SWWW Chapter 208: Each One's Future, The Infinity Stones!
Xi Nian walked out of the restroom.
The bell for class had just rung, and students still lingering in the hallway quickened their steps. Among them was a striking figure.
The assistant instructor, Felicia.
Xi Nian met her gaze from afar, and his eyes instinctively drifted to her delicate collarbone, where her white shirt was buttoned all the way up.
Further down, the tightly fastened blouse outlined her graceful curves.
Although Xi Nian quickly shifted his gaze away, Felicia—sharp as a cat—still noticed. Her beautiful eyes flashed coldly, like dimly glowing lanterns in the dark. Hugging her folders tightly against the spot that still seemed faintly sore, she stepped past him in her black high heels.
"Teacher, do you need help?" Xi Nian blinked, taking the initiative to ask.
"No need. Xi Nian, you'd better get back to class," Felicia replied, pausing in her stride. But her eyes no longer carried the chill—she gave him a gentle smile and said warmly, "Oh, and even though it's spring, the weather is still a bit chilly. You should wear long sleeves when going out."
She spoke like the older girl next door, making him feel like a spring breeze brushed against him.
"Alright, thank you, teacher."
Xi Nian smiled, and for a moment, the two seemed perfectly at ease together.
If not for the threats and counter-threats between them in the past, they could have passed as a teacher and student with an unusually good relationship…
Walking back to class alone, Xi Nian sighed.
If Felicia had shown hostility or ignored him earlier, that would've been normal. Instead, she had acted gently and with concern…
To be entangled with a catlike woman was nothing but trouble.
It seemed peace and quiet at school would be impossible from now on.
…
After class.
Gwen pulled Xi Nian up to the school rooftop, bringing up what she had wanted to say earlier but hadn't gotten the chance.
"You joined the Avengers?" Xi Nian looked at the short-haired girl in surprise.
"Not exactly joined!"
Gwen waved her hands quickly and explained: "I just reached an agreement with Mr. Tony Stark. As Spider-Woman, I'll be training and gaining experience with the Avengers for a while. But when I go to college, or after graduation, I still want to stay in Washington City…"
"Because we promised, remember? From elementary school through college together, and then after graduation we'd work and live together…"
Her face flushed red as she said this. Looking at the silent Xi Nian, she asked softly, "You're not mad, are you?"
"Of course not."
Xi Nian shook his head and patted her on the head. "Becoming a superhero and fighting crime has always been your dream. Training with the Avengers is definitely a good choice, and you can quit whenever you want."
"Yeah. Actually, it's just an internship under Stark Industries, while borrowing the Avengers as a place to train myself. Later, if my cousin grows old enough and wants to become a superhero too, he can take my spot."
Gwen finally relaxed. She took Xi Nian's hand, rubbed it against her cheek, and whispered, "Thank you for supporting me."
Looking at her flushed cheeks, Xi Nian couldn't help but slide his fingers down her smooth face.
Gwen seemed to know what he was about to do. Even though they were at school and she felt embarrassed, her lashes trembled and she closed her eyes…
Their faces drew close.
But then—
Footsteps echoed from the rooftop door, and a golden-haired figure in a skirt appeared.
Startled, Gwen yelped and hopped back a few steps like a frightened rabbit, her uniform shirt bouncing wildly.
Xi Nian, guessing who it was, stiffened slightly. Sure enough, the slim figure flashed forward like a streak of light, leaving afterimages as she dove straight into his arms. Her platinum hair shimmered under the sun, scattering like silk.
Kara's bright, mischievous eyes blinked playfully as she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him like a koala. "Senior, I'm also training now—in Gotham. I'll get stronger and stronger, and soon I'll surpass my cousin. So… can I get some real encouragement?"
"Kara!"
Two strands of web shot at the platinum-haired girl, trying to pull her off Xi Nian—only to yank both of them together.
The result: two beautiful girls and one boy rolled tightly into a heap on the ground, entangled in white webs, laughter, shouting, and helpless protests echoing through the rooftop.
A scene full of youthful energy.
…
Later that afternoon, after school.
Xi Nian parted ways with Gwen and Kara, heading home.
Their choices surprised him, but also felt completely natural.
Both girls had the ability and the dream to be superheroes. By training respectively with the Avengers and Justice League, they would soon shine brightly in their own right.
Teenage years were the perfect time to chase dreams.
Everyone had a future to strive for.
Xi Nian, meanwhile, only wanted to go home and lie down in comfort.
Having experienced too many extraordinary events, he had no desire to become a superhero. His only wish was to protect what was dear to him…
If his aunt could live each day without donning her Amazonian battle armor, but instead in comfortable dresses, that kind of peaceful life was the future he wanted.
And yet…
He was already stepping deeper and deeper into the world of the extraordinary, far beyond many heroes and even their leagues.
…
Arriving at his apartment, Xi Nian pulled out his keys to unlock the door—when suddenly, his Spider-Sense flared.
Someone was inside.
And it wasn't Diana or Wanda.
"Xi Nian, careful!"
Jarro's voice rang in his head, carrying unusual wariness.
"Master, enemy incoming!"
In the living room, every electronic device blinked red in alarm.
At the same moment, Xi Nian opened the door and saw the figure standing inside.
Beside him, Xiao Huang bristled, her fur standing on end. Her vertical cat pupils glared coldly at the intruder, her orange tail shimmering with dark corruption, and even the Venom inside her stirred awake.
"You? Why are you here?"
Xi Nian froze for a moment, then waved his hand. "It's fine, stand down. She's not an enemy."
He turned to the little orange cat. "Xiao Huang, you can't beat her. Didn't we already try that last time?"
