"You might be stronger than us, but that doesn't mean anything. To become the Sorcerer Supreme, you need to defeat the strongest one!" Wong said as he struggled to stand after Doom's series of questions, looking directly at him.
"The strongest one?" Doom was momentarily taken aback. He glanced around at the Kamar-Taj students, who were too afraid to approach, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "Aren't they all here? Who's stronger than me in Kamar-Taj?"
"Of course, it's the Ancient One. Who else did you think it was, me?" Wong replied, giving Doom a derisive look.
At Wong's words, not only did Doom fall silent, but the other Kamar-Taj students were also unsure what to say.
Frankly, if the Ancient One were still in Kamar-Taj, even if Doom had the courage of three men, he wouldn't dare to covet the position of Sorcerer Supreme.
"Are you kidding me? The Ancient One has been missing for a long time! Can you find her?" Doom scowled, glaring at Wong.
By this point, Doom had been at Kamar-Taj long enough to know how powerful the Ancient One was. It was precisely because of her reputation that he sought to become Sorcerer Supreme. In Doom's mind, he believed that it was the title of Sorcerer Supreme that granted such power, rather than realizing that the Ancient One herself made the position so prestigious and feared.
Nevertheless, Doom was fully aware that he couldn't defeat the Ancient One. His only chance to fulfill his ambitions was to seize the role while she was absent.
"I may not know where the Ancient One is, but you asked who makes the rules, right? The rule maker is the Ancient One. If you want to change those rules, you have to defeat her. Even if you defeat or kill us all, you still won't be able to become Sorcerer Supreme," Wong explained, spreading his hands in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Even if we acknowledged you as Sorcerer Supreme, it wouldn't matter. The true legacy of the Sorcerer Supreme lies with the Ancient One. You've stolen enough magical knowledge from the library to know that Kamar-Taj has nothing more to hide from you, and no further means to help you grow—unless you choose a darker path..." Wong's voice trailed off ominously.
The path Wong referred to was one many sorcerers like Doom's mother, Cynthia, had taken: signing contracts with dark dimensional entities or hellish lords to borrow greater power. While it would temporarily boost magical strength, the cost of borrowing such power was significant, often leaving sorcerers at the mercy of their patrons. Doom had avoided this route precisely because the borrowed power came with too many strings attached.
"So you're saying I can't progress further because the Ancient One isn't here? Huh?!" As Wong spoke, Doom's expression darkened. He suddenly sensed an unfamiliar energy within the boundaries of Kamar-Taj, a terrifying force vastly stronger than his own, so powerful that it triggered a primal sense of danger.
"Dimensional incursion?!" At the same moment, Mordo, Wong, and Kaecilius, all grim-faced, cried out in disbelief.
"Dimensional incursion? Wait! How can an entire dimension descend? Isn't it usually just a few powerful beings slipping through?" Doom asked, recalling the knowledge he had gleaned from the magical texts he had studied. His expression quickly turned serious as he looked questioningly at the others.
It wasn't surprising that Doom hadn't recognized the energy at first. While he had studied dimensional theory and had even grown stronger than Mordo and the others, he had never actually participated in a dimensional battle or defended Earth from such an event.
"No time to explain! If you don't want Earth to be destroyed, help us now!" Mordo shouted as he rushed toward Kamar-Taj's defensive wards, the others quickly following.
The other students also sprang into action, each taking on their assigned tasks to prepare for the dimensional incursion. Doom was the only one left standing idly, momentarily unsure whether to help, stay out of it, or flee entirely.
Doom briefly considered leaving. After all, it seemed Kamar-Taj couldn't make him the Sorcerer Supreme, so perhaps it was time to seek other avenues of power.
But Mordo's words echoed in his mind. If Earth were destroyed, there would be nowhere left to run. And if he left now, Doom wouldn't know how this event would unfold. He might find himself dead alongside Earth without even realizing it.
There was no way Doom was going to die without fulfilling his ambitions. He had only just entered the supernatural world, hadn't yet displayed his full abilities, and still had to rescue his mother's soul from Mephisto. He refused to perish so soon.
"Fine, let's see what this 'dimensional incursion' is all about!" Gritting his teeth, Doom moved to join the others, channeling his power into Kamar-Taj's wards.
Meanwhile, in the space between dimensions, a vast and dark dimension began to encroach upon Earth's dimensional boundary. This dark power dwarfed Earth's dimension, quickly surrounding it, drawing the attention of other dimensions from afar.
