile was serene.
Far too serene.
"Just average, really. Third best in the world," Leon replied humbly. "You and Old Man Odin are the true pillars. I'm just the errand boy."
"Hmph."
"Smooth-tongued as ever."
A faint mystical sigil rotated in her eyes before vanishing.
After glancing at Loki—who had gone suspiciously quiet—she said knowingly:
"So. Another scheme?"
"Well then."
"I may indulge your recklessness—on one condition."
"It must not impact Earth."
Her reasoning was simple.
If certain crises were inevitable, Leon's theatrics might at least raise humanity's tolerance threshold.
Habituation could be a weapon.
After centuries of sacrifice and calculated compromise, she was anything but rigid.
She had already broken taboos before—drawing upon forbidden dark magic to extend her life.
Borrowing power from Dormammu with no intention of repayment.
She and Leon were alike in one regard:
If the outcome preserved Earth, the means could be… flexible.
Killing the planet outright, however—
That crossed the line.
Which was why she had turned against Kaecilius.
"Deal!"
With her tacit approval secured, Leon rolled up his sleeves in satisfaction.
Just as expected.
As long as he stood on Earth's side, she would tolerate a great deal.
The Ancient One opened the Eye of Agamotto, revealing the glowing green Time Stone within.
"Time Stone!"
Loki couldn't stop himself.
"You keep it? A human?"
"Silence."
Her voice sharpened.
Leon was already raising a hand to enforce compliance when Loki promptly clamped his own mouth shut.
The Ancient One nodded.
"The Time Stone has always been safeguarded by the Sorcerer Supreme. That should not surprise you, Loki Odinson."
Loki nodded vigorously.
For some reason, the green glow of the Time Stone felt… familiar to him.
Leon caught the flicker of curiosity in Loki's eyes.
Of course he understood the irony.
Why was the Time Stone green?
Perhaps it simply liked the color.
"Leon."
"I have told you many times—tampering with temporal continuity is forbidden. Excessive manipulation of time creates branching realities, unstable dimensions, paradoxes, loops… total annihilation."
"This will be the last time I use the Time Stone for you."
"I understand, I understand. You're the best, Master."
Leon slung an arm casually around her shoulder.
Out of Loki's line of sight, he discreetly delivered a gentle Leon's Grip to her shoulder muscles—and winked in thanks.
Her elegant smile froze.
If not for the audience, she might have demonstrated why flowers are red.
She shot him a warning look.
Then proceeded.
A green sigil manifested around her wrist—
The Time Reversal Field.
Clockwise accelerated time.
Counterclockwise reversed it.
To restore the Mind Stone, she rotated counterclockwise.
The fractured crystal shimmered.
Cracks sealed.
The golden light reignited.
As in Avengers: Infinity War, when Thanos restored the Mind Stone after Wanda destroyed it—
The Ancient One rewound it to its pristine state.
She even thoughtfully restored the Scepter's casing along with it.
"Miraculous hands, Doctor."
Leon gave her a thumbs-up, then tossed the fully restored Scepter back to Loki.
Just as she began to dispel the time field—
Leon moved.
With what could only be described as divine audacity, he subtly re-extended the reversal matrix.
"Leon."
"What now?"
"Well," he said cheerfully, "since we're already here—and the spell's already active—why not restore one more thing while we're at it?"
He stepped behind her.
One hand massaged her neck in exaggerated devotion.
The other reached into the System Storage Space—
And produced a weathered metallic cube, roughly 25 centimeters on each side.
Ancient.
Damaged.
Mysterious.
He held it up with a grin.
"Since we're rolling back time anyway, Master… how about this too?"
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