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Chapter 242: I Want the Dark Dimension
The Sorcerer Supreme and Wizard Shazam were the strongest beings Tony could directly or indirectly contact. Two Level Seven Archmages; even someone as powerful as Dormammu would be in for a world of hurt.
If Dormammu stayed within the Dark Dimension, he could still put up a fight. But if he dared to step out of the Dark Dimension and wage war against these two simultaneously, he'd be crushed in minutes.
Kamar-Taj and the Rock of Eternity were the two places on Earth with the most powerful and ancient magical legacies. However, the current Wizard Shazam had chosen to passively withdraw from the world, spending his days inside the Rock of Eternity, searching for a worthy successor to become the new Shazam.
As for Kamar-Taj, with the Ancient One—who drew upon Dark Power to achieve an infinite lifespan—and its relatively open style of operation, it had only grown stronger. Through countless wars against foreign enemies, it had secured Earth's peace upon a foundation of innumerable corpses.
Of course, the one to contact Wizard Shazam wouldn't be Tony, but the Ancient One herself. After all, besides the Ancient One and Tony, who had a vague idea, who the hell knew where the Rock of Eternity actually was?
With two Level Seven Archmages providing backup, Tony finally had the confidence to make a move against the Dark Dimension, even plotting to kill Dormammu directly.
Moreover, the ones taking action this time were far more than just Earth's Factions. Powerful magical factions from across the Universe were also stirring, planning to join forces with the Ancient One to deal a devastating blow to the Dark Dimension.
"This is a very risky move, and a lot of people will surely die. But if we succeed, I have a way to buy more time for Earth." Tony poured himself another cup of tea and drank it in one gulp.
It was, in a word, a massive gamble.
If they lost, aside from the Ancient One and Shazam who could retreat unscathed, everyone else, including Tony himself, would suffer heavy casualties at best. At worst, they could be completely wiped out.
Dormammu controlled the Dark Dimension and had devoured too many worlds and planets over the long eons. His terrifying, cultivated Legion, and the countless Mindless Ones that depended on the Dark Dimension for survival, were so numerous they could overwhelm any being below Level Seven.
A Single Universe Level being, even one focused purely on physical combat, could shake space itself with a direct confrontation. When truly cornered, they could grit their teeth, make a desperate move, and tear open a rift in space to escape for their lives. No matter where they ended up, it was at least a possible path to survival.
But for anyone below Level Seven, even a Quasi-Cosmic Level Six, they would sooner or later be worn down and killed by the endless hordes of Mindless Ones in the Dark Dimension.
"Buy more time..." The Ancient One smiled noncommittally, her thoughts impossible for anyone to fathom.
"Kill Dormammu, and the threat to Earth will be gone." Mordo's eyes, however, lit up, clearly moved by the future Tony had painted.
An Earth without an enemy like Dormammu...
At the very least, even just severely wounding Dormammu would be good enough, as it could bring Earth several hundred, or even several thousand, years of peace.
Hearing Mordo's words, Tony silently shook his head to himself.
Dormammu, a Level Seven being in control of the entire Dark Dimension, sounded incredibly badass. But this guy... was he really that strong? Relatively speaking, yes. The Ancient One had fought him for so long, yet she could only remain frustratingly on the defensive, even needing the aid of the vast magical array spread across Earth.
But if you took him to the scale of the Multiverse, or even outside the Speed Force Wall, while he couldn't exactly be called a weakling, he wasn't far from it.
This was because Dormammu's greatest shield was the Dark Dimension. Without the power of the Dark Dimension, Tony even suspected that the guy's own power was only at Level Six.
"Mordo, could you step out for a moment? I have something I'd like to discuss with the Ancient One," Tony suddenly said.
"You are to address her as the Ancient One, or the Sorcerer Supreme!" Mordo stubbornly corrected. "You will not be disrespectful to the Sorcerer Supreme!"
"Alright, alright..." Tony chuckled, at a loss for words.
The Ancient One also smiled gently.
Only Mordo walked out indignantly.
"Don't mind him. He has always been this way, treating certain unimportant rules as more important than anything else," the Ancient One said gently.
"Of course I wouldn't mind such a small thing. It's not like I've only known him for a day or two. For the past few months, Mordo has taught me most of my magic," Tony said with a faint smile. "But with his personality, when certain crucial standards are broken and cannot be restored, it will cause him to plunge into a terrible abyss."
After Mordo's Corruption, the infinitely extreme Baron Mordo, who would dedicate himself to eliminating all Sorcerers on Earth, would be a carbon copy of the still-slumbering Black Adam.
"I came here this time because there's something very important I wish to discuss with you. Of course, with your mastery of time magic, you might already know. If we can really kill Dormammu..." Tony chose his words carefully, a hint of worry and doubt in his heart.
