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Fini used to hear people say that no matter who leaves, the Earth will keep on spinning!
But now, he felt like the Ancient One was implying that if the Earth lost him in the future, it might just stop turning.
The Ancient One's assessment surprised him, but it also filled him with a sense of pride. That's right—pride. Not everyone is content with being ordinary. He could choose to lead an ordinary life, but he was unwilling to be only ordinary.
"I believe I will make this world better!"
Facing the Ancient One's steady gaze, Fini took a deep breath and said, "As you said, the future cannot be controlled, but everyone can choose their future."
"Whatever your reasons for hindering my use of this ability, I believe you are doing it for the sake of this world. So, if it truly endangered the world and I had to choose, I could temporarily give up using this power."
Fini didn't know why the Ancient One didn't want him using Ars Magna, but he didn't care much. The ability wasn't that strong yet anyway, and with the System, there was no guarantee he wouldn't draw something even more powerful than Ars Magna in the future. He needed to take care of the present first.
Hearing Fini's words, the Ancient One didn't reply immediately. She simply gave him a deep look and began to explain:
"Your magic modifies the rules of reality. To the Earth, it is a form of invasive power. A sorcerer's responsibility is to protect the Earth from invasion. Therefore, as long as the power of the three Sanctums is protecting the Earth, it is destined to hinder your magic."
At this moment, Fini finally understood why his proficiency in the Sumire Karaage Roll skill had skyrocketed over the last eight years while Ars Magna had progressed so slowly.
It wasn't that he had some hidden talent for cooking; it was simply that his other power was being suppressed by the environment.
"So, as long as I'm not on Earth, I can unleash its full power?" Fini asked curiously.
The Ancient One shook her head and replied, "Of course not. However, as long as there are no other powers interfering, your magic will be much simpler to use. But it still depends on your personal state. If other powerful forces block you, it might be even harder to use than it is on Earth."
After saying this, the Ancient One hesitated for a moment before continuing:
"Unless you have enough energy and will injected into the magic to break through those obstacles!"
In the end, it still comes down to relying on myself!
After hearing the Ancient One's words, Fini felt his own weakness once again.
"Actually, I've always been curious—what is this magic called?"
Having said what needed to be said, the Ancient One returned to her calm demeanor and asked out of curiosity.
"Ars Magna. It's a magic I suddenly knew how to use the moment I was born. It can change reality according to the thoughts in my mind." Since the Ancient One trusted him so much, Fini didn't hide anything and shared what he could about Ars Magna.
"A truly extraordinary power!"
The Ancient One praised him. Her eyes held neither envy nor fear, only a shred of scholarly curiosity and restraint.
"Master Ancient One, I..."
Just as Fini was about to confirm whether he could stay to learn magic, the Ancient One seemed to know what he was going to say and interrupted him:
"Kamar-Taj's magic is actually not very suitable for you. If you insist on learning, you will need to shoulder the responsibilities of a sorcerer in the future. Are you sure you want to join?"
Normally, one didn't strictly have to shoulder a burden of responsibility to learn Kamar-Taj's magic, as it could be taught to outsiders—for example, those in need of help.
Was Fini a person in need of help? He personally thought so, but clearly, the Ancient One did not. Therefore, she required Fini to join Kamar-Taj and share in the maintenance of that responsibility.
Fortunately, Fini didn't mind. In his mind, the greatest enemy of sorcerers at the moment was Dormammu, a being naturally hostile to everyone on Earth. So he agreed without a second thought: "I am sure. I will join!"
The success of his apprenticeship made Fini's heart feel light, and his personality began to show its true colors.
"Master, I came in a hurry and didn't bring a gift. Would you like to try one of my special fried chicken rolls?"
As he spoke, Fini casually summoned a Sumire Karaage Roll and handed it over with a grin. Since they would be spending a lot of time together, it was impossible to keep it hidden, and the Ancient One likely already knew he could do this.
"A truly miraculous ability."
As expected, the Ancient One wasn't surprised. She praised him once more and took a bite of the chicken roll without hesitation. An intoxicated expression appeared on her face, and she couldn't help but say, "It is indeed delicious!"
Kamar-Taj was a beautiful place, appearing even more peaceful and serene under the night sky. The Ancient One took Fini on a brief tour and introduced him to the other sorcerers.
With that, he officially became a member of the Mystic Arts, even if he didn't know a single spell yet.
Since it was late, Fini had to say goodbye. He planned to return home to tell his family before coming back to practice and study. As he left, he hesitated several times before asking the final question on his mind:
"Master, aren't you curious about how I know about you?"
Hearing this, the Ancient One smiled, her eyes holding a touch of mysterious meaning. "Everyone has secrets, don't they?"
"And sometimes, when one knows too much, it's quite interesting to have a few unknown things left to explore!"
Fini didn't quite understand the meaning behind her words. Did the Ancient One feel that she already knew too much, so she wanted to keep some mystery to find a little fun and maintain that sense of curiosity?
With mixed emotions, Fini left Kamar-Taj and returned to the New York Sanctum station.
The pitch-black night turned back into broad daylight as Fini walked toward home, thinking about how to explain his upcoming departure to his family.
Time always flows silently, and in the blink of an eye, evening arrived in New York.
After dinner, Fini called his family together, saying he had an announcement.
Looking at the three people waiting curiously for him to speak, he thought for a moment and said, "I want to go out on my own for a while to see the world. I'll be back by the time school starts. Is that okay?"
"Why the sudden trip?"
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going with you!"
Their reactions were varied. His mother was reluctant to see him leave, his father asked about the destination, and Skye's was the simplest—she wanted to follow.
"I want to check out the Himalayan region."
Kamar-Taj was located within the Himalayas, so it wasn't technically lying to his parents. As for Skye following him, he decided to talk to her privately later.
Because Fini had been bright and well-behaved since childhood and rarely made requests over the years, his mother eventually agreed, despite her reluctance. His father told him to stay safe and asked when he planned to leave.
When they heard he was leaving in the next few days, everyone was surprised. Skye realized there was something fishy going on and stopped clamoring to go along.
At night, after his parents had gone to rest, Fini went to Skye's room alone, preparing to explain the matter of Kamar-Taj to her.
(End of Chapter)