The Arrival of Ancient One and Return

"Don't celebrate too soon, disciples of Vishanti!"

Before anyone could catch their breath, a chilling voice echoed across the heavens, striking directly at their souls.

Ned and Peter managed to stay unaffected—Ned's pain mask shielded him from such influences, and Peter's enhanced physiology as a superhuman made him immune to the voice's intimidating effects.

However, Huang Xiwen and Gwen weren't so fortunate. As soon as the voice resounded, their faces twisted in anguish, and they let out pained groans.

"Damn it!"

Ned quickly waved his right hand, summoning a protective magic circle that expanded to shield both Huang Xiwen and Gwen.

"Are you guys okay?" Ned asked with concern.

"We're… fine," Huang Xiwen replied, her expression softening as the magic circle enveloped them. Gwen nodded in agreement, her breathing stabilizing.

Before the voice had fully dissipated, two radiant streams of light, one purple and the other cyan, erupted in the sky, intertwining elegantly. The combined brilliance quickly formed a domain that enveloped an area of a hundred meters in radius, cutting off all escape.

As the radiance spread, Ned felt an odd sensation. Turning to Peter, he noticed his friend swaying unsteadily.

"What's wrong?" Ned asked, rushing to steady Peter.

"Feeling dizzy… lightheaded," Peter murmured, his strength fading as he leaned heavily on Ned. His eyelids drooped as if he were on the verge of losing consciousness.

Ned's concern deepened as he glanced back at Huang Xiwen and Gwen. To his horror, they had already collapsed within the protection of his magic circle, unconscious.

"This isn't good!" Ned's heart sank. The earlier voice hadn't caused this severe a reaction, so the light from above must have a far more insidious purpose.

Worse yet, his protective magic circle hadn't been breached, yet Huang Xiwen and Gwen still succumbed. That meant the light bypassed his barriers entirely!

If it could ignore his magic, who knew what other devastating effects it might have? Ned didn't dare take any chances. He handed Peter off to an AI-controlled suit of armor, then began frantically weaving more complex spells.

Thankfully, Little AI, being an artificial intelligence without a soul, remained unaffected by the light.

However, every attempt Ned made to conjure a portal was met with failure. Sparks flared briefly, only to vanish without forming a proper gateway.

"Damn it! What's going on?" Ned growled in frustration, his usual mastery over magic seemingly useless.

As he struggled, two figures descended from the heavens, their presence ominous and commanding.

One was cloaked in purple, the other in cyan, each wielding a dazzling longsword. The purple-cloaked figure held a sword glowing with cyan light, while the cyan-cloaked figure's blade shone with purple radiance. Their gazes were cold and unyielding as they stared down at Ned.

Recognizing their attire as similar to the black-robed attackers he had faced before, Ned tightened his grip on his magic.

"What the…? Damn it!" he muttered. Just as he was about to taunt them, the two figures raised their swords, unleashing a barrage of glowing orbs that rained down mercilessly.

Knowing he couldn't afford to let these attacks hit, Ned quickly conjured a massive magical shield, positioning himself between the attackers and his unconscious friends.

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

Explosions roared as the orbs collided with the shield. Yet, to Ned's surprise, the impacts caused no harm to him or his barrier.

"Wait… what?" Ned's confusion deepened as two agonized screams echoed from above. The radiant domain that had trapped them dissipated, plunging the world back into darkness.

"Ned, it's been a while. How did you end up so… disheveled? And… what happened to your hand?"

A familiar, warm voice broke the silence. Startled, Ned looked up to see a woman in a flowing yellow robe standing before him.

"Ancient One!"

Overjoyed, Ned dismissed his magical shield. The light of recognition filled his eyes as he saw the Ancient One, her serene expression unchanging even as she surveyed the battlefield. At her feet lay the two defeated assailants, their strength completely drained.

"What happened to your hand?" she repeated, her voice filled with concern.

"I…"

Ned hesitated, touched by her genuine care. He retrieved the black-robed man's spear from his mirror dimension and handed it to the Ancient One.

"This was the cause."

The Ancient One studied the weapon intently before returning it to Ned. With a simple gesture, she summoned the swords of the purple- and cyan-cloaked figures, handing them over as well.

"These swords are powerful artifacts. The domain earlier was derived from their abilities. Take them and study their properties," she instructed.

"Yes, Master," Ned replied, storing the weapons in his mirror dimension.

"Ned?"

The groggy voices of Huang Xiwen and Peter interrupted them as they regained consciousness. Their confusion grew upon seeing the Ancient One.

"Ned, you should return home," the Ancient One said softly, her tone firm yet kind.

"Home?" Huang Xiwen asked curiously. "Are you one of Ned's mentors?"

"Yes," the Ancient One replied with a gentle smile.

Huang Xiwen's curiosity was evident, but Ned quickly pulled her aside for a private conversation. When they returned, Huang Xiwen's eyes were red, as if she had been crying, and she clutched something tightly in her hand.

"Let's go, Master," Ned said, his voice subdued.

The Ancient One nodded, conjuring a portal with a wave of her hands. Without hesitation, she stepped through, with Ned following closely behind.

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