"Master Sebastian, this restaurant is one of the entrances. It's protected by magic that makes it invisible to ordinary people, ensuring maximum privacy. Of course, to guard against certain... special circumstances, there are also sentries stationed here. They serve as the gatekeepers to the secret place."
As Daniel spoke, a middle-aged man in a robe erged from what looked like the back kitchen. He glanced briefly at Daniel and Sebastian, said nothing, and simply pointed toward the back kitchen door. Without another word, he walked to the bar and sat down.
Daniel nodded to Sebastian and led him through the door.
The mont they stepped inside, a completely different scene unfolded before them.
It resembled the streets of a dieval town—quaint and old-fashioned—but curiously blended with advanced, high-tech elents. Oddly enough, the mixture wasn't jarring. It felt... natural.
"There are many hidden places like this around the world," Daniel explained. "This one in New York is among the largest. The style here is intentional—retro, you could say. It was designed over two centuries ago to resemble the Middle Ages."
"Master Daniel, how do people trade here? And how do mages communicate with each other?"
"See those stalls lining the street?" Daniel gestured. "Those are run by mages selling goods. Everything on display is up for sale. Prices are clearly marked, and it's first co, first served. That keeps conflicts to a minimum."
As for communication, there's a room up ahead that functions similarly to an exchange office. In theory, it's ant to facilitate trade and discussion among mages. However, in reality, most of the so-called exchange offices are run by charlatans or half-trained amateurs.
"Master Sebastian, it's enough just to take a look. I don't think there's any real need to get involved too deeply," Daniel advised.
"Thank you, Master Daniel. I truly appreciate you coming with —it helped a great deal."
Sebastian wasn't just being polite. While he didn't think he'd suffer any serious harm here, the place was filled with mages. It was impossible to be sure what kind of hidden tricks might be lying in wait. The chaotic mix of magical goods and energies was enough to give him a headache. But with Daniel's guidance, he avoided any major trouble.
They walked through the marketplace together, Sebastian trailing slightly behind, examining the items on display at various stalls. He bought a few materials that suited his needs—nothing too rare. Since most of the items could be found in the non-magical world and had simply been enhanced or refined, they weren't overly expensive.
The foundational magic of Kamar-Taj leans more toward close-combat applications. Magic is fused with martial arts techniques to create a hybrid fighting style. Advanced mages can open portals, summon mirror dinsions, and perform various other spatial magics.
At more profound levels of mastery, a mage begins drawing upon the energy of higher dinsions and eldritch entities. When it cos to combat, the mages of Kamar-Taj are unrivaled and incredibly powerful.
However, the system does have its shortcomings. Healing spells, recovery magic, and alchemy—particularly potions—are severely underdeveloped. It's no surprise that even the Ancient One showed little interest in brewing healing draughts or crafting potion recipes.
After nearly two hours of shopping, Sebastian's schoolbag was packed with magical materials, and his wallet was all but empty. Alisha's pocket money and the savings from his part-ti jobs were barely enough to scrape by anymore.
Staring at the many rare materials he couldn't afford, he found his mind wandering. Maybe I should hitch a ride with Thor to Asgard and stock up on so high-grade wand cores and potion ingredients while I'm at it.
Then his thoughts shifted. Tony Stark's already been kidnapped by now, hasn't he? Once he escapes, he'll be swimming in tech and influence. If I approach him right, maybe I can convince him to invest in my research institute. Worth a shot, considering his wealth—and ego.
Compared to the other corporate bigwigs, Tony might be arrogant, rich, and constantly surrounded by won, but at least he wasn't known for backstabbing his allies.
Still, Sebastian reminded himself: this world was reality. The movies could be a reference—but expecting things to follow the plot perfectly? Foolish. Tony Stark's general personality and trajectory were predictable, sure—but one wrong move, one assumption too many, and he'd find himself buried in problems, just like in his past life.
"Master Daniel, let's get out of here now."
"Alright."
Without further discussion, Daniel imdiately accompanied Sebastian out of the area.
As they stepped outside, Daniel leaned closer and spoke in a low voice, "Master Sebastian, did you notice them?"
"I did. They've been tailing us for the past half hour," Sebastian replied calmly. "I just don't get why they haven't made a move already. Why follow us out instead of confronting us inside? If they were going to act, that would've been easier."
Daniel nodded slightly. "There are hidden guards stationed inside. You might not notice them, but they're there. Master Gu Yi once told that Agatha Harkness is one of them. She's an imnsely powerful sorceress. While she's not officially assigned here, her residence is nearby, so she keeps a casual watch over this place. Because of her, no one dares stir up trouble inside."
Sebastian furrowed his brow slightly. He had no recollection of the na, but if the Ancient One had ntioned her, it ant Agatha Harkness wasn't soone to take lightly.
"I see... A pity I didn't get to witness her power in person," he murmured.
Daniel gave a faint smile, though his tone turned more serious. "Master Sebastian, once we're far enough, I'll open a mirror dinsion portal and take you out of the area. I'm not personally worried about those people, but I can't guarantee there won't be complications if they catch up."
"Master Daniel, once we're out of here, I want to see for myself how strong they really are. I also want to test how far my own magic has co."
Daniel frowned slightly. "Master Sebastian, those people are experienced mages. Each of them likely has abilities that aren't weak. I'm worried..."
"I know you're concerned, but you just need to stay close. We're in New York, after all. You can open a portal if things get dangerous. You didn't open one earlier because you didn't want to disturb any ordinary people—but heading back shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"No problem," Daniel replied. "As the guardian of the New York Sanctum, I can open a direct portal back anyti."
"Good. Then it's settled. Once we're outside, I'll test their strength myself. Who knows—maybe I'll surprise you, Daniel."
Stepping out from the entrance of the mysterious place, Sebastian and Daniel made their way straight into a nearby alley. Behind them, two mages trailed at a distance.
Once they entered the alley, which was relatively quiet and deserted, Sebastian glanced around and then reached into his backpack. He pulled out his wand and flicked it toward the open space ahead.
"Repello Muggletum."(Muggle-Repelling Charm.)
A soft white light shot from his wand, forming an invisible barrier that quickly expanded to envelop the entire alley.
Just then, a man passing nearby slowed down as he neared the alley—only to frown and turn around, as if suddenly rembering sothing else he needed to do. Every other passerby who approached the alley seed to do the sa, their attention drifting away as they quietly turned in another direction.
With the precautions in place, Sebastian positioned himself in the middle of the alley, standing calmly with Daniel, waiting for the two mages who had been following them to finally arrive.
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