As the Ancient One appeared in the Avengers' base, Robert immediately noticed something was different about her. She seemed altered compared to the last time he had seen her, but no matter how closely he tried to sense what had changed, he couldn't pinpoint it.
"Where is this?" The Ancient One looked around, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. Soon, however, clarity returned to her eyes. "This is the Avengers' base? How did I get here? Wasn't I with the Saiyan and Superman before?"
"What?!" Robert's expression darkened at her words. It became clear to him that the Ancient One's memory had been tampered with. She seemed to have no recollection of what had happened after her disappearance.
"What did you do to her?" Robert demanded, his tone sharp. But there was no answer. The Earth's dimensional consciousness had seemingly withdrawn its presence, leaving no trace behind. Meanwhile, the Avengers' monitoring systems showed Galactus continuing to break through the dimensional barriers around Earth, each shattered layer bringing him closer.
"Is that… a cosmic god?!" The Ancient One's sharp gaze shifted to the image of Galactus. Although she could feel the gaps in her memory, she didn't have time to dwell on them. Her focus turned immediately to the pressing threat.
While Kamar-Taj's primary role was to defend Earth from dimensional threats, a crisis of this magnitude—one that endangered Earth's very existence—also fell squarely within her responsibilities.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, the Ancient One summoned a fiery portal beneath her feet and disappeared from the Avengers' base.
Robert sighed at her impulsive departure. A moment later, he vanished as well, following her into space. The other Avengers had been preparing to act, but Robert's voice quickly stopped them. "Constantine, get the Infinity Stones ready. As for the rest of you, don't get involved. This is not an enemy you can face."
The Avengers froze at his words. Despite their rapid growth in strength, none of them could deny Robert's assessment. Among them, perhaps only the Hulk might stand a chance against the Sentry in a fair fight, but none of them could hope to match a being like Galactus.
If they attempted to intervene, they'd likely fare no better than the Doomsday and Kryptonian soldier armies—completely overwhelmed and consumed without leaving so much as a trace.
Even Diana and Kara, two of the strongest among them, knew their power wasn't remotely sufficient to challenge Galactus. All they could do now was place their faith in Robert and the Ancient One.
In the void of space, Robert appeared beside the Ancient One. Smiling faintly, he observed their surroundings. "This is the first time I've seen you in outer space," he remarked. "Usually, you're battling in dimensional planes, which feel quite different from this."
"How many Infinity Stones do we have?" The Ancient One's voice was calm, but her expression was solemn. A faint, otherworldly glow surrounded her, highlighting the immense magical energy she wielded. Despite her strength, she didn't seem confident about the coming battle.
"Space, Power, Reality… and the Time Stone, which you're wearing," Robert replied, nodding toward the Eye of Agamotto around her neck. "That makes four. But can you really handle using them all?"
Robert was well aware of how overwhelming the power of the Infinity Stones could be. Using a single stone was already a challenge, but wielding multiple stones simultaneously required an external medium like the Infinity Gauntlet.
Even with the Ancient One's mastery of magic, Robert wasn't entirely convinced she could bear the burden. He was already considering sending someone to find Eitri, the Dwarven King, to forge a new gauntlet to aid her.
"I can't use all four. Three is my limit," the Ancient One admitted with a shake of her head. "With the Time, Space, and Reality Stones, I should at least be able to protect Earth."
Buzz!
As her mystical energy surged, the students at Kamar-Taj worked quickly to prepare the three Infinity Stones. Led by Kaecilius, they opened a portal and sent the stones directly to the Ancient One.
Whoosh!
At the same time, Galactus continued his advance, unhindered by the Earth's defenses. The dimensional consciousness of Earth seemed to recognize that the Ancient One and Robert needed time to prepare. It maintained its resistance, albeit faltering, to slow Galactus down. Finally, however, Galactus turned his attention toward Robert and the Ancient One.
Buzz!
In response, the three Infinity Stones activated, their power radiating in vibrant green, blue, and red hues. The combined energy created a unique, shimmering domain that enveloped Galactus's massive form, temporarily removing him from Earth's immediate vicinity.
