章節 99: Plans And Extensions

After waking up the next morning, Liam began formulating a new training plan.

'I need to improve my control over the white energy,' he thought, writing down his first priority. 'Next, I should work on my domain skills through active combat.'

'While controlling white energy can't really be practiced effectively in combat, training with the domain is different,' he reasoned.

'I should ask the Ancient One to send me the locations of multiple dimensional tears. That way, I can get my armor to adapt more and improve my proficiency with my domain as well.'

He also made a note to study more advanced notes from other masters on the Eldritchs construct spell.

Liam had already achieved a high level of skill with the spell, but to go beyond his current limits, research and learning extensions developed by past masters were much needed.

'Some people spend their entire lives training spells and creating custom extensions,' he reflected. 'I've seen some of their scrolls before, but I wasn't ready to learn them at the time.'

'Now, though, I'm ready.' He thought, getting excited. 'Especially the extensions for making constructs float and designing mechanisms to create animal forms.'

The floating construct extension was developed roughly two hundred years ago, but barely anyone had ever reached the mastery required to use it. The creator had created a method for integrating floating and accelerating enhancements directly into the construct creation process.

As for the animal-form extension, it was even older and far more complex. The challenge wasn't shaping the construct into an animal—it was engineering mechanisms to make it move on orders.

For example, the master who created this extension had created two bull-shaped constructs that could temporarily lock onto a target and charge at them with extremely sharp horns that could pierce straight through walls.

'Essentially, the master crafted the animal shape and used energy to add a targeting system,' Liam thought.

'I'll need to learn how to combine enhancements into constructs during the creation proces and the specific enhancements themselves. It'll take a while but it'll be worth it,' he concluded. 'If I had rat constructs programmed to search for enemies, I could've cleaned up the Hydra agents much faster.'

Although such constructs wouldn't be effective against powerful opponents or even while they are present, they would be extremely useful for dealing with large groups of enemies while alone.

'And as I grow stronger and gain more access to energy…' Liam smiled at the thought.

'Imagine thousands of rats that can bite through steel doors swarming towards you.'

His mind set, Liam decided to visit the Ancient One. After all, the scrolls he wanted weren't easily accessible—they were the life's work of legendary master magicians from different times. The Ancient One wouldn't want just any rookie to try and learn these extensions.

'I can also ask for locations of dimensional tears,' he mused as he walked down the corridors.

'I really need a way to locate them myself. While my eldritch sight has improved to cover about two miles, tracking tears across the globe is a completely different matter.'

He searched for the Ancient One in the usual places where she spend her time but found no sign of her.

'That's unusual,' Liam thought, frowning. 'Where could she have gone?'

Since he couldn't locate her, he decided to wait in her study. While seated, he continued thinking over his plan to establish an organization.

'The easiest way to gather resources is by seizing them from Hydra bases that are still standing,' he reasoned. 'I doubt Strucker destroyed all of the bases Alexander knew about.'

'I also need to recruit normal people and scientists.' He thought.

He'd need scientists for his organization—not just for research, but to design facilities like Charles Xavier's Danger Room for example.

'They might also be able to create hybrid tools by combining science and magic,' he mused.

As for regular people, he'd need those capable in politics- the thought of politics filled him with pain.

'I don't want to be bothered with a giant target on my back as some kind of rogue organization while I try to keep other dimensions from invading.'

On the scientific side, he already had a destination in mind.

'Wakanda would be ideal,' Liam concluded. 'Their beliefs and connection to Bast make them more likely to accept magic.'

'With their open-mindedness, there will likely be many people talented in both science and magic,' he thought. 'It'll be like killing two birds with one stone.'

As these thoughts continued, a ripple distorted the room before him. The Ancient One appeared, carrying an unconscious Illyana.

"What happened to her?" Liam asked.

"Worry not," the Ancient One replied calmly. "This is a result of meditating and confronting her trauma. Embracing her other personality will be a long process."

Liam nodded, understanding. He knew Illyana had an incredibly deep trauma, and facing it needed time and patience. Besides, Liam trusted the Ancient One and knew she wouldn't hurt her.

'Training Illyana in the Mirror Dimension,' Liam thought, remembering that he had yet to learn the Mirror Dimension himself. 'Makes sense—it's the best way to ensure her dark powers don't hurt anyone while she confronts her traumas.'

"Now, young Liam," the Ancient One said. "What brings you here?"

"I came to borrow some extensions on the Eldritch Construct spell," he replied.

"Extensions?" she repeated, raising a brow. "You've come far in such a short time. What extensions do you seek?"

"The teachings of Master Morgwyn and Master Veyren," Liam said.

The Ancient One smiled, reaching into her pocket dimension. She retrieved three spellbooks and placed them before him. Gesturing towards the tomes, she invited him to take them.

Liam read the titles. The third book covered the Mirror Dimension.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Thank yourself," the Ancient One responded. "You've truly grown and become a master of the mystical arts."

'Time has indeed gone fast.' He thought, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked.

"Yes," Liam said. "Do you have a map or list of open dimensional tears—regardless of their level?"

"Follow me," the Ancient One instructed.

He trailed her as they approached a wall right outside her study. Without hesitation, she passed through it. Liam followed closely, his eldritch sights detected large energy sources as he noticed the spells covering into the hidden passage.

They walked in silence until they arrived at a vast, open room.

"This is it." the Ancient One said, gesturing for the middle of the room.

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章節 100: Globe and Artifact

Finding the room empty except for a large round table with old wooden chairs surrounding it, Liam couldn't help but give the Ancient One a curious look.

"What is this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Ancient One smiled gently and pressed her hand onto a section of the table that looked different from the rest, channeling energy into it.

