Luke, who returned with a full load, opened a transmission portal and arrived in Kamar Taj.
Before he left Earth-1024, he entrusted S.H.I.E.L.D to the Sorcerer Supreme.
Although, according to the salted fish character of the Ancient One, she might not always watch it and deal with problems like a nanny.
But if he wanted to know what happened during his absence, it was best to find the Sorcerer Supreme.
At the other end of the portal, it happened to be the open space at Kamar Taj.
At this time, a group of novice apprentices stood in rows in twos and threes.
Under the guidance of the master, they were learning how to open a spatial portal.
"Master Wong, long time no see."
Luke said hello with a smile when he saw his chubby figure and serious face.
Holding a stack of books, the other party seemed to have just come out of the library.
Unlike the universe where he became the Sorcerer Supreme, the Wong of this world was still very young.
His face wasn't so round and unfriendly, as if someone owed him money.
"Who are you? Don't you know that in Kamar Taj, you aren't allowed to drink alcohol!"
Young Master Wong saw that Luke was dressed differently from the other masters in Kamar Taj and that his right hand was supporting a drunk woman.
He couldn't help but frown with that round face of his, wanting to rebuke such behaviour.
Kamar Taj did have status classes, such as the Sorcerer Supreme, then her own disciples, the administrators of the three sanctums ... and so on and so forth.
But the atmosphere these years had changed.
Because the Ancient One had always attached little importance to rules, she advocated speaking freely, and freedom was paramount.
This made Kamar Taj's income threshold much lower and the number of apprentices much higher.
Of course, it also carried other problems.
For example, going astray and being seduced by the Dark Dimension.
Not everyone could control themselves in the face of power.
"Forget, you are not the old hotpot Wong."
Luke raised his eyebrows. He equated the guy with the hotpot Wong from the universe where he was Sorcerer Supreme.
For no other reason than the fact that the other party's side dishes were fantastic.
The days of helping Stephen Strange and substituting for him, eating hot pot and shabu-shabu and then supervising Doctor Strange's workouts were the greatest expectation of each day.
"Is the Ancient One in?"
Luke ignored Master Wong's surprised look and directly asked.
He glanced around and didn't feel the aura of the Sorcerer Supreme.
As the top powerhouse among the Nine Realms, she could stand alongside Odin.
The Ancient One could shine like a bright torch in Luke's eyes.
"So, Mr Cavill is here. Long time no see, you still look the same."
Before the young Master Wong snapped at Luke's impudence, Master Hamir, who had a broken arm, strode over with a flourish.
He knew Superman better than this rash young man and immediately greeted him.
Master Hamir, dressed in a Taoist-like robe, speaking and acting in an ancient style, was an affable elder who had been a practising disciple at Kamar Taj for many years.
"Wong, this is Superman, a war hero admired by the world and a guest always welcomed by Kamar Taj. You should show some respect."
Hamir glanced at Master Wong and motioned for the other party to step down.
He then held out his hand and invited Luke into the central hall.
The astronomic bronze sphere spun continuously, its surface emitting a lava-like hue.
It was reasonable for such an important place like Kamar Taj to be off-limits to outsiders.
But Luke's relationship with the Ancient One wasn't simple. Master Hamir had heard of those rumours.
Most of them were spread from the devils of hell or from the corners of the shadowy world.
Similar to 'The Secret affair between the Sorcerer Supreme and Superman', there were more than a dozen versions for all ages and palettes.
Of course, Master Hamir didn't believe those flimsy rumours.
He just felt that the Sorcerer Supreme's attitude towards Luke was indeed somewhat different.
The secret contact between the three sanctums and S.H.I.E.L.D, and the establishment of the Magic Congress...
In the past, the Ancient One would never have attempted such a drastic change, no matter how much she would have dared to challenge the rules.
"The Sorcerer Supreme had recently gone to the outer dimension, and she seemed to be in a hurry."
Master Hamir said without skipping a beat.
"However, before she left, she specially ordered the three sanctums to watch over S.H.I.E.L.D and be on the lookout for any trouble they might encounter."
Luke slightly nodded his head and seriously said, "Thank you, Master."
