At that moment, Luke felt a pang of panic. He understood that the Ancient One's arrival wasn't a good sign for him.
Who was the Ancient One?! The most powerful Sorcerer Supreme on Earth, the guardian of the planet, always monitoring its every move.
How could someone like him, a "traveler" from another world or a parallel universe, escape the Ancient One's notice?!
"I found you, multiverse traveler," the Ancient One said, breaking his thoughts.
Luke's heart sank; the Ancient One had come to visit, and he knew it couldn't mean anything good.
When faced with a powerful figure in a new world, submission was the only option.
"I admit that I come from a multiverse or a parallel world, but I didn't come here voluntarily. I mean no harm to Earth, and I can't return," Luke explained, sincerity etched across his face.
The Ancient One didn't respond, and Luke couldn't tell if she believed him or not.
Her expression was inscrutable as she stared at him with piercing dark eyes.
The intensity of her gaze made him uneasy.
After what felt like an eternity, the Ancient One finally spoke: "I tried to glimpse your future, but I couldn't see it clearly. So, I looked into the future of Earth. I found that with your arrival, the future has changed. This intrigues me about the multiverse traveler."
As she spoke, Luke's anxiety grew.
"The Earth has changed?! Is it for better or worse?!" he asked tentatively.
This was crucial for determining his future, so he needed clarity.
But the Ancient One didn't provide a clear answer. Instead, she shook her head and replied, "I don't know. I cannot change the future, so I can't put you through any trials. Perhaps you must answer that yourself."
With that, she produced a book and handed it to him.
Luke reached out hesitantly and accepted the book, examining it.
On the cover were the bold letters: "The Complete Collection of the Supreme Being."
Wait! Wasn't this one of the magic tomes from Kamar-Taj?! Why was the Ancient One giving it to him?!
"Is this for me?!" Luke asked in disbelief.
"I'm lending it to you. I hope your arrival will not bring disaster to the Earth, but rather a blessing," the Ancient One replied.
Before Luke could ask more questions, the mirror space vanished, taking the Ancient One with it.
Everything around him returned to normal. If not for the "Complete Collection of the Supreme Being" still in his hands, he might have wondered if it had all been a dream.
Hold on, what just happened?!
The Ancient One didn't expel him just for being an outsider?!
Not only was he not expelled, but he was also given a magic book?!
Was this an invitation to practice magic?
But he wasn't a disciple of Kamar-Taj!
And what did the Ancient One mean by changing the future?!
Why did she enjoy playing riddles?!
Luke was left with countless questions swirling in his mind, none of which he could answer.
But he didn't have time to ponder them, as the Ancient One had already departed.
Despite the confusion, Luke felt a surge of excitement looking at the magic book in his hands.
After all, he had been worried about how to survive in such a dangerous world without any abilities.
Now the Ancient One had actually gifted him a magic book!
What a stroke of luck!
It's just... he had heard that Kamar-Taj's magic was not easy to master, and without enough talent, it would be useless.
Just as he was about to open the book to see if he could learn something, the doorbell rang.
The hot pot had arrived!
Perfect timing!
He could eat hot pot while reading his new book!
...
Once everything was set, Luke sat at the dining table, enjoying his hot pot while flipping to the first page of "The Complete Collection of the Supreme Being."
Honestly, he didn't expect to grasp the book on his first attempt.
In reality, he couldn't understand it at all.
The words on the page were entirely foreign to him.
Some words he could barely comprehend, but others were written in a language he didn't recognize.
Frowning in frustration, Luke realized he could only rely on "high technology" to translate.
But then he remembered he had just traveled through time and had neither a smartphone nor a computer—most importantly, no money!
In an instant, the hot pot no longer seemed appetizing. Can you believe it? Living in a massive villa with not a dime to your name?!
No, he needed to find a way to make some money!
But as a newcomer, where could he possibly earn anything?!
Just as he was worrying, the doorbell rang again.
Luke got up and opened the door.
He wasn't surprised to see Tony Stark standing outside.
As of now, apart from Pepper Potts and the Ancient One, Tony was the only one who knew he lived here.
"How's it going? Are you settling in alright?" Tony Stark asked as he walked in and took a seat at the dining table, oblivious to everything else.
Luke didn't mind and expressed his gratitude, "It's great. Thank you for this... apartment."
"You saved me, so I should compensate you somehow. What's that delicious smell?" Tony Stark asked, leaning in to catch a whiff.
"Hot pot," Luke replied.
"I went straight to a press conference after getting back from that hellhole and only managed to eat one cheeseburger. I'm starving! I'm so glad you have something to eat," Tony said, pulling out a set of clean utensils and starting to dig in.
As he ate, he exclaimed, "Oh, this is amazing! I haven't had food this delicious in ages! Is this from your home country?"
"Yes," Luke nodded.
"It's fantastic, but these knives and forks are too hot to handle. Give me some chopsticks!" Tony Stark said.
When it came to chopsticks, Luke had to admire Pepper's thoughtfulness; she had even provided a special set.
And there was more than one pair.
Otherwise, Luke wouldn't have dared to eat hot pot with just knives and forks.
"Here," Luke handed them over.
Seeing Tony Stark being so friendly, Luke half-jokingly asked, "Since you gave me this apartment, does that mean you no longer doubt my identity?"
Realizing his earlier demeanor toward Luke hadn't been very friendly, Tony Stark quickly clarified, "The situation was urgent, and I was focused on escaping. If you had suddenly appeared, I would have been on high alert."
Luke nodded, understanding, then asked, "So why are you here now?"
Tony Stark chewed through several pieces of meat before responding, "I asked Rhodes about you, and he said you weren't sent to rescue me... The thing is, no one can find any information about you. I'm quite curious."
Luke wasn't sure how to explain, so he decided to pull the emotional card: "At least I saved you, and you're actually looking into me?!"
Tony Stark shook his head and quickly clarified, "It's not me; it's Rhodes.
Being captured by terrorists had a huge impact, so Rhodes and the others are definitely investigating.
Not just your background, but everyone's."
He continued, "I told them not to worry; they won't disturb you. It's tough for you to have no identity here."
"So, I arranged for someone to apply for your identity," Stark added.
"Is that why you came to see me?" Luke asked again.
Tony Stark shook his head and extended an invitation: "Of course not. I'm hosting a party tonight and would like you and Ethan to join us. It's a chance to celebrate our survival after the disaster. Are you interested?!"
Although Luke wasn't particularly keen on attending a party, he thought he might need Tony Stark's help to earn some money, so he agreed.
"Sure."
"Great! I'll see you at seven this evening!"