Chương 122: Chapter 122: Gazing into the River of Time 

In the dusty, shadowed interior of an abandoned church somewhere in Europe, a deathly pale Kaecilius stumbled through the heavy wooden doors, clutching the bleeding stump of his severed arm. 

After two frantic, agonizing days on the run, he had finally managed to completely shake off the relentless Kamar-Taj pursuit teams. Crucially, he had successfully located a specific geographical coordinate where the dimensional fabric separating the material plane from the cosmos was inherently weak and highly unstable. 

With trembling hands, he unrolled the heavily damaged, ancient grimoire he had sacrificed his arm to steal from the Kamar-Taj Grand Library. He spread the tattered parchment on the floor before him. 

Kaecilius took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to ignore the searing pain. 

He raised his remaining hand and began violently channeling raw, chaotic magical energy, tracing the highly complex, inherently malicious runic sigils hovering above the parchment. 

"Oh, Great... Dormammu," Kaecilius chanted, his voice raspy and desperate. "Your faithful servant humbly beseeches you... grant me your audience." 

Countless dimensions away, deep within the unfathomable, terrifyingly vast expanse of the Dark Dimension, two colossal, burning eyes slowly snapped open. 

Hearing the incredibly faint, desperate prayer echoing through the dimensional void, Dormammu slowly turned his massive gaze. He effortlessly traced the magical connection back to its absolute source, pinpointing a tiny, insignificant speck of dust floating in the cosmos: Earth. 

Observing the specific individual actively initiating the summoning ritual, Dormammu paused in genuine surprise, before a cruel, echoing laugh rumbled through the void. 

"A disciple of Kamar-Taj? Seeking my blessing?! How incredibly amusing!" 

Dormammu focused his terrifying gaze entirely upon Kaecilius. Seeing the severed arm, the profound desperation, and the absolute, burning hatred twisting the sorcerer's face, the Lord of the Dark Dimension easily deduced the situation. 

If I utilize this desperate, broken little pawn correctly... 

Dormammu laughed maniacally, his colossal, chaotic form slowly drifting closer toward the fragile boundary separating his dimension from the material plane. 

Back on Earth, Luke casually strolled toward the Ancient One's private pavilion in Kamar-Taj. He noticed Karl Mordo hurrying toward the same destination, carrying an massive armful of ancient scrolls and administrative ledgers. 

"Greetings, Luke," Mordo offered a polite, respectful smile. 

Luke walked over to him. "Perfect timing. I actually needed to discuss something with you." 

Luke quickly outlined his proposal to establish a dedicated, mass-production magical armory within Kamar-Taj, specifically to forge and enchant specialized weaponry for his Shadowkhan army in exchange for highly competitive salaries. 

Mordo's eyes instantly lit up. He agreed enthusiastically. 

As the Ancient One's primary administrative assistant, Mordo was acutely aware of Kamar-Taj's incredibly tight operational budget. The prospect of organizing the sorcerers to actively utilize their magical skills to generate a massive, steady stream of external income—while also taking a reasonable, standardized organizational commission to fund Kamar-Taj's global operations—was an absolute godsend! 

This is a brilliant initiative! 

Mordo was so excited he looked ready to drop his scrolls and immediately run out to start surveying locations for the new armory. However, looking at the massive stack of urgent paperwork in his arms, he sighed heavily, realizing he had to prioritize his current administrative duties. 

The two of them walked into the Ancient One's tea room. Mordo carefully deposited the massive stack of scrolls onto her desk and eagerly presented Luke's industrial proposal. 

The Ancient One glanced at Luke with a highly amused, knowing smile, but she formally approved the initiative, delegating the organizational and logistical oversight entirely to Mordo. 

"Why the sudden burst of aggressive ambition?" the Ancient One asked as she poured tea. "You officially established a massive, global political coalition this morning, and now you're opening a heavy-industry magical armory in the afternoon?" 

Luke shrugged helplessly, accepting a cup of tea. "I don't really have a choice! Odin literally dumped the administrative responsibility of the entire planet on me while the whole world was watching! If I don't establish clear, absolute rules and formalize operations, those paranoid politicians will literally snap from the stress. I'm just trying to keep the planet from imploding." 

