— Nightfall, Kamar-Taj Secret Library
Wong was seated at his usual desk in the library.
He had just bought a new pair of headphones with his recent paycheck and was now enjoying some of his favorite music.
With half an apple in one hand and an intriguing book in the other, he was basking in the quiet bliss of a peaceful, easy shift.
'Thud!'
With a loud thump, a hefty stack of books landed right in front of him.
"Mr. Wong! I'm done reading these!" said Kagura, beaming. "Do I need to go through the quiz protocol, or can I just check out the next batch?"
"Son of a—!"
The sudden noise startled Wong so badly he almost leapt out of his seat. The half-eaten apple slipped from his hand and rolled across the table in a lazy arc.
"Kagura! Are you trying to scare me to death so you can take over my library?!"
Wong finally snapped out of it, glaring at her with exasperation. "Who reads like this?! You've gone through half the library in a single day—are you some kind of computer?!"
"Ehehe~" Kagura stuck out her tongue, striking a practiced cutesy pose. "You say that every time! I still don't know how to answer you!"
"Cut the cute act!"
Wong sighed heavily, arms akimbo. "Anyway, back to the point. You've finished most of the foundational theories on dimensional sorcery."
"Do you want to start going through the rest of the library by category, or would you prefer to choose a specialty you're personally interested in?"
"Oh? I get to pick a specialization?" Kagura tilted her head. "I thought you were the one who decided what books I was allowed to borrow!"
Wong grumbled, clearly reluctant. "I advise newcomers like you. Going straight into advanced grimoires is a good way to fry your brain—or worse."
"Well then, thank you, Wong-sensei!" Kagura gave him a bright, cheerful smile. "After all, I'm just a total newbie who only started reading this morning!"
"Enough already! Flattery won't get you anywhere!"
Wong waved her off. "Hurry up and decide what you want to read next. Otherwise, I'll pick for you!"
"Hmm… give me a second to think about it." Kagura crossed her arms thoughtfully. "This is a rare chance to choose my own path—I've got to take it seriously."
Dimensional sorcery covered a wide array of disciplines.
From manipulating space and twisting reality to peering into the past and future, even grasping the essence of time itself.
From traversing space-time and linking distant stars, to telekinesis and commanding matter with pure will—each field of magic came with unique powers and risks.
Just like college majors, the vast discipline of dimensional magic branched into many specialized areas.
'Thud!'
As Kagura pondered her options, Stephen Strange walked in—carrying another stack of heavy books.
"Wong, I've finished these. I need the next set," he said, dropping them on the desk. "Also, I'd like to borrow every book you've got on astral projection."
"Astral projection?"
Wong's eyebrow twitched as a vein visibly popped on his forehead. "You two... did you plan this? Are you working together just to make my life miserable?!"
Astral projection was one of the most complex fields in dimensional magic.
It allowed a practitioner to separate their soul—their consciousness and spiritual energy—from their physical body for a limited time.
This ability enabled someone to enter the Astral Plane, observe reality from outside it, or even perform miracles like saving their own life from an external perspective.
Stephen Strange's real motive was obvious: he wanted to make use of even his sleeping hours to keep studying.
While his body rested, his soul could continue reading.
"What do you need astral projection for?" Wong frowned. "That kind of magic is way too advanced for you right now."
"To study," Strange replied flatly. "Someone's been learning faster than me—making me, the Sorcerer Supreme's chosen 'genius,' look bad."
"If I don't catch up, I'm going to keep getting beat down. Not exactly a pleasant feeling."
As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Kagura.
Clearly, that someone he was referring to was her.
"No. Way." Wong slammed both hands on the desk and leaned forward, glaring at Strange.
"Kagura might have some secret method that lets her absorb all this knowledge, but you? You're just a rookie!"
"I think I can handle it." Strange nodded. "If you want to test me first, that's fine. I'm ready."
Stephen Strange had a photographic memory—a rare gift that allowed him to retain vast amounts of information with a single reading.
While his pace didn't match Kagura's absurd speed, his learning curve was still shockingly steep.
After giving Strange several difficult theoretical questions on dimensional magic, Wong sat back in disbelief, staring at him with the same wide-eyed expression he usually reserved for Kagura.
"What the hell… Are all the new kids monsters these days?!"
"Alright then," said Strange, extending a hand. "I passed the test. Now hand over the astral projection books."
He then turned to Kagura with a grin. "You better be ready, kiddo. Tomorrow, I'm the one who's gonna mop the floor with you!"
"Ooh, so scary, Dr. Strange," Kagura replied with a smirk. "The Ancient One and I were actually worried that bullying you too much would make you quit."
"Ooh I'm not giving up" Strange clenched his fists with determination.
"I'm going to prove I'm the most talented sorcerer. No matter what's ahead, I'll push through it and show you all!"
"Mhm! I'll be cheering you on!" Kagura gave a satisfied nod. Determination was always a good sign.
...Though she silently hoped he'd still hold onto that spirit once he learned about Dormammu.
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After Strange marched off with his mountain of books, Wong turned back to Kagura.
"And you? Figured out what you want to study next? Just a heads-up: astral projection is off the table. He took them all."
"Yeah, I figured." Kagura nodded.
"Then just as I mentioned before—please give me everything related to artifact crafting and sorcery integration."
"I want to study how to merge magical theory with the creation of enchanted tools."
Her goal was to bring dimensional magic into the equipment at Rhodes Island and the YoRHa military units.
Naturally, artifact crafting and magical integration was the most suitable path.
"Got it," Wong said, nodding. "At this point, I won't question your methods. As long as you can truly grasp this knowledge, I'm not going to hold it back from you. Follow me."
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