"I want the Dark Dimension." Tony suddenly raised his head, looking directly into the Sorcerer Supreme's calm and serene eyes.
Lying in front of the Ancient One... if it were some insignificant person, she might be deceived. But for someone like Tony, whom the Ancient One was paying close attention to, his past and future actions had likely already been seen through by the wielder of the Time Stone.
Lying was meaningless.
The Time Stone was not something that could be compared to divination magic.
Divination magic was like a thief, analyzing current events to get a lead, peeking at a corner of the future, seeing a tiny, insignificant event on one infinitesimal timeline among countless others.
But the Time Stone? This thing was an incomparably tyrannical robber. A robber that could control and seize time itself. Any scene that could be recorded by time had nowhere to hide from it.
No matter how chaotic the timelines were, it was merely a matter of there being too many to view at once. The laughable notion of "because you are special, the future is uncertain" simply didn't exist.
One future is one timeline. One timeline is one independent universe. In the Multiverse, the concept of "impossible" simply doesn't exist within the Multiverse itself.
Not to mention, the one who wielded the Time Stone was the Sorcerer Supreme. Tony could believe that others might be unable to perfectly master the Time Stone, but to say the Ancient One couldn't? He wouldn't believe that even if he were beaten to death.
"To be honest, I am a little surprised." The Ancient One's smile slowly faded—a rare sight. "Your ambition and desires are far greater than I imagined."
Tony fell silent.
What did this mean? Was this a rejection?
The pressure the calm Ancient One exerted on him was unprecedented. She didn't even need to reveal her Aura; her every casual movement and subtle expression was enough to create a crushing sensation for a mere Level Four being like Tony.
"I want to seize the Dark Dimension, become the new master of the Dark Dimension, and become a new Single Universe Level being," Tony said slowly.
The Ancient One lightly tapped the teacup in her hand, producing a crisp sound that made Tony's heart clench.
Thinking—for the Ancient One, who controlled everything, to display such an action in front of an outsider was exceedingly rare.
This was also a difficult decision for the Ancient One. She wasn't necessarily just considering whether to agree, but perhaps also whether she should kill the dangerous Tony first.
"Alright."
Unexpectedly, the Ancient One agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Tony's head snapped up. He said in a deep voice, "Equivalent Exchange. State your terms."
"Remain on Earth, and take over as the next Sorcerer Supreme."
(end of chapter)
The Sorcerer Supreme and Wizard Shazam were the strongest beings Tony could directly or indirectly contact. Two Level Seven Archmages; even someone as powerful as Dormammu would be in for a world of hurt.
If Dormammu stayed within the Dark Dimension, he could still put up a fight. But if he dared to step out of the Dark Dimension and wage war against these two simultaneously, he'd be crushed in minutes.
Kamar-Taj and the Rock of Eternity were the two places on Earth with the most powerful and ancient magical legacies. However, the current Wizard Shazam had chosen to passively withdraw from the world, spending his days inside the Rock of Eternity, searching for a worthy successor to become the new Shazam.
As for Kamar-Taj, with the Ancient One—who drew upon Dark Power to achieve an infinite lifespan—and its relatively open style of operation, it had only grown stronger. Through countless wars against foreign enemies, it had secured Earth's peace upon a foundation of innumerable corpses.
Of course, the one to contact Wizard Shazam wouldn't be Tony, but the Ancient One herself. After all, besides the Ancient One and Tony, who had a vague idea, who the hell knew where the Rock of Eternity actually was?
With two Level Seven Archmages providing backup, Tony finally had the confidence to make a move against the Dark Dimension, even plotting to kill Dormammu directly.
Moreover, the ones taking action this time were far more than just Earth's Factions. Powerful magical factions from across the Universe were also stirring, planning to join forces with the Ancient One to deal a devastating blow to the Dark Dimension.
"This is a very risky move, and a lot of people will surely die. But if we succeed, I have a way to buy more time for Earth." Tony poured himself another cup of tea and drank it in one gulp.
It was, in a word, a massive gamble.
If they lost, aside from the Ancient One and Shazam who could retreat unscathed, everyone else, including Tony himself, would suffer heavy casualties at best. At worst, they could be completely wiped out.
Dormammu controlled the Dark Dimension and had devoured too many worlds and planets over the long eons. His terrifying, cultivated Legion, and the countless Mindless Ones that depended on the Dark Dimension for survival, were so numerous they could overwhelm any being below Level Seven.
A Single Universe Level being, even one focused purely on physical combat, could shake space itself with a direct confrontation. When truly cornered, they could grit their teeth, make a desperate move, and tear open a rift in space to escape for their lives. No matter where they ended up, it was at least a possible path to survival.
