The trio was left in a state of confusion and doubt.
Syd glanced at them, his calm demeanor undisturbed by their words. Looking at Wanda, Pietro, and Stan, he spoke plainly, "Vengeance is something you should pursue on your own."
Pausing briefly, he added, "You want power? Shelter?"
"I can recommend a place for you."
Wanda, Pietro, and Stan, who had been disheartened, suddenly perked up, exchanging glances.
What place?
Ignoring their reaction, Syd continued, "The place is called Kamar-Taj…"
He proceeded to share its location with them, confident that Kaecilius would take an interest in them.
To ensure they wouldn't forget, Syd kindly used the Mind Stone to implant the information directly into their minds.
Having done this, Syd moved swiftly, taking Ultron and vanishing into the sky.
Watching the White Knight disappear, the trio stood in uneasy silence.
Kamar-Taj? What kind of place is that?
A place that could grant them power and shelter?
They couldn't picture what such a place might be, their minds full of uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Syd, now far away, cast a thoughtful look at the sentinel robot containing Ultron.
He deliberated over how best to deal with the AI.
If I destroy him outright, he might respawn through another robot.
After pondering for a while, Syd decided to first eliminate Ultron's sub-bodies before finishing off the core.
His eyes glowed red as chaos magic infused with the Mind Stone's power invaded Ultron's programming.
In a flash, a torrent of chaotic, vast information flooded Syd's mind.
After some time, he identified the locations of all of Ultron's sub-bodies.
With this information in hand, the solution became clear.
Soon, beams of radiant sunlight rained down from the sky like orbital strikes, relentlessly bombarding the ground.
One by one, industrial robots and sentinels were obliterated.
"You!" Ultron's voice was filled with panic.
After eliminating all of the sub-bodies, Syd turned his gaze to Ultron's core.
In a secluded area, Syd unleashed his chaos magic.
[Chaos Magic Proficiency +1]
In an instant, red energy enveloped Ultron.
"No!"
Desperation and unwillingness filled Ultron's eyes.
But under the onslaught of chaos magic, his essence was completely erased.
To be thorough, Syd followed up with a scaled-down Sunshine blast.
[Sunshine Proficiency +1]
The radiant sunlight swept across the area where Ultron had been, erasing all traces of matter, energy, and even information.
In such conditions, even as an artificial intelligence, Ultron had no chance of resurrection. The notion of data transfer was utterly impossible.
Finally ridding himself of the troublesome AI, Syd exhaled in relief.
That's one problem solved…
With that done, his attention turned back to Sunshine and the visions from the black stone.
Just as he prepared to retrieve the black stone, another thought crossed his mind.
Kamar-Taj.
...
Elsewhere, Doctor Stephen Strange stared at his hands in silence.
Despite his progress in learning magic, his injured hands remained unchanged.
He had asked both Wong and Mordo how to heal them, but their answer was always the same: the time wasn't right, and he needed to deepen his magical knowledge.
Frustrated by their vague responses, Strange found his patience wearing thin.
Without the recent appearances of Morris and Kaecilius, he might have continued his studies quietly. But…
Strange's heart raced as he recalled the immense power displayed by Morris and the even greater strength of Kaecilius.
Simply by worshiping a so-called dimensional demon, these two gained unparalleled power?!
While Morris's connection to Dormammu carried an undeniable cost, Strange dismissed it as unworthy of consideration. But Kaecilius…
Kaecilius's words echoed in his mind:
"All you need to do is worship the dimensional demon, and divine power will be granted to you…"
The promise of divine power was staggering.
Not only could it restore youth, but it also enhanced magical talent and amplified the power of spells.
If I gained that so-called divine power, wouldn't my hands be healed as well?
Restoring youth seemed far more challenging than healing injuries, so this should be simple enough.
Strange hesitated, torn between skepticism and temptation.
Most enticingly, Kaecilius had assured him there was no cost other than belief.
No cost? How is that possible?
Even the use of white magic required borrowed energy, which would eventually demand repayment.
Yet here was an offer that required nothing but faith…
The idea both intrigued and unsettled him.
Still, he couldn't shake the fear that it was all a ruse, that Kaecilius's power was merely bait.
After a long internal struggle, Strange finally made up his mind.
I'll try it. If something feels off, I'll pull back immediately.
Five minutes later…
Hearing a knock, Kaecilius opened the door, surprised to see Strange standing there.
"Have you taken an interest in the great demon's power?" Kaecilius asked with amusement.
Strange felt a wave of embarrassment but said nothing.
Kaecilius, sensing an opportunity to recruit a new believer, began teaching Strange how to pray.
Soon, Strange clumsily recited the incantation under Kaecilius's guidance.
Watching Strange's half-hearted, doubtful demeanor, Kaecilius frowned momentarily before relaxing.
Even the smallest amount of faith would grant a fraction of power from the great master.
Kaecilius was confident—once someone experienced that power, they would never turn away.
As if to affirm his thoughts, Strange's expression abruptly shifted, his face betraying shock and awe.
(End of Chapter)
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