"How did you do that?" Loki asked, genuinely surprised.
Not even his brother Thor could so easily see through his illusion magic.
Of course, Thor had never been particularly skilled in that type of magic.
In fact, the reason why Thor could hold his own against Loki in Thor:Ragnarok did not lie in magical knowledge, but in the experience he had gained after countless clashes with his brother and in the fact that he knew him better than anyone.
In short, Thor had grown used to Loki's tricks, because he had survived them firsthand.
"Is it that difficult?" Alaric raised his gaze toward the sky at a slight angle and spoke firmly.
Honestly speaking, Alaric's combat skills and experience were practically nonexistent.
As for offensive magic, he almost didn't have any.
His only attack was the emission of pure energy spheres.
Fortunately, Alaric's energy was endless.
Through [Basic Energy Control], that emission became his basic and only offensive technique.
He didn't count teleportation.
Seeing Alaric's confident stance, Loki began to grow serious.
The sorcerer from Midgard before him did not seem like a beginner.
He did not resemble someone who had only been learning magic for a few days.
That was also what the Ancient One had said when Frigga asked.
She said that Alaric's talent for magic was unbelievably high.
Exactly how high? Loki didn't want to guess, nor did he like that such recognition came from the Ancient One's mouth.
Talented?
Asgard had never lacked geniuses.
"Hmph!"
Loki sneered, then launched another attack.
This time he used illusion magic on a higher level, in an instant, four or five copies of Loki appeared, closing the circle around Alaric, preparing an ambush.
"If you can, see through me again!"
Alaric did not retreat.
His eyes gleamed, the All-Knowing Eye began to work.
As if Sun Wukong had opened his fiery eyes, Alaric suddenly pierced through Loki's phantoms and found his true body.
Moreover, the All-Knowing Eye did not merely expose the illusion, but began to analyze the very essence of Loki's magic.
At that moment, Alaric entered a state of epiphany, a step closer to understanding the deeper layers of magic.
Yet, before he could fully grasp that knowledge, he had to face Loki's attack.
Alaric raised his right hand.
In it formed a radiant sphere of light, which he then fired toward Loki.
The energy strike hit the true body of the divine trickster like a bullet.
"Impossible!" Loki shouted, once again seen through and struck.
Hit with force, Loki flew several meters back, tumbling and crashing to the ground.
However, as a son of Asgard and a being of immense endurance, his physical strength was high.
This blow shook him, but it did not cause him serious harm.
But what Loki could not tolerate more than that was his own failure!
He was the greatest magician of the Nine Realms.
True, the very title was an exaggeration. His mother, Frigga, was a sorceress incomparably stronger than him.
But Frigga had withdrawn from practical duels, while Loki considered himself the only true heir of magic.
Either way, he could not allow himself to be outdone by someone from, in his opinion, "backward" Midgard.
Definitely something was wrong with that man!
Were those eyes the reason?
Alaric's golden eyes gleamed in the mist, and Loki felt something threatening within them.
"You… fine!" Loki muttered, his smile breaking apart.
With a scream, he raised his hands and in one sweep conjured dozens of daggers that flew toward Alaric. At the same time, his phantom magic was activated again.
This time he not only created dozens of his copies, but the entire environment changed as well.
Thick mist spread across the space, blocking every view.
But Alaric simply used teleportation.
His figure vanished in teleportation before the daggers could reach him.
"Where did he disappear to?" Loki scanned the mist, his voice full of doubt.
"Ran away… or hiding? I don't believe he would run. This is my advantage."
---
[By observing and analyzing phantom magic, you have gained insight into its essence. You can distinguish illusion from reality and create a new magic: The Real World.]
[The Real World: Allows the creation and shaping of real and illusory people, objects, environments, and even entire worlds.]
The text in his mind was brief, but Alaric already knew how to apply it.
A smile appeared on his lips.
"Hehe… Loki. Allow me to surprise you."
---
Then, through the dense mist, a flash of light shot out.
It struck directly into one of Loki's bodies.
Unfortunately, it was just another phantom.
"I've found you!" Loki shouted. "Your eyes don't help you now!"
Convinced that Alaric's power had weakened, Loki charged together with his copies and true body toward the place from which the attack had come. A dagger gleamed in his hand.
"There he is!" Loki saw a silhouette before him. The mist was thick, but he could still make out the figure's back.
He didn't care who it was, he was sure it was Alaric.
"This time I've won!"
The dagger plunged into the figure's back.
"Ahh!"
A scream of pain echoed through the mist.
But then Loki was struck by a paralyzing feeling.
Why was that voice so familiar?
He lifted his gaze and saw long golden hair cascading down the figure's shoulders.
"Loki… you…"
"Mother?!"
–––
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