Chapter 311: Strange Is About to Become the Next Sorcerer Supreme
Future-Banner stared, dead serious, at the magnificent golden Rider standing before him. Even from a distance, he could feel the sheer weight of pressure radiating off the figure — even fully Hulked out, he wasn't sure he'd stand much of a chance against this one.
This universe's technology really is something else, Banner thought, genuinely impressed. Armor this refined... that has to be Strange's "boss," Ethan Cross.
Never expected this "Ethan" guy's engineering to be this far ahead — beyond even our own Tony's work.
Ethan stepped through the portal, spotted Strange and the Ancient One both present, and dropped his transformation immediately, offering the Ancient One a respectful greeting.
Then he clapped Strange on the shoulder. "Well, well — didn't expect to find the real you out here today. Figured you'd still be fighting through clones like usual, ha!"
Strange forced an awkward smile. Not that he'd wanted to be here in the first place — the Ancient One had strong-armed him into it.
With that out of the way, Ethan finally turned his attention to future-Banner. "Hey there. I'm Ethan Cross. You'd be Dr. Bruce Banner, from another parallel universe, I take it."
Banner blinked, thrown for a moment. He hadn't recalled introducing himself at any point — how did this "Ethan" already know who he was?
And on top of that, now that Ethan had dropped his transformation, he just looked... ordinary. How on earth had this unassuming guy become Strange's boss?
Still, future-Banner managed a polite nod — he was, after all, here asking for a favor. "Hello, Mr. Cross. That's right, I am Bruce Banner, from another universe."
"I understand you're holding two Infinity Stones. I'd like to ask if we might borrow them — I promise, we'll return them," future-Banner said.
"Sure, they're on me, no question there. Question is, why would I lend them to you? And even if I could — what exactly are you offering in return?" Ethan said, unhurried.
Truth was, Ethan already knew he'd probably end up helping this crew reach their own timeline eventually. But he wasn't about to make it easy on them — things handed over too freely never got appreciated properly.
And Ethan wasn't exactly the charity type. Who knew what might go wrong on his own end if he handed over two Stones and went traipsing off to another world?
At the end of the day, this universe was his home turf — the one thing he actually needed to protect.
Future-Banner hesitated, then offered, "I promise I'll bring the Stones back. As for payment — how about this: my team and I help you deal with this alien invasion?"
He genuinely had no idea what Ethan might actually want, or what he could realistically offer in exchange.
At the proposal, Ethan let out a soft laugh. "Might want to take a look around first. You really think we need YOUR help with this?"
"Wait — that's not — how could this possibly—" Future-Banner, prompted by Ethan's comment, finally took a real, careful look at his surroundings. Between hiding his identity and desperately pleading his case to the Ancient One, he hadn't stopped to actually process the scene around him.
He'd already sensed something was off, but seeing it properly now — what in the actual hell is all this.
Why were there this many other people who could transform like the Hulk? How was that cataract-eyed woman controlling lightning? Who were those people breathing fire and shooting light out of their eyes? And who else was throwing lightning around — wasn't that supposed to be Thor's exclusive thing?
Did Thor lose weight in this universe or something?
Why didn't we have this much backup when I fought this battle the first time around?
And Manhattan's practically leveled at this point.
He didn't remember the original fight being anywhere near this catastrophic. If there'd been this many Chitauri the first time, the handful of them who fought back then wouldn't have stood a chance — Earth would've fallen, easily.
And where was everyone else? He'd only spotted Tony so far.
Where was Cap? Where was Hawkeye?!
"What is even going on here? Who ARE all these people? Why are there this many Chitauri invading? Did you people break some kind of cosmic law? Our version of this fight never had anywhere near this scale!" Banner's face was still frozen in genuine shock at the sheer devastation of the battlefield around him.
"Relax. These are Hell's Kitchen's superheroes, plus a good chunk of mutants," Ethan answered.
"As for why the Chitauri decided to throw this much at us — my best guess is it's because I took the Mind Stone off them not too long ago." A faint smile tugged at Ethan's mouth, his voice thick with confidence. "So, tell me — do you honestly think I need your help here? Truth is, the situation's actually working out pretty well in our favor right now."
Future-Banner fell quiet, turning the answer over in his head.
For a moment, he genuinely considered just trying to physically wrestle the Stones off Ethan. But something in Ethan's calm, unreadable eyes gave him pause. Ethan looked unassuming enough on the surface — but the conversation alone had already made Banner feel it: a strength that went beyond raw physical power, something closer to a presence he simply couldn't put into words.
That's when the Ancient One, silent up to this point, finally spoke. "Go, Ethan. Take the trip."
At her words, Strange's face lit up.
If Ethan's the one going, that means I get to stay right here.
But her next words wiped that smile clean off his face.
"Strange will go with you. The two of you, together. I'll rest easier knowing Strange is at your side."
The Ancient One glanced at Ethan as she said it — clearly aware that Ethan's presence in this world had already sent it diverging significantly from other universes. If not for that, the future Banner had described might well have simply been their own inevitable future too.
But with Ethan's presence, even if her own student Strange had grown a bit more paranoid because of it, overall things had trended in a genuinely better direction.
In truth, the Ancient One had already decided from the start that Strange would go along WITH Ethan — a chance to broaden his horizons a little. If Strange had been going alone, she'd probably have simply granted future-Banner's request outright and left it at that.
But with Ethan involved, she trusted the mission would actually succeed — and Strange would get to tag along and learn something in the process.
The truth was, Strange had had things too easy under her guidance, never quite following the path she'd originally laid out for him. If he was ever going to be ready to face someone like Dormammu, he needed exposure to other versions of himself, other worlds. It might do him real good.
Ethan had originally intended to turn the whole request down flat. But hearing the Ancient One's terms, he found himself with no real choice but to agree.
"Once this is all wrapped up, I'm making Strange the next Sorcerer Supreme."
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