As for Kaecilius's questioning, Ethan couldn't even be bothered to respond. It wasn't that he was tired of showing off lately, but rather that he knew clearly Strange had already initiated the time loop. At this point, no matter how much he showed off or humiliated Kaecilius, as soon as Strange was killed by Dormammu, time would reset to the beginning of the loop.
Dormammu could sense that he was trapped in a time loop, but Kaecilius clearly wasn't on that level. So no matter how Ethan dealt with him, the man wouldn't remember any of it.
Was Ethan supposed to show off every time the timeline reset? That was too foolish and meaningless.
Seeing that he was being ignored, a surge of anger rose in Kaecilius's heart.
He had caused so much chaos on Earth. Even the Ancient One wouldn't have dared ignore him if she were here. Who did this guy think he was?
Just as he was about to act, the entire world suddenly paused. Then, except for Ethan and Tony, everything began to rewind, returning to an earlier moment when Wong and Mordo were confronting Kaecilius.
Tony looked at the scene around him, then glanced at the faint green energy swirling around himself. He understood that he had not been dragged into the time loop thanks to Ethan's magical protection.
While he marveled at the wonders of the Time Stone, he also felt an inexplicable frustration.
This made him feel like a lab rat being manipulated by someone else's will. What was even more annoying was that, up to this point, he couldn't think of any way to break free from the situation.
Tony was proud. At that moment, he decided he had to continue improving his strength. He didn't want to experience this kind of powerlessness again.
"What do we do next?"
What followed left Tony speechless. The events around them entered an endless loop, repeating the same scene over and over again.
Ethan, meanwhile, continued staring at the spatial rift above, which emitted a terrifying aura. It was unclear what he was observing exactly.
Perhaps sensing Tony's frustration, Ethan raised his hands. Green and blue light intertwined and flickered. Though the two energies were distinct, they merged in a strange harmony. In that moment, Tony felt as if he and Ethan had entered another dimension.
Standing here, they were no longer affected by the looping events. More importantly, they didn't have to greet Wong every time. Once or twice might have been interesting, but doing it repeatedly would just become irritating.
Ethan spread his arms slightly, and a large 'screen' appeared in front of Tony, allowing him to see everything happening within that mysterious and terrifying space as if he were physically present.
Strange had used the Time Stone to create a time loop, trapping Dormammu inside it. He repeatedly attempted to negotiate with Dormammu, only to be killed by the enraged being each time.
Inside this loop, Strange was constantly experimenting, trying every method he could think of to resist Dormammu's attacks. Although he could only last a few seconds each time and still couldn't avoid death, he never gave up his original goal, pressing Dormammu to negotiate with unwavering determination.
At first, Strange had a slight smile on his face, but his expression gradually became more serious. Tony watched everything unfold and genuinely admired him.
If he were in Strange's position, Tony didn't think he could do what Strange was doing.
Being killed again and again was far from a pleasant experience, especially since Dormammu was deliberately trying to break Strange's will and force him to abandon his beliefs. Initially, Dormammu even went easy on him, letting him hold onto some hope before personally shattering it.
"The Ancient One made the right choice in picking him as her successor."
After watching for a while, Strange's power was visibly growing. He was gradually shedding the aura of a rookie mage.
At this point, no one would think he was someone who had only studied magic for less than a year.
This confrontation with Dormammu was a crucial stage in Strange's growth. That was why Ethan did not interfere. Besides, the Ancient One also didn't want him to intervene.
The Ancient One had chosen to give up the position of Sorcerer Supreme. After her resurrection, she would need to retrain in magic from scratch. This time, she wouldn't follow her original path but create a new one. Her strength wouldn't return to its peak in the short term.
But Earth couldn't be without a Sorcerer Supreme. As her chosen successor, Strange needed to grow in the shortest possible time... Dormammu's arrival was the best opportunity for Strange to gain that growth.
As the Sorcerer Supreme who once held the Time Stone, Ethan had no idea how much of the future the Ancient One had foreseen. He didn't know how much of today's events were her improvisation, and how much had been arranged in advance through deliberate guidance.
"Are we just going to keep watching?"
Even though Strange's growth was rapid, the power gap between him and Dormammu was massive. So what they continued to see was Strange being killed in different ways, over and over, with the time loop seemingly without end.
"Of course not."
Who knew how long Strange had been locked in that loop with Dormammu?
A being like Dormammu wouldn't surrender just because of a short delay. Which meant the time Strange spent in that loop was at least measured in years.
Ethan didn't want to imagine the worst-case scenario. This kind of growth method wasn't something ordinary people could endure. After this, the mental strength of Doctor Strange would rise to an extremely high level, forming a strong foundation for him to take on the role of Sorcerer Supreme.
A glow flashed from Ethan's hand, and he and Tony reappeared in the laboratory beneath the mansion.
"Why are we back here?"
"Because when Strange activated the time loop, this is where we were."
Returning from being 'outside' the timeline to inside the Marvel Universe's normal timeline worked this way. Once Strange ended the time loop, time would reset to the moment he had originally marked. In other words, time was now back to normal, and aside from Doctor Strange and Dormammu, no one else would remember what had happened in the countless previous loops.
If Ethan hadn't already mastered some of the rules of time, he, like everyone else, would have no idea what had just occurred.
"This feeling really sucks."
Hearing Tony's complaint, Ethan simply smiled. He didn't go looking for Wong with Tony again. Since the matter was already resolved, their attention shifted back to what they had come for.
The Ancient One's soul had already entered the regeneration device, and the prepared sample had developed into an embryo. This embryo was slowly growing inside the equipment. Before long, a brand new Ancient One would be reborn.
Originally, when a soul entered a new body, someone proficient in mental energy would be needed to help build a connection between the soul and the new form, just like Ethan had done for Tony's parents.
But the Ancient One herself was an expert in this area. Even in her soul state, she didn't need Ethan's help. So there was nothing for Ethan and the others to do. After confirming that everything was progressing smoothly, they left the chamber.
According to the plan previously discussed with the Ancient One, she would not return to Kamar-Taj after her resurrection. Instead, she would find a quiet place to train.
Tony had no shortage of places. The Ancient One had no shortage of training methods. Tony could even provide full support. After all, to him, the Ancient One was one of his teachers. She had given him a great deal of guidance in magic. Besides his own exceptional talent, this mentorship was also a major reason why his magical growth had been so rapid. All the mages he interacted with were top-tier.
Everything had been arranged for the Ancient One after her resurrection, including matters concerning Kamar-Taj and the Sanctums. Strange would undoubtedly become the new guardian of the New York Sanctum, and eventually the leader of the mages.
Placing Strange in New York may not have been a coincidence. It was likely meant to bring him closer to the Avengers, especially Tony Stark, who could offer help.
Strange didn't know about the relationship between Tony and Kamar-Taj. To the former world-renowned surgeon, Tony Stark was a genius scientist, billionaire, and playboy. A figure rooted in science, someone who had nothing to do with magic.
So when Wong brought Strange to visit Tony, he was stunned to learn that Tony Stark also had ties to Kamar-Taj. For a moment, he couldn't process the information.
After a brief daze, he quickly composed himself and introduced himself.
"Hello, I'm Stephen Strange."
"I know you." Tony looked him over again. Compared to the version he saw during the time loop, Strange now seemed more composed. His magical power had clearly improved as well. "I'm curious, why haven't you healed your hands?"
"My current strength isn't enough to restore them..." Strange seemed completely unfazed by the condition of his hands, a stark contrast to how he used to be. "But I believe it won't be a problem for much longer."
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)