After flipping through the diary for a while longer, Strange paused.
For now, he simply didn't believe any of the information revealed in the diary.
After all, he was a mighty sorcerer.
Even the most magical and mysterious things rarely stirred much emotion in him.
In Strange's eyes, he still believed this magical diary was merely some magical artifact, he just didn't know who was behind it.
Initially, Strange suspected Wong, but now he was more puzzled than ever.
As for the purpose of the person behind it in giving him the diary?
Well, Strange was even more baffled.
However, Strange had a good habit: he didn't dwell on things.
Since he didn't know what was going on, he'd just ask someone else!
He was sure Wong or Baron Mordo would give him an answer.
After all, these two were the "seniors" of Kamar-Taj.
That settled it!
With his mind made up, Strange flicked his consciousness and closed the "digital diary" in his mind.
Just as he was about to close the diary interface, Strange finally noticed that there were several other diaries within it.
Information was also poured into his mind, telling him that he could establish contact and communicate with the other diaries simply by thinking about it.
Of course, that was only if the other diaries agreed.
*Isn't this just MSN? I wonder which mage came up with this—pretty up-to-date.*
After a brief mental grumble, Strange curiously decided to try it out.
He randomly selected one of the diaries and, with a thought, sent a communication request.
To his surprise, the other diary responded instantly.
"Another newcomer! Welcome to the group!"
The other diary even greeted Strange warmly.
"No need for formality. But what exactly is this diary? And... this isn't your doing, is it? Who are you?"
Strange fired off a barrage of questions.
"I'm Tony Stark."
The reply came.
Because up to this point, all the diary holders had been positive figures—or rather, without exception, they had all been superheroes.
Even though he didn't know the identity of the latest diary holder, Tony didn't hesitate to reveal his own.
"Wait a minute, Tony Stark?"
Strange nearly burst out laughing. "Destroyer Tony Stark? You're not going to tell me you're just someone with the same name, are you?"
"The genuine article," Tony replied with characteristic confidence. "I know countless people have tried to imitate me, to impersonate me—who wouldn't want to be the greatest genius of the century? But come on, could those fakes have created this magical diary?"
*Ah, this!*
Strange was left speechless by that simple statement.
*It's true, though.*
*No ordinary person could pull off something like this.*
*But the problem is, Tony Stark is a scientist, not a mage!*
"Since you know who I am, it's only polite that you tell me who *you* are, isn't it?" Tony turned the tables, asking Strange for his identity.
"You don't know who I am?" Strange raised an eyebrow.
"That's exactly what I've always wanted the diary to improve, though it's impossible."
"But you're right, the diary doesn't have a friend-finding function. We'll have to introduce ourselves."
In his luxurious villa, Tony instinctively shrugged at the air in front of him.
"So, you didn't create this diary?" Strange raised an eyebrow again.
"Of course not," Tony replied with a laugh from his luxurious villa. "Even with my brain, I couldn't pull something like this off right now. I believe I will in the future, but not yet."
While Strange chatted casually with the Playboy, he also received connection requests from several other diaries.
Without much hesitation, Strange accepted them, establishing contact with the other diary holders.
After exchanging introductions, they revealed their identities to each other.
*Black Widow?*
*Never heard of her.*
*Nick Fury?*
*Don't know him.*
*What's this Thor, the God of Thunder? Is he kidding me?*
To Strange, these diary friends held no particular interest.
But for Tony and the other diary holders, the excitement was palpable.
*Strange, the renowned Doctor Strange!*
During their conversation, Tony and the other "seniors" explained the existence of the diaries to Strange.
Yet Strange remained skeptical.
*How could such a magical thing even exist in the world?* he thought.
Before he could fully understand what was happening, Strange decided it was better to trust his "seniors" than the words in the diary.
"Alright, that's enough for now. I have some other matters to attend to."
Strange didn't waste any more time with the diary holders and simply withdrew.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he left without further ado, diary in hand.
His first stop was the library, where he approached Wong, the mage he suspected most.
He intended to ask whether Wong had tampered with the diary.
But just like the other diary holders he'd encountered, Strange found himself unable to speak of the diary to anyone.
"What did you do, Wong?"
"What spell did you cast?"
Strange demanded, his voice filled with suspicion.
"What are you talking about?"
Wong was utterly bewildered, having no idea what Strange was referring to.
As Strange continued his interrogation, he gradually realized that Wong was likely not involved.
So he sought out Baron Mordo, his closest friend.
"Strange."
Baron Mordo, who was in the midst of his cultivation, paused upon seeing Strange. "Has your confidence been shaken enough yet?"
Earlier that morning, the two had sparred, and the outcome was as expected: Baron Mordo had thoroughly thrashed Strange.
"You know I've only been practicing for a year, right?" Strange said, his expression unchanging. "You wouldn't tell me you take pride in defeating a rookie like me, would you?"
"A year might not seem long, but it's more than enough time for someone to change," Baron Mordo replied, half-jokingly, half-seriously. "But your arrogance... that hasn't changed one bit."
"I suspect it's already etched into my bones."
Strange didn't deny it. He then raised the diary in his hand and asked Baron Mordo about it.
But what had happened with Wong occurred again: Strange still couldn't reveal the diary.
