anwhile…
The trio returned to Earth.
As soon as the portal closed, a group of curious sorcerers surrounded them.
Before Lyon could begin explaining, Mordo clutched his head and exclaid in disbelief.
"By the Vishanti! Master Lyon, I never imagined you could be so powerful—actually gaining the upper hand in a confrontation with Odin!"
First, he was awestruck; then, he was in utter despair.
"But wasn't the agreent you made with Odin too impulsive?!"
"Asgard is full of gods! Their bodies are incredibly strong, and they can use magic. Facing them on their turf gives us sorcerers very slim chances of winning!"
Mordo was always so serious.
Even though he was clearly still shaken, with cold sweat dripping down his back, he had already begun strategizing for the match in April.
It was evident that he very much wanted to win.
"Mordo, why do you think he abided by the rules all those years but broke them when the Ancient One died?"
Mordo was silent.
"Because he looked down on everyone in the Kamar-Taj who isn't the Ancient One."
"But now we have you.."
"So? What happens when I'm gone? You guys have been training here for decades and you have been by Ancient One's side for many years, still he looked down on you. We have to show him that the Kamar-Taj isn't just a one-man show; every mber of it is not to be taken lightly."
"That's true, but.."
"You think we can't win?" Lyon tilted his head and asked.
"It's unlikely.." Mordo nodded.
Lyon raised his right hand, forming a fist, while his left hand conjured an energy whip. "This, plus this—do you think we can win or not?"
"This… we can win, but that's you winning. You can't participate," Mordo hesitated.
"So you're saying the other sorcerers can't win?"
"Exactly! It's almost impossible for us to overco those gods!"
Lyon nodded. "I'm saying they can't win either."
"Then why make that agreent? The contract is already set. If we go, it's just going to end in humiliation!" Mordo was frantic.
The other sorcerers, confused by the conversation, stepped forward to inquire.
Mordo, whose tense nerves had just started to relax, couldn't keep his mouth shut. Animatedly, he began explaining the situation to the group.
A few minutes later, the sorcerers grasped the events that had unfolded.
They cheered with excitent upon hearing that Lyon had forced Odin to yield.
But when they learned about the duel, their enthusiasm quickly turned into anxiety.
"Honored Lyon, perhaps you don't fully understand our capabilities," said Master Hamir tactfully. "While we excel at dealing with dinsional entities, fighting gods who wield divine power and magic is a completely different challenge. We don't necessarily have the upper hand."
The other sorcerers chid in, discussing the situation at length. Most were comparing their own combat abilities, and the mood was decidedly uneasy.
For the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, their primary duty was to guard Earth's dinsional boundaries.
Because of this, most of their magical arsenal lacked efficient offensive capabilities. Even their primary spells were primarily defensive in nature.
They perford well enough in coordinated battles, working as a team.
But in one-on-one duels, especially against opponents who were "hexagonal warriors" (balanced in all aspects of combat), they were at a clear disadvantage.
At this mont, Lyon shook his head.
He pointed a finger and cast a projection spell, conjuring magical images in the air.
In the projection, a golden-red suit of iron soared into the sky.
A massive green beast roared atop a mountain peak.
A scene of countless magical rings tearing apart the ocean surface appeared next.
"Tell ," Lyon asked, "do you think these individuals could stand a chance against Asgard?"
"They could… but they aren't sorcerers, are they?" Wong scratched his head.
"You think they don't seem like sorcerers?"
"Not at all!"
"Heheh~ But I say they are sorcerers—and not just any sorcerers, but Kamar-Taj's personally trained ones! The kind who've been learning since childhood!" Lyon said with a grin. "They're just… a little specialized, that's all."
"These days, being a sorcerer is all about inclusivity."
"Who's to say soone who casts a light spell and then charges in to slay a dragon with a flurry of blades isn't a sorcerer?"
"And who's to say soone wearing an iron suit isn't secretly casting spells inside it?"
Lyon's words left the assembled sorcerers utterly dumbfounded.
"You… you an to bring in Iron Man and that green guy as outside help?" Master Daniel's lips twitched.
