Watching the Ancient One fall from the sky, shatter the glass, and crash onto the street, after which there was no movement at all, many people in front of the large screen felt indescribable sorrow and grief.
The dignified Sorcerer Supreme, a being who could even repel a Dimensional Lord like Dormammu!
Who could have imagined that her final death would come so suddenly and so abruptly!
"What the hell happened here?"
Tony Stark frowned and looked at Strange in confusion.
"Suicide? Why would the Ancient One want to commit suicide?"
Strange's expression was not particularly pleasant, but he still explained:
"Do you remember how you described Kang earlier when he decided to hand over his power to the two Lokis?"
Hearing this, Tony had not yet had time to answer when Loki, who was standing to the side sulking, understood first!
"So that is how it is!"
Loki gritted his teeth and said unhappily:
"That Kang spent countless years and who knows how much energy maintaining the Sacred Timeline. In the end, he could no longer endure it! That is why he decided to hand all of his power over to my two variants!"
"Exhaustion?"
Tony quietly repeated the word, and an uncomfortable smile appeared on his face.
"So, the same applies to the Ancient One?"
"Yes."
Strange nodded slightly.
"For hundreds of years, she protected Earth with all her strength and fought enemies from other dimensions. The sacrifices the Ancient One endured because of this were probably unimaginable."
"Even if Dormammu's power can extend her life, her soul and will still have their limits."
Hearing Strange's words, many people fell silent.
In a bar, Wolverine sat motionless for a while, then suddenly took a glass from the bar, raised it slightly toward the screen, and drank it to the bottom.
Because of his mutant healing factor, Wolverine had also lived for more than a hundred years.
He understood far better than ordinary people the various pains, and even torments, that a long life could bring.
That was why he felt only respect and regret toward the sorceress on the screen who had grown tired of the world and chosen death.
It was a pity that he had not known earlier that such a person existed on Earth. Otherwise, Wolverine would definitely have found the Ancient One and had a drink with her.
Charles Xavier, who sat beside Wolverine, had a complicated expression at that moment.
Obviously, his feelings were extremely tangled.
As one of the most powerful telepaths on Earth, Charles knew a great deal about the mental states of other people.
In fact, he could almost be considered one of the best psychologists in the world.
But the fact that a sorceress with such unimaginable power had consciously decided to use an enemy's hand to end her own life still deeply shook him.
While shocked, a strange thought also appeared in Charles's heart.
If he could come into contact with the Ancient One, could he use his telepathic abilities to ease her inner wounds and prevent her from wanting death again?
At the same time, Kamar-Taj.
"Ancient One! You now..."
Mordo stood beside the Ancient One covered in cold sweat and opened his mouth.
But he stammered and did not know what to say.
Seeing her usually decisive student so panicked, the Ancient One suddenly smiled, opened her fan, and lightly waved it.
"Mordo, do not worry. I will not die that early before I see Strange grow up."
Hearing this, Mordo finally breathed a deep sigh of relief, but still kept his gaze fixed on her.
The Ancient One helplessly sighed inwardly.
She knew that, in order to prevent her from committing suicide, Mordo would probably remain by her side almost constantly for the coming period.
[The image continues.]
[The Ancient One was taken to the hospital.]
[After a long time, Strange once again put on a doctor's coat and prepared to personally operate on the Ancient One.]
[But the moment he picked up the scalpel, he discovered that his hands were trembling again.]
[With no other choice, Strange had to leave the operation to his former colleagues.]
["Her heart rhythm has almost disappeared."]
["No response. There is no more brain activity."]
[Listening to the doctors' voices, something suddenly occurred to Strange, and he immediately performed astral projection.]
[As he expected, the moment his astral body left his physical body, he immediately found traces of the Ancient One's astral form.]
["What are you doing? You are dying!"]
[Strange followed the Ancient One's astral form all the way to the hospital balcony.]
["You have to return to your body as soon as possible, otherwise you will run out of time!"]
