"You're back!"
Inside the School of Magic, Erin found herself overwhelmed by complex emotions.
When Odin's divine telekinesis informed her that the magicians of the entire Magic Academy were to cooperate with Aaron in a grand magician reform, she had been utterly stunned.
Though Odin had not provided details about the process, his directive for the Academy to fully support Aaron was enough to indicate the magnitude of the change.
From what she could infer, this reform would completely alter the fate of magicians.
Perhaps, for the first time in history, magicians would no longer remain hidden behind the scenes. They would step into the light, proving their worth on the battlefield.
This had been Erin's lifelong dream—one she had once believed unattainable.
Yet, against all odds, Aaron had made it a reality.
From the moment he first began learning magic until now, barely a year or two had passed. And in that brief span of time, he had accomplished what she could not, even after thousands of years of effort.
No wonder she felt so conflicted.
"Yes, Teacher Erin, I'm back!"
Aaron's voice snapped her out of her daze.
Hearing him call her "teacher" again made her heart tremble slightly.
She rolled her eyes and said, "Come on now, I'm not qualified to be your teacher anymore. You are the God of Magic. Even the King of the Gods has acknowledged your mastery."
"Hahaha, but no matter how skilled I am, didn't you teach me in the beginning?" Aaron replied with a warm smile.
While Erin felt a surge of pride, she quickly waved her hands dismissively.
"I barely taught you a few spells! That hardly qualifies me as your teacher."
She then shifted the conversation, her curiosity taking over.
"Alright, let's set that aside. Tell me, what exactly has the esteemed God of Magic 'commanded' the King of the Gods to do? Why has he asked all of us to fully cooperate with your magician reform?"
"So, what exactly are you planning?"
Erin was eager to understand. What kind of method could he possibly use to elevate the status of magicians?
Aaron no longer kept things to himself.
He took out the Magic Net Contract and handed it to her.
As Erin carefully read through the document, her expression shifted from confusion to awe.
Meanwhile, outside, the students and faculty of the Magic Academy began gathering in the square, their curiosity piqued.
When they recognized Aaron, their whispers filled the air.
Although he rarely attended official gatherings and had not returned to Asgard recently, legends of his exploits had spread far and wide.
His face was well-known.
Excited murmurs swept through the crowd. If not for the teachers maintaining order, the students would have rushed forward to surround him.
But it wasn't just the Academy students who had gathered.
Magicians from all over Asgard, having received the King of the Gods' summons, arrived one after another.
Even those who had long abandoned the path of magic answered the call.
After all, when the King of the Gods issues a command, one does not hesitate.
Before long, the square was filled with thousands of people.
On the surface, it seemed like a significant number. But considering that this was the accumulated number of magicians over thousands of years, it was clear just how rare true magicians were in Asgard.
Many among them were not full-fledged magicians.
Some had abandoned magic due to lack of aptitude and taken up the sword instead. Others had given up magic entirely to live as ordinary civilians.
In truth, only a fraction of those gathered were qualified to fight as true magicians.
Yet today, they had all been summoned.
With the emergence of the Magic Net, even those with limited aptitude had a chance to ascend to greater heights.
Talent alone would no longer dictate a magician's destiny.
Through Aaron's revolutionary Energy Absorption magic, even the weakest had hope of becoming a formidable mage.
As the crowd swelled, the noise became impossible to suppress.
Speculation ran rampant.
Some wondered if war was imminent.
But that didn't make sense.
If a battle was coming, why summon magicians instead of warriors? And why call upon those who had already left magic behind?
One thing was certain—they all possessed some magic, no matter how weak.
And so, their eyes turned to the raised platform.
Aaron stood at the center, and the moment they saw him, they knew—he was the reason they had all been gathered here.
Did the God of Magic have something to announce?
On the platform, Erin's hands trembled slightly as she processed what she had just read.
Overcome with emotion, she signed the Magic Net Contract without hesitation.
At that moment, she understood—this would change the fate of magicians forever.
This was not just a new system.
It was a revolution.
A profession that would make magicians an absolute force to be reckoned with. A discipline that would elevate their status and grant them the respect they had long been denied.
Gods…
How did Aaron think of this?
How did he make this seemingly "impossible" idea a reality?
Tears welled in her eyes.
This was what she had spent her life searching for.
She looked at Aaron, admiration and reverence shining in her gaze.
In her mind, he was not just a powerful magician.
He was the God of Magic.
Not just in name, but in truth.
Unconsciously, two tears slid down her face. These were not tears of sorrow but of joy.
When a lifelong dream is finally within reach, what else can one do but weep?
"Thank you."
Aaron patted her on the shoulder, his voice gentle.
"Don't get caught up in emotion now. Didn't you always want to see this dream become reality with your own eyes?"
"Of course I do!"
Erin took a step back and, with a surge of power, conjured thousands of contracts and sent them out to the gathered magicians.
The sheer scale of magic required for this act drained her energy considerably.
Under normal circumstances, she would never use her magic so recklessly.
But today, she didn't care.
The magicians received the contracts, their confusion deepening.
Yet, seeing that both Aaron and Erin remained silent, they held back their questions and began reading.
The entire square fell silent.
Meanwhile, Aaron could sense the immense divine power coming from Odin.
As expected, Odin was still the King of the Gods.
Despite his age and the apparent decline in his abilities, his magic remained terrifying.
Though not a dimensional Mephista, the sheer magnitude of energy he had uploaded was astonishing.
Not inferior to the dark energy once bestowed upon him by the Ancient One.
Of course, Aaron knew that Odin was holding back a portion of his power—he still needed to maintain Hela's seal.
But he also knew something else.
Odin would continue transmitting more divine power.
In Asgard, his magic was nearly limitless.
Even if every magician present uploaded their magic, Odin alone might contribute more than all of them combined.
At the same time, Odin had personally informed Aaron of his decision.
He intended to dedicate all his remaining strength to Thor's succession.
And so, all the feedback magic would go to Thor.
This showed just how much Odin truly cared for his son.
At this moment, Odin was being the most responsible father he had ever been.
Aaron had no objections to Odin's choice.
With a thought, he redirected a portion of the feedback magic to Thor.
On the other side, Thor, who had been struggling, suddenly found himself surging with newfound power.
He was utterly baffled.
"What the hell?"
The Magic Net had forcefully transmitted the energy into his body.
There was no room for refusal.
While the sensation of growing stronger was exhilarating, he couldn't help but feel troubled.
He didn't want to achieve greatness just by lying down!
If given the choice, he would rather fight for his strength with his own two hands.
Not have it handed to him on a silver platter.
"This is so frustrating!"
And far away, in New York—
A familiar figure once again stood outside Aaron's residence.
Silently waiting.
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