Chương 128: Chapter 128: The Earth Defense Front and the Nine Realms Trade Hub 

Stephen Strange's astral form was violently, unceremoniously yanked from his physical body. For a brief, terrifying moment, his glowing soul spiraled upwards toward the ceiling of the Kamar-Taj pavilion. However, compared to the absolutely mind-shattering journey he was about to experience, this initial ejection was merely the calm before the cosmic storm. Currently, he still possessed enough cognitive function to let out a panicked, involuntary yell. 

But his true journey was just beginning. 

An unimaginably massive, incomprehensible force suddenly gripped his astral form, exerting such terrifying pressure it felt as though his very soul was being ground into fine dust. Propelled by this overwhelming force, Stephen's astral body was violently launched outward at an impossible speed, instantly breaching the fundamental boundaries of the material plane. Shielded purely by the Ancient One's localized magical field, he was violently forced to perceive reality from entirely new, incomprehensible cosmic perspectives. 

The bizarre, terrifying, and utterly alien landscapes of the multiverse mercilessly hammered against Stephen's consciousness, violently crushing and instantly reforming his entire scientific worldview. 

Meanwhile, inside the serene tea room of Kamar-Taj, the atmosphere was absolute, undisturbed silence. 

Mordo stood over Stephen's slumped physical body, his brow furrowed in deep concern. He was actively monitoring the extreme physiological reactions being transmitted back from Stephen's astral journey. 

He knew perfectly well that forcefully launching Stephen's astral form into the chaotic multiverse wasn't an act of punishment. On the contrary, it was a profound, highly dangerous reward, indicating the Ancient One's immense expectations for him. 

By surviving this agonizing multiversal trial, Stephen's baseline spiritual perception would be violently torn apart and forcefully condensed, significantly enhancing his ability to sense and manipulate extra-dimensional energies. His overall spiritual strength would grow exponentially in a matter of minutes. 

Mordo was genuinely pleased that the Sorcerer Supreme saw such immense potential in the arrogant doctor. However, if the Ancient One applied slightly too much force, the sheer, overwhelming feedback loop between the tortured astral form and the physical body could cause catastrophic, permanent biological damage. 

"Master, shouldn't we dial down the intensity slightly? His physical vessel is beginning to show signs of critical stress," Mordo urged anxiously. 

Both the Ancient One and Luke could clearly feel the increasingly violent, chaotic energy feedback continuously pulsing from Stephen's body. The physiological stress was so intense that Stephen's physical shell had begun twitching and convulsing unconsciously on the chair. 

Observing the rapidly deteriorating biological responses, the Ancient One felt a sudden spike of genuine panic. She immediately stepped forward and executed a sharp, pulling gesture, violently yanking Stephen's astral form back toward his body. 

As the glowing astral form slammed back into the physical shell, the profound, cosmic enhancements forged during the multiversal trial were instantly biologically integrated. Empowered by the massive influx of unique, extra-dimensional energies his soul had just absorbed, Stephen's physical body underwent a massive, localized reinforcement. 

Excellent. He's significantly more durable now. 

Luke smiled in profound amusement as Stephen gasped violently for air, his eyes wide with absolute, mind-boggling terror. Thanks to the physiological upgrade, Stephen could now easily withstand significantly more intense mystical 'stimulation,' allowing his astral form to be launched even further into the cosmos on his next trip. 

The Ancient One also noted the successful biological reinforcement. She turned to Luke with a highly satisfied smile. "His innate potential is truly exceptional. His vessel can withstand a significantly higher energy load." 

Without warning, she violently slammed her palm directly into Stephen's chest again! 

Before Stephen could even utter a single, coherent syllable, his vision violently shattered once more, and he was aggressively launched back into the multiverse! 

Unlike the previous journey, which merely altered his localized perspective of the material plane, this time, empowered by his newly reinforced astral form, the Ancient One violently launched him completely outside the boundaries of their universe! He was aggressively hurled through the chaotic, swirling void separating the countless parallel dimensions! 

During this terrifying transit, the Ancient One deliberately navigated his path so he caught a fleeting, terrifying glimpse of the colossal, burning entity known as Dormammu actively prowling the dimensional borders near Earth. However, the glimpse was kept intentionally brief; she rapidly yanked Stephen's astral form away before Dormammu could casually swallow his soul as a passing snack. 

Pulling Stephen's soul back toward Earth, the Ancient One turned to Luke. "Would you object if I temporarily rerouted his astral form into your Dark Dimension?" 

Luke raised an eyebrow, noting her incredibly serious expression. "Are you intentionally trying to force him to rapidly acclimatize to my specific dark energy signature?" 

