Lucci's terrifying intellect was like a supercomputer beyond the limits of the universe, desperately deducing and calculating this infinite temporal information.
He used the Ti Stone itself as a "reference point," his own "Grand Cosmic ditation thod" and insights into the origin of the universe as the "theoretical frawork." He began to deduce a foundation theory sufficient to explain all the laws of ti and space in this universe, and answer the ultimate paradoxes of ti and fate—
"I see… Ti isn't a line, it's a body."
"So-called changes to the past aren't really returning to the past, but creating new, parallel ti-bodies."
"The essence of the grandfather paradox lies in the interference of information between two different ti-bodies…"
"Destiny isn't unchangeable; it's just a weighted event point. To remove it, you must strike directly, not go around…"
Countless flashes of inspiration and enlightennt erupted in Lucci's mind, converging into a grand, complete, logically self-consistent ultimate theory.
Lucci nad it—
"The True Solution of the Temporal Paradox!"
This true solution was neither a spell nor a practice—it was an "instruction manual" for the universe's most fundantal, core, and precise machine: ti itself.
To master it was to thoroughly understand the essence of ti. Ti would no longer be a mysterious law, but sothing to be comprehended, calculated, and even… modified!
"Haaa—"
Lucci slowly opened his eyes, his consciousness returning from the vast river of ti.
From the outside world's perspective, not even a second had passed since he touched the Ti Stone and displayed the "True Solution of the Temporal Paradox." But to him, it felt like he had experienced hundreds of millions of years.
He released his grip.
The Ti Stone, once radiant and brimming with energy, now felt warm as jade, its light extinguished, returning to the state of an amulet. Like a beast utterly tad, in front of its true master, all the rebelliousness was gone—only obedience and submission remained.
Standing before it, Lucci's entire aura had undergone an earth-shaking transformation. His appearance, clothing, and even his indifferent facial expression remained unchanged—but to Ancient One, standing across from him, Lucci's presence seed to "blur."
Not visually, but in a higher-dinsional, conceptual way—he beca "unobservable." His existence seed to transcend the single ti node of "now." Ancient One sensed that Lucci's past, present, and future—countless versions of him across many tilines—overlapped, rging into an eternal, immovable "being."
A breath of transcendence, immortality, and eternity emanated from him.
Ancient One, simply standing nearby and feeling the touch of that breath, found her soul trembling uncontrollably. In her perception, the endless, vast river of ti—without beginning or end—was laid out before her. And Lucci stood at its source; in other words, he was the river itself!
Every wave of that river was the birth and death of worlds; the ebb and flow, the rise and fall of eras. Her own centuries-long life, her countless glimpses into the future, were but insignificant grains of sand before this river.
A bitter feeling welled up from the depths of Ancient One's heart.
Her face reflected a complicated smile, mixed with self-deprecation, relief, and endless respect.
She recalled her life—becoming a slave to ti to guard Earth, repeatedly diving into futures full of destruction, seeking the only path to survival among thousands. Every peek exacted a heavy causal toll. Her soul was repeatedly washed, torn by the power of ti, the pain beyond words.
She thought she was the guardian of ti, a warrior of fate. She believed her understanding of ti far surpassed all beings in the Nine Realms.
But only today, at this mont, did she truly understand what a great being really was—how pitifully small she was by comparison.
She was like a fisherman who had spent centuries picking shells on the shore, imagining she understood the entire sea. Yet Lucci, before her, simply walked down to the shore, glanced at the sea—and beca the sea itself.
The difference was incalculable!
When Ancient One opened her eyes again, all emotion had faded from her gaze, leaving only pure admiration.
"I… did my best to guard endless years… Ultimately, I am nothing compared to your single thought."
That single sentence sumd up her centuries of life, and was the highest praise for Lucci, the true "master of ti."
Lucci heard her sigh, but his expression remained calm—because he knew Ancient One spoke the truth.
After deducing the "True Solution of the Temporal Paradox," ti was no longer a secret to him. The dinsion of his worldview had fundantally diverged from all other beings in this universe.
But just as Lucci was about to respond, his expression changed slightly. He looked outside the hall.
The next mont—
BUZZ—
An indescribably evil will descended unexpectedly from the higher dinsions!
Above Kamar-Taj, the once-clear sky instantly turned pitch black—like ink. No—this was no ordinary darkness. It was a living darkness that devoured all light and hope, filled with greed, chaos, hunger, thirst, and the desire for destruction!
The entire Kamar-Taj was enveloped in this evil will. All magicians felt their souls plunged into a frigid abyss, primal terror chilling their bodies, their teeth chattering.
"W-what is that?"
"Oh no… such a terrifying will! My magic… my magic is out of control!"
In the courtyard, the magicians who had just been rejoicing over their newfound power now turned pale in horror. Under the oppression of this evil will, they found their "Multiversal Energy Guidance Technique" growing muddled and chaotic!
Mordo and Wong rushed out from their quarters, faces instantly turning grim as they sensed the familiar, hateful aura in the sky.
"Dormammu!" Mordo's voice was filled with fear and disbelief. "The lord of the Dark Dinsion! How did he suddenly cross over?!"
Wong's face was equally stern.
"Has he lost his mind? Is he really going to devour the dinsion at any cost?"
Even inside the hall, Ancient One's face grew solemn. She knew better than anyone how terrifying Dormammu was—a cancer of the universe, one of Earth's greatest threats!
Once, she had barely kept him at bay with the help of the Ti Stone. Now, his will had projected itself so rcilessly and directly—proof that he was truly enraged. He had paid a terrible price to do this!
"No…!"
Ancient One's heart sank, the reason becoming clear—because the advent of the "Multiversal Energy Guidance Technique" had disrupted the act of drawing power from the Dark Dinsion, completely infuriating the dark lord!
