Old Carter Has Been Drained Dry!

Inside the tavern, the shocked discussions of the crowd continued.

Carter held his ale, but the expert demeanor on his face was gradually slipping away.

Acting cool was satisfying for a moment.

Yet the harsh reality made him want to cry.

Raine had only been under his supervision for a few short days.

The three basic magic sets of Kamar-Taj—Magic Shield, Weapon Construction, and Portal.

The kid had learned every damn one of them!

And his proficiency was even more monstrous than his own as a veteran mentor!

One had to know that although Kamar-Taj was known as a sacred land of magic, it was essentially a battle monastery.

The types of spells mastered by ordinary sorcerers were not numerous.

Magic was merely a weapon they used for hand-to-hand combat.

The varieties of weapons were limited, and what truly required decades of accumulation to refine was the meticulous application of energy.

As a result, this monster of a Raine.

Had saved decades of effort just by sleeping a few times!

Sigh...

Carter tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of ale, feeling that the previously mellow brew was now more bitter than bitter gourd juice.

He realized with sorrow.

He had been completely drained dry.

There wasn't even a single drop of stock left in his belly.

The gathering ended hastily.

Carter dragged his heavy footsteps straight to Grand Mage Wong's room.

He pushed open the door.

Wong, usually solemn and stern, was wearing headphones, browsing through thick ancient magic tomes while gently swaying to the music in his headphones.

Hearing the commotion, Wong quickly took off his headphones and put back on that aloof, poker face.

"Master Carter, what happened?"

Carter pulled out a chair and sat down, his expression unprecedentedly solemn.

"Grand Mage, I have thought about it carefully."

"I think it's time to let Raine follow you in his cultivation."

Wong frowned slightly. "Why?"

"You are Kamar-Taj's most experienced mentor for newcomers. You're just going to hand such a good seedling over to someone else?"

In Kamar-Taj, there was a deep bond between mentor and apprentice.

During the novice stage, very few people changed mentors halfway through.

Carter smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with desolation.

"Precisely because he is a genius in a million, I cannot ruin him."

"My meager knowledge is fine for teaching ordinary people."

"But in front of him, I have been completely hollowed out."

"Forcefully keeping him by my side will only delay his bright future."

Wong fell silent.

He looked at his old friend's desolate gaze, feeling a mixture of emotions in his heart.

At the same time, Wong felt a subtle sense of insecurity deep down.

Old Carter can't teach him.

Am I, damn it, definitely going to be able to teach him?

The title of Grand Mage sounded intimidating, but it actually just meant stronger spiritual power and richer combat experience.

When it came down to the reserve of basic spells, he might not necessarily have many more than Carter.

Given Raine's unreasonable leveling speed, chances were that in less than half a month, he too would be drained dry!

However.

Since things had already reached this point, Wong had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept this hot potato.

"I understand."

Wong nodded solemnly. "Have him come report to me tomorrow."

Carter breathed a long sigh of relief, stood up, and took his leave.

After returning to his meditation room.

Carter immediately summoned Raine over.

A moment later.

Raine pushed the door open and entered. "Master, you're looking for me?"

Carter personally poured a cup of tea for Raine, studying the young man before him with a complex gaze.

"Raine, although you've only stayed with me for a few days, I can tell that you are a rare and exceptional talent."

"However... from now on, I'm afraid you won't be able to continue following me in your cultivation."

Raine was startled inwardly, letting it slip, "Why? Master, did I do something wrong?"

He truly regarded Carter as a great treasure.

Not only did this old man have a good temper, but a few casual pointers could add a cultivation buff to his skills.

Where else could he find such a top-tier "power bank"!

"No, you did very well, even too well."

Watching Raine's anxious expression, Carter felt even more bitter inside.

I couldn't possibly tell you it's because you're too monstrous, hollowing out all my stock and making me doubt my life choices, could I?

Old folks had their pride too!

Carter cleared his throat and brought out a high-sounding excuse.

"Kamar-Taj is not an ordinary academy, but a fortress to defend against external enemies."

"Since you have already mastered basic magic proficiently, next, you must undergo brutal combat training."

"I am not good at teaching combat."

"Therefore, you need a stronger mentor."

Raine suddenly understood.

Kamar-Taj was indeed a place with militarized management.

Doctor Strange hadn't even touched the threshold of magic back then before Mordo dragged him off for a thorough beating.

"Understood."

Raine sighed with some regret. "Master, who will I be training under next?"

What he feared most right now was being assigned to Kaecilius, that future villainous double agent.

In case The Ancient One settled scores later, he would end up taking the fall as well.

"Rest assured, the one arranged for you is Grand Mage Wong."

Carter patted Raine's shoulder. "He is currently one of the strongest aside from the Sorcerer Supreme, and he will definitely take good care of you."

Hearing that it was fatty Wong, Raine instantly let out a long sigh of relief.

This was a famously thick thigh in the Marvel Universe.

Following him meant easily lying back and winning!

Raine accepted this very quickly.

Carter also thoughtfully waived his morning public physical training, allowing him to report directly to Wong.

The next morning.

At the break of dawn, Raine finished washing up and arrived outside Grand Mage Wong's residence ahead of time.

This person was the famously solid defense line in the Marvel Universe.

The future successor to the Sorcerer Supreme.

Whether it was Kaecilius or Thanos's Black Order, both had suffered heavy losses at his hands.

Faced with a big shot of this caliber, Raine naturally wanted to put on a good performance.

Just as he walked up to the door, the heavy wooden door opened automatically.

Wong seemed to have anticipated his arrival, sitting upright on a futon and flipping through an old magic book.

"Greetings, Grand Mage Wong."

Raine bowed slightly.

"Sit." Wong didn't even raise his head, calmly spitting out a single word.

Raine didn't stand on ceremony either, directly crossing his legs and sitting down on the empty futon opposite.

Looking at Wong's solemn, poker-faced expression, Raine felt not a ripple in his heart.

He knew that while this fatty looked fierce, he was actually a practical person with a cold exterior and a warm heart.

"Carter should have told you everything."

Wong closed the magic book and raised his eyes to look at Raine.

"Starting today, you'll train with me."

"Yes." Raine nodded.

Wong's sharp eyes fixed hard on Raine, and his tone grew even lower.

"I know you're exceptionally talented and learn everything fast."

"You certainly have the capital to be proud."

"But in the long history of Kamar-Taj, geniuses are as numerous as the stars, yet very few ultimately survive and become Masters."

"Do you know why?"

Raine humbly asked for guidance: "Please enlighten me, Master."

"Because they're too blindly confident!"

Wong's voice carried a hint of severity.

"They always think that once they master powerful spells, they can act with impunity and go challenge otherworldly Demon Gods far beyond their own capabilities."

"You must remember, a genius can be confident, but never conceited!"

"True life-and-death combat isn't about comparing proficiency on the training grounds. Enemies will use every means possible, and the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj face the threat of death at any moment."

"If you just want to learn some cool magic to put on airs, or are afraid of bloodshed."

"You can go back right now and stay here in Kamar-Taj as an administrative instructor in the future."

Wong delivered these remarks with resounding force, his gaze burning as he scrutinized Raine.