The lobby was a flurry of snowflakes, a thick layer of snow accumulating to knee-height in just a few seconds. The icy chill was a relentless presence, turning everyone's faces pale. They looked up at the near-miraculous scene, their eyelashes frosted with ice. The bone-chilling cold snaked down their throats.
"Is this magic? It's like God himself!"
"Beauty and cold combined, in this library of all places!"
"Mommy, I'm so cold, but it's so beautiful!"
"My classmates will be jealous when I tell them about this!"
Despite the freezing temperatures, none of the tourists left. This was a sight they would never forget.
Someone's flashbulb suddenly went off, breaking the spell. Everyone snapped out of their trance and pulled out their phones and cameras. They pressed the shutter buttons with trembling fingers.
"Hey! Look over here!"
A deep, magnetic voice drew everyone's attention. Stephen, suspended in the air by his levitating cloak, extended his hand and snapped his fingers.
A blinding white light erupted from his fingertips, illuminating the library. The tourists shut their eyes and collapsed onto the snow.
Only Amon and the sanctum staff remained standing.
"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill everyone?"
Amon, still admiring his handiwork, turned to Stephen, who was floating in the air.
"Don't worry, it's just a little sleep spell," Stephen said, looking down at Amon. "Let them sleep it off. They can pretend it was all a dream."
"I thought you were jealous of my talent and trying to get rid of the witnesses."
Amon chuckled, unconcerned. He knew Stephen's character well enough to know he wouldn't do anything like that.
"Jealous of you?"
Stephen's face darkened as he was called out. He gritted his teeth and said, "These are just basic spells. You're still a long way off, young man."
"Alright, Stephen, stop pretending," Wong interrupted, his voice impatient. He eyed Amon with suspicion. "Who are you?"
Even though the young man was incredibly talented, Wong wouldn't let his guard down until he knew more about him.
"Me?"
Amon turned his back on them and placed the magic book back on the shelf. "Amon. Just an ordinary guy."
[Ding! You have learned your first magic spell!]
[Reward: The Scroll of Chthon (Fragment)]
Huh?
The Scroll of Chthon?
Wasn't that the previous owner of the Darkhold?
Amon hadn't expected to receive this reward.
"An ordinary guy?"
Wong snorted. "A businessman? An entrepreneur? A mountaineer? A shooting champion?"
"You're a real seer, Grand Master. You figured out my identity so quickly..."
Amon turned back to Wong, but his words trailed off. Wong was looking at him with a serious expression, his phone in hand.
No, was he really using his phone like that? Was this how mages did things now?
Wong looked up and saw Amon's surprised expression. He chuckled. "I saw your picture in the newspaper."
"There was an article..."
Amon watched as Wong put his phone away. He nodded, trying to regain his composure.
He had been eager to get more exciting rewards from the system, so he had tried all sorts of thrilling activities, from wingsuit flying to skydiving. He was bored with it all now.
Stephen, listening to their conversation, twitched his lips. He was overwhelmed. He couldn't compete with Amon's talent, and now his life experiences were on a completely different level!
"Ahem..."
Stephen cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and landed gracefully on the ground. "You're very talented, but magic is not as easy as you think."
Wong saw that Stephen was about to show off and decided to stay out of the way.
"Is it difficult?"
Amon looked at Stephen with a playful smirk.
Faced with Amon's mockery, Stephen said calmly, "To become a great mage, you need a great mentor."
He waved his hand, creating a gentle breeze that lifted the snow in the library. It looked like a silver curtain swirling around the room. As the snow rose, it dissipated with the wind. In a blink of an eye, the library was clear of snow.
Stephen put his hands back behind his back, tilting his chin slightly. He had just pulled off a very stylish move.
Amon just nodded slowly and said, "Oh."
He was impressed. Stephen was worthy of being the Sorcerer Supreme's successor. He had skills.
"Are you thinking of me as your mentor?"
Stephen nearly choked on his own words.
No. He had just pulled off a grand display, and all he got was a "Oh"?
"No, I have to go," Amon said, turning towards the door. He had just received the Scroll of Chthon. He needed to study it. It was on the same level as the Vishanti Book of the Sorcerer Supreme.
"What?"
Stephen was completely thrown off. This wasn't how he imagined things going. He expected Amon to beg him to be his mentor.
And now Amon was really leaving.
"Don't go!"
Stephen's voice was laced with urgency. "You don't want to become my apprentice? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
This was a rare talent! It would be a shame if he left!
"No, I don't want to," Amon shook his head. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about what happened today."
He was crazy to go to the snowy mountains and endure hardship with these people. He would rather spend his time with his beloved Wanda and enjoy some intimate moments.
Stephen saw that Amon was about to leave and tried to stop him, but Wong pulled him back.
"Mr. Amon, if you ever want to learn magic, you're always welcome here."
Amon paused, nodded, and left.
...
...
After Amon left, Stephen was still in shock.
"Stephen, it seems you're not very appealing," Wong chuckled, teasing him.
"What does my appeal have to do with it? He just doesn't want to learn magic!"
Stephen insisted, refusing to admit defeat. He was a top talent. No one would turn down an offer like that.
"He stumbled upon it, just by looking at a book," Wong shook his head, gazing out the window at the remaining traces of snow. "We may have found a prodigy. We need to tell the Ancient One."
"No one can hide anything from the Ancient One," Stephen smiled. "She probably already knows..."
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Advance 30 Chapters In My:
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