-----
-----
The next day, high above Nepal, inside a small private plane—
"From here on, you can head back on your own," Tony said to the pilot.
Then he opened the rear door and jumped right out.
"Mr. Stark, you forgot your parachute…" the pilot called out anxiously.
But Tony had already jumped.
For Iron Man, whether or not he had a parachute made zero difference.
The nano armor rapidly spread over his body.
In the next instant, flames blasted from his feet, propelling him straight down toward a small town below.
In front of a shabby wooden door—
"Jarvis, are you sure this is the place?" Tony asked, staring at the worn-out door, barely believing it.
"Yes, sir. After the investigators put in some effort and expense, all signs point here."
"Alright… let's hope those wizards are better at magic than they are at fixing doors!"
With a hint of hope, Tony slowly raised his hand to knock.
Creaaak!
But just before his hand touched the door, it swung open from the inside.
His hand nearly hit the face of the person who opened it.
"Follow me," the person said coldly, then turned and walked away.
"Huh, this guy seems even more arrogant than me," Tony thought, a bit surprised by the cold attitude.
Still, he followed.
Creaaak.
As Tony stepped inside, the worn wooden door slowly shut behind him.
Outside, people passed by on the street, but no one seemed to notice this dilapidated door at all.
"Jarvis? When I was up in the air, how come I didn't see a place like this?"
Once inside, Tony realized the place was nothing like he expected.
The architecture was ancient and elegant, giving off a vibe like a hidden paradise.
"Sir, this place seems to exist outside of the real world. It can't be detected from the real world," Jarvis replied.
Tony was stunned. A space outside of reality?
"So this really is a magical sanctuary," Tony murmured.
Before coming here, he had doubted if magic really existed.
But now, he was almost certain it was real.
"Magic, huh? Hopefully, it can impress me more than technology ever did."
Tony thought as he hurried to keep up with the cold, indifferent man ahead.
Soon, the man led Tony to a huge hall.
In the center stood a massive metal incense burner, gently releasing curling wisps of smoke that filled the air with a calming scent.
The atmosphere made even Tony feel more relaxed.
But despite the calm surroundings, Tony's mind was racing.
Because sitting across from the yellow-robed monk he'd seen in the video yesterday, was another figure—one he recognized immediately.
"Mr. Stark, I thought you'd arrive earlier,"
the familiar figure slowly turned around—it was Peter, whom Tony had met just the day before.
"You… what are you doing here?" Tony's face showed shock. He hadn't expected that damn Superman to get here before him.
"Welcome to Kamar-Taj, Mr. Stark. Please, have a seat."
Ignoring Tony's stunned expression, the bald woman in yellow robes—her features beautifully androgynous—spoke softly.
"Thanks…"
Tony snapped out of his shock, walked over, and sat down beside Peter.
"Mr. Stark, I already know why you came."
The woman named Ancient One poured a cup of clear tea and said calmly,
"But are you sure you want to take this path of no return—the path of magic?"
Her expression grew serious, and her gentle voice felt like it was piercing right into Tony's soul.
"Yeah… am I really going to give up science? To study that… illusion called magic?"
Tony was torn.
At first, he searched for magic only to find a way to beat Superman.
But the guy was already here before him.
And apparently, he wasn't afraid of magic's weaknesses.
So… should Tony keep learning magic now?
"Ancient One, I think you'd better pick someone else. This guy just doesn't look like the right person to inherit the Supreme Sorcerer title."
Peter, standing nearby, couldn't resist throwing a little shade at Tony, who looked torn and confused.
"Who said I'm not a good candidate for learning magic? I'm the smartest genius in this world," Tony shot back.
Maybe it was Peter's words that finally made Tony firm up his mind.
"Mysterious, unfathomable magic? And I might even inherit some super badass Supreme Sorcerer spot afterward?"
From Peter's comment, Tony caught a crucial clue: by learning magic, he might be able to claim this top-tier position.
Though he didn't really understand what being the Supreme Sorcerer truly meant yet.
But at that moment, he was sure—he was going to study magic.
"Besides, who says learning magic means I have to give up science?"
"Magic plus tech? That combo sounds pretty awesome to me."
"Magic is actually pretty similar to the science you know. It's just another special way for humans to understand the nature of the world and the truths of the universe."
As Tony decided to pursue magic, the Ancient One finally cracked a small smile and began to calmly explain magic's origins and how it works.
"The essence of magic is like a special language."
"Magic spells are like computer source code—they communicate with and tap into energy from other dimensions, creating unbelievable phenomena in our real world."
"Like… this!"
With that, the Ancient One suddenly raised her hands and made some intricate gestures, and a flash of golden energy appeared instantly right in front of Tony and Peter.
"Is this magic?" Tony's eyes lit up, totally captivated by the amazing sight.
No doubt, magic had opened a new door to the cosmic truths for him.
"Sounds great and all, but Marvel's magic has already gone down a pretty strange path."
Peter noticed the faint, unusual mark on the Ancient One's forehead while she performed the magic.
He knew exactly what that was — a side effect from siphoning energy from the Dark Dimension.
Magic in the Marvel world is basically a loan system.
Wizards borrow energy from other dimensions, but they have to pay it back somehow.
Unless you're someone like the Ancient One, backed by a powerful god of magic, able to stand up against the Dark Dimension's ruler, Dormammu.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., did you record all her movements?"
Meanwhile, Tony's curiosity about magic had skyrocketed. Without hesitation, he asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to record everything the Ancient One did.
"I believe you've got a basic understanding of magic now. But if you want to master deeper, more advanced spells, you'll probably need to stay here for a while."
Soon, the Ancient One waved her hand, dispersing the glowing golden magic before her, then looked seriously at Tony.
"No problem. I'm short on nothing except time."
Tony was confident. Even if he wasn't naturally talented in magic, he had J.A.R.V.I.S.—the ultimate cheat code.
"Since that's settled, Master Cassilius, please take Mr. Stark to his room to rest."
The Ancient One said calmly to the cold-faced wizard who had brought Tony here.
"Goodbye, Ancient One... revered one."
Tony glanced at Peter, then without hesitation followed the icy-faced wizard out of the hall.
"Mr. Superman... or Mr. Peter Parker, is your visit just to see if he'll choose the path of magic?"
With Tony gone, the Ancient One's eyes turned toward Peter, a curious look in them.
"Of course not. Honestly, I'm curious about magic myself."
What Peter said wasn't really what he was thinking.
He had come to see if this visit would actually change Tony's future.
[System notification: Congratulations, host! Initial change to Tony Stark's destiny confirmed. Reward granted…]
"....."