"So, Elysia—would you like to come with me?"
She gave a small nod and placed her hand in Aiden Cross's. "You are… a good person."
Compared to the month she had spent with the Ancient One, Elysia's instinctive affinity for Aiden Cross made her trust him far more easily.
The Ancient One only shook her head with a faint, knowing smile, as if she had expected this outcome all along.
"And what about you, Annie?"
"Me? Annie wants to stay here and study for a while."
Seated on a little wooden chair, Annie swung her legs as she hugged a thick spellbook.
Though her specialty was flame magic, her talent for other disciplines was equally remarkable. With effort, she could become a truly versatile mage.
"Very well. I'll trouble you to look after Annie, Sorcerer."
"Gladly," the Ancient One replied warmly. "To be honest, aside from Miss Elysia, Annie is the most gifted child I've seen. Only one person in the future might surpass her in talent."
"The one in the future?"
Holding Elysia's hand, Aiden Cross fell into thought.
The Ancient One possessed the legendary relic known as the Eye of Agamotto—whose true nature was the Time Stone. Through it, she could observe countless futures and infinite possibilities.
The person she referred to could only be Doctor Strange—a latecomer to the mystic arts who would rapidly master sorcery and become the next Sorcerer Supreme.
Gifted, yes—but still nowhere near Elysia, who had been blessed by existence itself.
"It seems you already know who I mean," the Ancient One said gently.
"I do."
Aiden Cross did not deny it.
With her wisdom and the Time Stone's power, the Ancient One clearly understood many things—including that Aiden Cross and Elysia were not natives of this dimension.
Given his position as president of the Hero Association, she wasn't surprised that he knew fragments of the future.
"Then I hope you will look after that child in the future. Perhaps even bring him into the Hero Association."
"You want me to do it, instead of doing it yourself?"
"You know my future," she replied calmly.
As Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One's fate was astonishing.
To die from the stab of a traitorous disciple—by an ordinary weapon—made little sense.
The only explanation was that she had no desire to continue living.
Through the Time Stone, she had seen millions upon millions of possible futures.
In every single one, her story ended in death.
So when the blade struck, she neither dodged nor defended nor healed.
She accepted it, passing the mantle to the next Sorcerer Supreme: Doctor Strange.
Because she knew that even if she survived that moment, death would claim her later in some other way.
"But that was the old future," Aiden Cross said quietly. "Can you still see the future now?"
"Of course…"
The Ancient One invoked the Time Stone's power and gazed forward.
But this time, what she saw was completely different.
Her usually serene expression slowly shifted to shock as she drew more power from the Stone.
The once-clear tapestry of infinite possibilities had become shrouded in fog.
Nothing could be seen.
"Well?" Aiden Cross asked.
"This… this change. Could it be because of your arrival in this world?"
"I think so."
He shrugged.
As the single greatest variable in this universe, any massive deviation from fate could almost certainly be traced back to him.
After all, the world had already changed drastically:
A desert emperor conquering worlds.
A fox-demon faction ruling a region.
The Primordial Spirit who created eleven spirits.
A hero hunter waging war on champions.
The Noxian legion preparing for invasion.
A Monster Association gathering in the shadows.
And now, the Deep Sea race attacking on a grand scale.
The future had been completely rewritten.
"So," Aiden Cross said gently, "don't be so pessimistic. And don't lose your will to live so easily."
The Ancient One exhaled slowly.
"Very well. Then I shall serve as a witness… to this fog-covered future."
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