Ding dong!
Boom!
Crash!
Creak creak.
With his eyes closed, Ronan could tell just by the sounds that the battle was still raging fiercely.
Tables were flipped, glass shattered, and chairs or benches were knocked over from time to time.
There were so many onomatopoeic sounds that Ronan was running out of words to describe them.
"Congratulations on your wealth~"
"Congratulations on your success~"
"May the good come, and the bad... boom!"
Somehow, amidst this incredibly intense battle, an extremely festive song started playing.
It actually created a strangely harmonious scene.
Although everyone could hear the music, no one paid attention to where it was coming from.
Because they didn't have time to care about the so-called background music.
Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Hawkeye, and Thor were all fully focused on dealing with the robots.
Meanwhile, Black Widow was dealing with Bruce Banner.
Well, dealing with him in a serious way.
Ronan fumbled with his right hand and pulled out his phone from his left inner pocket.
He opened his eyes and glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to him, then quietly slid back a few meters.
"Hello?"
"I'm really busy right now, the situation is intense, the AI is trying to take over the world."
"Are you calling to be a spy for humanity?"
Ronan complained into the phone while keeping one eye open to check his surroundings.
It was one thing to slack off, but if he got caught slacking off while on the phone, that would be bad.
"Ronan, I think you need to come back."
On the other end of the line, Wong's voice sounded serious.
"Why should I come back?"
"If you're short one person for mahjong, find someone else. I really can't come back right now."
Ronan immediately sensed Wong's "nervousness."
Whenever Wong called like this, it was usually because they were short one person for mahjong or needed an extra player for cards.
Ronan saw right through it.
"Ronan, it's me."
When the voice on the other end spoke again, it was a different voice.
Well, not exactly different—it was both unfamiliar and familiar.
When Ronan heard this voice, he couldn't help but open his eyes.
Hiss...
Stephen Strange?
Did this guy just dreamwalk?
Or did the Stephen Strange of this world follow the plot and end up in Kamar-Taj?
No, that can't be!
First, the timing is off. Even if the world has something like "worldline correction," at this point in time, Strange should still be in the hospital performing surgeries.
Second, judging by the tone of his voice, he clearly knows me.
So, the answer is obvious.
This is definitely dreamwalking!
Fu*k! You!
At this moment, Ronan only wanted to say this to Strange.
Because once dreamwalking occurs, the two parallel universes will collide, and the outcome will be catastrophic.
This b*tch, did he really dreamwalk into this world?
"Wait for me!"
Ronan swallowed all the curses he wanted to say and simply uttered these words into the phone before hanging up.
He glanced at the people still fighting and, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, quickly opened a portal and left.
Boom!
Maria Hill rolled to the side again, hiding in a familiar spot.
She quickly scanned her surroundings. This place felt familiar, as if she had hidden here before.
But Maria Hill scratched her head.
Why does it feel like something's missing?—
Meanwhile, at the New York Sanctum.
When the portal opened, Ronan descended in a rather awkward manner, and the first thing he saw was Strange sitting in a chair.
Strange was wearing a slightly dirty suit, and Wong sat nearby, looking wary.
When Ronan saw Strange's outfit, his heart sank.
Oh no, oh no, oh no.
He really did dreamwalk!
"Fu*k! You! Strange!"
Ronan greeted him with the most "affectionate" words.
Hearing Ronan's "affectionate" greeting, Strange was stunned.
??????
When you came to our universe, I treated you with the utmost hospitality.
But when I come to your universe, this is how you greet me?
"Ronan, do you really know him?"
Wong stood up, looking puzzled at Strange.
Especially since Ronan started with an American curse, which left Wong even more confused.
What exactly is their relationship?
According to the man named Strange, the two of them should be on good terms, and Ronan had even visited their universe before.
But why is Ronan so agitated?
"Ronan, I thought we were friends."
Strange forced a smile, looking extremely awkward.
