Ancient One's Request, Lin Du's Strength

After all, with strength as formidable as Lin Du's, if he made a move, he might very well settle the problem directly.

At that moment, Dormammu's figure slowly emerged from the depths of the vortex. Deep, dark light flickered in his eyes, capable of devouring even light itself, carrying a terrifying aura that seemed able to consume all things.

With a casual glance, his gaze pierced through Kaecilius's exterior and struck directly at the depths of his soul.

The always-proud sorcerer could not help but shudder, as though every secret in his heart had been laid bare beneath that gaze.

"You dared to call my name?" Dormammu's voice was low and imposing, like a whisper from the deepest depths of the underworld, sending chills down one's spine.

Kaecilius barely steadied himself. He took a deep breath, forced himself to confront his fear, and told Dormammu everything that had happened recently without holding anything back.

Before such an existence, any concealment was futile.

"Supreme Dormammu, I beg you to hear me out." Kaecilius's words echoed through the void, their urgency and anxiety nearly impossible to hide.

"I encountered an unprecedented opponent—Lin Du."

Dormammu's voice drifted forth like a whisper from the abyss, cold and carrying unquestionable authority. "Kaecilius, you, once my proudest servant, are telling me that you were defeated by a mere mortal?"

Kaecilius hurriedly argued, though a faint tremor remained in his voice. "No, he is absolutely no ordinary person! He can master supreme techniques that I spent years cultivating in an instant, and even wield them at a level far beyond the limits I could ever reach."

"Even the Time Stone, which we treasure so dearly, became like a child's toy in his hands. He effortlessly twisted the flow of time."

Dormammu's laughter echoed through the void, full of mockery and disdain. "Time in disorder? I, Dormammu, master of time across all dimensions, failed to notice even the slightest fluctuation in space-time?"

"Kaecilius, could it be that failure has driven you to weave such an absurd excuse?"

"I swear upon my soul that every word is true!" Kaecilius's voice was firm, though it trembled slightly. "Please believe me, Lord Dormammu. Lin Du harbors within him a powerful force we have never touched."

"With your aid, we can not only reclaim the Stone, but also seize those unknown powers and make them submit to us."

The air fell silent for a moment before Dormammu's voice echoed again, this time seemingly touched by curiosity. "Very well, Kaecilius. I will give you a chance to prove your loyalty, and whether your words are true."

"But understand this: if I discover that you have betrayed or deceived me, the consequences will be a disaster beyond your imagination."

"Now, begin preparations to summon my true body to Blue Star."

Learning that Dormammu was willing to personally intervene against Lin Du, Kaecilius was overjoyed.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Dormammu."

"I will begin the summoning ritual at once."

Immediately afterward, Kaecilius led his followers into a mysterious circle, with an altar forged from unknown metal standing at its center.

Its surface was densely carved with ancient, incomprehensible runes.

Kaecilius dropped to one knee and clasped his hands tightly together. His deep, powerful voice reverberated through the empty hall like rolling thunder.

"O exalted Dormammu, we obey your will and draw back the veil of the forbidden gate. May your power illuminate Blue Star and witness the challenger's final end."

The moment his words fell, the surrounding followers began chanting, their ancient incantations surging like a tide.

Their voices intertwined, gathering into an invisible torrent that stirred ripples through the air.

The mysterious runes upon the altar quietly bloomed with deep blue light, as though the power of endless night itself.

Through those fine lines, it silently seeped into every corner of reality.

"Heh, a puny human actually dared to challenge our supreme ruler."

A black-robed follower snorted, his eyes gleaming with hunger and anticipation for the feast of vengeance soon to descend.

"That's right. The name Lin Du must vanish from every world, so that everyone understands just how deeply we revere Lord Dormammu."

Another quickly echoed him, his voice blazing with fanaticism.

Just as the ritual reached its critical moment, the surrounding space suddenly twisted. The air seemed to be sucked away by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

Above the altar, a crack silently tore open, pitch-black and emanating a chill that froze the heart.

Dormammu's voice drifted through the entire space like a low chant from the abyss. "Well done, Kaecilius. Your loyalty has pleased me greatly."

"Next, let me personally see what ability that speck of dust who dared anger me has hidden away."

As soon as the words fell, a strand of Dormammu's primordial power slowly passed through the crack and appeared before them.

It was a mass of endlessly roiling dark energy, shapeless and unpredictable, yet radiating a power so immense that it made every living creature tremble.

One after another, the followers dropped to their knees, not daring to look directly at that terrifying presence.

"Lin Du, where are you hiding? Show yourself, and let us see whether you possess even the slightest qualification to become my, Dormammu's, opponent."

Dormammu's voice echoed through every inch of space, piercing the boundaries of time and space as it searched for the brave one who had dared challenge his authority.

Within the halls of Kamar-Taj.

When Ancient One learned that Lin Du had actually devised a plan to deal with Dormammu's impending assault, disbelief flickered in her eyes.

She fixed her gaze on Lin Du, as if trying to pierce through the surface and reach the depths of his thoughts.

"Truly unbelievable," Ancient One murmured, her voice gently drifting through the spacious hall.

"Lin Du, not only have you mastered every profound spell within the Great Library, you have even pioneered an entirely new field of magic unlike anything seen before."

Lin Du slowly turned to face Ancient One.

"Master Ancient One, the boundaries of magic should not be limited by the history of the past. They should be explored through our minds and courage, then expanded without limit through our creativity."

His tone was filled with a longing for the unknown and an unfathomable faith in magic.

After hearing him, Ancient One silently praised him. The confidence and determination Lin Du displayed made her feel as though she had glimpsed her younger self in the reflection of time.

No, the potential and power Lin Du displayed had already surpassed what she herself possessed in those days.