"In the grand calculus of the multiverse, your sacrifice is worth more..."
Everyone was familiar with that line. In the previous clip of the future, Strange had said something similar to Peter. As soon as those words were spoken, Pietro shot him a "let's see you talk your way out of this" look, and little Peter subtly edged away from Stephen Strange.
Stephen slapped his forehead. He really had no idea how to explain that. But then, he didn't need to—because in the video, the version of him on screen was suddenly impaled right through the heart by one of the monster's tentacles!
The tentacle then hoisted him high into the air. Everyone could see the light and life fade from his eyes.
Watching that scene, Stephen outside the screen instinctively clutched his chest, as if the sharp tentacle had pierced his heart too.
Peter and Pietro couldn't help but cry out in shock. Pietro even blurted out, "Shit! That thing is disgusting... but I gotta say, Stephen, you really died just in time. Otherwise, that girl would've been toast."
Stephen shrugged. "No, the guy in that video... that's not me. At least, not this world's me."
After witnessing so many futures through the quiz game, Stephen's perspective had broadened. He had his suspicions—the Strange in the video might be a version of him from another parallel universe.
So was this future video yet another scenario involving the multiverse?
And who exactly was that mysterious girl? What kind of power did she have that made that version of him try to kill her?
Turning back to the video, the monster had fully broken free. Strange's body was tossed aside, and countless tentacles stretched out like vines, chasing the fleeing girl.
She clearly had a strong will to survive, darting between the tentacles and struggling to escape. Her destination seemed to be a glowing book that emitted a soft, white light.
Stephen's eyes widened when he saw the book, and he murmured in disbelief, "The Book of Vishanti?"
Thanks to a reward from the quiz game, he'd once communicated with Sorcerer Supremes from other universes. From their memories, he'd learned a lot of secrets—among them, the legendary Book of Vishanti.
In the video, the girl was sprinting toward the book, but she was still a step too slow. The tentacles, like serpents or vines, lashed out and bound her hands and feet, suspending her in midair.
The monstrous creature opened its grotesque mouth wide, seemingly about to devour the helpless girl in one bite—but at the last possible moment, she let out a scream!
Her eyes lit up with a bright white glow, and a similar glow began to radiate behind her, quickly forming the shape of a five-pointed star. It looked like... a star-shaped portal?
The portal emitted a powerful suction force. This must've been her unique power—a strange teleportation ability.
But she was still tightly bound by the tentacles and couldn't break free.
Just then, Stephen—who everyone had thought was dead—suddenly jerked back to life. Or perhaps he'd never fully died. Using the last of his strength, he cast a spell and severed the tentacles. The portal's suction intensified and immediately pulled both the girl and the barely-alive Stephen into its depths.
The scene shifted.
Stephen shot upright in bed, drenched in sweat, as if he'd just woken from a nightmare.
Viewers outside the screen were baffled—was everything they just saw nothing more than a bad dream?
In the video, Stephen turned to glance at the watch on his nightstand. The glass was cracked, with spiderweb fractures running across its face.
Pietro raised an eyebrow. "I don't even need to guess. That watch has a story, doesn't it?"
Stephen chuckled but said nothing.
In the video, he washed up, changed into a formal suit, and headed out to a church. There, he ran into an old colleague—Nicodemus West. They talked about the five years that had vanished.
Both of them had been snapped out of existence by Thanos. In those five years, so much had changed. When West returned, he found his cat gone. His brother too.
With a hint of bitterness, West asked, "Was there really only one way?"
He was referring to the Avengers' battle against Thanos. Though Tony had made the ultimate sacrifice, it was Stephen who'd shown him the one path to victory.
Stephen had used the Time Stone to view millions of possible futures—and only one led to success. The outcome had proven him right.
But West couldn't help but feel resentful. He asked, "You made the only choice we had, huh?"
Stephen took a deep breath and replied, "I chose the only future where we survived."
Yes, they'd survived—but others hadn't. Tony, Natasha, West's brother...
There was never such a thing as a perfect, happy ending in real life.
Still, West couldn't help but lash out. Sarcastically, he said, "Of course you're right. The best surgeon and the superhero... but you still didn't end up with Christine."
Right after he said that, a beautiful bride began walking down the aisle, surrounded by flower girls. That's when it clicked—Stephen was attending a wedding.
"Ex-girlfriend, huh?" Pietro said, winking.
Stephen folded his arms and didn't respond, his face cold. He recognized the woman immediately. Before he'd ever gone to Kamar-Taj, he and Christine had worked in the same hospital. They'd been colleagues—and friends.
Given Stephen's personality, becoming friends with someone wasn't easy.
At this point in time, they hadn't developed a romantic relationship yet, but there had always been something more—something unspoken.
Even after becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, he'd occasionally reached out to her when he had the chance.
Truthfully, he had hoped for something more.
So when he saw this scene, he completely understood the future version of himself—masking sorrow with calm composure, weighed down by disappointment and regret.
What could be more heartbreaking than saving the world... only to watch the woman you love marry someone else?
_____
Hey everyone…
I don't usually ask for much, but if you've been enjoying the story even a little… could you spare a Power Stone or two?
Seeing the votes drop sometimes feels a little disheartening, like maybe I'm not doing enough. But I'm still here, still writing, still trying my best—chapter after chapter.
Your support means more than you know. Even one vote can make a big difference. Thank you for being here.