"Mordo, Kaecilius, and good old Wong next door-which of them isn't your prized pupil?"
"Mordo?" The Ancient One shook her head gently. "He's too rigid and inflexible to shoulder such a responsibility."
"Wong's talent is limited. His potential isn't particularly high."
"As for Kaecilius..." The Ancient One sighed. "The Dark Dimension has already corrupted him too deeply."
"As if you aren't in just as deep..."
Hermione looked at the Ancient One and muttered under her breath.
Before she had finished speaking, the Ancient One's calm eyes turned deep and dark, fixing Hermione with a stare from the Dark Dimension.
Mysterious purple runes slowly emerged on her forehead, radiating an eerie aura that made Hermione's heart pound.
"All right, all right, I surrender." Hermione raised both hands and said helplessly,
"Why don't you just say you want Strange? Don't scare me with Dormammu. It's creepy."
The Ancient One withdrew her soul-piercing gaze, and the purple runes on her forehead faded with it.
"Originally, I wanted you to become the Sorcerer Supreme," The Ancient One said evenly. "But I knew you would refuse, so my only choice was to have you bring Strange here ahead of time."
"Also, I wasn't using Dormammu to frighten you. My second condition..."
A sudden sense of foreboding rose in Hermione's heart.
A moment later, it came true.
"...is that you eliminate Dormammu for good."
"You want me to kill Dormammu?"
Hermione's eyes flew wide open.
"Ancient One, you're joking, right? Even you only 'banished' him, and now you want me to 'kill' him?"
"Who do you think I am, Benbo'erba?"
The Ancient One regarded her calmly, her voice level.
"Both conditions must be met."
"If you refuse, you'll have to wait until I've left this universe before you can consider obtaining the Time Stone."
Hermione looked