Unsurprisingly, the Ancient One was worthy of the title of 'avid slacker' and left everything to others.
"Outer dimension?"
Luke's heart moved, and he continued to ask, "Is there some kind of crisis happening?"
The Sorcerer Supreme had always been solely responsible for the safety and order of the universe. How could she skip work without saying anything?
As a veteran who had made the jump out of the universe's box and even made the trip across the multiverses, Luke naturally knew what that outer dimension was.
The Sorcerer Supreme had been on business trips before, but it was only limited to the dimensional worlds of this universe.
For example, sub-dimensions like Hell, Limbo, the Dark Dimension and so on.
The outer dimension usually referred to the strange world that existed in another box outside this universe.
"The Sorcerer Supreme didn't say but vaguely mentioned it. Mr Cavill, you will see her soon."
Master Hamir smiled and frankly said so.
Luke pondered for a moment, roughly suspecting something, but wasn't sure.
"Over the years, how has S.H.I.E.L.D been?"
Instead of obsessing over the charade the Sorcerer Supreme was playing, he cut to the chase.
"All is still well, very calm."
Master Hamir was concise. He thought for a moment and then added, "With Ms Peggy Carter's management, it doesn't look like anything is happening on the surface."
"But in private, there was a lot of minor problems involving political struggles, power struggles and the like, but Kamar Taj isn't good at dealing with that, so we didn't get involved."
With that, the broken-armed master used a projection spell to reveal those recorded world events and the turmoil of the situation.
Luke watched intently in silence.
When the third pole of the world disappeared, it would naturally trigger changes.
Fortunately, the direction of the world hadn't been stirred into a tangled mess yet, losing all control thanks to the butterfly effect he caused.
After the Cold War, the Red Empire still disintegrated and collapsed.
Leviathan and Hydra, as a result, collided violently.
The two sworn enemies were finally merged under S.H.I.E.L.D.
Upon entering the peace phase, Howard Stark was married, and Captain America and the Winter Soldier retired together.
With Luke's well-prepared plan, the White Queen successfully promoted the Mutant Registration Act.
Cavill Academy for the Gifted officially entered the public eye, and it enrolled a large number of new students.
Some of the most outstanding children had become prestigious leaders of the younger generation among the mutants.
For example, Charles Xavier, who got a professor's degree and stayed as a teacher at the Mutant Academy.
Then there's Erik Lehnsherr, who chose to join Task Force X and travel all over the world.
Compared with their predecessors like the White Queen, Wolverine and Sabretooth, they were more energetic and aggressive.
One actively pursued further rights for his compatriots by attending various talks and speeches and even making public appearances on television programs to express his views.
The other liked to show strength and seize power, thus uniting the group of mutants who were similar to him with his charisma.
"They are all your students, Mr Cavill."
Master Hamir said with a smile.
To this day, Superman's bronze statue still stood at the Mutant Academy as a symbol that every student looked up to.
Luke lamented the fact that he started with the outbreak of World War II and joined the Super Soldier program with Captain America...
Then defeat the Axis, the Aryan Super Soldiers ...
Along the way, he had stood at the highest point in the world before he knew it.
The two young leaders of the mutant were his students.
He built S.H.I.E.L.D., and before Hydra could make any waves, it was defeated and incorporated.
Even Iron Man, who started the cinematic universe, and made the Afghan caves a famous plot point for every fellow traveller like him, was just now coming of age.
And his father not only didn't die under the Winter Soldier's iron fist, but he also took the name 'Iron Man' early on, making Tony Stark a second generation.
Outside this universe, the Collector and the Grandmaster, the brothers who were both Elders of the Universe, had seen what Superman could do.
Luke Cavill, that fearsome human from Earth whose reputation shook the galaxy and spread to the Nine Realms.
Then, Ronan, the Accuser of the Kree Empire, was beaten by General Zod, and his body was left paralysed.
Since then, he would brand this planet Earth so deeply in his heart that he would never dream of showing the slightest arrogance there.
Captain Marvel, who had to go through some twists and turns, also allowed Luke to bring her back.
Everything was changing.
Naturally, as the biggest villain, Thanos, who was supposed to make an ominous entrance, might not even be enough for Luke to break a sweat.
