Strange had grown taciturn.
As a sorcerer, having distantly witnessed an event that shook the entire Yggdrasil and reverberated through the universe's elite circles, Strange became even more withdrawn. He seemed profoundly numb to external stimuli, responding to everything with a cold, detached demeanor.
This was no good omen. It signaled that Strange was diverting more of his mind to isolating himself from the world, drifting out of sync with the times.
Mordo and Wong were deeply concerned. They barely had time to marvel at Adam's world-shaking defeat of Knull before turning their full attention to Kamar-Taj's future.
By now, even without an official announcement from the Ancient One, her choice of Strange as her successor was no secret. It was plain for all to see.
"I can't fathom what's so special about this doctor named Strange that the Sorcerer Supreme chose him over me. At the very least, I shouldn't lose to a mere doctor." Baron Mordo grumbled.
"Enough, Mordo! What talents do you have? Your ability to clone yourself endlessly? S.H.I.E.L.D. is on its last legs, without the funds or facilities to keep cloning you as before." Wong snapped. Questioning Strange was, in a way, questioning the Sorcerer Supreme, and Wong would not tolerate it.
Every soul in Kamar-Taj, even the apprentices, owed the Sorcerer Supreme their respect.
Though Wong harbored his own doubts about Strange, he would faithfully execute the Sorcerer Supreme's commands.
The few remaining Mordo clones in Kamar-Taj paled and fell silent.
By now, the Mordo clones, with their shared memory, had realized the true reason they were admitted to Kamar-Taj.
They were to serve as expendable resources, used by the Sorcerer Supreme as convenient fodder in battle.
This was a revelation: casting magic required sacrifices. The Mordo clones hadn't yet grasped the deeper mechanics, but if they could report this to S.H.I.E.L.D., the agency might recruit third-rate mages globally for experiments and eventually uncover the truth.
Sadly, the times had shifted too swiftly. Not long ago, S.H.I.E.L.D. was a global powerhouse; now, it teetered on collapse. Its survival hinged on whether Adam remembered its existence, a pitiful fate for a once-mighty organization, sustained only by Adam's neglect.
Yet the Mordo clones refused to accept their fate, constantly scheming to change their destiny, perhaps by becoming true sorcerers rather than the Sorcerer Supreme's disposable tools, consumed in some unforeseen battle.
As for returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. and seeking vengeance against Adam as agents… that was unthinkable. Even the most unhinged Mordo clone wouldn't entertain such a notion.
Adam had transcended mortal limits. Though the Mordo clones knew little of divine realms, they understood the immeasurable power that had enveloped endless starfields in an instant.
It was a force even the Sorcerer Supreme treated with profound caution.
The Mordo clones ceased their arguments, turning to watch as the Ancient One and Strange passed slowly through the corridor.
"People have high expectations of you, but there are plenty of doubters too." The Ancient One said.
Strange was silent for a long moment before responding in a low voice. "I don't care if they like or hate me. It brings me no benefit or harm. Wasting time on meaningless distractions is wasting life itself."
"A sound philosophy. The question is how well you can live by it."
The Ancient One led Strange into a sealed magical chamber. The time had come. She removed the Eye of Agamotto from her chest and handed it to Strange.
"You've been immersed in the library, studying with a focus rivaling those Xenomorphs. By my count, you've acquired enough knowledge. You should know what this is. I trust you'll use it wisely." The Ancient One said gently.
Strange stared at the Eye of Agamotto, a flicker of desire in his eyes, quickly suppressed. Cautiously, he said, "I don't understand. You must have guessed what I'll do with the Time Stone. You're always warning that tampering with time invites consequences, yet your actions feel contradictory."
"In the past, I would have hesitated, ensuring your skills and willpower were honed to a sufficient level before entrusting you with it. But that's no longer necessary."
The Ancient One spoke calmly. "Time's power isn't exclusive to the Time Stone anymore. Adam wields it too, using it to defeat an ancient cosmic evil god. Whether I give you the Time Stone now or after further training, it makes no difference."
Strange said slowly, "A god of his caliber… in the library's descriptive terms, a Celestial? If a Celestial can master time, I could ask him, "
"Don't bother. He won't help you." The Ancient One interrupted. "Nor can he. Christine's death is a fixed point in this universe's timeline. The circumstances, Mephisto's involvement or other factors, can shift, but her death is inevitable, unchangeable unless you possess power to dominate the entire universe."
Even the Time Stone couldn't alter it. Born of the universe, the stone could manipulate the universe's timeline, matching its tier at best, but it couldn't transcend the universe itself.
"What if I'm willing to pay a price?" Strange locked eyes with the Ancient One, a dangerous notion.
"A price? What could you offer? Your life, becoming a Xenomorph, serving Adam? If he chose to control you, you'd have no resistance, willing or not. The outcome would be the same. So consider this: why hasn't he targeted you? Why hasn't he seized the Time Stone? Because it's not worth his time to devise a plan for it."
"Ha, a depressing answer, yet I'm not disappointed. It feels… expected. I've changed a lot." Strange said, a wry, self-mocking smile curling his lips, his expression layered with complexity.
He understood the term "cosmic node" And its weight.