"Don't say anything else. Just tell me, did you dreamwalk into this universe?"
Ronan took a deep breath. He didn't want to exchange pleasantries with Strange right now.
If this really was dreamwalking, Ronan would take him to see the Ancient One immediately.
"Dreamwalking?"
"What's that?"
Strange looked at Ronan, completely confused.
From the literal meaning, dreamwalking sounds like walking in a dream.
Does Kamar-Taj have a spell that even Strange doesn't know about?
"Dreamwalking!"
"It's using the Darkhold to connect with versions of yourself across the multiverse, allowing a form of soul transference!"
Ronan took a deep breath and finally relaxed.
Since Strange didn't know about dreamwalking, it meant he hadn't used this technique yet.
"You know about the Darkhold?"
Strange immediately sat up.
But before Ronan could respond, Wong exclaimed in surprise.
"Are you talking about the Darkhold?"
"And dreamwalking?"
Wong looked at them with a hint of fear.
Strange also looked at Wong. Although he knew about the Darkhold, he didn't think it warranted such a reaction.
Meanwhile, Ronan smirked.
Ah, of course, the Marvel "encyclopedia" was about to start explaining.
Sure enough, when Strange asked why he was so surprised, Wong began to explain in detail what these two terms meant.
He explained it thoroughly, but coincidentally, Ronan already knew.
So, Ronan didn't bother listening.
However, when Strange heard that if someone dreamwalks between two parallel universes, those universes would eventually collide and be destroyed.
His expression changed.
He suddenly looked at Ronan.
And in that moment, Ronan seemed to have a premonition.
Both of them blurted out a name at the same time.
"Scarlet Witch!"
"Wanda!"
Though they said different names, they referred to the same person.
The Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff.
Ronan couldn't help but grimace. He was on the verge of losing it.
The reason was simple.
Strange might not know how to dreamwalk, but the Scarlet Witch did!
Dreamwalking isn't exclusive to anyone. If someone dreamwalks, it means the two universes will eventually collide.
Strange might not have used this technique, but he brought trouble here.
Because Ronan saw the trouble.
America Chavez.
The legendary Miss America, whose power allows her to travel across the multiverse.
"Go, you need to leave now."
"Go back to where you came from. There's still time!"
Ronan quickly stood up and grabbed Strange's arm.
As long as America wasn't in this universe, the Scarlet Witch wouldn't dreamwalk here.
This universe would be spared from destruction.
Better them than us!
"I'm afraid..."
"It's too late!"
As soon as Strange finished speaking, a terrifying energy descended from the sky.
177A Bleecker Street, New York.
The New York Sanctum.
Was instantly destroyed!
Boom!
Strange immediately flew into the air, while Wong raised a massive Eldritch Shield to protect America.
The explosions didn't stop.
Because of this initial explosion, other flammable items began to explode one after another.
The intense explosions quickly engulfed the entire street, and the cries and screams, a hallmark of American scenery, once again filled the air.
People fled in all directions, while Strange looked at the figure before him with a complicated expression.
The Scarlet Witch.
Well, to be precise, a younger version of the Scarlet Witch.
Whoosh.
Ronan reappeared, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead, his eyes showing a hint of exhaustion.
"Are they all safe?"
Wong pushed away the rubble from the Eldritch Shield and immediately asked.
Ronan nodded, also flying into the air to face the Scarlet Witch.
The moment he sensed the energy, Ronan had already put on the Infinity Gauntlet with his left hand.
Then, he activated the Space Stone's power.
The reason was simple. In the New York Sanctum, besides him and Wong, there were several other sorcerers present.
Ronan used the Space Stone multiple times in a short period, teleporting them all back to Kamar-Taj.
This was why Ronan was exhausted.
Using the Space Stone repeatedly in such a short time, and without precise control over his mental energy, he had to pour all his energy into saving these sorcerers.
This was his responsibility as the next Sorcerer Supreme.