The Ancient One nodded firmly. The vast majority of the senior Kamar-Taj sorcerers had already formally signed Luke's employment contracts, significantly boosting their baseline power. She knew that in the future, Stephen would inevitably be required to sign a similar contract with Luke, otherwise, he simply wouldn't possess sufficient raw power to command the respect and obedience of his own reinforced disciples. 

Therefore, she wanted to proactively introduce him to the Dark Dimension now, testing his innate affinity and potential absorption rate for Luke's unique energy. 

Luke nodded in agreement. The future Sorcerer Supreme was an incredibly powerful, brilliant tactician capable of matching wits with a full-Gauntlet Thanos. Securing Stephen's loyalty early on was highly beneficial. Furthermore, once Stephen assumed the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, he would be entirely responsible for Earth's magical defense, perfectly aligning with Luke's own desire to avoid administrative labor. 

Luke mentally transmitted the precise dimensional coordinates of his localized Dark Dimension to the Ancient One. She nodded and aggressively redirected Stephen's terrified astral form, violently plunging him into the pitch-black void. 

Sensing the foreign soul entering his domain, Luke offered a highly sadistic, evil grin. 

Since you're visiting my personal realm... I should definitely ensure you receive a proper, unforgettable welcome. 

Stephen floated helplessly in the absolute, suffocating darkness. Only moments ago, he had witnessed a colossal, terrifying entity composed of pure darkness casually devour an entire planet with massive, burning eyes! 

Before he could even process the sheer horror of that cosmic entity, he had been violently dragged into this new, entirely pitch-black space. 

"What the hell is going on?!" Stephen panicked. As he floated in the void, he could physically feel the ambient, highly aggressive dark energy hungrily swirling around him, desperately trying to consume his soul! Fortunately, a thin, localized field of the Ancient One's protective magic surrounded him, keeping the ravenous energy at bay. 

However, despite the magical shielding, his highly sensitive astral form was completely overwhelmed by the sheer, predatory malice radiating from the 'clawing,' chaotic dark energy. Stephen's panic intensified into primal terror. He desperately prayed the invisible shield would hold. 

Suddenly, a single, glowing, blood-red eye violently ignited in the absolute darkness directly in front of his face! 

Stephen let out a terrified shriek and violently recoiled backward! 

But the horror was just beginning. As he floated backward, thousands—tens of thousands—of glowing red eyes began rapidly igniting in the darkness, completely surrounding him on all sides! The cold, absolute, murderous stares were locked entirely upon his fragile soul. 

Stephen's astral 'breathing' became ragged and heavy. He desperately clung to the hope that the Ancient One's protective energy field would shield him from whatever monstrous entities those eyes belonged to. 

Suddenly, multiple freezing, unnaturally strong hands violently bypassed the magical shielding as if it didn't even exist, clamping down hard onto his ankles! 

Stephen screamed in absolute, unfiltered horror! 

Before he could even attempt to break free, countless pitch-black silhouettes violently lunged from the darkness, completely swarming him and aggressively dog-piling onto his astral form! 

"WAAAAAHHH!" 

Just as Stephen believed his soul was about to be violently torn apart by the shadow monsters, a massive, irresistible force violently yanked him out from under the dog-pile! He was aggressively dragged backward, violently exiting the Dark Dimension and rocketing back toward the material plane! 

BOOM! 

Stephen's terrified astral form slammed into his physical body with the force of a speeding truck! The sheer kinetic impact of the reintegration threw his physical body violently forward, causing him to crash heavily to his knees directly in front of someone's legs. 

"Uh, there's really no need for such excessive formality," Luke chuckled, desperately trying to suppress his laughter as he looked down at Stephen kneeling before him. 

The Ancient One shot Luke a highly annoyed glare, while Stephen slowly, painfully regained his physical senses. 

After experiencing the absolute, undeniable horrors of the multiverse and the Dark Dimension, Stephen's hyper-rational mind had been completely, permanently shattered. He knew with absolute certainty that the experience was undeniably real; absolutely no hallucinogenic drug in human history could simulate the sheer, cosmic scale of what he had just witnessed, especially not in such a highly structured, interactive manner. 

Looking down at his trembling physical hands, Stephen suddenly remembered the profound sensation of possessing perfectly functional, uninjured hands while in his astral form. 

His eyes filled with a desperate, sudden surge of hope, he snapped his head up... only to find himself kneeling directly in front of a highly amused, barely-suppressing-laughter Luke. 

Realizing he was kneeling to the wrong person, Stephen frantically scrambled around on his knees, turning to face the Ancient One. 

"Teach me." 

The Ancient One leaned forward, peering deeply into his desperate, pleading eyes. She offered a look of profound, localized regret. 

"No." 

Without missing a beat, Mordo immediately stepped forward, firmly grabbed the stunned Stephen by the collar, and unceremoniously physically dragged him out the front door, tossing him onto the street. 

