As the bald woman appeared, Peter's Spider-Sense, which had previously flared up outside the cave, once again lit up in a dangerous red.
He had assumed that the source of this overwhelming sense of danger was the Symbiote he encountered earlier. But after confronting it and discovering nothing particularly unusual, he'd been left puzzled. Now, in the blink of an eye, he understood—the true danger wasn't from the Symbiote.
It was from the woman standing before him.
His gaze instinctively locked onto the bald woman who had appeared without warning. Though it was their first meeting, he instantly recognized her. She was too distinctive to mistake for anyone else.
The yellow hooded robe, brimming with mystical energy, was unmistakable. It was as if she had the name "Ancient One" written across her face.
Indeed, the bald woman who suddenly appeared was none other than the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj—the Ancient One.
Anyone with even a surface-level understanding of the Marvel Universe would be familiar with her name. She was Earth's most powerful magic user, someone who could directly face off against Dormammu. Even Odin, the All-Father of Asgard, showed her respect. The true depths of her power remained a mystery.
But just the fact that she could stand her ground against Dormammu placed her firmly in the league of Skyfather-level beings, if not beyond. That level of power was far beyond what Peter could hope to compete with right now.
In front of the Ancient One, he was like an infant in swaddling clothes. If she decided to end him, it would take no more than a flick of her fingers—like squashing an ant.
That's why his Spider-Sense was going haywire.
"Give me that," the Ancient One said, gesturing calmly toward the glass bottle Peter was holding—the one containing the Symbiote. "This doesn't belong in our world. Leaving it here will only invite trouble. I need to send it back to its original universe."
As she spoke, she slowly reached out her hand toward him.
Peter's body reacted before his brain did. Fueled by the urgency of his Spider-Sense, he instinctively took a few steps back.
It was a reflex—a gut reaction. But in the Ancient One's eyes, it may have appeared as a sign of defiance.
She didn't seem offended. Instead, she gave him a knowing smile, as if she had seen through something important. Then, without any visible motion, her body blinked forward, materializing directly in front of Peter.
Before he could react, she raised her hand and gently pushed her palm toward him.
This wasn't an ordinary strike. It was imbued with immense magical force. Under normal circumstances, this kind of spell would knock a person's soul clean out of their body.
That was her intention—not to harm him, but to knock his soul out so she could examine what made this peculiar young man so special.
Moments ago, when she tried to use her magical sight to peer into Peter's soul, all she found was an impenetrable mist, like a shroud of chaotic energy. Even with her vast magical abilities, she couldn't see through it. And this—this had never happened before.
She was the Sorcerer Supreme. Her vision could perceive the deepest corners of the multiverse. Even Dormammu feared her. Yet, here stood a young man whom she couldn't read.
That was beyond abnormal.
To confirm her suspicions, she had struck. But when her palm connected with Peter, nothing happened.
No soul separation. No recoil. Nothing.
"Impossible!" the Ancient One muttered inwardly, a crease forming between her brows. Her expression turned grave as she studied Peter more closely.
This situation was beyond anything she had ever encountered. Even she, the mighty Sorcerer Supreme, was bewildered.
Peter, on the other hand, was just as stunned.
As a transmigrator, he knew exactly how terrifying the Ancient One could be. That harmless-looking palm strike was anything but—it was known to rip a soul from its body in an instant.
He had braced himself for exposure. After all, while he inhabited Peter Parker's body, his soul was not that of Peter Parker's.
If the Ancient One knocked his soul out, she would immediately see that he was an imposter. He didn't know what consequences would follow such a discovery, but he was certain they wouldn't be pleasant.
And yet… nothing happened.
Thanks to what he assumed was his "golden finger"—a cheat-like advantage granted by his transmigration—his soul remained firmly rooted in his body. He hadn't even flinched.
The palm strike had zero effect.
An awkward silence fell between them.
The Ancient One remained quiet because she couldn't understand why her magic had failed. Peter stayed silent out of fear—had he just angered a god-like being?
He knew full well that if the Ancient One perceived him as a threat, she could crush him without effort. And now, not only had he withstood her attack, but it might have seemed like he was mocking her.
Not wanting to make things worse, Peter made a split-second decision.
He dramatically flew backward as if he'd been blasted by a massive force and hit the ground, grimacing in exaggerated pain.
"…"
The Ancient One raised an eyebrow, three black lines of exasperation forming on her forehead. "I didn't even use any force. Stop pretending."
Peter awkwardly scratched his head, completely exposed.
"It's the first time my soul-separation magic has failed," she said thoughtfully. "You're a very special case. But don't worry—I don't mean you any harm."
She gestured again to the glass bottle in his hand.
"But I must take that. It doesn't belong in our universe. Keeping it here will cause problems."
"Doesn't belong to our universe?" Peter asked, surprised. "You mean—it came from a parallel universe?"
The Ancient One paused, studying him closely. "You actually know about parallel universes?"
Her gaze deepened, and Peter suddenly felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Uh, well, isn't the concept of parallel universes pretty mainstream now?" Peter said, trying to sound casual. "I mean, it's a common sci-fi trope, right?"
The Ancient One gave him a long, meaningful look. "You're not wrong. And yes, this Symbiote comes from another parallel universe. Someone secretly opened a rift in the multiverse and sent it here."
She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"And it seems... its target was you."
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