Under normal circumstances, even the Mirror Dimension would struggle to contain a being of Galactus's size. Kamar-Taj's students could barely create a Mirror Dimension large enough to encompass Earth, and to Galactus, Earth was no larger than a small fruit.
However, with the combined power of the three Infinity Stones—amplified by the Ancient One's mastery of magic—Galactus was forcibly drawn into the alternate domain. Within this space, the Time, Space, and Reality Stones warped the environment, neutralizing Galactus's immediate threat to Earth.
From afar, the Silver Surfer observed the scene with growing surprise. "Infinity Stones? Earth has so many of them?"
Though he marveled at the sight, he wasn't overly concerned for Galactus. To the Surfer, the Infinity Stones, powerful as they were, couldn't truly threaten his master.
Back on Earth, humanity watched in astonishment as Galactus vanished from the sky. Relief mixed with uncertainty spread across the planet. Many dared to hope that the crisis was over, though some remained skeptical.
"Is it really over?" someone murmured.
"I'm not sure. Those mysterious sorcerers seemed to do something… but we don't know if that thing is gone for good," another replied.
While Earth's civilians clung to optimism, its leaders were less convinced. The blurry footage of the Ancient One's fiery portals suggested that Kamar-Taj's sorcerers were involved, but their true capabilities were unclear. If Galactus returned, the situation could spiral out of control once more.
Inside the Infinity Stone-powered domain, Robert and the Ancient One stood side by side, facing the towering figure of Galactus. His massive form seemed to defy comprehension, stretching endlessly into the void.
"Infinity Stones?" Galactus's voice rumbled, reverberating through the space. His aura surged, causing the very fabric of the domain to tremble.
"Cosmic god, we mean you no harm," the Ancient One began, stepping forward to negotiate. "If you agree to spare Earth, we will withdraw the power of the Infinity Stones."
"Your so-called Infinity Stones cannot threaten me," Galactus replied dismissively. "Even if you had all six, you would still be powerless against me."
His words carried an air of absolute certainty, though whether this was arrogance or truth remained unclear.
Robert shook his head at the Ancient One's attempt at diplomacy. "Doesn't look like he's interested in talking. Guess I'll handle this," he said, stepping forward with a smirk. "You know what to do—support me. Try shrinking him down a bit; he's way too big to fight like this."
The Ancient One nodded reluctantly, her expression grim. "Fine… but—what?!" Her eyes widened in shock as Robert's energy began to surge.
"Waaahhh!"
With a shout, Robert's aura flared, his form transforming. His hair turned golden, his eyes glowed with intense light, and his body emitted a fiery energy. This was the unmistakable power of a Super Saiyan. But it didn't stop there—his transformation continued to evolve. His hair grew more defined, arcs of lightning crackled around him, and his energy rippled through the domain, shaking it to its core.
"You're this powerful already?" the Ancient One marveled. "Your strength is among the greatest in the universe… but this is a cosmic god. They were born before the universe itself, embodying its very principles."
"Talk is pointless," Robert retorted, his icy gaze locked onto Galactus. "Even if you wanted to surrender, he probably wouldn't accept it. Let's get to work."
With a burst of speed, Robert vanished from his position, reappearing in front of Galactus's enormous head.
Boom!
Robert's kick landed squarely on Galactus's head, causing the cosmic giant's massive form to shudder. Though the movement seemed minimal, the impact was staggering. Considering the size disparity, it was akin to a human's head being jolted by the impact of a single cell—an almost incomprehensible feat.
Buzz!
Meanwhile, the Ancient One didn't stand idle. Her hands moved in intricate patterns, conjuring spell after spell to compress Galactus's immense form and weaken his defenses. His sheer size and durability made it nearly impossible for Robert to deal meaningful damage, so the Ancient One focused on creating an opening.
Even with Robert's incredible strength, it was like trying to pierce an elephant's hide with a single needle. But together, their combined efforts might just be enough to challenge the seemingly insurmountable Galactus.
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