"Ugh—AAH!!!"
Scarlet energy burned through the souls of the two zealots, devouring them like molten lava. Their spiritual forms cracked and fragmented like charred coal, and before the pieces could even fall, they dissolved into nothingness.
Wanda withdrew her whips and slashed her hand downward. The massive magic circle pinning their physical bodies slammed down even harder.
Squelch—!
The soulless corpses were crushed into pulp—utterly annihilated.
On the other side, the Ancient One had already engaged Kacilius in combat. The spell circles in her hands acted like shields, effortlessly blocking his attacks while launching precise counterstrikes.
Empowered by dark energy, Kacilius only grew fiercer. He slammed his hand onto the ground, sending rippling waves surging toward her.
But the Ancient One merely looked on with disdain. She struck the ground with her palm, and the ripples instantly reversed direction, surging back toward Kacilius.
Midway, the ripples transformed into a shockwave, blasting him off his feet. The invisible blade in his hand shattered on impact.
The Ancient One looked at the fallen Kacilius, her expression still calm—completely unshaken.
"Watch out!!"
Suddenly, both Mordo and Strange shouted at once.
The Ancient One turned—
Too late.
Kacilius appeared behind her, his blade thrusting straight through her chest.
"—!"
She looked down slowly. The invisible blade had pierced clean through her body.
At the same time, the "Kacilius" lying on the ground faded away.
It had only been an illusion.
His real body had already slipped behind her.
Seeing this, Strange and Mordo were filled with rage. Even the Chaos Magic around Wanda surged violently.
Karl reached out and took Wanda's hand, calming the erupting power.
"This… was what she chose, remember? Even if we don't like it, we have to respect it. Now it depends on what Strange does next."
He spoke softly near her ear.
Wanda knew this had been the Ancient One's decision—but seeing it happen still shattered her composure. The woman had been her teacher, her mentor. There was no way she could feel nothing.
"I… I…"
Tears filled Wanda's eyes as she collapsed weakly into Karl's arms.
Then—
A portal opened.
Kacilius kicked the Ancient One's body through it. On the other side was the real world—high above the ground.
Strange instinctively reached for his Sling Ring—
Gone.
At some point, it had been taken. Though he had stolen Kacilius's ring earlier, his own had been stolen in return.
Without hesitation, Strange and Mordo leapt through the portal, chasing after the falling Ancient One.
Karl and Wanda, however, did not move immediately.
"Kacilius… take care."
Karl didn't know what else to say. Once friends, now enemies—and Kacilius had been reduced to a pawn in the Ancient One's final plan.
"Next time we meet, I won't hold back."
Kacilius looked at him coldly. Back in Kamar-Taj, Karl had understood him better than anyone. He had even considered him a kindred spirit.
But things had changed.
"Let's go, Wanda."
Karl took her hand. With a wave, Wanda tore open a crimson rift in the Mirror Dimension, and the two stepped through.
—
The Ancient One fell from the sky.
She crashed through a massive glass ceiling before hitting the ground, lying motionless.
Strange and Mordo arrived moments later. Strange immediately checked her vital signs.
There was still a faint pulse.
Barely.
Without hesitation, Strange opened a portal and rushed her to the hospital.
Pushing the stretcher through the halls, he shouted,
"Christine! Christine!!"
In the ICU, Palmer heard his voice and felt her heart tighten. She thought he had been injured again and rushed out.
Turning the corner, she saw him pushing an unconscious patient, accompanied by two emergency staff.
"Neurogenic myocardial contusion—likely caused by a sharp object or extreme force. We need immediate surgery!"
They rushed the Ancient One into the operating room. Strange quickly changed into surgical attire, intending to operate himself.
He didn't trust anyone else.
But the moment he picked up the scalpel—
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
Only then did it hit him.
He could no longer perform surgery.
Even if he forced himself to hold the scalpel, his shaking hands would only cause further harm.
"…Nick."
He called over his former assistant and handed him the scalpel.
"You lead. I'll guide you. First—we need to relieve intracranial pressure."
Nick nodded and took over without hesitation.
But before the surgery could begin—
The heart monitor flatlined.
A piercing, unbroken line stretched across the screen.
"We need oxygen now!"
Strange directed the team from the side. Even if he was no longer a doctor, everyone instinctively followed his commands—he was still the best among them.
"Pupils dilating—no neural response!"
a nurse called out.
At that moment, Strange noticed the monitor flicker.
A realization struck him.
He froze—
Then his soul separated from his body.
Just as he suspected, the Ancient One's spirit had already left her body, drifting toward the exit of the operating room.
Strange immediately gave chase.
"Please—you're dying! Get back into your body!"
He shouted as he followed her.
They arrived in a quiet lounge.
The Ancient One stood by a floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the storm outside—lightning flashing across the sky.
"You have to go back. We're out of time."
Strange rushed to her side, urgency in his voice.
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