Chapter 125: The Ancient One Takes Action

After stepping through the portal, Anthony immediately sensed something was amiss. The portal was supposed to lead to the heart of the Forest City, yet he found himself deep within a primeval wilderness.

“Something is interfering with my coordinates,” Anthony murmured, frowning. Sensing the disruption, he promptly returned to Karmathegi to relay the troubling news to the elders.

The elders guarding Karmathegi headquarters attempted to open a portal to the Forest City, but without exception, their efforts were thwarted. The intended destination was severely distorted, with the portal potentially opening anywhere across Midgard.

[This is problematic.] Every mage realized the gravity of the situation. They dispatched messengers to contact the Ancient One, who was currently training Strange, while simultaneously shifting the target coordinates outward in hopes of locating the interference zone.

Soon, the Ancient One, nurturing her successor in the mirror dimension, received the urgent communication from Karmathegi. She reluctantly paused her work and instructed Strange to return to his studies.

“Master, this is the situation: we are testing the maximum range of the interference. From what we’ve gathered, it’s likely that the entire Forest City is engulfed,” Wang reported, compiling the latest intelligence. The Ancient One’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Understood. I’m aware of everything now, Wang. Strange will need to rely on you more from here on,” the Ancient One said gravely, visions of countless futures flashing through her mind. Upon learning of the Forest City’s disappearance, she grasped the true nature of the crisis.

Though the main universe’s future remained uncertain, the Ancient One, bearer of the Time Stone, could sift through myriad possible futures to find the one she sought.

Focusing the Time Stone’s power, she detected the ethereal aura suffusing the Forest City.

Knowing it was the ether revealed the puppeteer behind the curtain: only the Dark Elves, kin of the Nine Realms, possessed the power to manipulate the ether and circumvent Midgard’s protective barriers.

The sacred magic shield erected by the Sanctum Sanctorum harnessed the World Tree’s nodal energies, rendering it ineffective against Dark Elves who could infiltrate through the World Tree’s secret passages.

The Ancient One understood now how the ether’s deceptive presence had eluded her prior investigations into the Dark Elves. Yet, the situation was still salvageable.

Resolute, the Ancient One decided to personally intervene. Before departing, she entrusted the Eye of Agamotto to Wang for safekeeping.

She knew that unleashing her full might would deplete the years she had suppressed her power, possibly causing her to transcend and return to the eternal embrace.

Wang acknowledged this solemn truth with a respectful bow before returning to the library, where the Eye of Agamotto would remain until it found its next guardian.

Beyond the crimson mist, a golden portal shimmered into existence. The Ancient One, wielding her formidable power to suppress the interference, arrived at the outskirts of the Forest City.

The land was scorched and ruined—a desolate wasteland bearing the unmistakable scars of a nuclear blast, its former beauty utterly erased.

Observing the fallen civilians beneath her, the Ancient One discerned the tragic events they had endured. Recognizing the preciousness of time, she swiftly unfolded the mirror dimension, enveloping the entire Forest City shrouded in red mist within it.

Suddenly, the refugees who had narrowly escaped death saw the crimson haze vanish behind them. Bewildered, they fled outward, too frightened to comprehend what had just occurred.

Far away, the Bear Emperor of the Bear Nation slammed his fist onto the desk in front of the blank screen where the Forest City had vanished.

The previous hydrogen bomb strike appeared effective, and he had intended to launch several more, but unexpectedly, the target had simply disappeared.

“Do you think if we launch more nukes, we can force them out?” The Bear Emperor glared at the screen, his tone sharp as he questioned the Minister of Defense.

“Th-that might, perhaps, possibly…” The Minister stammered, sweat pouring down his face as anxiety clouded his mind.

“Forget it. Arrange an emergency summit with the other nations,” the Emperor said wearily, massaging the bridge of his nose. After seeing thousands of missiles miss their mark, he turned away from the provisional hall.

“Yes, sir,” the Minister breathed a sigh of relief. The previous barrage and hydrogen bomb had sufficiently demonstrated the Bear Nation’s power; now it was up to the Emperor to handle the political fallout.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Avengers had noticed the anomaly in the Forest City as the Bear Nation launched missiles.

With Stark Industries’ satellite system, Tony Stark and his team immediately surveyed the area.

After witnessing thousands of missiles fail, the Avengers fell into a heavy silence. Given their current strength, only the Hulk might withstand such an onslaught, let alone the subsequent hydrogen bombs.

“It seems our gear needs an upgrade,” Tony mused, stroking his chin while watching the hydrogen bomb detonations on the screen. Even the mightiest human weapon—the Iron Man armor—was still insufficient.

Steve Rogers clenched his fists. Facing such cataclysmic power, not even his vibranium shield could guarantee his safety. His personal strength felt woefully limited—a realization that had dawned on him gradually since the Antarctic mission.

Yet the relentless crises left Steve no time to contemplate his future until after the Battle of Washington D.C., when he finally found a moment to reflect.

Back when Qu Yi Zhi was alive, he had taught Steve and Tony the basics of psychic cultivation. But with Qu Yi Zhi gone, only some elementary knowledge remained—already mastered by both men.

If Tony could enhance his combat prowess through armor upgrades, and others could improve via better equipment, what path remained for Steve?

Should he become an Iron Captain like Tony? Steve doubted that an old relic from a century past could outmatch the younger generation in that regard. Was he fated to be swept away by the tide?

Perhaps his shield should be passed to a young warrior clad in new armor. A wave of melancholy washed over Steve—an emotion unbecoming of a seasoned soldier—but the recent upheavals across Midgard forced him to confront this very truth.