Just when S.H.I.E.L.D. was growing increasingly anxious over the massive energy blast that Lin Fan had caused...
Lin Fan was sprawled lazily on a massive leather sofa, enjoying a juicy A5 Wagyu steak. Beside him stood Psylocke, cutting the meat with telekinetically-forged utensils.
They were holed up in yet another secret Hellfire Club hideout—this time a luxurious villa hidden deep in the wilderness. It wasn't as grand as the old castle, but it still screamed wealth and power.
It was a strange sight: Psylocke, one of the most formidable mutants on the planet, now acting like a personal attendant. If Magneto—champion of mutant superiority—saw this, he'd probably have a meltdown on the spot.
After finishing the last bite, Lin Fan leaned back and stretched with satisfaction.
"Those guys in the Dark Quadrant are all about war. They don't know how to enjoy life. Crappy food every day. I honestly don't get how Thanos puts up with it."
Psylocke didn't react. She was used to Lin Fan's bizarre, pop culture-laced commentary by now.
With a sigh, she turned on the TV. No matter the channel, the same headlines played over and over: coverage of last night's earth-shattering energy explosion.
"Look at what you did. The entire world's talking about it now."
Lin Fan shrugged. "Not my fault. Blame the Black King. Guy was too weak—couldn't even handle a Kamehameha I held back on."
Psylocke rolled her eyes. If the Black King were awake, he'd probably be foaming at the mouth from rage.
Her gaze drifted toward one of the villa's side rooms. Inside were the surviving members of the Hellfire Club—those Lin Fan had pulled out at the last second.
After saving them, he had infected each of them with a portion of the demon symbiote, preparing them to become his loyal Majin warriors.
Even the Black King, who'd been reduced to nothing but a head, had been saved. Lin Fan had rebuilt his body from scratch using the symbiote, leaving only a sliver of the original behind.
Once reborn, the Black King might become the strongest Majin warrior ever created.
Now, all Lin Fan had to do was wait for their transformation to finish. Then he could move on to his next goal—tracking down the Phoenix Force at the X-Mansion.
---
But that explosion? It didn't just rattle governments and secret agencies.
It woke something else.
Far away in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, something ancient stirred.
At the mystical stronghold of Kamar-Taj, beneath the towering sacred trees, a pair of wise, piercing eyes slowly opened.
They belonged to a slender woman in golden robes—completely bald, yet radiating a serene, unshakable presence.
She was the Ancient One, Earth's Supreme Sorcerer.
For over 700 years, she had protected this dimension—Dormammu's eternal rival, and the last line of defense against the darkness.
The energy spike from the previous night had shaken even her.
She spent the entire night casting intricate spells of foresight, trying to peer through the mystic veil to uncover the truth behind the event. But even with her power, she saw only fragments—a figure surrounded by thick, impenetrable fog.
One thing became clear: the entity at the heart of the explosion did not originate from this universe.
"A lifeform from another reality?" she murmured. "I need to see it for myself."
She rose gracefully from her meditation mat. A golden ring of sparks appeared in her hands, ancient runes circling within it like living glyphs.
Zzzzzhhm!
A swirling portal of golden energy burst open. Without hesitation, she stepped through—and vanished.
In the next instant, she stood inside the very villa where Lin Fan was staying.
Lin Fan remained seated, calm as ever. Psylocke instantly sprang into action, forming her psychic katana, ready to strike.
But the Ancient One didn't even glance at her. Her entire focus was on Lin Fan, as if Psylocke didn't even exist.
Her eyes shimmered like galaxies, reflecting Lin Fan's image within them.
"Greetings, traveler from beyond space and time," the Ancient One said, her voice echoing with both power and grace. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
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