"Mordo! Wong!"
Ancient One strode out of the hall, her voice suddenly sharp and resolute.
"Gather all sorcerers imdiately! Bring the important tos! Begin evacuation through the secret passage! Hurry!"
"Supre One! What about you?" Mordo shouted anxiously.
"I'll stop him! I'll buy you ti!"
Ancient One's eyes glowed with the light of one who sees death as ho.
Before the magicians could act—
RUMBLE—
Above Kamar-Taj, the dark curtain transford by Dormammu's will rolled and churned violently, as if alive. In its center, a gigantic, hideous face ford from countless twisted lights and shadows slowly appeared, its eyes burning purple with evil flas, greed, and destruction.
A sense of pure, unrestrained greed, chaos, and tyranny pressed upon every soul like a tsunami.
"Ancient One…!"
The booming voice, echoing with evil, resounded directly in everyone's minds.
"Today, I descend in person to drag you, your world, and your souls into my eternal kingdom of darkness!"
Dormammu's will roared its judgnt.
At the sound alone, countless lesser apprentices were overwheld, fainting on the spot. Even great magicians like Mordo and Wong, operating their new "Multiversal Energy Conduction Technique" with all their might, could barely resist the spiritual shock.
So powerful! Was this the true might of a dinsional ruler?
Once, they had only known Dormammu's terror from old texts. Now, facing him in person, they felt the true, hopeless, overwhelming despair of standing before such a being!
"Go!" Ancient One's face was grim. Bright magical light flared from her body as she drew countless mysterious circles in the air, erecting a thin protective barrier under Dormammu's will to shield the magicians of Kamar-Taj.
She bellowed her last command at the still-hesitant Mordo and Wong.
"That's an order! Take them and go! The legacy of Kamar-Taj must not be lost in my hands!"
Her eyes were full of resolve and tragedy. She was ready to burn her last life and soul to buy even a second for her disciples to escape.
Mordo and Wong's eyes instantly reddened. They knew what this decision ant—it was goodbye.
"Supre One!"
They cried, but dared not defy her final order. All of Kamar-Taj was shrouded in tragedy, despair, and the atmosphere of apocalypse. The magicians began preparations to evacuate.
Ancient One burned her life, determined to die without regret. Dormammu lood above, laughing wildly at the ants' last stand.
But then, he suddenly noticed one person—soone who seed completely out of place in this chaos: Lucci.
From beginning to end, Lucci stood calmly at Ancient One's side, raising his head to et Dormammu's gaze—never once showing fear or solemnity.
That unsettled Dormammu greatly. For on Lucci's face, he saw not a trace of fear or tension—just the expression one gives a fly: crawling, buzzing, and annoying.
A fly?
When Dormammu realized the aning behind Lucci's gaze, he was furious. The terrifying, oppressive stare of the dinsional lord fell upon Lucci.
He wanted to crush this insignificant worm on the spot, then slowly enjoy the feast of Kamar-Taj!
Lucci looked at the panicked crowd, at the dying Ancient One, and then up at Dormammu in the sky, who glared back, unleashing his full might.
Lucci felt a trace of irritation.
So he sent forth the purest, most direct, and condensed spiritual thought, challenging Dormammu across the barrier of the dinsions.
If one were to translate this action, it would be:
"What are you looking at?"
The style appeared simple, but the power within was anything but. It contained not only Lucci's supre will, but also the force of the "True Solution of the Temporal Paradox" and the "Grand Cosmic ditation thod!"
This will was not just energy, nor just magic—it was "reason," "will," "dominion" itself! Like an invisible sword of law, unstoppable by any principle, it pierced the boundary between reality and darkness, ignoring all of Dormammu's vast defenses.
It struck directly at the core of Dormammu's consciousness!
…
Above Kamar-Taj, the descending dark dinsion was actually separated from reality by a thin dinsional barrier—a kingdom of chaos and destruction.
That entire dinsion was Dormammu's body. His will was the only law there.
At this mont, Dormammu's gigantic, planet-sized evil face was enjoying its dominance over reality, watching the magicians quake in terror and despair. The sight delighted him.
He looked forward to seeing the man beside Ancient One—so annoying, so unimpressed—crushed by his will.
But at the very mont he was about to ramp up the pressure—
An indescribable, wordless will stabbed through him.
"Eh?"
Dormammu was stunned for an instant, his vast consciousness unable to react at first. What was that?
But before he could think further—
BOOM—
A pain sharper than the explosion of the universe itself detonated at the core of his consciousness!
That seemingly simple spiritual thought, the instant it pierced Dormammu's core, beca a sword of rules that severed all causality and defined everything!
Where the blade passed, Dormammu's vast consciousness, composed of countless devoured worlds and wailing souls, began to collapse… to be erased!
The fragnts of law he had devoured and fused as the foundation of his power were forcibly stripped away! The grudges and souls that fueled his strength were instantly purified and wiped out!
"AHHH—!"
A miserable, inexpressible howl echoed throughout the dark dinsion! Dormammu's imnse, evil energy face twisted and warped, as if experiencing the most excruciating agony in the universe. His consciousness, as if thrown into the core of a supernova, was relentlessly torn, burned, and smashed!
This was erasure at its most fundantal, conceptual level!
If Dormammu's devouring of worlds was like a glutton eating a cake, then Lucci's will stabbed straight into the glutton's stomach and declared, "On the molecular level, you no longer exist."
And that wasn't even the most terrifying part! The most frightening thing was that after this will struck the core of Dormammu's consciousness, it did not dissipate. Instead, it traced the connection between Dormammu and the dark dinsion, invading his entire kingdom like the deadliest virus!
The Dark Dinsion—his ho for millennia, his source of power, his absolute domain—at that mont, its end had co!
...
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