The darkness around Xiao Huang receded like the tide, her fur returning to bright orange as she lowered her head with a defeated shake.
Because standing in his living room was none other than… the Ancient One.
The bald woman's face was as calm as ever, though this time she wore a plain black robe that somehow didn't radiate malice. Instead, it gave the impression of holiness, untouched by decay.
"Not an enemy… you have a way with words."
The Ancient One stood with her hands behind her back, her expression unreadable.
"You're Wanda's teacher. That makes you one of us, doesn't it?" Xi Nian replied firmly.
The Ancient One paused, her eyes flickering before she said calmly, "Wanda said you were looking for me."
"That's right, I am."
Without even changing into slippers, Xi Nian went straight to his room and quickly pulled out two iron-plated items—one spherical, one cube-shaped.
Placing them casually down, he looked back to see the Ancient One watching silently. Anyone else would've already scolded him for treating them so carelessly.
"Master, I'd like you to help me identify these two things."
Holding one in each hand, he stepped up to her.
He trusted the Ancient One—not just because she was Wanda's teacher.
She already knew his multiple identities, and as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, she was strong enough to intervene when his unstable Trinity mode nearly shattered the continent.
If she had wanted these items, she could've taken them long ago.
And besides… Xi Nian couldn't shake the strange sense of familiarity from her presence.
…
The Ancient One glanced at the items in his hands, then traced a circle in the air.
A portal opened in the middle of the living room.
"Come with me," she said, stepping through.
Xi Nian followed.
On the other side was not a mystical sanctuary, but a modern street in New York City.
"This is… inside New York?" Xi Nian asked, looking up at the skyline.
The Ancient One walked directly toward a nearby building, styled like a church with a large vintage clock at its peak.
177A Bleecker Street.
Entering with her, Xi Nian found the interior dim, ancient, and mysterious. A robed monk hurried down the stairs. "Greetings, Sorcerer Supreme!"
He blinked in surprise at the boy beside her. It had been decades since an ordinary child was allowed into this place.
"This is the New York Sanctum, one of the three sanctums. This is Master Daniel, the guardian here," the Ancient One explained.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Daniel," Xi Nian greeted politely.
"Hello, young one," Daniel replied quickly, then asked curiously, "Sorcerer Supreme, is he to be our junior apprentice?"
The Ancient One ignored the question and instructed, "Go resume your studies. I'll watch over the Sanctum."
"Yes, Master."
Daniel bowed again and left through a portal, leaving the sanctum quiet.
The Ancient One formed seals with her hands, and ripples spread through the air like mirrored glass, then faded.
"Bring that one out first," she said, nodding to the cube.
Xi Nian handed over the iron-plated cube. Golden threads of magic wrapped around it, glowing red-hot as sparks melted away the plating. Blue light shone from within until at last, the cube reverted to its original form—
A perfect, radiant cube glowing with blinding blue energy.
"The Tesseract," the Ancient One said. "How much do you know about it?"
Xi Nian shrugged. "I know Hydra found it during World War II, called it the 'Cosmic Cube.' They used it to mass-produce unlimited energy weapons. After the war, S.H.I.E.L.D. got their hands on it and studied it in secret."
"Howard Stark used it to create a new element, which drew Hydra's attention. Decades ago, someone tried to use it to build a light-speed engine, which indirectly caused an Air Force pilot, Carol Danvers, to 'die.'"
"And just a few months ago, Loki used it to open a portal, leading to the Battle of New York."
These were all details Xi Nian had gotten from Hydra intel the previous night.
Throughout human history, the Tesseract had always been in the shadows.
Like Apokolips' Mother Box… yet fundamentally different.
"The Tesseract—what most people know is only its surface."
The Ancient One tightened her grip, and the cube suddenly cracked.
Xi Nian's eyes widened as the cube shattered into blue energy, revealing the core within.
A gemstone.
A flawless blue gem, radiating dazzling light, floating in midair under the restraint of golden threads.
"In the beginning of the universe, there was chaos. The Big Bang created six singularities, crystallized into gems, scattered across the newborn cosmos. These are… the Infinity Stones."
"Each stone controls a specific aspect: blue is Space, red is Reality, yellow is Mind, purple is Power, orange is Soul, and green is Time."
As she explained, she cast golden threads around the sphere Xi Nian still held.
The metal melted away, revealing another gem inside—a brilliant yellow stone that pulsed with power.
Xi Nian's eyes lit up. "So these two are the Space Stone and the Mind Stone! The Tesseract and the scepter were just containers. Wait—if you gather all six, do you get to make any wish? Or maybe summon a dragon or something?"
The Ancient One blinked at him, then shook her head. "Wishes? Dragons? The Infinity Stones are far more dangerous. Civilizations and worlds have been destroyed simply fighting over a single stone. To wield all six… their combined power could erase half the universe."
"…Oh."
Xi Nian's excitement instantly deflated. The gems no longer looked as dazzling to him.
"Master, do you want them? You can have both," he offered casually.
The Ancient One stared silently.
Xi Nian's thinking was simple.
He had taken the Tesseract and scepter after the Battle of New York only to prevent further disaster. Now, knowing their true nature, he also knew the Stones were beyond his control—and would ultimately doom anyone who tried.
So to him, they were hot potatoes better left with the Sorcerer Supreme.
But the Ancient One replied gravely, "Since you obtained them, it means the Stones have chosen you. That makes you their guardian. You cannot just toss them aside. You must keep them safe."
She pulled out a silver pendant necklace from her robe. With a twist of her magic, the pendant opened, revealing a small slot. The Space Stone was fitted inside, sealed tight as the pendant snapped shut.
The glowing necklace floated over and clasped itself around Xi Nian's neck.
Xi Nian: "…"
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