Chapter 221: Starting from the Basics
While becoming the Ancient One's apprentice was a commendable achievement, Russell knew that this achievement was nearly impossible to accomplish.
As strong as the Ancient One was, there was no guarantee that she would live long enough for Russell to activate "Dark Doctor Strange."
Furthermore, even if he gained the abilities of "Dark Doctor Strange," it was unlikely that the Ancient One would accept him as her student.
"Since I chose to accept immediately in over 6 million futures, I guess I don't have a reason to refuse," Russell said. He then stood up and slightly bowed to the Ancient One, saying, "I'm Russell Bradley, your student."
Upon seeing his gesture, the Ancient One smiled kindly.
Yes, kindly!
Even though the Ancient One currently appeared to be in her forties or fifties, her actual age was much older.
"No need to be so formal," she said. "Although Kamar-Taj is a long-standing order of sorcerers, we don't have hierarchies like you might expect."
"Courtesy should not be abandoned," Russell replied earnestly. "Since you are my magic teacher, I should at least behave like a student."
Though taking Russell as a student had been a recent decision, the Ancient One was satisfied with Russell's attitude.
While Russell's magical talent might not compare to the future Doctor Strange, Stephen Strange, he was certainly a promising student compared to most people.
However, the extent to which he could be trained to become the next Doctor Strange remained uncertain. The Ancient One had used the Time Stone to peer into Russell's future, but there was an enigmatic mist surrounding him that neither the Time Stone nor magic could penetrate.
The Ancient One couldn't determine whether this was a good or bad thing, but based on what she had seen of Russell's future actions, he didn't seem likely to become a threat to Earth or humanity.
As for whether Russell adhered to conventional public morality, the Ancient One didn't particularly care. Otherwise, she wouldn't have invited him to the Sanctum Sanctorum or considered taking him as her student.
After observing Russell for a few seconds, the Ancient One stood up. She then waved her hand lightly while holding a wooden fan. That indescribable sensation returned once more.
In an instant, Russell and the Ancient One found themselves in the Sanctum Sanctorum's library, rather than the meeting room.
Although the Sanctum Sanctorum's library couldn't compare to Kamar-Taj's library in size, it still housed a considerable collection of books.
Observing the antique and quaint atmosphere of the small library before him, Russell quickly guessed the Ancient One's intentions.
And he was correct.
After using spatial magic to transport them to the library, the Ancient One went directly to a nearby bookshelf and retrieved four thick books that resembled bricks.
"At Kamar-Taj, knowledge can be shared, but not all knowledge can be put into practice," the Ancient One explained. "You possess divine powers, and although you haven't learned how to use them yet, the existence of these powers has already opened the door to magic for you. However, you lack the proper methods to use divine powers."
The Ancient One handed over the four ancient and thick magic books to Russell before he could even ask.
"Visual Tome, Universal Compendium, Supreme Codex, Key of Solomon. These four books are required reading for Kamar-Taj apprentices. Take them back to study. If you have any questions, you can always come to the Sanctum to find me."
"Of course, you can also consult Diana directly or study with her. While your magical talent is better than that of an average person, Diana's magical talent surpasses yours."
Russell nodded. "Alright, I understand."
Taking the four massive magic books from the Ancient One, he tucked them into his spatial storage.
Afterward, the Ancient One continued, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't see you out."
As soon as she finished speaking, Russell once again experienced that inexplicable feeling of weightlessness.
This time, when he opened his eyes, he was not in the Sanctum Sanctorum's library but in front of its closed doors.
Closed doors!
Wasn't this a bit too casual?
Russell shook his head in resignation. After storing the magic books in his spatial storage, he shot up into the sky like a rocket, heading back to the Octopus Monster headquarters.
Back in his office, he didn't immediately start studying the entry-level magic books given to him by the Ancient One. Instead, he lay on the couch, basking in the sun's rays for a leisurely hour.
He had initially prepared for the worst.
For example, leading the Justice League and Kamar-Taj into an all-out war.
However, to his surprise, the Ancient One didn't view him as a threat. Instead, she had taken him as her student.
In terms of seniority, he was already Doctor Strange Stephen Strange's senior at the moment.
As he lay there, soaking in the nourishing yellow sunlight, Russell pondered his next steps.
Firstly, he didn't have to worry much about the situation with the Ancient One. Unless the Ancient One went mad, she wouldn't treat him as a threat.
Secondly, the plan to replace Whitehall and Pierce with Bakshi was progressing smoothly. With the assistance of four White Zetsu and Bucky, Bakshi's safety wasn't a concern.
Lastly, there were various miscellaneous matters to consider.
Tony was busy for the time being. He wouldn't be interested in anything else until he developed a new element to replace palladium.
Similarly, Mr. Fantastic Reed was occupied. He was currently researching Muto's corpse, hoping to discover new knowledge previously unknown to him.
As for the members of the Justice League, most of them had their own commitments at the moment.
Kara was busy with her movies, Gwen was juggling her roles as Spider-Woman and a college student, Hulk and Peter were busy training together, Grendel and Godzilla continued their "cohabitation."
If S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't currently researching the Cosmic Cube, Russell and the others would have a relatively easy time in the near future.
However, it was regrettable that S.H.I.E.L.D. was not only studying the Cosmic Cube but also attempting to develop mass destruction weapons using it.
While Russell wasn't sure how far along S.H.I.E.L.D. had progressed, one thing was certain: if they continued their research, it wouldn't be long before the Chitauri army made an appearance.
Russell wasn't particularly interested in the Chitauri army, but he was intrigued by Thanos, the man behind the Chitauri.
Thanos was nicknamed the "Mad Titan," while Russell had earned the title of the "Mad Traveler." Russell couldn't help but wonder who was crazier between the two of them.
Russell was quite curious about this.
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