Marvel: Ned the Master of Mystic Arts

"Bang!"

Ned crashed to the ground, rolling a few times before swiftly raising his hand, firing another yellow laser beam with fierce determination.

"Zing!"

This time, the laser wasn't an ordinary spell. It was powered by the Mind Stone itself. Ned refused to believe it couldn't penetrate the Chaos Magic that Wanda had just begun to control.

"Boom!"

To his surprise, the Crimson Sorcerer didn't retaliate directly. Instead, it conjured a glowing red magical barrier using Chaos Magic, effortlessly deflecting Ned's relentless attacks.

"Infinity Stone..."

The Crimson Sorcerer muttered, its eyes fixated on the radiant yellow gemstone embedded in Ned's hand.

"Hah!"

Realizing brute force wasn't enough to break through, Ned halted the Mind Stone's energy output. Crossing his arms before him, he activated the "Echo Form", a splitting magic spell that instantly created dozens of identical clones.

"Hah!"

"Yah!"

The unified shouts of the clones echoed in unison as they unleashed golden energy beams from their hands. The beams converged midair, transforming into a massive golden energy wave, which surged toward the Crimson Sorcerer's barrier like a raging storm.

"What?!"

The Crimson Sorcerer's expression darkened. Under the impact of the colossal energy wave, the once-unbreakable crimson barrier began to falter, cracks spreading across its surface.

"This is impossible!"

Its voice thundered through the battlefield. In desperation, the Crimson Sorcerer summoned the Darkhold once more. The ancient tome flipped open to a specific page as crimson energy poured forth, amplifying its magical output.

"Buzz!"

From the pages of the Darkhold, a scarlet magic circle emerged, pulsating with dark energy. The circle expanded, merging seamlessly with the barrier, which began glowing ominously. The reinforced shield shimmered with arcane runes, rendering it impenetrable once again.

"Wave~"

Amid the chaos, a faint yellow light began to gather in the air, unnoticed by the Crimson Sorcerer. Quietly, the energy seeped into Wanda's consciousness.

'Wanda! Wanda!'

A glowing, transparent figure resembling Ned appeared in Wanda's subconscious, calling out to her.

'Who… who are you?'

A weak, trembling voice responded, echoing through the dark void.

'Wanda, it's me—Ned! Don't you remember? I promised to teach you magic.'

Ned's projection searched the endless darkness for any sign of Wanda, shouting into the emptiness.

'Ned? Magic? No! No! Stay away!'

Wanda's voice, filled with fear and despair, escalated into panicked cries. 'Don't hurt me! Please, don't control me!'

'Wanda, calm down! I'm here to help you. No one will hurt you. I promise!'

Closing his eyes, Ned clasped his hands together, channeling the Mind Stone's energy into the dark void. Golden light radiated outward, soothing the chaotic space and gradually easing Wanda's fears.

As the golden light spread, Ned's translucent form began to flicker, becoming increasingly faint as he poured his energy into stabilizing her subconscious.

'Ned…? Is it really you?'

This time, Wanda's voice was soft and uncertain, no longer filled with terror.

'Yes, it's me,' Ned replied gently.

'You won't hurt me? You won't control me?'

Her question finally made sense to Ned. She had been traumatized by his earlier use of mind control against Hydra agents. The memory of that experience haunted her.

'I would never hurt you, Wanda. We're partners—friends. The best of friends.'

In this space, where thoughts shaped reality, Wanda's subconscious started to relax. Ned's words carried profound influence, resonating deep within her mind.

'Friends?'

Her voice grew calmer, laced with curiosity.

'Yes, the best of friends. Now, let me help you. Where are you?'

'I... I don't know. It's so dark. I'm scared, Ned.'

As she spoke, her faint silhouette appeared before Ned, surrounded by swirling black mist that cut her off from her body and senses.

'I see you, Wanda. Hold on. I'm bringing you out.'

Ned sprinted toward the edge of the mist, summoning every ounce of the Mind Stone's power into his projection. The golden energy slammed into the darkness, tearing a hole through it.

"Zzz—"

The dark mist began to dissipate, revealing Wanda's fragile form within. But as the mist vanished, Ned's projection flickered dangerously, his form on the brink of collapse.

'Not so fast!'

A thunderous voice echoed as the Crimson Sorcerer's presence invaded Wanda's mind, unleashing a surge of Chaos Magic. The last thing Ned heard before his projection shattered was Wanda's scream of agony.

Back in the real world, the Crimson Sorcerer roared in rage.

"Clever Mystic Sorcerer! You dared to play tricks under my nose!"

Through the countless Ned clones, it finally spotted the real one. Ned sat cross-legged on the ground, his right hand glowing with the power of the Mind Stone, channeling energy into the air.

"So, you were sending energy to Wanda through random dispersal… clever, but futile!"

"Ugh…"

Ned's eyes snapped open, his energy link severed. The Crimson Sorcerer had discovered his plan. There would be no second chance.

"Die, sorcerer!"

The Crimson Sorcerer unleashed a massive, glowing red magic circle.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The chaotic energy wave tore through the battlefield, obliterating every clone it touched as it sped toward Ned.

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