The Ancient One's response surprised the Doctor, who thought it would be about some admirable virtue, but it turned out to be about fists.
He immediately felt awkward.
Mage, huh? Isn't this just like barbarians choosing a chieftain?
Su Ming knew this was true. Every dimension had a Supreme Contest held by Emperor Vishanti every few years.
The process was to lock all participants in a confined space, letting them play a big battle royale without limits on methods and strategies. Props and contracts could be used freely, and the winner would be the king.
You don't need to kill everyone, but the last person standing would be the Supreme Mage of that dimension.
Only with enough power can the safety of the dimension and Earth be maintained. Otherwise, this wouldn't be the Marvel Universe but the Holy Mother White Lotus Universe.
Even if you're a kind person in a hundred lifetimes, without power, you can't be chosen.
But now the Ancient One is too strong. If she participates, other contestants just forfeit, so she's remained steadily in the position of Supreme Mage.
The Supreme Contest in the Main Dimension was practically non-existent.
If the Ancient One wanted him to succeed, she only needed to take him to the next contest, and then she could voluntarily concede, making Emperor Vishanti acknowledge Su Ming as the Supreme Mage.
With only two participants, what else is there to say?
What? You say he's a warrior and not a mage? The Ancient One will make you see the truth. Whoever she says is a mage, then he definitely is...
"No, thank you for your high regard, but I have no sense of responsibility. Having me guard Earth and sit in the Holy Temple every day waiting for trouble is worse than killing me."
Su Ming wouldn't accept her goodwill.
Magic is precious, and the Supreme's position is even more valuable. But for freedom, both can be discarded.
Occasionally, for self-defense or good mood, he might help protect Earth, but to take it as a job is a no-go. The Supreme Mage has to sleep with one eye open to guard against some Evil God's sneak attack; that's not the life Su Ming wants.
"That's a pity. After all, that Gemstone told me you have had great experiences, that you protected a world."
The Ancient One put down the teacup with a sigh. She had been wanting to lay down this burden for a long time.
Deathstroke is an Earthling, recognized by the Magic Floating Cloak, has the strength to defeat almost all mages, and is immune to Mind Magic.
Then what's the difference between a Supreme Warrior and a Supreme Mage? Even if magic isn't opened up, with the Time Gem, you have several millennia to learn magic. Why fear you won't learn it?
But Su Ming simply didn't want to learn. Many things are best relied upon oneself, and both Evil Gods and Demon Gods are unreliable. Magic borrows their power, and what if they don't want to lend it to you one day? It's not like this hasn't happened in comics before.
Not to mention those side effects.
The Ancient One looked at the outright refusal on Su Ming's face, sighed again. Those who could be the Supreme Mage didn't want it, while those unqualified scrambled for it.
Truly a paradox.
The Druid didn't want to be the Supreme Mage at all; he often hid in an Alternate Dimension before the Supreme Contest.
Jibo betrayed them. The Ancient One could capture him anytime, but she wanted to see how much power he could gain, if enough to be the Supreme Mage, but it wasn't. He just flew away clutching his butt.
Mordo had talent and an obsessive sense of justice, but his extreme nature and only average power weren't enough to bear the heavy responsibility.
Kaecilius was new, too realistic, too easily seduced by power to betray and hand Earth over to enemies.
The Ancient One admitted she was a bit anxious.
Putting Deathstroke in as Supreme Mage was easily done; she saw him as the strongest warrior, almost like the legendary Chosen One, and no matter brute force or magic, all they needed was to beat down the enemy.
Plus, Deathstroke had even fewer scruples than her, not caring about image when using tactics. The tactics might be dirty, but they're practical. Protecting Earth requires methods, and she did it that way too.
Yet, he refused.
The Ancient One calmed herself, putting away regretful expressions. She could hold on for a few more decades and see the situation. If, decades later, no suitable successor appears, the Ancient One will simply commit suicide, leaving a last testament to Emperor Vishanti to appoint the next Supreme Mage.
Though this approach makes the Supreme position shaky, as long as Emperor Vishanti acknowledges it, even Deathstroke can't refuse...
Unaware of the Ancient One's thoughts, Su Ming quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ahem, then I'll be leaving. You're quite busy here, aren't you...?"
