Chapitre 116: Chapter 116: The Dark Mark
Clark's mention of a matter of life and death was not an exaggeration.
Dormammu, ruling over the entire Dark Dimension, is ranked at least one level higher than Thanos in terms of power.
Being targeted by such a high-level entity was, to put it mildly, an uncomfortably thrilling prospect.
Moreover, the energy that had seeped into his body after killing a Dark Disciple had left him feeling uneasy and restless.
Compared to the threat that could take his life or even target his family at any moment, mere business competition seemed trivial.
However, this did not mean business competition was unimportant. For Clark to become stronger and secure his social status, financial support was absolutely necessary.
For instance, the expanded Pym Lab was a veritable money pit, a bottomless hole! Filling it and achieving the desired research outcomes required not only time but also a significant injection of money.
But priorities must be set, and Clark's immediate concern was to understand why Dormammu had targeted him and identify any vulnerabilities he might have.
When it came to knowledge about Dormammu, there was none other than the Ancient One.
Without delay, he knew he must seek out the Ancient One for answers.
Traveling from New York to the Himalayas by plane would take hours, but via the Sanctum's portal, it was just a step away.
After leading Clark through the portal to Kamar-Taj, Daniel handed him over to another black man who came to meet them and then returned to the New York Sanctum.
This showed that each Guardian of the Sanctum had their specific duties and rarely overstepped their boundaries.
The black man named Mordo, who greeted Clark at Kamar-Taj, was the same one who had followed the Ancient One and Doctor Strange loyally in the movies, and had left in anger over ideological differences after dealing with Dormammu.
At least for now, he remained a loyal and diligent student of the Ancient One.
Under Mordo's guidance, Clark once again met the benevolent-faced Ancient One in a quiet room within Kamar-Taj.
The Ancient One stood at the edge of a plaza, looking out at distant mountains. She wore a black mage's robe, with her hands clasped behind her back, playing with a sandalwood folding fan – an odd sight considering the chilly weather, where even other mages wore autumn attire, including the Ancient One herself.
Seemingly sensing Clark's arrival, the Ancient One waved her hand, and Mordo, without saying a word, gave Clark a look and quietly left.
Only then did the Ancient One speak, "Have you learned teleportation magic?"
"I have not," Clark replied, stepping forward. "The purpose of sending me to Siberia wasn't to learn magic, was it?"
As they both looked out at the towering mountains, Clark continued, "Even if you wanted me to break through my limits, you should have provided an environment that truly challenged me."
"I must speak arrogantly, but the cold of Siberia does not pose any threat to me."
"Eliminating that possibility, the only logical explanation is that everything I experienced there was arranged by you with great effort."
The Ancient One nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue.
Clark went on, "I suspect the Hulk wasn't just randomly teleported there. You sent me to a place he was bound to pass through so that meeting him would trigger some energy hidden within me, attracting Dormammu's Dark Disciples."
The Ancient One acknowledged, "You are a talented young man, but the more talented the person, the more likely they are to be arrogant."
"I had already noticed the danger within you, but without letting you experience danger firsthand, no amount of my warnings would have made you truly understand its seriousness."
Clark chuckled, "So you intended for me to encounter those Dark Disciples, to learn of their power firsthand. Seeing and experiencing is far more persuasive than words."
After their conversation, the Ancient One found Clark more appealing than any of her disciples, perhaps due to his appearance, their shared cultural heritage, or simply because he was intelligent and conversational.
The Ancient One, feeling favorably towards him, preemptively answered his next question, "I noticed the mark of Dormammu in you early on, likely from your first foray into the Quantum Realm."
Clark recalled his perilous experience in the Quantum Realm, which had left him bleeding and nearly dead, but his memories of that time were incomplete.
The Ancient One continued, "Your power was too weak then for the mark to show, and it was further concealed by a powerful will, making it undetectable even to me."
How could the Dark Disciples have found him in Siberia? And was that powerful will the will of the universe itself?
Clark did not ask, trusting the Ancient One would clarify.
Indeed, she explained, "The seal's power depends on your own strength. If you exert yourself fully, you won't have the energy to suppress Dormammu's mark, attracting Dark Disciples within a certain range."
Clark, frowning slightly, asked a critical question, "I've exerted my full strength many times over the past decade without encountering any Dark Disciples."
"The development of Dark Disciples by Dormammu takes time," the Ancient One explained. "Back then, New York had only two, and I dealt with them."
She added, "Their power comes from Dormammu himself. His willingness to spread his power and develop disciples globally shows how determined he is to have you, even more so than the Earth itself!"
Clark was shocked, wondering what about him could possibly make Dormammu go to such lengths. The only thing he could think of was the God-level BGM system!
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