However, The Ancient One has lived for hundreds of years. She quickly turned her gaze away; these flamboyant lace fabrics are not as attractive to her as they are to other women.
"The deal is this: if you are willing to accept this responsibility, the Magic Floating Cloak will be yours to use forever. After I die, the Eye of Agamotto will also be given to you, and all the mages of Kama Taiji will follow your command."
The Ancient One calmly stated her terms, watching as Su Ming continuously drank, waiting for his answer.
Su Ming was considering the pros and cons.
The Time Gem was secondary; he didn't use White Magic and didn't have the Infinity Gauntlet. That thing would be just for show in his hands. If he used X Metal to forcefully drive it, it might cause big trouble.
Only the Magic Floating Cloak was a must-have for Su Ming.
But he didn't want to take the blame. The responsibility of Supreme Mage would crush anyone.
The Ancient One saw Su Ming still hesitating and said, "You were originally not from this world, but you are also an Earthling. So, I think you might occasionally want to go back to see where you came from? I can teach you how to traverse the All-Powerful Universe."
Warm sunlight filled the office, and the liquor in Su Ming's glass stopped shaking.
"Deal."
Let's first let The Ancient One be happy for a while. When she passes away, I can serve as the Supreme Mage for a few days and then quickly find Strange to take over.
No one was deceived, a fair trade.
The Ancient One's fingers danced, and the Trinity of Emperor Vishanti's visage suddenly appeared in front of them. The six eyes shot beams of light onto the two of them, then quickly disappeared.
"The contract is established, Slade, Emperor Vishanti witnessed it all." The Ancient One exhaled and smiled.
Faker...
Su Ming felt like he was tricked. He thought it was a verbal agreement, but now with Emperor Vishanti witnessing it, even if he wants to pass the buck to Doctor Strange, how can he lift this appointment?
How could he call Emperor Vishanti without knowing magic? By phone?
Discomfort, mages just love tricking people....
The Ancient One was unaware of Su Ming's thoughts; she couldn't read his mind, but she thought it was good at least that the enemies from the Alternate Dimension couldn't see through him either.
"Now let me tell you how to traverse the universe."
The Ancient One beckoned, and the Magic Floating Cloak flew over. She took out the gemstone Su Ming previously gave to the cloak, pressed it onto the cloak, and began reciting a lengthy incantation.
The gemstone gradually dissolved into the cloak. Apart from a brief glow during the process, it seemed to vaporize and disappeared.
She quickly withdrew her hand, satisfied and examined the cloak: "If the user is a warlock, they can use incantations to summon various blessings, allowing them to breathe in the universe, or gain enough speed to cross worlds. I've now solidified these capabilities into the Magic Floating Cloak using your gemstone as the energy source. You just need to express your thoughts, and it will meet your demands."
Su Ming nodded, putting aside the matter of being the Supreme Mage. The Ancient One could still live for seventy or eighty years, giving him plenty of time to maneuver.
Now that The Ancient One upgraded the cloak, though he couldn't quite understand it, it should be an enchantment or array-related technique.
In any case, he could use the Space-Time Device to return to DC and settle scores with Batman.
The Ancient One stood up, tidied her skirt, waved her hand, and opened a teleportation gate in the air: "Well, I have something to attend to at Kama Taiji, I must leave first."
"What! Leaving without eating? Really leaving? Gin, pack the cosmetics and clothes for the Supreme Mage, take them, and try them out back at home."
Su Ming, whether The Ancient One wanted them or not, stuffed underwear, stockings, and cosmetics into her hands and sent her through the teleportation gate.
The Ancient One disappeared with a helpless expression on her face at the other end of the portal.
Su Ming immediately began preparing, changed into his uniform, equipped with weapons, took Divine Gold 47, and put on the cloak.
"This time, you can change color, right? Turn black then, let's see."
The cloak reluctantly turned black; the style remained the same, but changing the color made it appear very somber.
"Very nice... Activate that 'Magic Breath Technique' now." Su Ming happily patted it and began cutting his arm with a dagger: "Gin, watch over the company's matters, I'm heading out to settle accounts, and will spend a few days playing with some friends. That's it."
With these words, he pressed the bright spot on the gemstone and disappeared from the office.
Gin held his forehead and sighed. He had more things to say, but... Su Ming had already vanished in a blink.
In no time, Su Ming's figure appeared within the Multiverse, with various Superhero worlds floating like bubbles before his eyes.
He turned to look behind him; there was the barrier of the Multiverse.
He recognized his world, which was already different from when he first arrived. Besides the six bright spots, the outer wall of the world was beginning to display a black-yellow emblem.
It was impossible for history to remain unchanged, but the world was moving in the direction Su Ming hoped.
Having eliminated Kang, Su Ming naturally took charge of the timeline. To let the world evolve on its own for a while and heal past wounds, he needed to leave here temporarily.
"From now on, this is my Cosmos." Su Ming floated silently in the dark space, filled with an indescribable emotion: "Although I don't know the Multiverse number, from now on, you are earth-40K."
Su Ming gestured in the air as if drawing a 'W' on the distant bubble, then turned away, heading towards the Super Universe.
Though a lot of time had been spent, the battle with Kang had taken considerable time. Now, having shaped a new timeline, a new future should be visible upon his next return.
While using the cloak to enable flight, Su Ming cheerfully considered these matters.
On a certain planet, a group of big-headed dolls was having a meeting, stunned by Su Ming's actions. Someone was actually traversing the universe with physical form, seemingly preparing to rush into the All-Powerful Universe.
"Insane! Does he know what's in the All-Powerful Universe?"
"Shh, be careful not to be discovered. Such people are often lunatics."
"Ahem, silence. We are Observers of the Multiverse, not interveners. Recording, observing, those are our entire missions."
..........
This trip was indeed long; the Magic Floating Cloak's speed was fast, countless planets passed by Su Ming, yet it was still slower than when Dr. Manhattan threw him out.
However, Su Ming had few concerns; though inconvenient, it was still a path.
Highway or winding path, there's no essential difference; Su Ming was still on his way to settle accounts, with a smile on his face.
Strangulation was pleased, continually transmitting cheerful thoughts into the host's mind, wanting to see another completely different universe, to see the people or... the world there.
"If I return to my original time and space point, although there's only a fifty-percent chance, I might still make it to the Justice League's celebration party, without having to deal with Omega Four Gods right from the start.
I could eat and drink at Wayne Manor, then take the rewards I deserve, and take the opportunity to quote Batman for the next crisis."
Su Ming had a plan; if things went as he planned, he had a way to deal with Omega Four Gods. Those four beasts were strong but lacked wits.
Settle the Four Gods, deal with Brainiac, extort him, extort the Justice League.
A wave of take-off.
That was the original plan in Su Ming's mind.
However, when he flew past the Wall of Origin, through its enormous hole, he realized he was late....