Michael did not directly go to the Ancient One to forcibly seize it; this did not align with Michael's own principles.
Not to mention, even if the Ancient One truly advanced to a Single Universe Level powerhouse, she would still not be Michael's match.
Furthermore, with the mutated gem on him, no matter what kind of powerful expert obtained the Time Stone, its effect on Michael would be negligible, or even nonexistent! With the mutated gem, Michael's existence had long transcended the shackles of time.
Although Michael achieved this state by virtue of the mutated gem's effects, the mutated gem simply… recognized Michael. This was Michael's ability! With the mutated gem, Michael had no 'past' or 'future' whatsoever! Even a Multiverse Level powerhouse who had completely mastered the Time Stone would be unable to find any of Michael's timelines, no matter what.
Michael would only exist in the present! Michael could interfere with anything.
However, on the timeline where Michael intervened, no one else, whether looking back into the past or forward into the future, could find even the slightest trace of Michael's presence.
Michael, as a whole, seemed to not exist at all.
Yet, Michael could… influence all of reality, because Michael truly did exist.
Operations similar to Doctor Strange's, which infinitely reset a period of time based on the Time Stone, could be easily broken by Michael.
Even so, Michael was not prepared to let the Time Stone circulate freely.
Although he himself was not afraid, he also did not want to leave this item out there, only for it to eventually cause him trouble.
For example, if some evil guy traveled back in time to release a zombie virus or something, while Michael himself wouldn't have any problems, the entire World turning into a zombie World in the next second would be too drastic a change requiring the power of the Time Stone, which would be extremely annoying! Most importantly, although Michael had the mutated gem, it did not make it easier for him to comprehend the rules of time.
The Time Stone, however, laid the rules of time bare before Michael, allowing him to examine them at will.
If before, Michael didn't pay much attention to these Infinity Stones, now, Michael was not prepared to let these… Infinity Stones 'wander' outside.
And, how to make the Ancient One give up the Time Stone, that was a problem!… Well, it wasn't a problem. Michael had the absolute power to take it.
However, Michael's original intention was not to do so, as it was a bottom line of his principles.
Of course, if the Ancient One were to attack Michael first, then Michael would not foolishly stick to the old rules.
However, having already quite understood Michael's strength, the Ancient One likely wouldn't actively attack Michael no matter what.
As for the Ancient One having attacked Michael before, didn't Michael also heavily injure the Ancient One then, almost sending her to meet Eternity? So,
in Michael's heart, past grudges had actually been resolved.
For Michael, what could make him hold a grudge was only something he couldn't retaliate against at the time, such as Odin; Michael would absolutely not let that guy off.
But as long as he could retaliate on the spot, Michael would not harbor any grudges in his heart.
Clearly, the Ancient One was… in such a situation.
What's more, the Ancient One was so polite to Michael after that, so Michael couldn't bring himself to use heavy force… However, does this mean he won't get the Time Stone? Did he really think he couldn't make the Ancient One willingly give up the Time Stone? That was obviously not the case!
For Michael, with the mutated gem in hand, there were always more solutions than problems! Furthermore, regarding… the Time Stone, Michael didn't feel that he needed the mutated gem to save the day… Adding icing to the cake is always better than sending charcoal in the snow.
And the Ancient One's current situation was precisely… one that required Michael to send charcoal in the snow once.
The Ancient One devouring Dormammu and merging with the Dark Dimension had achieved the most crucial step! And also the most difficult step! Completely obliterating Dormammu's sentience and gaining the most fundamental recognition of the Dark Dimension! The Dark Dimension had no sentience, but it had instincts. If it didn't recognize you, you would never truly merge with the Dark Dimension.
Unless… you possessed Michael's powerful strength to force it to recognize you! Of course, Michael would not do such a 'violent' thing… Michael was only preparing to act as a guide.
Guiding the Dark Dimension to actively accept the Ancient One.
Guiding the Ancient One to merge with the Dark Dimension.
Guiding the Dark Dimension to ascend in Dimension, from a Dimensional Plane to a Small Universe World! This approach was difficult, yet also simple…
Michael then took out the Power Stone…
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