"You could see it as maturity, a sign you're ready to become Sorcerer Supreme."
The Ancient One placed the Time Stone in Strange's hands.
"I'm taking over, but what about you? Retiring to wander the cosmos?" Strange asked, frowning. He didn't want the Ancient One reappearing to thwart his plans later.
Strange even suspected the Ancient One had secretly embedded a hidden spell in the Eye of Agamotto, set to trigger if he ever used the Time Stone for personal gain.
"I'll retire, but I won't necessarily roam the cosmos, at least, not this cosmos."
"You're heading to a parallel universe? That's a bold plan. I'm jealous. I can't just drag a Christine I don't know from another universe. She wouldn't be the one I want to save." Strange calmly hung the Eye of Agamotto around his neck.
Soon, all of Kamar-Taj, and indeed the mystical community of Earth, learned that the Sorcerer Supreme had changed. The new Sorcerer Supreme was an unknown named Stephen Strange.
This sparked a flurry of discussion, but it ended there.
Everyone knew that, at this point, who the Sorcerer Supreme was, or whether one even existed, mattered little.
Earth now hosted an unprecedented powerhouse, one who had cemented his status by crushing Cosmic Beings.
Nothing was more convincing than a record of undeniable victories.
As for the retired Ancient One, news of her quiet passing went largely unnoticed.
Perhaps only someone like Adam would occasionally glance toward the Himalayas, observing the glowing soul that had shed its physical form, poised to venture into the cosmic depths.
Before leaving Earth, the Ancient One cast a glance toward Adam and left a message.
Adam unhesitatingly rejected her first request after death.
"Finally dead, huh? I have a feeling this one will thrive in the multiverse."
The Ancient One's request was to borrow a portion of his power before departing, ideally, some of the Yggdrasil's divine power.
Adam knew this was a one-way deal. He'd be a fool to hand divine power to someone like her when he could distribute it among his divine-path subordinates.
He knew her quirks, but few in other universes likely did.
Adam genuinely looked forward to seeing what kind of splash this universe's Ancient One would make in the multiverse's vast pool.
Of course, it was also possible that one day, while gathering multiversal data, he'd hear of this Ancient One perishing in some universe's cataclysmic event, a common outcome.
Crisis was the multiverse's anthem. Roaming it without strength was a death wish, as any dangerous entity in a random universe could end you abruptly.
For now, Adam didn't need to dwell on it. He required time to savor his victory's spoils, not yet ready to dispatch Xenomorphs into parallel universes for rampant expansion.
"If I were to enter other parallel universes, I do have some ideas…"
Adam mused silently, his mind instantly flooded with visions of numbered universes.
Some were perilous but promised great rewards.
Adam quickly reined in his thoughts, turning his attention to the Skyfather before him.
Kull, a defeated god from the main universe.
"So, you've dealt with your great enemy and finally have time to handle me." Kull said.
Only his head remained intact, his mouth moving with difficulty.
Imprisoned by Odin in the Eternal Prison of the main universe for a million years, Kull was not one to be broken by such torment.
"I'd hoped to use you to lure some fools from the main universe, but your reputation is astonishingly poor. Not a soul wants to cross universal barriers to rescue you." Adam said with a hint of regret. "Not even your prized Eight Hammers showed up."
"Of course they didn't. Even I struggle to open a spatial pathway to a parallel universe, let alone them." Kull said, his face etched with frustration. He had fully surrendered, there was no choice. Against Adam, who wielded the Yggdrasil's authority, he was powerless.
Crossing a Cosmic Being was a terrible idea.
As Adam stood before him, doing nothing, Kull could sense the traces of the Yggdrasil's authority on him. Even the divine particles within Kull's own body faintly resonated with Adam.
"What about Mephisto?" Kull asked. "I bet you haven't killed him outright. If you decide to invade Hell, I'll be the first to strike Mephisto. That bastard ruined me, he must pay."
"Negotiating with me? Beyond your origin in the main universe, which could serve as a stepping stone for my entry there, you're utterly useless to me."
Adam promptly initiated a parasitic infection on Kull.
Now intimately familiar with divine power, even without the Yggdrasil's authority, Adam could easily disrupt Kull's internal divine energy, creating ideal conditions for a Xenomorph's growth.
Kull couldn't die yet. Had he been anyone else, regardless of strength, Adam would have dispatched him already. But his main-universe origin gave Kull value.
There was no helping it, main-universe origins carried weight. Even in death, Kull wouldn't find peace until Adam had wrung every ounce of utility from him.
"I don't understand. You have the main universe's coordinates. Why do you need me?" Kull asked, his face dark with humiliation upon waking.
"You? You're useful. I need your intriguing tricks for inspiration. Let me see your mind… There it is."
Adam examined Kull's method of forging the Eight Hammers, creating the Eight Hammer Venerables.
It was fascinating. Kull could project a portion of his power, the eight hammers, across vast distances, autonomously seeking those with yearning hearts.
"This will do. By tracing desires to deliver power, I've mastered it. Combined with Knull's Abyss and the vast magical knowledge I accumulated in Kamar-Taj, I can now remotely implant Xenomorph embryos in anyone who prays to me, within a certain range. This spell… I'll call it the God-Descension Technique!"
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