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Chapter 433: Starting Today, You Are the Sorcerer Supreme
When Tony reappeared in the manor, his brow was furrowed. He sat silently on the edge of the bed, watching the sleeping Wanda without a word.
He gently placed his hand on Wanda's forehead. Although it was no longer as severe, he could still faintly feel that immense, uncontrollable magic power.
The turbulence of this magic power was gradually subsiding, but it was merely entering a state of dormancy. The next time Wanda had an outburst, this terrifying power would surge forth once more to wreak havoc.
It would only become more dangerous and uncontrollable each time, until one day, Wanda's sanity would be shattered by this Chaos Magic, and she would become its slave.
Even in her sleep, Wanda looked so captivating. Her beautiful face, fair skin, and crimson lips held a hint of allure. As she slept peacefully, her curvaceous figure was still discernible—as always, breathtakingly beautiful.
Wanda suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered as she felt the warmth on her forehead. The face that came into view was Tony's familiar one.
"You're... back?" Wanda's face was pale, but the moment she saw Tony, it brightened instantly, like a flower abruptly blooming.
Then, before the gentle-faced Tony could speak, she reached out and slapped him.
*Smack!*
"Again! You went off to do something dangerous behind my back again!" Wanda's eyes were red. "It's like this every single time! Why don't you just not come back at all!"
Tony caught her hand, holding it to his cheek. Their skin touched, feeling each other's warmth. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to look at her.
"That's why I came back again. Every time I leave, you're on my mind," Tony said with a carefree laugh. He patted Wanda's hand and then pulled her into his embrace.
As Wanda wept ceaselessly, from an angle she couldn't see, Tony's brow furrowed slightly once more.
*What astonishing Chaos Magic...*
He knew this day would come sooner or later, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon, and for it to be triggered by something as trivial as Atlantis.
A fully unleashed Wanda possessed the power to easily restart the universe, surpassing the vast majority of Level Seven beings.
The Ancient God Chthon... The source of that level of magic power was far beyond what the current Tony could contend with. Moreover, it was the source of the incomparably powerful Chaos Magic.
He feared that even the Trinity Vishanti was not much stronger than Chthon.
Tony gently laid Wanda back down on the bed and whispered, "Your condition is improving, I can feel it. Just focus on recuperating for now..."
"But I don't know if I can recover... I can feel it, that power is too strong," Wanda said with worry.
"No matter how strong a power is, it's still just a power. It can't replace you," Tony said with a smile, trying to comfort her.
But in his heart, a shadow of gloom lingered.
Wanting Wanda to escape Chthon's influence was all but impossible, because Wanda had already accepted Chthon's power.
Even if Wanda continued to grow stronger, she would ultimately remain beneath Chthon, at best forming a relationship akin to that between a pope and a cardinal.
No matter how powerful Wanda became, she would have to listen to Chthon. When that time truly came, Chthon would never turn a blind eye to such a powerful Wanda.
And if he were to make Wanda one of his own now... he feared it would prematurely attract Chthon's attention, who would then proceed to dissect him with great interest.
He needed to be patient. The current Tony was completely powerless against the numerous Elder Gods.
That night, Tony held Wanda as they slept. They spoke in whispers, sharing what they had each experienced during their time apart. Tony also briefly recounted his battle with Trigon, but omitted any mention of the Editorial Department.
Even so, it was enough to make Wanda gasp in surprise.
"So, the Soul Stone was angered by you so much that it just left?" Wanda's smiling eyes curved into crescents.
"I couldn't help it. I went through an Evolution and got stronger, so the Contract the Soul Stone made with me was nullified. I really pissed it off this time," Tony said concisely, feigning helplessness.
They held each other and talked throughout the night, until Wanda finally fell into a deep sleep at dawn.
Taking advantage of this moment, Tony quietly got up and headed to Kamar-Taj. He summoned the high-ranking sorcerers and informed them of the Ancient One's death.
Mordo and Wong were silent for a long time, holding back their grief as they sat in a daze.
"The Ancient One... just... died in Hell like that?" Mordo mumbled blankly.
"Mephisto is dead too. Consider it a life for a life," Tony said in a low voice.
The entire sanctum fell silent.
Sitting here were Mordo, Wong, Stephen, Nicodemus, and a dozen or so elderly sorcerers.
Many were unwilling to believe this fact. The Sorcerer Supreme who had guarded Earth for a thousand years and banished gods—dead, just like that?
They didn't even get to see her one last time!
Someone couldn't help but start crying, sobbing softly.
