Dormammu Descends

Kaecilius’s accusation shocked the mages, and they all turned to Ancient One, hoping she would refute him.

Ancient One fell silent for a moment before saying, "Kaecilius, I did it to protect you, to protect everyone. What I can do, you may not be able to."

The mages were stunned. The Sorcerer Supreme had really absorbed dark energy?

Honestly, the blow was so immense that the mages nearly broke down.

"Hypocrite."

Kaecilius sneered. "Today, I will help everyone on Earth attain immortality. Ancient One, you can’t stop me."

As Kaecilius spoke, two portals opened. Six mages emerged with hundreds of Spider Demons. The mages were horrified. Even after sacrificing two Sanctums, they had failed to trap them.

Kaecilius said smugly, "Ancient One, you’re clever, but I’m not stupid either."

"Tch."

The Darkhold was full of contempt. Without me, you wouldn’t even have made it to the Sanctum.

Kaecilius pretended not to hear the Darkhold’s disdain and laughed wildly. "Those willing to worship the Lord of Darkness, kneel immediately. Otherwise, you will die here alongside Ancient One."

"Dream on."

Most of the mages stood firm, but a small number wavered inwardly. After all, even Ancient One had absorbed dark energy.

"Wine and meat may pass through the bowels while Buddha remains in the heart. If others imitate me, they will enter the demonic path. What Master can do, you attempting it would only bring about your own destruction."

At that moment, a voice rang out. Then a figure of extraordinary bearing, carrying a faintly wicked charm, descended from the sky and landed beside Ancient One.

Blood God Wang Bert!

"Blood God."

The mages saluted him one after another, their hearts greatly relieved. The Blood God was here. This battle was won.

"Blood God! I’ve never liked the sight of you. You’re just a Vampire. What right do you have to join Kamar-Taj?"

Seeing Wang Bert appear, Kaecilius cursed with jealousy and fury. "Ancient One, you ruined Kamar-Taj. I will destroy you filth and build a New Kamar-Taj."

"Why do people always like making excuses for themselves?"

Wang Bert said calmly, "Enough nonsense. I have an appointment with a celebrity to discuss acting today. Kaecilius, could you please hurry up and die?"

"Blood God, do you think I would have come here without confidence?"

Kaecilius sneered and waved his hand. Dracula, his face blank and his eyes blackened, walked forward.

Then Dracula took off his clothes, revealing strange Magic Arrays drawn across his body in blood—his own blood.

"What’s the point of capturing him?"

Wang Bert asked in confusion. "He’s just comic relief."

Kaecilius did not waste words. He picked up the Darkhold and rapidly chanted the incantation—the Montes Formula.

As Kaecilius’s voice rang out, the arrays on Dracula’s body blazed with blood-red light. Wang Bert sensed something was wrong and instantly appeared before Kaecilius. His palm strike, trailing a pitch-black spatial rift, slashed toward Kaecilius’s neck.

Kaecilius ignored him. Just as the palm strike was about to cut his neck, Wang Bert let out a scream. His entire body uncontrollably transformed into a Blood River over a thousand meters long, floating in the air.

Worse still, the Blood River churned endlessly, its aura in chaos, as if it had suffered a cultivation deviation.

Wang Bert was "greatly alarmed" and hurriedly suppressed himself, losing all ability to fight.

It was not just Wang Bert. Every Vampire felt the blood in their bodies boiling and burning, and they could not help collapsing to the ground in agony.

The Montes Formula could kill every Vampire. If Kaecilius continued chanting, all Vampires would die. However, he stopped halfway through.

It was not because Kaecilius was kind. If he continued, not only would the Vampires die, but he would die as well.

"I’ve crippled the Blood God. Charge in, break the Sanctum, and welcome Dormammu’s descent!"

Kaecilius closed the Darkhold and shouted. The six mages cheered in unison, their morale soaring. In contrast, Kamar-Taj’s morale had sunk to rock bottom.

First Ancient One had absorbed dark energy, then the Blood God had been effortlessly crippled. How were they supposed to fight this battle? The appearance of the Blood River and the standoff between more than a thousand monsters naturally alerted the New York government and police. Mayor George Stacy immediately ordered the police to evacuate everyone from the area.

New York citizens had long grown accustomed to disasters. Without a word, they grabbed their belongings and fled.

Immediately afterward, Mayor George called the Super Heroes and asked them to investigate the Blood River. He vaguely sensed that this incident would be enormous.

Leaving Mayor George’s command aside for now, before the Sanctum, Kaecilius led six mages and over a thousand Spider Demons in a fierce charge. Before they even arrived, dense energy beams had already blanketed Ancient One and the others.

