Lin Du Absorbed Dormammu's Power, Leaving Dormammu Stunned

"How could this be..." Ancient One murmured, her voice echoing through the empty surroundings, tinged with defiance and confusion.

As the Sorcerer Supreme, she knew that her wisdom and knowledge should have been unmatched in this mortal world.

Yet Lin Du's sudden emergence was like a spotless mirror, reflecting the limits of her understanding and sending ripples through her heart.

To turn the crisis around, Ancient One resolutely chose an extreme path—borrowing Dormammu's power, the terrifying force born of the Dark Dimension.

She closed her eyes and gathered her focus, searching the depths of her mind with all her strength, seeking to touch Dormammu's power, a force capable of destroying everything.

At that critical moment, Lin Du seemed to sense something, and a meaningful smile curved across his lips.

"Master Ancient One, do you truly believe that Dormammu's power alone can defeat me?"

After seeing through Ancient One's scheme, Lin Du's low voice drifted out.

Before his words had faded, Lin Du raised a hand and lightly touched the dark energy taking shape before Ancient One.

Something astonishing happened. With that gentle touch, Lin Du opened an invisible door directly connected to Dormammu's domain.

That power, brimming with destruction and chaos, had stirred restlessly even under Ancient One's guidance,

but now, as though it had found a more suitable destination, it surged uncontrollably toward Lin Du.

When Ancient One saw that Lin Du remained utterly still, her expression abruptly changed, and unprecedented panic welled up inside her.

Thinking back, Lin Du had always been like this. He looked calm on the surface, yet in the blink of an eye, he could thoroughly grasp someone else's unique technique and turn it into a brilliant counterattack.

Not to mention Dormammu's wild and untamed power. Even Ancient One herself had spent considerable effort comprehending it back then.

But now, if Lin Du could absorb those powers with ease after merely taking one look, master and wield them, even integrate them completely,

that would be far beyond everyone's understanding—simply unbelievable.

Meanwhile, in the depths of boundless emptiness, there was a twisted, chaotic realm known as the Dark Dimension.

Within this realm, Dormammu sat high upon a throne woven from pure dark energy, his face obscured by flames that never died.

His eyes were as deep as an abyss, able to perceive every living being that dared challenge his authority.

Yet at this moment, a trace of unprecedented shock and unease flickered through those usually cold, profound eyes, revealing a rare disturbance within this overlord's heart.

"How could this be?!" Dormammu's demand thundered through the Dark Dimension, every word carrying a stunned, disbelieving rumble.

As the absolute ruler of this realm, he had never imagined that any life-form could touch the boundaries of his power, much less steal from it so openly.

Like an invisible, greedy tentacle, that force silently pierced layer upon layer of dimensional barriers and touched his nearly inexhaustible sea of energy.

Fear—an emotion long unfamiliar to him—began quietly growing in the chest of this eternal being.

Looking back, even Earth's esteemed Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One, had merely borrowed his power to maintain the world's delicate balance.

And now, someone named Lin Du actually dared to draw power directly from him. Such arrogance and audacity were simply unheard of!

Dormammu quickly recovered from his initial shock. He knew that he had to act at once and crush this unprecedented provocation.

In a flash of thought, he decided to contact his mortal representative—Kaecilius. It was time to let that world feel his will and fury.

A beam of deep, ghostly light suddenly tore through the void, forming a bridge between the two worlds.

Amid the interwoven light and shadow, Kaecilius's outline slowly emerged.

He prostrated himself on the ground, his face full of reverence and apprehension as he waited for Dormammu's command.

"Kaecilius, our plan must be accelerated." Dormammu's voice carried an unquestionable chill and resolve.

"That brat Lin Du is trying to lay his hands on my power."

"You must immediately launch Operation Shadow Devouring. No matter the cost, erase him from this world."

When Kaecilius received Dormammu's order, he was no less shocked than his master.

For a long time, he had believed Dormammu's power to be absolute, beyond anyone's reach.

Although Lin Du's appearance had dealt a blow to Kaecilius's pride,

he had still believed that Lin Du was no match for his master.

Now Dormammu had suddenly flown into a rage.

Clearly, Lin Du had done something that affected him, perhaps even threatened him.

Could it be that his master was no match for Lin Du either?

"Yes, Master." Though doubts filled his heart, Kaecilius answered respectfully.

He swiftly left the Dark Dimension and returned to the mortal world, beginning preparations for Operation Shadow Devouring.

This would be an unprecedented battle. He had to gather every ounce of strength he could to fight Lin Du.

If necessary, there was no reason he could not launch a sneak attack.

Just then, Lin Du sensed a faint pulse from a shadowy dimension.

A smile curled across his lips.

He had been eagerly awaiting this confrontation for a long time.

"Come. Show me what astonishing power you have been hiding."

Meanwhile,

within S.H.I.E.L.D.'s bustling command center,

Director Nick Fury clutched a newly received intelligence report, his brow tightly furrowed and his eyes filled with unmistakable concern.

The document clearly recorded that the Sanctum had once again suffered a fierce assault from an unknown force,

and even Kamar-Taj, the immense library gathering the wisdom of all mages and the secrets of magic, had not escaped this disaster.

"Who exactly is behind all this?" Nick murmured, his heart full of doubt and unease.

He tried to piece together the scattered clues, hoping to find an answer and unravel the mystery in his mind.

The Sanctum had borne the duty of protecting the world's balance since ancient times.

Every time it was damaged, it was like throwing a massive iron ball onto the world's scales, sending the entire world one step closer to the edge of unknown danger.

"Black Widow!" Director Fury's sudden call forcefully cut through the command center's noise and struck Natasha Romanoff's ears as she worked elsewhere.

"It's time to show your real skills. Dig out the one pulling the strings behind all this."

Director Fury issued the order through an impossibly secure channel.

"Pray that reality isn't even worse than our worst expectations."

And in his heart, an indescribable unease quietly spread.