The Ancient One... was a good person, truly kind. She treated everyone with warmth. Even with a novice sorcerer, she was willing to speak to them cordially.
She, the Guardian of Earth, was gone just like that.
Tony sat in the main seat, watching silently, a sour feeling in his own heart. It was the Ancient One who had initiated him, helping him grow stronger step by step. It was the Ancient One who helped him become a Demigod. His heart, too, was filled with sorrow.
But in the end, Tony didn't tell them the true cause of the Ancient One's death. The information about the Editorial Department was too crucial; telling them would only lead to more complications.
What were they? A bunch of comic book characters? It was better not to say anything.
One had already been killed by him. He had already avenged the Ancient One.
"So many people are gone..." Tony murmured in a voice only he could hear.
Once, he had suspected he would die in some major event, because there were just too many world-ending crises. But in a blur, he had already gained the formidable strength to turn the tide of such events—though compared to the beings in the Sphere of the Gods, this strength of his was pitifully weak. At the very least, he had reached the level his former self had longed for.
At the far end of the hall stood a great cauldron symbolizing majesty. Tony was the first to place a stick of incense in it. Watching the wisps of smoke curl upwards, he turned and called Stephen Strange over.
"Stephen, when you feel weary one day, come and offer the Ancient One some incense... I don't want to preach any grand principles to you. With your wisdom, you already see many things very clearly..."
Tony spoke in a low, steady voice that echoed through the hall. Everyone looked up at him in confusion, including Stephen, who also watched him with a puzzled gaze.
"Starting today, starting right now, you are the Sorcerer Supreme."
Tony patted Stephen's shoulder. Ignoring the stunned expressions of Stephen and everyone else present, he turned and slowly walked towards the entrance of the great hall.
He pushed open the doors. The smoke danced and swirled, tracing faint patterns in the air as it shot straight up into the high heavens.
Tony paid no mind to the gasps of shock coming from behind him. He squinted at the sky, watching the ever-rising smoke.
Under the sunlight, a rainbow of colors diffused through the air. In a daze, the smoke seemed to form the image of the Ancient One. That face, both real and illusory, appeared to be giving him a heartfelt smile.
"You've lived for too long and wanted to die? Even if you really wanted to die, I will ask you in person... Even if your soul fragments are dragged away by the Netherworld, I will one day storm the Netherworld and bring your soul back!"
(end of chapter)
When Tony reappeared in the manor, his brow was furrowed. He sat silently on the edge of the bed, watching the sleeping Wanda without a word.
He gently placed his hand on Wanda's forehead. Although it was no longer as severe, he could still faintly feel that immense, uncontrollable magic power.
The turbulence of this magic power was gradually subsiding, but it was merely entering a state of dormancy. The next time Wanda had an outburst, this terrifying power would surge forth once more to wreak havoc.
It would only become more dangerous and uncontrollable each time, until one day, Wanda's sanity would be shattered by this Chaos Magic, and she would become its slave.
Even in her sleep, Wanda looked so captivating. Her beautiful face, fair skin, and crimson lips held a hint of allure. As she slept peacefully, her curvaceous figure was still discernible—as always, breathtakingly beautiful.
Wanda suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered as she felt the warmth on her forehead. The face that came into view was Tony's familiar one.
"You're... back?" Wanda's face was pale, but the moment she saw Tony, it brightened instantly, like a flower abruptly blooming.
Then, before the gentle-faced Tony could speak, she reached out and slapped him.
*Smack!*
"Again! You went off to do something dangerous behind my back again!" Wanda's eyes were red. "It's like this every single time! Why don't you just not come back at all!"
Tony caught her hand, holding it to his cheek. Their skin touched, feeling each other's warmth. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to look at her.
"That's why I came back again. Every time I leave, you're on my mind," Tony said with a carefree laugh. He patted Wanda's hand and then pulled her into his embrace.
As Wanda wept ceaselessly, from an angle she couldn't see, Tony's brow furrowed slightly once more.
*What astonishing Chaos Magic...*
He knew this day would come sooner or later, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon, and for it to be triggered by something as trivial as Atlantis.
A fully unleashed Wanda possessed the power to easily restart the universe, surpassing the vast majority of Level Seven beings.
The Ancient God Chthon... The source of that level of magic power was far beyond what the current Tony could contend with. Moreover, it was the source of the incomparably powerful Chaos Magic.
He feared that even the Trinity Vishanti was not much stronger than Chthon.
Tony gently laid Wanda back down on the bed and whispered, "Your condition is improving, I can feel it. Just focus on recuperating for now..."
