After casually obliterating Muspelheim, Ragna glanced at Thor, who was still in shock.
This time, Thor didn't try to stop him with talk about sparing innocent Flame Giants. Perhaps he realized it would be futile, or maybe he simply didn't have time to react. This was, after all, the same Thor who once shattered his own Bifrost to stop the Jotuns.
Ragna smirked and carried Thor back to Asgard.
As for Surtur, though not completely dead, without the Eternal Flame, his body was once again destroyed. Stripped of the warmth of Muspelheim's fire, he wouldn't be able to rise again for thousands of years.
Upon returning to Asgard, Ragna exchanged words with Frigga and Loki before heading straight to Midgard.
Odin had chosen Earth as his final resting place. But why? Why not remain in Asgard, sleeping eternally within its halls? What had Odin been thinking before his death?
Ragna didn't care much for sentiment, but this curiosity lingered. He would find Odin and get his answers.
Suddenly, Thor, Loki, and Ragna materialized on the streets of New York City.
Thanks to Loki's illusion magic, their arrival went unnoticed by ordinary humans. But mortals were never the real concern.
The sorcerers watching over Earth from the Three Sanctums sensed their presence immediately.
The Ancient One was gone, and the new Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Stephen Strange, silently appeared near the trio.
The Ancient One had ensured everything was in place before her demise. Even without the Eye of Agamotto, Strange had quickly become a formidable magician—after all, not just anyone could be chosen as the Ancient One's disciple.
Ragna 's presence on Earth was not well known. Thor had never truly aligned himself with the Avengers, and while he was a familiar sight, he did not usually cause conflict.
Loki, however, was another matter entirely.
Having once led an alien invasion to conquer Earth, Loki was still very much on the magical blacklist.
Without a word, Strange flicked his fingers, and a glowing portal of golden sparks began to form beneath Loki's feet.
Ragna glanced at Thor and Loki—both unaware of what was happening—and sighed. Without hesitation, he snuffed out the portal's energy with a single step.
Then, with a casual motion, he seized Strange out of thin air and pulled him forward.
Strange's eyes widened in disbelief. His magic had been completely undetected by Thor and Loki, yet this mysterious figure had stopped it so effortlessly.
And that face…
"Wait—could it be…?"
Strange felt a chill. He had heard the Ancient One speak of this being before her death.
And now, standing before him, was that very entity.
"Mirror Dimension?" Ragna muttered, glancing at the distorted cityscape around him. "Nice spell. Seems like I should make a trip to Kamar-Taj…"
Instantly, Wong appeared beside Strange, his stance tense.
"You… you're that man?" Strange's voice was unsteady.
He recalled his final conversation with the Ancient One—the way she had spoken of a force beyond even Dormammu.
Her final battle.
The disappearance of the Eye of Agamotto.
Ragna grinned. "Of course. But you can call me God."
Wong and Strange froze.
Strange's fingers instinctively twitched, preparing another spell, but he hesitated.
"There are very few beings in this universe who could have forced the Ancient One into a disadvantage…" Strange admitted in a hushed voice. "I should have realized… But tell me—where is she? And where is the Eye of Agamotto?"
Wong, who had remained silent until now, suddenly stepped forward, his face dark with anger.
The Ancient One had disappeared without a trace, and for the first time in history, the Eye of Agamotto was gone.
Even before Strange had become Sorcerer Supreme, he had been warned of this one particular individual—someone even the Ancient One feared.
Strange, however, raised a hand, stopping Wong from acting rashly.
"He's probably more dangerous than Dormammu," Strange whispered.
Ragna laughed. "I don't need to be 'probably' anything. Dormammu is locked in a cage of my making. That's not up for debate."
Wong's expression turned to one of pure disbelief.
Dormammu? Trapped?
No—impossible.
Ignoring Wong's shock, Ragna added, "Actually, that's part of why I'm here. I'm curious… does Kamar-Taj have any records or spells specifically designed to contain Dormammu?"
He was half-joking, but there was a purpose behind his words. If Kamar-Taj possessed any forgotten countermeasures against Dormammu, they might still be useful.
Besides, Liang Bing didn't enjoy her new duty—watching over the Mind Stone to prevent Dormammu's return. She had even suggested handing it off to Qiangwei, but Ragna had refused.
Handing over a Infinity Stone so casually? Not happening.
Strange shook his head.
"Kamar-Taj's spells are only for magicians," he said firmly.
Ragna chuckled. "So exclusive…"
Then, suddenly, Strange asked something unexpected.
"The Ancient One… is she alive?"
His voice held uncertainty—almost hope.
Strange had resented the Ancient One when he first learned of her dark energy manipulation. He had thought of her as a hypocrite, someone who preached morality while secretly drawing power from Dormammu's own realm.
But in the end, she had trusted him. She had given him everything—the title of Sorcerer Supreme, the duty to protect the Earth.
It was only after assuming that responsibility that he had understood her sacrifice.
She had been a guardian, making impossible choices so that others could live in ignorance.
Ragna watched Strange carefully before finally answering.
"Before I imprisoned Dormammu," he said slowly, "the Ancient One was already dead."
Silence.
Wong reacted first.
"Impossible!" he shouted. "The Ancient One was—"
Before Wong could finish, Strange swiftly opened a portal, shoving Wong through it and sealing it shut.
The suddenness of the action left even Ragna momentarily surprised.
Strange exhaled, his face still conflicted.
But he had his answer.
The Ancient One was gone—but she had died as a protector, not as a monster.
That was enough.
Suddenly, Ragna 's expression darkened.
"I'm running out of patience," he said coldly.
The Sun Scepter appeared in his hand, and with a simple tap on the ground, the entire Mirror Dimension shattered—collapsing into nothingness.
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