Ch.17 The True Sorcerer Supreme: Wong

Ronan couldn't help but smirk at Black Widow's sensitivity. After all, these people had lived through the "snap aftermath," and likely still had nightmares of Thanos snapping his fingers.

So Ronan decided not to provoke them further. After all, they were the main force to deal with Thanos, and Ronan had no intention of becoming cannon fodder.

After flexing his "muscles" a bit, Ronan had earned some standing within the team.

According to Bruce Banner, crafting the new Infinity Gauntlet would take at least two more days. This gave Ronan some free time to do as he pleased. They even suggested he explore this world during that time, perhaps to find some differences or surprises between the two realities.

Ronan didn't object to the idea.

If there was any notable difference between this world and his, it would likely be that Doctor Strange was the Sorcerer Supreme here, not him. If he were the Sorcerer Supreme, there's no way he'd let that Spider-Kid act so cocky.

Oh, right!

Suddenly, Ronan remembered something else. The Spider-Man from his world wasn't the same as the one in this world. In his universe, it was Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, the ill-fated couple.

His Peter was much more mature than the one in this world.

With that in mind, Ronan became curious about one particular place: the Himalayas, Kamar-Taj.

As the home of the Sorcerer Supreme, even here it had suffered from the devastation of Thanos' snap. Though years had passed, there were still memorials dedicated to those who were lost.

Walking the streets, Ronan noticed there weren't many differences from his own world. The familiar streets, buildings, and even a few familiar faces.

Of course, those familiar faces were working different jobs here.

Ronan walked the same streets Doctor Strange had once wandered, eventually stopping in front of an inconspicuous door.

The door was small, even smaller than most residential doors. Yet behind this seemingly humble entrance lay one of the most powerful organizations in the world: the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.

Knock, knock, knock.

Ronan raised his hand and knocked on the door.

He had considered just using a portal to teleport inside, but after some thought, he decided against it.

For one, it would've been impolite. Although this Kamar-Taj was similar to the one in his world, it wasn't exactly his.

And secondly, barging in might get him mistaken for an intruder. Ronan had reason to believe that the Wong in this world was even stronger than the one in his. After all, this Wong could open portals without using his hands.

Soon enough, the door opened.

The person who answered was an apprentice sorcerer Ronan didn't recognize.

"Who are you looking for?" the apprentice asked, looking puzzled.

"I'm here to see Wong," Ronan said, stating his purpose clearly.

Though Kamar-Taj didn't usually turn away visitors, it was still understandable that this apprentice would be on guard, especially when a stranger asked for someone specific.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you," the apprentice replied cautiously. "And Wong isn't here right now."

The apprentice sorcerer's wariness made sense. As a gatekeeper at Kamar-Taj, vigilance was essential.

Ronan smiled slightly. "I'm a friend of Tony Stark."

Hmm... After that friendly little encounter, they should count as friends, right?

Besides, Ronan wasn't one of those brainless, hot-headed protagonists who would force their way in after being denied, causing unnecessary misunderstandings. He had no interest in single-handedly challenging all of Kamar-Taj, defeating everyone, and then coldly announcing himself as the Sorcerer Supreme from another universe.

Just imagining that kind of storyline made Ronan cringe.

Thankfully, his portals only allowed travel within the Marvel multiverse. Otherwise, he would've visited other worlds just to ask those other isekai protagonists what they were thinking.

"Tony Stark?" the apprentice echoed.

Say what you want about Stark's mouth, but his reputation sure carried weight. The apprentice paused at the mention of Stark's name, his hand hesitating over the door.

"Yes," Ronan nodded. "Tony told me he once fought alongside Wong, so they're comrades-in-arms. I have a few questions I'd like to ask Wong."

Ronan kept his smile warm. Asking for advice was reasonable, especially since Wong had been one of Ronan's teachers back when he was young. Even helping with... homework.

Cough, cough.

One way or another, Wong could be considered half of Ronan's mentor.

"Well, alright. Come in," the apprentice finally relented, stepping aside to let Ronan in.

Part of it was Stark's name, and part of it was that the apprentice doubted Ronan would try anything too outrageous. After all, this was Kamar-Taj.

As they passed through the training grounds, Ronan couldn't help but nod in approval. Many apprentice sorcerers were practicing diligently, and Ronan could tell that Wong was much more suited to be the Sorcerer Supreme than Doctor Strange.

With Wong in charge, everything seemed more organized.

Ronan mused that if he ever succeeded the Ancient One, Wong could easily take on most of the day-to-day responsibilities. After all, Ronan was still just a kid.

Besides, giving your subordinates more responsibilities was just preparing them for future growth, right?

After a short walk, they arrived at a room.

"Master Wong, someone is here to see you," the apprentice said, gesturing for Ronan to step inside.

Wong looked up, his brow furrowed as he took in Ronan's unfamiliar face. He had never seen this young man before.

"Who are you?" Wong asked.

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He waited until the apprentice had left and the door was closed before breaking into a smile.

"Long time no see, Wong," Ronan said, sitting down casually as if he were in his own home. "Seems like you're still as busy as ever in this world."

Wong's confusion deepened as he watched Ronan make himself at home.

Was this guy always this familiar with people he just met?

"Sorry, but I don't get it. We've never met, have we?" Wong's voice was cautious, his fingers already poised to cast a spell if needed.

Ronan sighed and rolled his eyes. Where's the multiversal connection when you need it?

How come the Scarlet Witch could do it, but Wong couldn't? And she was just a regular human, too.

Shaking off the thought, Ronan decided not to say much more. With a snap of his fingers, the zipper of his jacket opened, revealing something unmistakable.

"The Eye of Agamotto?"