"The Ancient One gives me too much credit," Kurogai Blackwood replied with a faint smile. He dismissed the compliment, unwilling to dwell on it.
"Back to the point," he continued smoothly. "I didn't expect you to be so invested in this matter. Sending Thor here to Kamar-Taj yourself was… unexpected."
The Ancient One's calm expression barely shifted, though her eyes lingered on him with quiet curiosity. That Kurogai had defeated Thor was not in doubt. What puzzled her was why he would personally escort the God of Thunder to Kamar-Taj. It seemed uncharacteristic, and to her, there were hints of a hidden motive.
"Just passing through," Kurogai said lightly, his lips curving into an easy smile. "I wanted to check in on Wanda as well."
He spoke casually, though both knew better than to take his words at face value. His true intentions remained carefully concealed.
"Is that so?" the Ancient One replied, her tone neutral. She turned instead to Wanda. "Tell me about the Eye of Agamotto. What happened?"
Wanda hesitated only briefly before speaking. "A few days ago, the Eye began to glow on its own, brighter than usual. Its power surged. That's when I called for guidance. Later, Kurogai and Thor arrived."
Her recounting was careful. She deliberately omitted that Kurogai himself had asked her to open the relic. Whatever doubts she carried, Wanda's loyalty leaned first toward Kurogai, then toward her title as Sorcerer Supreme.
"I see," the Ancient One murmured, frowning slightly. "So the Stone truly reacted. If two Stones are showing signs of disturbance, then something greater is at play."
Her voice dropped, thoughtful. "I may need to speak with Odin. But…" She paused, conflicted. If she left Earth, its defenses would be dangerously weakened. The Time Stone was already a target for countless entities. Abandoning her post, even briefly, could invite disaster.
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then her gaze settled back on Kurogai, her eyes narrowing slightly with a spark of realization.
"Kurogai," she said finally, her tone steady. "I want you to go to Asgard in my stead. Speak with Odin, and discuss this matter. With your strength, you are more than capable of handling the task."
The request caught him off guard, though inwardly, he almost laughed. He had already been planning to travel to Asgard. In truth, he'd even prepared a contingency—if Thor refused him passage, Kurogai had considered manipulating the Asgardian with illusion, forcing him to command Heimdall to open the Bifrost. Now, however, the opportunity presented itself willingly.
For once, fortune aligned perfectly with his designs.
"Do you hesitate, Kurogai?" the Ancient One asked, tilting her head. "The crisis on Earth grows heavier by the day. I cannot leave, not now. That is why I must entrust this to you."
There was a note of weariness in her voice, though her composure remained. She had found a worthy heir in Wanda, and Earth needed both of them rooted here. If Kurogai refused, she would be forced to send Wanda herself—a risk she was unwilling to take.
Kurogai's lips curved again, this time in genuine amusement. "Hesitate? Not at all. In fact, I welcome the chance. I've long been curious about the magic of the Nine Realms, how it compares to Earth's. I only hope Asgard won't be too stingy with its knowledge."
Thor laughed heartily, clapping his hand against his armored chest. "You'll find no such trouble there. Asgard has always welcomed warriors who come in peace. And as for magic…" He shrugged. "That's hardly a matter we guard so jealously. I'll vouch for you myself, in my father's name."
"Then it's settled," the Ancient One said with finality. "You will go to Asgard in my place, and speak with Odin."
She studied him for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. Though she understood Kurogai's calculating nature, she also knew this mission carried no real harm to him. He was endlessly hungry for knowledge, and even during his years at Kamar-Taj, he had pressed her to share tomes she would never have revealed to others. Sending him to Asgard, in many ways, was giving him exactly what he desired.
Kurogai inclined his head. "Very well. Let's not waste time."
"You're leaving immediately?" the Ancient One asked with some surprise. "What of your people here? Your allies?"
"No need to worry," Kurogai replied with easy confidence. "I've already prepared. Should I be gone for a time, they'll manage without me."
He had already taken precautions. Before Thor's arrival, he had sensed the shift in fate and anticipated that he might be pulled away. That was why he had instructed Skye to handle certain matters with S.H.I.E.L.D. Everything was already in place.
"In that case," Thor said with a wide grin, "let us depart."
His voice echoed with eagerness. He was more than ready to return home, and now he would do so with Kurogai by his side—not as an enemy, but as an ally, at least for the moment.
Kurogai's eyes gleamed, his thoughts already ahead of him. This was more than a mission. It was opportunity. Asgard, the realm of gods, was now open to him. And from within its shining halls, there were countless secrets waiting to be claimed.