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*****
Time flows like water, and as the days passed, the old was ushered out and the new brought in. Fini grew a year older, entering the perilous year of 2010. If not for his intervention, the world's era of chaos would begin from this very year.
The battle of the iron men, the descent of Norse myths, the invasion of alien armies, artificial intelligence seeking to wipe out humanity—everything was starting to crowd together and pop up all at once.
In April, it had been nearly a year since Fini came to Kamar-Taj. The peaceful rhythm of life allowed his strength to grow steadily; he was even close to his fourth skill draw.
Just as he was becoming somewhat intoxicated by this lifestyle, a piece of news broke the tranquility. It even reached the point where he successfully produced... a spark of a portal while practicing his spells.
"It's been a year. Iron Man has already gone missing, yet I can't even open a damn door."
Looking at the Sling Ring on his hand, Fini felt dejected and ashamed. Over the past year, he had essentially given up on learning all other spells to specialize in this one, yet he still hadn't succeeded. He felt that the Ancient One calling his talent "average" was a gross exaggeration.
The news of Tony Stark's whereabouts being unknown made it impossible for Fini to continue staying comfortably in Kamar-Taj, because he had to start considering his family's safety.
Actually, since the New Year, he had been trying to persuade his aging parents to retire, but the two of them, believing they were still young, refused to agree and kept stalling.
Now that Iron Man was about to make his debut, Fini didn't dare let them continue their leisurely commute in New York. There was no telling when a nuke might be dropped on their heads.
If they truly refused to leave New York, Fini would at least make them move. Over this past year, he had gone through immense effort to finally purchase a house right next to the New York Sanctum.
In all of New York, only this place could give him some peace of mind.
"Why do we have to quit our jobs and move there?"
Fini's parents didn't understand his request at all. Even Skye didn't understand why Fini insisted the whole family relocate.
Regarding his parents' doubts, Fini hesitated repeatedly, but finally gritted his teeth and explained: "The New York of the future will be very dangerous, and that place will be safe for a long time to come!"
Fini's father, Eli, thought Fini was simply worried about them getting old, so he laughed and said, "Brat, when we started living in New York, you weren't even born yet. I know what New York is like better than you do."
Seeing this, Fini sighed and helplessly manifested the Tao Mandalas he had become quite proficient with. Looking at his dumbfounded parents, he said: "Trust me, you don't necessarily know better than I do. This world is about to become more dangerous than you can imagine."
"Also, I forgot to tell you—I am a sorcerer!"
After living together for so many years, Fini was 100% certain that his parents would not feel any distance from him or view him as a monster because of his status as a sorcerer.
That was why he told them frankly and directly, without needing to weave any well-intentioned lies.
"When did you learn to do this?" Eli stared blankly at the Tao Mandalas on Fini's hands, even reaching out to touch them, though Fini dodged.
"Within this past year; Skye knows about it too," Fini said after a moment's thought. He only needed to make them believe; there was no need to be too specific, and indeed, he had only started learning spells last year.
Eli and Vera turned to look at Skye, who was also struggling to process the revelation. They opened their mouths, suddenly not knowing what to say.
"But what does this have to do with danger?"
Eli asked in a deep voice. As a lawyer, he was prone to catching the key point in the details; he was worried these dangers might be related to Fini.
"Do you believe in aliens?"
Fini caught his father's drift and explained: "A sorcerer's duty is to guard the Earth against invasion, and there are many beings in outer space who have coveted Earth for a long time."
"In the coming years, they are very likely to make some moves. The place I want you to go is a Sanctum established by sorcerers. If there is any danger, they will protect you."
"What about you?"
Hearing this, Fini's mother wasn't worried about herself first, but about him. She asked nervously: "Are you going to fight those aliens too? Will it be dangerous? Do we need to notify the military?"
"Don't worry, I'm actually very strong. As for the government, they should have corresponding organizations," Fini smiled reassuringly and then answered: "If necessary, I will definitely go. If Earth is gone, we're all finished."
At the very least, if he could prevent the matter with Dormammu, Fini would definitely not let him descend; he certainly wouldn't put all his hopes on "bargaining."
Although Fini spoke lightly, his parents couldn't help but worry. However, they finally agreed to move. Afterward, they subjected him to a thorough questioning about Kamar-Taj.
Having resolved the issue of his parents' safety, Fini breathed a sigh of relief. He had a fairly good relationship with Master Daniel of the New York Sanctum and had specifically mentioned that his parents might move nearby.
As the youngest sorcerer in Kamar-Taj, the "feeder" of the sorcerers, and the Ancient One's most favored disciple, these identities were enough for many sorcerers to give him face.
There was a reason Fini was so desperate to resolve his parents' situation. Although his strength seemed to be growing rapidly over the past year, he was still far, far behind compared to big shots like Dormammu, Thanos, and Ego.
Never mind the Green Behemoth or the God of Thunder who is afraid of electricity—even with the soon-to-be-born Iron Man, he wasn't entirely certain he could win.
Therefore, Fini needed to increase his strength, and combat was the best method. Once Iron Man made his debut, Earth would no longer lack enemies. He had to resolve his worries at home so he could focus entirely on improving.
In fact, strictly speaking, over this year in Kamar-Taj, Fini's greatest improvement wasn't in Incursio, but in the rarely used Ars Magna.
What restricted the effects of Ars Magna were the Sanctums that prevented Earth from being invaded—in other words, the power of the sorcerers.
After becoming a sorcerer, Fini gained a profound understanding of this power. It was like studying the enemy; while not necessarily having surpassed them, he understood how to better bypass the resistance.
Ars Magna was exactly like that. Although he hadn't practiced it desperately, it improved naturally once he understood how the sorcerers' power hindered its effects.
Although the Ancient One had warned him that the power of Ars Magna was dangerous, she had never actually restricted Fini from using it and had even helped him once.
However, the deeper his understanding of Ars Magna grew, the more he truly understood the Ancient One's words.
"Magic that changes reality according to one's thoughts"—it was indeed a terrifying power. Perhaps as Fini grew stronger, a simple lapse in concentration could result in all sorts of consequences.
(End of Chapter)