It had been two months since Finney arrived at Kamar-Taj when he got a call from Skye—school was about to start.
Before coming to Kamar-Taj, Finney had applied to Columbia University in New York. With his excellent grades, he was accepted without any issues, and now it was finally time for orientation and registration.
Not only that, but his parents had been worried sick. After being gone for two full months, they were on the verge of panic. If it hadn't been for the occasional check-ins and Skye's help covering for him, Finney would've been dragged back home long ago.
Life in Kamar-Taj had its own rhythm, one that Finney had grown to love. More than anything, he was reluctant to leave the "XP farm"—the combat training had helped him grow stronger at a rate far beyond what he'd ever expected. Just one month here had been equivalent to a full year of progress elsewhere.
Finney even started thinking about taking a gap year from university to stay in Kamar-Taj and study magic.
But when he brought it up to the Ancient One, Gu Yichi, she rejected the idea without hesitation.
"Finney, don't forget what I told you. Don't let power control your life. You must have a life of your own. Go back. Kamar-Taj will always welcome you."
Finney lowered his head, thoughtful. He realized that she was right. Lately, he'd been too focused on gaining experience points—almost obsessed. What if, someday, he found an even faster way to grow stronger? Would he cross any line to reach that goal?
He exhaled slowly. That craving for power came from the constant pressure of looming danger. But he couldn't let that pressure make him lose sight of the people around him.
Once he understood that, he instantly felt lighter—mentally and emotionally. If this were measured like a stat boost in a game, it would probably be something like: +1 to mental clarity. Not enough to open a portal yet, of course.
Still, it made him realize just how insanely gifted Doctor Strange had to be.
"Thank you, Master," Finney said sincerely.
Though he had decided to return to school, that didn't mean giving up the pursuit of experience. After all, there was a gateway temple in New York. Visiting Kamar-Taj again wouldn't be difficult.
There was even a time zone advantage—when he arrived in Kamar-Taj in the evening, it would still be morning over there.
Many of the mages were sad to see him go—mostly because they didn't want to lose access to his famous Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll. Even Mordo, who'd spent the most time with him, seemed reluctant.
"By the way, where did you learn this spell?" Mordo asked as Finney summoned yet another perfect, crispy nugget roll and handed it over.
Mordo took it with a complicated expression. This little junior of his—young, lacking in magical talent, but oddly favored by the Ancient One—always felt a bit mysterious.
"It's a talent ability," Finney said with a smug grin. "Innate magic—exclusive. No one else can learn it. I'm not bragging, but even the Ancient One herself can't master this."
It wasn't the first time people asked about the Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll. Finney was happy to teach the cooking method if someone brought their own ingredients, but the actual skill behind it—like a game ability—was unteachable.
Unlike 'Haunted by Evil Spirits,' which had a physical medium, 'Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll' was pure nonsense magic. Once dismissed as useless, it had now become Finney's secret weapon for building relationships.
Over the past two months, who in Kamar-Taj hadn't eaten Finney's exclusive snack? Even the temple guards made daily stops to grab a few to go. If they didn't get one, they genuinely felt out of sorts.
It almost felt like Finney had become the honorary host of Kamar-Taj.
"I'll head out first, Senior Brother," Finney said to Mordo in the courtyard. "Even though I'll probably be back soon, feel free to visit me in New York if you need anything."
Since he couldn't open portals on his own, someone had to create one for him—usually through the temple library.
"Take care. Don't waste all your cultivation," Mordo replied.
Though they had only been together for two months, Mordo felt an odd twinge of reluctance as Finney prepared to leave. Maybe it was because Finney brought a new energy to this otherwise quiet, sacred place.
As Finney smiled and waved, disappearing through the portal, Mordo stood in silence, deep in thought.
---
Though technically "on vacation," Finney didn't bring much back with him.
He figured he'd return to Kamar-Taj soon anyway, so there was no need to pack. Skye had already brought back some gifts from the nearby towns, and he didn't want to buy anything unnecessary.
So when Finney returned home empty-handed, his parents were more confused than anything. If it weren't for the obvious signs—his tanned skin and more toned physique—they would've thought he'd just gone out for a walk.
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming back?" his mom scolded as soon as she saw him. Still, despite the scolding, she rushed over to check on him, concern etched on her face. "Nothing happened while you were out, right? Why didn't you come home with your sister? And look at you, all tanned!"
Finney chuckled and didn't argue. After a cozy dinner with the family, he was about to turn in for the night when Skye pulled him into her room.
"Well? What did you learn after I left?" she asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. Sure, she'd seen the other mages practicing, but they'd all trained for years. Watching Finney—a fellow newcomer—learn and grow was far more exciting.
Without a word, Finney raised his right hand and summoned a faint, flickering Ring of Raggadorr.
"You *did it*!?" Skye's reaction was a mix of joy and frustration. She was genuinely happy for him—but also a little jealous she couldn't do the same.
Noticing her expression, Finney dismissed the spell and lightly tapped her forehead. "Relax. I've still got a long way to go. I'm not that talented. I'll probably only manage to learn two spells in my whole life."
"You're *not* talented!?" Skye looked even more defeated. "Then what am I supposed to be!?"
"Seriously, it's nothing," Finney said, thinking again of Doctor Strange and his insane magical aptitude. If Finney hadn't recently leveled up his mental strength, he still wouldn't be able to summon even that weak ring.
The mood grew quiet. Both of them fell into a short silence, neither feeling particularly cheerful.
But Finney shook it off. He still had the system on his side, and even without becoming a top-tier mage, 'Haunted by Evil Spirits' alone already made him stronger than most practitioners.
Still, seeing Skye's disappointed face made him hesitate. After a moment, he said, "Actually, don't give up just yet. Master once told me that you might have other powers inside you—ones that haven't awakened yet."
(That wasn't exactly true, but it wasn't false either. Just like how Gu Yichi had gifted him the spirit armor—well, no one dared to challenge her version of events, except maybe Lemon-Essence Mordo.)
"Really?" Skye looked up with wide eyes, gripping his arm tightly. "What kind of power? How do I unlock it?"
"Not yet," Finney replied, shaking his head. "It's not time."
But after a beat, he added, "Maybe… it's related to vibration?"
"Huh!?"
This wasn't the first time Finney had mentioned her 'shaking' powers. He'd hinted at it before, but Skye never took it seriously—until now.
"Why shaking, though?" she asked, puzzled.
"How should I know?" Finney rolled his eyes. *Ask your alien DNA,* he muttered internally.
"Anyway, do a little research on it when you've got time. You might need it down the line." With that final nudge, Finney left the room and went off to rest.