Chapter 335: Clark Lee: "Scram!" Dormammu: "Okay…"
Why was Clark able to dominate Dormammu in close combat, battering the seasoned multiversal overlord so effortlessly? The reason is quite simple and entirely due to their contrasting combat styles, which isn't unreasonable.
When a being's power reaches the universal level, traditional combat roles cease to apply.
Such beings manipulate energy instinctively, whether they wish to channel it through their fists or weapons for direct strikes or project it to attack from a distance.
They fight as they please.
Yet, even so, every fighter tends to have a preferred style based on their experiences and personality traits—some favor close combat, while others prefer to bombard from afar.
In this regard, Dormammu is a mage, particularly adept at long-range attacks.
Although Clark has also learned magic, his primary skills are more aligned with a warrior's or at least a battle mage's.
In an open field, each could play to their strengths and target the opponent's weaknesses.
However, the spatial corridor to the Dark Dimension was quite cramped for beings of their caliber. It was so confined that even Clark, who enjoys close-quarters combat, felt restricted, let alone Dormammu the mage.
Hence, Dormammu's downfall.
A venerable multiversal entity was reduced to Clark's punching bag!
"Boom!"
Another of Clark's direct punches sent Dormammu staggering back several steps. Clark, reluctantly ceasing his onslaught and forsaking the thrill of battling a multiversal being, stopped his attacks.
Dormammu made no move to retaliate.
The spatial corridor, laboriously constructed by Dormammu and not particularly stable, was on the verge of collapse from their battle. It was, after all, merely a channel between the material plane and the Dark Dimension. The structure couldn't withstand prolonged clashes of peak universal powers.
Continuing the fight would inevitably lead to the collapse of the corridor, impacting both Earth and large areas within the Dark Dimension—an outcome neither wished to see.
Thus, after a brief conflict realizing this wasn't the battlefield to decide their fates, the two multiversal titans tacitly ceased hostilities.
Floating mid-air, Clark stared coldly at Dormammu and uttered a single command: "Scram!"
Dormammu scoffed disdainfully, "What a shameless thief, taking advantage of my inability to fully exert my power here to act so arrogantly."
"You wait and see. I'll be back! And when I return, not just Earth, but your entire universe will be mine!"
Clark waved dismissively: "Just scram!"
Seeing Clark's utter disregard, Dormammu knew he was no match in this verbal duel. Without further words, he retreated swiftly, his figure and the spatial corridor vanishing from the skies above the Eastern Pearl.
When Clark returned to the streets in front of the sanctum, he found Strange, Mordo, and Wong looking bewilderedly at the sky, everything around them still frozen in time.
Approaching Clark, Strange quickly asked, "Is the problem resolved?"
Clark shook his head slightly: "Dormammu isn't so easily handled, not by me at this moment, at least. I merely persuaded him to temporarily cease his disruptions on Earth, to which he agreed."
"That simple?" Strange pressed, "Exactly what did you say to him?"
Now, Strange was genuinely impressed by Clark's negotiation skills, humbly seeking insight despite his usual pride.
Seeing Strange's earnest inquiry, Clark graciously explained: "I told him to scram, he said okay, and then he left."
+6666 impression points from Stephen Strange!
+ impression points from Mordo…
They knew things couldn't be that simple; Clark undoubtedly omitted key details.
But his ability to repel Dormammu under these circumstances was a relief to them all.
Clark wasn't in the mood to elaborate further. Twisting his shoulder, the Time Stone glowed under his command, and without any magical incantations or gestures, time began to rewind.
Collapsing buildings reconstructed themselves, scattered crowds moved backwards, and shattered porcelain on the ground reassembled into whole pieces… Everything reversed except for Clark and the four magicians nearby.
With Clark's mastery over the Time Stone, there was no need to reverse all time and then selectively remove spells from certain individuals—that would be too cumbersome.
As the magic sanctum's dome glowed once more with magical light, Clark released his control over time, returning everything to normal.
People resumed their daily activities as if nothing had happened.
Seeing everything settled, Clark breathed a sigh of relief and with a nonchalant laugh said, "It's all handled. Now, you need to quickly repair the sanctums in New York and London to prevent other enemies from exploiting any vulnerabilities."
Unexpectedly, Mordo interjected with disapproval: "Yet you broke the natural order, and you seem unfazed by it."
"So what?" Clark shrugged. "Should I weep and repent loudly?"
Mordo looked troubled and somewhat indignant: "Don
't you understand that breaking the natural order inevitably invites punishment from nature?"
Always so stubborn, Clark thought.
Shaking his head, he countered: "If birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural laws, then by your logic, hospitals should have no purpose, right?"
Mordo retorted, not convinced: "How is that the same? Treated patients still cannot escape death; medicine merely prolongs life. That's within the natural order. But what you and the Ancient One did—she violated it by using dark energy to extend her life, leading to fanatics like Caius and even Dormammu."
"Dormammu has already retreated, and soon, I'll deal with him permanently. I'll squash that earth-coveting bug as if he were just a cockroach!"
As he spoke, Clark's temper flared, though not directed at Mordo.
"But his zealots are still here. When you entered the dark space, Caius escaped, and we all saw it!"
Caius had escaped?
Clark had been too focused on Dormammu to care about such a minor character.
Yet…
His gaze swept over the trio: "Why didn't you stop him?"
Strange and Mordo were at a loss for words, only Wong, the honest one, answered: "We're no match for him. Absorbing dark energy, his power is terrifying."
Waving his hand, Clark conceded with some reluctance: "Fine, a mere bug. He can't stir up much trouble."
Turning back to Mordo, he continued: "Mordo, considering our past acquaintance, I'll tell you something. You don't have the authority to define natural laws, nor do you represent them. If you admit that life and death are natural, then let me share a harsh truth: four years ago, I broke that rule."
+999 impression points from Mordo!
Ignoring Mordo's reaction, Clark went on: "I met one of the five esteemed celestial beings who govern death and obliterated her. Thus, she deprived me of my right to die."
"Don't doubt it. She was the embodiment of that part of the universe's rules. She declared I cannot die, so that's a natural change. If I were to die, that would be the true violation."
After giving Mordo a deep look, Clark stepped away and vanished from their sight.
His voice lingered in Mordo's ears: "That's all I have to say. I hope you'll think it over, but whatever you conclude, please don't do anything foolish."
"I don't care about natural laws, but I won't allow anyone to threaten Earth, where I've lived. The magic sanctums are a strong barrier protecting Earth, and I won't let anything happen to them."
Caius's escape was beyond Clark's expectations.
Expanding his psychic powers, he found no trace of him, which must mean Dormammu was behind it.
Perhaps Dormammu's defeat under Clark's hands was because he was distracted by facilitating Caius's escape?
This oversight suggested that Caius was a crucial piece on Dormammu's chessboard, potentially capable of causing a disaster as threatening as the two segments of the Phoenix Force that had previously fled.
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