Marvel Cybernetic Girl

—The Dark Dimension—

A realm devoid of day and night.

Darkness. Depth. Despair.

An abyss with no end in sight.

In this surreal and twisted world, there was no light, no stars, no civilization.

Countless energy crystals, shaped like decaying planets, drifted through an almost infinite void.

They resembled microscopic cells and viruses, their structure so alien that a single glance could evoke deep unease.

This endless darkness resembled a boundless ocean—or perhaps the unfathomable embrace of a cosmic, unknowable entity.

Floating within it was Kaecilius.

The gaping hole in his chest—burned through by Kagura—was slowly mending.

"Kaecilius, how disgraceful…"

A colossal face slowly emerged from the all-encompassing darkness, blending seamlessly into the cosmos itself.

"I sent you to retrieve a single Infinity Stone, and you return like this? Pathetic."

"My sincerest apologies, Lord Dormammu," Kaecilius said humbly, bowing his head. "I underestimated them. But I've defeated the Ancient One. Soon, she'll become the perfect puppet for your invasion of Earth."

"Don't flatter yourself," Dormammu replied coldly. "I defeated the Ancient One. You had nothing to do with it. And you failed the task I gave you."

"I understand, Lord Dormammu! Please—grant me another chance. I swear I will redeem myself!"

"Another chance? Hmph…"

A faint smile seemed to tug at Dormammu's vast, cosmic face.

"You humans are strange creatures—so emotional over such trivial matters. But don't worry, Kaecilius."

"This is the Dark Dimension and here, time means nothing. We have all the time in the world."

As he spoke, green energy surged around Kaecilius, forming a massive vortex.

The volatile power of the Dark Dimension condensed into a green, fluid-like force—writhing like serpents across Kaecilius's body—infusing him with its limitless power.

Dormammu's might in the Dark Dimension was virtually infinite.

Unless someone destroyed the entire dimension itself, harming him was impossible.

Fighting Dormammu was essentially fighting the Dark Dimension itself.

In fact, in many ways, the Dark Dimension was Dormammu.

So, if he wished, Dormammu could pump Kaecilius full of power like inflating a balloon—transforming him into a sorcerer far stronger than the Ancient One.

Of course… too much of that, and Kaecilius might pop like a balloon, too.

"Rejoice, Kaecilius," Dormammu said once the energy infusion was complete. "Your power has been restored—and even surpassed what it once was."

"On Earth now, there is no one left who can stop you. Bring me the Eye of Agamotto. Bring me that cursed Time Stone."

"Yes, Lord Dormammu." Kaecilius, reborn and reborn stronger, bowed deeply. "I will not fail you again."

————————————————————————

The Next Day – Kamar-Taj

Neither Kagura nor Stephen Strange slept that night.

In fact, they didn't just stay awake—they used the Time Stone within a pocket realm created through Mirror Dimension magic to compress over a year's worth of training into a single night.

Originally, Kagura had planned to fast-forward through decades of training, but quickly realized that such a move had consequences.

Stephen would likely come out with a full head of white hair and worse, they'd face a serious food shortage.

The Mirror Dimension operates by drawing on energy from other dimensions.

It's easy to create space for rest or sleep within it, but crafting physical food? That was a whole different matter.

Creating nourishment from dimensional magic was essentially… eating your own energy. Pointless and unsustainable.

So instead, the two periodically exited the Mirror Dimension and used Rhodes Industries' global logistics network to have supplies delivered from a nearby base.

Under official-sounding excuses like "disaster relief," "charitable donation," or "poverty alleviation."

If Cortana or Tony Stark found out that Kagura had burned through a year's worth of food in a single night, they would probably storm Kamar-Taj and drag her back to New York for a full physical and psychiatric exam.

But regardless—when the morning sun rose once more, two master-level sorcerers were born.

Powerful enough now, both were qualified to bond with magical artifacts.

This wasn't a simple process of "choosing" an artifact—it was more like mutual recognition.

According to the sorcerers, enchanted items created through dimensional energy possess their own will.

All things have a spirit.

The connection between a sorcerer and their artifact is a two-way bond—one of fate.

Like finding a soulmate.

When Stephen Strange journeyed to the New York Sanctum to seek his artifact, a certain red cloak noticed him right away. It practically flew into his arms.

Fate works in mysterious ways.

When he returned to Kamar-Taj, Stephen was a changed man.

Wearing a crimson Cloak of Levitation and a golden talisman on his chest, he was no longer just a doctor.

He had become Doctor Strange.

This time, they were ready.

And unfortunately… so was their enemy.

On a day when Kamar-Taj basked in clear skies and warm sunlight, darkness returned.

Clouds gathered abruptly.

The sky tore open, revealing a pitch-black abyss beyond.

A storm howled through the rift, and green energy surged forth—filling even the bravest sorcerers with dread.

"He's here…" Kagura narrowed her eyes. In the distance, a familiar figure emerged from the rift.

"Kaecilius… he really is immortal, isn't he?" Mordo gripped the Staff of the Living Tribunal tightly, gaze fixed on the looming threat.

Wong's expression darkened. "With the Ancient One out of commission… it's up to us now."

"Exactly," said Stephen Strange, stepping forward. "This time, we end it—for good. Let's show him what a true Sorcerer Supreme is capable of."

———————————————————————

Daily Uploads!

Unlock bonus chapters by reaching specific milestones with [Power Stone] votes!

Go to p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL to access more than 50 advanced chapters.