At the sa ti, The Ancient One had doubts. With Strange's current willpower and character, could he truly resist being corrupted by money?
What if he ended up becoming a wicked capitalist, indulging in luxury atop piles of money every day, wholeheartedly pursuing the path of idleness and hedonism? It wouldn't be right to just turn him into dumpling filling, would it?
As things had progressed this far, The Ancient One decided, for the sake of avoiding the risk of her chosen successor heedlessly casting himself into the arms of capitalism, she'd break from traditional thods. It would be more vital to ensure that Strange wouldn't stray offcourse.
Thus, on that morning when Shiller was locked out of the hospital without a key, Strange truly learned of the Magical World from The Ancient One for the first ti. And he received a study abroad invitation from Kamar-Taj.
That's right, a study abroad invitation, not an act of rcy or sothing along those lines.
After all, the current situation wasn't Strange seeking a cure around the world, but that The Ancient One saw potential in Strange and didn't want him to be blinded by worldly fa and profit. She took the initiative, and naturally, the invitation was much more courteous.
The Ancient One also knew that under these circumstances, Strange couldn't just leave. Many people depended on him for inco. If she just took him away, the newly installed internet line at The Sanctum would be dug up again.
Therefore, the Supre Magician graciously proposed that Strange could commute to school. After work, for example, he could take the teleportation door at The Sanctum to attend a few hours of class and return in the morning.
The Ancient One also told Strange to ponder for a couple of days before answering, considering what magnitude of a car accident would be required for him to repent if he refused.
When Strange ca to work in the afternoon, his mind was still in a haze, apparently shocked by the magic shown by The Ancient One.
Shiller's levitating ballpoint pen trick was nothing he hadn't seen in magic shows. It seed more like a trick, rather than actual magic.
But The Ancient One was a bona fide Supre Magician, each and every move of hers was honed from countless Demon Gods turned into dumpling fillings, each spell was an expert's manoeuvre. Ordinary people who spent their lives studying science, like Strange, or even the world's most creative magicians, would be left awestruck by her boundless, magical might.
"Does everything we do truly hold aning?" Strange sat at his office desk, his gaze vacant, asking, "I've studied knowledge and technology for many years, but that magic... they can accomplish everything just by waving their hands..."
Strange looked down at his fingers, pointing out, "When I cut a vegetable earlier, I sliced my finger here..."
"Then she just waved her hand, and the wound healed, no dical techniques needed, no dicine, no doctor..."
"So, what exactly is the purpose of human dical science? What is the purpose of my existence?"
"A sick person lying in a hospital bed could just find a group of magicians who would wave at him, and I could just get lost because no dozen-hour surgery or post-operative recovery would be needed anymore..."
Strange spread his hands open, his mouth gaping, but no words ca out.
Then he asked Shiller doubtfully, "You all belong to the sa group, right? Those who know magic, what do you consider regular people? Are we stupid and ludicrous to you? Spending tens of years learning knowledge and honing skills only to..."
He chuckled mockingly, "We're like a bunch of ants scrambling in the mud, aren't we?"
"Then why don't you have a go yourself," Shiller, sitting across from him, said. "Try and see if magic is as easy and effortless as you think."
"What could be easier than waving hands? It simply does not make any sense." Strange sighed, gripping his forehead, "I've known since I was very little that there are so people on this earth who can easily get things that one can never attain in a lifeti."
"They don't make any effort, they just happen to be lucky, the world is inherently unfair."
"But..." He paused for a mont before continuing, "The extent of its unfairness is still beyond my imagination."
Strange chuckled, but it looked like a painful effort. He said, "It seems that now, the rich are also fools deceived by the world, that's the only good news I've heard today."
"Do you know how Stark views magic?"
Strange looked at Shiller. While he didn't care about Stark's repugnant opinions, he was curious about how these people, already at the peak of the human race, drenched in the world's most fa and fortune, perceived transcendent matters.
"During the vampire invasion, he also pondered this question. Mortals dream of immortality, even eternal life, which those giant bats are born with. They're incredibly strong and infinitely powerful. Even well-trained mortals must team up to handle one of them. It seems very unfair, like a biased joke by the creator."
"But later, he realized these things had happened millions of years ago in the ancient Barbaric Era. Human physical strength was in no way comparable to those beasts with sharp talons and fangs, yet we still managed to survive and develop such a thriving civilization."
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