"But I don't know if I can recover... I can feel it, that power is too strong," Wanda said with worry.
"No matter how strong a power is, it's still just a power. It can't replace you," Tony said with a smile, trying to comfort her.
But in his heart, a shadow of gloom lingered.
Wanting Wanda to escape Chthon's influence was all but impossible, because Wanda had already accepted Chthon's power.
Even if Wanda continued to grow stronger, she would ultimately remain beneath Chthon, at best forming a relationship akin to that between a pope and a cardinal.
No matter how powerful Wanda became, she would have to listen to Chthon. When that time truly came, Chthon would never turn a blind eye to such a powerful Wanda.
And if he were to make Wanda one of his own now... he feared it would prematurely attract Chthon's attention, who would then proceed to dissect him with great interest.
He needed to be patient. The current Tony was completely powerless against the numerous Elder Gods.
That night, Tony held Wanda as they slept. They spoke in whispers, sharing what they had each experienced during their time apart. Tony also briefly recounted his battle with Trigon, but omitted any mention of the Editorial Department.
Even so, it was enough to make Wanda gasp in surprise.
"So, the Soul Stone was angered by you so much that it just left?" Wanda's smiling eyes curved into crescents.
"I couldn't help it. I went through an Evolution and got stronger, so the Contract the Soul Stone made with me was nullified. I really pissed it off this time," Tony said concisely, feigning helplessness.
They held each other and talked throughout the night, until Wanda finally fell into a deep sleep at dawn.
Taking advantage of this moment, Tony quietly got up and headed to Kamar-Taj. He summoned the high-ranking sorcerers and informed them of the Ancient One's death.
Mordo and Wong were silent for a long time, holding back their grief as they sat in a daze.
"The Ancient One... just... died in Hell like that?" Mordo mumbled blankly.
"Mephisto is dead too. Consider it a life for a life," Tony said in a low voice.
The entire sanctum fell silent.
Sitting here were Mordo, Wong, Stephen, Nicodemus, and a dozen or so elderly sorcerers.
Many were unwilling to believe this fact. The Sorcerer Supreme who had guarded Earth for a thousand years and banished gods—dead, just like that?
They didn't even get to see her one last time!
Someone couldn't help but start crying, sobbing softly.
The Ancient One... was a good person, truly kind. She treated everyone with warmth. Even with a novice sorcerer, she was willing to speak to them cordially.
She, the Guardian of Earth, was gone just like that.
Tony sat in the main seat, watching silently, a sour feeling in his own heart. It was the Ancient One who had initiated him, helping him grow stronger step by step. It was the Ancient One who helped him become a Demigod. His heart, too, was filled with sorrow.
But in the end, Tony didn't tell them the true cause of the Ancient One's death. The information about the Editorial Department was too crucial; telling them would only lead to more complications.
What were they? A bunch of comic book characters? It was better not to say anything.
One had already been killed by him. He had already avenged the Ancient One.
"So many people are gone..." Tony murmured in a voice only he could hear.
Once, he had suspected he would die in some major event, because there were just too many world-ending crises. But in a blur, he had already gained the formidable strength to turn the tide of such events—though compared to the beings in the Sphere of the Gods, this strength of his was pitifully weak. At the very least, he had reached the level his former self had longed for.
At the far end of the hall stood a great cauldron symbolizing majesty. Tony was the first to place a stick of incense in it. Watching the wisps of smoke curl upwards, he turned and called Stephen Strange over.
"Stephen, when you feel weary one day, come and offer the Ancient One some incense... I don't want to preach any grand principles to you. With your wisdom, you already see many things very clearly..."
Tony spoke in a low, steady voice that echoed through the hall. Everyone looked up at him in confusion, including Stephen, who also watched him with a puzzled gaze.
"Starting today, starting right now, you are the Sorcerer Supreme."
Tony patted Stephen's shoulder. Ignoring the stunned expressions of Stephen and everyone else present, he turned and slowly walked towards the entrance of the great hall.
He pushed open the doors. The smoke danced and swirled, tracing faint patterns in the air as it shot straight up into the high heavens.
Tony paid no mind to the gasps of shock coming from behind him. He squinted at the sky, watching the ever-rising smoke.
Under the sunlight, a rainbow of colors diffused through the air. In a daze, the smoke seemed to form the image of the Ancient One. That face, both real and illusory, appeared to be giving him a heartfelt smile.
"You've lived for too long and wanted to die? Even if you really wanted to die, I will ask you in person... Even if your soul fragments are dragged away by the Netherworld, I will one day storm the Netherworld and bring your soul back!"
(end of chapter)
