"Well said—knowing what to do and what not to do!"
The Ancient One sighed softly. "Why are you so persistent? Isn't it better to follow the flow of fate? Everyone has their own destiny, and not all things can be chosen."
"If I could, I wouldn't want to possess all this magic. I'd rather live as a mortal—feel the warmth of the sun, and watch the world's beauty as an ordinary person."
"Why do so many people resist fate? There are always stronger forces, and higher mountains to climb. The stronger you become, the greater the dangers that follow."
"Hahaha!"
Leo burst into laughter after hearing her words.
He had already been noticed by the Time Variance Authority, and Kang the Conqueror wasn't far behind—if he hadn't already noticed him.
If Leo couldn't become stronger, his end was already sealed.
He didn't want to live under Kang's rule—he wanted to crush Kang!
Leo stared at the Ancient One and shouted:
"You said the stronger one becomes, the more dangerous it is, right? Then I'll become so powerful that everyone fears me—fears even my existence!"
The Ancient One shook her head slightly at such arrogance.
"Young man, do you not know humility and restraint? Impetuousness leads to downfall."
Leo snorted. "And if I'm not impetuous, am I even young anymore?"
"Ancient One, you're old. Your heart has aged too. You've become too compassionate, lost your fighting spirit, and now you only follow the ending others wrote for you!"
The Ancient One's expression changed slightly. His words struck deep—because he was right.
She had grown weary of struggle, tired of the endless burden of time. She no longer fought; she merely let fate carry her along.
"Enough talk," Leo said coldly. "Let's settle this today."
"If I win, you will never again alter destiny's course. But if I lose, I won't interfere with anything you do."
"Good," the Ancient One replied firmly. "It's a deal. Please—make your move."
Leo smiled faintly. "A gamble, huh? Now this is getting interesting."
Kamar-Taj sorcerers were known not just for their magic, but for their close-quarters combat—a fusion of martial arts and sorcery.
The Ancient One gave Leo a deep look. This man was calm—too calm. So, she decided to strike first.
She raised her right hand and formed a glowing sigil.
Sparks burst forth, and Leo suddenly realized he was no longer standing on Earth.
"What a technique… the Mirror Dimension!" Leo exclaimed in awe.
Experiencing it firsthand, he couldn't help but admire her mastery.
"You flatter me," the Ancient One replied gently.
Before Leo could react, she was already upon him—both hands glowing with a dull yellow light, the Ring of Fire shield blazing as she struck at his head.
The shield enhanced her close-quarters strength and defense, and carried the scorching power of flame.
But Leo wasn't about to back down. With a flash, he vanished—reappearing three meters to her right.
"Take this—Ice Arrows!"
With a roar, countless frost-tipped arrows formed before him, glimmering with icy light.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Thousands of arrows rained down like a blizzard, filling the Mirror Dimension with lethal cold.
"Child's play," the Ancient One murmured calmly.
"Shield of Light!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The storm of arrows struck her from all sides, but her radiant barrier held firm, scattering the frozen shards harmlessly.
"Heh, not bad," Leo said with a grin. "That was just a warm-up."
He vanished again.
The Ancient One's expression shifted—she immediately brought her hands together, conjuring the Shield of Seraphim, and slammed it into a point in the void.
"BOOM!"
The collision rocked the Mirror Dimension.
The ground cracked, and golden light and dust exploded outward, rising like a sandstorm a hundred meters high.
The Ancient One's shield shattered into fragments of golden glass that rained down around her.
She staggered back several steps, her protective Ring of Fire barely saving her from injury.
But her calm composure was gone—replaced by genuine shock.
"You… can teleport inside the Mirror Dimension? And you have hundreds of tons of physical strength?!"
Leo just smiled, proud and unbothered.
The Ancient One couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Ice-element magic, teleportation, spatial control—and now raw, superhuman strength?
How could one person possess all of this? Was the Universe itself biased toward him?
Leo grinned wider. "Finally, I've shocked you. No more of that calm and wise act, huh?"
"Surprised? You said I'm an Infinite One, right? Then why shouldn't I have infinite powers?"
"The Universe is vast—there are always those born lucky. You just haven't met enough of them yet. Maybe when you do, you'll realize the things you cling to so tightly are just things others stopped caring about long ago."
A vein twitched on the Ancient One's forehead. His smug expression, that cocky grin—it was infuriating.
But she quickly steadied her breath. Centuries of discipline brought her focus back.
The shock had passed. Now, she would get serious.
This opponent… was truly troublesome.
...
Author's Note:
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