A Century of Honest Lending, Waiting for the Sovereign Lord to Arrive

Shocking!

According to reliable sources from this station, billionaire Tony Stark has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Reporters from this station have captured multiple photos of Mr. Stark holding a conch shell and conversing with it, followed by a seagull dousing the billionaire with its droppings.

What exactly happened? Please stay tuned for further developments from this station.

Smash!

Tony angrily smashed the television, his eyes flashing with uncontrollable rage.

He was on the headlines again, but not in the usual playboy fashion. This was pure slander!

He hadn't expected his relaxing afternoon to be so twisted and distorted, even being labeled with the absurd title of "Alzheimer's patient." His stock prices plummeted in response.

"Magic Conch, what should I do now?"

Tony angrily tugged the pull string, wanting to hear what the culprit had to say now.

"Do nothing."

Tony's expression darkened, expecting a useful suggestion but instead hearing words that seemed to tell him to give up.

What Tony cared about was his reputation. He was being called senile!

"Alright then, Magic Conch, I'll put that aside for now. How can I find The Gh'gth Revelations?"

Tony sighed and asked another question. The Magic Conch quickly replied.

"Do nothing."

Upon hearing this, Tony's brows furrowed, his eyes filled with frustration.

Was this the reward for such a humiliating experience? It was a disgrace!

"So, you're telling me to do nothing and just stay at home, as if that book will fall from the sky?"

Tony said this sarcastically, a hint of anger in his voice. He pulled the string again, and the Magic Conch answered him with its usual serious tone.

"Yes."

Fine, this useless thing.

Tony was convinced and fell into a silent funk.

"Sorcerer Supreme, what should we do next? If this continues, we'll lose our mana. We need to find a new Sovereign Lord."

Baron Mordo was deeply troubled. They, as mages, primarily cast spells by borrowing power from powerful cosmic beings, commonly known as gods.

However, recently, all the gods who had lent them power had stopped responding, as if they had never existed.

This was good news, meaning they no longer had to repay their debts.

It was also bad news, meaning they would no longer be mages in the future.

Once the mana in their bodies was depleted, they would be no different from ordinary people.

Perhaps they could hold on for a while longer with their inherited magical artifacts, books, and scrolls, but this was like water without a source; it would eventually dry up.

"Mordo, we are also mortals. There's nothing wrong with returning to a normal life,"

The Ancient One said softly while sipping her tea, but her heart was far from as calm as her words suggested.

Dormammu, the Dimensional Demon God, had also disappeared recently. Naturally, she could no longer draw power from the Dark Dimension, or rather, it was questionable whether the Dark Dimension even still existed.

Unlike other mages, the Ancient One's mana was draining much faster.

Since she could no longer draw power from the Dark Dimension, the lost time immediately caught up with her. If not for her immense mana, she would have turned to dust on the spot.

However, no matter how vast one's mana, it would eventually be depleted.

Therefore, if the Ancient One did not find a stable supplier of mana soon, her path would come to an end.

And it would be an end with no alternative.

"But, Sorcerer Supreme, if we have no mana, who will protect the world?"

Baron Mordo was filled with worry. He had been living in fear these past few days, terrified of waking up one day as a slave to some powerful being.

To that end, he had tried various methods, attempting to find a new creditor to borrow from, even if the "interest" was high. He just wanted to survive the present.

But he had failed. There wasn't a single entity willing to lend.

"Mordo, this world no longer needs the protection of mages. We..."

The Ancient One paused here, realizing her statement was problematic.

Even though those dimensional demon gods were gone, there were still other forces intending to invade Earth.

For instance, Mephisto, that devil. However, for some unknown reason, he remained silent.

Perhaps it was because the three Sanctums were still standing. But with mana being depleted so quickly now, the Sanctums wouldn't last much longer.

"Sorcerer Supreme, the world needs the protection of mages! Though the dimensional demon gods are gone, there are still other evil forces coveting Earth!"

Baron Mordo's voice held a hint of urgency. He wasn't anxious simply because he was about to become an ordinary person again, but because he worried that without guardians, the world would fall prey to evil invasions!

"Mordo, wait a moment. Let me think it over properly."

The Sorcerer Supreme gently set down the teacup in her hand, a flicker of solemnity in her eyes. She stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the setting sun in the distance as complex thoughts surged within her.

"Baron Mordo, you were right. The world does indeed need guardians. Perhaps we truly need a Sovereign Lord."

Baron Mordo was overjoyed. Having the Sorcerer Supreme personally seek out a Sovereign Lord was far more reliable than him fumbling around on his own.

He just didn't know how much time it would take to find this new Sovereign Lord, or how much interest this new Sovereign Lord would charge.

Baron Mordo was somewhat worried. After all, so many Gods had disappeared. Setting aside whether they could even find this Sovereign Lord.

Even if they found him, Baron Mordo was uncertain about how high the interest would be.

This was a monopolized market right now. There was no guarantee the other party wouldn't demand an exorbitant price.

Even if the Sorcerer Supreme negotiated herself, no one was confident they could secure a good deal.

Glancing at Baron Mordo, the Sorcerer Supreme, who understood human nature well, naturally knew what he was thinking.

It was all about whether they could find a creditor and whether this creditor would be willing to provide a low-interest "loan."

Actually, there was no need to search. A creditor had already come knocking, intending to lend to her, a professional in debt.

However, it couldn't be said that the other party had actively sought her out. Rather, the Sorcerer Supreme had heard Its call and proactively contacted It.

Although the intentions of this potential Sovereign Lord were difficult to grasp, the conditions were not harsh.

He was very willing to become the creditor for herself and the Mages, providing them with Mana, and only required them to believe in Him and expand His church.

Such generous terms were unheard of. Yet, when such favorable conditions were presented, the Sorcerer Supreme hesitated.

This didn't mean it was a good thing. The other party might be plotting something.

Suddenly, the Sorcerer Supreme interrupted her thoughts, frowning as she looked in one direction.

"Sorcerer Supreme, did something happen?"

"Kaecilius, he's gone."