"Everyone, fight to the death. Once this is over, I will give you an explanation. For now, protect Earth."

Ancient One shouted as she waved the fan in her hand. All the energy beams were redirected behind the Spider Demons.

"Master, your redirection is too slow."

Kaecilius clapped his hands together, and the energy beams suddenly appeared above the mages. Ancient One had no choice but to wave her fan and redirect them all again.

"Defend Earth!"

Hearing Ancient One’s words, the mages snapped out of it. They picked up their weapons and charged the Spider Demons, whose bodies were covered in strange spider markings. Battle erupted at once.

Every Kamar-Taj mage was proficient in both close combat and magic, but the Spider Demons were no weaklings either. They had originally been Enhanced Humans, then were demonized. Each of them was at least as strong as two Captain Americas—Captains who had not cultivated qi and had no passive skills.

Not only were the Spider Demons powerful, they were also numerous. The mages fell into a disadvantage the moment they clashed and were forced back step by step. It was obvious they could not hold out much longer.

Ancient One wanted to help them, but Kaecilius and six mages blocked her. Kaecilius smiled. "Ancient One, let me tell you some good news. Your beloved disciples, Mordo and Strange, are both dead."

Ancient One shook her head. "Kaecilius, even without them, I would never have chosen you as the Sorcerer Supreme."

"Why? How am I inferior to them? Before I betrayed you, I did whatever you told me. Wasn’t that enough?"

Kaecilius roared, moving space with both hands and shifting the surrounding skyscrapers above Ancient One to crush her.

Ancient One raised her fan and gave it a sweep. The buildings instantly disintegrated. Then countless stones gathered together, forming a towering circular platform.

Ancient One flew onto the platform and said, "Kaecilius, becoming the Sorcerer Supreme does not depend on loyalty. It depends on ability and the resolve to resist temptation. You are unqualified in either regard."

"So you really do look down on me. Ancient One, I’ll kill you and become the new Sorcerer Supreme."

Kaecilius flew onto the platform. Dark power surged out and formed five copies of him around him.

Then all six Kaeciliuses slammed the ground at once. The ground and space flipped together and swept toward Ancient One.

Ancient One stomped hard, and the ground and space rebounded directly. Kaecilius and his duplicates staggered back repeatedly, their blood and energy churning.

I can never defeat Ancient One in magic. If I want to kill her, I can only use close combat.

Kaecilius understood this well. He formed Space Blades and attacked Ancient One alongside his duplicates.

Ancient One shook her head and wielded her fan against all six. Not only was she not at a disadvantage, she beat the six Kaeciliuses into the ground one after another, screaming in pain.

Ancient One’s close-combat ability was not merely strong—it was extraordinarily strong, strong enough that even Hell’s Demon Kings would willingly bow before her. Which Demon King of Hell had not been caught and beaten by Ancient One?

"As expected of Ancient One. It’s fortunate she’s badly injured. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be qualified to fight her."

Kaecilius gritted his teeth and hurriedly called for the remaining six mages to help.

The six mages simultaneously aimed both hands at Ancient One. Dark power transformed into a massive dark hand wreathed in Black Qi and grabbed fiercely at Ancient One.

"I taught you that the key to magic is not quantity, but purity."

Ancient One shook her head and waved her fan. Seven streaks of golden light shot out, striking seven points on the dark hand. The hand instantly collapsed, and the six mages all groaned as magic backlash struck them.

Seizing the opportunity, Kaecilius swung magical whips around Ancient One’s limbs and neck, then pulled outward with all his strength.

Ancient One threw out her fan. It spun through the air and cut the magical whips apart. Then she gave a soft shout, and five golden phantoms flew from her body, instantly passing through five Kaeciliuses before dispersing into specks of light.

The five Kaeciliuses immediately disintegrated, leaving only the original body, which opened his mouth and spat out blood.

Ancient One sighed. "Kaecilius, turn back."

"Master, you truly are merciful. Even now, you’re still holding back. Unfortunately, I don’t want to turn back. I want immortality. I want to become the Sorcerer Supreme. What I fear most in this life is death. I don’t want to die, Master."

Kaecilius wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved his hand. The six mages rushed forward and surrounded Ancient One.

"Kaecilius, this is your last chance."

Ancient One said, "Death is inevitable. You have no idea how much I want to die."

"Master, then this disciple will fulfill his filial duty and send you to your death."

Kaecilius shouted and attacked again with the six mages. Ancient One shook her head. Kaecilius had completely lost any chance of turning back.