Otherwise, some mysterious force would prevent him!
Moreover, Baron Mordo's reaction was the same as Wong's—as if he couldn't see the diary in Strange's hand.
He had never heard of the diary's ability to project thoughts into the brain or cast spells that allowed for conversations, as Strange had described.
Only then did Strange begin to sense something was wrong.
When he finally found the Ancient One with the diary, his suspicion was confirmed.
Because the Ancient One also couldn't see the diary in his hand.
Nor had she ever heard of the "spells" Strange had described.
With the Ancient One's power, it was impossible for her to trick him, right?
"It's true!"
"What Tony and the others said... it's all true."
Strange murmured to himself.
In that moment, he finally believed Tony Stark and his companions.
It seemed he truly was one in ten thousand, struck by the luck of being gifted a magical diary that could predict the future.
"Tony? Tony Stark?"
The Ancient One, sitting opposite Strange, raised an eyebrow. "This... it's all connected to this 'Tony'?"
"Yes, Tony Stark. Like me, he's a holder of that 'mysterious object'."
Strange nodded. "Not just Tony—there are several others."
Strange then revealed the identities of the other diary holders: Nick Fury, Black Widow, Thor, the God of Thunder, and more.
The Ancient One's heart stirred, sensing something hidden beneath the surface.
As a time-manipulating powerhouse who had peered into the future countless times, the Ancient One naturally knew exactly who Nick Fury was.
Nick Fury actually played a significant role in many major events.
Though he gradually faded into the background after Black Widow single-handedly destroyed S.H.I.E.L.D., it must be said that Fury was quite involved in the early stages.
The Ancient One had seen Nick Fury in the future and naturally knew he was the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
And S.H.I.E.L.D.?
For some inexplicable reason over the past few years, they had begun a full-scale investigation into Kamar-Taj.
If not for the Ancient One's covert interventions, Kamar-Taj would likely have been thoroughly investigated by now.
The timing of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s investigation into Kamar-Taj coincided almost perfectly with the period when the Ancient One began to lose her ability to see the future.
Thus, the Ancient One naturally made a deduction:
The reason S.H.I.E.L.D. was investigating her was most likely the very force that was obscuring her vision of the future!
But what exactly was that force? The Ancient One had no idea.
This power had even blocked her ability to see the future, rendering the Time Stone useless. It had already surpassed the Ancient One's ability to comprehend.
Until now!
The Ancient One was almost certain that the "mysterious object" Strange had "found" was the root of it all.
Because of this object, she could no longer glimpse the future.
Because of this object, the world had become unrecognizable!
But it was a pity.
No matter how close the Ancient One was to the object, she couldn't see it or touch it.
It was completely impervious to her!
So, what exactly was this thing?
The Ancient One secretly wondered, *Could it be the work of higher-tier entities?*
*Like Eternity or one of the Five Cosmic Entities?*
*After all, those below that level simply wouldn't have the ability.*
And if it truly was someone of that caliber?
Well, the Ancient One admitted that she wasn't qualified to meddle in that circle.
Whatever plans and schemes those powerful beings might be weaving, all she could do was silently watch the show unfold.
*If that's the case... then life won't be so boring after all!*
The monotonous existence she'd always seen stretching endlessly before her, where everything was perfectly under her control, finally had a flicker of intrigue.
In that moment, the Ancient One felt that her desire for death wasn't quite so urgent anymore.
*Living a little longer to see what changes this world will undergo under the influence of higher powers... that might not be so bad after all?*
Across from her, Strange suddenly had a peculiar sensation.
*Why does the Ancient One across from me seem... different?*
But he couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed.
"Strange," the Ancient One said, quickly dismissing her thoughts. Her voice rang out again as she turned to him. "You mentioned earlier that the source revealed some things about me. What exactly did it say?"
"At first, I thought it was absurd. But now... I don't know if I should believe it."
With a faint sigh, Strange recounted the passages in the diary pertaining to the Ancient One.
Though the Ancient One maintained a composed exterior, her inner world was stirred by the revelations.
*I will be killed by Kaecilius?*
Well, that was indeed her predetermined future, the one she had glimpsed before the future became obscured.
It seemed that even the higher powers behind this fate could peer into the future.
*Am I actively seeking death?*
*Have I lived long enough and decided to evade my debts?*
No one on Earth could possibly know this truth except the Ancient One herself.
*Have I been drawing power from Dormammu of the Dark Dimension?*
*Otherwise, how could I have lived this long?*
*Why would such higher powers care about such trivial matters?*
Through her conversation with Strange, the Ancient One grew increasingly certain that the force behind this fate was an entity far beyond her own level of power.
"So, is it true?"
Strange's voice cut through her thoughts, his gaze fixed on her as he demanded, "Do you really intend to die?"
"And Dormammu—does he truly exist? Can he really devour the Earth?"
In the Ancient One's original plan, she had intended to reveal these truths to Strange, but not now.
This was not the right time.
Yet the appearance of the diary had completely disrupted her carefully laid plans.
"This might be sudden for you, but..."
The Ancient One hesitated for a moment, then, under Strange's intense gaze, nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes. It's true."
-----------------------
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