"Welcome, Master Gu Yi! Join us in wiping out the cult!"
Hawkeye's face was as humble as could be, a stark contrast to how he'd acted just moments ago.
Coulson rolled his eyes. His colleague was way too fickle.
He complained silently to himself, but kept his professional smile on the surface. Master Gu Yi seemed kind, so she probably wouldn't hold it against him if he said something. Barton, though, would definitely try to kill him.
"Master Gu Yi, how much do you know about this evil force?"
Hawkeye's voice was filled with reverence. It went to show that in this world, as long as your fists were big enough, everyone would lick your boots.
"This evil force is beyond the limits of human understanding. Even I haven't been able to determine where it comes from. As for the person using this power inside the church..."
The Ancient One paused, then continued, "He was once my disciple."
There was a trace of complicated emotion in Master Gu Yi's voice, subtle enough to go unnoticed. Hawkeye realized this was a sensitive subject, and suspected there was a long, messy, melodramatic story behind it.
In view of that, it was best not to ask. He might end up dozing off while listening.
"Master Gu Yi, what do you think we should do to fight this evil force—and your... wayward disciple?"
Hawkeye chose his words carefully, doing his best to avoid touching on anything that might upset Master Gu Yi.
After studying the S.H.I.E.L.D. team for a while, the Ancient One thought it over briefly and said, "You have plenty of firepower. Let's try a probing attack first."
"Just as I expected of Master Gu Yi. Your plan is perfect. All right, let's do it!"
As Hawkeye shamelessly buttered her up, Coulson couldn't help grumbling to himself. Isn't this the same plan I came up with at the start? I didn't hear you saying it was brilliant then.
Coulson didn't say anything, though. Getting the job done was all that mattered. With such a powerful Mage on their side, surely they could succeed this time.
Once Master Gu Yi's decision was made, the S.H.I.E.L.D. team sprang into action, preparing to carry out the probing attack.
After a flurry of preparations, the S.H.I.E.L.D. team quietly approached the church where the cult was based.
Master Gu Yi parted her lips and softly chanted an ancient spell. A mysterious power gathered around her, shrouding the entire team in a cloak of invisibility.
Everything seemed to be going so smoothly that Coulson finally breathed a sigh of relief. This time, things should go fine, right?
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Just as the agents were about to fire a rocket at the church, they suddenly heard a round of applause.
The clapping sounded especially jarring in the quiet of the night, as if mocking the S.H.I.E.L.D. team's cautious preparations.
As the applause rang out, the church doors slowly opened. A beam of light spilled from within, illuminating the surrounding darkness.
"Welcome, heroes of S.H.I.E.L.D.—and... isn't this the Sorcerer Supreme? Have you still not found a new Sovereign Lord?"
A deep, magnetic voice came from inside the church. Kaecilius wore strange robes and an eerie smile, as though everything was under his control.
The Ancient One's brow furrowed even deeper. Kaecilius had grown more powerful, while she had grown weaker.
Things couldn't go on like this. Otherwise, the only path left to the Ancient One would be to accept that Sovereign Lord's terms.
"Kaecilius, evil has consumed you. Today, I must stop you."
The Ancient One's voice was firm and powerful. She formed a seal with her hands, preparing to cast her strongest spell.
Kaecilius sneered and gave a casual wave. The air around them seemed to tear apart.
A tentacle suddenly appeared at the Ancient One's side and struck at her. Like the arm of a demon from the abyss, it carried an indescribable, terrifying power as it lunged straight for her.
The Ancient One's eyes sharpened. She moved in a flash, evading the sudden attack with superhuman agility.
Kaecilius didn't rush to attack. He slowly stepped into the light, each step accompanied by a faint tremor in the ground, as if he himself were a mountain on the move.
He spread his arms as if embracing the darkness of the entire universe. More tentacles emerged from the shadows, surging toward the Ancient One like a rising tide.
The Ancient One knew this was a fight to the death. She gathered all her mental strength and unleashed a dazzling light, clashing with the tentacles.
Every beam of light contained the power to cleanse and seal, striving to destroy the tentacles and the evil force behind them.
Suddenly, the Ancient One felt as if a hammer had slammed into her head. She staggered and nearly lost her footing.
Kaecilius's sneer echoed through the night sky. His power seemed to merge with the darkness.
Though the Ancient One fought with all her strength against Kaecilius's attacks, every attempt to counterattack brought a sharp, needle-like pain in her head.
"Ancient One, your Mana is nothing special."
Kaecilius's voice was cold and merciless. He relished his absolute advantage in this battle between master and disciple.
At that moment, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents realized they couldn't just stand by. They quickly adjusted their tactics and attacked Kaecilius with advanced weapons and coordinated maneuvers.
The roar of rocket launchers, flashes of lasers, and the agents' precise gunfire sent sparks flying around the church. The battle reached a fever pitch.
Yet Kaecilius seemed to have expected all this. With a casual wave, the tentacles moved with lifelike agility. They blocked most of the attacks and countered so swiftly that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were caught off guard.
Several agents were struck by the tentacles and fell wounded to the ground. The situation turned dire in an instant.
Seeing this, the Ancient One grew frantic. She gritted her teeth against the headache and weakness, trying to stop Kaecilius.
"Agent Coulson, organize the team! We need to coordinate more closely!"
Master Gu Yi shouted to Coulson beside her, her voice carrying an unmistakable resolve.
Coulson immediately understood what she meant. He reached for his communications gear to coordinate the agents' movements and get them into a tighter defensive and offensive formation.
"I'm... Hm? What's this?"
Drops of thick liquid splattered across his face. Coulson touched it with his hand. It was red blood. He lowered his head and looked down.
Oh, so there's a gaping hole in my chest.
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