Chapter 2655: Chapter 1868: The Madman's Journey (Part 44)_1
Before they could delve deeply into this approach, they were confronted with a multitude of problems. First, nobody knew how the Old Day Dominator differentiated the summoners. If it didn't rely on brain waves, but instead on vitality or something else, then building a machine would definitely be useless.
Secondly, simulating human brainwave patterns was very difficult. It would be more accurate to say that it was akin to creating a human, or generating a human brain from scratch. Even considering the technological level of Helen's universe, such research would take years.
Ultimately, their understanding of the Old Day Dominator was lacking. They discussed various ideas for a long time, but all proposals faltered due to the uncertainty about how the Old Day Dominator responded to a summoning.
Therefore, they decided to obtain a sample for further study. Helen suggested that they should summon an Old Day Dominator, and then allow her to take a bite.
The natural evolutionary ability of Doomsday allowed her to analyze the power of enemies and learn it to some extent once she consumed a part of them. As long as Helen could get a bite of an Old Day Dominator, she could get a rough idea of what it was.
This was the most feasible method so far, and the several people present were generally brave types. After discussing the details, they planned to put this into practice.
However, those present were indeed skilled and valiant. Although Harley and Barry were temporarily unable to use the energy of this universe, they were good students at the Magic Academy with a solid knowledge of magical theories and they were responsible for preparing the summoning formation and inscribing the runes.
Helen and Strange, who had just absorbed some energy, were in charge of the fighting part. Logically, the summoned Old Day Dominator wouldn't just let you take a bite willingly. Even if you ambush while it hasn't fully crossed the portal, you have to be ready for a counterattack.
They kept busy all night until a source of light reappeared in the mysterious area, and an extremely complex magic formation appeared in the library's hall.
This magic formation was complex because it did not summon a specific Old Day Dominator but only limited the scope, so the safety measures were more intricate.
Helen stood on the edge of the magic formation. Strange knelt down on the ground, with one hand pressing on a corner of the formation, and the energy from his hand conducted in the formation, activating each rune like a raging tide until the entire formation was lit up.
The cold light shone on everyone's face, and a breeze lifted the hair on their foreheads. The formation was reflected in Strange's eyes, causing his pupils to suddenly brighten and his hair to flutter.
The portal opened, revealing a starry sky. When the drum and flute sounds echoed, Harley instinctively felt familiar.
Tentacles imbued with a potent dark power surged out from the portal, Strange took half a step back, lowered his body, and assumed a combat stance.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
A golden whip shot out, instantly wrapping around the two largest tentacles. Strange positioned his hands in front and behind him, firmly stepping on the ground, and pulled back, bringing the wildly flailing tentacles closer into the hall.
Helen charged from the side and collided with the largest tentacle. The phantom of a monster appeared immediately, and its gargantuan mouth opened wide, biting off half of the tentacle.
The pain caused the tentacle to violently swing to the side, throwing Helen off. She adjusted her posture in mid-air, rolled on the ground upon landing to break her fall, and propped her body up with one hand.
Strange, who was restraining the tentacle's movements with his magic whip, shouted towards Helen, "This one doesn't seem too powerful, should we keep them all?"
"Hold on, let me see how it tastes!" Helen wiped her mouth.
The next moment, she was startled and rooted to the spot.
"What is it?!" Strange shouted as he struggled to drag the tentacle.
"Could this be..."
Before Helen could finish her sentence, Harley suddenly screamed, "Stop! Stop pulling! You'll..."
Before her words reached their end, a far more massive dark tentacle surged out, completely engulfing Strange. The next moment, Strange was dragged screaming into the portal by the tentacle, and with a swoosh, the portal closed.
Helen, Harley, and Barry looked at each other. There was no panic, only complex and strange expressions.
Suddenly, with a "crack" sound, the portal cracked open again, and Strange was spat out as if disgorged by a giant beast. He rolled a few times then landed sprawled face down on the ground.
A shadow stepped out from the crack in the portal, scanned the surroundings, then settled its gaze on Helen.
Helen wiped her mouth and showed an awkward smile. Looking at the figure that walked out of the crack, she waved and said, "Long time no see, Bruce."
The one who walked out of the portal was none other than Little Bruce, and with his appearance, a surge of dark tentacles filled half of the hall, making the shadows seem particularly dreadful under the flickering candlelight.
However, the tentacles disappeared just as quickly. Upon getting up, Strange only saw a cute little boy with black hair and blue eyes.
Helen turned her head, looked up at Strange and said, "You see, I told you that evil gods deceive people by taking the form of children!"
"Helen Stark!" Little Bruce squinted his eyes and glared at Helen.
Noticing the anger and dissatisfaction in his tone, Helen sighed. She lowered her hands and said, "What's the big deal about biting you once? You have so many tentacles, can't you spare one for me to eat? Stop glaring at me. I've already eaten it, even digested it all. I can't regurgitate it."
