Daniel stood in front of a quiet two-story building nestled between towering glass structures on Bleecker Street. It looked unassuming, almost like an abandoned museum, the kind of place no tourist would bother to visit. Yet he knew better.
This was the New York Sanctum, a fortress of arcane power—and home to the one person who might help him return to his world.
The Ancient One.
His fingers curled tightly around the strap of his shoulder bag. The heavy silence of the street pressed in around him. Despite being in the heart of Manhattan, the air here was oddly still, as if the building itself repelled the noise of the world.
Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door creaked open on its own.
A tall, bald Black man dressed in flowing monk's robes stepped out, his face calm and unreadable. If Daniel hadn't known what this place was, he might have assumed he'd stumbled upon a cult.
Well… it kind of was. But that was beside the point.
"Welcome to the New York Sanctum, Mister Daniel," the man said in a deep, composed voice. "The Ancient One is expecting you. Please, come in."
Daniel hesitated. The man had addressed him by name without asking. He didn't question it—after all, this was the Sorcerer Supreme's domain. The Time Stone could see far more than he ever could.
He nodded stiffly and stepped inside.
The interior was both ancient and otherworldly. The corridor they walked through was lined with mystical artifacts encased in glass, weapons mounted along the walls, and strange orbs pulsing with eldritch energy. Time itself felt thinner here, like it was bending at the edges of reality.
Eventually, they entered a chamber where a wide wooden table sat under the glow of a warm lantern. At the center sat her—the Ancient One. Bald, pale, and serene as ever, dressed in yellow robes, she regarded him with calm curiosity.
Daniel sat down across from her, feeling like a student called to the principal's office—except the principal could bend time, space, and probably squash him with a flick of her hand.
Before he could speak, the Ancient One raised a hand.
"You're earlier than I anticipated, Mr. Lee," she said, voice calm but firm. "But I suppose that is to be expected of someone who doesn't follow the usual currents of time… an anomaly."
The silence in the room made her words echo more powerfully. It wasn't just a statement—it was a judgment.
"Do you like tea?" she asked suddenly. "This blend is from a monastery in Nepal. It calms the nerves." She slid a cup toward him.
Daniel hesitated, then took a cautious sip. Instantly, his tension lessened, fatigue peeling away like mist in the sun.
"It's good," he admitted quietly.
"I'm glad," she said, then folded her hands. "So, you came here seeking something."
He nodded. "I came for your help, Sorcerer Supreme. I want to return to my world."
"What do you mean?" she asked, feigning innocence.
Daniel frowned. "Please. Don't pretend. You've already seen it, haven't you? With the Time Stone. You know I'm not from here."
Her expression didn't change. But her next words chilled him.
"No. I haven't seen your future, Daniel."
He blinked. "What…?"
"You don't exist in this timeline," she continued. "Or in any timeline I've seen. You're not from another point in time, or even another branch of the multiverse. You are something else—a complete anomaly. You stand outside fate, outside natural law. You are… unnatural."
Daniel's heart began to race.
"And that makes you dangerous," she said flatly.
"I—I'm not here to hurt anyone," he protested. "I just want to go back to my family. My world. Please… if you help me, I can even tell you things—about the future. Events that could save lives."
She tilted her head. "A tempting offer. But irrelevant."
Daniel's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," she said slowly, "that I cannot send you home. I have knowledge of traveling through dimensions and even alternate timelines, yes—but you are outside all of them. Beyond this universe's fabric. The only ones who might be able to send you back are beings of cosmic rank—entities that exist above reality itself. But even then… there's no guarantee."
"So I'm stuck here?" he whispered. "Forever?"
"Not exactly," she said. "There are ways. But you are not allowed to pursue them."
He looked up, eyes wide. "Why?"
"Because your very existence is warping this timeline in unpredictable and dangerous ways. You've already set certain events in motion that could unravel the order we protect. I've seen the ripples, Mr. Lee."
Daniel's hands clenched into fists. "I didn't ask for any of this."
"No," she said. "But as the protector of Earth, I must act. For the safety of this world, I have only one choice."
Her expression darkened.
"I'm going to seal you away—until my successor is strong enough to decide what to do with you."
Daniel stood, panic rising. "What!? You can't—!"
He turned for the door—but it twisted before his eyes, transforming into shifting geometric patterns. A kaleidoscope of space bent around him.
"You're in the Mirror Dimension now," she said, standing up, golden mandalas forming at her hands. "There is no escape."
Golden ribbons burst from her spell circles and wrapped around his limbs, binding him. Seals lit up along his skin, glowing brighter with each second.
"Stop—STOP! I didn't come here to be your enemy!" he shouted, struggling against the restraints.
"I'm sorry, Daniel," the Ancient One said, voice tinged with cold finality. "But the alternative was death. Sealing you… is mercy."
As the seals tightened, rage surged through him. She hadn't even tried to help—she had judged him, labeled him a threat, and moved to erase him from the board.
"You… will pay for this…" Daniel growled, voice low and trembling with fury.
The Ancient One didn't flinch. She merely smiled, pitying. "You still don't understand your place."
But then—
Time stopped.
The golden lights froze mid-air. The room dimmed.
A single sound echoed in Daniel's ears: a soft, mechanical chime.
Then, a glowing blue screen materialized before his eyes.
---
> [System Initialization Complete.]
[Welcome, Daniel Lee.]
[Strongest Being System Activated.]
[Select Your Template:]
— Sun Wukong – The Monkey King, Journey to the West
— Ryomen Sukuna – The King of Curses, Jujutsu Kaisen
— Nagato (Pain) – God of Pain, Naruto
Daniel's breath hitched. For the first time since arriving in this universe, he felt… something else. Something rising.
Power.
His lips curved into a bitter, bloodied smile.
"You messed with the wrong anomaly," he whispered.
---
To be continued…