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However, Ryan didn't mind Gwen's slight mischievousness.
Just in time, while there's some free time now, it's time to take care of some small matters left undone...
For example... the matter of leading this Universe's Strange onto the path of a sorcerer...
After all, back in another Universe, he had promised that Universe's Doctor Strange that he would lead this Universe's version through the doors of sorcery ahead of time...
Moreover, if Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme sooner, his own Universe would gain a top-tier combatant earlier.
In their Spider-Alliance, although there are already many superpowered individuals, most are physical-based, and there really isn't a single magic-based presence yet.
Thor doesn't count. Although Thor is technically classified as a mage, in reality, this idiot has always fought like a pure warrior...
So, Ryan was going to recruit the first true sorcerer candidate for his Spider Family!
As for the method, hadn't it been mentioned before?
Strange has a girlfriend whose loss could cause him to darken enough to destroy the Universe...
New York, a Sky Restaurant.
At a window-side table with a view of the entire New York night skyline, a man and a woman in formal attire sat opposite each other.
The man wore a sharp suit and a high-end watch, looking every bit the elite professional...
The woman wore a dazzling starry dress and exquisite makeup, clearly having dressed up with great care...
These two were Stephen Strange and Christine Palmer.
The usually arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange had a surprising touch of tenderness in his eyes today. He held Christine's hand on the table with one hand while keeping the other in his suit pocket.
But before he could make a move, Christine used her free hand to pull out an exquisite box from behind her.
At this moment, Christine's eyes were filled with nothing but Strange. Compared to his subtle affection, her love was clearly more direct and obvious.
Christine pushed the box toward Stephen, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled. "Stephen, this is a gift for our tenth anniversary of knowing each other. Open it and see if you like it~"
Steve didn't expect Christine to have prepared a gift for him as well. He stared at her blankly and murmured, "Has it really been ten whole years since we met..."
As he spoke, he opened the box, where an exquisite watch lay quietly inside.
It was a model he had planned to buy before, but because he was always a big spender and a hedonist, he was planning to wait until next month's paycheck.
He hadn't expected Christine to buy it for him in advance!
Most importantly, Christine knew exactly what he wanted, which showed how much she truly cared about him!
Along with the surprise, Strange became even more resolute in the decision he had made today.
That was... he wanted to officially formalize his relationship with Christine. He shouldn't make her wait any longer for his reckless ways!
Strange took off the luxury watch on his wrist, put on the one Christine gave him, and touched it very affectionately.
Then, he also took an exquisite box out of his suit pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Christine.
At this moment, Strange no longer hid the love in his eyes for Christine. Instead, he wore a gentle smile, unlike his usual arrogant one:
"Christine, I've prepared a gift for you today too. But I'm sorry, I forgot today was our tenth anniversary, so this isn't the anniversary gift I prepared for you..."
Hearing this, Christine wasn't disappointed; instead, she couldn't help but cover her mouth with both hands, her eyes filled with surprise!
Since it wasn't an anniversary gift, there was only one possibility left for the usually gift-clueless Strange!
And that was...
At that moment, a gentle melody suddenly began to play in the restaurant—a song usually played only during a proposal!
Strange stood up amidst the music, leaning over to open the box in front of Christine. His voice was soft but firm: "Christine, would you be willing to be my girlfriend from this day forward, the love of my life?"
The next moment, everyone else in the Sky Restaurant stood up and clapped softly, all wishing to witness this couple's happy ending.
This dreamlike scene felt just like a plot from a TV drama, making people feel that this tragedy-filled World was becoming beautiful...
As Christine looked at the exquisite Sapphire Necklace in the box, her eyes filled with tears of joy.
She had waited ten years; wasn't it just for these words from Strange?
And now, she had finally reached this day—the day the prodigal Strange returned!
Christine slowly lowered her trembling hands and reached for the necklace on the table: "I do..."
But... not everything in the World is perfect...
Just as Christine's hand was about to touch the necklace and she was about to say "I do," time in the surroundings suddenly slowed to a crawl, as if frozen.
The gentle music became distorted and slow, like a demonic whisper, until it vanished...
The smiles of the people clapping around them froze on their faces, their hands unable to meet again...
The final syllable of Christine's "I do" was frozen in this moment, and her finger remained forever just an inch away from the Sapphire Necklace...
The only person present whose time hadn't stopped and who could move freely was Strange, who stood there in terror, not knowing what was happening.
Strange instinctively reached out to take the frozen Christine's hand, but the moment he did, a terrifying black hole, like the gaping maw of an abyss, appeared behind her!
After the black hole appeared, a powerful suction force suddenly erupted, pulling the frozen Christine toward it!
Snap!
Just as half of Christine's body was sucked into the black hole and she was about to be swallowed whole, Strange finally reached her. He lunged across the table and gripped her right hand tightly.
Once gripped by Strange, Christine miraculously regained consciousness.
As soon as she woke, she first looked in terror at the endless dark void beneath her feet, then at Strange, who was gripping her hand for dear life, and asked in panic, "Stephen, what's happening?"
Steve held onto a fixed table leg with one hand and pulled with all his might on Christine, who was still being sucked into the black hole, gritting out through his teeth:
"I... I don't know, but I won't let go! Hang on, Christine!"
Christine had always been a smart girl. In this sudden, desperate situation, she didn't just scream in fear like other girls might; she observed...
She noticed that the Sapphire Necklace on the table remained unmoved by the suction, and Strange's tie, though hanging down, wasn't fluttering toward her.
She understood...
This suction was targeted only at her...
At that moment, she smiled—and cried as she did...
She understood, yet she didn't. She didn't know who was attacking her, or why they would target someone as ordinary as her.
But she knew that if Strange didn't let go, she would drag the man she loved down into the abyss with her...
So, she slowly loosened her fingers, releasing her grip on Strange's hand, and said softly to him, "Stephen, let go..."