— — — — — —
『Ghost Spider』: What do you mean? What's wrong with the sorcerers in my world?
Seeing Veyron speak up, Gwen perked up immediately. She knew he never spoke without a reason.
The others also quietly fell into sync, holding off on commenting so they could see what he'd say next.
『(Admin)Veyron』: To be clear, the problem isn't with the sorcerers themselves. It's with the entire system they're part of. It's… let's just say, a little "unique" in my eyes.
『(Admin)Veyron』: In your world, the energy used for magic? It all belongs to someone.
『(Admin)Veyron』: Let me explain. Normally, when a mage casts a spell, they use their own mental energy or mana to connect with natural elements—or they directly channel their will, mana, or spirit to produce a magical effect. Right?
『(Admin)Veyron』: But in your world? When a mage casts, say, a fire spell, what they're actually doing is tapping into the origin of fire magic and borrowing that power from the entity that owns it.
『Ghost Spider』: Huh??
『Hellish Blizzard』: Wait, don't tell me… those energy owners aren't just generously handing out free power to the whole world, right~?
『Shiroyasha』: Funny thing is, the opposite might be more believable.
『Shiroyasha』: Unless those energy owners are like Odin in my world—offering power for free in exchange for some long-term, large-scale benefit.
『(Admin)Veyron』: Exactly. Whether you're a sorcerer or using some other system, if you want to borrow power from those entities, you need to offer something in return—basically, the price is written into the contract.
『(Admin)Veyron』: For example, chaotic or evil-aligned beings might collect payment right after lending power—straight from the caster's body or soul. Meanwhile, neutral or lawful entities might let you defer payment, letting you 'pay it back' gradually depending on your ability. Some might even let the debt carry over into the afterlife.
『Ghost Spider』: Wait… are you saying even the Ancient One...?
That got Gwen thinking. She remembered something the Ancient One had said when they first met—how even after death, he'd still show up if she used the three summoning chances.
That his soul would come to help.
『(Admin)Veyron』: You don't need to worry about him.
『(Admin)Veyron』: Most creditors couldn't even touch him. And the ones who could? Well, if they actually dared to collect debt, they'd be lucky to walk away without becoming his personal energy battery.
『(Admin)Veyron』: And anyone strong enough to fight him wouldn't risk offending the forces backing him. Nobody wants to slap the face of a literal cosmic being.
『Ghost Spider』: ...
『Catwoman』: That's OP
『(Admin)Veyron』: Speaking of which, Selena—your world runs on a similar system, you know.
『Catwoman』: Huh?
『(Admin)Veyron』: Remember that time I came over to unlock your friend's Gene Lock? You guys made me stay and watch a magic show that was secretly real magic dressed up as stage performance?
『Catwoman』: You mean Zatanna?
Zatanna Zatara.
She was one of the most powerful magicians in the DC world, famous for her reverse incantation magic—basically, speaking spells backwards to shape reality.
According to Harley Quinn, Zatanna was one of the most powerful spellcasters in the world, having a mastery over both mystical and cosmic forces and being able to manipulate reality.
Although… Selena and Pamela always took that claim with a grain of salt. Especially since Harley had followed up by saying, "Though honestly, her popularity probably has more to do with that magician's top hat + tuxedo + black fishnet stockings + thigh-high boots combo…"
That kind of statement made it really hard to tell whether Harley was being serious or just having a Joker girl moment.
『(Admin)Veyron』: Yep, that's her. Her reverse incantation magic works by borrowing power from a powerful being. The odd thing is, unlike Gwen's side of things, the entity she's borrowing from hasn't collected any payment yet. Not sure if it's because they're just not interested… or if something's stopping them.
『Catwoman』: Emmmm...
『Catwoman』: Guess I'll ask Zatanna next time she swings by Gotham for a show.
『Shiroyasha』: So, uh… Admin, are you still planning to drop by my world today?
『(Admin)Veyron』: Could do. Based on what you've told me, chances are I'll find something useful over there.
『(Admin)Veyron』: But before that, I want to stop by Gwen's world first.
『Ghost Spider』: Huh? You're coming back again?
『(Admin)Veyron』: Well, we're already on the topic. Might as well give it a shot. If it works—great. If not—at least it won't bug me later.
『Catwoman』: In that case… Mr. Veyron, wanna swing by my side of things too while you're at it?
『(Admin)Veyron』: Sure.
Marvel, DC, and Little Garden. Three worlds brimming with power, perfect for enhancing his Divine Traits.
— — —
Kamar-Taj
A place hidden behind enchantments so strong that even if a regular person walked right by it, they'd only end up wandering elsewhere.
"Such an honored guest, and yet I failed to greet you properly. I hope you'll forgive the lapse."
Just three seconds after Veyron arrived, a ring of orange-red light split open a glowing portal. On the other side stood the Ancient One, calmly raising a hand in welcome.
"I should be the one apologizing," Veyron replied politely, matching the tranquil vibe. "Didn't mean to barge in and disturb your peace."
"Oh, it's no bother," the Ancient One chuckled, hands clasped behind his back. "To be honest, I've been pretty bored lately. These days it's all tea and books. It's nice to have someone to chat with once in a while."
As Veyron stepped through the portal and entered the serene sanctuary of the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One waved his hand. Instantly, a cup of hot tea materialized beside Veyron.
"But I assume you've come with a purpose, yes?" he said, smiling.
"No need for formalities. Just call me Veyron." He picked up the tea, nodded, and got to the point. "I came because I was hoping to borrow a few books—specifically ones that cover channeling power from other universes or dimensions."
"In Kamar-Taj, knowledge is meant to be shared," the Ancient One said with a nod. "Feel free to browse the library yourself. I've kept some of my more dangerous personal texts sealed away to prevent misuse… but I doubt you'd be tempted by any offers from them."
He paused, then asked, "Mind telling me what kind of power you're looking to borrow?"
"Anything, really," Veyron said bluntly.
The Ancient One blinked. "...Anything?"
That was unexpectedly broad.
"I'm mainly trying to analyze the underlying principles behind those foreign energy systems—to see if they can give me insights for evolving my own power, Ki."
As he raised his hand, streams of black and white energy coiled around his palm, slowly merging into a rotating yin-yang symbol. "As you can see, it doesn't matter if it's evil energy or pure—I can use it all."
The Ancient One raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"In that case…" he said, stroking the short beard on his chin, "shall I recommend a few… suitable creditors for you to borrow from?"
.
.
.