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[Frog] Chapter 320: The Time Stone
🕑 Added 2025-02-13 03:57:38 +0000 UTCEarth, outside the Sanctum Sanctorum—
After watching the Ancient One effortlessly evade his attack, Ebony Maw wasted no time. He immediately ordered his Chitauri soldiers to launch a full-scale assault.
But the Ancient One remained unfazed.
With a graceful motion of her hands, she effortlessly flung the oncoming Chitauri aside.
Seeing this, Ebony Maw’s expression shifted from rage to shock.
A sorcerer of such power existed on Earth?
Judging from the Ancient One’s display of magic, Ebony Maw realized that she was at least his equal.
Narrowing his eyes, he lifted his right hand, manipulating the surrounding buildings, sending massive chunks of debris hurtling toward the Ancient One.
But before the attack could land—she vanished.
A golden portal opened behind Ebony Maw, and the Ancient One emerged, a shimmering golden rope forming in her hands as she lashed it toward him.
Ebony Maw reacted instantly, extending his hand forward.
The golden rope disintegrated midair—he had neutralized her magic.
The battle between these two powerful sorcerers twisted the very landscape around them, reshaping the streets outside the Sanctum.
Ebony Maw hovered backward, his mere presence warping reality.
Every car, every building in his wake morphed into deadly, jagged weapons, all of which shot toward the Ancient One.
Yet she remained unperturbed.
With a few light steps, the ground beneath her contracted at an incredible speed—a distance of 100 meters was covered in just three steps, bringing her face-to-face with Ebony Maw.
"I told you," she said calmly, "you’ve come too early. If it were Doctor Strange instead, perhaps you would have obtained the Time Stone.”
She raised both hands and forcefully pulled the air before her—the space around Ebony Maw warped violently.
Before he could react, he was dragged into another dimension.
The world around him fractured, shifting in impossible, gravity-defying ways.
Up was down. Left was right. The landscape was an endless cascade of floating ruins and twisting reality.
This was the Mirror Dimension—the Ancient One’s domain.
Ebony Maw had severely underestimated Earth.
Had he known such a formidable being existed here, he would never have split up with Cull Obsidian.
But now, it was too late.
Gritting his teeth, he waved his hand, twisting the very fabric of this dimension—turning every object within sight into lethal projectiles, all hurtling toward the Ancient One.
The two hovered midair, surrounded by torrential magical energy.
Yet, this was the Ancient One’s domain.
Here, Ebony Maw’s power was greatly diminished.
Bit by bit, he began to lose ground.
Ancient One compressed the space around them, shrinking the areas where Ebony Maw could move.
The floating ruins and shattered architecture twisted together, forming a pair of colossal hands, which clamped down on Ebony Maw, locking him in place.
"You’re not going anywhere," Ancient One declared.
Ebony Maw struggled, but the massive stone hands held him firmly.
Ancient One hovered forward, dragging him back to the real world, returning to the front of the Sanctum Sanctorum.
But then—
A whisper echoed in her mind.
“Give me the Time Stone.”
She froze, her eyes scanning the empty street.
The previous battle had cleared the area—there was no one left.
Then who was speaking in her mind?
Could it be… Ebony Maw?
A flicker of uncertainty passed through her.
Then, the voice spoke again:
“Release me. Hand over the Time Stone.”
At that moment, the Ancient One realized the truth.
The voice was indeed Ebony Maw’s.
She opened her mouth to respond—
But her hands moved on their own.
Before she could even process it, she had already let go of Ebony Maw.
"Why… can’t I control my hands?"
Shock filled Ancient One’s mind.
She had no idea that Ebony Maw possessed a terrifying ability—the power of persuasion.
His words alone could influence minds, compelling others to obey his will.
Even the strongest of minds were not immune.
Because of this ability, he was feared across the Nine Realms.
They called him—
“The Black Tongue—Bringer of Lies and Corruption.”
...
