Being rejected and mocked to his face didn't particularly hurt Jason's feelings.
He thought for a moment and said, "Let me guess—you saw me committing all these evils and decided to jump out and represent the Moon—no, represent the Earth to eliminate me? That plot is a bit cliché, don't you think?"
He was joking, but to his surprise, the Ancient One actually nodded.
"Classic themes often become clichés. As I said before, your actions have severely threatened the safety of Earth. If you are left unchecked, the future of this planet is one of utter calamity."
Jason's smile vanished. "No room for negotiation?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "It has come to this because of your own choices."
Jason retorted angrily, "Then tell me, what exactly is my crime that warrants the intervention of the Sorcerer Supreme? Murder? Arson? Treason? Selling out the country?"
"Heh, how dull. Do you know how many people the ruling classes of this land have killed to this day? Millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions... compared to them, my little mischief is nothing."
"Since you love standing on the moral high ground and speaking so righteously, tell me: in all these years, have you ever troubled them? Have you stopped a single war of aggression? Have you ever worked for the welfare of all mankind?"
"Enough!" The Ancient One, having lived for a thousand years, was completely unmoved by his rhetoric and cut him off. "Have you ever considered why humanity has managed to thrive until now without going extinct?"
Jason snorted. "Is it all thanks to you?"
The Ancient One nodded. "Of course. The duty of the Sorcerer Supreme is to prevent aliens and dark forces from invading Earth. Threats in the universe are everywhere, and Earth is like a newborn baby that needs protection."
The stakes were raised so high that the conversation hit a dead end. Jason was unable to refute the logic, but he caught a loophole.
"Since your duty is to stop aliens and dark forces... Why are you bothering me? I'm a local!"
This point hit home. The Ancient One looked at Jason with a complex gaze.
"I know... that is why, for all these years, I have not interfered with what you did under my nose. My answer to your question is the same as it is for the rest of them: whatever humans do to each other is their own responsibility. It was true for the First World War, it was true for the Second, and I will never interfere in the affairs of human society."
"But... When Thor and Loki appeared, the future of Earth began to spiral out of control. I have used the Time Stone to see through countless future timelines, and no matter how I search for hope, the result is always the same."
She looked at him with grave intensity. "Earth will fall into a quagmire of cosmic war from which it cannot escape. And the core figure... is you!"
Her expression didn't suggest she was fearmongering, but Jason still found it hard to accept. I'm a terrorist at best; I'm going to be the center of a galactic war?
"So, you intend to execute me for a crime I haven't committed yet?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "It is not a supposed crime. The Time Stone can traverse the future and the past to any point in time. What I have seen is fact."
"Furthermore, I do not intend to execute you. As you said, despite your many evils, you are a local. Striking you is already an exception to my rules, so I have decided..."
Everyone's nerves were pulled taut, like prisoners waiting for a final verdict.
"I have decided to exile you! To the unknown reaches of deep space!"
Exile. She couldn't kill him, so she'd just toss him into the void. Heh, quite a clever solution.
Jason fell silent for a moment, slowly letting out a breath. Truth be told, he really didn't want to clash with the Sorcerer Supreme, but this bald nun was hell-bent on making his life difficult.
"I understand. Then... let's do it."
The moment the words left his lips, Jason's energy exploded. He pushed off the ground, appearing instantly in front of the Ancient One, swinging a massive fist toward her face. Even if the enemy's power was unfathomable, Jason wasn't one to wait for death. If she wanted to exile him, she'd have to beat him first.
The Ancient One seemed to have anticipated this. Jason's fist was inches from her nose, yet she didn't dodge. She stood her ground calmly.
The energy-laden fist slammed into her face—but Jason's heart sank. He felt no impact. His fist passed through her as if she were a mirage, just like Loki's illusions, and his momentum carried him right through her.
Jason screeched to a halt, his expression grim. The Ancient One turned around and encouraged him, "Good. Continue."
Fury flared in Jason. He roared, "Harley! Everyone, get back!"
"Be careful!" Harley cried out, immediately teleporting the rest of the group away.
With no one else around, Jason could unleash his full power. With a thought, he concentrated a nuclear-level amount of energy into a blue sphere ten meters in diameter.
"Go to hell!" Jason hoisted the orb, containing eighty percent of his reserves, and hurled it at her.
"Beautiful!" The Ancient One smiled, tracing a circle in the air with her palm. Sparks of orange light flickered, and a portal expanded in front of her. The energy orb flew directly into the circle and vanished.
"What?" Jason panted, frozen in place, lost for words. His physical hits only struck phantoms, and his energy attacks were simply moved away. What kind of magic is this?
Seeing him pause, the Ancient One asked, "What's the matter? Are you out of breath?"
Jason snarled, "Try not dodging if you're so brave!"
The Ancient One laughed softly. "That request is... a bit childish. But then again, given my age, you are a child. I accept."
Jason was ecstatic. "You said it!" If she wouldn't dodge, he still had a chance. He condensed his remaining energy and moved at a speed indistinguishable from teleportation, appearing behind her and swinging for the back of her head.
He thought speed was his advantage, but he had underestimated her. Just as the blow was about to land, she spun around and caught his fist in her palm.
BOOM!
The impact was halted, making the earth beneath them shudder violently.
"You..." Jason was horrified, his pupils dilating.
"Surprised?" the Ancient One smiled. "The surprises are just beginning."
Suddenly, Jason felt the energy in his fist being siphoned away—she was draining him.
"You have powers too?" Jason tried to pull his energy back.
"No," The Ancient One explained calmly. "This is magic."
It was bizarre. Jason could feel the stolen energy sitting right in the center of her palm. But no matter how hard he tried to pull it back, he couldn't. Instead, her suction felt like a high-powered pump, relentless and unstoppable.
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You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
500 power stones.
Top 100. All time.