In response, a massive blue hologram of swirling energy came to life above the table. The projection was massive, filling most of the room as it rotated slowly. Red dots appeared in various locations across its surface, each pulsing faintly.

"This is The Globe," the Ancient One explained. "It was created by the first Sorcerer Supreme and remains our most effective tool for detecting dimensional tears across the world from within the sanctums."

Liam's eyes went over the projection. "The Globe, huh?" he muttered, stepping closer to examine the hologram.

"All of the red marks represent dimensional tears," she continued. "Remember, this information is a closely guarded secret. Only a select few know of this artifact's existence. If its location or function were compromised and it was destroyed, we would lose the ability to find hidden tears effectively."

Before Sse gestured towards a particularly large red dot. "The size of each red mark correlates to the energy levels of the tear it represents."

Liam nodded, beginning to understand how the Ancient One could dispatch mages worldwide with such precision.

'I used to think she memorized these locations using what she has seen from the Time Stone,' Liam reflected. 'But that wouldn't make sense. The Time Stone only shows potential futures. Every change could create new tears in different places.'

The Ancient One placed her hand back on the table. "You may use The Globe whenever you wish. Simply pour energy into this section."

Liam placed his hand on the place she gestured to and send a bit of energy through his palm. "Thank you," he said. 'This will drastically improve my training plans.'

As he circled the projection, a large red mark over Greece caught his attention.

"What about this one?" he asked, pointing at the prominent mark. "Is it a large tear?"

"That's correct," the Ancient One confirmed. "It expanded to a large tear approximately a day ago. The masters assigned to that region are currently handling another tear in the Netherlands. You are welcome to go over there if you wish."

"I was planning to," Liam replied, a smirk appearing. A large tear meant powerful creatures—and an opportunity to test himself further.

'Last time, I defeated a high-level creature with a terrain disadvantage before my evolution. This time, I'm stronger. If it's a fresh tear, I should be able to do it without to much difficulty.'

As Liam sunk into his own thoughts for a moment, the Ancient One looked at him with an unreadable expression.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Liam continued with a question he still had in the back of his mind.

"Can we tell which dimension the tear connects to?" he asked, still interested in the Globe.

"Unfortunately, no," the Ancient One said. "The first Sorcerer Supreme hadn't devised a way to identify dimensions in his lifetime, so also not while this artifact was created."

Liam shrugged. 'I'll figure it out when I get there. Hopefully, it's a dimension I haven't tapped into yet for energy signatures.'

After they exited the hidden passageway, Liam turned to face her again.

"Thanks for all your help today," he said, sincerely.

"Before you leave," the Ancient One said, halting him with a soft smile, "since you have reached master level, you now have the right to visit the artifact room. There, you may see if an artifact chooses you."

Liam blinked. He had forgotten about this tradition. Every master-level sorcerer was granted a chance to bond with a mystical artifact, much like how the Cloak of Levitation had chosen Stephen Strange.

He smiled. "Let's go right now," he said, interested in these old artifacts.

The Ancient One nodded and created a portal.

Together, they stepped through into a chamber filled with rows of glass cases, each housing a different unique object. Some appeared simple, while others were very detailed and looked ancient. Weapons, tools, and strange devices filled the room, each one had a long history and had different requirements.

In one corner, the Cloak of Levitation rested within its own case. Liam approached it, standing still for several minutes. He waited, almost willing it to react. But nothing happened.

The Ancient One observed him with a knowing smile. "Most artifacts are quite selective. They seek those who meet very specific requirements."

Liam sighed. 'I've always had trouble with flying opponents,' he thought. 'The Cloak would've been perfect.'

He moved on, wandering through the room with amazement as he inspected each artifact. Occasionally, he asked the Ancient One about their properties, and she patiently explained.

He found some specific artifacts more interesting than others. One such was the Veil of Silence, which silenced sound within a radius for five minutes before requiring a recharge. Another item, the Gauntlet of Clarity, enhanced mental processing speed and focus.

As he continued, an artifact started to hum very soft in a different section. He didn't notice it at first, but the hum grew louder with each step he took towards a display in the middle-right section of the room.

He turned towards the sound and found himself looking at a pendant with overlapping layers of glass with a long brown cord attached to the top, It laid on a red cushion within its case.

'Mirrorheart Pendant,' the label read.

"Interesting," the Ancient One murmured from a few feet away.

The hum got louder as Liam approached.

"Go ahead," she said, waving her hand to dispel the protective enchantments on the glass. "It seems an artifact has chosen you."

"What is it?" Liam asked as he opened the case and carefully lifted the pendant by its cord. The humming stopped, and the artifact stopped moving in his hand.

He raised it to eye level, inspecting the detailed, mirror-like layers of glass as the Ancient One began to explain.

"The Mirrorheart Pendant is an ancient artifact, crafted shortly after the era of the first Sorcerer Supreme. It has chosen only two previous wielders. For generations, its requirements have remained unknown."

She gestured towards the pendant. "Its primary benefits are enhanced control over the Mirror Dimension and the ability to create mirror-clones within it. These clones can mimic abilities for a limited time before dissipating."

"That's incredible." Liam responded, looking curiously at the pendant.

"Indeed," she said, "The notes from previous owners also mentioned that they felt they hadn't fully explored all of its functions due to their limited skill in manipulating the Mirror Dimension.

"I haven't even learned the Mirror Dimension yet," Liam pointed out. "Why would it choose me?"

"That," the Ancient One said with a soft smile, "is for you to discover."

Liam nodded, he had expected such an answer from the Ancient One.

After a some more talking, he returned to his room with the pendant around his neck.

'Tomorrow will be a busy day,' he thought with a satisfied smile. 'I really wonder what dimension it will be.'