Marvel: Little Genius - Chapter: 371 (Patreon)

"This is the library, and this is the new librarian, Wang. Today, for your first lesson, I'll..."

Bang!

Mark placed a stack of books in front of Doctor Strange. "Read through these books. They provide the foundation you need to learn. Especially the Vedic language, the oldest Sanskrit, and the language that sorcerers most frequently encounter. To excel in magic, mastering them is essential."

"'The Book of the Setting Sun,' 'New Compilation of the Universe,' 'Supreme Codex,' 'Solomon's Key,' 'Fundamental Compendium,' and the 'Vedic Language Dictionary.' Do you think it's a bit too much to ask me to finish all of these books in one day?" Doctor Strange exclaimed, surprised as he looked at the pile of books nearly obstructing his view on the table.

"Come on, I know you have a photographic memory, otherwise, how could you have earned dual doctorates in medicine and science in your early twenties?"

"Alright, you're right. By the way, I noticed a row of bookshelves over there in the library, and all the books are secured by chains. Why is that?"

At this point, Wang, who had been standing by Mark's side without moving, explained to Doctor Strange, "Those are the personal collections of Ancient One, or you could understand them as forbidden books not accessible to all sorcerers.

At Kamar-Taj, knowledge can be shared, but some knowledge shouldn't be put into practice. Otherwise, it could pose significant danger and risks to both the practitioner and others.

Moreover, those books are incomprehensible to anyone at Kamar-Taj except for the Supreme Sorcerer and Sorcerer Mark. The accumulation and understanding of regular sorcerers can't reach such profound levels."

Hearing Wang's explanation, Doctor Strange couldn't help but approach curiously. He randomly picked up a book from the shelf, and coincidentally, the book he picked was the same one from which Kaecilius had stolen pages a few months ago.

"Why does this book seem to be missing a few pages?"

Wang: "This book is 'The Book of Cagliostro,' dealing with time manipulation. Some pages were taken by a previous sorcerer.

Fanatic Kaecilius, tempted by the Dark Dimension, came here and stole pages from this book. He also intended to hang the previous librarian and execute him. Luckily, that guy had Sorcerer Mark's favor, which allowed him to survive with the help of a magical artifact from Sorcerer Mark.

However, he was dismissed from his post due to this incident, and now I am the guardian of these books. Do you see those iron chains? They have been imbued with mystical power. If anyone takes a book from the shelf or if these books suffer any damage, I'll know."

"So, don't even think about secretly reading these forbidden books or taking them out of the library, or else I'll make you regret it by dismembering you 890 ways. Got it?"

Wang snatched 'The Book of Cagliostro' from Doctor Strange's hand and gave him a threatening look.

"Uh... What if they're overdue? Or if I wanted to know what happens if a book is missing a page? Will I lose an arm or a leg? People used to find me quite funny…" Doctor Strange felt a bit embarrassed facing Wang's stern demeanor.

"Do you pay them a salary?"

Hiss!

Wang's words struck a chord, making Doctor Strange feel as if he had been hit in a sensitive spot. "It's been delightful chatting with you, thanks for introducing me to the library's taboos and various threats. Now I'll be off to study."

"Hahaha!" Mark, seeing Doctor Strange seemingly helpless against Wang, burst into laughter.

"Alright, Strange, from now on, you'll study these books in the library. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or Wang, though I doubt you'll be seeking his help."

Six hefty books, each as thick as a dictionary, were a formidable task to finish in a single day even for an average person.

But Mark's demands on Doctor Strange went beyond merely finishing them; he was expected to synthesize and remember their contents, even potentially comprehend their key points.

For Doctor Strange, who had zero foundation in magic and no prior knowledge, this was indeed a challenging starting point.

However, even though Doctor Strange's hands were crippled, his superior intellect remained intact. It was his hands that were disabled, but that didn't hinder his intellectual abilities.

In the astonished gaze of Wang, Doctor Strange read at an astonishing pace, devouring the foundational magical knowledge within the books, nearly ten pages a second.

"Is he really studying seriously? He's flipping through the pages so quickly; it's unbelievable."

"Fundamentals come easily; for a true genius, this kind of thing is child's play. My old man once finished reading all the research papers on thermonuclear physics in a single night and reached the level of a thermonuclear physics professor.

