Chapter 217: Chapter: 217
Upon careful consideration, Mark realized that his previous situation was indeed as described by the Ancient One. Apart from the mechanical technology on his body, which he could control at will, most of the abilities gained through body modifications relied on automatic bodily responses to activate them.
For example, his informationized vision could only be passively controlled by severing neural connections to prevent overwhelming information from entering his brain, but he couldn't independently control the activation and deactivation of this ability.
The same applied to the super-healing ability brought about by the Extremis transformation; it was the body's autonomous response to injuries for repair. Mark had no control over its activation or the rate of injury recovery.
"If these abilities are indeed products of the mind influencing matter, as the Ancient One said, then they should be controllable by my own will, just like magic."
The Ancient One must have sealed away the abilities I acquired through modification because of this realization. Abilities that seemed unrelated were fundamentally the same. If I can master the technique of mentally interfering with matter, I can manipulate my own magic and all these abilities at will and unleash even greater power."
With this realization, Mark immediately became excited. Although he was left alone on Mount Everest, facing a time constraint and a crisis, it was indeed a great way to fully unleash the human body's inner potential.
Mark focused his mind, following the guidance of Kaecilius and the hints from the Ancient One, and tried to construct the image of Karma Taj in his mind.
Although the altitude of over 8,400 meters tested Mark's body severely, the cold air also brought his state of mind into an unprecedented calmness.
"Imagine every detail, make the image in your mind clear, and then... seize the opportunity!"
Mark maintained the image he constructed in his mind while directing his own magic to the ring. With his right hand, he drew circles using the ring's power continuously. Swish!
As magic accumulated, the magic halo formed by the teleportation gate kept rotating and expanding until it appeared in front of Mark. On the other side of the teleportation gate, it was the training ground where he had just trained, with the Ancient One and Kaecilius eagerly awaiting his arrival.
"It seems you have completed this challenge and successfully mastered your own power."
Mark looked at the Ancient One, a confident smile appearing on his face.
He stepped through the teleportation gate and returned to Karma Taj. The snow and wind on his body had completely melted and evaporated under the intentionally elevated body temperature he controlled, leaving no trace.
"Yes, your excellence has exceeded my expectations. Your talent even surpasses that of Kaecilius back then. Not only have you successfully mastered control over your own magic, but you have also broken through the seal I placed in your mind.
This means that you have successfully mastered your own power and have learned to perceive and comprehend this world, which you once thought you knew so well, through your mind."
The Ancient One looked at Mark with a satisfied expression that she couldn't conceal, praising him. However, what the Ancient One didn't notice was that Kaecilius, who stood beside her, had an unpleasant and envious look on his face upon hearing those words. His eyes towards Mark were filled with dangerous jealousy and wariness.
Although the Ancient One didn't notice, Mark clearly saw it. No matter how Kaecilius tried to hide it, he couldn't deceive Mark's digitized vision.
But Mark didn't pay it any mind. Now that he had mastered the usage of the ring, he didn't need to fear Kaecilius using secret techniques against him. Apart from those techniques, it wasn't arrogance on Mark's part; it was a fact that Kaecilius was simply not his match.
As Mark made greater progress and gained deeper understanding in the realm of magic, the gap between them would widen further. Kaecilius posed no threat to Mark.
"Tomorrow, I will begin teaching you a new lesson. Your progress in learning has been rapid, and this will be the final lesson I impart to you.
After tomorrow, you will surpass the realm of an apprentice sorcerer and become a true sorcerer. However, the path to follow from here is something I cannot teach you. It will require your own exploration, accumulation, and reflection to continue making progress."
"You can rest assured, Ancient One. I believe my thirst for knowledge is the best guide and motivation on the path of a sorcerer. I will study diligently in tomorrow's final lesson."
...
"Your complexion looks healthy, it seems you had a good rest last night. Now I can begin today's lesson."
The Ancient One looked at Mark's energetic state with satisfaction, nodding approvingly, and then cast a spell to transport him into a wondrous mirrored world.
"Your progress in the study of magic has been remarkable, so now you need to practice your abilities in a safer place.
The place I'm taking you to now is called the Mirror Dimension. It exists but is extremely difficult to perceive. It is a parallel dimension that is intricately connected to the real world, two sides of the same universe.
If the real world represents reality, then everything in the Mirror Dimension is illusory. Whatever happens here will have no impact on the real world.
Sorcerers often train and supervise themselves in this dimension and sometimes use it as a means of isolating danger. Without the ring, one would be trapped here."
"Wait!" Mark suddenly interrupted the Ancient One, "You said that without the ring, one would be trapped in the Mirror Dimension. But I clearly see that you're not wearing the ring, yet you can still open and control the Mirror Dimension."
The Ancient One smiled curiously at Mark's question. "When a power becomes strong enough, it can break free from certain rules and transcend common knowledge."
"Uh..." Mark was speechless in response to the Ancient One's answer. In simple terms, if you're strong enough, you can do it too.
It was truly an invisible way of showing off, and most deadly. Mark decided that from now on, he would keep his mouth shut in front of the Ancient One, to avoid being shown up by this individual who had lived for who knows how long.
Seeing that Mark no longer had any questions, the Ancient One continued, "If one day I discover that you have strayed from the path of a sorcerer and taken actions that may harm the Earth, I will revoke everything I have taught you and forever imprison you in the Mirror Dimension.
This is my warning to you, as well as advice. However, judging from your performance in the Battle of New York, I believe you won't tread the wrong path."
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