The moment Alex Ray stepped into Kamar-Taj, it felt as though he had traveled through time and space. This ancient academy, hidden deep in the mountains, still retained its unique mystery and tranquility.
The towering spires, the ancient stone paths, and the emerald-green plants swaying gently in the wind all exuded an otherworldly atmosphere.
Kamar-Taj remained unchanged. Even alien invasions or demon incursions were commonplace here. Hunting demons was as routine as a hunter going out on a hunt.
Mages came and went—some gathered to discuss the latest magical theories, while others practiced alone in hidden chambers, seeking to reach higher levels of magic mastery.
This place always gave Alex a sense of peace and calm, though he wasn't particularly fond of it because it was too comfortable.
Alex enjoyed quiet, but not the kind of quiet that Kamar-Taj offered. The silence here always felt like being disconnected from the world.
That was not what Alex wanted. What he craved was peace and quiet amidst the noise of life.
" Wang, remember to come by my place for tea. Why do you always go to Hong Kong?" a voice called out.
"1, you really didn't mess up your name. You're a model worker," came a reply.
"Hey,2, your magic's improved a lot. Way better than the last time I saw you."
" 3, you're looking much er now. You need to take care of yourself. Marriage doesn't suit you."
" 4, you haven't practiced in two and a half years. Why haven't you progressed? Are you neglecting magic practice because you're rapping every day?"
The mages, upon seeing Alex's familiar face, all subtly avoided him. Although they had seen Alex several times, they didn't know him well.
Alex laughed out loud watching this scene. The mages here were basically all introverts, and Alex thought it was amusing to tease them!
"Yes, I'm here to see the Ancient One, and by the way, check on how that guy Strange is doing," Alex said, getting straight to the point.
Wang nodded slowly. "Master Ancient One has left here."
"What? Where did she go? Why isn't the Ancient One here?" Alex frowned.
In the original timeline, even if she wasn't at Kamar-Taj, she would at least be in New York City within a few days. So where could the Ancient One have gone?
"Where did she go?" Alex asked again.
"I don't know," Wang shrugged. "But she seemed to know you were coming and asked me to relay a message before she left."
Alex thought the Ancient One wouldn't deliberately avoid him just because he came to visit. Maybe she was already stationed in New York, preparing for something.
Waiting for a big green guy? No way.
"Tell me, what did the Ancient One want to say?" Alex asked directly, already guessing the answer.
Wang paused, then tried to mimic the Ancient One's tone: "The next phase depends on you. Take Strange with you when you leave this time. I believe you and the people in Hell's Kitchen can handle this. We will meet again in a few days."
Alex's face darkened at this. The Ancient One must have known he'd come to get someone, so she ran away early. What was the point of giving him Strange? What could Strange do?
As for meeting in a few days—Alex wasn't taking that seriously. The war was over, and he didn't want to meet the Ancient One.
"Where is Strange?" Alex asked grimly. He believed shaking someone up could be useful. He planned to exploit Strange just like the Ancient One exploited him.
"Well… I don't know where he is either," Wang answered hesitantly.
Alex paused, looking at Wang with disbelief. How could he not know where Strange was?
Did he think Alex was a fool?
Seeing Alex's displeasure, Wang hurriedly added, "I really don't know. Or maybe I do, but I'm not sure if it's actually him."
Alex frowned, not understanding. He closed his eyes and used his Observation Haki to locate Strange.
When he opened them again, his expression turned strange.
How to put it… This Strange had changed! He was no longer the same man Alex knew.
Using his Observation Haki, Alex found not just one, but many Stranges!
Each one carried Strange's life energy, though weaker than the original.
Some were reading quietly in the library; others were training outside with the mages.
Some were practicing magic combat; others sat meditating.
Alex realized these were clones—their auras far too faint to be real.
After searching for a long time, Alex finally found the real Strange in a hidden corner.
He hadn't expected Strange to have learned cloning magic—and to have mastered it so well.
Watching the real Strange through his Observation Haki, Alex could only sigh: "This Strange is really cautious."
Strange even used a clone to pretend he was meditating in the main hall, while the real one was in a secret chamber behind him, studying how to combine magic with healing.
Alex could see Strange had cast an illusion spell on the building, making it invisible to the naked eye.
This was very different from the Strange he had known. Alex was curious about what Strange had gone through.
He looked at Wang with a strange expression, silently asking for answers.
Alex had encountered many versions of Strange but never one so cautious. This was Kamar-Taj—the safest place on Earth. If this place fell, nowhere else on Earth would be safe.
What was Strange doing? Why did it seem like someone was trying to kill him?
Wang shrugged helplessly. "When Strange first came to Kamar-Taj and visited the library, he asked if there was any cloning magic or spells to block one's aura. I recommended a book on cloning magic. Honestly, I didn't think Strange could learn it.
"This cloning magic was created by a mage thousands of years ago. So far, no one has been able to master it—not even the Ancient One.
"I never thought Strange would not only learn it but also improve upon it. I haven't seen the real Strange in person since he learned this magic.
"Even I can't tell who the real Strange is during training. Every time we spar, we think we're fighting the real Strange, only to find out later it's a clone. No one can find Strange except the Ancient One. Why he wants to learn this magic, I don't know."
"Let's go. I want to ask Strange why he's become so cautious."
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
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