"So... his fundamental personality hasn't changed at all?" Luke asked, watching the helpless Stephen being casually thrown out. 

"Despite experiencing the infinite, he remains fundamentally unchanged," the Ancient One sighed, turning to walk back to her tea table. "He is still incredibly arrogant, fiercely stubborn, and driven entirely by blind ambition and desperation. I saw absolutely no genuine fear, reverence, or respect for the mystic arts within him. In his current, highly flawed state, he is entirely incapable of bearing the immense burden of Kamar-Taj." 

Luke nodded, watching the Ancient One calmly resume preparing tea. "Just make sure you don't overplay this 'tough love' routine. If you humiliate him too much, he might actually just give up and leave." 

The Ancient One smiled warmly, shaking her head. "I have perfectly calculated the optimal timeline. I will instruct Mordo to let him back inside at precisely the correct moment." 

Luke shook his head helplessly. Seeing the Ancient One operating with such terrifying, absolute confidence, he realized Stephen Strange's entire character arc was currently being flawlessly, ruthlessly manipulated by the Sorcerer Supreme. 

Having seen enough of the show, Luke decided it was time to leave. He had previously instructed Megatron and the Shadowkhan to begin the massive interior renovations of the United Earth Federation headquarters; he needed to personally inspect their progress and finalize the timeline for inviting the alien delegations. 

Once the trade hub was fully operational, he intended to initiate the final phase of his grand plan: utilizing Hydra's impending civil war to formally disband S.H.I.E.L.D., casually steal the three Project Insight Helicarriers, and aggressively recruit the Ancient One to manage Earth's internal and external magical threats. 

By successfully establishing a unified Earth Defense Front and a global trade hub, he would finally, permanently liberate himself from all administrative responsibilities, allowing him to travel the universe freely! 

Smiling happily at the prospect of an early retirement, Luke drew a portal and departed Kamar-Taj. He had absolutely zero intention of sitting around for five hours just to watch Stephen desperately wait outside a door. 

Stepping out of the portal onto the massive landing pad of the U.E.F. headquarters, Luke looked around the sprawling complex and nodded in profound satisfaction. 

The six massive outer skyscrapers had been completely overhauled. Each building now boasted a highly distinct, culturally accurate architectural facade perfectly matching the aesthetics of the various Nine Realms factions: Dwarves, Light Elves, Frost Giants, Aesir, Vanir, and Humans. The central tower remained sleek and neutral, representing Luke's absolute authority. 

The renovations were progressing at a terrifying speed. Megatron was currently actively directing thousands of Shadow Ninjas, coordinating the installation of massive, lush botanical gardens and specialized atmospheric controls within the central courtyards. Based on the current pace, the entire facility would be fully operational by midnight. 

Luke nodded approvingly. It was time to formally invite the extraterrestrial delegations. He drew a portal and stepped directly onto the Bifrost in Asgard. 

After briefly notifying Heimdall, Luke casually strolled toward the Royal Palace. 

The palace security had been significantly upgraded since Malekith's infiltration. Highly complex, glowing golden magical barriers now blocked the primary intersections. These sophisticated barriers were designed to instantly solidify and violently trap any individual attempting to pass without possessing a registered, magically encrypted identification token, immediately triggering localized alarms. 

Luke casually produced the supreme, All-Father-tier token Odin had previously given him, effortlessly bypassing the security checkpoints. 

Entering the grand throne room, Luke spotted Loki sitting behind a massive, incredibly cluttered desk, looking utterly exhausted and deeply miserable as he frantically processed a mountain of administrative scrolls. 

"You look incredibly busy," Luke remarked casually, noting the sheer volume of unread documents. 

Loki offered a highly cynical, exhausted smile and nodded. 

Initially, during the massive, Nine Realms-wide rebellion, Loki had only been responsible for managing Asgard's internal logistics and troop deployments, which was relatively manageable. 

However, everything changed the moment Odin casually, violently annihilated the entire realm of Muspelheim, completely obliterating Surtur and his forces from the cosmos! The terrifying display of absolute, apocalyptic power had instantly shocked the remaining rebellious realms into submission. Furthermore, Thor had subsequently launched a series of highly aggressive, devastating military strikes against the most stubborn holdouts, completely pacifying the Nine Realms in record time. 

Unfortunately, absolute peace brought absolute bureaucracy. 

Loki was now entirely responsible for processing the massive influx of diplomatic treaties, economic reports, and rebuilding proposals from all nine realms, while simultaneously trying to manage the diplomatic fallout from Thor's 'aggressive negotiations.' 

"Why don't you simply establish a highly trained, dedicated cabinet of civilian administrators to delegate the minor tasks to?" Luke suggested. "Isn't that exactly how your mother managed the kingdom?" 

