Ch.49 I Know You’re Anxious, But Please Don’t Be

Despite everything, Tony Stark still had a sense of duty.

When he saw that Strange was about to face-plant, he flew up and caught him.

A textbook princess carry.

Tsk, if some of those Iron Man and Cap shippers saw this, they'd probably lose their minds.

Ronan could even declare that the "Doctor Strange stocks" would skyrocket.

"Ronan."

"So you've shown up after all."

The person in the sky seemed to recognize Ronan at first glance.

Ronan rubbed his face. He couldn't blame the other person, after all, his face was indeed quite recognizable.

He must be quite the distinguished older gentleman in the future, huh?

"Can you stop pretending?"

"Always wearing a hood and acting all mysterious, aren't you tired?"

Ronan looked up at the new hooded figure in the sky, unable to resist a sigh.

If it weren't for their different accents, Ronan might really think this person was the same one he'd seen on Vormir.

But honestly, the one on Vormir was a bit too shabby.

Their clothes were all tattered.

This person, on the other hand, was dressed in something clearly expensive, not even on the same level.

"Heh."

"No matter how old you get, you're always so irritating!"

Hiss…

When the figure in the sky removed their hood, Ronan couldn't help but take a deep breath.

It wasn't some hooded man but a hooded woman!

And she actually looked quite pretty.

Could it be that his future self did something unforgivable and this woman came back for revenge?

Ronan shivered at the thought.

Everyone knows a woman scorned is far more dangerous than a man.

Just look at the Scarlet Witch—she almost ripped Thanos apart with her bare hands after losing her husband.

"Um…"

"Can I ask something—just asking, no other intention."

"You… and I, do we know each other?"

"I wasn't the one who abandoned you, was I?"

Ronan glanced at the half-beaten Strange and decided to try talking first.

After all, the world is not just about fighting and killing; it's about human connections.

Since she knew him, and judging by her words, probably knew his future self too, there was some relationship there.

Now it was up to her to see how she'd handle it.

But as soon as Ronan finished speaking, the woman's previously calm face instantly showed anger.

It was as if his words had flipped a switch inside her.

Hmm?

A switch?

"Ronan!!!"

"As the Sorcerer Supreme, is your mouth the only thing you have left?"

"Don't you know the responsibility of the Sorcerer Supreme?"

Oh no!

Ronan slapped his forehead.

It seemed that even if he wasn't the one who had abandoned her, he had still greatly offended this woman.

Did he just spark a tiny flame that accidentally landed on gasoline?

From her temper, it looked like he really did something unforgivable.

"Well…"

"Although I know you're angry and anxious, but please, don't be angry and anxious just yet."

"We need to talk this through clearly. That way, even if blame is to be assigned, we'll know who to blame, right?"

"What exactly am I to you?"

Ronan sighed, feeling like his life was truly difficult.

It was his future self's mess, so why did his present self have to pay the price?

If people could travel through time to punish his past, why wasn't his future self here to handle it?

Bang!

As soon as Ronan finished speaking, a spell ring shot straight at his head.

Ronan, of course, wouldn't just sit there and take it. He dodged to the side, avoiding the attack.

The only victim was the floor of the New York Sanctum.

"Do you know how annoying your attitude is?"

"You act like you don't care about anything, as if nothing in this world matters to you."

"Why…"

"Why are you so lucky?!"

"You always hide under someone else's protection, showing nothing but mockery and disdain for everything!"

"What right do you have?"

"What right do you have!!!"

It seemed Ronan's words had struck a nerve.

The woman's previously pretty face was now twisted in anger.

No, it wasn't just anger.

Ronan could see a bottomless hatred in her eyes.

It seemed like she really hated him!

Ronan even noticed a tinge of redness on her face.

But this flush quickly turned pale, changing so rapidly.

"Oh, so that's what you're upset about."

Ronan raised an eyebrow. It seemed this woman truly had a grudge against him.

And not a small one.

But just as he finished speaking, Ronan began to laugh.

His laughter rang clearly in her ears, every chuckle like fuel to the fire.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Is what I said that funny?"

The woman's face twisted even more.

She couldn't accept Ronan's laughter.

She was earnestly criticizing him, and yet he seemed so amused!

"Yes, what you said is hilarious."

"I even want to record it and use it as a pick-me-up when I'm feeling down."

Ronan stopped laughing, but his words only reignited the woman's fury.

A joke?

He actually thought it was a joke!

The woman's body was trembling. Her hands clenched into fists, and her nails dug deep into her palms.

Drops of blood began to fall from her hands.

Faced with her blade-like gaze, Ronan showed no remorse.

Even though he could clearly sense the surging magic within her.

He continued to provoke her!

"Although your acting is good, can we change the script?"

"You're making me look like the villain here."

"After all, your expression makes it look like I killed your entire family."

Ronan couldn't help but shake his head. Why were all the villains he encountered the same?

They all liked to wear hoods, hiding their identities.

And they all seemed to have tragic backstories.

Stories that all seemed to involve Ronan somehow.

This really made him look like the villain.

"Die!!!"

It seemed the woman could no longer contain her fury, as a burst of magic erupted from her.

In an instant, the mirror dimension enveloped Ronan and the others once more, the speed of it incomprehensible.

As soon as Ronan was trapped inside the mirror dimension, icy projectiles resembling arrows appeared around the woman, all aimed directly at him.

The next moment…

A barrage of arrows!

Like a torrential downpour, the ice arrows rained down on Ronan.

Ronan narrowed his eyes, clenched his left fist, and brought it together with his right palm before spreading them out again.

Raggadorr Rings!

The golden shield expanded rapidly, engraved with countless arcane symbols, standing between Ronan and Tony Stark.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Countless ice arrows pelted against the shield like a hailstorm.

With each hit, ripples spread across the Raggadorr Rings.

Ronan's expression grew more and more excited.

The taunt had worked perfectly.

Playing the pig had succeeded splendidly.

Now, it was time to show his true strength and eat the "tiger"!