Chapter 98
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Thinking about developing their own magic, free from the constraints and costs imposed by the gods, even the Ancient One couldn't help but smile.
"Hmm?"
She suddenly paused, hearing a distant voice.
"Hmph, noticed so soon?"
She murmured before flying into the sky, returning to her room, and sitting down to meditate.
"So, you fear that I will no longer contract with you?"
The Ancient One spoke into the emptiness, though it seemed like she was conversing with someone.
In her meditative world, she found herself in the vast cosmos, facing three colossal, indistinct heads—one male, one female, and one beast-like.
These were the founders of Kamar-Taj's white magic, the trinity known as Vishanti.
"We know about the independent magic source at Kamar-Taj. You cannot abandon our contracts."
"Indeed, relying solely on the magic source, you won't be able to cast many spells."
Despite the powerful entities' words, the Ancient One remained calm, smiling and fanning herself.
"Sorry, but I won't abandon our contracts entirely. I will, however, use your magic sparingly. If I ever manage to replicate your magic without your power, I might never use it again."
The three colossal heads fell silent. In the past, they would have dismissed such claims as nonsense, as magic required energy, which was scarce on Earth. This led many magicians to seek contracts with gods.
But with Kamar-Taj's independent magic source, the abundance of magic energy rivaled an entire dimension. Kamar-Taj now had the potential to be independent, free from the gods' influence.
For Vishanti, this was unacceptable. They relied on Kamar-Taj's wizards to borrow their power, pay the price, and ultimately, their souls, to strengthen themselves. If they could descend to Earth, they would have confronted the Ancient One directly.
"We can negotiate the terms of the price."
The male head finally spoke.
The Ancient One smiled in response.
...
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, the aftermath of the dog and Evil God Statue incidents had left many dead. The police struggled to maintain order, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had to take over.
It so happened that Ryner lived nearby.
"Phew, that was close. I almost got caught up in it."
Ryner breathed a sigh of relief, looking out the window. The Evil God Statue had appeared not far from his place, making him fear his first real battle since arriving in the Marvel Universe. Fortunately, the Ancient One resolved the crisis.
"Containment of the Evil God Statue, Death Star, and Red Sea Disc is successful. Now awarding the host, Ryner."
The voice of his golden finger (system) sounded.
"Host is granted the ability to freely traverse the Red Sea world. Simply pass through any reflective surface to enter the Red Sea world."
"The Death Star's death curse allows you to curse a target, causing them to die within a short period. However, to curse a relative, you must pay with your lifespan."
"Evil God Statue's perception: you can sense the precise location of anyone who has seen it."
As the system explained the abilities, Ryner felt a flood of information in his mind and changes in his body.
"Wait, what? I got three rewards, but only the death curse seems useful. Why would I need to go to the Red Sea world or track people who have seen the statue?"
Ryner was dissatisfied with the rewards, especially the ability to traverse the Red Sea world, which seemed useless to him.
"Currently, there are no new containment breaches. The next event will occur in one week. Please use the provided materials to edit and publish the information in time."
With that, Ryner's computer was filled with files.
"Already pushing me to work? Let me rest for two days first."
As a former corporate slave, Ryner refused to rush. He decided to rest for a couple of days before starting his work, lying down and falling asleep.
Meanwhile, in various universes, a new electronic voice announced:
"The containment prediction has ended. The next prediction will be in one week. See you then."
With that, the screens that had been impossible to remove disappeared, leaving everyone surprised.
On the Quinjet, Tony Stark was deep in thought.
"One week, huh? I wonder what the next containment will be. I need to speed up my research."
"Sir, Colonel Rhodes is approaching."
JARVIS alerted Tony.
"Got it."
Tony called Natasha, and the Quinjet hovered, opening its hatch to let Rhodes in.
In Asgard, Odin was testing the power of the Odin Armor. He continuously struck it with his spear, Gungnir, confident it was the strongest weapon in the universe, capable of breaking anything.
However, the Odin Armor shattered his confidence. No matter how hard he struck, the armor remained unscathed, showing no signs of damage.
"Such a formidable artifact, so incredibly durable!"
Odin marveled, caressing the armor, noting that not even the heat from his attacks left a mark.
He glanced at the nearby Balmung sword. He had tested its power, finding it unparalleled in Asgard. Yet, he suspected that even in the Destroyer, he couldn't damage the Odin Armor.
This feeling reminded him of facing the Celestials.
"Could the Odin who made this armor be as powerful as a Celestial?"
Odin couldn't help but wonder, feeling somewhat defeated. How could the Odin from another universe be so much stronger?
(End of Chapter)