In countless parallel universes, Tony Stark had indeed held the position of Sorcerer Supreme and had even done quite well.
That was in the comic universe. The one Ethan was currently in was the movie universe.
However, the movie universe had explicitly mentioned the multiverse, and Ethan wasn't sure if there was a parallel world where Tony Stark took on the role of Sorcerer Supreme.
Besides, the Ancient One could see countless future possibilities through the Eye of Agamotto, which likely included the future where Tony assumed that position.
"It still feels a bit off."
"He's not someone who can willingly live in obscurity, hidden in the shadows protecting this world. If he inherited the title of Sorcerer Supreme, it would drastically change Kamar-Taj."
Ethan understood that the Ancient One was concerned that such a shift might create resistance among the current sorcerers at Kamar-Taj, which was why Tony wasn't her first choice.
And who was the first choice? Of course, it was Stephen Strange, who transitioned from being a surgeon to a sorcerer in a remarkably short time.
There were still a few years before the doctor would suffer his car accident and begin his journey to heal his hands. The Ancient One's current intention was clearly to resolve her own problem now, and if she failed, Ethan would need to fill the gap in the meantime.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"You can stay in this world for a long time now. A few more years shouldn't be an issue."
For a top-tier sorcerer like the Ancient One, understanding Ethan's situation wasn't difficult.
Unless Ethan used specific methods to shield himself from the Ancient One's perception, the magical energy within him couldn't be hidden from the Sorcerer Supreme.
Originally, Ethan thought he would eventually break through the restriction of time limits in each world by researching and mastering spatiotemporal energy.
But after arriving in the Marvel Universe, he found that due to the time anchor, his space-time orb had established a stronger connection with this world. As his understanding of space-time energy deepened, the restrictions in this universe gradually faded away.
That was good news. He didn't have to worry about returning to the ocean world before his new ship was built. He could peacefully wait here for his magically modified Prinz Eugen to be completed.
But after finally gaining free and sufficient time, should he really spend it fulfilling the role of Sorcerer Supreme?
"I'm not willing to hide in the shadows and protect this world."
To put it bluntly, even if this world completely collapsed, it wouldn't have much to do with him. At most, he would rescue the people close to him. He wasn't some selfless saint who cared about the survival of the entire world.
The Ancient One smiled without replying. Ethan's unwillingness to become a guardian wasn't a problem. In fact, most people, when suddenly faced with such a choice, wouldn't immediately claim they were ready to sacrifice everything for the world.
But many people who said such things had stepped forward at critical moments, which was more convincing than those who talked big but vanished when trouble came.
In the Ancient One's eyes, Ethan was one of those people.
Tony Stark and Stephen Strange, who had also caught her attention as candidates for Sorcerer Supreme, were similar.
When Strange first learned of the Sorcerer Supreme's responsibilities, his reaction was, "What does that have to do with me? I just came here to fix my hands!" But when the world was in crisis, this rookie sorcerer, who had only just started learning magic, stood up without hesitation.
Negotiating with Dormammu might seem clever to outsiders, but Strange truly died over and over again in that time loop. He could have chosen to break the loop, to side with Dormammu, or simply die for release—but he didn't. All to protect this world.
Tony Stark had also always said he wasn't a saint who would sacrifice himself for the public. But when the moment came, he was willing to carry a nuclear bomb straight into the Chitauri mothership. Although that scene hadn't occurred in this universe, the Ancient One had seen it through the Eye of Agamotto.
"You don't need to worry too much."
Seeing the Ancient One's "I've already seen through everything" smile, Ethan felt immense pressure. He reluctantly decided to reveal some of his cards.
"Actually, I'm pretty confident I can solve your problem."
Whether it was resisting the corruption of the Dark Dimension or severing the connection to it, Ethan wasn't entirely sure. But he did have a simpler method: preserving the Ancient One's soul and discarding her body, which had already been corroded by dark magic.
