Of course, Robert and Clark weren't the only ones on Earth who sensed the disturbances from the dimensions. Many other powerful beings on Earth noticed the myriad dimensional entities focusing their attention on the planet, seemingly searching for something.
However, the remaining Earthly powers showed no intention of intervening. Just as they had stayed out of previous earthly crises, for them, Earth was merely a mundane place of residence.
With a soft "whoosh," Clark vanished from his spot at the Avengers' base. He was the fastest and the first to react. However, those dimensional entities were not directly invading Earth; they were merely observing. Clark had no means to strike back at these distant gazes, as it was not his forte.
Robert, too, was quick to respond. Realizing that this wasn't a material issue, he planned to find Clark so they could investigate the dimensions together.
Yes, Robert had no intention of venturing into the dimensions alone. Despite his recent victory over Nakshi, Robert was no fool. He could sense that the gazes focused on Earth were from numerous powerful beings. Even if he teamed up with Clark, Robert doubted they could take on such a multitude of adversaries.
Robert's goal was to understand what was happening in the dimensions. If a mass invasion of Earth were imminent, he believed they would need to leverage the Earth's own dimensional rules and forces to limit these powerful entities. Otherwise, he and Clark might stand no chance at all.
However, such a plan might still not suffice. Earth might not withstand the arrival of so many powerful entities, potentially leading to its destruction in the ensuing conflict...
Within moments, countless thoughts flashed through Robert's mind. But just as he was about to contact Clark, the gazes from the dimensions abruptly disappeared, as if everything he sensed had been a mere illusion!
"Huh? They're gone? Did they find what they were looking for, or have they retreated?" Clark, too, couldn't discern the situation clearly. He looked puzzled in the direction where he felt the attention had been focused.
"Is this Kamar-Taj's dimensional formation? It's so intricate, like a blend of numerous different forces, and it seems to be integrated with the Earth's dimensional energy?" Compared to Clark, who noticed something amiss but couldn't quite grasp it, Robert had a clearer view. He recognized part of the energy as belonging to the Ancient One, or rather, the line of Supreme Sorcerers.
"What happened? Didn't the Ancient One just separate from me? Could it be that this 'spider' was powerful enough to alert so many beings when the Ancient One investigated it? Does that spider have that many allies?"
Despite identifying the energy from Earth's dimensional formation, Robert still couldn't piece together what had occurred. He was unaware that just after his battle ended, the Ancient One had stolen Nakshi's power and rushed into the dimensions to suppress opposing forces...
If Robert knew, he might commend the Ancient One as the truly fearless warrior!
Actually, the later stages of the dimensional formation were not controlled by the Ancient One but by the mysterious Wanda. However, the outside dimensions didn't notice any irregularities. They assumed the Ancient One had returned to Earth and activated the dimensional formation. They had no idea that the Ancient One was still in Nostri's dimension.
As previously mentioned, killing a dimensional lord wasn't easy. Even though the Ancient One had planned meticulously and utilized the Time Stone's power, it would still take time to execute her plan fully.
Nevertheless, the Ancient One had succeeded in hiding both herself and the dimension. In the eyes of other dimensional powers, the Ancient One had successfully invaded Nostri's dimension and returned to Earth, seemingly destroying Nostri's dimension. This forced the dimensional powers to reassess her strength.
"How did she do it? All this time, we've blacklisted her across the dimensions. Logically, she shouldn't have any power left to borrow. Even if she had prepared in advance, her strength shouldn't be enough to destroy a dimension..." The dimensional powers began to communicate among themselves.
"It's possible she didn't destroy Nostri's dimension but merely banished it. After all, no matter how powerful the Ancient One is, there are limits. Destroying a dimension is no easy feat. Few among us can achieve it, let alone a power thief like her."
The dimensional powers were deep in thought. With the dimensional formation active, they were reluctant to force their way into Earth's dimension. Meanwhile, with Nostri gone, they had no immediate way to uncover the truth of the matter, leading to a stalemate.
"The Ancient One's goal this time was clearly to make us wary of her power, and it seems she has succeeded. We can't gauge her strength or her assets now..." After much discussion, the dimensional powers recognized the Ancient One's strategy. But they saw no immediate solution unless they were willing to directly assault Earth's dimension, disregarding its rules and the risk of being attacked by others during their vulnerability.
Obviously, this was impossible. Just as the distant dimensions beyond the single universe were full of intrigue and betrayal, so too were the dimensions within a single universe. No dimension would sacrifice itself to attack Earth, only to benefit others.
