Manhattan, 13th Street.
This was a commercial strip just a few minutes' drive from the Stark Industries Tower.
Of course, Leo Vance wasn't here to visit Tony Stark. He'd come to buy some clothes for Otto. The guy's otherworldly robes were way too out of place in a modern metropolis.
But it was already past midnight. Most stores had closed, and only a few 24-hour shops still had lights on.
"Guess I'll just come back tomorrow," Leo muttered after scanning the area and spotting no open clothing stores. He decided he'd just grab a midnight snack and head back.
Suddenly, he sensed something from Rui's side.
He and his puppets shared a telepathic link—but he could selectively mute it. After unleashing Muzan and the Twelve Kizuki on the city with orders to rapidly gather Wish Points, Leo had been blocking out most of their feed, especially anything unrelated to familiar Marvel characters.
The reason? He didn't want to witness the demons' horrific behavior, and he was wary of drawing the attention of Marvel's heavy hitters. Sure, the MCU's big events hadn't kicked off until Iron Man debuted, but that didn't mean Earth hadn't already been crawling with dangerous powerhouses. Better safe than sorry.
Besides, strong emotions generated far more Wish Points.
By crossing paths with familiar Marvel figures and staging scenes—just like Mysterio's illusions—he could stir up feelings of awe, fear, outrage, and inspiration. All of those emotions were fuel for his system.
So when Blade broke into Rui's lair, Leo sensed it and started plotting the right script to feed the vampire hunter.
But fate had other plans.
Just as he was drafting the next scene, a surprise attack yanked him back to reality—a golden whip came flying out of the darkness.
Leo instinctively twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike. The whip cracked into the ground, splintering the pavement.
He turned toward the source of the attack. In the shadows, only a pair of bright eyes stood out.
The rest of the attacker blended into the darkness—black robes, a low-profile cloth outfit. Whoever it was, they'd dressed specifically to be invisible in the night.
But Leo didn't need a full view to figure it out.
No hesitation. He inhaled deeply, activating his total respiratory control. Air flooded into his lungs, then flowed through his blood into every cell of his body, converting into sun-element energy.
"Sun Breathing: Fourth Form – Fake Rainbow!"
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted from his conjured Nichirin blade, illuminating the night with solar brilliance. With his body already twisting from the dodge, Leo slashed—his blade traced a blazing arc through the air, a scorching halo of fire so intense it warped the air itself.
The attacker flicked their wrist. The whip retracted and reshaped into a staff, which they raised to block.
Clang!
The blade met the staff in a burst of sparks and thunder.
In the flare of firelight, Leo finally saw his opponent clearly:
Just as he'd guessed—it was a monk-like figure with a shaved head, wrapped in simple robes. A Kamar-Taj sorcerer.
Specifically, the future nemesis of Doctor Strange: Karl Mordo.
And the staff he wielded? The Staff of the Living Tribunal.
Both men pushed forward, locked in a clash of power—but neither could overwhelm the other.
Just as they were about to disengage and shift to new attacks or spells, two hands reached out and rested on their weapons.
"That's enough."
The voice was calm. Composed.
Leo's eyes widened. He jerked his gaze upward—only to meet the serene, knowing smile of a bald woman in beige monk robes.
The Ancient One.
Even though he'd fully expected this outcome, even though he'd mentally prepared for it from the moment Mordo showed up, actually seeing her made Leo's heart nearly leap into his throat.
This was the Sorcerer Supreme.
Fortunately, he'd done all the prep work. He kept his face unreadable.
"Sorcerer Supreme."
Mordo immediately withdrew his staff and bowed respectfully.
Leo also stepped back and sheathed his blade, acting like he had no idea who they were, maintaining his alert expression.
The Ancient One nodded to Mordo first, then turned to Leo with a gentle smile.
"Don't be afraid, young man. We mean you no harm."
Hearing that, Leo finally let out a silent breath of relief.
Looks like my plan worked.
He'd always known his future would involve more puppets, bigger illusions, and wilder performances. The more chaos he stirred up, the more attention he'd draw.
And no one noticed cosmic anomalies more than The Ancient One, who could perceive time, space, and alternate realities.
Even if the system blocked her time-based peeking into his puppet connections, the moment he took an active role in his self-directed chaos? She'd notice.
So, if she was going to show up eventually, he had to prepare the right identity.
A hero.
Leo had made a firm rule: no matter how tempting it was, he would never appear as the one controlling or allied with the villains. He'd only ever act as the hunter—the one taking them down. All commands to his puppets came through the system's long-range interface.
If he ever had to interact in person, it would always be in the role of a rogue vigilante or justice-seeking warrior.
That way, even if the Ancient One couldn't see the full truth, all she would ever find was Leo Vance, the antihero who fought darkness.
Sure, Leo wasn't some wide-eyed boy scout. He wasn't bursting with righteousness, and he definitely didn't see himself as a saint. Pretending to be a paragon of virtue would've been suspicious anyway.
Instead, he simply leaned into his own personality: someone who judged good and evil on his own terms, unbound by laws.
And judging by her current tone and presence, it worked. If she saw him as a threat, she wouldn't be talking—she'd be attacking.
"Who are you people?"
Leo kept his expression neutral, wary, and defensive.
"We're sorcerers from Kamar-Taj," the Ancient One said warmly. "Hmm, maybe that doesn't mean much to you. Let's put it another way—we're the ones protecting Earth from threats behind the scenes. You could call us… superheroes."
Leo nodded slowly. "That, I can understand."
Still keeping up appearances, he added with some edge, "So is sneaking up and attacking me in the middle of the night part of your superhero duties?"
"It was a moment of suspicion," Mordo replied, folding the staff down and bowing slightly. "When I sensed your aura—it was filled with radiant solar energy. There's no way you could be one of the dark creatures. I sincerely apologize."