Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 156: Ch.155 Ancient One

Chapter 156: Ch.155 Ancient One

There wasn't much scenery to speak of in the sewers, nor were there any monsters that could pique his interest. There were no gigantic beasts, though the rats were quite large, but still within normal range.

There were a few stray cats and dogs, along with various abandoned pets like pythons and lizards.

But these were harmless creatures, merely living off the scraps left by human society in these cold, damp places.

In the pitch-black tunnels, the smell wasn't great, but if he kept walking for a while longer and entered the flood channels, it should improve.

However, just as he was on his way, the situation suddenly changed.

The space around him began to twist like a string being pulled, and the tunnel that had been lying flat suddenly stood upright. Not far ahead, it connected directly to the scene above ground, but pedestrians and vehicles vanished in an instant.

The space began to overlap and flip, as if a kaleidoscope had been placed in front of his eyes.

Su Ming knew exactly what was happening, but he immediately decided to play dumb.

He stopped in his tracks, grabbing the Godslayer from his waist. The dagger-like weapon grew instantly when exposed to the air, transforming into a massive sword that illuminated the surrounding tunnel with a golden light.

The terrifying killing intent contained within the weapon caused all the small creatures within a hundred meters to flee instantly.

"Who's there?"

The warped space shifted again, as if glass were cracking and then rippling. A pale figure with a serene expression, whose gender was indiscernible, appeared in front of him.

"I am the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One."

Su Ming inwardly sighed with relief. The appearance was identical to what he had seen in the movies—a woman.

So, this world is the MCU? That meant the danger level was much lower.

"Sorcerer?"

The Ancient One smiled faintly, raising a hand to size up Su Ming. Perhaps lost in thought, she muttered a spell, drawing a circle in the air around her. Sparks flew as a luxurious interior space became visible on the other side.

"Visitor from another world, I've been observing you for some time. I've initially determined that you pose no harm to this world, but there are still some questions I need you to answer in person. Please, come to the New York Sanctum."

She adjusted her white robes, which remained spotless despite the sewer surroundings. With a wave of her hand, she made a gesture of invitation.

The sound of dripping water echoed in the sewers, but the droplets began to rise unnaturally. They were now in the Mirror Dimension, where everything was controlled by magic.

Su Ming put away his weapon, exhaling softly. Of course, the Sorcerer Supreme considered herself the protector of Earth—there was no way his dimensional travel could have gone unnoticed by her.

Not just her—many cosmic-level beings were likely aware of his presence by now.

He was always in the light, while they remained in the shadows. As she said, she had been observing him for some time. If her observations had led to a different conclusion, this conversation wouldn't be happening; it would have been something far more serious.

The Ancient One's current demeanor didn't seem hostile, but he was without his armor, and his magic resistance was practically zero. She had indeed chosen a perfect time.

"Fortunately, I may be from an outer universe, but I'm still human—and a non-magical human at that," Su Ming thought as he walked forward.

No matter what his plans were on Earth, as long as he didn't show any intent to destroy the world, whatever business he conducted would still be considered a matter among humans.

Disputes among ordinary humans were not the concern of the sorcerers.

Want to build concentration camps? Go ahead. Want to nuke a city? Fine. As long as you don't destroy the three Sanctums or disrupt the Earth's protective spells, they wouldn't interfere.

That was the rule of Kamar-Taj. Even in the future, when Doctor Strange was the Sorcerer Supreme, he wouldn't involve himself in the Avengers' Civil Wars, and he mostly remained neutral in the Illuminati.

Aside from protecting Earth, they had no personal biases or inclinations. They considered themselves apart from worldly affairs, with no interest in the mundane concerns of others.

Their battles were against demons and interdimensional rulers—ordinary humans didn't even register on their radar. A "muggle" like Su Ming was beneath their notice, and even future figures like Doctor Doom wouldn't be bothered by them.

So Su Ming didn't hesitate and stepped directly through the portal.

"The Ancient One just wants to have a chat, to see where I came from, and to make sure I'm not in league with any demons or dimensional lords."

He knew he was clean. Even though he carried an unfulfilled contract with Satan, that contract had long been severed by the Source Wall and the barriers between worlds.

Who here even knows Satan? In the Marvel Universe, the ruler of Hell is Mephisto.

And if he didn't enter, the Ancient One certainly wouldn't let him leave the Mirror Dimension.

So he might as well go through with it. He would definitely need magical support in the Marvel Universe later on, so getting to know the sorcerers wouldn't hurt.

After stepping through the portal, Su Ming instantly arrived at the New York Sanctum. It didn't look like it would in the future, but the basic architectural structure was the same.

Books and records were neatly arranged on surrounding shelves, and strange magical artifacts were displayed nearby, including the device that would eventually bind Kaecilius.

Of course, the Cloak of Levitation was also in a glass case not far away, quietly waiting for its future owner.

Large murals hung on the walls, depicting deserts or glaciers—these were portals leading to either corners of the Earth or other dimensions.

The Ancient One beside Su Ming dissolved like an illusion, and he was instantly teleported to a sofa. Across from him, the sorcerer smiled as she watched him.

She was well aware of almost everything Su Ming had done since arriving in this world. She had been observing from different phases while he was slaughtering gangsters in Hawaii.

As for the eliminated gangs, she felt neither goodwill nor malice towards them. There were plenty of people like that outside of Kamar-Taj, and this was how ordinary humans lived—it was their choice and their consequences to bear.

The concepts of good and evil were too simplistic and extreme. Duality didn't fit the real world. At the Ancient One's level, she no longer cared about such things.

Having entered the Sanctum, Su Ming was now on her turf, and she had already used various methods to examine his aura.

The conclusion was the same as before: he had no magical aura at all—he was completely uninitiated.

Though his strange attire and nighttime excursions to commit violence were odd, as she had previously believed, those were his choices.

In summary, this visitor from another dimension was safe. The Earth was vast enough to accommodate a few outsiders, and all human fates were interconnected. The Ancient One understood this well.

Su Ming also understood the Ancient One's thoughts—she was simply conducting an "immigration health inspection." He knew he had nothing to worry about.

Whether it was demons or dimensional lords, their methods were always the same, using powerful mystical forces as bait to lure others into their service.

"Do you crave power, mortal?"

"Drink this; it's the fate of the orcs."

"Sign this contract and become a demon-hunting warrior!"

But these tricks didn't work on someone who was uninitiated. They weren't interested in magic; they preferred machine guns, missiles, and atomic bombs. Offer them a cup of green goo, and what good would it do?

Magical beings could display all sorts of magical powers, but if someone didn't see the value compared to a bomb, they wouldn't be enticed.

The powers of demons and lords weren't given out freely—they were investments. They wouldn't waste their power on someone without potential, and investing in a mediocre person would be a waste.

The Ancient One wouldn't be wrong. The person before her had no magical talent and probably would never cast a single spell in his life.

Of course, if Su Ming heard this thought, he'd definitely disagree. Sure, he couldn't cast spells, but he could burn scrolls like nobody's business. He was really good at burning things.

So now, the Ancient One only needed to ask a few standard questions for final confirmation—she had already observed enough.

"Please, have a seat. What would you like to drink?"

"Whiskey, on the rocks."

Now that he was in the Marvel Universe, it was only polite to introduce himself to the real authorities here. And now that the sorcerers' leader had come to him for a home inspection, how could he say no?