Chapter 79: Ancient One


    <strong>Chapter 79: Ancient One</strong>


    <span style="font-weight:400">After Peter and the rest left, Benjamin and Carol stayed in Xandar for a while to discuss something with Adora before leaving as well.


    <span style="font-weight:400">They didn’t travel via Carol’s spaceship and instead, Benjamin directly opened a portal to Earth. Carol stayed behind to help out for a bit more.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Appearing back in the EPD Headquarters, Benjamin saw Fury and handed Neb to him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, you’re back already. How’s the date in space?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You know how it is. Kree invasion, Infinity Stone, the usual. Here, take her to a cell. I’ll question herter.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...Did you at least bring back some souvenirs?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Fury chose to ignore how Benjamin just shrugged off a Kree invasion and Infinity Stone.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Forget it, it’s just another headache to deal with.


    <span style="font-weight:400">It was a good thing he’s no longer director of SHIELD so he didn’t have to worry about those things anymore.


    <span style="font-weight:400">With a boss like Benjamin, he can just toss all thoseplicated stuff to him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled and tossed a Xandarian-style eye patch to Fury.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Nice. Oh, and some bald chick has been looking for you. Says she’s some magician or something.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Huh?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">d chick? Magician?


    <span style="font-weight:400">Is he talking about the current Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One?


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Where is she?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Right behind you, Mr. Freed.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as he asked, a voice sounded from behind him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Turning around, he saw a hoodeddy in yellow robes.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Indeed, it’s her. The Ancient One.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One smiled.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re quite the hard man to find, Mr. Freed.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I was off-world for a while. Is there anything I can help the Sorcer Supreme?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You know me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One asked. Although she didn’t look too surprised.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded and led her to his office.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s talk in my office.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">After reaching his office, Benjamin went to the side and asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anything you want to drink? Water? Wine? Tea? Coffee? Soda?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tea is fine.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded and started to prepare one.


    <span style="font-weight:400">As he prepared, he spoke.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You know, it’s a good thing you came to find me actually. I was about to go look for you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? May I ask why you wanted to see me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The Time Stone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One paused for a bit before asking.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? Why? Did you want to take it as well?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hmm, although taking it is convenient, it’s not necessary. It’s good enough to take you instead. Uhh, not in a weird way.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One was a bit speechless.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I did hear you are quite a…womanizer. Have I entered your sights as well?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, I did say not in a weird way, right? What I meant was, it’s fine to have you by my side for a while…wait, that doesn’t sound right either.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shook his head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Finished with the tea, he held it and ced it on the table between them and sat on the couch opposite the Ancient One.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Look, someone is about toe to Earth to take the stones. I just think it’s easier to protect the stones if they are close to me.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One smiled and leaned forward.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“How close do you want me to be?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Umm…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Is there any correct answer to this?


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t know how to answer for a while so he just coughed and changed the topic.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway, how about you? What’s your reason for finding me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One smiled and then leaned back, her expression returning to normal.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I just wanted to know. Who exactly are you?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Benjamin Freed.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Exactly. Who IS Benjamin Freed? I have looked into the future. Before, the future was clear to me. But ever since you appeared, I am no longer able to peer into the future. Even with the Time Stone. Why is that?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was confused.


    <span style="font-weight:400">You ask me, who do I ask?


    <span style="font-weight:400">System, any answers? Are you the one covering my future?


    <span style="font-weight:400">[Yes and no.]


    <span style="font-weight:400">Huh? What do you mean? Can’t you answer clearly?


    <span style="font-weight:400">[Host, with the help of the System, your future is filled with infinite possibilities. The System is not hiding your future, it’s more like you have a limitless future that it is appearing like a blur to those who peer into it. The more you affect this universe, the more the future of this universe blurs together with your own future. Not even an Infinity Stone will be able to look into it.]


    <span style="font-weight:400">Hmm…I think I sort of get it.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“In short, it’s because I’m awesome.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">[...]


    <span style="font-weight:400">Both the Ancient One and the System were speechless.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway, is that all?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, there’s also the matter of Stephen Strange.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One continued.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What about him.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Stephen Strange is meant to be the best Sorcerer Supreme. But now that the future is changing, I’m worried about what he will be.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sure it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One was speechless again.


