Chapter 11: unpleased surprise

Eric narrowed his eyes slightly. "How did you find me? If the Time Stone can't see me, then you must have used another method."

If the Ancient One could track him, then there was a chance others could as well. And if the wrong people discovered his existence, that could be a major problem—especially if they decided to threaten his mother.

The Ancient One gave a small, knowing smile. "You know, sometimes being invisible makes you the most visible."

Eric tilted his head, waiting for her explanation.

"Although the Time Stone cannot directly peer into your future, I can still observe the broader flow of time. The universe unfolds before me like a vast tapestry, each thread interwoven with countless possibilities. But you..." She gestured at him lightly. "You are an empty space, a void amidst a sea of futures. That alone makes you stand out."

Eric exhaled, relieved. "That's fine. The Time Stone is one of the supreme treasures—there aren't many things stronger than it."

His primary concern wasn't powerful beings finding him. Rather weak guy finding about him, who don't have power to threaten himself directly. If someone decided to use his mother as leverage against him... That was a situation he couldn't allow. Those cosmic entities wouldn't stoop to such dirty tricks... right? He could only hope.

With the tension now somewhat eased, their conversation took on a more casual tone.

The Ancient One shifted her focus, glancing around as if observing something unseen. "Now that I'm here, I must say… Your domain is truly fascinating. I sensed it before arriving, but seeing it up close is something else entirely."

Eric leaned back in his chair. "Oh? Something surprising?"

She chuckled. "Surprising is an understatement. Your dimension is unlike anything I've encountered. In fact, I don't believe anything like it has ever existed."

She paused, then elaborated. "All dimensions, no matter how vast or powerful, exist outside of the universe but remain connected to it—like leaves on a tree. If you know the right path, you can travel between them. But yours..." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Your dimension isn't attached to the universe at all. It's connected to you. It moves with you, like a personal domain that follows its master."

She sighed inwardly. This is completely broken.

He can go anywhere, claim any dimension he wants... just show up and say, 'Surprise, motherfucker! This is my domain now.' That's practically cheating.

For the first time in centuries, she felt genuinely relieved that she had chosen to approach him diplomatically instead of attacking outright. When she first sensed his presence, she thought he was just a powerful entity who had stumbled upon a dimension and claimed it. But now, she understood.

He didn't just enter this world. He brought his entire dimension with him.

Trying to fight him within his own domain would have been an unwinnable battle, no matter how much she prepared.

Shaking off that train of thought, she turned serious. "There's something important I need to ask of you. I hope you'll consider my request."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Go ahead. As long as it's not unreasonable, I'll at least think about it."

The Ancient One's expression became grave. "I need you to stop using your dimension's energy directly on Earth."

Eric frowned. "What do you mean?"

He was genuinely confused. He hadn't noticed any rejection from the universe itself, and if his powers were interfering with reality, he would have sensed it by now.

The request gave him pause. If his abilities were somehow disrupting the balance of the universe—or worse, the multiverse—then that was an issue far beyond just the Ancient One's concerns.

He respected her as a guardian of Earth. She protected this world without selfish motives, and that was admirable. But if what she said was true, this wasn't just about her. If his actions were interfering with the natural order of things, then even greater entities would take notice.

If I'm truly affecting the universe... forget the Ancient One. Tomorrow, I might wake up with Eternity knocking at my door as an uninvited guest.

And not a mere projection—his actual body.

Eric wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could even hold a conversation with Eternity, let alone survive an encounter with him. The power gap between them was far too immense. If that scenario became reality, his only option would be to flee to another world and stay hidden until he was strong enough to negotiate—or fight.

But in the end... he was probably just overthinking things.