The Price Must Always Be Paid

Last night's apocalypse felt like nothing more than an illusion. Steam rose from the breakfast stalls by the roadside, pedestrians hurried along, and no one knew that just hours ago, this place had become a colony of the Dark Dimension—only to be forcibly pulled back into the human world by a man wearing an alien watch.

"You're leaving?"

Jiang Li held a skewer of unfinished curry fish balls as he watched Mordo pack his belongings.

With the artifact known as the Staff of the Living Tribunal strapped to his back, Mordo did not draw a portal. Instead, like an ascetic, he prepared to leave on foot. His face was as grim as cold iron. The conviction that had once filled his eyes had shattered, replaced by an extreme obsession.

"I joined Kamar-Taj because I believed this was a sacred place that upheld the laws of nature."

Mordo turned around, his cold gaze sweeping over Jiang Li and Wong, who had just finished bandaging his wounds.

"But all I see now are lies."

"The Ancient One drew power from the Dark Dimension to preserve her immortality, and you..." Mordo pointed at Jiang Li, his finger trembling slightly. "You used technology to forcibly reverse time and break the boundary between life and death. You think you're a savior? No. You're draining this world's lifespan."

"No matter the purpose, rules are rules. Once broken, there will be a price."

"The bill always comes due."

After saying that, Mordo pulled down his hood, turned, and walked into the crowd, vanishing into the morning mist.

"Even though we saved the world?" Gwen asked, confused. "He'd rather watch the world be destroyed than break the rules?"

"To him, how the world is saved matters more than the result."

Wong sighed, clutching his chest. Though the wound was gone, the phantom pain of being pierced through remained. "Let him go. Everyone has their own demons. As the Ancient One said, we should look forward too."

"What about the Ancient One?"

Jiang Li turned to look at the Sorcerer Supreme, who had been standing quietly atop the ruins.

The guardian looked older than ever, as if enduring Dormammu's blow head-on, along with the temporal disturbance Jiang Li had caused, had drained too much of her life force.

"It is time for me to leave as well."

The Ancient One slowly descended, her steps light yet carrying the decisiveness of someone laying down a burden.

"Where? Back to Kamar-Taj?"

"No. To see places farther away." The Ancient One opened her folding fan and gazed at the sky. "I have sat in this position for too long—so long that I could no longer see other possibilities. But your arrival, Jiang Li, and Gwen's... you have shown me the variables of the future."

"The world no longer needs an old relic to protect it. It needs new blood, even if it is... unconventional blood."

The Ancient One walked up to Jiang Li, removed the Eye of Agamotto from around her neck, and handed it to Wong.

"Keep it safe until the next Sorcerer Supreme appears."

Then she looked at Jiang Li, her gaze as deep as the stars.

"Your path is filled with thorns. I, too, saw a fragment of that 'infinite future' Ultron saw. It is chaos that even the Time Stone cannot fully predict."

"If one day you lose your way, remember... do not trust only your watch. Trust your humanity."

Smiling, the Ancient One drew an incredibly complex golden portal with both hands. Beyond it was not any corner of Earth, but a brilliant, flowing river of stars from the multiverse.

She gave this world one final look, stepped through, and disappeared.

"So... you're the boss now?"

Jiang Li glanced at Wong, who was holding the Time Stone with a bewildered expression.

"No! Of course not!" Wong was so startled he nearly dropped the stone. "I'm just a librarian! Acting! Only acting! Once that destined doctor arrives, I'm handing the job over!"

"Fine, Acting Sorcerer Supreme."

Jiang Li patted Wong on the shoulder. "I'm heading back to New York. If you run into any magical trouble you can't handle, remember to call me. Or... I have your Wi-Fi password. I can remotely hack into your defense system and help."

"Get lost." Wong rolled his eyes, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. "And next time you come to borrow books, bring tuna sandwiches from that place."

United States, Upstate New York.

The Avengers' new base.

When Jiang Li and Gwen landed on the helipad in a Quinjet, the welcome party they had expected was nowhere to be seen.

