Suddenly, Mordo lashed out with a kick toward Strange's face. Strange ducked low to evade it, then lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Mordo's waist like a wrestler, trying to restrain him.
Mordo immediately reacted—he twisted his body, drove a knee into Strange's midsection, and locked both arms tightly around his neck.
Strange struck hard at Mordo's ribs with his elbow—the simplest and most effective way to break a chokehold.
The two separated almost instantly, each resetting their stance. Not far away, the Ancient One and Karl watched calmly.
"This Mordo… looks like kids play-fighting~~"
Karl commented idly, clearly enjoying the show. The Ancient One fanned herself serenely.
"Strange has no foundation in martial arts. Naturally, he must start with the basics. With magic enhancement later, it will improve greatly."
As expected, everything was within her control. For Kamar-Taj's mages, learning combat wasn't difficult—magic allowed them to grasp techniques quickly. What remained was practical application.
On the field, Mordo now held a short staff—about three feet long, black in color, with spiral engravings.
"This is a magical artifact. Some spells cannot be cast with bare hands, so artifacts are used as tools. They generally fall into two categories—offensive and supportive."
He raised the staff slightly.
"This one is an offensive artifact—the Staff of the Living Tribunal."
With a flick of his wrist, the staff transformed into a segmented whip. Magical energy surged through it, sparks flying as it sliced through the air.
Then, just as quickly, it snapped back into a staff.
"Artifacts vary. For example—these boots."
Mordo tapped his foot. A small magic circle appeared beneath him.
"The Boots of Valtorr. They allow me to leap through the air—and survive high falls."
"Yeah… your artifact names are really a mouthful. When do I get one?"
Strange shrugged, clearly unimpressed by the naming conventions.
"When you're truly ready, an artifact will choose you."
"I'm already ready~~!"
Strange insisted.
"That's not for you to decide. The artifact decides whether you're ready."
Without warning, Mordo struck.
Caught off guard, Strange hastily conjured a magical whip, barely managing to block the incoming attack.
"Remember—your enemies won't play fair. They won't give you warnings. Always be on guard."
Mordo's attacks grew sharper, faster. Strange struggled just to defend.
"Don't lose focus in battle. Don't rely on luck. There are only two words you need—fight. The moment you relax, your life is at risk!"
Suddenly, Mordo stomped the air, launching himself upward. In an instant, he passed over Strange's head and struck him down with a punch before he could react.
Strange rolled several meters, grimacing in pain as he slumped onto the ground.
Mordo's staff was at his throat in an instant.
"Remember—no one wins forever. In battle, you must give everything."
Nearby, Karl and the Ancient One watched calmly. The Ancient One even casually gave pointers to two other sparring mages.
"Oof… Mordo didn't hold back at all~~"
Karl remarked, thoroughly entertained.
The Ancient One glanced at Mordo but said nothing—though something flickered in her eyes.
—
That night, Strange sat in front of his tablet, staring blankly at an email draft.
The recipient: Palmer.
He had been sitting there for nearly an hour, unable to write a single word.
Frustrated, he went to the library. It was late—Wong wasn't there.
He picked up the same book on time he had seen earlier.
As he read, biting into an apple, an illustration caught his eye—a design resembling an eye, with intricate intersecting lines.
Strange suddenly remembered—he had seen this before.
The Eye of Agamotto.
Without hesitation, he went to the chamber, retrieved it, and hung it around his neck.
"Alright… let's try this…"
Following the instructions in the book, he formed the proper hand seal.
The Eye opened—
A beam of green light burst forth.
Startled, Strange flinched. He hadn't expected it to work on the first try.
Continuing with the instructions, he began manipulating the flow of time around him.
Forming a bud-like shape with his hands, he rotated them clockwise. A green magical aura wrapped around his right hand and forearm.
With a wave—
The half-eaten apple on the table began to restore itself.
Strange stared in shock.
He waved his hand again—
The restored apple began to decay, chunks disappearing as if being eaten in reverse, until only a rotten core remained.
His worldview shattered once more.
Time… could actually be controlled.
"Stop right there!!"
A crystalline barrier suddenly appeared, separating Strange from the table and the book.
Mordo and Wong rushed in.
"How dare you tamper with the boundaries of time?!"
Mordo demanded angrily, the Staff of the Living Tribunal strapped to his back.
"I—I was just following the book!"
Strange quickly tried to explain.
"Did the book not mention how dangerous that is?!"
Wong snatched the book and slammed it shut.
"I didn't get that far…"
Strange admitted quietly.
"Do you realize manipulating time creates unstable timelines?! Do you want to be trapped in a time loop forever?!"
Mordo roared, furious.
"Shouldn't the warning come before the spell~~?"
"Your curiosity will get you killed," Wong said coldly. "What you just did wasn't controlling time—it was damaging it. We don't disrupt natural laws—we protect them."
He returned the book to its place.
"How did you do that just now?"
Mordo suddenly asked.
"…What?"
Strange blinked, confused. Honestly, he didn't know either—it had just… happened.
"Where did you learn that spell? It's incredibly complex and lengthy—how did you even read it?"
"I have a photographic memory. That's how I got my PhDs in medicine and physics~~"
Strange replied matter-of-factly.
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