Chapter Fifty-One: The Dormammu Whetstone

In the ancient myths and legends of the Wa Kingdom, there exists a symbol of the dark world: the Eight-Headed Serpent. This monstrous creature, with its eight snake heads, would stir up storms and wreak havoc upon the mortal realm each year. Yet, the Eight-Headed Serpent had a peculiar fondness—it loved to drink. To keep this beast drunk and reduce its devastation, people would offer eight jars filled with strong liquor every year as a tribute. Thus was born the legend of the "Eight Cups of Sake."

Yang Xin's Kaleidoscope technique, the "Eight Cups of Sake," differed from the mythic tale. Rather than freezing attacks, it stilled the space before him, much like the ultimate move of Time Warrior Kser, the avatar of Coulson, which halted time itself. The Kaleidoscope Sharingan was said to be the mirror of the soul, able to manifest one's deepest desires as unique abilities. Therefore, the power of Yang Xin's left eye was the defensive "Eight Cups of Sake."

As for his right eye… Vengeance must be served! Deep within, Yang Xin’s greatest wish now was to strike Dormammu hard. When one thinks of the nemesis of darkness, the common man imagines sunlight; yet, in Yang Xin's mind, the concept of fire emerged unbidden. After all, sunlight is but a product of the sun’s burning. Thus, the skill granted by his right-eye Kaleidoscope was Amaterasu.

But this Amaterasu was unlike Itachi Uchiha’s. Itachi’s Amaterasu summoned black flames wherever his gaze landed, while Yang Xin’s burned with golden fire.

“True Sunfire!” The knowledge of golden flames surfaced in Yang Xin’s mind.

True Sunfire, according to legend, was wielded by the Eastern Emperor Taiyi. It was said to be the ancestor of all flames, the source of all fire, created by fusing the primal fire spirit, the “Great Sun Golden Flame,” from the four primordial elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—with the power of the lunar essence.

“Aaah!” Dormammu screamed—a shriek that came from the depths of his soul.

“Die!” Dormammu roared in madness, casting aside the Ancient One and unleashing a torrent of attacks upon Yang Xin.

Just as Yang Xin could no longer withstand the onslaught, the Ancient One swept her staff, dragging both Dormammu and his attacks into the mirror dimension. While the mirror dimension could not halt Dormammu’s rage, it could delay him for a moment—enough time for the Ancient One and Yang Xin to escape the Dark Dimension.

“The trial’s purpose has been fulfilled. We may leave the Dark Dimension now,” the Ancient One declared.

“No, I could fight like this all day,” Yang Xin replied confidently.

“Oh?” The Ancient One raised an eyebrow.

“Master, may I borrow the Time Stone—Agamotto’s Eye—for a while?”

Without asking why, the Ancient One handed Agamotto’s Eye to Yang Xin. Watching his actions, she instantly understood his plan.

“Whatever makes you happy. Enjoy yourself,” she sighed, casting a space portal and stepping through, vanishing instantly.

Yang Xin’s plan was much like Doctor Strange’s—yet where Strange annoyed Dormammu into negotiation, Yang Xin intended to use the Time Stone’s power to hone himself.

The moment the Ancient One departed, Yang Xin cast a time spell on himself and dragged Dormammu into a time loop.

With the Ancient One gone, the mirror dimension lost its magical support and shattered like glass—Dormammu’s attacks came crashing down.

“Eight Cups of Sake!” In haste, Yang Xin could only activate his defensive technique—and then, Yang Xin fell.

“Again!” The time spell triggered, the time loop restarted, and Yang Xin once more faced the shattering of the mirror dimension.

“Eight Cups of Sake! True Sunfire!” Both his Kaleidoscope eyes activated.

Yet it was useless—Yang Xin still fell to Dormammu’s overwhelming assault.

“Again!”

“Again!”

“Again…”

The time loop restarted endlessly, but Yang Xin could not survive Dormammu’s attack. He tried to dodge, to use the Ancient One’s technique and draw the attack into the mirror dimension, but it was futile.

If the Ancient One’s mirror dimension could restrain Dormammu for a minute, Yang Xin could barely manage a second—sometimes not even that. The moment the mirror dimension shattered, he faced instant annihilation.

Yet Yang Xin was not without gains. He grew more adept at wielding his left eye’s “Eight Cups of Sake” and discovered alternative uses for the right eye’s True Sunfire.

“Again!”

Taking a deep breath, Yang Xin restarted the loop. This time, he did not activate his left eye’s ability, but channeled all his power into his right.

“Let all return to nothing—let sunlight flood the darkness!” Yang Xin unleashed True Sunfire in the form of brilliant sunlight.

A sphere of white light exploded in the endless dark, burning a hole through Dormammu’s overwhelming attacks. Yang Xin leapt through the opening, weaving hand signs in midair: “Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!”

Driven to his limit, Yang Xin summoned three hundred shadow clones. As soon as they landed, they scattered in all directions. Dormammu hesitated, then roared in fury, unleashing another sweeping barrage. Yang Xin darted and dodged with every trick he knew, but was ultimately struck down. Still, he was pleased with his progress—where he once lasted only three seconds, now he held out for a full ten.

“Again!”

Within the time loop, Yang Xin and Dormammu repeated this cycle over and over—except Yang Xin’s resistance grew longer each time.

From three seconds to ten, then a minute, two minutes, five, ten, half an hour—longer and longer. At this rate, as Yang Xin had said, “I could fight like this all day.”

At first, Yang Xin could only dodge, utterly on the defensive. Later, having deciphered Dormammu’s attack patterns, he began counterattacking. In time, Yang Xin could go toe-to-toe with Dormammu, unleashing endless streams of ninjutsu—not only ninjutsu, but the sorceries of the Ancient One’s order, wielded with ever-increasing mastery.

Of course, every battle ended with Yang Xin’s defeat.

Gradually, Yang Xin noticed Dormammu growing careless, even lazy—eventually, Dormammu could hardly be bothered to attack at all. Yang Xin realized Dormammu had sensed something was wrong and had discovered the time loop.

At first, Yang Xin was exuberant, launching wave after wave of ninjutsu. Within the dark dimension, the divine tree sapling within him endlessly converted darkness into chakra, letting him unleash his techniques without restraint.

But in time, Yang Xin too found it tedious. Facing a foe who refused to fight back, the novelty faded, replaced by boredom.

“Dormammu, swear on your true name never to return to Earth.”

After a long silence, a faint sigh echoed through the darkness: “Very well! I swear on my true name!”

Yang Xin understood—the oath was binding and sacred. Upon hearing it, he opened a golden portal flashing with sparks. Then, dispelling the time loop and time magic, he leapt through. The portal vanished in an instant.

Yang Xin had good reason to flee: Dormammu had sworn not to come to Earth, but had not promised not to kill him. Sure enough, the moment he ended the time loop and spell, a world-shattering attack followed.

Luckily, Yang Xin was fast. As the portal closed, he could faintly hear Dormammu’s furious roar.

But the instant he landed, before he could even see his surroundings, another attack came streaking toward him…