None of the other dimensions intervened, merely watching with interest. They had long been aware of Earth's recent peculiarities, and as one of the most unique dimensions, Earth was a coveted target. They were curious to see what these changes meant and what the outcome of this confrontation would be.
The Dark Dimension's intrusion was, in many ways, a test of Earth's strength. Other dimensions might have launched such a probe themselves, but now that the Dark Dimension was making a move, they saw no need to get involved.
With a hum, Earth's dimension released a complex force in response, and Kamar-Taj's dimensional wards flared up, cloaking the gap that had formed in Earth's defenses. The two forces clashed violently.
"Boom!"
The collision between the dimensions sent shockwaves reverberating through space, even affecting the material plane of Earth. Fortunately, Earth's dimensional consciousness had recently strengthened the planet's physical structure—whether to guard against Robert and Clark or in anticipation of the Dark Dimension's arrival was unclear. Either way, the reinforcement spared Earth from significant damage, though the planet still trembled slightly.
For Earth, the tremor was slight, but for its inhabitants, it was enough to cause widespread alarm. The tremor did not go unnoticed by the Avengers, nor by Robert and Clark.
"What's happening?" Clark muttered, scanning the planet with his eyes, but finding no immediate signs of trouble.
"Is the Earth's dimension under attack?" Robert, more attuned to such matters, quickly realized what was going on. He recalled the previous clash between Earth's dimension and the Hell Dimension and immediately sensed the presence of the massive Dark Dimension looming beyond Earth's boundaries.
"Clark! We've got a problem!" Robert's eyes widened as he called Clark. The Dark Dimension's power far exceeded anything Robert had anticipated. Even if he and Clark combined their efforts, they stood little chance against such a colossal force.
The Dark Dimension wasn't just another pocket of the universe—it was a realm far removed from the material world, a force that dwarfed single entities like Asgard or Helipolis. It was more powerful than any of the ordinary dimensions or realms in the cosmos.
Quickly, Robert alerted Clark and the Avengers, instructing them to gather and prepare for the worst. He also notified Kara about the Dark Dimension's descent, warning her to protect Mobius and Blade.
Mobius was relatively safe, as he stayed at the Avengers base, but Blade, being more of a freelance operative, was often out in the field. With the recent near-extinction of vampires and werewolves at the hands of the Avengers, Blade had found himself unemployed, living a listless life.
Recently, however, Blade had teamed up with Moon Knight, keeping busy as nocturnal vigilantes. Together, they dealt with supernatural threats and occasionally took down common criminals, leading lives of night-bound protectors.
But now, with the Dark Dimension's arrival, Blade couldn't remain outside. Robert was certain that the Dark Dimension had come for Blade and Mobius, so they needed to be protected. Even the remaining vampires and werewolves undergoing genetic modification could be targets.
After issuing these orders, Robert and Clark made their way to Kamar-Taj. Robert was cautious not to charge into the dimensional battle alone. With Earth's wards already active, a lone assault would be futile against such overwhelming power.
"Who's there?!" At Kamar-Taj's wards, Doom was the first to notice Robert and Clark's arrival. Already on edge from the pressure of the Dark Dimension, he was ready to strike, thinking they were intruders from the dark realm.
"Huh? Is this one of your secret weapons? He seems much stronger than the rest of you," Robert raised an eyebrow in surprise upon seeing Doom, then turned to Mordo and the others. "What's the situation? Can Earth's defenses hold up against this?"
"For now, yes," Mordo replied, his face pale from the strain. "But the situation is dire. Earth's dimensional breach is still a weak point, and the wards alone won't hold forever. I don't know if the Dark Dimension has gone mad, but attacking so directly will cost them dearly. Aren't they worried about attracting other dimensions?"
"The Dark Dimension has flaws in its rules, and certain individuals on Earth can help them fix those flaws. Before, they only sent envoys, but now they're attacking with their entire realm. It seems they're quite determined," Robert muttered, sensing the immense pressure on Earth's defenses. It was clear that the wards wouldn't last
long.
"Why not just hand over the ones they're after?" Doom frowned, suggesting, "Sacrifice a few to save the whole planet. Isn't that a fair trade?"
Robert looked at Doom with amusement, then replied with a chuckle, "Interesting take. Would you volunteer yourself if you were the one being sacrificed? And if the Dark Dimension succeeds this time, becomes stronger, and decides to return for more, do you think they'll stop? Once they've tasted victory, what's to stop other dimensions from seeing Earth as a pushover?"
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