Many of the sorcerers present hesitated.
Losing to Asgard would indeed tarnish Kamar-Taj's reputation.
But calling on external reinforcents felt like an act of desperation, and for these justice-driven sorcerers, it was hard to stomach.
Lyon smiled. "If you think outside help is unacceptable, then let's all train hard!"
"I'll personally have Wong and Mordo learn so combat-specific magic techniques, and then they can teach the rest of you."
"Four months from now, if you can pass the trials or secure external reinforcents, then it'll be up to you to step into the arena!"
"And if you lose, don't burden yourselves with guilt."
"As for the two individuals you saw in the projection earlier, I'll also be teaching them magic. By then, they'll officially be part of Kamar-Taj too."
Hearing this explanation, the sorcerers felt much more at ease.
Their spirits reignited, and they eagerly asked, "Honored Lyon, what magic will you teach us?"
Lyon smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out soon enough!"
"But let's set that aside for now! Don't forget, our dinner isn't over yet!"
With that, Lyon reached into his internal world again and pulled out a massive deep-sea octopus, several ters long.
"Take a look at this deep-sea octopus! I promise it'll be delicious!"
Skillfully, he started a fire and set up a barbecue grill.
"Tonight is not only a night to mourn the passing of the Ancient One, but also the night I officially take up the mantle of Sorcerer Supre! And it's the night you've resolved to defeat Asgard!"
"It's also our last celebration. After tonight, the dinsional demon gods and hellish lords watching Earth will learn of the Ancient One's death!"
"And that will mark the true beginning of our battle!"
"Now, does anyone want to sing an inspiring song to commorate this unforgettable night? The first one to sing gets the first bite of the barbecue!"
Lyon's words stirred the sorcerers' spirits, and when they heard about the barbecue, their eyes lit up.
"I'll do it!"
Master Hamir, dressed in traditional Taoist robes, was the first to stand. He walked to the center of the training ground and began chanting a rendition of Qingjing Jing (The Scripture of Clarity and Stillness).
The haunting chant srized the few sorcerers dressed as Taoists, leaving them swaying their heads in agreent, but nearly "transcended" everyone else.
"Enough, enough! We need sothing uplifting. What are you even singing?!"
Finally, Wong, ever the reliable bibliophile, stepped up and gently pushed Hamir aside. He began singing a Chinese song, Zhuangzhi Zai Wo Xin (Ambition in My Heart).
But the song was too old, and one of the younger sorcerers quickly kicked Wong aside.
"Enough with these ancient tunes! Let have a turn! ♫I Believe I Can Fly!"
The dinner stretched on for three hours.
When the sorcerers finally dispersed, they left with satisfied smiles, their bellies full, and so still humming the lodies they had sung earlier.
After the last sorcerer stepped through the portal, Lyon turned to Mordo and Wong, instructing them to use the Winds of Watoomb to clean the training ground.
Lyon watched as Mordo and Wong huffed and puffed, diligently cleaning up the training ground.
He thought to himself that the Ancient One's funeral should be this kind of joyous send-off.
After all, even she had passed away with a smile on her face, eager and untroubled. Why should anyone else feel sad?
They might as well dance on her grave—it would serve as a fitting retirent party for her.
Just as Lyon was about to leave, Wong and Mordo, having finished their cleanup, stopped him in his tracks.
"Um.. What do you want?" Lyon asked, puzzled.
"Um… well, I wanted to ask… you just ntioned…" Mordo, with his hands clasped behind his back, avoided eye contact, stamring as he spoke.
"We want to ask when you'll teach us the new magic!" Wong interjected decisively, cutting to the point.
"New Magic, huh?" Lyon gave Mordo a peculiar look.
For a mont, he thought Mordo was about to confess his feelings or sothing. Lyon had nearly kicked him on instinct.
That fidgety, awkward posture probably ca from feeling embarrassed to ask soone like Lyon—who had only been practicing magic for a month—for guidance.
What a stiff, old-fashioned relic of a bygone era, Lyon couldn't help complaining in his heart.
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