An eerie low pressure hung over the entire base. Even the ground crew on the helipad hurried along with their heads down, not daring to look up.

"Something feels off." Gwen's Spider-Sense pricked faintly. "It's too quiet here. Quiet like... an interrogation room at a police station."

As he entered the conference room, Jiang Li found everyone there.

Tony Stark sat at the head of the table, rubbing his temples. He looked even more exhausted than he had in Sokovia. Steve Rogers stood by the window with his back to the others, his silhouette stiff as stone.

Natasha, Rhodes, Vision, Wanda, and Sam were all there, each with a grave expression.

At the other end of the table sat an old acquaintance Jiang Li recognized well—

General Thaddeus Ross. Now the Secretary of State.

The old hardliner who had once hunted Hulk and had also been beaten up by Jiang Li as Four Arms.

"Looks like our 'alien consultant' has finally returned from vacation."

When General Ross saw Jiang Li enter, he sneered. He made no move to shake hands and instead slammed a thick document heavily onto the table.

"Good. Saves me the trouble of sending someone to arrest you."

"What's this?" Jiang Li glanced at the document cover.

It bore the emblem of the United Nations, along with a conspicuous line of bold black text:

Sokovia Accords.

"This is the world's 'gratitude' for you, as well as an ultimatum." Ross rose to his feet and began playing footage on the large screen.

The streets crushed during the Battle of New York, the Helicarriers falling over Washington, the city rising into the sky over Sokovia... and a recent satellite energy cloud map.

It was Hong Kong.

Though there was no actual combat footage, because time had been reversed, the satellite map showed that a terrifying energy fluctuation powerful enough to destroy the Asian continent had erupted over Hong Kong last night—before vanishing strangely.

"For the past four years, you have possessed unlimited power without any oversight."

Ross pointed at Jiang Li.

"Especially you, Mr. Jiang Li. You possess the ability to alter genes at will, create monsters, and even... according to our analysis of the energy fluctuation in Hong Kong, you may also be suspected of manipulating some unknown spacetime weapon."

"In the eyes of governments around the world, you are not a hero. You are a walking weapon of mass destruction. More uncontrollable than Hulk, more dangerous than Stark Industries."

"If we cannot control this power, then it should not exist."

Ross looked at everyone, his tone forceful and beyond dispute.

"One hundred and seventeen countries have signed this agreement. The Avengers will no longer be a private organization, but a team under United Nations supervision. You may act only when the committee approves."

"Furthermore... all enhanced individuals must register their DNA. Jiang Li, your Omnitrix must be surrendered to the United Nations Security Council for risk assessment."

"Sign it, or... retire. Or even go to prison."

A deathly silence filled the conference room.

"Tony?" Jiang Li looked at Tony.

Tony raised his head, his eyes bloodshot. Avoiding Jiang Li's gaze, he said hoarsely, "Jiang... we have no choice. Sokovia... it fell because of us. We need oversight. We need accountability."

"Accountability?" Steve turned around, his blue eyes full of resistance. "This isn't accountability. It's shifting responsibility. What if the orders on that paper send us somewhere we should not go, or stop us from going somewhere we should?"

"Then you become criminals," Ross said coldly.

All eyes turned toward Jiang Li. After all, he was the main target of this agreement.

Jiang Li picked up the agreement, flipped through it casually, then tossed it back onto the table like trash.

"Hand over my equipment for review?"

He pointed at the Omnitrix on his wrist and smiled. There was a trace of a hacker's unique arrogance and danger in that smile.

"Ross, the last time I used Four Arms to hang you from a tree, I think you said the same thing."

"You want my watch? Then you should ask whether it agrees first."

The atmosphere around Jiang Li suddenly turned cold.

"Or... you could ask the dimensional demon god that nearly swallowed Earth last night why I was the one who drove him away. If I hand this watch over to you, when he comes back next time, are you planning to beat him to death with this agreement?"

"Are you threatening me?" Ross's face turned livid.

"No. This is a notice."

Jiang Li took Gwen's hand beside him.

"We won't sign. And if anyone wants to force the issue..."

The Omnitrix flashed with green light.

"Bring it on."