Even if he collected all six Infinity Stones, put on his gauntlet and snapped his fingers...
Superman, who was already at the peak of this single universe, wouldn't be fazed.
Of course, if the mad titan could open up, get the Heart of the Universe and push open the doors of the Omniverse...
Or, with the passage of time, turn into his ultimate version, King Thanos.
That was another matter.
All in all, Luke wasn't only at the top of the human world; he had reached the end of the single universe.
With one more step forward, we have to face the five gods of the universe, the Annihilation Wave, Living Tribunal, the Beyonders, Molecule Man ... Those kinds of existence.
"What a ... wonderful ride."
Luke looked back and couldn't help but feel something akin to an old man's sigh of relief.
When he thought about it, he was no longer interested in the Skrulls on Earth and in the three Galactic Empires.
As for the Defenders, which may appear in the future, he was even more uninterested.
A villain destroying the world?
With Superman around, no more conspirators or ambitious people would dare risk their lives for trouble.
A crisis that could lead to the destruction of the planet?
With Superman around, it was the safest and most dangerous place in the galaxy.
Even Hydra, the most dedicated evil in the Marvel universe, had chosen the unforeseen path of 'if you can't beat it, join it'.
As for the rest of the guys, it was better for them to wash up and go to bed early, like good little kids.
'Is that why I feel bored?'
Luke silently sighed in his mind.
When all stories become dull, day in and day out;
When New York citizens no longer have to worry about the arrival of aliens and appearances of supervillains;
After Superman's existence, and in the end, the significance of superheroes' existence became less important than it once was.
Perhaps it was time for it all to end.
"Master Hamir, I'll leave this drunken ... girl in your hands. Ask her to come to New York to meet up when she wakes up."
Luke left Captain Marvel at Kamar Taj; he didn't want to delay any longer.
It's time to give those friends he hadn't seen in a long time a big surprise.
"No problem, I'll ask the attendant to come over and take good care of the ... lady."
Master Hamir nodded in agreement.
Recalling the past briefly, Luke took a deep breath and opened the transmission portal to S.H.I.E.L.D's headquarters.
The magic sparkled as he slowly stepped in.
Unsurprisingly, no one moved into his office.
All the furnishings and furniture were in pristine condition and spotlessly clean, so they must have been cleaned regularly.
Luke sat in the spacious chair, turned back the chair and looked out of the window.
What he saw was the Potomac River, the man-made lake in Constitution Park, the Lincoln Memorial...
After revisiting the feeling for a moment, the newly returned Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. pushed the door out.
Perhaps it was the late afternoon, and it was time to get off work or the tight security system outside and inside...
Luke didn't meet anyone, let alone a strict deterrent.
He smoothly made it all the way over to Commander Peggy Carter's office.
The light was still on.
Luke didn't knock on the door and gently pushed it in.
As he imagined, the heroic female commander was working at her desk.
A few strands of blonde hair fell down, covering her smooth forehead.
His footsteps were light, and he didn't disturb the other party.
Who 'can't' the most powerful being in the world approach silently?
Even the best agent, the best killer, wouldn't be able to detect him.
"Peggy ..."
Walking over to her desk, Luke called out in a whisper.
With eyes full of tenderness, he looked at the other person, trying to see the surprise in those pretty eyes that were lifted.
However --
'No!'
With just a moment of surprise, Peggy Carter pulled out the Walter PPK automatic pistol stuck under the table with the fastest speed.
With a quick pull of the trigger, she fired three precise point-blank shots at Luke.
One on the forehead, two on the chest.
The high-speed bullet smashed into Luke's skin.
The deflated bullet feebly to the floor, making a crisp sound.
"Damn, Skrulls! Don't pretend to be him!"
Peggy glared, furious.
Her body retreated while also emptying the bullets in the pistol, all at once.
"Peggy, how can I … prove that I'm me?"
Luke looked startled and quickly understood what had happened.
He was helpless. Those Skrulls ruined the surprise he deliberately created.
It wasn't a warm hug nor a passionate kiss that greeted the returning Superman.
Instead, it was a cold 7.65 calibre bullet that didn't even graze his skin, and he couldn't even feel it.