I Drove You to the Dark Side, and You Want Me to Join You?

"Master Kaecilius, it's not too late to turn back."

Raine took a deep breath. His voice was calm.

One look told him what had happened to Kaecilius.

Kaecilius had not only read the forbidden books, but had willingly opened his soul to the power of Dormammu, the demon god of the Dark Dimension.

His eyes, consumed by darkness, were proof enough.

That power could make someone vastly stronger in a short time.

But the price was the complete loss of self!

The Dark Dimension would absorb his soul and make it part of Dormammu's body.

That was Dormammu's idea of "eternal life."

But judging by the madness on Kaecilius's face, Dormammu had thoroughly brainwashed him. He saw nothing wrong with it.

"Turn back? Why would I?"

Kaecilius spread his arms and tipped back his head, his face twisted with feverish rapture.

"Can you feel this power?"

"No limits, no aging. Eternal life is calling to me!"

"This is the ultimate secret of magic!"

Raine watched Kaecilius descend into madness and sighed helplessly.

He's beyond saving. Dormammu has him completely fooled.

"Master Kaecilius, what brings you to my humble quarters so suddenly?"

Raine decided to keep him talking. "Kamar-Taj is on high alert. If you leave now, I can pretend I never saw you, for old times' sake."

To be fair,

Kaecilius might have been a villain, but he had treated Raine well.

He had practically handed him the Space Blade and the Sword of Vishanti, along with a bonus that had sent his attack-magic proficiency soaring.

He was the best source of experience Raine had encountered since arriving in this world.

"No, no, no, Raine. You misunderstand."

Kaecilius's smile vanished. His black-purple eyes fixed on Raine.

"I risked The Ancient One discovering me because I came back for you."

"For me?" Raine frowned.

"That's right!"

Kaecilius took a sharp step forward, fervor burning in his voice.

"You're the only person I've ever met whose talent frightens me!"

"Your gifts shouldn't be buried beneath Kamar-Taj's rotten rules!"

"Join me, Raine!"

"Together, we'll uncover the truth of time and enjoy life without end!"

"Even The Ancient One secretly draws on this power. What are you hesitating for?"

Kaecilius held out his hand, offering Raine what he clearly believed was a sincere invitation.

To him, the Dark Dimension was the only fitting place for a genius like Raine, someone who defied all expectations.

"What if I refuse?"

The words left Raine's mouth without a second thought.

Was he kidding?

With the system on my side, I can stay in Kamar-Taj, level up every day, and become unstoppable sooner or later.

Why give up a sweet setup like that to become Dormammu's mindless puppet?

I'd have to be out of my mind to accept that idiotic offer!

At Raine's immediate refusal, the fervor on Kaecilius's face vanished. A sinister grin took its place.

"Then I'll have to... take you by force."

Hum—!

A sharp vibration tore through space.

Kaecilius closed his right hand around empty air, and a transparent blade formed from pure Spatial Law appeared in an instant.

The Space Blade!

But unlike before, a chilling purple-black energy now shimmered along its edge.

"Looks like we won't settle this peacefully today."

Raine shook his head, then his gaze hardened.

"Master Kaecilius, forgive me!"

Hum!

Raine slashed through empty air with his right hand.

A Space Blade appeared in his palm, more solid and far sharper than Kaecilius's!

"Good! Excellent! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me!"

Kaecilius laughed in fury and lunged forward like a ghost.

"Embrace the darkness and become part of eternity!"

Clang!

The two invisible, transparent blades collided in midair!

Though both were formed from intangible Spatial Law, their clash rang out like metal on metal, deafeningly loud!

A violent shock wave exploded outward from the two men.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Both moved at blinding speed.

Blades flashed wildly through the cramped dormitory. Every clash tore tiny black rifts in space.

In just a few seconds,

they had exchanged more than a hundred blows!

The wooden beds and desks in Raine's room were ground into dust finer than chalk by the raging spatial currents.

Even the Multiple Mirror Dimensions Raine had set up beforehand to contain the disturbance were webbed with cracks.

"Raine, stop clinging to your delusions!"

Kaecilius attacked relentlessly, trying to break Raine's resolve with words.

"Everything comes to an end! The sun will burn out, and Earth will perish!"

"But in the great Dark Dimension, even time has no meaning!"

"Only there can we gain true immortality!"

Raine stared coldly at Kaecilius, now only a step away.

He noticed something.

A dark red mark of Dormammu had appeared on Kaecilius's forehead.

The skin around his eyes was cracking and peeling away, exposing raw red flesh beneath. He looked monstrous.

But Kaecilius seemed unaware of it. He even believed it was a supreme honor granted by Dormammu.

"Pathetic."

Raine stopped holding back. He would end this quickly.

"Time to work, you overachievers!"

Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum!

At a thought from Raine,

four Magic Shields glowing dark red appeared around him.

The Rings of Raggadorr!

And Raine did not need to control the four shields with his hands.

They seemed to have lives of their own, circling him at high speed like four loyal satellites.

Clang!

One shield moved on its own to block a vicious strike Kaecilius aimed at Raine's back.

"Wh-what kind of magic is that?!"

Kaecilius recoiled in shock, his assault faltering.

No hand signs?

Automatic defense?!

It overturned everything he knew about Kamar-Taj's magic!

"Times have changed, Master."

As Kaecilius froze, Raine conjured a Space Blade in each hand.

Whoosh!

Two enormous transparent slashes crossed in midair and hurtled toward Kaecilius with unstoppable force!

Kaecilius barely managed to raise his blade to block.

Boom!

An overwhelming force struck him.

Kaecilius flew backward like a cannonball, gouging a trench more than ten meters long through the floor of the Mirror Dimension!

"Impossible! That's impossible!"

Kaecilius staggered to his feet, a trickle of purple-black blood spilling from his mouth.

He stared at Raine in the distance, horror written across his face.

I've been blessed by the Dark Dimension!

My magical power has grown more than tenfold!

I could even stand against The Ancient One now!

Why?

Why is a novice apprentice knocking me around like a punching bag?!