[63] : Seeing Yourself Clearly

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Kamar-Taj, the sacred ground in the hearts of sorcerers, is where most of Earth's sorcerers originate. They come to Kamar-Taj to learn spells and use them to prevent invasions from other dimensions, thereby protecting Earth.

Of course, some sorcerers have caused significant trouble, like Kaecilius, who once tried to summon the Dark Lord Dormammu. Then there's Mordo, who's currently lurking somewhere, plotting in the shadows.

However, setting aside those troublemakers, the majority of sorcerers strictly adhere to the rules, learn magic, and use it to safeguard the world. Among them, the Sorcerer Supreme stands out as the most exceptional, with Doctor Strange being the finest in history.

This isn't just Strange's self-proclamation, nor is it Roger's personal belief; it is an affirmation from the Ancient One, the previous Sorcerer Supreme.

Now, this most outstanding Sorcerer Supreme in history is preparing to personally teach Roger magic.

"…Do I really have to wear this outfit?" Roger asked, feeling a bit uneasy as he stood before Doctor Strange in his new sorcerer robes.

For some reason, donning this specific uniform and facing Strange made Roger feel as though he was back in school, standing before a principal who had once left him with some "psychological scars."

Instinctively, Roger fell into the role of a student, appearing unusually obedient.

Strange smiled at him and said, "You've already put it on, so why ask?"

"So, what I want to ask is, can I change back?"

"No, since you're here to learn magic, you'll be treated as an apprentice. Of course, if you don't want to learn…"

"…Alright, enough with the threats. I won't change, okay?" Roger quickly interrupted, noticing Strange's reluctance to teach him.

Strange didn't press further but instead led Roger to the library of Kamar-Taj, found him a place to sit, and said, "You come from beyond this world and know a lot about this universe, so you should also understand the essence of the magic we use."

"I only know a little, and I'm not sure if it's correct."

"Tell me."

"Well... It's said that the power you use for magic comes from other dimensions?"

Roger tentatively asked.

Unlike his friend, who was a hardcore comic fan, Roger's knowledge of Marvel was limited to the movies. He wouldn't know any details if not for his friend's casual mentions during their meals.

According to his friend, the sorcerers in the Marvel universe don't draw their magic from within themselves. Instead, they borrow power from other dimensions, connecting with these dimensions to use their energy as the source of their spells.

For example, in the first "Doctor Strange" movie, the villain Kaecilius drew his magic from the Dark Dimension, which gave his spells a dark nature.

His friend also used an analogy that Roger found easy to understand. Dimensions are like servers, and the sorcerers are like individual user accounts. They log in to the servers to download the resources needed to learn magic. If a server crashes (i.e., the dimension is destroyed), they lose their power and must create a new account on another server.

However, this applies only to most sorcerers. The Sorcerer Supreme's method is more advanced and doesn't merely rely on borrowing power from other dimensions.

All this was just Roger's friend rambling, so he wasn't sure if it was true.

"Yes, you're right. The power we sorcerers use indeed comes from other dimensions, or more precisely, from powerful entities within those dimensions. But that's not the only source of magic," Strange agreed with Roger's explanation but also corrected him.

With a wave of his hand, Strange laid out several basic sorcery books before Roger and continued, "Aside from other dimensions, magic can also come from the energy within our universe, the power of one's own mind and spirit, and certain objects filled with magical energy."

As Strange spoke, the books before Roger began flipping their pages, showing him the relevant information.

"Connecting with other dimensions and making contracts with them isn't suitable for you. Instead, you should focus on the other sources: borrowing the power of the universe you're in, harnessing the strength of your own mind and spirit, or finding an object with magical power from which you can draw."

If spells are like cars, then energy is the fuel that makes them run. Learning spells is straightforward, but the challenge lies in finding the fuel to activate them.

Making contracts with other dimensions wasn't a good option for Roger. If he left the Marvel universe, he would be cut off from those dimensions, losing his energy source and becoming unable to cast spells.

But he could learn how to borrow energy from the universe and tap into the power of his own mind and spirit.

"So, where do we start?" Roger asked eagerly, listening to Strange's explanation.

"The mind," Strange answered without hesitation.

Strange emphasized the importance of the mind because he had never been to other universes and couldn't be sure whether Marvel's unique energy sources existed elsewhere. To be safe, it was best to start with the mind.

"What do I need to do?" Roger, a complete novice in magic, was ready to follow Strange's guidance.

Strange raised his hand, placing his fingers on Roger's forehead, and said, "First, you need to see yourself clearly."

Boom!!

The moment Strange's fingers touched his forehead, Roger heard a deafening roar that nearly knocked him unconscious!

The surroundings rapidly blurred, turning into streaks of light before disappearing altogether. When Roger's vision cleared, he found himself floating in the cosmos.

"Where is this…?"

Roger looked around in confusion. The scene reminded him of when Doctor Strange first arrived at Kamar-Taj, and the Ancient One had shown him various dimensions.

In that moment, Strange had traveled through countless worlds, witnessing extraordinary sights that convinced him to learn magic.

Was Strange now trying to replicate that experience? Was he going to use the same trick on Roger?

As Roger pondered this, he suddenly heard Strange's voice: "To use your mind as a source of magical power, you must first answer one question."

"What question?"

"Who are you?"

"...?"

A question mark popped up in Roger's mind.

But Strange's voice faded away, replaced by another voice he recognized.

"Are you Homelander, or are you Roger?"

Roger's eyes widened in shock as he turned to see another version of himself standing nearby, dressed in Homelander's suit, looking at him with a smirk.

No… that wasn't him.

Roger suddenly realized his current appearance. A mirror materialized in front of him, reflecting his soul form, the way he looked before his transmigration!

Seeing the familiar face in the mirror, Roger finally understood why Strange had brought him to this space.

He wanted Roger to see himself clearly.

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