A long celebratory banquet had already been set up in the hall.
The Avengers, fresh from an interstellar battle, along with the newly joined Eternals, were gathered together, clinking glasses, enjoying delicious food and drinks in a lively atmosphere.
In the corner, however, Carol, bound and tossed onto the sofa with a cloth stuffed in her mouth, could only utter muffled curses, her face filled with resentment and despair, completely out of place with the festive atmosphere around her.
Thor had just stepped out of the portal when Tony, with his sharp eyes, caught him red-handed.
Tony, with a tuna sandwich dangling from his mouth, whistled indistinctly and sauntered over, giving him a once-over:
"Yo, our cosmic overlord, Lord Thor, you've returned from tea at Kamar-Taj?"
Thor waved his hand, glanced around the hall, not seeing that familiar figure, then raised an eyebrow at Tony and asked:
" Tony, where's Ikaris? I can't find him."
"Oh, you mean that bootleg Superman kid?" Tony swallowed his sandwich, rolled his eyes, and said with a mix of wistfulness and exasperation.
"This guy was overwhelmed with guilt, feeling that he had helped the Celestials wreak havoc on Earth. He was too ashamed to face us, nor to face the Eternals Clan. Just now, when we weren't paying attention, he burst out of the atmosphere and flew towards the Sun to burn himself up."
Upon hearing this, Thor froze on the spot, almost dropping the Eye of Agamotto he was playing with.
Good heavens!
Damn it, after all that going around in circles, it turns out it's still the same plot as the original movie?!
He thought that after the fierce battle, Ikaris would finally see the error of his ways and stay to atone for his crimes, but this guy was still stubborn and insisted on charging into the Sun?
Tony, seeing Thor's bewildered expression, raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "What? You need him for something? You should have said so earlier, or I would have had Vision stop him."
"It's nothing, I was just asking casually." Thor snapped out of his reverie and shook his head helplessly.
He then dropped the playful expression on his face, his tone becoming more serious:
"I've come to tell you something. The Ancient One has passed away. Kamar-Taj needs to arrange her funeral. Also, the new Sorcerer Supreme needs Wanda to take charge."
The moment he said that, the once lively hall fell silent.
Captain America Steve, immediately put down his glass, stood up from his seat, his brow furrowed, his face grave, and strode over, asking in a deep voice:
" Thor, did the Ancient One die because of the great battle with the Celestial just now?"
The surrounding crowd gathered around, their faces filled with worry and seriousness.
After all, the Ancient One protected Earth for hundreds of years and was the most solid magical barrier for the planet. Her passing is an absolute loss to Earth.
Thor, seeing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, touched his nose and said calmly, "No, it has nothing to do with the Celestial."
He paused, and under everyone's expectant gaze, slowly added, "She choked to death while eating."
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.
A huge question mark seemed to appear above everyone's heads, and the expressions on their faces instantly changed from solemn to blank, even somewhat incredulous.
Even Vision, with the Mind Stone embedded in his forehead and his logic processing abilities at their peak, froze on the spot, his eyes, composed of optical lenses, filled with chaotic question marks.
Clearly, no one present could understand it.
How could a Sorcerer Supreme, capable of withstanding dimensional invasions with his bare hands and protecting Earth for hundreds of years with unfathomable power, possibly... choke to death while eating?!
Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces as if their worldviews had collapsed, Thor coughed lightly and explained, "Don't make such a fuss."
She'd lived too long and was tired of it all; all she wanted was to get off work and go find Eternity.
Previously, when the Celestial attacked, Earth was left unguarded, which is why she managed to hold on. Now that Earth has a reliable successor, she naturally can't wait to clock out and run away.
He shrugged and added:
"If it weren't for the interference of the Celestial this time, you would most likely have seen the Sorcerer Supreme Sorcerer Supreme fall to her death down the stairs, or choke to death while drinking water. Choking to death while eating is already considered giving herself some dignity."
After Thor finished explaining, the people present were not relieved; instead, they fell into an even more eerie silence.
So, the way this legendary mage passed away was so abrupt?
Finally, it was Black Widow Natasha who broke the silence first. Holding her wine glass, she raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and spoke:
"Okay, I always thought that faking death and finding a ridiculous reason to log off was an essential skill for us agents. Now it seems I was too narrow-minded."
"Who says otherwise?" Hawkeye Clint leaned against a nearby pillar and suddenly interjected, his tone full of sarcasm.
"I've carried out missions my whole life, and I've never come up with such an outrageous reason for faking my death. The Sorcerer Supreme truly lives up to his Sorcerer Supreme."
The tense atmosphere eased considerably after the two joked around.
Thor didn't say anything more, and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the Eye of Agamotto, which he had been playing with for a while, toward Wanda, who was not far away.
Wanda gently flicked her crimson Chaos Magic at her fingertips and caught the Eye of Agamotto steadily. She looked up at Thor with a hint of doubt in her eyes.
" Wanda, this is the Eye of Agamotto, the Sorcerer Supreme's personal relic, inlaid with the Time Stone."
Thor looked at her and said seriously, "Before the Ancient One logged off, he left this to you. From today onwards, the magical dimension of Earth is in your hands."
Wanda held the cold Eye of Agamotto in her palm, feeling the fluctuations emanating from the Time Stone within, and nodded silently, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes.
Just then, Tony suddenly leaned over, frowned at Thor, and asked:
"Wait, Thor. We agreed to keep the Infinity Stones separate. Now that Wanda has the Reality Stone, give her the Time Stone as well."
