Chapter 1189 Going Home

As the group entered Tony's luxurious lounge and ensured that Lin Rui and the others were all safe, they each found a place to rest. 

While most of the people involved in dealing with Dormammu had been confined to the E Grade Spaceship, watching Lin Rui and his team fight desperately, the emotional support they provided had kept them on edge until now. They needed a breather.

Moreover, although those involved in this operation had physical qualities far superior to ordinary people, experiencing so many crises consecutively in space had taken its toll. While the performance of the E Grade Spaceship on its maiden voyage in space had been commendable, it had also been quite challenging for everyone on board.

"Now that you're all safe, I'll take Strange back. Regarding the Dormammu invasion of Earth, you can explain it to the outside world however you like. Of course, if you could avoid mentioning the Sorcerers as much as possible, it would be even better," Ancient One said, looking at Strange lying unconscious on the couch, as Tony and the others returned.

"Yeah, we know what to do. SHIELD is quite adept at handling these aftermath matters," Lin Rui nodded in response to Ancient One's words.

This entire event, from Lin Rui's initial warning to Ancient One to finally driving Dormammu away and ensuring Earth's safety, had taken a toll on him. As a superhero, Lin Rui had taken a significant step forward on the path of protecting Earth.

Of course, after this crisis with Dormammu, the strength of Lin Rui, Tony, Captain Rogers, and their alliance had been prominently displayed. Compared to when Lin Rui had proposed the goal of forming an alliance to protect Earth and propel its civilization beyond the solar system, they were undoubtedly much stronger now.

Who could have imagined a year ago that they would successfully withstand Dormammu, a major boss from another dimension? Now, each of them had reached new heights in terms of power, enough to lead Earth into a new era.

However, compared to the progress made by every member of the League of Defenders, especially the growth of Phantom Knight and the continuous upgrades to Iron Man's suit by Stark, SHIELD's technological advancements were not as pronounced. 

In terms of individual combat capability, it seemed that only an uncontrollable force like the Hulk could make a difference.

"Well then... goodbye, everyone," Ancient One said after addressing Lin Rui, sweeping her gaze over Tony and the others in the lounge before vanishing in a golden magical light.

Whoosh!

The golden light dissipated, and Ancient One, along with the unconscious Strange on the couch, had disappeared. Watching the golden magical light gradually fade away, Lin Rui, Tony, and the others had different thoughts in their minds.

"Captain Rogers, we'll leave the cleanup to SHIELD. If there's anything you need, we'll cooperate," Lin Rui said, turning to Captain Rogers after Ancient One's departure.

Since the E Grade Spaceship and the Milano had already been publicly revealed as SHIELD's assets, the subsequent handling of matters naturally fell to SHIELD. Besides, they weren't newcomers to this kind of situation.

Furthermore, compared to the grand-scale, semi-official operation that SHIELD could conduct, it wasn't suitable for Tony's Iron Man or each superhero in the League of Defenders to get involved. 

They were a united alliance, and while dealing with the aftermath was undoubtedly a hassle, the corresponding benefits would all belong to SHIELD.

"Yeah, I understand. We're going to be quite busy this time. However, I don't think things will be too complicated," Captain Rogers replied with a nod after hearing Lin Rui's words.

Even Spaceships capable of interstellar travel had appeared, and many countries and factions hadn't even identified them as leaving Earth. If they wanted to exert pressure on SHIELD, they would have to consider the current balance of power.

SHIELD had changed significantly. It no longer relied on superpowers or the support of major nations for its technology and personnel; it could now manufacture Spaceships to protect Earth. 

In a situation where the power gap was so significant, Captain Rogers had a premonition that the aftermath of this event would be quite interesting.

"That would be best," Lin Rui responded. He wouldn't concern himself with the aftermath of this event; he only needed to know that Earth had been protected once again and that they were all still alive.

Afterward, the SHIELD team and the X-Men members took a short break and then left, while Lin Rui and Peter stayed behind. Jack, however, had already left. He had played a significant role in the operation against Dormammu, even though he was in the second tier of participants.

However, after witnessing Stephen Strange, who had joined the selection for the new Sorcerer Supreme along with him, display such formidable power, Jack was also quite impressed. 

Since he had chosen the path of a sorcerer, Jack naturally intended to continue working hard to become stronger. Although he might not have the innate talents of Strange, he believed in his own efforts.

So, after this event, Jack might choose to return to the sorcerer to continue his training. Despite their initially hostile relationship due to Kaecilius injuring Lin Rui on behalf of the sorcerer, Jack's perception of them changed somewhat after seeing the sorcerer's losses in the battle against the Zealots. 

Jack believed that with hard work, he could also become a powerful individual capable of single-handedly protecting an entire planet, just like Ancient One. Of course, this was a lofty goal, and Jack was prepared to spend a lifetime pursuing it.

After everyone else had left, Tony looked at the two young men in front of him, who had already grown significantly. He wasn't sure what to say. Spider-Man Peter had developed rapidly, but still within an acceptable range. However, Lin Rui was different; his growth had been explosive with each new event.

As Tony looked at the young face in front of him, he had a premonition. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before the youngster in front of him reached a level they couldn't even estimate. Since Earth could give birth to someone as powerful as Ancient One, why couldn't Lin Rui reach that level?

"Now that it's confirmed that Dormammu has left, we should all get some rest. This time, my mental state took quite a hit," Tony finally said, allowing Lin Rui and Peter to rest.

"Yeah," they both responded and then Lin Rui and Peter lay down on the couch. Within seconds, they had fallen into a deep sleep; they were truly exhausted.

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