He couldn't sit any longer; this was a burden falling from the sky. If he stayed for another chat, who knows what the Ancient One might come up with. In case she suddenly gets unreasonable like an ordinary woman, that would be troublesome.
"Boo-hoo-hoo, you actually won't listen to me. Watch me use Emperor Vishanti's power and the Time Gem to pound your chest..."
Scary. Although the Ancient One's personality isn't like that, now she's suppressing the casting cost she's bearing. What if she suddenly goes insane?
Better slip away, quickly get back to New York and see if there's any intel from Gin or Leader Joe.
"Wait." The Ancient One raised her palm, signaling Su Ming to pause: "There will be some help provided here to you."
"Hmm?" Su Ming stopped in his tracks again. Benefits mean he must stay, though it was said earlier there wouldn't be any help, wasn't it?
As if aware of his doubts, the Ancient One explained: "I said the 'people' of Kama Taiji wouldn't help you, rules are rules, but if it's not a person, that's another matter..."
The three people's eyes fell on the Magic Floating Cloak. It shuddered as if electrified, turned to face the Supreme Mage, but the Ancient One just firmly nodded her head.
The cloak hesitated for a moment, seemingly undecided, then flew to the Supreme Mage's side, handed the Gemstone to the Ancient One for safekeeping, then flew to Su Ming's back and wrapped itself around his shoulders, motionless.
Su Ming's mouth twitched. After the cloak draped over him, what was that flash in the Ancient One's eyes about? Why are you looking at me like I'm your son-in-law?! I don't want to be the Supreme Mage!
The Ancient One shifted her gaze, watching the tea ripple in the teacup, changed the subject: "Your questions are not all that I can answer. Not only Kama Taiji has mages, you can go to the London Temple then take a walk, there is a mage there who will help you too. I'll send him a message."
Su Ming frowned in thought. British Mage?... Indeed no issue with their stance, but are they strong enough? Right now, I'm not traveling for leisure.
But so be it, having a mage around is always good.
"Alright, thank you, oh, and I'll take your Symbiote with me. It wanted to come with me."
The Ancient One nodded slightly. It's nothing more than an experimental subject. Hundreds of years ago, the Symbiote 'Giant Dragon' was defeated by the Thunder God and split into many Symbiote spores, scattered all over Earth.
Any organization with a bit of foundation has one or two for research.
This Symbiote had been stored at Kama Taiji for a while but yielded no results, and since she knows where the Symbiote Planet is, she can go there and catch one if she ever needs.
"That might be its fate. Anyway, I believe you have the ability to take good care of it."
"Besides, I have a question. I always feel like I'm being targeted by something. You know the scientists in my company..." Su Ming had the Symbiote cover his face, then put on his helmet, and after seeing the Ancient One acknowledge, continued: "They seem to be under a Confusion Spell. Many scientific research directions aren't working out. Do you know what's going on?"
The Ancient One pondered for a moment, leaning on the chair to regain her strength: "First, I've never heard of the Confusion Spell you mentioned, and secondly, I'm not too knowledgeable about science, but it is a great power, and outsiders find it hard to see its true nature."
"I see..." Su Ming nodded. This is indeed a strange thing, and there's no clue.
"However, typically, things that are misunderstood are either related to time or causality, and the world doesn't target any one person. Would you target a speck of dust by the roadside? You've thought someone with malice caused you setbacks, but have you considered that maybe it's your future self or friends doing it?"
The Ancient One added her thoughts. This matter was unclear to her. There was like a mist around Deathstroke, obscuring many of his affairs, even affecting her own as fate grew blurred from their contact.
Originally, she had seen her successor with the Time Gem, but that face seemed to vanish in the river of time, appearing and disappearing, causing her melancholy.
Su Ming hadn't ruled this out, but there were too many suspects, with no lead.
"Alright, it's just a bit of confusion, not a big deal." After all, everything will have an answer someday. He'll have his way to resolve it then: "I'll be going now, you take care."
He and Holloway left the side hall. Just asking around could get them to use a fixed Teleportation Gate to the London Temple. If that British Mage is strong enough, they should soon find out about Namor.
The Ancient One waved her hand, and the incense burner in the side hall was lit. She watched the two figures depart through the green smoke with a peculiar expression, deep in thought.