Chapter 134: The Face of the World

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The Ancient One's stern rebuke rang out like thunder, an invisible sonic wave infused with psychic energy crashing toward the young man standing his ground like a tidal surge...

A faint golden glimmer flashed in Sean's eyes as he took a step back. Surging power erupted from his body, the collision of two formidable energy waves causing visible ripples in the air, as if a boulder had been dropped into still waters.

The Ancient One's yellow robes billowed violently as though struck by a gale force wind.

The Sorcerer Supreme's expression grew slightly more serious...

With a wave of her left hand, the ground beneath her feet trembled as intricate patterns coalesced into a human-height wave of bricks and rubble. Sean could sense obscure mystical energies attached to them, likely some form of magical enchantment.

If those seemingly fragile concrete blocks touched him, they would instantly transform into an impregnable prison!

Compared to mutant abilities or powerful technological weapons, magic was far more insidious and unpredictable. Through complex incantations or elaborate spell formations, it channeled formidable energies with numerous applications capable of attacking both body and soul.

No wonder those bizarre creatures from other dimensions viewed mages as their natural enemies...

An energy field solidified around Sean, pulverizing the wave of rubble into dust. The ground beneath his feet cracked as tremendous force concentrated into a single point before erupting outward! In the blink of an eye, Sean crossed the intervening space and delivered a devastating punch!

*Booom!*

Compressed air exploded with the force of an artillery shell!

The Ancient One flicked open her delicate fan, ancient runes flashing into existence to block the crushing blow. With a thunderous impact, her robes fluttered as she was sent flying backward at incredible speed, while the recoil sent Sean crashing through clusters of floating buildings like a bullet tearing through reinforced concrete.

"Of course the sorcerers all fight in melee!" Sean grumbled, shaking his head.

Tearing away the tattered remains of his expensive suit, the half-naked young man launched himself like a cannonball toward the recovering Sorcerer Supreme. Every building in his path was obliterated by sheer brute force. Within seconds, the humanoid battering ram closed the distance.

Twin massive magical shields materialized instantly, blocking a savage axe kick before shattering with a resounding crash. The Ancient One showed no fear... over her long lifetime, she'd battled countless world-disrupting evil spirits and interdimensional invaders. Those bloodthirsty demons were nothing before the supreme might of Vishanti!

With a flip of her palm, intricate lines rapidly formed a small spell circle...

Space itself stretched, the Sorcerer Supreme who had been within arm's reach suddenly became a distant speck. Crimson beams erupted from Sean's palms like red-hot blades, slicing through layers of skyscrapers yet failing to reach their target.

"You're but a caged beast," the Ancient One's voice echoed through the seemingly endless mirror dimension, "No matter how violently you rage, you'll never escape this place."

Across the vast distance, Sean sneered, "If that's truly the case, why not leave me trapped here? Let this dimensional intruder be driven mad by endless time until I'm kneeling at your feet, begging and wailing!"

He wasn't fooled by the Ancient One's psychological tactics... mirror dimensions weren't permanent, merely a training ground or containment measure used by mystics.

"You're a troublesome opponent," the Ancient One admitted with an amused shake of her head, toying with her elegant fan, "Neither blindly reliant on strength yet possessing formidable power. Had you continued hiding instead of altering the timeline, I might never have discovered you..."

Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, "...What is your purpose? From my observations, you neither harvest human souls like demons nor deceive the ignorant like so-called angels... Could you be a seer who pierces the mists of the future?"

Perched atop a floating skyscraper, Sean considered both his response and how to close the distance, "What if I told you I was just playing a game before being forcibly transported here? Would you believe that, honored Mystic?"

Surprisingly, the yellow-robed sorcerer showed no derision. Tapping her fan against her chin, she appeared genuinely thoughtful.

"That's...not unreasonable," the Ancient One nodded as if having an epiphany, "You're hardly unique... throughout history we've captured many transdimensional souls. Some claimed, like you, to hail from other worlds through bizarre accidents. Others insisted this reality was merely a fictional dimension from comics or films."

For once, Sean's composure cracked. The Ancient One's words sent shockwaves through his mind, leaving his thoughts in temporary disarray.

Regaining his equilibrium, he asked, "Then how did I evade detection?"

The Ancient One smiled faintly, "That's a question for yourself. Some outsiders trigger the Sanctums' defenses immediately, while others...are subtler. Perhaps due to sharing similar origins, they escape initial notice."

Sean remained silent for a moment, wisely avoiding inquiries about his fellow "transmigrators'" fates... capture by the Sanctum mystics likely ended poorly.

"You don't believe them at all?" asked the tattered young man.

"From the moment one walks the path of sorcery, the boundary between real and illusory must be understood," the Ancient One replied, stepping through the void toward him, "Because sorcery itself is a force that defies conventional reality."

With a wave of her fan, the floating cityscape reassembled itself. The inverted mirror dimension shattered as the sling ring on her hand flashed... the deafening cacophony of the real world suddenly flooding Sean's senses.

After a brief darkness, he found himself back on the highway amidst honking cars and rumbling engines, the vibrant tapestry of normal life unfolding around them.

"One's perception and capacity for learning determines how far they may walk the mystic path," the Ancient One said softly, gazing at the distant cityscape, "This planet isn't the entirety of existence... countless overlapping dimensions, hidden realms, the infinite vastness of the multiverse... Do you know how profoundly my soul trembled when I first glimpsed its true face?"

Turning back to the dark-haired young man, her expression grew solemn. Only now did Sean truly feel the weight of millennia behind those eyes...

"Every Sorcerer Supreme glimpses fragments of the future," she continued quietly, "I can even sense my impending death in the not-too-distant future."

That calm acceptance of mortality, that profound understanding of life... these were realms Sean couldn't yet comprehend. Not now. Perhaps not ever...

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