The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had extensive research on the soul. A master like the Ancient One could easily control the separation and fusion of her soul and body. Some even used soul form to assist with training. For example, Stephen Strange had taken advantage of the slower flow of time—or rather, faster thinking—in soul form to gain more learning time. That's why his growth had been so rapid.
"Just preserve the soul?"
The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had never considered such an approach. They could let their souls leave their bodies freely, but the bond between body and soul was deep and intricate. It wasn't something that could be severed casually.
Even when separated, if the body died, the soul would suffer a fatal blow. It was common knowledge that the soul needed the body to continue existing.
Even these specially trained sorcerers, whose souls were stronger than average, would perish after losing their bodies—or be dragged into the underworld or a similar place.
Whether it was soul destruction or being claimed by death's rules, surviving solely in soul form was nearly impossible.
The Ancient One didn't immediately reject Ethan's idea, instead asking curiously for more details.
With her vast knowledge and awareness of Ethan's background, she wasn't opposed to unfamiliar knowledge. In fact, she had a thirst for it.
The conversation that followed felt more like a discussion between two sorcerers from different schools, exchanging views on entirely different systems of magic. The Ancient One finally understood how Ethan planned to solve her problem.
Whether it was surviving as a soul or reconstructing a physical body, both were viable solutions.
Besides, her body might not be destroyed at all. If she "died" in battle under normal circumstances, Dormammu might not detect anything unusual.
Once she was no longer under surveillance, Ethan could treat her body and then reinsert her soul to revive her.
Even if the original body couldn't be used, Ethan had another method.
The approach intended for Howard Stark and Maria Stark would work for her as well: use genetic samples to create an artificial embryo.
Then, use advanced technology to cultivate it at an accelerated rate. At the appropriate time, her soul could enter the developing body. This type of resurrection might even be more stable than a magical one.
The Ancient One had never imagined such a solution, not because she didn't understand this world's technology, but because she was used to relying on magic and had subconsciously dismissed technological possibilities.
"That might work too."
The benefit of this method was that she wouldn't need to do anything for the time being. She could let everything unfold naturally and then "die" at the right time.
According to the future she had seen, the ideal time to die was after selecting and training her successor. That way, she could step down as Sorcerer Supreme with peace of mind, without worrying about a crisis emerging from the power vacuum.
"In that case, it looks like we'll need Iron Man's help."
Tony Stark had money and technology. He was the only one capable of providing the resources and equipment needed to cultivate a new body. Accelerated growth would also require supporting devices. The process wasn't as simple as tossing the embryo into an oven and pulling out a finished body after one minute.
"I believe he won't refuse."
This was where the Ancient One's previous help came in handy. Tony Stark had already received a favor from her, so he wouldn't be so unreasonable as to reject this small request. After all, it was something he could do on the side, even if it was expensive.
But for Tony Stark, was any problem that could be solved with money truly a problem?
So, after hearing the plan, Tony immediately nodded and agreed.
The Ancient One provided the location Ethan needed to summon the souls of Tony's parents. While cultivating new bodies for them, they would also grow a body for the Ancient One as a backup. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Both sides were satisfied, and neither had a reason to refuse.
By the time they had finalized everything, the barbecue party had long since ended. Ethan, believing in acting while the iron was hot, asked the Ancient One to take them to the pocket dimension they had discussed. He was preparing to resolve the simplest task today: summoning the souls of Howard and Maria Stark.
Tony was also a man of action and didn't feel anything was out of place. He and Ethan had very similar personalities, which was why they got along so well.
In the pocket dimension provided by the Ancient One, Ethan didn't expend much effort and successfully summoned the souls of the Stark couple. After the two souls entered the cross he held in his hand, Ethan immediately grabbed Tony and rushed into the portal the Ancient One had prepared in advance.
The moment the portal closed, Ethan clearly felt the terrifying fluctuation erupting behind him. It was the destructive energy from space collapse. If he had been even a little slower, he would have faced that overwhelming destruction directly.
If he had to face that kind of impact head-on, Ethan wasn't sure what would happen. But Tony would definitely have died.
(To be continued.)