But for anyone below Level Seven, even a Quasi-Cosmic Level Six, they would sooner or later be worn down and killed by the endless hordes of Mindless Ones in the Dark Dimension.
"Buy more time..." The Ancient One smiled noncommittally, her thoughts impossible for anyone to fathom.
"Kill Dormammu, and the threat to Earth will be gone." Mordo's eyes, however, lit up, clearly moved by the future Tony had painted.
An Earth without an enemy like Dormammu...
At the very least, even just severely wounding Dormammu would be good enough, as it could bring Earth several hundred, or even several thousand, years of peace.
Hearing Mordo's words, Tony silently shook his head to himself.
Dormammu, a Level Seven being in control of the entire Dark Dimension, sounded incredibly badass. But this guy... was he really that strong? Relatively speaking, yes. The Ancient One had fought him for so long, yet she could only remain frustratingly on the defensive, even needing the aid of the vast magical array spread across Earth.
But if you took him to the scale of the Multiverse, or even outside the Speed Force Wall, while he couldn't exactly be called a weakling, he wasn't far from it.
This was because Dormammu's greatest shield was the Dark Dimension. Without the power of the Dark Dimension, Tony even suspected that the guy's own power was only at Level Six.
"Mordo, could you step out for a moment? I have something I'd like to discuss with the Ancient One," Tony suddenly said.
"You are to address her as the Ancient One, or the Sorcerer Supreme!" Mordo stubbornly corrected. "You will not be disrespectful to the Sorcerer Supreme!"
"Alright, alright..." Tony chuckled, at a loss for words.
The Ancient One also smiled gently.
Only Mordo walked out indignantly.
"Don't mind him. He has always been this way, treating certain unimportant rules as more important than anything else," the Ancient One said gently.
"Of course I wouldn't mind such a small thing. It's not like I've only known him for a day or two. For the past few months, Mordo has taught me most of my magic," Tony said with a faint smile. "But with his personality, when certain crucial standards are broken and cannot be restored, it will cause him to plunge into a terrible abyss."
After Mordo's Corruption, the infinitely extreme Baron Mordo, who would dedicate himself to eliminating all Sorcerers on Earth, would be a carbon copy of the still-slumbering Black Adam.
"I came here this time because there's something very important I wish to discuss with you. Of course, with your mastery of time magic, you might already know. If we can really kill Dormammu..." Tony chose his words carefully, a hint of worry and doubt in his heart.
"I want the Dark Dimension." Tony suddenly raised his head, looking directly into the Sorcerer Supreme's calm and serene eyes.
Lying in front of the Ancient One... if it were some insignificant person, she might be deceived. But for someone like Tony, whom the Ancient One was paying close attention to, his past and future actions had likely already been seen through by the wielder of the Time Stone.
Lying was meaningless.
The Time Stone was not something that could be compared to divination magic.
Divination magic was like a thief, analyzing current events to get a lead, peeking at a corner of the future, seeing a tiny, insignificant event on one infinitesimal timeline among countless others.
But the Time Stone? This thing was an incomparably tyrannical robber. A robber that could control and seize time itself. Any scene that could be recorded by time had nowhere to hide from it.
No matter how chaotic the timelines were, it was merely a matter of there being too many to view at once. The laughable notion of "because you are special, the future is uncertain" simply didn't exist.
One future is one timeline. One timeline is one independent universe. In the Multiverse, the concept of "impossible" simply doesn't exist within the Multiverse itself.
Not to mention, the one who wielded the Time Stone was the Sorcerer Supreme. Tony could believe that others might be unable to perfectly master the Time Stone, but to say the Ancient One couldn't? He wouldn't believe that even if he were beaten to death.
"To be honest, I am a little surprised." The Ancient One's smile slowly faded—a rare sight. "Your ambition and desires are far greater than I imagined."
Tony fell silent.
What did this mean? Was this a rejection?
The pressure the calm Ancient One exerted on him was unprecedented. She didn't even need to reveal her Aura; her every casual movement and subtle expression was enough to create a crushing sensation for a mere Level Four being like Tony.
"I want to seize the Dark Dimension, become the new master of the Dark Dimension, and become a new Single Universe Level being," Tony said slowly.
The Ancient One lightly tapped the teacup in her hand, producing a crisp sound that made Tony's heart clench.
Thinking—for the Ancient One, who controlled everything, to display such an action in front of an outsider was exceedingly rare.
This was also a difficult decision for the Ancient One. She wasn't necessarily just considering whether to agree, but perhaps also whether she should kill the dangerous Tony first.
"Alright."
Unexpectedly, the Ancient One agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Tony's head snapped up. He said in a deep voice, "Equivalent Exchange. State your terms."
"Remain on Earth, and take over as the next Sorcerer Supreme."
(end of chapter)
