The moment they stepped into the Mirror Dimension, all of the sorcerers instinctively pulled back.
No one had expected things to escalate this far.
Over thirty true sorcerers formed a tight circle around Senju Haruto, with Kaecilius at the front, itching to strike.
As for the Ancient One, the Supreme Sorcerer herself, she made no move to intervene. Instead, she floated upward, hands clasped behind her back, looking down calmly at the scene below.
In truth, she was deeply curious to see what Haruto would show her.
Mordo, standing guard by her side, couldn't make sense of it.
This situation was unheard of.
To him, this was nothing more than Kaecilius picking a fight out of spite—still holding a grudge from what had happened yesterday—and now trying to humiliate Haruto.
But the Ancient One had not stopped him. On the contrary, she had tacitly allowed it.
Yes, Haruto's spiritual strength was extraordinary.
Yes, he had mastered much of the knowledge hidden in the library.
But theory was not the same as practice.
In combat, Haruto was still a novice.
If he simply unleashed magic recklessly, his body would be crushed under the strain.
Great mental power didn't automatically mean flawless control over magical energy.
More importantly…
Kaecilius and the other sorcerers had fought countless times against creatures from other dimensions.
Their experience was forged in desperate battles where their lives were always on the line.
It was like comparing military drills to actual mercenaries. No matter how well someone performed in training, no matter how strong their body was, in front of seasoned warriors they would inevitably falter.
And Haruto wasn't just facing one—he was about to face more than thirty sorcerers at once.
"Step aside for now."
Haruto spoke quietly to Kaguya when she showed no sign of moving.
Only then did she nod slightly and retreat toward the edge of the arena.
Her beauty alone was enough to leave most men entranced. And seeing her so obedient to Haruto's words stirred envy in many of the sorcerers present.
But envy aside… what they truly felt was anticipation.
A lone challenger against more than thirty sorcerers. Such a thing had never happened in the entire history of Kamar-Taj.
Now that the Ancient One herself had given her nod of approval, Kaecilius no longer held back.
The corners of his mouth curled into a cruel smile. Crossing his arms, he poured out his magic, lifting the entire plaza floor into the air.
Here, in the Mirror Dimension, no matter how much destruction they caused, the real Kamar-Taj would remain untouched.
Here, they could unleash everything until one side fell.
"Haruto!"
"Die, drowned in endless regret!"
Kaecilius roared as his crossed arms suddenly split apart.
The ground beneath Haruto cracked violently, splitting open in both directions. The massive stone plaza was torn apart into two halves, collapsing into a yawning abyss.
In Kaecilius's mind, Haruto should now be panicking—flailing helplessly, his face frozen in shock as he plummeted into the depths.
That was the brutal reality of battles between sorcerers: one careless moment, and death was inevitable.
But the sight before him made Kaecilius freeze.
Instead of falling into the pit, Haruto hovered steadily in midair, expression calm, his eyes flicking downward in faint disappointment.
"That's it?"
His brows drew together slightly, his face showing only boredom—as if to say: Kaecilius, you dare call that magic?
"You—you can fly?"
Kaecilius blinked in disbelief.
Even among sorcerers, flight was rare. Most needed enchanted relics to achieve it.
Take Strange, for instance—he only managed flight thanks to the Cloak of Levitation.
"What's wrong? You can't?" Haruto asked mockingly.
The thought occurred to him: in Doctor Strange's movie, there hadn't been a single scene of Kaecilius flying.
That made him seem… rather weak, as far as villains went.
Haruto even suspected that the only reason Kaecilius had managed to kill the Ancient One was because she had let it happen.
After all, even if her body was destroyed, her spirit would never truly vanish.
In the comics, her soul often returned to guide Strange.
And as one of the most powerful Supreme Sorcerers, her spirit would eventually ascend to the Vishanti themselves.
So yes—it was entirely possible that she had chosen her death, deliberately passing the mantle of Supreme Sorcerer to Strange.
Haruto, at least, believed it.
But regardless of his musings, Kaecilius quickly pushed aside his surprise.
His face tightened, and he continued chanting.
The two halves of the plaza that he had split apart began rising, snapping shut like a giant stone maw to swallow Haruto whole.
The other sorcerers glanced at one another, hesitating.
They could tell Kaecilius bore a personal grudge against Haruto.
The fight was supposed to be all of them against him, but at this rate, Kaecilius alone seemed enough to finish the job.
After all, Haruto's greatest advantage—his overwhelming spiritual force—had been sealed away by the Ancient One.
And in raw magical combat, Kaecilius clearly had the upper hand.
But just as everyone silently concluded that Haruto was doomed, the entire plaza suddenly exploded outward.
"Bankai—Seven-Colored Dragons!"
Haruto had no intention of wasting time on such small fry.
Without hesitation, he released the full power of his Zanpakutō.
Not because he needed it—he simply wanted to test the reward he had just received from signing in at the relic vault.
What better opportunity than this? Otherwise, it would be like owning a treasure and never daring to wear it.
The moment his Bankai was unleashed, seven colossal dragons burst forth, each a different color, each radiating terrifying power as they glared down from above.
Each dragon embodied a force of nature:
The crackling Blue Thunder Dragon.
The heavy Yellow Earth Dragon.
The blazing Red Fire Dragon.
The surging Azure Water Dragon.
The howling Green Wind Dragon.
The shadowy Black Yin Dragon.
And the radiant White Yang Dragon.
Together, they embodied the seven elemental powers: Yin, Yang, Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth.
For a Zanpakutō was nothing less than the manifestation of its wielder's soul—and Haruto's soul was the purest form of chakra.
Every sorcerer of Kamar-Taj stood frozen in shock at the sight.
Even the Ancient One herself had not foreseen this.
That Haruto's weapon could unleash such overwhelming force…
He wasn't just talented.
He was, without a doubt—
—a true Supreme Sorcerer.