Luke took a sip of the excellent tea, then frowned slightly, looking at the Ancient One. "Speaking of which... why exactly didn't you explicitly inform me that Kaecilius had officially defected and stolen a forbidden text?" 

The Ancient One took a slow, elegant sip of her tea before replying calmly. "Because his defection is a necessary catalyst. I need him to successfully summon Dormammu. Stephen Strange must personally witness the terrifying reality of the Dimensional Lords and fundamentally understand the catastrophic, apocalyptic threat they pose to our reality. If he doesn't experience that terror firsthand, he will absolutely refuse to accept the burden of becoming the next Sorcerer Supreme." 

"But allowing Dormammu to actively breach the material plane is incredibly reckless!" Luke argued, frowning deeply. "If even a single variable goes wrong, Dormammu could instantly drag the entire planet into the Dark Dimension!" 

In the original timeline, if Stephen Strange hadn't brilliantly leveraged the Time Stone to trap Dormammu in an infinite time loop, Earth would have been instantly consumed. It was a massive, apocalyptic gamble. 

"I will be actively monitoring the situation," the Ancient One replied, her tone projecting absolute, unshakeable confidence. "Having meticulously studied the Time Stone for several centuries, I am more than capable of executing a few localized temporal manipulations. As long as I actively maintain the integrity of the three primary Sanctums, Dormammu absolutely cannot physically enter our reality." 

Luke shook his head skeptically. "Have you actually utilized the Time Stone to verify this specific sequence of events?" 

The Ancient One nodded. She extended her hand, and the Eye of Agamotto flared with brilliant, emerald light. 

With a subtle gesture, the environment around them instantly violently shifted. The serene tea room dissolved, and they suddenly found themselves standing on the roof of a skyscraper in modern-day Hong Kong, staring at the massive, ornate structure of the Hong Kong Sanctum a few blocks away. 

BOOM! 

A deafening, apocalyptic explosion ripped through the city! The Hong Kong Sanctum violently detonated from within, unleashing a terrifying shockwave of dark energy that completely annihilated the surrounding city blocks! 

Simultaneously, with the destruction of the critical defensive node, the massive, invisible magical planetary defense grid completely collapsed! 

High above the burning city, the sky literally tore open! A colossal, terrifying dimensional rift aggressively expanded, violently connecting the material plane directly to the Dark Dimension. 

A terrifying, localized gravitational anomaly erupted from the rift, violently violently sucking debris, cars, and entire skyscrapers up into the sky! Looking through the massive tear in reality, Luke could clearly see the chaotic, swirling maelstrom of the Dark Dimension and its eerie, pitch-black celestial bodies. 

"This is the exact, unalterable future I have perceived using the Time Stone," the Ancient One stated calmly, watching the apocalypse unfold. 

"This is just a temporal projection, correct?" Luke asked, confirming they weren't in any actual danger. 

"Yes." 

Luke observed the chaotic scene. It played out exactly like the climax of the Doctor Strange movie. 

Walking to the edge of the roof and looking down into the ruined streets below, he saw Stephen Strange and Karl Mordo desperately battling a terrifyingly augmented Kaecilius and his three zealot followers. 

Kaecilius, wielding massive, crackling spatial blades, aggressively lunged at Stephen. However, Stephen was faster. He violently activated the Eye of Agamotto, initiating a massive, localized temporal reversal spell, frantically dragging the destroyed city and the Sanctum backward through time. 

The Ancient One stepped up beside Luke, watching Stephen expertly manipulate the raw power of the Time Stone. 

"Even possessing the Time Stone, I cannot execute a localized temporal reversal on such a massive, chaotic scale without catastrophic consequences. Yet, he is merely a novice, and he executes it flawlessly," the Ancient One said, her voice filled with profound pride as she watched her chosen successor. 

Luke nodded in agreement. Stephen possessed an unparalleled, almost instinctual genius for temporal mechanics. It was exactly why he was able to outsmart an infinitely more powerful cosmic entity like Dormammu. 

