Reynolds felt a chill run down his spine, as if he had just heard a terrifying declaration of death.
His face was filled with fear as he looked at Duncan. "Your words remind me of countless vampires getting their chests burst open by Xenomorphs."
"Don't worry. You're someone I've chosen. I won't let you end up like a vampire. You're completely different from them."
Duncan, fully aware of what Reynolds was thinking, sent out a reassuring mental wave. He had no intention of performing a chestburster transformation on Reynolds—it would serve no real purpose.
If he were truly desperate for food, killing Reynolds now and converting him into a complete Xenomorph might be an option, but there was no guarantee how strong or capable that Xenomorph would be.
At the very least, it wouldn't be useful in dealing with Dormammu.
The Ancient One, watching closely, showed interest in the powerful weapon Duncan had mentioned.
"His power originates from a pocket universe. How exactly do you plan to enhance his capacity to handle that energy?"
"There is a way… but the success rate is questionable. I can only give it a try."
Duncan carefully observed Reynolds' overall condition, hesitating. To be honest, if he had any other choice, he wouldn't go down this path—
The path of the Trinary Sentinel.
The strongest form of the Sentry—taking the 616-universe version as an example—was the fusion of three entities:
Bob Reynolds (the human host) The heroic Sentry persona The dark Void persona
When these three merged, they became the Red Sentry, stacking and inverting the power of a million exploding suns.
Among all single-universe-level beings in the multiverse, such a Sentry ranked among the most powerful.
However, in this particular universe, the Sentry that should have perished was instead brought to life due to Duncan's interference.
And at present, only Reynolds' heroic persona existed.
If Duncan wanted to unlock the full potential of the Sentry, he needed two more personas.
But who would they be? And what were the odds of a successful fusion?
"In the 616 universe, Bob Reynolds' persona was created because Doctor Strange, the Reaper, intervened,
and because Reynolds himself wanted to suppress his out-of-control Void persona.
That led him to take on the identity of Bob, trying to live a normal life."
"As for the Void persona, it could either exist as a tangible entity of power from the pocket universe or as a fractured personality born from Reynolds' madness."
Duncan had a plan—one he had long kept in reserve. Now, it was time to act on it.
Duncan didn't have Bob or the Void, but he could create two new personas.
"Reynolds, you have no idea how much potential lies dormant within you. My mission is to awaken it."
He focused on Reynolds' chest, sensing the psychic waves radiating from the Xenomorph embryo inside.
"In other words, by merging myself, the Xenomorph embryo, and Reynolds into a trinity,
I can push the body's genetic and psychic limits to new heights…
This universe's Reynolds, due to my interference, was born incomplete—lacking a dark persona.
So I'll create one myself."
Duncan had never attempted this before. He had only theorized about it. But with Dormammu's threat looming, he had no choice but to take the risk.
And this wasn't just a remote-controlled experiment. He was about to personally participate.
Expecting the timid Reynolds to summon the courage to fight Dormammu on his own?
Duncan found that idea highly unrealistic.
What truly intrigued Duncan was that if this experiment succeeded, it would hold even greater implications for the future.
"I don't know exactly what you plan to do," Reynolds said after a long silence, his voice low and steady.
"But I'm ready.
I may not be smart, but I'm no fool.
If you've decided on something, I'll follow through.
I don't think I'm more intelligent than you, and the power I have now only exists because of some unknown method you used to give it to me."
"I'm honored to hear that, Reynolds. Let me make one thing clear—
I will never let my subordinates die for no reason."
With that, Duncan began his operation.
Even at this moment, he hadn't personally appeared. He continued to speak through his Druid projection while conversing with the Ancient One.
He had no intention of sending his real body to the battlefield.
There were some matters that simply didn't require a direct presence.
In an instant, as the terrifying black fog nearly engulfed Earth, Reynolds' body erupted with dazzling golden light.
But the most striking thing was the strong and distinct psychic wave radiating from his chest.
It was as if something was trying to break free—but in the end, it didn't.
Instead, it synchronized with the Sentry's mind, shouldering his power and attempting to stack even more onto it.
Absolute coldness.
Absolute rationality.
Absolute execution.
The Xenomorph, now integrated with Reynolds, reached into the pocket universe for more power.
