Malrick didn't go out to bask in the sun.
Before finding Kamar-Taj, he'd already reached a plateau. His single-arm strength had surpassed 2 million tons. Any further solar exposure—like what had once supercharged him in the Resident Evil world—offered diminishing returns.
What was once nourishment now felt like snacking after a feast. More symbolic than useful.
Instead, he returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and pulled out the Sling Ring the Ancient One had left him. It could open portals—and more importantly, serve as a conduit to other dimensions.
He slid it on and began to meditate, ready for a long and possibly fruitless attempt to make contact.
But the result surprised him.
The connection was instant. Smooth. Effortless.
What took most sorcerers years of training happened for Malrick in mere seconds. He was used to managing multiple powers at once—telekinesis, regeneration, enhanced perception—so channeling focus was second nature.
His consciousness slipped easily into the dimensional veil.
It was like tossing a slab of meat into shark-infested waters.
The moment he arrived, dozens—no, hundreds—of cosmic entities surged toward him. Vast, alien, terrifying... and eager.
It was like a group of idle bank managers suddenly spotting a billionaire stroll into their branch, credit score perfect, oil reserves in hand.
"Borrowing isn't a scam!"
"Low-risk, high-return magical investment!"
"First spell free!"
Malrick accepted every offer.
It didn't matter which Dimensional Entity approached—be it Cyttorak, Balthakk, or even Dormammu himself—he signed every contract offered. He had no intention of returning anything anyway.
Besides, what they took from most—years of life, sanity, parts of the soul—they could only nibble from him. A drop of blood, a few strands of hair. Barely worth anything to him, yet valuable materials to them.
When he opened his eyes, his fingertips shimmered with power.
He formed a quick hand seal. With a flick of his wrist, two glowing Rings of Raggadorr appeared in front of him.
With a minor adjustment, they shifted into a Seraphim Shield—one of the strongest known defensive spells in Kamar-Taj. In Avengers: Endgame, sorcerers had used it to block a full-scale assault from Thanos's warship.
Malrick dismissed the shield and summoned something else—a gleaming golden longsword, pure and radiant.
The Vishanti's Sacred Sword. Lethal to dark beings. Purified magic in weapon form.
He kept going, cycling through spell after spell.
Each incantation appeared in his hands with smooth, practiced motion—as though he'd been a master sorcerer for decades, not a student for one day.
And when he exhausted the list of standard spells, he began experimenting with darker magic.
He crossed his arms, formed a complex seal, and opened the Mirror Dimension.
Prismatic light rippled out from him. The air shimmered like a glass dome. Soon, Kamar-Taj was covered in a translucent reflection of itself.
Malrick stepped out and punched the air.
The entire mirrored city shattered like fragile crystal.
Of course, the real Kamar-Taj remained untouched. That was the point.
"A small-scale Mirror Dimension fractures too easily. A continent-sized one would likely hold up better."
He took note and moved on.
Next came dark arts: Mental Disruption Spells, Flesh Warping, Dormammu's black flame conjuration...
The Ancient One had left him with an extensive magical framework—white magic, dark magic, and everything in between. All he had to do was keep building.
And the fastest way to build?
Read everything in the library.
---
The next morning, Malrick left his room to begin just that, only to be stopped by Mordo in the hallway.
"Malrick," Mordo greeted warmly, clapping his hands, "I heard from the Ancient One that you've already been initiated? Remarkable talent."
"I'm teaching a group of new initiates later. If you're interested, it could help you refine some post-initiation skills."
It was a genuine offer.
Malrick gave a polite smile. "Thanks, but that won't be necessary."
He formed a hand seal mid-sentence. A radiant Seraphim Shield blossomed around him.
Mordo recoiled slightly, his eyes wide. "That's... Seraphim!?"
"You learned that already?! It's only been one day!"
Malrick shrugged. "Well, the Sorcerer Supreme personally tutored me. There had to be some result."
"I've had personal tutoring too," Mordo muttered, dumbfounded, "but it wasn't this…"
Malrick patted him on the shoulder. "Maybe your tutoring posture was off."
"I'll skip the training today. The Ancient One left me a long reading list."
He began walking away, then paused. "If you ever want to compare notes, I'm always up for a discussion."
Mordo just stood there, stunned.
"…Maybe he's not just superhuman in strength," he mumbled. "Maybe even his learning speed is superhuman…"
Then he remembered something and called out, "Malrick! Just a heads-up—the librarian is new. Might be a little… strict. Try to be patient."
Malrick waved a hand behind him in acknowledgment.
---
A few minutes later, he arrived at the library.
A stout man with a no-nonsense face stood up from behind the counter. His build was solid, his expression serious, and his presence… immovable.
"Hello. I'm Wong," he said with a short bow. "The Sorcerer Supreme informed me you have full access to the library."
Then, before Malrick could respond, Wong added—like a true gatekeeper—his first warning.
"But I'd advise against diving into the restricted section too soon."
"While it's technically open to all mages, most avoid it. Not because it's locked... but because what's inside is dangerous."
"Those texts contain dark knowledge. Forbidden arts. They've ruined people before."
"The last librarian… well, he was strung up by Kaecilius. Went mad after reading too many forbidden books."
Malrick nodded. "I get it. Don't worry—I promise not to hang you if I go dark."
Wong gave a slow, cautious nod—then frowned.
"Wait... did you say if?"
---
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