Earth-65, Kamar-Taj.
The male Ancient One was watching the show remotely through a Mirror Dimension spell. A clone of Lucas accompanied him.
After watching the entire show, the male Ancient One couldn't help but complain, "You did all the work by yourself? Then why did you call Tony, Wanda, and Pietro here?"
"This kind of battle, which you can completely control, should be given to them to practice."
Lucas stammered, "I originally intended for them to practice, and the Mirror Dimension was already set up. But Morlun slandered me, he said I wasn't Spider-Man."
The male Ancient One glanced at Lucas and sighed helplessly.
He had no way to deal with this dramatic disciple.
"Then, in the battle at the Inheritors's base, hold back a bit and let them practice."
"Except for Solus and Morlun, the other members of the Inheritors are not worth mentioning. Tony, Wanda, and Pietro can handle them."
"Hmm."
Lucas nodded, indicating that he understood.
After a while, the male Ancient One asked, "Lucas, do you know the origin of the Inheritors's prophecy?"
Lucas's heart stirred: "The Inheritors end with Spider-Man. Is there anything special about this prophecy? Why do the Inheritors believe it so deeply?"
"I asked Agamotto some time ago and got some news."
The male Ancient One paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "That's not a prophecy, but a curse. A curse from the very origin of the Inheritors, from Chthon."
"A curse? That explains why the Inheritors believe it so deeply. But why?" Lucas was puzzled.
"Does Chthon have any grudge with Spider-Man? Their statuses aren't on the same level, are they?"
The male Ancient One said, "The source of the Inheritors's power is the Leech Totem."
"The God of the Leech Totem has some connection with us, he is the Blood God whom you and the Ancient One from another Earth jointly tricked."
"And the creator of the Leech Totem is Chthon. He was expelled from the material world billions of years ago in ancient times. For so many years, he has been seeking a way to return to the material world."
"And the Web of Life and Destiny, created by the ancient goddess Neith, inadvertently blocked Chthon's return path. The Web of Life and Destiny is closely related to the spider totem, which was also created by Neith."
"Chthon hopes to destroy the Web of Life and Destiny by eliminating the spider totem."
Lucas clarified, "So, Chthon created the Leech Totem and the Inheritors, and cursed them, forcing them to eliminate Spider-Man."
The male Ancient One nodded. "That's right, that's what I'm guessing too."
As for why it was coercion and not enticement?
What enticement could be stronger than the threat of the entire family's extinction?
Lucas pondered, "So, if I eliminate the Inheritors, will I inadvertently help Chthon fulfill his curse? Is he going to give me a reward?"
The male Ancient One's beard trembled with anger. "Reward? Revenge is more like it. Are you or aren't you Spider-Man, Lucas? Don't you know?"
"Even if you really are Spider-Man, Chthon wouldn't be grateful to you."
Lucas said discontentedly, "Of course I'm Spider-Man. Although I haven't been bitten by a spider, don't have Spider-Sense, and can't shoot webs, I am Spider-Man, a genuine Sorcerer Spider-Man."
"As for whether Chthon is grateful to me, that's not important. I recognize it, and that's enough."
The male Ancient One's eyelids twitched, and he asked in surprise, "Lucas, you're not thinking of going to trouble Chthon, are you?"
Lucas smiled confidently. "I've got the Inheritors in my grasp, and Chthon can't keep them. I said it."
As for whether Chthon will trouble me, or I will trouble Chthon.
We'll see in five months.
The male Ancient One was silent, then added after a moment, "After Chthon was expelled from the real world, he created a dimension. By chance, he was imprisoned in his own domain and could not easily move."
"Normally, Lucas, you don't need to worry about his retaliation."
"What about 'unusual' circumstances, Master?" Lucas asked.
The male Ancient One listed them one by one.
"Mephisto, Dormammu, the Blood God, many Dimensional Lords, have all borrowed power from Chthon."
"Even the Scarlet Witch."
"She might also attack you under the influence of the darkhold."
Lucas frowned.
The male Ancient One specifically emphasized the Scarlet Witch, which naturally didn't refer to the naive Apprentice Sorcerer Wanda from Earth-404 but rather the mature, Multiverse-level Wanda from Earth-616, Earth-199999, or other parallel Universes.
That would be quite troublesome.
However...
"Master, don't try to scare me. If Chthon could command these people, why would he need the Inheritors?"
The male Ancient One felt he had won a point and smiled, asking Lucas in return, "Didn't you yourself ask about 'unusual' circumstances?"
Lucas's face darkened, and he stopped speaking.
At this moment, in the Mirror Dimension, Morlun was acting.
Through a complex ritual, Morlun successfully opened a portal and stepped into it.
Returning to Earth-001, the Inheritors's base.
This was a castle nestled deep in the mountains.
In the castle, most of the house doors were tightly shut. Looking through the cracks in the doors and windows, there was no light, just darkness. Clearly, the owners of the rooms were out and had not returned.
In the castle hall, candlelight flickered, illuminating two figures and countless Spider-Man specimens hanging on the wall.
"The Spider-Man from the prophecy has appeared, father." Morlun spoke first.
The other figure, whom he called father, was undoubtedly Solus, the patriarch of the Inheritors.
"Prophecy?"
Hearing this word, Solus's brows furrowed.
If the Inheritors was an inescapable shadow looming over Spider-Man, then this ancient prophecy was the Sword of Damocles hanging over the Inheritors's heads.
"Tell me everything that happened during your mission this time." Solus commanded in a heavy tone.
Morlun began to state, "I found nothing in the previous Universes but on Earth-65, I successfully hunted five Spider-Men and absorbed their spider totem power."
"After absorbing the power of these five Spider-Men, I encountered a powerful Sorcerer Spider-Man who came to support them."
"I was no match for him at all, I was severely injured by him in just a few moves. Finally, I managed to escape by luck when he was unprepared."
"Sorcerer Spider-Man?!" Solus was surprised and uncertain.
"Tell me in detail about your battle with the Sorcerer Spider-Man."
Morlun pondered, then said after a moment of thought, "He first opened a portal. I rushed through the portal, wanting to get close. He stretched the space, extending the distance, so I couldn't get close immediately. After that, I realized I was no match and chose to flee."