Chapter 120: All-Dimensional Magical Affinity
The golden notification remained suspended within Lynn's vision.
An SSS-rank treatment evaluation.
Among all the healing cases he had completed so far, only a handful had ever reached this level.
The Ancient One's case stood alongside his treatment of Superman as one of the most difficult operations he had ever performed.
The reason was obvious.
Removing Kryptonite from a Kryptonian heart was dangerous.
But it was still fundamentally a material-level procedure.
The Ancient One's condition was different.
He had operated directly on a soul.
Directly on higher-dimensional corruption.
Directly on power connected to Dormammu himself.
The difficulty existed on an entirely different level.
A new system notification appeared.
[Divine Hand Copying Activated...]
[Scanning Target Core Talents...]
[Talents Detected:]
[Sorcerer Supreme — All-Dimensional Magical Affinity (SSS-Rank)]
[Temporal Manipulation — Precognitive Insight (SS-Rank)]
[Mirror Dimension Construction (S-Rank)]
[...]
[Based on Treatment Contribution, Highest Available Copy Rank: SSS]
[Copy Progress: 10%...50%...100%]
[Copy Successful!]
[Acquired Talent: All-Dimensional Magical Affinity and Spatial Analysis]
[Ability Description:]
[Innate affinity established with magical energy across all known dimensions.]
[Able to perceive, gather, and perform initial manipulation of ambient magical particles.]
[Master-level understanding acquired regarding dimensional folding, portal construction, and magical array architecture.]
[Extremely high resistance to magical attacks obtained.]
[Most magical attacks will experience significant automatic dissipation upon contact.]
A new sensation emerged.
Not physical.
Not mental.
Something different.
For years, Lynn had observed mystical energy through the All-Seeing Eye.
He could analyze it.
Measure it.
Model it.
But he had never truly interacted with it.
Now he could.
The world changed.
Magical particles floated everywhere.
Invisible streams flowed through the air.
Residual energy drifted between dimensions.
They had always existed.
Only now could he perceive them directly.
Lynn raised his right hand.
His consciousness reached outward.
Tentatively.
A cluster of golden particles responded.
Slowly gathering.
Condensing.
A tiny point of light appeared above his fingertip.
Small.
Fragile.
Barely brighter than a spark.
Yet undeniably real.
Magic.
Not technology.
Not biology.
Not superhuman physiology.
Magic.
The simplest possible form of manipulation.
Yet genuine.
Lynn observed it for several moments.
Then relaxed his hand.
The golden light dispersed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
At the same time, he noticed another detail.
Recent copied talents seemed fundamentally different from older ones.
His earliest acquisitions had often been incomplete.
Partial manifestations.
Weakened versions.
Recently, however, that trend had vanished.
Vibranium Resonance copied from N'Jadaka.
Perfect Extremis copied from Jack Taggart.
And now magical affinity from the Ancient One.
All complete.
All stable.
No missing components.
No degradation.
Lynn considered the pattern.
The conclusion wasn't difficult.
His body had become stronger.
Far stronger.
As the Immortal Divine Body evolved, its capacity increased.
The stronger the vessel became, the more complete the copied talents could be.
A positive feedback loop.
One that would likely continue.
A useful discovery.
A rustling sound interrupted his thoughts.
The Ancient One sat upright on the operating table.
She remained motionless for several seconds.
Examining herself.
Feeling the restored flow of mystical energy through her spiritual pathways.
The corruption was gone.
The pain was gone.
Although some efficiency had been lost during the operation, her connection to magic had been restored.
Eventually, she lifted her gaze toward Lynn.
"What are you?"
The question was simple.
Direct.
Lynn dried his hands with a towel.
Then turned around.
"Didn't the Time Stone tell you?"
At the mention of the artifact, the Ancient One's expression changed slightly.
The Time Stone had shown her countless futures.
Countless possibilities.
Yet Lynn had always remained an anomaly.
"The Time Stone allows observation of possible timelines."
Her voice remained weak but steady.
"But you..."
She paused.
"...are absent from all of them."
Lynn raised an eyebrow.
The Ancient One continued.
"I cannot see your past."
"I cannot see your future."
"I cannot even determine where you should fit."
"What exactly does that mean?"
The Ancient One met his gaze.
"It means causality rejects you."
"You should not exist."
"And yet you do."
Lynn thought about it.
"That sounds suspiciously close to calling me a bug."
A faint smile appeared on the Ancient One's face.
"In a manner of speaking."
"Yes."
Lynn nodded.
Then immediately handed her two documents.
"A philosophical discussion can wait."
"Sign these."
The Ancient One looked down.
One document was a confidentiality agreement.
Simple.
Neither party would disclose details of the treatment.
Any violation would incur compensation equivalent to the treatment's value.
Reasonable.
The second document was an invoice.
Also simple.
Complete Sling Ring Construction Methodology ×1
Three Days of Unrestricted Access to Kamar-Taj Restricted Archives ×1
The Ancient One looked at the bill.
Then at Lynn.
Then signed.
Without hesitation.
Lynn accepted the documents.
Folded them.
Placed them inside his coat.
Business concluded.
"Excellent."
He clapped his hands once.
"My library access begins now."
The Ancient One stood.
Without the corruption suppressing her, recovery occurred rapidly.
Sorcerer Supreme physiology and centuries of mystical reinforcement allowed her to heal far faster than ordinary humans.
She raised her right hand.
The Sling Ring resting upon her fingers glimmered.
Golden sparks erupted.
The familiar sound of spatial distortion filled the room.
A portal formed.
Expanding.
Stabilizing.
Opening completely.
On the opposite side stretched a breathtaking landscape.
Snow-covered mountains.
Clear blue skies.
Ancient stone structures.
Kamar-Taj.
The hidden sanctuary established centuries ago to train sorcerers and defend Earth from mystical threats.
The Ancient One gestured toward the portal.
"After you."
Lynn approached.
Then stopped.
There was one final question.
"Master."
The Ancient One looked back.
"Yes?"
"How many people know you came here today?"
"Nobody."
The answer arrived immediately.
"My disciples do not know."
"The Masters do not know."
"No one knows I was injured."
Lynn nodded.
"Good."
"It would be best if it remained that way."
Then he stepped through the portal.
Golden sparks closed behind him.
Kamar-Taj proved quieter than he expected.
The portal deposited them within a small courtyard connected to the main complex.
Ancient stone paving reflected the sunlight.
Despite the cold Himalayan climate, several unfamiliar plants flourished in nearby corners.
The place carried an atmosphere unlike any facility Lynn had ever visited.
Old.
Calm.
Timeless.
The Ancient One led the way.
"The restricted archives are located beneath the main library."
Her robes brushed lightly against the stone path as she walked.
Although her movements had recovered, Lynn could still see the truth through the All-Seeing Eye.
Her mystical circuits remained under repair.
Current efficiency remained roughly seventy percent of peak capacity.
Recovery would take time.
They passed through two heavy stone doors.
Then descended a narrow spiral staircase.
The deeper they traveled, the older the architecture became.
Ancient runes covered the walls.
To ordinary eyes, they appeared decorative.
To Lynn, they were anything but.
The All-Seeing Eye revealed each rune as a distinct energy matrix.
Different frequencies.
Different dimensional signatures.
Different functions.
An entire hidden language written in magic itself.
And for the first time since arriving in this universe—
Lynn had finally gained the ability to read it.
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