Marvel Cybernetic Girl

Vision had finally come into existence.

From here on, the research work in New York could be left in the capable hands of Cortana and the quantum supercomputer, VEDA.

Kagura's role was simple: provide energy drawn from the Infinity Stones, complete Vision's vibranium body based on Ultron's original design, and witness the birth of a new lifeform.

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Nightfall – Kamar-Taj

After a brief absence, Kagura returned to Kamar-Taj using the dimensional arcane technique that allowed her to traverse space and time.

During dinner, under the stunned gaze of everyone present, she casually devoured over twenty meat buns, treating it as an ordinary evening meal.

Then, ignoring their reactions, she retreated to her room.

Dressed in nothing but a thin, white shirt, she lay alone on her bed.

Tonight, she neither picked up her dimensional mysticism books nor went straight to sleep.

She needed time to think.

Before her "High-Tech Dimensional Mystic Army" was fully formed, she had to figure out how to hold back the relentless attacks from Dormammu and Kaecilius.

"Kaecilius can draw power from the Dark Dimension… and under Dormammu's protection, he can't be killed…"

The silver-haired girl murmured to herself, "No, this isn't even the time to worry about killing him."

"What I should be thinking about is how to defend the remaining two Sanctums and the Eye of Agamotto after he resurrects and launches another assault."

Come to think of it…

How did the European Sanctum fall so easily?

Just because the sorcerer guarding it was French?

Seriously?

Have the French hard-coded 'surrender' into their DNA or something?

You really shouldn't be engraving weird stuff into your DNA like that!

Regardless of how that happened, the two remaining Sanctums had to be protected at all costs.

The one in Asia could be left aside for now—there seemed to be a powerful team of superheroes guarding it.

As for the New York Sanctum, the members of Griffin Security could help with its defense.

That left the most critical one: the Time Stone, right here in Kamar-Taj.

Kagura was now facing a serious problem—she didn't have nearly enough combat resources to deal with a dimensional mysticism-level war.

Setting aside whether the superheroes could handle the next wave of Dormammu's zealots, even Kamar-Taj alone, with only a few apprentices and mystics left, might not be able to withstand Kaecilius' next strike.

Not to mention that the strongest among them, the Ancient One, could no longer fight.

Worse yet, the power of the Dark Dimension was slowly corrupting her. She was now one of Kagura's top concerns.

If the Ancient One eventually lost control and became a puppet of Dormammu, Kamar-Taj's already fragile defenses would completely collapse.

"Mordo… Wong… Stephen Strange… me… and a few of the stronger mystics still standing…"

Kagura murmured as she mentally listed those who could still fight. "No… it's not enough. Neither Mordo nor Stephen could hold their own against Kaecilius in a direct fight."

We have to become stronger.

Stronger—fast.

Strong enough to truly stand as a Sorcerer Supreme… powerful enough to resist the overwhelming might of the Dark Dimension.

But how do we get stronger in such a short amount of time?

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'Knock knock knock!'

Just then, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Who is it?" she called.

"It's me, Kagura," came Stephen Strange's voice from the hallway. "Are you asleep? If not, may I come in for a chat?"

"Not asleep. One moment," Kagura replied.

She rolled off the bed and went to the door.

But just before her hand touched the doorknob, a sudden realization made her face flush bright red.

'Crap!'

She quickly activated the "White Moon" combat suit's transformation function, conjuring up a pair of shorts.

Then she buttoned up her shirt properly and double-checked to make sure everything that needed covering was, in fact, covered.

'Whew! That was close!'

Heart pounding, Kagura took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she opened the door.

"It's pretty late. You're not planning to try something shady, are you?"

"Pfft! What kind of nonsense is that?" Stephen huffed. "Who would dare try something with you? I'd have to have a death wish!"

"Just joking" Kagura giggled, stepping aside. "Come in. Since you came all this way just to chat, I won't turn you away."

Stephen nodded with a grateful smile and stepped inside.

"Your room's way nicer than the one I'm staying in. Perks of being a VIP guest of Kamar-Taj, huh?"

"Heh heh heh! I'm only here because I made a deal with the Ancient One—not because I'm actually enrolled as a student of Kamar-Taj."

Kagura grinned as she gestured for Doctor Stephen Strange to sit at the table.

She flicked on a bright LED lamp, instantly illuminating the dim room.

"So, Doctor Strange," she said, settling into her chair, "what brings you here so late?"

"Well… here's the thing…" Stephen Strange sat down, a serious expression tightening his features.

He swallowed hard, then began, "I just used the Eye of Agamotto to peer into the future."

"Oh?" Kagura's interest was instantly piqued. "And? What did you see? Fourteen million possible outcomes, with only one chance at victory?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Strange shot her a puzzled look. "You think I can view that many futures? I'm not that good yet. I only saw a glimpse of what happens if Dormammu devours Earth—and what fate awaits the Ancient One."

"The Ancient One's fate? Now that is interesting. Go on."

Strange paused briefly, as though recalling the haunting vision conjured by the Time Stone.

"The Ancient One is already drawing power from the Dark Dimension… and she's being consumed by it. If things continue the way they are now, during the next attack, she'll fall—completely—and become Dormammu's puppet."

He raised his hand and conjured glowing orange runes to help illustrate his explanation.

"Dormammu's strength keeps growing. Even though the Ancient One has sealed off parts of her mind and power to fight back, she doesn't have much time left."

"She's nearing her limit."

"Hmm…" Kagura rested her chin on her palm, her expression thoughtful. "I expected as much… but I didn't think the situation was this dire. If that's true, then even my plan to create a 'High-Tech Mystic Army' might not make it in time."

"Exactly. What we need most right now… is time!" Strange clenched his fists.

"If I had just a little more time—enough to grow stronger—I might be able to neutralize the threat of the Dark Dimension before the Ancient One succumbs. But…"

"But we're out of time…" Kagura murmured, picking up the thought. "Whether it's saving the Ancient One, defeating Kaecilius, or stopping Dormammu… our biggest enemy right now is the lack of time."

Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Wait… time?"

"Huh? What about it?" Strange looked at her, confused by the sudden shift in tone.

"Time, Doctor Strange! We literally hold time in our hands!"

Kagura shot to her feet, eyes gleaming. "With the Eye of Agamotto—no, with the Time Stone itself—we have access to unlimited time!"

"…Come again?" Strange blinked, still not fully understanding. "But the books say the Eye of Agamotto is used to observe the past and future… or to alter the flow of time. It can't just create time out of nowhere, can it?"

"You're thinking about it the wrong way!" Kagura smirked. "The Time Stone is one of the Infinity Stones. It doesn't just observe time—it is time. Complete dominion over time!"

She leaned in with an excited grin. "My friend… have you ever heard of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"