Little Bruce glared at her threateningly for a while before finally turning his gaze to observe his surroundings.
Harley came over, poked a tentacle behind him with her hand. Little Bruce turned his head and saw that she and Barry were there too, which made him raise his eyebrows a little in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" They both asked in unison.
Harley opened her hands and said, "We were brought here by Professor Shearer. We were having too much fun before, our summer homework was not finished, and the teacher's call reached him. So he had to bring us here to get our homework done."
Little Bruce nodded but didn't seem to want to start a conversation. Harley, a little unhappy, stared at him and said, "You should at least tell us how you got here, right?"
"Nyarlathotep." Little Bruce answered succinctly.
"You've really become the apostle of the Outer God?" Helen looked Little Bruce up and down, instinctively felt something was wrong, and said, "Well, that's good. You definitely have the information we need. Do you want to talk about it?"
Little Bruce glanced at the Necronomicon placed on the table next to him and asked, "Who have you set your sights on?"
"Ubo·Sasla."
On Earth, at Kamar-Taj, in the zen room of the Supreme Magician, Strange opened his eyes suddenly all meditating. He opened his mouth, and a silent mantra echoed in the sky above the Earth.
"Loki, why do you visit Earth?"
"I have business with you, Supreme Magician under the crown." Loki responded.
"Come to Kamar-Taj for a detailed discussion."
With a "whoosh", Loki was teleported into the great hall of Kamar-Taj. The Supreme Magician Strange appeared shortly after. He looked at Loki and said, "I hadn't heard of any major incidents in Asgard recently. Did you bring news from Odin?"
Loki shook his head, looking at Strange and said, "Find a safe place, I have something very important to say."
Strange furrowed his brow, confirmed Loki's aura again, then turned and led him into the great hall.
Upon reaching the drawing-room, Strange served Loki a cup of tea. The Supreme Magician hadn't had much dealings with Asgard at that time. He had only met a few Asgardian warriors who had come to pass on messages for Odin when he was following his mentor, The Ancient One.
"I am not the Loki of your universe." Loki came straight to the point, "I come from another parallel universe and I've seen the destruction of the universe in a future timeline of your universe."
Just as Strange was about to speak, Loki interrupted him and said, "You may regard this as a scare tactic, or suspect that I have some conspiracy. But the outcome of your universe has nothing to do with me. We're here to track the traces of a multiverse murderer."
Strange's brow furrowed heavily. Loki brought out the Casket of Ancient Winters. The special power that the killer had left behind there, which now emitted a faint purple glow.
Loki placed the Casket of Ancient Winters on the table and pushed it towards Strange. He said, "If my guesses are correct, this kind of power will be the cause of your universe collapsing. Have you seen it anywhere before?"
Strange did not touch the Casket of Ancient Winters. He just stared at that energy intently. After pondering for a while, he shook his head, "Whatever you're looking for, Earth has had no abnormalities recently. It'd be best if you keep your distance from here—Earth welcomes no Gods."
Loki retracted the Casket of Ancient Winters, a glint flashed in his eyes. He looked at Strange and said, "Your timeline has been severed here, right? Doesn't that count as an anomaly in your place?"
Loki vanished, and Strange's inter-crossed hands on his knees gripped tighter. The severance of the timeline couldn't completely divide Strange into two individuals, so he could vaguely sense the movements of his other self.
He felt the power of his other self growing stronger and stronger. This was extremely dangerous. In fact, as soon as Loki mentioned the impending destruction of this universe, Strange believed him. Because in his view, if his other self continued on this path, he would eventually break all the laws of the universe, leading it to its doom.
Strange took a deep breath, made a silent decision in his heart, then stood up. He knew where his other self was.
When The Ancient One had split him into two due to different choices, Strange saw his other self, who had been corrupted, head to a secret realm. He recognized the guide of that secret realm—it was probably a manager of a separate dimension, called Auburn.
Strange teleported to a small village near Florence, Italy. This was one of the entrances to the secret realm. Strange stretched out his hand, drew a complex pattern emitting a golden glow in the air. It was a symbol of an eagle, and it looked a lot like the design on the Roman Eagle Flag.
Shortly afterwards, the glow faded, and a man wearing a coolie hat appeared in front of Strange. He tapped the ground lightly with his long staff, greeted Strange and said, "Good noon, Supreme Magician. I wonder what brings you here?"
"You used your secret realm to welcome another me. Now, take me to see him. I must stop his wicked deeds."
Auburn bowed his head. Strange couldn't see his expression. Auburn said nothing, just bowed again and turned to the entrance he had come from, leading Strange into the secret realm.
The inside of the secret realm was bizarre, with only one path leading to a dark islet. Strange followed behind Auburn, walking and asking, "What's the other me doing?"
"Something extremely dangerous, Supreme Magician."
Strange halted abruptly because he felt something was off with Auburn's tone.
The next second, Auburn turned around, showed a cold smile, his eyes emanating bizarre purple light.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone