The Sorcerer Supreme looked at Lance for a moment, then turned away while snapping his fingers. A swirling portal opened, illuminating the wet ground around them with a golden light. The scent of sea salt and strange incense wafted out.
"Since the painter demon has appeared, its true body must be nearby. I leave the rest to you. You surely know how to destroy it."
However, before he truly stepped away, the Sorcerer Supreme gazed at the magical barrier surrounding Lance. His gaze fell on the armor radiating a mixed aura—energies clashing like wild waves.
"Lance," the Sorcerer Supreme's voice suddenly softened, almost like a parent scolding a child. "Have you been feeling uncertain lately?"
Lance blinked, a bit startled by the sudden question. He looked at his own hands, clenching his cold fingers. "Uncertain? I don't know, Master. When training... it often feels like I'm hitting a wall. As if there's an invisible barrier holding me back."
The Sorcerer Supreme merely nodded, his breath like winter mist. "It's natural. Feeling stuck is common. You have one, but try to observe yourself..." The Sorcerer Supreme pointed to the vibrating barrier, reflecting Lance's fragmented image. "Aren't you the one who has studied too many techniques to pursue all at once?"
Lance fell silent. The words sank in slowly, but deeply.
In a short time, Lance had indeed accumulated too much power: the rapidly surging spiritual pressure inherited from Aizen, the pure Qi from the Chosen One's Walking Stick, the microcosm of Saint Seiya splitting his cells, the magic from Harry Potter mixed with demonic runes, the incantations from the Demon Archive, the magic of the Fate world... all of it was jostling within Lance's body, screaming to be acknowledged, yet clashing like a storm in a confined space.
Instead of reinforcing each other, these energies were dragging him backward. Lance's body no longer moved as smoothly as before; his swordplay became hesitant, and his attacks were not as clean as they used to be.
Like a gamer who instantaneously levels up—high attributes, advanced weapons, but Lance's finger muscles and instincts lagged far behind.
In Lance's chest, he sighed deeply. All of this was indeed costly, but if he couldn't utilize it... wouldn't everything he had gathered be in vain?
"Lance, remember this principle: never bite off more than you can chew." The Ancient One tilted his head slightly, the gentle voice of the Sorcerer Supreme sounding calming yet carrying a profound warning. "Your progress has indeed surprised me, but I hope you will slow down. Whatever you rush today will limit what you can achieve tomorrow. Slow down, strengthen your foundation, master every layer of power—just like when you first stepped into Kamar-Taj."
Lance bowed his head deeply, one hand clenched against his chest in respect. "Master, I will hold your words close. I will wait until I truly understand the path ahead before deciding where these feet will tread."
In Lance's mind, he knew he had to choose his direction carefully. One wrong path could render decades of effort wasted.
If only Lance had the ability to create shadow clones—Lance smiled bitterly to himself—he would create hundreds of versions of himself, each exploring one possible path, saving decades of time.
"I have always believed in you." The Sorcerer Supreme smiled faintly, his figure gradually swallowed by the light of the portal. In an instant, the silhouette of the Sorcerer Supreme vanished behind the ripples of the Reality Marble.
Lance took a slow breath, allowing his breath to calm the racing heartbeat. As he released the God of War Cloth that shimmered faintly on his body, the Golden Dagger in his hand faded into magical particles, and then the Reality Marble collapsed like glass blown by the wind.
Now, the shabby exhibition hall returned to darkness, dust swirling in the damp air. No one else dared to approach except for Brynhildr and Raigō, who stood waiting like guardian statues at the end of the room.
Lance glanced outside, the light shining through the cracks of the rotting wooden door. The barrier he had created earlier had repelled anyone trying to enter, even the light seemed reluctant to penetrate.
"Hildr, Raigō, the matter here is finished. You both return first." Lance looked at them, his voice calm but firm. "I still have to clean up the remnants."
"Understood." Hildr simply nodded, her voice brief, and with a light movement, she jumped onto Raigō's back.
Raigō let out a low growl, its claws scratching the cracked floor, then suddenly burst through the space, creating a swirling dimension that shimmered pale blue. In the blink of an eye, both Lances vanished, returning to assist the Lord of the White Sky in another battlefield.
Lance adjusted the collar of his slightly dusty cloak. He walked casually to the door, opening the creaking old door, and found a group of agents in black uniforms standing nervously outside, carrying flashlights and detection equipment.
Unfortunately, their equipment was in vain. The magical barrier had turned the entire hall into an impenetrable dark pocket, and now, all they could see were dusty ruins.
Thus, when Lance appeared suddenly at the door, several agents instinctively sharpened their gazes, hands reaching for weapons at their waists.
"Stop!" A hoarse yet relieved voice broke the tension. Agent Coulson, standing at the front line, raised his hand to calm his subordinates. Coulson stepped forward, a faint smile appearing on his face, though his shoulders seemed slightly slumped with fatigue. "Mr. White, we meet again."
Lance chuckled softly, brushing dust off his shoulder. "Agent Coulson, aren't you tired of showing up everywhere? Don't tell me you're the only one left who can work at SHIELD."
Coulson shrugged, his expression half resigned. "What can I say? In incidents like this, my name always gets dragged in. Plus, with your reputation, Mr. White... I think we'll be seeing each other often in dark hallways like this."
Coulson paused, glancing at the ruins of the hall behind Lance, then his tone turned more serious. "Mr. White, can you explain what exactly happened here?"
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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