Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 643 The Road to Independence (Second Update)

"How is it?" Natasha Romanoff said. "We haven't had a conversation like this in a while. You haven't been very willing to talk to the Avengers since the Ultron incident, so they sent me to ask them."

"What, how is it?"

“You’re asking a question you already know the answer to, Salomon,” Agent Romanoff rolled his eyes. This guy had a real talent for playing dumb, especially when someone wanted to know something from him; he’d become as stingy as a miser when it came to his knowledge. Even so, he was still an indispensable magic expert and occult consultant. “Wanda Maximoff, of course. Isn’t she your apprentice?” Natasha Romanoff said. “We all know the dangers of magic, and Pietro is very concerned about his sister. Besides what she’s already shown, Captain America and Stark want to know about Wanda Maximoff’s current abilities. You should know this is important to the Avengers. I know you’re reluctant to reveal magical information to ordinary people, but just think of it as talking to a tape recorder. I guarantee no one will know what they shouldn’t know.”

"She is learning about the astral plane."

"Don't forget you're talking to a tape recorder; tape recorders don't understand what magic is."

"She's still learning the theory, not the spells. She already knows how to cast spells; I taught her many spellcasting techniques when I was educating her in the castle."

Natasha, reflecting on Salomon's usual behavior, came to a conclusion that was hard to accept: "So, Wanda didn't go all out against the Avengers, is that right?"

"Of course, magic comes at a price, and Wanda couldn't afford it back then," Salomon said slowly. "Even the simplest magic can be effective against the Avengers."

"That's not necessarily true." She blinked.

"I never underestimated you, madam. I was simply stating that the Avengers know nothing about magic and have no way to defend against it. Besides, I also know that Stark is secretly making things to counter magic, but that can only defend against the simplest magical missiles."

"I'll relay your mockery; Stark will be furious when he hears it. You said Wanda is doing theoretical learning? Does magic even have a standard curriculum?" Natasha chuckled at her own joke until she saw Salomon, holding a teacup, staring intently into her eyes. "Really?"

"Yes, Kamar-Taj has it. Completing the course takes about ten years, so apprentices who join Kamar-Taj learn and train at the same time. I'm a bit special; I finished my basic theoretical courses before I was ten and started formally learning magic. What Wanda lacks is a proper understanding of the magical world. She needs to read a lot of books and do a lot of experiments. You can think of her as a high school student preparing for the SAT—at a private high school. Don't bother her unless necessary."

"Is the course difficult? I sensed her frustration when I visited her. We're both women, so I can understand her feelings," Natasha said casually. "Could you tell me what theoretical knowledge she's learning? So I can figure out if it's the SAT course or the magic theory that's difficult?"

"You're pushing your luck, Natasha."

"I can selectively press the pause button, and no one will hear anything they shouldn't hear."

Embarking on the path of a witch is not a pleasant experience; the most immediate feelings are nausea and dizziness.

This path is also the path of truth and magic, leading to the divine realm of gods, constructed from ideas based on desires, wants, and wills. It encompasses the phase origins and magical entities generated by religion, faith, mythology, and even folklore and fairy tales, bringing it closer to another form of magic. Connecting with the Earth Mother Gaia and the basic knowledge taught to Salomon by the Venerable One, he can assert that all Earth pantheons, except Asgard, first possessed the concepts they represented before taking form. This is the source of the divine power of the Earth pantheons.

It is not a true source of power, but a form of expression, a concept.

But in the world of magic, in the astral plane, in the etheric plane, even concepts can be transformed into accessible spiritual realms.

Therefore, Salomon and Wanda entered the Witch's Path in their physical bodies, just as they did when entering the Aetheric Dimension.

If one walks the path of the female deities, the witch's power will be amplified, while the power of male spellcasters will be weakened, and vice versa. Salomon uses this property to ensure Wanda's safety while exploring outer dimensions, but due to the chaotic nature of the witch's path, this method is not foolproof, and danger lurks everywhere.

The two shadow hounds at Wanda's feet formed the outermost layer of protection.

These two tar-like creatures were very quiet; they were the perfect scouts.

The negative effects of the Witch's Path had no impact on Salomon, primarily because his nature far surpassed that of humans. The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj did not need to explore outer dimensions and the origins of magic in this way; the power of the Vishanti and their complete lineage granted them far more means. Even in the past, when Salomon explored outer dimensions, he would invoke the assistance of Oshtu, the Mother of White Magic.

Simply learning spells doesn't make one a qualified spellcaster. Theoretical research and exploration of the spiritual world are just the beginning. Only spellcasters like Salomon, who first delve into theory, can understand the importance of this knowledge. Magic is merely the manifestation of power; knowledge is the wisdom that sees through appearances to the essence. Books require time to read, and Wanda currently has the time and energy to do so. Only through diligent study, experimentation, and training, like the mystics of Kamar-Taj, and by understanding the spiritual world that ordinary people cannot comprehend, can she truly become a qualified, independent spellcaster.

The path to the Witch's Path leads to the magnificent Astral Plane, and Salomon is pushing her onto this independent path—something a responsible mage should do for his apprentice. But this is only part of the study tour. Having finished the most difficult lesson, Wanda stretched and yawned—this exploration of the Witch's Path hadn't been too tumultuous, even peaceful. There were no invading extradimensional creatures, no mentally unstable wizards, and no strange creatures growing along the Witch's Path. However, leaving the Witch's Path didn't mean the end of today's lessons. She still needed to learn alchemy, protective charms, various magical languages, the magical properties of gems, psionic energy to tap into soul power, and how to regulate her breathing to alleviate spellcasting fatigue—the courses Salomon had arranged for Wanda were standard courses at a magical university in another crystalline system, things that wild mages without a complete lineage couldn't learn.

Many experiments and studies that could not be conducted in the castle can now be carried out.

"As the spells you can cast become increasingly dangerous, you'll need to practice under the protection of the [Mirror Dimension]. You can't cast this spell because it's magic from the [Trinity]. Therefore, I will teach you another spell, one that allows you to enter the [Mirror World], including [Mirror Teleport] and a series of accompanying spells." Salomon handed Wanda a somewhat worn-looking book. "This is an excerpt from a copy of my spellbook, written when I was twelve years old. It's perfect for you now."

"My spellcasting level is only that of a twelve-year-old?" Wanda blinked, feigning surprise as she asked.

"I'm different, dear Wanda. Ever since I truly recognized my talent, magic that's incredibly difficult for others is nothing to me. So are you, I believe in your talent."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)