Though she faced seven enemies alone, Ancient One still held the advantage. Her fan flashed repeatedly, sending two mages flying.

Another mage shouted and smashed a fist filled with Black Light toward Ancient One. Ancient One grabbed his arm and twisted it aside, then aimed her fan at his neck.

At that moment, a transparent Space Blade passed through the mage’s body and viciously pierced Ancient One’s chest.

"Master!"

Strange and the others had just teleported over. Seeing this, they immediately flew toward the platform in shock and fury.

"Master, farewell forever."

Kaecilius pulled out the transparent Space Blade. Ignoring Strange and the others, he turned and flew toward the Sanctum. No one stopped him, because the mages could barely protect themselves. The Spider Demons’ offensive was far too fierce.

"Master."

Strange flew over and caught the falling Ancient One, shouting anxiously, "I’ll take you to the hospital right away."

Mordo, meanwhile, chased after Kaecilius. It was not that he did not care about Ancient One, but there was something more important to do now. No matter what, Dormammu could not be allowed to descend.

Tony, Hulk, and the others followed him. Only Mindy knelt beside the Sorcerer Supreme, tears nearly falling. She had visited Kamar-Taj several times and met Ancient One. To her, Ancient One was a kind old grandmother.

Ancient One shook her head and said to Strange, "Strange, you are a very kind person, but you are too arrogant, too self-centered, and too afraid of failure. That is why you cannot see the simplest, yet most important thing."

Strange asked, "What is it?"

"The meaning of life does not lie in the self."

Ancient One smiled. "Strange, I’m too tired. From now on, you will be the new Sorcerer Supreme."

"It’s too early. I think you should lead for a few more years."

Strange said sorrowfully. Ancient One’s injuries were too severe. Unless they used the Eye of Agamotto, there was no way to save her.

Ancient One shook her head and was about to speak when the ground suddenly trembled. The New York Sanctum collapsed.

"It’s over. Hell’s Defense Net has been broken."

A mage could not help dropping to his knees, his heart filled with despair. Mordo, who had arrived a step too late, roared and charged Kaecilius with a Space Blade. Even if Dormammu descended, he would kill Kaecilius.

"I won, Mordo. All of you lost."

Kaecilius laughed loudly and blasted Mordo away with a surge of dark energy. Then he spread his arms and roared, "Great Dormammu, descend upon this sinful world!"

Before Kaecilius had finished speaking, the entire sky turned black-purple. Then a head as large as New York, flickering endlessly like ripples, appeared above the city. Its eyes alone were larger than lakes.

Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension, had descended.

The instant Dormammu appeared, every New York citizen felt darkness fill their hearts. All positive thoughts—drive, kindness, optimism, and the like—vanished, replaced by countless dark and negative thoughts: pessimism, apathy, despair.

Large numbers of weak-willed New Yorkers dropped to their knees. They felt there was no hope left in life and only wanted to die.

"Earth finally belongs to me."

Dormammu laughed loudly. Tony and the others’ hearts sank at once. Just from that presence alone, they knew they could not win.

In truth, Dormammu had not truly descended yet. He was merely on his way. If he truly arrived, it would be more than mere despair—space and time themselves would twist.

Tony shouted toward the Blood River in the sky, "Bert, what are you doing? Why aren’t you stopping them?"

"Blood God, you’re still not dead?"

Dormammu was somewhat surprised. He turned and demanded of Kaecilius, "Kaecilius, how did you handle this?"

Kaecilius hurriedly explained, "Great Dormammu, my power was insufficient. I couldn’t recite the entire Montes Formula, only half of it."

"I will give you power. Finish reciting it."

Dormammu naturally knew Kaecilius’s intentions. With a cold snort, he sent a black pillar of light down from the sky to envelop Kaecilius. The dark power in Kaecilius’s body surged without limit, and his entire face rapidly turned purple.

"Thank you, Master."

Kaecilius was overjoyed. He took out the Darkhold again and began chanting.

Mordo shouted in alarm, "Stop him! Once he finishes the incantation, the Blood God is doomed!"

"What?"

Everyone was shocked. Without a word, Hulk leaped toward Kaecilius with all his strength, while Tony fired lasers at him.

Dormammu smiled contemptuously, and several bolts of black lightning crashed down from the sky onto Hulk and the others.

Aah! Hulk and the others screamed as they were blasted backward. Dark energy then frantically invaded their bodies, seeking to turn them into puppets.

"…Vampires, exterminate the entire race."

Kaecilius completed the final line of the incantation. Starting with Dracula and Wang Bert, all Blood Clan members rapidly vanished.

In less than three seconds, every Blood Clan member in the universe had "died."