Earth-65, Queens, New York.
Returning home, Gwen frowned.
No one? George isn't home? Is he too busy with a case?
While pondering, Gwen turned on the living room lights. There was no clutter, and the furniture was neatly arranged. But many places were covered with a thin layer of dust.
Downstairs, George sat in his car, his eyes vacant. He had been sitting there for a long time. Every night had been like this since Gwen disappeared.
Hmm? Why are the living room lights on?
Did a thief break in, or… did Gwen come back?
Drawing his sidearm and on alert, George pressed the doorbell.
"Gwen?"
George asked from outside the door, his voice filled with both hope and fear.
"Dad!"
The door opened, and father and daughter embraced excitedly.
The time apart wasn't long, but the longing and worry stretched it infinitely.
"It's good that you're back." George's hands trembled as he patted Gwen's back.
When Gwen first went missing, George thought she had run away and was very angry.
Although the father and daughter had some minor conflicts, why would it come to this?
After investigating, he couldn't find any trace of Gwen.
George began to panic, worrying that Gwen was being retaliated against by criminals who hated him.
"Dad, I'll explain everything slowly."
Seeing the gray hairs at George's temples and the wrinkles around his eyes, and then comparing him to the young and cheerful George in another Universe, Gwen felt even more heartache for her father.
"What a moving scene."
As the Mirror Dimension expanded, a voice sounded.
An old man with a white beard slowly materialized from nothingness.
Earth-616, the Ancient One of the main Universe.
"Ancient One." Lucas bowed in greeting.
"Lucas." The The Ancient One returned the greeting with a smile and praised him,
"The Ancient One often talks about you lately. You truly are a handsome young man with a distinguished bearing."
Faced with the Ancient One's praise, Lucas didn't know how to respond for a moment. It wasn't shyness, but rather not knowing how to differentiate in address.
Seeing Lucas's difficulty, the Ancient One explained, "Don't worry about the address, we are all the Ancient One."
"You read my mind?" Lucas was surprised.
"Don't you know how? That shouldn't be." The Ancient One said.
"I saw your mind was defenseless, and I thought you were intentionally open."
Lucas's face darkened, and he quickly reined in his mind. At the same time, his perception ability was fully activated, capturing the Ancient One's mental fluctuations.
"See, don't you know how?"
The Ancient One was initially defenseless, allowing Lucas to read his thoughts. Afterward, he blocked Lucas's perception.
Lucas said faintly, "Sorcerer, isn't this tiring?"
The Ancient One smiled and shook his head. "Ever since I left my body and existed as a spiritual entity, this has become my instinct, like breathing. It's tiring to control myself not to perceive. You are a young man, you should take care of an old person like me."
Spiritual entity?
After the Ancient One's hint, Lucas realized. Upon closer inspection, although the Ancient One's body seemed substantial, it lacked a physical sense. It was condensed from pure spiritual power.
"Sorcerer, you?" Lucas was puzzled.
Has he already thrown in the towel and passed the buck to Doctor Strange?
"Just a physical body." The Ancient One waved his hand indifferently.
"You don't understand yet. At my level, there's no difference between a spiritual entity and a physical body."
The Ancient One's spiritual power flowed, his body transforming back and forth between physical and spiritual forms.
"Also, my physical body is ultimately mortal. You are different, don't learn from me."
Lucas recalled what the Blood God had said a few days ago when his consciousness had descended.
Deacon Frost's body was of average talent. Even when strengthened to its limit, it was only equivalent to a physique stat of around forty or fifty in the Supernatural rank.
(Referring to strength of 40-50 tons)
Lucas asked, "Sorcerer, is there a limit to the strengthening of the physique?"
The Ancient One looked at Lucas strangely. "Both the physical body and the soul have limits. To break through these limits, you either need a special opportunity or rely on the power of the mind. Relatively speaking, the power of the mind has a higher compatibility with the soul. Therefore, the soul is more likely to break through its limits."
After speaking, the Ancient One carefully scrutinized Lucas.
"Your physical body, soul, and mind have all reached a Limit Equilibrium and are currently undergoing a transformation. Your foundation is quite solid, you shouldn't be ignorant of these things. How did the other me teach you?"
Lucas looked at the Ancient One.
Does he need to understand?
"You haven't encountered a limit yet?" Suddenly, the Ancient One realized and asked.
"Hmm."
Lucas nodded, waiting for the expert's lecture.
"That makes sense then." The Ancient One stroked his beard.
"Your talent is not bad. Although your individual attributes are not as good as some inherently powerful races right now, you excel in balance and have greater development potential. You are naturally suited to be a sorcerer."
The strong, balanced development of stats was not Lucas's talent.
[Name: Lucas (Supernatural)]
[Lifespan: 25 / 3234399]
[Physique: 100]
[Perception: 100]
[Spirit: 100]
[Talents: Energy Absorption, Stat Transfer]
[Energy Absorption: Can absorb any energy and convert it into stat points, defaults to Lifespan.]
[Stat Transfer: Lifespan can be converted into Physique, Perception, Spirit.]
[Description: Upgrading (remaining time approximately three months)]
Lucas's talents were [Energy Absorption] and [Stat Transfer].
The Ancient One (female version) should have guessed most of it. Clearly, she hadn't told the other Ancient Ones of the Multiverse this news.
"By the way, what spells have you learned?" The Ancient One asked curiously.
The other Ancient One hadn't stopped showing off to him lately.
Lucas held up one finger.
"Learned all of them?"
"One."
As he spoke, a portal opened, leading directly out of the Mirror Dimension.
The Ancient One was silent, somewhat conflicted. "Your portal research is quite good, you can pass through my Mirror Dimension blockade."
But why do you only know one spell?
The Ancient One suddenly realized. "No, you just used a psychic ability. In 1610 Universe, you also used a spell similar to energy projection."
Lucas scratched his head. "Is that considered a spell?"
Isn't it something anyone can do?
The Ancient One took a deep breath, although a spiritual entity doesn't need to breathe.
"How long have you been studying spells?"
Lucas again held up one finger.
So, that's how the Ancient One (female version) felt at the time.
"One day?"
"Hmm?" Lucas was surprised.
"Sorcerer, how did you guess that?"
"Hmm, that's barely passable." The Ancient One said calmly.
Stephen Strange, my most prized disciple.
Now, we are not close.
"The father and daughter outside are almost done talking, I'll be leaving now."
The Ancient One's form gradually dissipated, finally giving a last instruction.
"Come find me at Kamar-Taj tomorrow, I have a good treasure to show you."
The Mirror Dimension dissipated, and Lucas didn't appear directly in Gwen's home. Instead, he left first, then opened a portal. A moment later, he stepped through the portal, appearing grandly in the living room.
Lucas did this on purpose.
Crossing the Multiverse was too incredible. No matter how Gwen explained, George wouldn't truly believe it. It was just that Gwen was back, and he temporarily didn't want to pursue it.
But facts speak louder than words.
This was Lucas's goal.
(End of Chapter)
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