[Unlike Strange's nervousness, the Ancient One looked completely relaxed and calm.]
["Time is relative. You still are not used to the life of a sorcerer."]
[At that moment, Strange discovered that, apart from him and the Ancient One, the entire world was completely frozen in time.]
["I have spent a great deal of time looking into the future, but I could never see anything beyond this moment."]
[There was no emotion in the Ancient One's voice, as though she were speaking about something that had nothing to do with her.]
["I prevented countless terrible events, but trouble always comes one after another, and in the end I always end up right here."]
["You think this is your end?" Strange asked seriously.]
[The Ancient One did not answer his question, but instead asked: "Do you want to know your future?"]
[Strange refused at first, but in the end still nodded.]
[The Ancient One calmly said:]
["I cannot clearly see your future. I only see its possibilities. You are a good man, Stephen. You have always been exceptional, not because you want to succeed, but because you are desperately afraid of failure."]
["That is exactly why I became an excellent doctor!" Strange replied.]
["And that is exactly the obstacle on your path toward greatness!"]
[The Ancient One said: "Because of your arrogance and fear of failure, you do not understand the simplest, yet most important thing."]
Seeing this, even Tony Stark's expression changed slightly, not to mention Strange's.
Tony was undoubtedly an extremely self-confident man.
But was there really only a thin line between confidence and fear of failure?
Thinking about this, Tony gritted his teeth inwardly.
It seemed that he had still been a little too cautious while researching the Tesseract!
Sometimes, before you learn to walk, you have to learn to run!
["The essence of life is not about ourselves!" The Ancient One turned toward Strange.]
["When you first came to me, you asked me how I healed Jonathan Pangborn."]
["In fact, I did not heal him. He himself channeled energy from other dimensions into his own body."]
["So, he walks using magic?" Strange showed an expression of sudden understanding.]
["That is right," the Ancient One continued.]
["And he too once faced a choice—whether to return to his ordinary life or devote himself to something greater than himself."]
["Then my hands can also be completely healed again? Can I return to my old life?" When he asked this question, Strange's pupils narrowed.]
["Of course you can."]
[The Ancient One replied: "But that would not be best for this world."]
["I hate the fact that I have to draw power from the Dark Dimension, but you yourself know that sometimes, in order to achieve something greater, we have to break the rules."]
Hearing the Ancient One's explanation, everyone in Kamar-Taj's courtyard fell silent.
Even the last trace of dissatisfaction in Mordo's eyes completely transformed into respect.
In the live broadcast room, Strange exhaled deeply, and an expression of gratitude appeared on his face.
So that was how it was.
If he chose to completely heal his hands, he would no longer be able to use that magic for battle.
It was a question of choice.
Would he choose his own life and return to health, or devote himself to something greater and protect Earth?
However, because of the existence of the Horse Talisman, Strange no longer had to make that choice.
[The image continues.]
[The Ancient One eventually died.]
[She chose her own end.]
[But for Strange, everything was only beginning.]
[The London Sanctum and New York Sanctum had already been destroyed. Only the Hong Kong Sanctum remained.]
[Wong gathered all the forces of Kamar-Taj at the Hong Kong Sanctum and prepared for the final battle against Kaecilius.]
[With great effort, Strange managed to convince Mordo, whose faith had completely collapsed, to go with him to Hong Kong.]
[But when they arrived, they discovered that the Hong Kong Sanctum had already been destroyed.]
[The terrifying Dark Dimension had already begun penetrating Earth!]
["It is too late. Dormammu has already arrived. No one can stop him anymore."]
[Listening to Mordo's despairing voice, wisdom suddenly flashed in Strange's eyes.]
["Not necessarily."]
[Immediately afterward, Strange activated the Eye of Agamotto hanging around his neck.]
[Time magic—activated!]
[Green light spread in every direction, and in an instant the time of all Hong Kong began reversing!]
[Kaecilius noticed that something was wrong and desperately rushed toward Strange, but he was still one step too late.]
[As time reversed, the destroyed Hong Kong Sanctum began assembling itself again.]
