Thanos finally smiled with satisfaction.
"Deal."
At this moment, the two cosmic overlords, each harboring their own hidden agendas, reached a perfect "win-win" consensus.
In Thanos's view, he had successfully traded a tool for a powerful combatant who was no less formidable than himself, taking him one step closer to the Infinity Stones.
And in Dago's heart, this was likewise a perfect transaction.
As a pawn placed in the shadows by Homelander, Dago's mission was to play the role of an unrivaled tyrant, spreading pure fear throughout this Universe.
But to achieve this, relying solely on one person to cause destruction everywhere was too inefficient.
Building a force from scratch was also too time-consuming.
The easiest way was to simply take what was already available.
The Black Order, an army known throughout the Universe for its slaughter, was a tool practically tailor-made for him.
Dago sneered in his heart.
"Your destiny is about to end, Thanos. And the fear of all living beings shall begin with me."
...
On the other side.
The Vought Holy Expedition was hovering quietly in orbit.
Outside the panoramic porthole was the vast and boundless sea of stars.
Brilliant nebulae flowed slowly across the pitch-black cosmic background like a colorful painting.
Sorcerer Ancient One sat cross-legged on a woven cushion.
Her hands rested naturally on her knees, her eyes slightly closed, facing the starry sky.
She had been sitting here for a long time. She had not spoken, nor had she moved.
It was as if she had merged with this tranquil Universe.
Suddenly, Ancient One's previously relaxed brows furrowed slightly.
The usually composed Sorcerer Supreme now had a slight irregularity in her breathing.
"Teacher, your heart seems far from calm."
Homelander's voice sounded from behind her.
He walked over unhurriedly, holding a cup of steaming milk, a seemingly concerned smile on his face.
Ancient One slowly opened her eyes, a flash of unease in them.
"It's you, Anthony." Ancient One smiled slightly. "You always appear at the most appropriate time."
"Has something happened? It's rare to see the Sorcerer Supreme troubled." Homelander walked to the front of Ancient One and sat cross-legged.
"I have sensed a threat." Ancient One turned her head, her gaze looking through the porthole at the boundless starry sky.
"A threat?" Homelander raised an eyebrow. "From Thanos? Or the Grandmaster?"
"I cannot determine the specific source." Ancient One shook her head. "But a sorcerer's premonition is never without cause."
Upon hearing this, Homelander couldn't help but chuckle.
"You are too tense, Teacher." Homelander teased. "With your strength, there aren't many people in this Universe who can threaten you. As long as you don't seek death yourself, you must have at least ten thousand ways to deal with enemies, right?"
Watching Homelander's nonchalant demeanor, a helpless smile tugged at the corners of Ancient One's mouth.
"You overestimate me, Anthony." Ancient One explained in a calm tone. "I am not omnipotent. I am just a mystic sorcerer who has lived a relatively long time and has been relatively diligent. I am not as powerful as you imagine."
Ancient One stood up and walked to the porthole, her back appearing somewhat frail.
"We are not on Earth now, so I cannot use the magic network of the three Sanctums to bolster myself. Furthermore..."
"The mark of the Dark Dimension on me has completely lost its effectiveness with the death of Dormammu."
Ancient One's expression was calm, as if losing her power was not a big deal to her.
"In the past, in order to protect Earth, I had to draw energy from the Dark Dimension, thereby connecting with Dormammu and leaving this mark. Although this was like quenching thirst with poison, it also granted me extraordinary magic and longevity."
"That was once a large part of the source of my power. Now, I can no longer compare to what I was before."
She looked at Homelander again and said earnestly: "But since I am standing here, no matter who the opponent is, I will fight with all my might. Even if it costs me my life."
After listening, Homelander watched Ancient One quietly, a meaningful smile gradually appearing on his face.
"Teacher."
"There is something I may not have made clear to you."
Ancient One looked at Homelander with some confusion, waiting for what he had to say.
Homelander also stood up, walked to the panoramic porthole, looked at the brilliant galaxy outside, and spoke slowly.
"Dormammu is indeed dead, thoroughly dead. However..."
Homelander lowered his voice, his tone filled with the domineering aura of one who controls everything.
"...The Dark Dimension has now been taken over by me."
Ancient One's pupils contracted slightly.
On her face, which had always remained calm, a rare look of shock appeared.
Homelander looked at Ancient One's shocked expression and smiled with satisfaction.
"So, Teacher."
Homelander reached out his hand and made a gesture of invitation.
"You can try to re-establish a connection with the Dark Dimension now." He blinked and said somewhat mysteriously, "I promise, you will receive a huge surprise."
Ancient One looked at Homelander's confident eyes and was silent for a moment.
She closed her eyes again, her hands quickly forming a seal in front of her chest.
Subsequently, her consciousness followed her past memories and extended toward that familiar Dark Dimension.
In the past, every time she contacted the Dark Dimension, she had to spend a great deal of mental effort to resist Dormammu's insane will, which was filled with destruction and corruption.
Enduring the pain as if thousands of poisonous insects were gnawing at her soul.
But this time, everything had changed.
The moment her consciousness touched that dimension, there was no obstruction, no pollution, no insane babbling.
There was only vast and boundless energy, like a tranquil sea, gently enveloping her.
This power, like a trickling stream, flowed continuously into her body along her astral channels.
Endless, and with no side effects.
Ancient One suddenly opened her eyes, her eyes filled with unbelievable shock.
"This... this is..."
After this pure dark energy entered her body, it actually began to spontaneously repair the hidden injuries she had accumulated over thousands of years.
The cracks left on her body from years of resisting Dormammu's mental erosion were being smoothed out rapidly.
Homelander watched the changes before him quietly.
Ancient One's originally slightly withered and pale skin was visibly regaining its elasticity and luster.
Her thin, gaunt figure became full and well-proportioned under the nourishment of the magic, full of the vitality of life.
Even more astonishingly, from her signature bald head, a head of soft, jet-black long hair grew, cascading down over her shoulders like a waterfall.
In just one minute, this ancient practitioner had shed the traces of time, transforming back into a young woman with stunning beauty and an ethereal temperament.
She stood there fixedly, surrounded by powerful and stable magic fluctuations, as if she had merged with the dark energy of the Universe.
Only at this moment did Ancient One truly realize that the man before her, who always talked about heroes and love, who was fickle and vain, had grown to a terrifying realm that even she could not reach.
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