Kamar-Taj.
Karl stood inside the grand hall, looking at the Ancient One in a daze.
Weren't they supposed to go cause trouble for Hela?
Why were they back at Kamar-Taj?
What was going on?
"Ancient One, shouldn't we be pursuing Hela?"
"Coming back to Kamar-Taj—aren't we just giving Hela time to recover?"
Karl asked calmly, keeping his expression steady.
Not only that—
a faint worry stirred in his chest.
Hela wasn't some lone wolf.
Her forces included not just a monstrous giant wolf like Fenris, but also an uncountable army of the dead.
Giving her time to recover…
What was the Ancient One thinking?
Karl was confused, and a chill crept up his spine.
"Precisely because of that, I called you back."
The Ancient One spoke slowly.
She lifted the teacup in front of her and took a sip, and only then did the tension on her face ease slightly.
"Ancient One, what do you mean by that?" Karl asked, puzzled.
"To deal with Hela, we must proceed step by step."
"You must strengthen yourself again."
"Your magic is indeed extremely powerful, and your talent is outstanding."
"But it still isn't enough to deal with an undying, unkillable Hela."
The Ancient One let out a quiet sigh.
Karl truly was a genius.
But he had been exposed to magic for far too short a time.
The Master Sorcerers who guided him before had never even touched the comprehension of laws.
And if one wanted to reach the Skyfather tier, one had to comprehend laws.
Laws were like a lever—using a tiny amount of force to pry up an ocean of energy.
That was why Skyfather-level beings were so terrifyingly strong.
To deal with Hela, mastering laws was non-negotiable.
Otherwise—
if Hela attacked using laws, Karl would collapse on the spot.
If she hadn't previously suppressed Hel, one of the Nine Realms—
Karl would never have beaten Hela so easily.
Only laws could oppose laws.
No matter how powerful the magic, it was no exception.
This was a clash of paths, a difference in understanding the world's essence!
The Ancient One turned her head to look at Karl and said earnestly,
"Karl, you must understand."
"Hela's strength is comparable to mine—let alone the fact that she has already returned to Asgard."
"If you go over there in your current state, you will definitely suffer."
"If Hela truly hardens her heart, then even if you manage to escape, the cost will far outweigh the gain."
"I understand, Ancient One. Do whatever you say—I'll follow it," Karl said sincerely.
Karl had a very clear understanding of himself.
Because he understood the Marvel world.
To say nothing else—
those powerful dimensional demons, and the mutants from other Parallel Universes…
he still didn't have the qualifications to oppose them.
There were simply too many "cheat-code" monsters in this world.
Karl felt that only by keeping a low profile could he live well here.
So every time he made a move, it was because he was confident.
As for Hela—
to be honest, his understanding of her mostly came from movies in his previous life.
But movies could lie.
In movies, Captain America could kick a car away with one foot, and forcibly hold a helicopter in place—
yet he still fought back-and-forth with a few special forces soldiers.
Logically speaking, he should have been able to pulp them with a single punch.
For the sake of his own life, Karl felt the Ancient One was right.
He was so humble—
that the Ancient One actually got briefly choked up.
After a long pause, the Ancient One gave Karl a strange look.
Sometimes she felt that Karl, a young man in his twenties, was even steadier than she was, an old person who had lived for centuries.
Not only was he talented, he was also this stable.
This child would surely become someone great.
The Ancient One couldn't help thinking that.
After considering it, she spoke again.
"So, since you're going to fight Hela…"
"I will guide you. How much you can comprehend will depend on your own insight."
Karl spoke with great humility, "Understood."
"First, let's confirm your position as a Master Sorcerer," the Ancient One said calmly.
Master Sorcerer?
He was becoming a Master Sorcerer just like that?
Wasn't this a bit too hasty—wasn't there even a token ceremony?
Seeing the expression on Karl's face, the Ancient One couldn't help smiling slightly.
At this moment, Karl finally showed a bit of a young person's innocence.
"No need to be surprised."
"Kamar-Taj's 'Master Sorcerer' was originally more like an honorary title. It isn't a formal designation."
"It only became customary later."
"As long as I recognize it—forget 'Master Sorcerer.' Even 'Sorcerer Supreme' would be no problem."
The Ancient One said it lightly.
Hearing that, Karl couldn't help smacking his lips.
So that was how it was.
The Sorcerer Supreme truly was the Sorcerer Supreme.
That title wasn't self-proclaimed—it was earned with fists and feet.
The "kindly old mentor" image the movies gave him had fooled him before.
Now she was finally showing her edge.
What could Karl do?
He could only clasp his hands in acknowledgment, looking very modest.
The Ancient One smiled, then said,
"Once you become a Master Sorcerer, you'll take over handling Kaecilius's matter."
"Mainly because with Master Sorcerer status, if I teach you certain things, no one will be able to say anything."
"It also won't count as breaking Kamar-Taj's rules."
Karl nodded quietly.
But in his heart, anticipation surged.
What was the Ancient One going to teach him?
He really was looking forward to it.
The Ancient One—
was the only true god Kamar-Taj had produced in the past several hundred years.
Kamar-Taj had produced many sorcerers, but never one who possessed the Ancient One's power and prestige.
What she held in her hands…
Karl had coveted it for a long time.
Why did he stay in Kamar-Taj?
Wasn't it exactly for this?
Thinking of that, Karl couldn't suppress his excitement.
"Ahem. Ancient One, what you're saying is absolutely right."
"A Master Sorcerer of Kamar-Taj has to have presence."
"If you teach me dozens, or even hundreds, of high-level spells, I'll grit my teeth and endure it!"
Karl spoke with righteous fervor.
"You really do know how to dream, kid."
"High-level spells aren't that easy to learn."
"And remember: everything in this world is balanced. If you want power, you will naturally have to pay a sufficient price."
"Grasping too much power isn't always a good thing."
The Ancient One stared at Karl deeply, her gaze carrying an unspoken meaning.
Karl froze.
Then he continued to look at the Ancient One with bright, eager eyes.
He knew—
Kamar-Taj sorcerers had a flaw.
At its core, all a sorcerer's power was borrowed.
It was indeed very powerful, but once you died, you would pay a massive price.
Sometimes you had to pay a price even while living.
By the time it was Doctor Strange's turn, in order to obtain tremendous power, he couldn't even eat like a normal person.
Karl naturally understood that.
But he felt—
the Ancient One "dodging debt" by borrowing Eternity's power was still too honest.
And the Ancient One didn't understand that sometimes…
the one who owes the debt is the boss.
With god-tier talent, Karl didn't care about this kind of—
(End of Chapter)
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