"Stephen, hand over the girl."
"Otherwise, Kamar-Taj in this universe will be destroyed, just like in your universe."
The Scarlet Witch's appearance was no longer what Ronan had seen before.
She now resembled the Scarlet Witch from Earth-616.
Moreover, the Chaos Magic within her was on a completely different level.
The arrival of the Earth-616 Scarlet Witch had fully awakened the Chaos Magic within this body.
This made the situation extremely complicated.
"Wanda, do you know what you're doing?"
"Do you know that the dreamwalking ability in the Darkhold doesn't just allow travel across parallel universes?"
"It also causes those universes to collide and be destroyed?"
Strange looked at the Scarlet Witch, still trying to pull her back from the abyss.
But for Ronan and his universe, it was already too late.
A surge of spatial energy gathered around the Scarlet Witch's head, and in an instant, a spatial vortex formed.
"Wanda!"
"No, Ronan,"
Strange instinctively tried to stop Ronan.
But before he could finish, the spatial vortex tore the Scarlet Witch's head apart!
"Ronan, you can't..."
But before he could finish, he saw Ronan's icy cold gaze.
"Get lost, Strange."
"I've helped you countless times before and never asked for anything in return."
"But you've brought destruction to this universe."
"So, shut your mouth. I don't want to hear another word from you!"
At this moment, both Ronan's cold stare and sharp words left Strange speechless.
What terrified Strange even more was the overwhelming pressure he felt from Ronan.
This pressure was directed entirely at him, and Strange even felt his breathing becoming labored.
Is this your true strength?
Strange opened his mouth bitterly, but didn't know what to say.
Because Ronan was absolutely right.
On two previous occasions, Ronan had not only saved Tony Stark in their universe but also saved everyone when Thanos tried to destroy Earth by colliding the Infinity Stones.
Another time, because of Strange's actions, Ronan was dragged into their universe again.
And if Ronan hadn't been more skilled, he might have died in that universe.
But when Strange came to Ronan's universe, he brought destruction with him.
Ronan turned away, no longer paying attention to Strange, and instead looked at the Scarlet Witch in the air.
The Scarlet Witch, whose head had been torn apart, didn't fall to the ground or die.
Crimson Chaos Magic slowly gathered around her head, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, her head fully regenerated.
It was as if nothing had happened.
"Ronan..."
"Although we've only met briefly, I knew back then that you were much stronger than Stephen."
The Scarlet Witch turned her gaze to Ronan.
They had only officially met once.
It was at the party after defeating Thanos, and they had only exchanged a few words.
But the Scarlet Witch had remembered Ronan.
"Is that so?"
"Seems like you have good judgment."
Ronan narrowed his eyes, but there was no trace of a smile on his face.
"The strength I'm talking about isn't just about power, but the strength of your mind."
"You're more decisive, and more ruthless."
The Scarlet Witch slowly raised her hands, and the crimson glow of Chaos Magic began to gather in her palms.
Ronan had seen this move before.
Though it was the same technique, the pressure it exerted now was far greater than before.
The same move used by different people yielded completely different results.
Ronan stared expressionlessly at the Scarlet Witch. His right hand clenched in the air, and the Sword of Vishanti materialized in his grasp.
Wong looked at Ronan in shock.
He had known Ronan for seventeen years, and he had only seen this expression on Ronan's face once before.
The last time Ronan dropped his usual playful demeanor and showed this expression was when he first started learning the mystic arts at Kamar-Taj.
This expression meant one thing:
Ronan was getting serious!
In a dark space, the Ancient One, with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.
Around her body swirled vast amounts of dark energy.
In the distance, Dormammu's roars echoed endlessly.
The Ancient One looked up, as if gazing into the sky.
"Ronan..."
"This is your trial."
"The seeds of the past have led to the fruits of today."
"This time, I cannot help you."
With that, she turned her gaze back to the furious Dormammu.
"But I can pave another path for you..."