Inside the hall, snowflakes danced gracefully everywhere, and within just ten seconds, the heavy snowfall already piled up above their knees. The cold penetrated like a bone-deep chill, leaving everyone's faces pale. They looked up at the nearly miraculous scene, their eyelashes already frosted over. The biting cold made its way down their throats.
"Is this magic? This is akin to a divine miracle, isn't it?"
"The combination of beauty and cold appearing here in this library is astonishing!"
"Mom, I'm freezing, but it's so beautiful!"
"If I tell my classmates about this when I go back, they'll definitely be jealous to death!"
Despite the cold making them Sylvie, the visitors did not leave. This was a scene that would be unforgettable for all. Suddenly, a flash of light from a camera went off, snapping everyone out of their reverie. People quickly pulled out their phones and cameras, trembling hands repeatedly pressing the shutter button.
"Hey! Look over here!"
At that moment, a magnetic low voice captured everyone's attention. Stephen floated in the air, draped in a hovering cloak. As he extended his right hand to snap his fingers, a burst of white light radiated from his fingertips, illuminating the library. The tourists, taken aback by the sight, closed their eyes and collapsed onto the snowy ground. Only Hode and the staff remained standing.
"What are you doing? You're not planning to kill anyone, are you?" Hode, admiring his own masterpiece, turned to look at Stephen Strangege floating in the air.
"Don't worry, it's just a little sleeping spell," Stephen replied as he turned to Hode, who stood in the center of the library. "Let them sleep well. Consider it a dream!"
"I thought you were jealous of my talent and wanted to silence me," Hode teased nonchalantly, fully aware of the type of person Stephen was and not particularly fearing him.
"Jealous of you?" Stephen's expression darkened, clenching his teeth. "This is all just leftover from my own play. You young man are still falling far short!"
"Enough! Stephen, stop pretending!" Wong interrupted impatiently, eyeing Hode warily. "Who are you?"
Even though this young man was incredibly gifted, Wong would never let his guard down without knowing more.
"Me?" Hode casually placed the magic book back on the shelf, turning his back to the two. "Hode, an ordinary person!"
[Ding! You have learned your first magic spell!*
[Reward: Darkhold (Fragment)*
Huh?
The Darkhold? Isn't that the predecessor of the Dark Grimoire?
Hode didn't expect to receive this reward.
"An ordinary person, huh?" Wong scoffed, continuing, "Or a wealthy businessman? An entrepreneur? A mountaineering athlete? Or a shooting champion?"
"No wonder you're a grandmaster prophet; you figured out my identity so quickly..." Hode said while glancing back at Wong.
But when he saw Wong, his words halted. Wong was seriously reading information off his touchscreen smartphone. Seriously? Is it really okay for a mage to be so plain and unremarkable? Wong looked up and smiled at Hode's shocked expression. "I think I saw you in the newspaper before."
"There was...," Hode nodded slowly as he watched Wong put his phone away.
After obtaining the system, Hode had sought out more exciting rewards, trying various thrilling activities; he was already bored of base jumping. Stephen, hearing their conversation, felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth. The multitude of titles he heard made him feel inadequate.
"Cough, cough..." Stephen cleared his throat, placing a fist before his mouth as he stepped down onto the ground. "You're quite talented, but magic isn't as easy as you think."
Wong quickly saw through Stephen's intention to show off and silently stepped aside.
"Is it hard?" Hode smirked, looking at the distant Stephen.
Facing Hode's sarcasm, Stephen Strangege calmly replied, "Yes, in order to become an exceptional mage, you must have an outstanding mentor!"
With that, he waved his right hand casually, summoning a gentle breeze that swirled the snow in the library upward. For a moment, it looked like a silver veil was dancing around the library. As the snow rose, it gradually disappeared with the breeze. In the blink of an eye, the snow that once filled the library had vanished.
After completing this, Stephen slowly placed his hand behind his back, slightly lifting his chin. This display undeniably elevated his charisma. However, Hode merely nodded slowly and said, "Oh."
Yet he had to admit that Stephen, as an heir to the Supreme Mage, wasn't without skills.
"Are you hoping I'll become your apprentice?"
Hearing this understated response nearly pushed Stephen over the edge.
"No!" Hode shook his head, recalling the Darkhold he had just obtained. He really wanted to go back and study it; it was on par with the Book of the Vashanti, the legendary text of the Supreme Mage.
"Ah?!" Stephen was taken aback. This was completely different from what he had envisioned; at a moment like this, wasn't Hode supposed to be begging for guidance? Plus, Hode was now really turning to leave.
"Don't go!" Stephen exclaimed in haste. "You really don't want to become my apprentice?"
This was a once-in-a-lifetime genius! If he left now, it would be a tremendous loss!
"Not interested!" Hode shook his head without a second thought. "Don't worry; I won't tell anyone about what happened today."
He'd be crazy to follow these people to suffer in the snowy mountains. Better to look for his treasure Wanda and share a few deep exchanges of love instead.
Seeing Hode about to leave, Stephen was just about to step forward when Wong grabbed him.
"Mr. Hode, if you ever want to learn magic, you can come to me anytime!"
Hsode paused for a moment after hearing those words, nodded seriously, and then left.
After Hode departed, Stephen Strange remained lost in thought for quite some time.
"Stephen, it seems your charm isn't quite enough!" Wong teased, suppressing a laugh.
"What does my charm have to do with this? He just doesn't want to learn magic!" Stephen Strange retorted, refusing to admit it. He was a top-notch genius; how could he possibly turn down such an opportunity if he were interested?
"He stumbled upon it by chance and learned it with just a glance." Wong looked out the window at the scenery, feeling the lingering chill in the air, and sighed, "We might have encountered a prodigy; we need to inform the Supreme Mage right away!"
"No one can keep anything from Master Ancient One," Stephen said with a smile, shaking his head. "She probably already knows..."
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