    <span style="font-weight:400">How can you be so casual about everything…


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rather than that, I would like to ask for your assistance on something. Not just you, but all the sorcerers of Kamar Taj.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What is it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I told you earlier that someone’s about toe to Earth to take the stones right? He will be bringing an army with him. I hope the sorcerers will join us in battle as well.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One nodded.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It is our duty to protect the Time Stone. Naturally, we shall assist you with this threat.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thanks.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Having finished with the talks, Benjamin stood up.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, I still have a few more people to talk to about this. Feel free to look around the building.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Circling his hand, he opened a portal to the X-Mansion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Ancient One looked at the closing portal in wonder.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“How interesting. Although the portal looked simr to ours, it has some slight differences…as if it was made to be simpler and easier to use.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">X-Mansion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin spent an hour or so with Charles to talk about the n before leaving once more.


    <span style="font-weight:400">This time, he went to the Avengers Tower.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After talking to them, he went to SHIELD and talked to Coulson.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After that, he went to HYDRA to talk to Ophelia.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He also visited T’cha in Wakanda.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin spent the rest of the day talking to people and perfecting the n.


    <span style="font-weight:400">By the end of the day, he was confident about taking on Thanos’ army with minimal casualties.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Well, as long as nothing goes wrong.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled as he leaned back on the sofa at home to rx.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, a small figure appeared from upstairs.


    <span style="font-weight:400">It was Death.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh hey. Haven’t seen you in a while.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ben, someone took the Soul Stone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...I just had to jinx it…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin groaned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What happened?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The guy with the red skull head took it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Red Skull!? How!? Did he already take Sinthea…?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">But that’s impossible. The Brehe sisters would’ve called him if that were the case.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Death shook her head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I do not know of this Sinthea you spoke of, but the person he sacrificed was a young boy whom he called his son.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Red Skull had a son!?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin frowned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After a while, he asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Do you know where he is?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Death smiled.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I knew you’d ask that. That’s why I didn’t recall my other half just yet.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She then approached Benjamin and sat on hisp.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, Death?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Shh, I’m borrowing your Soul Stone for a bit.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Death chuckled and tapped on the Soul Stone on his Infinity Crown.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, an orange light shot out from it and a projection screen appeared in front of them.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The scene on the screen showed Red Skull and another figure.


    <span style="font-weight:400">When Benjamin saw that purplish figure, he frowned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thanos? Those two are together?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">At this moment, in a certain corner of the universe, arge ship hovered in space.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Inside thatrge ship were Thanos and Red Skull. It was the scene that Benjamin is currently watching now.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Thanos sat on his throne while holding onto an orange stone.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He nced at it for a moment before ncing back to Red Skull.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I must say, I didn’t think you had it in you. When you came to me all those years ago and disappeared, I thought you’d take the stone once you got it and run on your own.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I…considered it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Red Skull answered.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“And what made you decide to give it to me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The stone…required an exchange. A soul…for a soul. To get it, I had to sacrifice that which was dear to me. My son. My…true heir.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yet you didn’t keep the stone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I tried to keep it. I tried to use it…but my will wasn’t strong enough.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Red Skull shivered slightly as he recalled something.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“When I used it, I was sent into this…strange world. And in that world…I saw…Death.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Thanos’ eyes widened as he heard that.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Back on Earth, Benjamin turned to Death curiously but she just shrugged.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? All I did was scare him a little.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“A little…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He’s practically about to piss his pants!


    <span style="font-weight:400">It seems Death didn’t like him and thought of pulling a prank. Who knew he’d chicken out and directly hand it to Thanos…


    <span style="font-weight:400">Red Skull continued.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thanos, son of rs. ording to our deal, the Soul Stone is yours. In exchange…Earth is mine!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Thanos grinned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He brought the Soul Stone to his gauntlet and suddenly, the stone stuck to one of its sockets like a ma.


    <span style="font-weight:400">A surge of orange energy rushed from the gauntlet and poured into his body.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Thanos only grimaced a bit before the pain stopped.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The grin on his face grew wider.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then Earth, you shall have.”