A never-ending stream of stellar energy surged forth, precisely converging onto the Sentry.
At this moment, the Sentry himself had essentially become the gateway and anchor point for the pocket universe in this reality.
Wherever he went, the pocket universe followed.
And this was only the beginning.
The Ancient One, who had been watching closely, finally showed a shift in expression.
She had sensed it—
A third mental presence had emerged within Reynolds.
At that moment, she realized exactly what Duncan was trying to do.
But Duncan's method of transferring consciousness made her think of a forbidden spell—
"Is this the Astral Projection from the Darkhold!?"
The Ancient One exclaimed in shock as she watched the overwhelming golden light surging from Reynolds, piercing the sky.
"No, not astral projection. I've never read the Darkhold.
But I suspect the principles are similar."
Duncan's voice sounded again—
This time, coming from Reynolds' own mouth.
Reynolds' body trembled violently.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
Although it was still Reynolds' face,
his expression, his gaze, his very presence—
everything about him now screamed Duncan.
This wasn't just Duncan controlling Reynolds through the Xenomorph.
This was Duncan himself.
Using the Xenomorph embryo as a conduit and an anchor in space-time,
Duncan forcibly projected his own consciousness into Reynolds' body.
"A long time ago, I confirmed something—
I can maintain a constant psychic link with every Xenomorph.
Through them, I can sense the actions and thoughts of every host.
And that leads to a very interesting question:
If my mind can control a host through a Xenomorph…
Then what happens if I use a Xenomorph embryo as a direct channel and anchor—
to invade the host's mind completely?"
At this moment, "Reynolds" slowly lifted his head. Within his body, three distinct consciousnesses coexisted—Duncan, the Xenomorph, and Reynolds himself. Right now, these three consciousnesses had merged into one, with Duncan's spiritual essence in absolute control.
Frankly speaking, the process was excruciating. After all, it involved forcibly fusing three entirely different consciousnesses while maintaining their existence across time and space. If not for Duncan's deep familiarity and dominance over Reynolds and the Xenomorph larva's minds, the fusion would have collapsed the instant they intertwined.
It was an immense struggle. Even now, Duncan could feel the terrifying pressure crushing his spirit—an ever-increasing weight, as if he were shouldering the full expanse of a true universe, rather than merely touching a fragment of a pocket dimension as Reynolds had before.
But the results were astounding.
The three consciousnesses had collectively adapted to the immense power of a million stars. The strength wielded by the Sentinel had surged dramatically. The golden energy surging within him instantly doubled, and with Duncan's control, it could manifest even greater power.
Every cell in his body radiated boundless vitality, striving to absorb as much stellar energy as possible.
As Duncan straightened his chest, the massive "S" on his waist began to twist. With the convergence of overwhelming energy, a strange symbol took shape—one that resembled a curled-up Xenomorph, its head and tail seamlessly connected.
His body expanded, growing visibly more robust. Every fiber, every muscle within him pulsed with extraordinary strength.
The once purely golden body had changed as well, now tinged with streaks of silver-gray. Those familiar with his nature would recognize it instantly—the color of the Xenomorph.
"I must admit, you've surprised me once again. I never imagined you would use the Xenomorph to develop something akin to Astral Projection."
The Ancient One observed Duncan closely, her face filled with admiration.
It was remarkable. Even though she was the Sorcerer Supreme, vastly superior to Duncan in both raw power and knowledge, she had never considered such an application of the Xenomorph's abilities.
Astral Projection was a forbidden technique recorded in the Darkhold.
In theory, any sentient being born within the multiverse had parallel selves across different universes—variants of themselves. In one universe, a person might be a hero, while in another, they could be a villain.
By using Astral Projection, one could transcend the barriers between universes and seize control of their counterpart in a parallel world.
From the Ancient One's perspective, Duncan's current takeover of Reynolds' body was still rough and inexperienced. The duration he could maintain this state remained uncertain—it could collapse at any moment, forcing him to relinquish control. But even so, it was already shaping into the early form of Astral Projection.
The most astonishing aspect was its safety and efficiency.
Unlike traditional Astral Projection, which required tapping into Chthon's power and paying a steep price, Duncan's method had no such cost—he simply needed a Xenomorph as his vessel.