As the destroyed city rapidly reassembled itself, Luke shifted his focus back to Kaecilius. 

Having actively accepted Dormammu's dark blessing, Kaecilius's eyes were now heavily ringed with corrupted, cracked flesh, and his raw magical power had skyrocketed. However, he was still fundamentally incapable of resisting the absolute flow of reversed time. 

Suddenly, high above, Dormammu realized the dimensional rift was rapidly shrinking as the Sanctum repaired itself! Refusing to be denied, Dormammu aggressively forced a massive torrent of raw, highly concentrated Dark Energy directly into Kaecilius's body! 

This massive influx of extra-dimensional energy allowed Kaecilius and his followers to violently break free from the localized temporal reversal, actively corrupting them into true creatures of the Dark Dimension. 

Free from the temporal constraints, Kaecilius let out a maniacal, twisted laugh. He unleashed a devastating, highly concentrated dark energy shockwave that violently shattered Stephen's concentration, instantly interrupting the temporal reversal spell! Stephen was violently thrown backward, momentarily incapacitated by the magical backlash. 

Luke glanced at the Ancient One standing beside him, entirely unbothered by the sudden crisis. 

He narrowed his eyes, focusing his dark energy perception. Peering through the chaotic magical battlefield below, he suddenly noticed a faint, ethereal, highly concentrated spiritual projection of the Ancient One standing silently directly beside the incapacitated Stephen Strange! She was entirely prepared to instantly intervene and personally engage Dormammu if the situation became genuinely unrecoverable. 

"I told you, I would absolutely not allow the planet to fall if the situation truly became desperate," the Ancient One smiled, raising her teacup in a silent toast. 

"Fair enough," Luke tilted his head, returning his attention to the highly immersive, 3D cinematic experience playing out below. 

Stephen quickly recovered from the blast. After a brief, highly philosophical argument with Kaecilius, Stephen realized the fundamental tactical flaw in Dormammu's assault. 

By actively overlapping the Dark Dimension with the material plane to empower Kaecilius, Dormammu had inadvertently exposed his timeless dimension to the absolute, linear rules of the Time Stone! 

Stephen's eyes hardened with resolve. He activated the Cloak of Levitation and aggressively flew straight up into the terrifying, swirling chaos of the Dark Dimension. 

Luke didn't need to watch the rest. He knew exactly what happened next. Relying entirely on the Time Stone, Stephen would trap himself and Dormammu in an inescapable, infinite time loop. Because Dormammu existed beyond the concept of time, he was fundamentally incapable of breaking the localized temporal paradox. He would be forced to murder Stephen millions of times, only for the loop to instantly reset, trapping the cosmic entity in an eternal prison of repetition. 

Eventually, after an unimaginable amount of subjective time, Dormammu's absolute arrogance would break. Furious and utterly exhausted by the endless repetition, he would violently agree to Stephen's terms. 

I'm done playing this stupid game! I'm leaving! 

Dormammu would violently withdraw from the material plane, forcefully dragging Kaecilius and the zealots into the Dark Dimension with him as punishment for their failure, completely abandoning his conquest of Earth. 

Having successfully reviewed the predetermined future, the Ancient One gracefully deactivated the Eye of Agamotto. 

The chaotic, apocalyptic projection instantly vanished, plunging them back into the quiet serenity of the Kamar-Taj tea room. 

Luke casually sidestepped a wooden pillar he was about to walk into, shrugged, and returned to his seat across from the Ancient One. 

"Alright, the plan seems solid. I'll definitely drop by when the invasion happens," Luke said thoughtfully. Watching Stephen effortlessly utilize the Time Stone to annoy Dormammu into submission reminded him of a crucial detail: he currently possessed three Infinity Stones safely locked away within his Dark Dimension! 

If the Time Stone could effectively trap a Dimensional Lord, there was absolutely no logical reason the Space, Reality, and Mind Stones couldn't inflict similar cosmic-scale damage! 

