After Gwen left, Malrick stood quietly for a moment, frowning.
"I still can't wrap my head around it… Deadpool, an anchor point?" he muttered. "What the hell did he and Logan pull off? Did they… have a wolf cub together?"
With Deadpool, even the most absurd scenarios somehow seemed possible. Malrick shook his head and sighed. "I'll have to ask B-15 for the details later."
He glanced toward the sky. "It's about time. I should head to Kamar-Taj."
With a casual motion, he drew a glowing circle and stepped through a portal.
In an instant, he was standing deep inside the Kamar-Taj library. The vast hall was the same as always: ancient wood, shelves lined with relics, and a central wooden chamber that housed a pocket dimension. But now, something new had been added. Beyond the familiar gateways leading to the three Sanctums, a fresh portal shimmered at the far wall.
Malrick approached and pushed open the chamber door. Warm sunlight and the earthy scent of damp grass rushed to meet him. A breeze stirred the tall grass ahead, rolling across the fields like waves.
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
This "small world" was no longer separate. It was now tethered to the Earth dimension itself, drawing in the same sunlight that shone over Kamar-Taj. When night fell in Nepal, moonlight would touch this world as well.
Rising into the air, Malrick looked down from above. Below, a sprawling ecosystem stretched across the land. Frozen plains to the north, volcanic wastelands to the south, jagged plateaus to the west, and dense forests to the east. Each region teemed with magical creatures.
Phoenixes wheeled through the skies. Water horses surged beneath the lakes. Herds of massive beasts grazed by the rivers. Even the most elusive creatures—beings Malrick thought existed only in myth—thrived here in numbers.
He arched a brow. "Mordo and the others really outdid themselves."
Malrick flew onward, heading toward the floating island at the heart of this realm. Along the way, sorcerers zipped past on enchanted brooms, saluting him as they passed. He couldn't help but smirk. "Kamar-Taj is starting to look more and more like Hogwarts."
The floating island itself had transformed beyond recognition. A month ago, it had been nothing more than an inverted mountain suspended in midair. Now it was alive with rivers, bridges, and towers.
A wide river, nearly five hundred meters across, flowed across the island. At one end, it plunged like a silver waterfall into the lake below; at the other, water rose back upward, feeding the river's source. From a distance, it looked as if two luminous columns of water supported the island itself.
On either side of the river, grand structures had been built. To the east, elegant temples and shrines in the traditional Kamar-Taj style. To the west, imposing Gothic and Baroque halls—arches, spires, and intricate stonework. The two halves faced each other across the water like rival houses, joined by a colossal tower at the center.
The tower stretched a thousand meters into the air, its base straddling the river like a bridge. Beneath its arching halls, a fixed portal glowed faintly, connecting it back to the library.
Before the tower floated a vast circular platform of marble, suspended above the water. A thousand meters across, its polished tiles gleamed in the sunlight. There was no bridge leading to it—sorcerers reached it by magic, enchanted carriages, or sheer skill.
At the moment, dozens of sorcerers moved across the platform, and among them Malrick spotted familiar faces: Wong, Mordo, Banner, and Tony.
Descending, Malrick landed smoothly at the platform's edge. The sorcerers immediately paused, bowing respectfully.
"Malrick! Finally!" Wong beamed with pride. "Well? What do you think? Isn't the new academy incredible? Our civil team worked day and night."
Mordo stepped forward beside him. "And our magical creature program is thriving as well."
Malrick smiled faintly. "I saw it all on the way here. Honestly, you've all done better than I imagined." He gestured toward the split halves of the academy. "If I had to guess, you're planning to teach Kamar-Taj's traditional magic in the eastern halls, and the western ones will handle… alternative approaches?"
"Exactly," Wong said, pleased. "Two houses, two traditions. Competition breeds excellence."
"Smart," Malrick said with a nod. "Go ahead with it."
His gaze turned toward Mordo. "But the creatures. How did their numbers increase so dramatically? Phoenixes in flocks? Entire herds of beasts? That shouldn't be possible."
Before Mordo could answer, Tony cut in with his usual smug grin. "That would be me. You're welcome."
Malrick raised an eyebrow.
"Cloning," Tony explained, tapping his chest as though it were obvious. "Reverse-cloning, to be precise. Took samples of magical creature materials brought back from other dimensions, recreated the originals. Simple."
Banner gave Tony a look, clearly unconvinced.
Malrick folded his arms. "Cloning? Using the unstable biotech from that other world? You're sure they won't collapse genetically?"
Tony waved off his concern. "Relax. I improved the process. No instability. Ask Mordo if you don't believe me. With the supply of rare ingredients from these creatures, we've even improved the magic potions."
Mordo nodded reluctantly. "It's true. With Phoenix feathers, dragon scales, and other rare components, Tony's formula has been refined. The new potion is almost free of side effects. Even those who suffered physical mutations from the old version have recovered after taking it."
Malrick studied him carefully. "Almost?"
Mordo shifted uncomfortably. "Well… some sorcerers actually prefer the mutations. They claim the changes gave them strength. They refuse to revert."
Malrick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course they do…"
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Milestone
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.
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