Wong couldn't help but swallow, his nerves tightening as he feared being bound.
At that mont, a figure slowly materialized, floating before him. Dressed in sleek combat gear, it was Matthew.
"Damn it, are you actually trying to kill ?" Wong burst out the mont he saw him.
This was just too much.
It wasn't that Matthew was ruthless—Wong knew very well that in this spar, Matthew had held back imnsely. What truly upset him was the absurd rate of Matthew's growth.
In just two months, focusing purely on magic sparring, Wong had been completely outmatched.
No matter how good-tempered he was, the gap was hard to accept.
He had spent over a decade—nearly twenty years—studying magic, only to be beaten black and blue by an apprentice who had trained for two months. Where was the justice in that?
Was talent really this unreasonable?
So Wong was simply venting his frustration.
That said, he wasn't truly angry.
If you're weak, train more—that was the simple truth.
Matthew understood this and didn't respond to Wong's outburst. With a light wave of his hand, the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak dissolved into countless scarlet motes and vanished.
The bottomless crack in the ground restored itself.
The two of them landed back on solid ground. After venting, Wong cald down. He looked at Matthew deeply, then sighed.
"You've already walked a path that takes other sorcerers decades to complete."
"But the path of magic has no end. You still have a vast future ahead of you, and much more to learn. Don't waste your talent, Matthew."
"Kamar-Taj has produced many brilliant prodigies before—but most of them were ruined by arrogance and pride."
Wong admired Matthew's talent, but he didn't want to see him follow the sa path as those gifted sorcerers of the past.
"I understand. Thank you for your help, Wong."
Matthew didn't explain further. He simply expressed his gratitude.
Without Wong, his progress in magic wouldn't have been this fast.
Crack—
As they spoke, the space before them fractured like a shattered mirror. They stepped through it, and in the next instant, the scenery shifted—they were now at the entrance of the classical hall.
It was still dayti. The sky above Kamar-Taj was a clear blue.
"The Ancient One still hasn't returned," Matthew muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"That's normal. The Ancient One is the Sorcerer Supre and the leader of Kamar-Taj. She carries the heaviest responsibility, facing threats far beyond what we can handle."
Wong shook his head, his expression filled with respect.
Only those who knew—and had faced such dangers—could truly understand the greatness of the Sorcerer Supre.
Sorcerers often faced threats from beings of other dinsions, and there had been countless sacrifices. Those entities were already overwhelmingly powerful compared to them.
But threats like Dark Lords were on an entirely different level—only the Sorcerer Supre could stand against them.
Such battles and confrontations were beyond imagination, and they often lasted for long periods of ti.
Matthew nodded but said nothing.
The Ancient One had indeed done a great deal. It was no wonder these sorcerers held her in such high regard.
People often spoke of how calculating she was, but when it ca to protecting Earth, she had fulfilled her duty to the utmost.
By comparison, Doctor Strange, as Sorcerer Supre, had many shortcomings.
It could be said that in tis of crisis, Doctor Strange inspired the greatest sense of security—but in tis of peace, he might also be the most dangerous one.
"You're leaving?" Wong asked, shifting the topic when he saw Matthew had no intention of continuing.
"Yes."
Putting aside matters that required his attention on Reacher's side, Matthew had progressed too quickly at Kamar-Taj. He needed ti to digest and consolidate what he had learned.
Just as Wong had said—the path of magic was endless.
It didn't matter where he studied. Even outside Kamar-Taj, he could continue to learn and grow.
"Alright. In any case, you already have access to the library and Kamar-Taj. If you ever need to borrow any books, you can co back anyti," Wong said, clicking his tongue.
He had never seen anyone like Matthew before.
It was as if he were chosen by fate. Ever since arriving at Kamar-Taj, every privilege had been opened to him—anything he wanted was given. This was practically the treatnt reserved for the next Sorcerer Supre.
Thinking this, Wong suddenly froze, as if a realization struck him.
Sorcerer Supre?
His expression shifted, and the way he looked at Matthew subtly changed.
Matthew: ?
Matthew felt puzzled. What kind of look was that from this usually straightforward sorcerer?
He thought he saw doubt, confusion… even respect?
What kind of emotional shift was that?
Did he misunderstand sothing?
"Alright, I should get going."
Feeling uncomfortable under Wong's gaze, Matthew quickly said his goodbye.
In the next mont, his figure faded away just like the Ancient One's, disappearing on the spot.
"…Master? What exactly are you planning?"
Wong stood there, his expression constantly shifting. He couldn't figure out what the Ancient One intended.
If Matthew was the next Sorcerer Supre… then what about Kaecilius?
Previously, everyone in Kamar-Taj had understood that Kaecilius, as the Ancient One's direct disciple, not only possessed outstanding talent but had also demonstrated exceptional leadership and ability during missions.
It was almost universally assud that the next Sorcerer Supre would be Kaecilius.
But now… things seed to be changing.
Why?
Could it be that the Ancient One's chosen successor wasn't Kaecilius, but Matthew?
Thinking about it, the possibility was quite high.
In terms of talent alone, Matthew far surpassed Kaecilius. In just two months, he had already reached Kaecilius's level.
If Matthew continued to grow, Kaecilius might not even be able to see his shadow anymore.
But the Ancient One's previous attitude toward cultivating Kaecilius had been so clear.
This…
Wong couldn't make sense of it. He felt conflicted. If Matthew truly was the next Sorcerer Supre, would Kaecilius accept it?
If not, it would inevitably lead to conflict.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Wong decided to stop overthinking it. He could only let things take their course.
Deep down, though, compared to Kaecilius, he found himself leaning more toward Matthew.
It wasn't just about talent—their personalities were completely different.
Kaecilius was too extre in certain ways—so extre it was unsettling, even cold.
Matthew, on the other hand, was entirely different. There were many secrets about him that Wong couldn't see through, yet being around him gave off a calm, reassuring presence.
Those were qualities Kaecilius simply didn't have.
He hadn't thought about it before, but now that Matthew had appeared, comparing the two made Kaecilius's flaws stand out even more.
Just as Wong finished his thoughts—
Soone passed by in front of him.
"Kaecilius."
"Wong."
Hearing the greeting, Kaecilius turned to look. His expression was sowhat gloomy. Noticing the strange look in Wong's eyes, he frowned.
"Sothing wrong?"
"…No. Where are you going?"
"To the library."
"…I see."
Wong looked like he wanted to say sothing but stopped himself, which only made Kaecilius more puzzled. Since Wong didn't speak, Kaecilius simply left.
Leaving Wong standing there, still feeling conflicted.
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