The Old Carter Was Drained Dry!

The tavern was still filled with the crowd's horrified discussion.

Carter held his ale, but the air of an expert on his face was gradually becoming impossible to maintain.

Showing off felt great for a moment.

But the harshness of reality made him want to cry.

Ren had only been under his tutelage for a few short days.

Kamar-Taj's basic three-spell set—Magic Shield, Weapon Construction, and Portal.

That kid had learned every damn one of them!

And his proficiency was even more absurd than that of Carter, an experienced mentor!

One had to understand that although Kamar-Taj was known as a magical Sanctum, it was essentially a combat monastery.

Ordinary Sorcerers did not master many kinds of Spells.

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

There were only so many variations of weapons. What truly required decades of refinement was the precise manipulation of energy.

And then there was the monster known as Ren.

A few good nights of sleep, and he had saved himself decades of other people's hard work!

"Ugh..."

Carter tipped his head back and downed a large gulp of ale. The drink, which had originally tasted rich and mellow, was now even more bitter than bitter melon juice.

He sorrowfully realized.

He had been completely drained dry.

There wasn't even a drop of stored knowledge left in his belly.

The gathering ended hastily.

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

He pushed open the door.

Wong, usually stern and cold, was wearing headphones. He flipped through a thick ancient book of Magic while gently swaying to the music in his ears.

Hearing the commotion, Wong quickly removed his headphones and put his usual unapproachable poker face back on.

"Master Carter, what happened?"

Carter pulled out a chair and sat down, his expression more solemn than ever.

"Grand Mage, I've thought it over carefully."

"I think it's time for Ren to train under you."

Wong frowned slightly. "Why?"

"You're the most experienced mentor for newcomers at Kamar-Taj. With such a fine talent, you're willing to hand him over to someone else?"

At Kamar-Taj, there was a deep bond between mentors and apprentices.

During the apprenticeship stage, very few people changed mentors midway.

Carter gave a bitter laugh, his eyes filled with desolation.

"Precisely because he's a once-in-a-lifetime genius, I can't ruin him."

"My limited knowledge is enough to teach ordinary people."

"But in front of him, I've already been completely emptied."

"If I forcibly keep him by my side, I'll only delay his bright future."

Wong fell silent.

Looking at the desolate gaze of his old friend, he felt a storm of emotions.

At the same time, he also felt faintly uneasy.

Old Carter couldn't teach him.

Does that mean I can definitely teach him?

The title of Grand Mage sounded impressive, but in reality, it only meant greater mental strength and richer combat experience.

When it came to a foundation of Spells, he might not have much more than Carter.

At Ren's unreasonable rate of advancement, he might also be drained dry in less than half a month!

However.

With things having reached this point, Wong could only brace himself and accept this hot potato.

"I understand."

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

Carter let out a long breath of relief, stood, and took his leave.

After returning to his meditation room.

Carter immediately sent someone to call Ren over.

A moment later.

Ren pushed open the door. "Master, you wanted to see me?"

Carter personally poured Ren a cup of tea, studying the young man before him with a complicated look.

"Ren, although you've only been here for a few days, I can tell that you're an exceptionally rare talent."

"However... from now on, I'm afraid you can't continue training under me."

Ren's heart jolted, and he blurted out, "Why? Master, did I do something wrong?"

He had sincerely regarded Carter as a precious treasure.

The old man not only had a good temper, but could also increase his skill-training speed with just a few casual pointers.

Where could he find such a top-quality "power bank"?

"No, you've done very well. Almost too well."

Seeing Ren's anxious expression, Carter's heart grew even more bitter.

How could I tell you that you're simply too monstrous, that you've emptied my entire stock of knowledge and left me questioning my life?

An old man needs to save face too!

Carter cleared his throat and brought out a set of lofty-sounding excuses.

"Kamar-Taj isn't an ordinary academy, but a fortress that guards against foreign enemies."

"Now that you've mastered the basic Magic, you must undergo brutal combat training next."

"I'm not good at teaching combat."

"So you need a stronger mentor."

Ren suddenly understood.

Kamar-Taj was indeed a militarily managed place.

Back then, Doctor Strange hadn't even crossed the threshold of Magic before Mordo dragged him away and beat him thoroughly.

"Understood."

Ren sighed regretfully. "Master, then who will I train under from now on?"

What he feared most now was being assigned to Kaecilius, the future villain and turncoat.

If Ancient One settled accounts with him in the future, he would be dragged down as well.

"Don't worry. I've arranged for you to train under Grand Mage Wong."

Carter patted Ren on the shoulder. "He's one of the strongest people here aside from the Sorcerer Supreme. He'll definitely look after you well."

When he heard it was the chubby Wong, Ren immediately let out a long sigh of relief.

This was the famous iron thigh of the Marvel Universe.

If he followed Wong, he could lie back and win for sure!

Ren accepted the arrangement very quickly.

Carter was also considerate enough to excuse him from the communal physical training every morning, allowing him to report directly to Wong.

Early the next morning.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Ren finished washing up and arrived outside Grand Mage Wong's residence ahead of time.

This was a famous ironclad defense in the Marvel Universe.

The future successor to the Sorcerer Supreme.

Whether it was Kaecilius or Thanos's Black Order, all of them had suffered greatly at his hands.

Facing someone of this level, Ren naturally had to perform well.

As soon as he reached the door, the heavy wooden door opened automatically.

Wong seemed to have known he would come. He was sitting upright on a meditation cushion, flipping through an old book of Magic.

"Greetings, Grand Mage Wong."

Ren bowed slightly.

"Sit." Wong did not even raise his head as he uttered the single word indifferently.

Ren was not polite either. He directly sat cross-legged on the empty meditation cushion opposite him.

Looking at Wong's stern, expressionless face, Ren's heart remained utterly calm.

He knew that although this fat man looked fierce, he was actually a straightforward man who was cold on the outside but warm-hearted underneath.

"Carter should have told you everything."

Wong closed the book of Magic and looked up at Ren.

"From today onward, you'll train under me."

"Yes." Ren nodded.

Wong fixed Ren with his sharp eyes, his voice growing even deeper.

"I know you possess extraordinary talent and learn everything quickly."

"And you certainly have the right to be proud."

"But throughout Kamar-Taj's long history, geniuses have been as numerous as the stars. In the end, only a handful have survived and become Grand Mages."

"Do you know why?"

Ren humbly asked for guidance. "Please enlighten me, Grand Mage."

"Because they were too blindly confident!"

Wong's voice carried a trace of severity.

"They always thought that mastering powerful Spells meant they could act without restraint, so they went off to challenge those extraterritorial Demon Gods far beyond their abilities."

"Remember this: a genius may be confident, but must never become arrogant!"

"True struggles for life and death aren't contests of proficiency on a training ground. Enemies will use every means at their disposal, and Kamar-Taj's Sorcerers face the threat of death at any moment."

"If you only want to learn some flashy Magic to put on airs, or if you're afraid of shedding blood."

"You can go back now and stay at Kamar-Taj as a clerical mentor in the future."

Wong's words rang out with force, his blazing gaze scrutinizing Ren.