The edge of the Rings of Raggadorr slashed fiercely into one of the Mindless Ones charging at the front.
Sparks flew, and a fissure was carved into the Mindless One's rock-like skin, but it didn't pause in the slightest, continuing to swing its giant fist toward Strange.
Strange dodged to the side, and the giant fist smashed into the stair railing, sending wood splinters flying.
A dark beam shot abruptly from the single eye of another Mindless One, aiming straight for Strange's chest.
Strange immediately crossed his hands, expanding a rune shield in front of him to block it.
The beam slammed into the shield, and the immense impact force caused Strange to slide backward with his feet pressed against the floor, not stopping until he collided with the wall.
"Cough..." Strange coughed lightly in pain.
In order to master superhuman magic in such a short time, he had overdrawn too much of his energy, and his physical stamina was nearing its limit.
But the Mindless Ones didn't give him any chance to breathe, swarming him once again.
Dark energy blasted everywhere in the Sanctum hall, shattering ancient artifacts and bookshelves into pieces.
Kaecilius roamed behind the army of Mindless Ones like a ghost.
He conjured two transparent spatial blades in his hands, and spotting the opening while Strange was besieged by the Mindless Ones, he threw them fiercely.
The blades sliced through the air, silently closing in on Strange's head.
The Cloak behind Strange jerked his shoulder abruptly, allowing him to barely evade the fatal blow.
However, the blade still grazed his neck, leaving a bloody streak.
"Hiss—" Strange touched the wound on his neck, a chill running through his heart.
"You can't hold on much longer, Doctor. Give up the resistance and join the darkness."
After missing the strike, Kaecilius immediately distanced himself and said in a cold tone.
Seeing the Mindless Ones closing in again, Strange knew that conventional magic could no longer resolve the crisis before him.
It seemed he had no choice but to use that forbidden spell.
Strange's breathing became rapid, and his hands began to form an unknown magic seal.
But just as his hands were coming together.
"Crack—!"
The Sanctum hall was shattered like a giant mirror.
The surrounding environment changed drastically in an instant.
This is... the Mirror Dimension?!
Just as Strange was puzzled.
The next moment, a figure in yellow robes appeared out of thin air.
The Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One.
Her expression was solemn, holding two golden magic folding fans in her hands.
The moment she appeared, the Ancient One's figure instantly turned into a blurred afterimage, charging directly toward a Mindless One.
"Swish!"
The folding fan cut into the Mindless One's knee joint without any resistance, and the monster's massive body lost its balance and fell.
The Ancient One took advantage of the momentum to leap into the air, and her other folding fan sliced open its red single eye.
The monster's energy core was destroyed, turning it into ashes.
The Ancient One's movements were smooth and fluid, with the supreme demeanor of a grandmaster in every gesture.
After finishing off one, she didn't stop but continued to clear out the approaching Mindless Ones.
In just over ten seconds, nearly half of the Mindless Ones besieging Strange were cleared away.
But Kaecilius was not panicked in the slightest.
He knew he was no match for the Ancient One; from the very beginning, his target had been Strange.
Kaecilius slammed his hands onto the ground, forcibly interfering with the Mirror Dimension.
Two walls twisted instantly, squeezing Strange in the middle, rendering him unable to move.
Kaecilius did not stop, immediately conjuring a spatial spear nearly two meters long, and threw it with all his might toward Strange's chest.
This strike was fast and ruthless; Strange couldn't spare a hand to defend.
"Strange!"
The Ancient One sensed the danger; she didn't hesitate, abandoning her pursuit of the Mindless Ones and immediately casting a spatial displacement spell.
With a flash, the Ancient One and Strange swapped positions.
"Pfft!"
The spatial spear pierced into the Ancient One's abdomen, and the immense penetrating force sent her body flying backward.
Kaecilius seized the opportunity and raised his hand to cast a spell.
A spatial portal suddenly opened in the path of the Ancient One's backward flight.
The Ancient One crashed straight into the portal.
And the other end of the portal opened a hundred meters above Manhattan.
The Ancient One's body plummeted rapidly under the force of gravity.
Feeling the fierce wind whistling past her ears, there was no fear in her eyes, only a calm sense of relief.
This day had finally come.
She had lived for too long and knew this was her fated end.
The Ancient One slowly closed her eyes, calmly accepting it all.
However, the shattered body she expected did not happen.
When she was still a few dozen meters from the ground, she suddenly felt her falling body stop, landing in a solid embrace.
The Ancient One opened her eyes.
What met her eyes was Homelander's familiar face, wearing a charming smile.
"Master, you are not well-behaved. I told you before, don't do anything rash."
Homelander looked down at the Ancient One in his arms and teased.
The Ancient One had lived for so many years, and this was the first time she had been held in such a position by a man.
This caused a trace of extreme unnaturalness to flash across the face of the usually serene Sorcerer Supreme.
She immediately composed herself, enduring the excruciating pain in her abdomen, her voice remaining dignified.
"Put me down, Anthony. Go save Strange, Kaecilius is hunting him!"
"Rest assured, Master. He will be fine; I have everything under control." Homelander nodded in agreement.
Hearing Homelander's promise, the Ancient One relaxed and passed out.
Homelander gently placed the Ancient One on a flat rooftop, preparing to tear open the barrier of the Mirror Dimension to go in and retrieve the person.
"Crack."
The space in front made a crisp sound, and a figure stumbled out of the shattered spatial rift.
It was Strange; he had already stepped out of the dimension a step earlier, coincidentally landing on the same rooftop.
He raised his head, panting.
When he saw clearly that the person standing not far away was Homelander, he couldn't help but say in surprise: "Teacher... you're back?"
"The whole World is saying you're dead!"
"Obviously, the rumors are mistaken." Homelander shrugged.
Strange saw the Ancient One lying on the side, suppressed the questions in his heart, and hurriedly asked.
"How is Master Ancient One?"
"She's badly hurt, but she won't die." Homelander answered.
Strange let out a long sigh of relief.
The Ancient One had suffered such severe injuries to save him; if she died, he would carry the guilt for the rest of his life.
Meanwhile, Homelander's sharp gaze scanned Strange up and down.
"What happened in there? Where is Kaecilius?"
"Also, Strange. You look terrible."
Strange's eyes flickered, intentionally avoiding Homelander's gaze.
"Kaecilius... after he injured Master Ancient One, he suddenly left."
"Maybe... maybe he felt his goal had been achieved."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Homelander crossed his arms, looking at Strange with a half-smile.
***************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