Loki shook his head helplessly. "Before I ascended the throne, I operated entirely alone; I didn't cultivate a loyal following of administrative aides. And I haven't been King long enough to properly vet and promote reliable, competent ministers. I'm forced to handle everything myself for now." 

"Well, that's incredibly unfortunate. Good luck with that," Luke smiled, highly amused by the God of Mischief being crushed by paperwork. 

Seeing Luke's highly irritating, smug expression, Loki forcefully shoved a massive stack of scrolls aside. 

"If managing planetary affairs is so incredibly easy... why exactly aren't you constantly drowning in paperwork managing Earth?!" 

"Because I simply granted the national governments absolute autonomy," Luke shrugged effortlessly. "As long as they don't actively annoy me or destroy the planet, I completely ignore them." 

"That is certainly an efficient strategy. However, the various races of the Nine Realms are incredibly isolated and historically introverted. Without active, continuous central management and incentivization, they will literally barricade themselves in their respective realms and completely ignore the outside universe for centuries," Loki complained. 

Loki was entirely correct. Under Odin's previous, highly hands-off administrative approach, the Dwarves had simply locked themselves in Nidavellir and forged weapons for centuries, while the Light Elves had retreated to Alfheim to grow magical flowers. They never interacted. 

As the new King, Loki desperately wanted to rapidly stimulate the Nine Realms' economy and prove his competence to his people, forcing him to micromanage everything. 

"Well, it just so happens I have the perfect solution to your problem," Luke smiled. He quickly detailed his grand plan to establish the United Earth Federation headquarters as a highly centralized, neutral interstellar trade hub connecting the Nine Realms. 

Loki's eyes instantly lit up with profound excitement! 

Since Earth (Midgard) was literally positioned as the geographic and mystical center of the Yggdrasil cosmic tree, it naturally possessed numerous highly stable spatial rifts connecting to the other eight realms. 

Establishing a massive, centralized trade hub directly on Earth was a brilliant strategy! 

It completely bypassed the need for the Bifrost or massive interstellar cargo fleets! Merchants from the various realms could simply step through localized portals directly into the trade hub! This unparalleled convenience would absolutely incentivize the historically introverted races to finally begin actively trading their unique resources and technologies. 

The Dwarves, Light Elves, and Vanir possessed massive stockpiles of incredibly valuable, ancient resources and mystical artifacts. If Loki could successfully integrate Asgard into this new global economy, Asgard's wealth and technological advancement would skyrocket, instantly securing his legacy as a brilliant, highly effective King! 

Loki enthusiastically shoved his paperwork aside and spent the next hour aggressively negotiating the logistical details and profit-sharing margins with Luke. They carefully selected the most stable spatial rifts connecting the realms. Loki promised to immediately dispatch royal envoys to formally inform the other realms of the new trade hub and its location. 

Highly satisfied with the negotiations, Luke returned to Earth. 

He immediately deployed specialized Shadowkhan units to the specific spatial rift coordinates Loki had provided. Utilizing the AllSpark, he stabilized the rifts and established permanent, two-way portals connecting directly to the designated diplomatic sectors within the U.E.F. headquarters. 

He then formally contacted the various Earth governments via Tony Stark, instructing them to rapidly prepare their most valuable, high-tech trade goods. The interstellar market would officially open tomorrow! 

Free trade and rapid technological exchange. Flawless. 

Naturally, Luke's ultimate, hidden agenda was to force humanity to realize that the universe was filled with unimaginable wealth and advanced technology. Hopefully, their overwhelming greed would incentivize them to aggressively accelerate their space programs and leave Earth to explore the cosmos, permanently getting out of his hair! 

After leaving a massive garrison of highly intimidating Troll Ninjas to maintain absolute security within the facility, Luke finally returned to Kamar-Taj. 

Shortly after he arrived, Galacta eagerly sought him out. As they had previously discussed, she was enthusiastically requesting her second 'extraction procedure.' 

Seeing her practically vibrating with excitement, Luke couldn't help but smile. He casually manifested the highly complex System extraction array and initiated the process, directly targeting the rapidly recovering Cosmic Tapeworm within her stomach. 

The 'Essence of Devouring' was successfully deposited into his inventory, and he immediately transferred it to the Conversion Module. 

Feeling the terrifying, hyper-metabolic Tapeworm instantly become sluggish and dormant once again, Galacta sighed in profound, overwhelming relief and happily bounced away to find more food. 

Meanwhile, countless lightyears away in the deepest, darkest corner of the universe... 

A colossal, planet-sized entity paused mid-meal, sighing heavily. 

Even if that mortal has discovered a method to repeatedly extract the Tapeworm's essence... he needs to exercise moderation! If he constantly starves the Tapeworm, my daughter's overall cosmic development and power scaling will be severely, permanently stunted! 

I really need to go have a word with him. 

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