This complex situation allowed Earth to survive despite being surrounded by so many predators, and it continued to thrive rather than being destroyed.
The Ancient One understood this well, which is why she dared to execute such a plan. She wasn't foolish enough to challenge so many dimensions alone. Even ten or eight of her couldn't stand against so many powerful entities!
At this moment, the Ancient One was still in Nostri's dimension. Nostri had been completely suppressed by the Ancient One using Nakshi's power. Now, she began siphoning the energy from his dimension.
In terms of power, Nakshi and his dimension were far stronger than Nostri's. But once the Ancient One had drawn Nakshi's power, she lost track of him. Nostri was different; if her plan succeeded, she would effectively become the master of this dimension. From a certain perspective, she could be considered a dimensional lord, although she would return to Earth instead of staying here...
"No! How can so much time pass without anyone checking on the battle between me and the Ancient One? Are they really just watching me get suppressed by her? Aren't they worried that if the Ancient One takes over my dimension, she'll become even more powerful?" Nostri, unaware of the situation outside, was filled with resentment. He couldn't accept that none of his peers were interested in his fate. He cursed them as foolish allies, forgetting that none of these dimensional powers were ever truly allies...
"What happened?" Meanwhile, back on Earth, Clark had met up with Robert. Completely in the dark about the recent events, Clark immediately asked Robert, hoping he might have insights, given his broader understanding of such matters.
"It probably has to do with the Ancient One. After I defeated that 'spider,' I asked her about its strength. She said she would investigate, and then all this happened. There might be a connection. Perhaps the investigation alerted many powerful beings, forcing her to activate the dimensional formation to protect Earth and disperse those entities..." Robert shrugged, speaking softly.
"Of course, we'll need to wait until we meet the Ancient One again to get the details. Or you could go find her now. I almost thought we were heading into another battle right after the last one, but it was resolved quickly. Much ado about nothing."
"It's probably best not to rush over. Since nothing has happened, let's just head back for now!" Clark pondered briefly and decided not to go to Kamar-Taj. If the matter were unresolved and related to the Ancient One, he would definitely go. But since it seemed settled, there was no need to make an extra trip.
"Alright, after such a long fight, I'm exhausted. Let's grab some good food! Everyone should join us. By the way, has Peter recovered?" Robert nodded. With no immediate battle, he wasn't keen on going to investigate further. He preferred a hearty meal to comfort his long-neglected appetite.
"They've all recovered. Not just Peter, but the others too. Those who were infected as 'spider-men' have lost their mutations. Stark is handling their reintegration..." Clark's eyes flickered slightly as he spoke softly.
"Stark can ensure they return safely, but some people won't let them go easily. Even though they've become ordinary humans, ambitious individuals won't stop coveting them..."
Clark's voice was tinged with rare conflict. If ordinary people were in danger, Clark would unquestionably step in to help, especially in life-threatening situations like this.
But now, the ones targeting these former spider-men included not only greedy civilians but also various official entities. Faced with such circumstances, even Clark didn't know whether he should intervene.
Moreover, another challenging issue for Clark was that some were kidnapped for research, some were sold out, and others were coerced or bribed into it. Could a single approach resolve such diverse situations?
If he used the same solution for everyone, what would happen after rescuing them? Clark couldn't find a way to provide for each individual, especially those betrayed or manipulated into their predicament...
"Clark, you're not an omnipotent god, and even gods have their limits. You just need to make the choices you want to make. If you're willing to help, you can do it without anyone noticing, right?" Robert smiled at Clark, understanding his dilemma. The world seldom offers perfect solutions, especially when large groups are involved.
Fortunately, Clark's strength was formidable enough to handle many problems. Often, just by acting, Clark could resolve many issues. For example, repeatedly rescuing those taken for research without detection could eventually discourage the research institutions.
However, if someone was betrayed by close ones into such institutions, that was beyond Clark's ability to solve perfectly. In such cases, rescuing the person
and relocating them might be the best option. What they chose to do with their life afterward would be up to them.
As Robert was consoling Clark, urging him to follow his heart without feeling lost, he suddenly raised an eyebrow. He sensed an aura that wasn't familiar, but he remembered it clearly.
Wade!
Robert immediately recognized the presence. He looked at Clark with surprise, puzzled about why Wade was at the Avengers' base...
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/INNIT]