Currently, Strange is merely memorizing the content of the books. Once he has completed memorization, he will begin the process of studying and comprehending the memorized content.

Finally, based on the understanding and logical patterns derived from his study, he will organize and summarize all the knowledge. That marks the completion of a phase in the learning process."

"I don't understand your world of geniuses, and I can't relate, so spare me from hearing about it and discouraging me further."

Wang shook his head vigorously, causing the fat on his round face to jiggle.

Not continuing to watch Doctor Strange studying diligently, Mark sat down at another table, contemplating his ace in the hole to counter Thanos. Wang also returned to his own spot, continuing to study a magic he hadn't fully grasped.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

As evening approached, the dinner bell rang through Kamar-Taj. Mark snapped out of his thoughts from the calculations on his desk.

Turning his head, he saw Wang still focused on studying a magic book he hadn't quite understood yet. Doctor Strange had moved all the thick stack of books in front of him to the side.

Doctor Strange frowned with his eyes closed; to the uninformed observer, it might seem like he had fallen asleep while reading. But Mark knew very well the state Doctor Strange was in.

Doctor Strange was concentrating his attention due to having memorized all the contents of the books into his brain, absorbing and organizing the information within his mental space.

After waiting for about fifteen minutes, Doctor Strange finally completed all the learning tasks Mark had assigned him, returning to full wakefulness.

"Mark? Why are you standing in front of me?"

Just as he woke up, Doctor Strange opened his eyes and saw Mark standing next to him, staring at him intently. An uneasiness washed over him, almost tipping his chair over.

"It seems you've completed the learning tasks I assigned you today. It's now dinner time; if you miss it, Kamar-Taj won't provide food. Let's go have our meal. If you encounter any issues while studying, feel free to ask me during our walk and meal."

Doctor Strange stood up from his chair, following behind Mark. "With the six books I've read today, how do they contribute to my study of magic and the recovery of my hand injuries?"

"The Mystic arts have their own linguistic systems, present since the dawn of civilization. Long, long ago, the sorcerer of that era referred to this language as... [Spell]

If this name makes you feel too unrealistic or difficult to accept, you can also rephrase it as [program] to understand it as a kind of system running based on the source code of the entire real world.

As sorcerers, we draw energy from the outside world and even from other dimensions, combining and shaping it to create shields or blades. This is the process by which mages cast spells.

And if you want to understand its mysteries, you need to search for and deduce patterns and truths from the experiences of those who came before.

If magic is the treasure hidden behind the material world, then the knowledge you've learned today is the tool to find and unearth it."

Mark answered Doctor Strange's question as they walked. He also gestured with his hands, demonstrating how a true sorcerer manipulates magic and forms it into magical runes.

Watching the intricate runes rapidly taking shape in Mark's hands, Doctor Strange's heart swelled with excitement and anticipation. He hoped that one day he could effortlessly draw runes like this, becoming a powerful mage and healing his own hands...

His hands! Thinking of this, Doctor Strange's previously excited mood suddenly deflated. "But with my already crippled hands, how could I possibly achieve this? My hands can barely sway in the air. How can I go from being a novice to a master like you?"

"Well then, how about you? How did you go from being a medical intern to a neurosurgeon? How did you repair damaged nerves and realign fractured spines?"

"Diligent study and practice, year after year, day after day."

"You see, you already know the answer, don't you? Don't think that just because you're disabled now, there's a shortcut. It's precisely because you've lost some advantages that you need to exert more effort to narrow or even surpass the gap between you and others.

And although your hands might not be agile, your brain is an absolute advantage. You can learn and absorb things that others might take years or even decades to learn. Leading in this aspect can help you catch up with the disadvantages brought by your hands."

"I understand!" Doctor Strange looked at Mark's figure and nodded earnestly. A renewed flame of determination lit up in his eyes.

"By the way, is the library open 24 hours? I want to read more basic magic books and learn more tonight."

"Of course, as long as Wang allows you in, you can read and study inside anytime. But for now, let's fill your belly first. The brain's activity consumes as much energy as physical labor, if not more. If you're hungry at night, Kamar-Taj doesn't provide late-night snacks."

...

