Victor's mission was straightforward: deliver the "Magic Version of Susanoo" that Noah had developed to the Ministry leaders for distribution.
The Master Mages were busy-especially with students-and had no time for bureaucrats. Yet Victor's presence alone put immense pressure on the Ministry.
Though they were receiving a new spell and a Sealing Art to maximize magical efficiency, they couldn't help but wonder if his arrival meant the Sanctum was dissatisfied with their pace.
They weren't entirely wrong. A week of debating had been inefficient. Between Hermione's warning and Victor's arrival, overthinking set in.
In reality, Victor didn't care. They still had a little time to argue, but if this became another century-long debate like the Mutant Issue, the High Council would step in and remove the Ministers from their posts.
Meanwhile, Noah tested the simplified Sealing Art and his new Domain. Its power was staggering.
"This power state is basically cheating," he muttered. With the silver energy coursing through him, his spell potency and mana density reached incomprehensible levels.
At his scale, even a 0.01% increase in power was a major challenge. Using this energy, his output doubled. Noah suspected that had he possessed this power against Thanos, a simple Spatial Snare combined with it would have been an instant kill.
There were limits. The silver energy storage was small; the "stars" in his Domain were reluctant to give too much.
"The energy storage is insufficient," the System explained. "Your Domain mode is self-set. The spheres will grant power while maintaining stable operation. The fusion of the eight other attributes isn't deep enough, so silver yield is low. These spheres are high-density; if drained, they'll burn out."
"I see," Noah sighed. "How long can I maintain full silver?"
"Three minutes. Same as your first Domain activation. Don't be clever-this silver energy contains Time. You cannot use a Time Loop to recover spent energy."
"What a pain," Noah grumbled. Three minutes of peak output was manageable. He decided to save this "Burst Mode" as his ultimate trump card.
He hadn't named the silver energy yet, trusting instinct to avoid misusing it. The Susanoo spell, however, he named The Guardian-all-encompassing defense without sacrificing offense.
Noah stood, golden light glowing around him. Today was special: a meeting with leaders of independent magical organizations-from the large York Magical Association to tiny sects.
He arrived via spatial rift. The hall went silent.
These mages viewed the Sanctum-the "biggest bully" in the magical world-with complex emotions. Their leader, the Sorcerer Supreme, was the undisputed strongest mage on Earth.
When the Ancient One reigned, they had been protected but suppressed. Many hoped the next generation of Sanctum mages would be weaker, giving them a chance to rise. Noah's arrival crushed that hope. Young, impossibly powerful, and influential, he had changed the magical world with his Meditation Method and Dragonborn Magic.
He had established magic universities and the Sanctum Magic Awards, effectively unifying the magical community under his banner. Records suggested he had reached the Demigod stage in his thirties-a virtual infancy for high-level mages with immense lifespans.
"Everyone," Noah said, smiling as he took his seat at the hall's center. "You know why you're here. The news isn't good. We are entering dangerous times."
"We understand, Sorcerer Supreme," William Moore, head of the York Association and an old friend, replied. "We will follow your lead."
"Thank you, William." Noah nodded. He told the leaders they were free to join the war and earn rewards. "Choose participants wisely. No half-hearted efforts. This is for your future."
The leaders agreed in unison.
"Very well. Now, something else. I've developed a magic that can change a wizard's future. Originally, it was for the strongest leaders. Now, I've changed my mind."
"What magic?" someone whispered.
"A magic that allows you to reach higher achievements-one that helps you transcend your very level of existence."