Is it really okay for one person to keep two Infinity Stones? Or would it be safer to keep them separately?
Upon hearing this, Thor stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then said:
" The Mind Stone and the Soul Stone are a bit dangerous; it's best to keep them separate."
As for the other gems, you can take them as you please. If you feel you're strong enough, each of you can keep one.
He paused, then added, "However, I still suggest that the Time Stone be kept with Wanda."
You all know the level of Wanda's Chaos Magic; on the entire Earth, besides me, no one can protect this gem better than her.
A Mind Stone was originally embedded in Vision's body, and it just happened to be separated.
As for the Space Stone, you can discuss among yourselves who will keep it safe. We'll make further arrangements once we find the Power Stone and the Soul Stone.
As Thor spoke, he suddenly seemed to remember something, raised an eyebrow at Tony, and said with a smile:
"Or, if all else fails, you can just give all these unused gems to Valeria. Isn't she been researching that Infinity Stones power source? They'll be perfect research material for her."
Upon hearing this, Tony slapped his thigh, his eyes lighting up instantly, as if he had suddenly unlocked a new understanding.
"That's right! How could I forget that!" Tony excitedly spun around in a circle, his tone filled with the ecstatic joy of a burst of brilliant inspiration.
" Valeria and I have been researching how to stabilize the energy of the Infinity Stones and use it for our own purposes. I've drawn over three hundred versions of the Infinity Stones power armor design; all we're missing is a stable source of materials!"
As he spoke, he immediately called out to the crowd:
"Alright, alright, let's put the victory celebration on hold for now! Everyone come with me, let's go to Kamar-Taj!"
After burying the Ancient One and holding the inauguration ceremony for Wanda as the new Sorcerer Supreme, I'll get back and get back to my gem research!
No one present objected, and they all stood up.
What followed went smoothly, just like going through a formal process.
The group followed Thor to Kamar-Taj, where the Ancient One's body was laid to rest with the highest honors.
With Thor as a witness, the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj officially recognized Wanda as the new Sorcerer Supreme, entrusting her with the responsibility of protecting the magical dimension of Earth.
By the time all the ceremonies were completed, it was completely dark, and night had enveloped the earth, with countless stars shining brightly in the night sky.
Odin and Frigga didn't linger. After bidding farewell to Thor, they summoned the Bifrost, and a seven-colored beam of light descended, instantly obliterating their figures and returning them to Asgard.
In the courtyard of Kamar-Taj, people gradually dispersed. Thor was just about to open a portal back to the Knowhere when he turned around and bumped into Strange, who had only recently joined the Strange.
Strange looked at Thor, paused for a moment, then quickly stopped and gave the terrifying being who had just defeated seven Celestial with his bare hands a slightly reserved smile.
Thor looked at him, then suddenly grinned and held out a hand to him.
Strange looked at the outstretched hand, puzzled, and hesitantly reached out his own hand to shake it.
As a result Thor withdrew his hand, gently pinched two fingers against him, raised an eyebrow, and said in a teasing tone:
"Don't give me that. Doctor Strange, you owe me a hundred million. When are you going to pay me back?"
Strange's smile froze instantly. He rubbed his hands awkwardly, his tone tinged with embarrassment:
"Um... Thor, I've been focusing on magic research in Kamar-Taj lately, and I haven't had any time to make money..."
"Didn't you make time?" Upon hearing this, Thor immediately adopted a disappointed expression, reaching out to poke his shoulder.
"You used to be able to perform three top-tier neurosurgical operations a day, earning hundreds of thousands of dollars per operation. Why can't you do that now?"
Why don't you go to the hospital during the day to perform surgeries and earn money, and then go back to Kamar-Taj at night to practice magic? Time is like water in a sponge; you can always squeeze some out!
As he spoke, he casually flipped the paper, and a contract gleaming with magical golden light appeared in his palm. It clearly stated that he owed one hundred million US dollars and would voluntarily work for Thor for 1,000 years without pay.
Strange stared at the contract, his eyes widening instantly, his voice rising an octave:
"Wait a minute?! When did I sign such a contract with you? And this 1000-year work period? Are you serious?!"
"Enough with the nonsense." Thor, too lazy to argue with him, casually drew a portal, precisely locating Strange's apartment in New York, and grabbed him by the back of the collar.
"The contract is in black and white, and it has your magical signature. You can't deny it. Go make some money now, and don't come back to practice magic until you've made enough."
Before he finished speaking, he casually tossed the bewildered Strange into the portal, which closed instantly, giving him no chance to resist.
Thor clapped his hands, having resolved the matter, and turned to find Wanda to rekindle their relationship.
Just then, a cold yet somewhat awe-inspiring voice suddenly rang out from the depths of his mind without warning. It was Arishem, the leader of the Celestials.
" Thor Odinson, as agreed, the exact coordinates of the All-Black the Necrosword's hiding place in the universe, as well as the specific location and related information of the Black Vortex, have all been transmitted to your divine sense. The information about these two divine artifacts is absolutely true."
The moment the voice fell, two massive streams of information flooded into Thor's mind like a tidal wave.
A cold, god-slaying black sword, hidden in a desolate star field at the edge of the universe.
The Black Vortex, a cosmic artifact capable of Infinity amplifying its owner's abilities, floats silently in a dimensional rift unknown to anyone.