Ian's Thief Never Leaves Empty-Handed

It happened in a flash.

Even Ian, whose reaction speed had been enhanced by the God Brain and the Speed Force, had almost been caught off guard.

Let alone everyone else.

Neither Doctor Strange nor the Female Ancient One reacted immediately.

"Wha—what?!" The expression on Strange's face instantly changed from watching a good show to horror. He instinctively stepped back and nearly crashed into the doorframe.

"What dark power." For the first time, clear gravity appeared on Master Ancient One's ever-calm face. She took a step forward, her yellow mage robes moving without wind as powerful magic flowed around her, forming a soft yet resilient protective halo that shielded both her and Strange.

Her magic resisted the erosion and mental pressure brought by that dark power.

"This power—" Ancient One frowned deeply, wise and vigilant light flickering in her eyes as she swiftly analyzed the nature of the darkness. "—is extremely ancient, filled with the most primal concepts of 'vengeance,' 'curse,' and 'darkness.' Its essential level is—very high!"

Records from many ancient texts surfaced in Ancient One's mind.

She made a guess.

It might even be related to the original source of Ghost Rider's power, that ancient demon named Zarathos—or even earlier, to the chaotic background from which the more essential concept of the Spirit of Vengeance had been born!

"Looks like your god screwed up."

Ancient One realized that the problem might lie in Ian's "modification" of Ghost Rider. Ian had forcibly overwritten Ghost Rider's existing contract with a higher status and reversed the nature of his power. This act might have inadvertently touched, or torn open, something deep within Ghost Rider's power system.

Some "primordial dark core" that even Mephisto had never fully controlled, and perhaps had deliberately sealed away or avoided!

It was the pure negative and