"Send you on your way? I'd like to see you try…"
Kaecilius sneered, but as Saitama clenched his fist, the smile froze.
A suffocating dread rose in his heart. That crushing sense of danger—he had only felt it once before, standing before Dormammu. And now, this bald man gave him the same feeling?!
"Not good!"
Kaecilius's face twisted. He rapidly drew circles in the air, conjuring layer after layer of shimmering mirror barriers, his strongest magical defenses. Defenses even nuclear-level strikes couldn't pierce.
A plain, unadorned punch met the barrier.
Crack.
Like fragile glass, the mirror wall split. One crack, two cracks—
BOOM!
The entire defense shattered into dust.
The raging shockwave didn't stop, tearing through each successive barrier, then howled past Kaecilius's body.
His scream was swallowed. The once-proud disciple of the Ancient One and loyal zealot of Dormammu was obliterated in an instant, reduced to nothing but blood splattered across ten meters of stone.
The remaining half of the church collapsed in the aftershock, rubble raining down until not a trace remained.
The two surviving followers were petrified.
"Kaecilius… dead?"
"Killed… in one punch?"
If someone else had said it, they'd never believe it. But seeing it with their own eyes left them cold to the bone.
Strange stood frozen, shaken to his core. Even the Ancient One had struggled against Kaecilius. Yet this bald youth had ended him instantly. If Saitama fought the Ancient One—who would win?
The thought barely formed before he realized something worse.
"Damn it! The New York Sanctum… it's destroyed!"
This cathedral was one of the three great Sanctums, the key to Earth's protection. And in two punches, Saitama had leveled it.
Strange flew toward him in alarm. "I'm Strange. What's your name?"
"Saitama," he muttered, awkwardly eyeing the destruction. "Guess I should've used only a tenth of my strength. My bad."
Strange's chest tightened. "Now the Sanctum is gone… even the Ancient One may not be able to stop Dormammu's invasion. Please, come back with me to Kamar-Taj. With your help, we might still stand a chance!"
At the same time, far away in the dark cosmos, the massive visage of Dormammu smiled.
"So, Kaecilius is dead. Hmph. Worthless. But he destroyed two Sanctums—that's enough for me to descend! Ancient One, let's see how you stop me now! HAHAHAHA!"
He streaked toward Earth like a blazing comet.
Back at Kamar-Taj, in the mirror dimension, the Ancient One opened her eyes. Deep as the stars, her gaze pierced past and future. She rose slowly, fastening the Eye of Agamotto around her neck.
"Wong. Stay here."
With calm resolve, she stepped through a portal. Wong bowed silently, sensing something different in her today.
Meanwhile, in the ruins of the Sanctum, Strange pleaded with Saitama. "With your strength, if you also learned magic, you'd be unstoppable!"
"Stronger? Forget it. I don't want to get stronger," Saitama sighed. He had no interest left in power.
"Strange, you've done well," came a voice.
The Ancient One emerged from a portal. Her expression was serene, even gazing upon the destroyed Sanctum.
"Master! I failed to protect it," Strange said with guilt.
"It isn't your fault. Nor Saitama's. I've seen the future. You've done well."
Her eyes softened at Strange, then turned to Saitama.
"Last time I invited you to Kamar-Taj. This time, I came myself. Your strength… even I fear it. But I am grateful you are human, and kind, Saitama."
She had never witnessed his punches before, but now… she understood. The Sanctums had been reinforced for generations, strengthened by every Supreme Sorcerer. Kaecilius destroyed them by twisting the runes inside. Saitama? He broke them from the outside. The difference was terrifying.
"Sorry," Saitama scratched his head. "Didn't think the temple was so fragile."
Strange: "…"
That's an apology?! Sounds more like a declaration of war!
But the Ancient One only nodded, accepting it without blame.
"The Sanctum is gone… which means he will come."
Her gaze lifted toward the void.
"He?" Strange whispered.
"The destined enemy of the Supreme Sorcerer. Strange, if you one day inherit the mantle, never forget our mission: darkness will be driven away, and light will shine upon the world."
A faint black mark glowed on her brow. Her stare locked on the void—where a terrifying darkness rapidly drew near.
(End of Chapter)
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