Han Yu remained silent. As a transmigrator from beyond the fourth wall of the Marvel Universe, he was well aware of Doctor Strange, also known as Stephen Strange. In the movies, the Ancient One had once described Strange as "the best among us."
Now, however, the Ancient One claimed that Wanda possessed abilities surpassing those of Doctor Strange. Han Yu knew this was largely because Wanda had gained significant enhancements while staying at his shop.
Without his influence, following the original timeline of the movies, even the Wanda from the Endgame era couldn't compare to the Wanda currently standing beside him.
If Wanda's original magical power was rated at a thousand, then now it had skyrocketed to ten thousand—a tenfold increase, making her strength utterly terrifying.
Seeing that Han Yu didn't immediately refuse, the Ancient One's expression brightened slightly. She calmly sipped her tea, patiently awaiting his reply.
"She can go," Han Yu finally said. "I admit I don't fully understand magic. While I can help her unlock her potential, I can't guide her to the next level. But if she follows you and becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, what about you?"
The Ancient One smiled faintly and replied, "I'll sever my link to the Dark Dimension and stop drawing on its energy to sustain my life. At that point, my aging will rapidly catch up, and I'll finally pass away, as I should have long ago."
As she spoke, there wasn't a hint of fear in her face, only serenity. Indeed, as a righteous Sorcerer Supreme, she had relied on the dark energy of a villain like Dormammu to extend her life.
Was it vanity or some hidden darkness within her? No. It was simply because the Ancient One had not yet found someone truly worthy of succeeding her as Sorcerer Supreme.
Each Sorcerer Supreme wields powers capable of altering reality itself. If such a position fell into the hands of someone with ill intentions, the world would face catastrophic consequences.
Han Yu nodded silently. The Ancient One was truly extraordinary. Even he acknowledged her sacrifice. To protect Earth, she had gone as far as to draw on Dormammu's dark energy, all while waiting for someone trustworthy to succeed her.
"I'll talk to Wanda," he said.
Han Yu stood up and turned to head upstairs but paused in surprise when he saw Wanda, fully dressed, standing at the stairway. "You heard everything?"
"Mm-hmm."
"From where?"
"From the beginning."
"And your thoughts?"
"I'm willing to go," Wanda said firmly. "I know I have immense potential, but I can't unlock it on my own. I don't want to hold you back. If it means becoming stronger—strong enough to protect you and this shop—I'm willing to pay any price."
Her unwavering gaze met Han Yu's. This stunning woman, who had always been obedient and never caused trouble, now showed a steadfast determination in her eyes.
Han Yu stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and kissed her gently. Time seemed to stand still until they reluctantly parted.
"No need to pack; everything you'll need is there," the Ancient One's voice sounded behind them.
Wanda looked at Han Yu tenderly, her delicate hand brushing against his face before she walked over to stand beside the Ancient One. "I will return," she promised.
"Take care of her, Ancient One," Han Yu said.
"Don't worry. She won't suffer under my care," the Ancient One replied.
With that, she put on her sling ring, opened a portal, and after bidding Han Yu farewell, left with Wanda.
The room returned to silence. Only the faint warmth of the teacups on the table remained, a testament that someone had been there moments ago.
Han Yu stood in place for a long time, absentmindedly touching his lips, lost in thought.
At that moment, a hand landed on Han Yu's shoulder. "Come on, it's not like she's gone forever. She'll be back. No need to stare longingly like that."
"Ultron's right," Quicksilver chimed in. "My sister is crazy about you. She'll definitely come back. Relax, sadness doesn't suit us."
Han Yu turned around to see Ultron and Quicksilver standing behind him. He hadn't even noticed when they arrived. Taking a deep breath, his usual smile reappeared. "You're right, sadness isn't for us. Alright then, with no women at home, let's party!"
"Woohoo!"
Ultron and Quicksilver threw their arms around each other's shoulders as they headed upstairs, chatting about how they planned to spend the day partying with Han Yu. Somewhere along the way, their conversation turned into a disagreement, and before long, they were wrestling.
Watching the two troublemakers, Han Yu chuckled and shook his head. He glanced toward the spot where Wanda had disappeared and murmured, "Wanda, do your best. I'll be waiting for you to come back."
In the middle of a game, Han Yu's phone buzzed with an encrypted message. It was from Captain America. Opening it, he found a photo attached.
The face in the photo was familiar: Alexander Pierce, leader of Hydra, and the same man who had been scared out of his wits during his visit to Han Yu's shop.
Han Yu made a "phone" gesture to Ultron and Quicksilver, and they nodded knowingly. He dialed the number. "Steve, what's going on with Alexander Pierce?"
Since the Winter Soldier incident, Han Yu and Captain America had grown closer, and Han Yu now called him by his first name.
"As you can see," Steve began over the phone, "after Pierce left your shop, by the time we apprehended him, he'd already gone insane. He kept mumbling incoherently. We intended to transfer him to another facility, but during the transfer, he suddenly lashed out, killed four of our agents, and escaped. Now, he's back, hunting down S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. I felt I had to let you know."
Steve's explanation was calm but carried a weight that Han Yu could sense even over the phone.
"You can't find him?" Han Yu asked, puzzled.
"He knows the weaknesses of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance systems and uses them to avoid detection. Before, he'd try to mask his intentions, but now he doesn't bother. He's completely consumed by bloodlust," Steve replied.
Han Yu could imagine the heavy expression on Steve's face even without seeing him.
"Got it. I was planning to stop by S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters anyway. Let's meet in Fury's office at 9 o'clock." Han Yu glanced at the clock—it was just after seven.
"Alright!" Steve agreed.
Han Yu's involvement in this matter would undoubtedly help resolve it more quickly. However, his involvement also made him realize there was something unusual about the situation.
"What's up, boss? Need us?"
As soon as Han Yu hung up, Ultron sidled up to him, visibly excited.
Having acquired a humanoid body far superior to an ordinary human's, Ultron was constantly itching for action. Punching air in the storage room wasn't enough to test his strength. Only a real threat would give him the chance to shine.
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