When Dormammu initiates the breach, I'll sneak into the overlapping dimensional zone and see if I can launch a devastating, highly synchronized surprise attack on him using the three Stones! 

Luke smiled sadistically, completely unbothered by the fact that he hadn't seen his own future self participating in the temporal projection. The Ancient One had already explicitly stated that because of his incredibly vast dark energy reserves and his unique, extra-dimensional origin, he was entirely immune to the Time Stone's predictive capabilities. He simply didn't register on the timeline. 

Luke finished his tea in a single gulp, then frowned, suddenly remembering another important detail. 

"Hey, while you have the Time Stone out... could you quickly check exactly which planet the Power Stone is currently hidden on? I completely forgot," Luke asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. 

The Ancient One gave him a highly exasperated look. "The Infinity Stones are fundamentally equal, absolute cosmic singularities. It is physically impossible to utilize one Stone to casually bypass the cosmic interference and locate another." 

"Ah, right. That makes sense," Luke sighed helplessly. "Well, regardless, make absolutely certain you call me the moment Dormammu breaches the atmosphere. I fully intend to execute a massive, coordinated ambush on him, and I might require your assistance." 

Because Luke lacked the biological capacity to safely wield the raw, unmitigated power of the Infinity Stones himself, if his initial, long-range ambush failed, he would need someone highly capable to physically wield the Stones and salvage the situation. 

The Ancient One was the absolute perfect candidate. She possessed unparalleled magical mastery, a profound understanding of cosmic balance, and absolutely zero personal ambition or greed regarding the Stones. There was literally no one else on the planet Luke trusted more to temporarily wield absolute cosmic power. 

Leaving Kamar-Taj, Luke returned to his New York apartment. He found Galacta sitting cross-legged on the sofa, intensely focused on a video game. 

Hearing him enter, Galacta immediately tossed the controller aside and eagerly bounced over. 

"Where is the squishy little black ball?!" 

Seeing her incredibly hopeful, expectant expression, Luke couldn't help but chuckle, remembering the colossal, terrifying twenty-meter-tall monstrosity the Shadow-Eater had become. 

"Why are you laughing?" Galacta asked, highly confused by his reaction. 

"Oh, it's nothing. Nothing at all," Luke quickly suppressed his grin. "You wanted to play with the Shadow-Eater, right? I'll summon it right now." 

Under Galacta's highly expectant gaze, Luke waved his hand. 

Instantly, a colossal, pitch-black, terrifyingly massive head violently erupted through the floorboards of the apartment! The sheer size of the creature instantly violently shoved the sofa, the coffee table, the television, and the ceiling straight up into the apartment above! 

"What... what is THAT?!" Galacta stared in absolute, mind-boggling shock as a massive, cavernous maw, lined with thousands of jagged, razor-sharp teeth, opened directly in front of her. 

"Well, you asked for your 'squishy little black ball,' didn't you?" Luke smirked, highly amused by her reaction. 

Regardless of the sudden, chaotic structural damage currently occurring in Luke's apartment building, back in Kamar-Taj, a highly peculiar event was unfolding. 

The Ancient One had been preparing to securely store the Eye of Agamotto. However, acting on a sudden, inexplicable whim, she activated the Stone one final time, projecting a highly specific, localized future sequence regarding Luke's newly established 'United Earth Federation' headquarters. 

She observed massive stacks of highly classified diplomatic treaties, economic proposals, and interstellar trade agreements being continuously funneled into the massive, secure office at the very top of the central tower. Inside the office, a highly active, constantly moving figure was frantically processing the endless mountain of paperwork. 

It appears Luke is going to be incredibly busy managing planetary affairs in the future, the Ancient One thought with a small, highly amused smile. 1

Because the Time Stone was fundamentally incapable of piercing the dark energy interference to clearly reveal the figure's face or true identity, she simply assumed it was Luke. 

After all, who else could it possibly be? 

While the senior Kamar-Taj sorcerers had signed employment contracts with Luke, they didn't constantly utilize his dark energy, so they weren't immune to the Time Stone's surveillance. Odin was highly focused on his impending cosmic crusade to hunt down Thanos and had absolutely zero interest in managing Earth's bureaucracy. 

