Kaecilius was still searching for signs of battle.
But how could he possibly find it?
The fight had been destined to go unnoticed.
And the outcome? Already decided.
Kaecilius searched for a long time.
Finally, he gave up.
He reported back to the Lord of Darkness.
Dormammu turned his cold gaze toward Murtor.
"Is this what you meant by a 'successful mission'?"
"They didn't even fight? That's impossible!"
Murtor frowned. "Perhaps their battlefield wasn't in New York. Maybe they fought in space or within the Mirror Dimension."
"No."
"Kaecilius has confirmed that none of the locations you mentioned show any signs of a battle."
"Your plan has failed."
Dormammu shot him a hard look.
They had spent so much effort, all to stir chaos in the real world…
And yet, their objective remained incomplete.
This was a disastrous loss.
Satanish was just as displeased.
He had invested everything to deal with Aaron.
He had bestowed powerful magic upon his followers.
He had even taken action personally, orchestrating a grand spectacle of destruction.
Yet, not only had Aaron survived, but he had absorbed the energy meant to harm him.
And now they were telling him that all of his efforts had been meaningless?
F*ck!
"Murtor, you bastard!"
"Calm down. This is just a minor setback. What are you panicking for?"
Murtor remained outwardly composed.
But in truth, he was deeply unsettled.
This battle had made one thing abundantly clear—
Aaron was surrounded by monsters.
The God of Magic himself was already terrifying.
Then there was the unyielding Dark Phoenix.
And now, a mysterious little girl had joined the fray.
What's worse—
As the battle neared its conclusion, the girl had grown stronger through some unknown means.
Much stronger than she had been at the start.
If things had already been this difficult…
Who knew how powerful she would become if they gave her more time?
No—
They couldn't afford to delay.
If they hesitated, they would never be able to take over the real universe.
Perhaps…
They would even suffer the same fate as Borr and Akkamon.
"Our plan needs to change," Murtor declared. "The three of us alone are not enough. We need allies."
"No! Absolutely not!" Satanish snapped. "If we bring in another, that means we'll have to divide the universe even further. We already have enough people!"
Dormammu also looked displeased.
According to his original plan, Kaecilius alone should have been enough to secure the invasion of the real world.
But thanks to Aaron and his Magic Net, he had already been forced to involve Satanish and Murtor.
Bringing in yet another ally would only dilute his spoils further.
"Friends, don't be so hasty."
Murtor smiled cryptically.
"The ally I have in mind will not compete with us."
"Her power is significant… and more importantly, it has a strong suppressive effect on magic."
"She's likely a newly ascended Dimensional Lord."
"Her status isn't stable yet."
Murtor's voice turned cunning.
"If the three of us approach her under the guise of 'acknowledging' her as a Dimensional Lord, offering her our 'protection'… do you think she would dare refuse to join us in invading the real universe?"
Dormammu and Satanish exchanged glances.
They understood Murtor's intent.
On the surface, they would be offering protection.
But in reality…
It would be a show of force.
Three powerful Dimensional Lords moving in unison—
Even among the vast dimensional universe, few could resist them.
And for a new Dimensional Lord?
She would have no choice.
Seeing their reactions, Murtor smirked.
Mystra's abilities may be strange… but so what?
In the face of absolute power, tricks were useless.
She would have only one option—
To submit.
Otherwise, she could say goodbye to Limbo.
Murtor had been intrigued by the girl's strength for some time.
Particularly, her sword, which seemed to suppress all magic.
And her armor, which granted her incredible magic resistance.
But most fascinating of all—
She was still partially human.
That meant—
She could physically enter the real universe if she switched to her human form.
Even if her power was weakened in that state, it would still play a crucial role in their plan.
"Very well. Let's go meet our 'new ally.'"
Since she wouldn't be competing for dominion over the real universe, Satanish and Dormammu had no objections.
As long as she didn't get in their way—
They could offer her verbal promises to gain her allegiance.
Surely, she would feel grateful that three powerful Dimensional Lords had come to "acknowledge" her.
"I look forward to meeting her."
Murtor smirked as Dormammu and Satanish's projections faded.
This encounter would not be peaceful.
It was best for them to send their true forms.
Although he doubted Mystra would be stupid enough to refuse—
A little extra pressure wouldn't hurt.
Limbo
Sitting upon her throne, Mystra listened as her subordinates reported on other dimensions.
If she was to aid Aaron in resisting Dimensional Lord's invasion of the real universe—
And, when the time was right, declare war on the gods—
She needed intelligence.
Fortunately, as a Dimensional Lord, information flowed to her easily.
She had gathered a vast amount of data—
And sent it to Aaron via the Magic Net.
Yes—
She, too, was connected to the Magic Net.
And her clearance level was six.
Aaron had initially given her level five, but through Limbo's power, she had earned the final level herself.
Her actions weren't driven by a desire for authority or power.
She simply wished to repay Aaron.
In a strange way—
It was the only thing that made her feel at peace.
These past few days had been calm.
She hadn't caused trouble for other Dimensional Lords.
And they, in turn, hadn't dared to provoke her.
But today—
Trouble arrived.
The sky darkened with an oppressive presence.
Three terrifying auras descended upon Limbo.
Demons—vicious, monstrous beings who once ruled through fear—
Now trembled like frightened pets, curling up in corners.
They didn't even dare to raise their heads.
Mystra's heart sank.
She knew exactly who had arrived.
And that knowledge filled her with unease.
Three Dimensional Lords, together?
She had no chance of defeating them.
Even in her own domain.
Even with the Magic Net.
Maybe…
If Aaron and the Ancient One came, they might be able to drive them back.
Maybe.
But at what cost?
If she called for aid, her connection to Aaron would be exposed.
Still—
At least this wasn't an open declaration of war.
Not yet.
For now, they had come under the pretense of an alliance.
When Aaron heard that Murtor and the others had arrived at Limbo's borders to seek an alliance—
He was momentarily stunned.
Then he analyzed the situation.
The advantages were clear.
Through Mystra, he could track the enemy's movements.
If they attempted to recruit other Dimensional Lords, he would know immediately.
But the risks were just as high.
If they sensed the Magic Net, Mystra would be in grave danger.
After careful thought—
Aaron made his decision.
He accepted.
Then, he returned to his work.
The Magic Net needed an upgrade.
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