Day Three.
This marked the final day of the challenge that the Ancient One had issued to Stephen Strange—master the art of dimensional mysticism in just three days.
Why three days, exactly?
Only the Ancient One truly knew.
Perhaps it was just her idea of fun.
Or maybe… something else entirely. After all, she could see the future.
At the crack of dawn, Stephen Strange arrived at the training grounds.
Compared to the day before, there was something completely different about him.
Just a few days ago, he had scoffed at the very idea of mysticism.
But now? Now he stood like a man transformed—from a novice dabbling in sorcery to someone who could easily be mistaken for a seasoned master.
After grasping the technique of astral projection, Stephen's progress had skyrocketed.
He spent the entire night in relentless training, mastering a range of advanced dimensional spells without rest.
At this point, Stephen Strange genuinely believed he had become a fully-fledged sorcerer.
He even thought he could go toe-to-toe with the Ancient One herself.
"This time, I will defeat Kagura," he vowed, clenching his fists. "I'll prove that I am the most gifted mystic here."
"Because I… am the invincible Doctor Strange!"
His ego was swelling fast...
"Yo, morning, Doctor Strange!"
Soon enough, Kagura arrived at the Kamar-Taj training grounds, just as they had agreed.
She wore that same mesmerizing qipao dress, impossible to ignore.
Her perfectly curved legs, exposed just enough to be tasteful yet captivating, were the very definition of alluring.
Her flawless figure stood out even more in the short dress—she looked like a miracle descended from the heavens.
"You're here, Kagura! Let's get started!"
Stephen struck a familiar combat stance, clearly having grown used to sparring with her by now.
"Oh? You're unusually enthusiastic today," she replied, tilting her head slightly. "Looks like mastering astral projection really boosted your skills, huh?"
"Damn right it did!" Stephen grinned with confidence. "Today, I'll prove that I'm the most gifted sorcerer here—and the only true choice for the next Sorcerer Supreme!"
"Mhm, mhm." Kagura nodded approvingly. "Confidence is good, great even. But..."
She raised her arms, and brilliant orange energy surged from her fingertips.
In an instant, the power of dimensional mysticism crystallized into twin glowing fans in her hands—elegant, deadly, and unmistakably powerful.
"…how things turn out in an actual fight is a different story."
"Hmph! Time for you to see what I've achieved!"
Stephen pressed his palms together, and mystic energy burst from between them. He had clearly mastered a great deal in his sleepless night.
Orange lines of energy flowed like a river, gathering between his hands with precise control.
"You'll see—I'm stronger than you now!"
'Buzz... buzz...!'
Light condensed and formed glowing magical circles.
From Stephen's hands appeared two glowing shields formed of intricate dimensional patterns—small but powerful.
This was one of the staple combat techniques among mystic practitioners: The Rings of Raggadorr.
Though the name sounded grandiose, the form was deceptively simple—just two circular shields glowing orange on either hand.
But don't be fooled.
These Rings had exceptional defensive properties—strong enough to block even a full-force punch from Thanos wielding the Power Stone.
"Indestructible" would not be an exaggeration.
Just three days ago, Stephen Strange had been a regular surgeon who knew nothing about magic.
And now? He stood on even ground with Kagura, who had absorbed half the mystical library's knowledge through her data transfer ability.
A mystic newbie with a built-in cheat code… truly terrifying.
No more talking. The battle began.
The skies darkened, energy surged.
Dimensional spells exploded across the battlefield like a storm of orange starlight. One after another, dazzling techniques filled the air.
Stephen and Kagura's spells shifted rapidly—each attack distinct, rarely repeated—as if they were working their way through every spell in the library.
It was a spectacular duel of mysticism at near-master level—and since they weren't fighting in the Mirror Dimension, the entire Kamar-Taj could watch.
The observing apprentices were in awe, whispering among themselves.
Some bet on Stephen Strange, others believed Kagura had the upper hand.
Most forgot one important fact—these were still rookies.
On one side: a "genius newcomer" who had been studying mysticism for less than three days.
On the other: a "prodigy girl" who had only spent a single day absorbing the library's knowledge.
If someone unfamiliar with the situation walked in, they'd assume this was a clash between two seasoned Sorcerer Supremes showcasing their craft.
The battle was intense. The field was in chaos.
Stephen conjured the Sword of the Vishanti—a mystic blade powerful enough to wound even Thanos in battle (as seen in Infinity War).
But Kagura blocked it cleanly with her radiant fans. In the same motion, she countered, launching a devastating blast of mystic force from her weapon.
A high-level dimensional spell was unleashed—Bolts of Balthakk roared toward Stephen!
He started to retreat, but Kagura was already on him, pressing the attack without pause.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, Stephen Strange remained calm.
With a sweeping motion of his hands, he summoned the cleansing winds of Watoomb, dispersing the crimson lightning launched by Kagura.
Then, with practiced precision, he gathered the scattered dimensional energy back into his grasp.
'Vmmmm—!'
A massive, intricate magical sigil formed in an instant. Channeling the concentrated power of dimensional mysticism, Stephen unleashed the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, binding energy that shot toward Kagura like a barrage of fiery chains.
The silver-haired girl took a half-step back, then drew a large glowing circle in the air before her and shoved her palms forward.
'Fwoosh—!'
The searing red magical chains shattered midair, disintegrating into a cloud of radiant butterflies.
It was Kagura's favorite spell—The Ancient Body of Hogoth.
A kaleidoscope of luminous butterflies fluttered across the battlefield, forming a breathtaking and surreal scene of beauty.
In the midst of such a brutal and intense fight, moments of pure elegance could still emerge—fragments of beauty born from chaos.
But beauty never lasts.
The world never stays gentle.
Sometimes, it's so cruel… it's unbearable.
'BOOM——!!!'
Just as Stephen Strange and Kagura were locked in an electrifying duel, a thunderous explosion rocked the entrance of Kamar-Taj.
The enemy had arrived.
Before anyone could react, reality itself began to unravel.
Space warped. The sky collapsed. The ground split apart.
Buildings multiplied through mirror replication, warping and folding upon themselves.
The earth curled up and rose into the air, like the fabric of reality being folded in half.
Those who couldn't escape in time were swallowed by the shifting terrain—mystic apprentices caught in a maelstrom of collapsing space.
Stephen looked around in shock. "What's going on?!"
Kagura immediately ceased her attacks. "I don't know! But saving people comes first!"
Without hesitation, she dashed to Stephen's side.
Together, they cast a stabilizing spell, anchoring the space around them to prevent further distortion.
Then, in tandem, they conjured a Mirror Dimension, encapsulating the nearby apprentices and shielding them from the chaos of reality.
Within the isolated sanctuary of the Mirror Dimension, they watched the devastation unfold: buildings folding like origami, hovering in the air; the ground itself replicated and inverted, becoming the sky.
"I've never seen dimensional magic like this! What the hell is happening?!"
Breathing heavily, Stephen turned to Kagura.
"Was this the Ancient One's doing? Who else could distort reality like this? This is way beyond anything a normal sorcerer should be capable of!"
Kagura's expression hardened. "I've seen this before. Most mystic practitioners never encounter magic of this level—but it exists."
She narrowed her eyes. "This kind of power, the ability to twist the real world... It can only come from one place: the Dark Dimension."
She clenched her fists. "Which means our enemy is—Kaecilius. The sorcerer who betrayed the Ancient One."
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