And as for herself? She fully intended to permanently retire soon! She planned to spend her remaining years peacefully traveling the cosmos and visiting ancient, mystical realms. She certainly had absolutely no intention of spending her highly anticipated retirement managing Luke's tedious administrative paperwork! 

Therefore, she concluded with absolute certainty: It absolutely, unequivocally cannot be me! 

Taking a highly satisfying sip of her excellent tea, the Ancient One casually picked up the massive stack of administrative scrolls Mordo had left on her desk and began efficiently reviewing and signing them. 

Because she lacked a third-person perspective, she completely failed to realize that her current, highly efficient, administrative posture looked exactly, identically similar to the blurry figure she had just witnessed in the temporal projection. 

Meanwhile, in a desolate, forgotten corner of Europe, Kaecilius had officially become a highly endangered species. He fell to his knees, staring in absolute, fanatical awe at the colossal, terrifying visage of Dormammu hovering within the swirling dimensional rift. 

"I have perfectly absorbed your intelligence regarding the 'Lord of the Earth' and his insignificant Dark Dimension," Dormammu's apocalyptic, echoing voice violently reverberated directly within Kaecilius's mind. 

If Kaecilius hadn't fully submitted and become a devoted zealot, the sheer, crushing psychic pressure of Dormammu's voice would have instantly shattered his mind. But to the fanatic, it sounded like the most glorious, beautiful symphony in existence. 

"Based on your highly detailed tactical description, this 'Lord' is merely a pathetic, arrogant novice who has barely managed to cultivate a Mid-Tier dimension! Before I initiate the final breach of Earth's defenses, I shall personally scour the cosmic void, locate his pathetic little realm, completely devour it, and then hand his broken soul over to you for eternal torment!" 

Dormammu nodded in absolute, terrifying satisfaction. 

He knew exactly how resilient the Ancient One was; she had successfully resisted his dark energy corruption for centuries. However, hearing from Kaecilius that the Ancient One had actively aligned herself with this new 'Dimensional Lord' to boost her power... Dormammu realized he needed to provide his new champion with a significant tactical upgrade. 

"Rise, my faithful servant!" Dormammu commanded, his massive, burning eyes locking onto Kaecilius. "I shall bestow upon you a fraction of my infinite cosmic knowledge! Furthermore, I shall forge a new limb to replace the one you sacrificed in my name!" 

"Thank you, Great Lord!" Kaecilius wept tears of pure, fanatical joy. The magnificent Dormammu is truly infinitely more generous and benevolent than that hypocritical, hoarding Ancient One! He immediately bestows immense power upon his loyal followers! 

Dormammu aggressively forced massive volumes of highly advanced, forbidden dark magic directly into Kaecilius's mind. Simultaneously, thick, swirling tendrils of hyper-concentrated dark energy violently surged toward Kaecilius's bleeding stump. The energy rapidly condensed, weaving together to form a massive, terrifyingly muscular, pitch-black arm! 

(Author's Note: For a visual reference, imagine the heavily armored, mutated 'Blade' arm from the Prototype video game, but without the massive extending blade.) 

Dormammu observed the newly forged arm with absolute satisfaction. It was composed of tens of millions of raw Dark Energy Points. It would instantly, exponentially increase Kaecilius's physical and magical combat capabilities! 

Even if Kaecilius ultimately failed to physically destroy the three Sanctums with this overwhelming power... the arm possessed a highly volatile, secondary function that would prove incredibly useful. 

Violently severing the psychic connection and casting Kaecilius back into the material plane, Dormammu threw his head back and unleashed a maniacal, galaxy-shaking laugh that echoed through the Dark Dimension. 

This time, his grand strategy was absolutely flawless! He had deployed an inescapable, multi-layered cosmic net! Earth was definitively, permanently his! 

Recalling the numerous, highly coveted cosmic secrets hidden upon that tiny blue planet, Dormammu's anticipation reached absolute, apocalyptic levels!