Marvel: Rise of the Ultimate AI-Chapter 158: Invitation from the Dark Dimension

Gene raised his hand gently above the golden magic circle and made a "release" gesture. The magic circle instantly expanded, enveloping Doom entirely in its radiant light.

A pained scream erupted from Doom. From his back, thick black stains—symbols of dark power—seeped out of his body like smoke, and were instantly burned away by the golden arcane flames.

This was a high-level exorcism spell, typically used to banish demonic entities from ordinary mortals. But unexpectedly, it proved equally effective against Dormammu’s dark energy.

"Sir, Mr. Doom’s dark magic readings are beginning to drop," echoed Skynet’s voice in Gene’s neural network.

"It seems our comrade may be returning to us."

"I certainly hope so," Gene replied calmly.

Golden energy waves kept surging through Doom’s body, washing out every trace of residual darkness, obliterating it on contact. Gene’s scanning systems confirmed the trend—black magic readings were decreasing rapidly.

But something was wrong.

Gene’s V-shaped visor blinked sharply. The energy readings on his display suddenly spiked.

Above Doom’s head, a massive vortex began to swirl in mid-air. Vast amounts of black magic poured downward, flooding into Doom’s body with alarming speed.

Doom let out a low growl and slowly stood up, his pupils now entirely black. A vast ocean of darkness erupted from his form, devouring everything around him—including himself and Gene.

In the next moment, they were both swallowed into a strange dimension.

A pair of enormous, blood-red eyes appeared before Gene. Twisted. Deranged. Evil. These eyes radiated the purest malice in existence.

Gene’s visor pulsed faintly.

Dormammu.

Like stars in a pitch-black sky, the only light in this bleak dimension came from Dormammu’s glowing gaze. The black magic in the air surged like a tidal wave, hurling itself toward Gene with terrifying force.

Gene remained still.

He simply extended his arm with his palm upright—a universal "halt" gesture, like a traffic officer.

The rushing tide of darkness instantly disintegrated before it could touch him, vanishing the moment it approached his hand. As if... the darkness itself feared him.

The red eyes in the sky shimmered. Then came the rest of the face, slowly forming—a massive, godlike visage floating in the void like a celestial body.

This was the Supreme of the Dark Dimension.

Dormammu.

"Such formidable willpower..." Dormammu’s voice thundered like distant drums, shaking the air around Gene. "Of all the sorcerers I have encountered through the ages, your mind is the strongest."

Gene’s visor blinked again. "No. You shouldn’t possess this level of influence over Earth. Unless... something’s happened at Kamar-Taj."

Earth was protected by three Sanctums—New York, London, and Hong Kong—established by the first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, to safeguard reality from interdimensional threats.

Gene had almost succeeded in purging Doom of Dormammu’s corruption—until Dormammu intervened. But Dormammu shouldn’t have that kind of reach, unless something had gone catastrophically wrong.

"Ha-ha-ha! Sharp observation," Dormammu chuckled, though the sound was frigid. "Indeed, my followers exceeded expectations. My dominion over Earth is nearly complete. Soon, your world will be drowned in endless darkness." freeweɓnovel-cøm

"Then why do you still need Doom?" Gene’s gaze shifted toward Doom, now floating like a puppet suspended by invisible strings.

"And if your plan is so close to success, why send agents to steal my dimensional shuttle?" Gene asked flatly.

"Hmph!" Dormammu snorted. "Victor Von Doom is the most promising vessel I’ve ever encountered. He was born for dark magic. He wields the power I gifted him better than that defective waste, Kaecilius, ever could."

Poor Kaecilius. Once again, stabbed in the back by his own master. If he ever found out Dormammu saw him as nothing more than a "defective waste," who knows how he’d react.

"That Sanctum..." Dormammu continued ominously. "My followers hit a snag. But that inconvenience will be handled shortly. Earth’s conversion is imminent."

He paused, then spoke with chilling sincerity:

"As for you, unknown arcane technomancer—you are unlike any I have seen. Your intellect, your talent, your creations... they are unparalleled. I offer you a choice. When I conquer Earth, you may stand at my side."

Gene’s response was ice-cold.

"I refuse."

He narrowed his eyes.

"And if you ever dare to shove that ugly face of yours onto Earth, I will personally smash it back into your festering realm where it belongs."

Dormammu’s voice twisted into a roar:

"Fool! You will regret those words—"

Darkness exploded around them, consuming everything—Gene, Doom, and even Dormammu’s visage—into a black void of howling rage.

Suddenly—

The darkness vanished.

Gene stood alone once more, in the wreckage of S.W.O.R.D.’s devastated armory. Alarms howled through the halls. S.W.O.R.D. agents were flooding into the room from all directions.

But Gene didn’t wait.

With a shimmer, he teleported directly to his office. There, he began constructing a global magical web—a countermeasure against Dormammu’s creeping influence.

Lines of dark energy stretched like tendrils across the globe, connecting to the Sanctums in New York and London. But the one in Hong Kong... was barely holding.

All over the internet, chatter about strange occurrences began to surge.

Then, amidst the digital storm, Gene heard a whisper.

A familiar voice, gentle as silk.

"Gene..."

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