In theory, as long as Xenomorphs existed somewhere, under the right conditions, Duncan could descend upon them.
Right now, he was on Earth. But what if, somewhere out in the cosmos, other Xenomorphs existed? Could he extend his consciousness across the vast distances of space and descend upon them as well?
And if one day, Duncan managed to secretly transport Xenomorphs into parallel universes, would he then be able to achieve true cross-dimensional projection—just like the real Astral Projection?
After all, ordinary users of the technique first had to painstakingly locate and sense their counterparts in alternate realities.
But Duncan didn't.
As long as a Xenomorph was present, he could extend his mind and will through it.
Yes, achieving full multiversal projection would be extraordinarily difficult. But any power that continued to evolve never started out strong—it required time and wisdom to be refined.
The Ancient One had high hopes for Duncan and his Xenomorphs. Yet every time she thought she had a grasp on their limits, her understanding was shattered, forcing her to continuously reevaluate them.
She was beginning to truly believe that Duncan had countless contingency plans hidden up his sleeve. And she was certain that he would never reveal all his trump cards in a single battle.
No one knew how many aces Duncan still held.
Nor when—or how—he would play them.
"I can see why you're so confident in yourself," the Ancient One remarked. "It seems you've spent a lot of time preparing for all kinds of crises. But I'm still curious—if someone were to kill your true body right now, would you live or die?"
She looked at him with intrigue.
"Good question," Duncan replied. "Because I don't know either. And frankly, I don't want to find out before I take my next step forward. That's why I keep making contingency plans."
Duncan had pondered this question privately before.
His conclusion? He might die.
But then again, maybe part of his consciousness could persist—embedded within a carefully selected Xenomorph.
The real question was: if that happened, would he still be Duncan?
Or just a Xenomorph carrying his memories?
Who knew?
And he certainly wasn't about to test the theory by committing suicide.
"No one can kill him. Absolutely no one."
The Druid, who had initially been present merely as a messenger, suddenly spoke in a deep, fervent voice. His expression teetered on the edge of fanaticism.
Unlike the others, he showed no surprise at Duncan's ability to descend into Reynolds' body and take control.
To him, anything related to Duncan and the Xenomorphs was natural—a fundamental law of the universe itself.
"Dormammu is here."
Duncan pointed toward the sky.
Above them, a massive rift had already torn open, revealing Dormammu's colossal head.
Boundless, raging flames surged forth, temporarily raising the temperature of the vacuum beyond Earth's atmosphere to unimaginable levels.
Compared to the vastness of the Dark Dimension, Earth seemed pitifully small.
The blue planet was now enshrouded in an endless sea of darkness, watched by the malevolent god lurking within the rift—like a candle in the wind, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.
And yet, despite its insignificance, this tiny planet shone with a faint but unyielding light in the face of such overwhelming despair.
How many planets had already been consumed by the Dark Dimension?
The silent, dead stars and barren, lifeless worlds littered across its void were proof enough.
"Heh… how amusing."
Dormammu's laughter rumbled through the void.
"The Ancient One has always opposed me, and now even this little thing dares to stand against me?"
His gaze swept over Duncan.
Instantly, he sensed something unusual.
He detected three distinct consciousnesses within him.
Rare, but not unheard of.
What truly caught Dormammu's attention, however, was the overwhelming power now radiating from Reynolds—or rather, from Duncan himself.
His eyes pierced through the fabric of the universe, instantly deciphering the source of this strength.
He saw it.
The unending flow of stellar energy surging from a foreign cosmos, converging upon Duncan in its entirety.
Dormammu tried to sever the connection.
But he couldn't.
Because at this moment, Duncan was the gateway to that pocket universe.
"I won't just stop you," Duncan declared, his voice rising like a tide of golden light, soaring toward the heavens.
"One day, I'll destroy you."
Golden energy coalesced, forming a radiant corridor stretching into the sky.
The Ancient One moved first.
She had fought Dormammu for years. There was nothing more to say.
With a flick of her hand, she unleashed an immensely enhanced version of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak.
Unlike an ordinary energy whip, this was deeper in color, imbued with the power of demonic restraints.
And without hesitation—
She lashed it toward Dormammu.