Seeing this scene, everyone's gazes toward Strange completely changed.
"Man, you really can do something like this!"
Tony took a deep breath, and admiration could be heard in his voice.
"It is a pity that Thanos already possessed several Infinity Stones when you fought him!"
"Otherwise, he would not have been able to defeat you at all."
[As time continued reversing, Wong, who had previously been dead, came back to life completely healthy.]
[Looking at the shocked Wong, Strange shrugged.]
["I know. I am breaking the laws of nature."]
[Wong remained with his mouth open and a stunned face, but still shook his head.]
["Do not stop now."]
[At that moment, Kaecilius gathered magical energy in his hands and violently threw it onto the ground.]
["Boom!"]
[Even the ground shook violently. Strange was suddenly knocked to the ground, and the time spell in his hands was interrupted.]
[The Hong Kong Sanctum, which had already been more than half restored, began collapsing again!]
[An enormous spatial crack even opened in the sky!]
[Purple energy filled with endless decay, darkness, and despair, mixed with colorful spore-like spheres, began penetrating through the crack into this world!]
[The Dark Dimension had fully arrived.]
[Even in this desperate moment, Strange did not give up.]
["Beyond time..."]
[After quietly speaking several words, Strange suddenly activated the Cloak of Levitation and flew like an arrow straight into the Dark Dimension.]
Seeing this, little Wanda immediately shouted in the live broadcast room:
"God, Strange, have you gone crazy? Are you trying to commit suicide?"
Loki beside her coldly snorted:
"Perhaps he realized that there was no hope of victory, so he decided to switch sides and surrender to Dormammu!"
Peter was stunned and instinctively said:
"Impossible! How could Mr. Strange surrender?"
At that moment, Strange's pupils suddenly contracted, as though something had occurred to him.
"Loki! That is it!"
He suddenly turned toward Loki, then opened his mouth wide and laughed loudly:
"Hahaha! So that is it!"
"This trick is not only useful for torturing Loki. It can even be used against the terrifying ruler of the Dark Dimension!"
"What? What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy?"
Loki frowned and cursed several times, but then his entire body suddenly stiffened, and an expression of disbelief appeared in his eyes.
"Impossible... Your version from that other universe really plans to use that trick?"
[The image continues.]
[Dark Dimension.]
[This place was filled with desolation and silence. Countless planets had been corroded by Dormammu's dark power and transformed into colorful, strange spheres floating through the dark space, among them even some stars!]
[After entering the Dark Dimension, Strange first activated time magic, and green rings of light appeared around his hands.]
[Immediately afterward, Dormammu appeared before him.]
[Dormammu's body was unimaginably enormous, his eyes looked like eternally burning purple cold flames, while his entire body was simultaneously semi-transparent and semi-solid, emitting a strange, cold light!]
[Many decaying planets floated around him, creating a terrifying sight.]
[Facing this horrifying being, Strange flew forward without hesitation and stopped before Dormammu.]
[Then he raised his head and shouted loudly:]
["Dormammu, I have come to bargain!"]
["You have come to die."]
[Dormammu's thunder-like voice shook the entire Dark Dimension, while a terrifying and dark aura flooded the space.]
["Your world now belongs to me. Just like all the others."]
[As soon as Dormammu finished speaking, countless magical energy projectiles fell toward Strange like a storm of rain.]
[Immediately afterward, Dormammu opened his enormous mouth and released a wave of purple energy that completely swallowed Strange's body in an instant. Absolutely nothing remained.]
[It looked as though everything was over.]
[But at that moment, time began flowing backward!]
[Everything returned to its previous state.]
[Strange once again descended from the sky, landed before Dormammu, raised his head, and shouted:]
["Dormammu, I have come to bargain!"]
[Dormammu thundered:]
["You have come to die!"]
["Your world now belongs to me! Just like the others... "]
[Suddenly, an expression of horror appeared on Dormammu's enormous face, as though he had just experienced something completely unbelievable!]