Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
Two months had passed since he arrived at Kamar-Taj, and Skye called to notify Fini that school was about to start.
Before coming to Kamar-Taj, he had applied to Columbia University in New York. With his outstanding grades, he had been accepted without any surprises, and now it was time for school registration.
Not only that, but after being away from home for a full two months, his parents were worried to death. If he hadn't kept in touch every few days and had Skye helping to cover for him, he would have had to return long ago.
The rhythm of life in Kamar-Taj made Fini reluctant to leave. Most importantly, he couldn't bear to leave his "experience babies." The experience points he gained in a month here were worth a full year of his previous accumulation.
Fini began to consider the idea of taking a gap year to focus exclusively on learning magic here.
Unexpectedly, when he told the Ancient One this thought, he was rejected without hesitation.
"Fini, do not forget what I said. Do not let power control you. You should have your own life. Go back; Kamar-Taj is always welcome to have you return."
Fini fell into deep thought and suddenly realized the Ancient One was right. He had been somewhat obsessed with gaining experience points lately. If one day he discovered a more "efficient" means of gaining experience, would he stop at nothing to achieve it?
Fini let out a soft breath. The pressure of danger made him desperate to improve his strength, but he couldn't ignore the people around him.
Once he understood this, Fini suddenly felt his whole body lighten considerably. If expressed in data standards, it would probably be something like Mental Power +1. Of course, it still wasn't enough to open a portal.
Seriously, just how freakish is Doctor Strange's magical talent!?
"Thank you, Master!"
After thanking the Ancient One, Fini decided to go back to school. However, this didn't mean giving up on farming experience. Since the New York Sanctum existed as a transit point, coming to Kamar-Taj wasn't that difficult.
Besides, because of the time difference, when he came to Kamar-Taj at night, it was just morning here.
Most of the sorcerers in Kamar-Taj were reluctant to see Fini leave—mostly because they couldn't bear to part with the delicious Sumire Karaage Rolls. This included Mordo, who had spent the most time with him recently.
"By the way, where did you learn this spell?"
Watching Fini skillfully summon a "Sumire Karaage Roll" and hand it over, Mordo accepted it with complex emotions. This junior brother—who wasn't very old and didn't have much talent, yet was uniquely favored by the Master—always carried an air of mystery.
"It's innate magic, you know? The kind of skill you're born with. It's exclusive; others can't learn it. I'm not bragging, but even Master Ancient One couldn't learn this."
Actually, more than one person had asked about the "Sumire Karaage Roll." If it were a method using self-prepared ingredients, he would be happy to teach, but if it was about how to use the skill like he did, there was no way to teach it.
Unlike Incursio, which had a physical medium, the Sumire Karaage Roll was just purely unreasonable. Although he once thought it was useless, it was now his key to managing interpersonal relationships.
In two months, was there anyone in all of Kamar-Taj who hadn't eaten Fini's exclusive "Sumire Karaage Roll"? Even many of those guarding the Sanctums would specifically return every day to ask for a few to pack and take away. If they didn't eat one for a day, they felt miserable.
He had practically become the "feeder" for the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.
"I'm heading out, Senior. I'll probably be back soon, but you can find me in New York if anything happens."
In the courtyard, Fini bid farewell to Mordo. Since he couldn't open portals himself yet, he either asked someone to open one for him or used the transit portal in the library.
"Goodbye. Do not neglect your cultivation."
Though they had only spent two months together, Mordo felt a hint of reluctance as he watched Fini prepare to leave.
Perhaps it was because his arrival had brought a different atmosphere to this peaceful and serene Holy Land!
Watching Fini's back as he waved with a grin and vanished, Mordo thought silently to himself.
Although he was supposedly on a "trip," Fini actually brought nothing back when he returned.
He might return to Kamar-Taj in a few days, so there was nothing worth bringing, and Skye had already brought a batch of things from the nearby town as gifts before. He didn't want to buy more useless junk.
Therefore, when Fini returned home empty-handed, his parents found it a bit strange. If it weren't for the fact that he had indeed disappeared for two months and his skin was noticeably tanned and his body stronger, they would have thought he had just gone out for a stroll.
"Why didn't you say something before you came back!"
Although she was a bit taken aback by Fini's appearance, his mother immediately came over, alternating between concern and complaining: "Nothing happened while you were out, right? Why didn't you come back with your sister? You've gotten so dark."
Fini laughed and didn't argue with his parents. Afterward, the family had a happy dinner together. Just as he was about to rest, he was dragged into her room by Skye.
"So, did you learn it after I left?" As soon as they entered the room, Skye asked impatiently and curiously. Although she could see other sorcerers casting spells in Kamar-Taj, they had practiced for years; it wasn't nearly as interesting as Fini, whom she had learned alongside.
Fini didn't say a word. He simply manifested the flickering Tao Mandalas on his right hand.
"You succeeded!?"
Skye's mood was complex—on one hand, she felt a natural joy for him, but on the other, she felt a sense of loss that she couldn't learn it herself.
Noticing the expression on Skye's face, Fini dispelled the spell and tapped her small head with his finger, comforting her: "Alright, this is still far from 'learned.' My talent is insufficient; in this lifetime, I'll probably just struggle to master two spells at most."
"You call that insufficient talent?" Skye became even more depressed. Then what did that make her—someone with zero talent?
"Far from it!"
Fini thought of Doctor Strange again. Now that was real talent. If his mental power hadn't broken through earlier, he still wouldn't be able to manifest the Tao Mandalas.
For a moment, both people in the room were in a bad mood.
However, Fini quickly adjusted. He still had the system; he didn't need to struggle with the path of a sorcerer forever. Besides, based purely on Incursio, he was already stronger than most sorcerers.
Seeing Skye's dejected look, Fini thought for a moment and offered a reminder: "Actually, don't be too discouraged. Master told me once that you might have other powers in your body, they just haven't been developed yet."
The Ancient One had, of course, never said this, but what are Masters for if not to be used as excuses? Just like Incursio—once he said it was a gift from the Ancient One, aside from the jealous Mordo, who would dare go to the Ancient One to verify it?
"Really?"
Skye looked up in surprise, then grabbed Fini's arm and pressed: "What kind of power? How do I develop it?"
"The time isn't right yet." Fini shook his head and didn't say too much. However, after thinking about it, he added: "Maybe it has something to do with vibrations?"
"Eh!?"
This wasn't the first time Fini had mentioned vibration abilities. He had mentioned it several times before, but Skye hadn't paid much attention to it. Now, she finally understood.
"Why would it be vibrations?"
Skye asked, completely baffled.
"How should I know?" Fini rolled his eyes, complaining inwardly: You should ask your alien genes that.
"Anyway, when you have free time, you can research knowledge in that area. It might be useful later." After giving her one last instruction, Fini went back to his room to rest.
(End of Chapter)