In the following days, Mark didn't assign any new learning tasks to Doctor Strange. Instead, he handed him a reading list and instructed him to read the books in the order provided. He also told Doctor Strange that he would teach him the content of the second lesson only after he had read, understood, and memorized the books on the list.

The list of books was not extensive, focusing on very basic aspects of magic and magical energy. With Doctor Strange's ability to read at a glance and remember, he quickly finished reading all the books in the sequence Mark had given.

"I've completed the content of the first lesson you assigned. When do we start the second lesson?"

"Oh!? So fast, it seems like your enthusiasm is high!" Mark paused his model calculations and looked up at Doctor Strange, who came running enthusiastically to report. There was no hint of surprise in his expression.

"Since you're so eager, I certainly can't dampen your enthusiasm. Take this with you, then. It wouldn't be appropriate to conduct the second lesson in the library."

While speaking, Mark pulled out a small object from somewhere and tossed it directly into Doctor Strange's hand.

"What's this?" Looking at the item Mark threw, Doctor Strange thought it resembled a ring, but it had an extra loop; it looked like a knuckle duster, but without any striking power. He couldn't recall having seen something like this before, and curiously asked its owner, Mark.

"This is a Sling Ring. It helps sorcerers concentrate their attention and cast magical spells.

Proficient use of the Sling Ring is crucial in magic. With it, sorcerers can freely traverse between various universes.

The second lesson I'm giving you today is how to proficiently use the Sling Ring to open a portal for spatial travel. Alright, We're here."

Mark led Doctor Strange to an open area. This was where experienced mages taught apprentices, and diligent apprentices often came here in their spare time to practice casting spells.

Doctor Strange: "So what do I do next?"

"Of course, the first step is to put on the Sling Ring! Do I even need to tell?

Put on the ring, then focus your attention. Imagine the destination you want to reach in your mind, not limited to the world in front of you.

It's best to visualize every detail about that place, because the clearer the image in your mind, the faster the portal will appear. Like this..."

In front of Doctor Strange, Mark casually drew a circle with his right hand, and the portal appeared instantly. On the other side of the portal was not another place; it was the brand-new Avengers facility in the suburbs of New York.

After the demonstration, Mark casually waved his hand, and the portal disappeared as if it had never appeared, completely vanishing before Doctor Strange's eyes.

"Alright, practice like this. Practice makes perfect. After practicing a few times, you'll be able to cast spells effortlessly like me. The most important thing is, once you master this trick, you won't have to worry about affording a return flight. So You need to work hard!"

Following Mark's demonstrated actions and guidance, Doctor Strange concentrated all his attention in his mind. For a former surgeon who had performed multiple surgeries in a row, this was quite straightforward.

In his mind, he visualized his most familiar place—the apartment room he knew well. With the hand wearing the sling Ring, he imitated Mark's action and drew a circle in the air.

Zzz...

However, the same action performed by Doctor Strange only produced a few sparks without summoning a portal. The magical energy didn't connect to form a circular pattern.

He tried a few more times, but each time ended in the same result—failure.

"I can't do it, all because of my hands…" Doctor Strange said with a hint of frustration.

Mark: "It's not about your hands, Strange."

Doctor Strange: "How can it not be about my hands?"

"Then watch this—"

In front of Doctor Strange, Mark lifted his right foot, traced a circle in the air, and something magical happened. A cascade of sparks twinkled, and in the same location as before, a portal emerged. Mark didn't use his hands at all; he constructed the portal using his foot.

"I guess now you're speechless, right? You always believed your hands were the obstacle to your progress, but little did you know, it's the idea deeply rooted in your mind that's truly holding back your progress.

Magic is a force that influences matter through the mind. Don't let your thoughts shackle your progress. Learn to go with the flow, make magic work for you, as if this power naturally stems from within you. Don't let power lead you by the nose, pushing you forward."

"Perhaps you have a point, but I still don't know how to achieve all of this. Going with the flow sounds too abstract for me."

"It seems like you're facing the same issue I did initially. Your self-belief is too strong, creating a barrier to understanding. If you want to become stronger, you first need the willingness to let go of your ego.

Yesterday I told you, there are no shortcuts on the path of learning magic, but today's situation is special. I have a way to help you immediately break through your current predicament and complete the second lesson- sling Ring training. Do you want to give it a try?"