"Too weak."
Senju Haruto looked at the empty battlefield where smoke was still fading and couldn't help but mutter.
Even though he had opened with a Tailed Beast Ball Shuriken right from the start, he had expected his opponent to at least withstand it for a moment.
"I was even thinking of following up with Indra's Arrow… or maybe a Yin–Yang Tailed Beast Ball."
He spoke quietly to himself, dismissing the towering Susanoo that still cloaked his body with a casual wave of his hand. The chakra armor dissolved into nothingness, and Haruto drifted down to the ground with effortless grace.
When he looked around, he saw Mordo, the temple guardians, and the other mages frozen in place, their eyes wide in disbelief.
"…Can I return to Kamar-Taj now?"
Since no one spoke and they all stood there stunned, Haruto sighed softly and broke the silence himself.
After all, the task this time had been to eliminate a dimensional creature that had broken through to Earth. And with that last strike, he had erased it completely—without a trace.
Besides…
Those six mage apprentices hadn't been his teammates.
Even Anna, who had stubbornly tagged along, wasn't really his. He had no responsibility to protect her.
Not that it mattered—her strength was far weaker than he had imagined. He had thought she would at least display some courage as a mage—unyielding, dignified, admirable. But in the end, when it mattered most, she hadn't shown anything at all.
Utterly useless.
"…Ugh."
Mordo sucked in a sharp breath. By rights, the creature Haruto had just obliterated was far too powerful—it shouldn't have even been counted as part of this trial.
But from another perspective…
Haruto had annihilated it instantly.
If he could swat down a monster like that in seconds, what was the point of a trial? Were they supposed to hand him a butcher's knife and tell him to slaughter a chick instead?
It made no sense.
Looking at Haruto, Mordo didn't even dare breathe too loudly. He simply gave a stiff nod in response.
With that confirmation, Haruto said nothing further. He raised his Sling Ring, opened a golden portal, and stepped through with Kaguya at his side.
All the mages could do was watch as he disappeared back to Kamar-Taj.
The moment Haruto's foot touched the stone courtyard of the monastery, thunderous applause erupted.
The crowd burst into cheers.
Even though this trial had little to do with most of them, they were exhilarated—because they had just witnessed the rise of a legendary mage. Their blood was stirring with excitement.
"Welcome back."
The Ancient One floated down gracefully from the air, landing before Haruto with a faint smile.
Though she already acknowledged his strength and had accepted him as the true Sorcerer Supreme, she still kept up appearances. On the surface, Haruto had participated in this as an apprentice mage.
"Congratulations, Haruto, on passing your trial."
Haruto gave a small nod.
Looking around, it was obvious—what had just happened hadn't even been a real fight. The monster was nowhere near worthy of being called an opponent. It was nothing more than him stretching his muscles, showing a fraction of his power.
And in the process, all of Kamar-Taj had witnessed it.
The Ancient One had undoubtedly also seen him use the Eye of Agamotto.
It wasn't this universe's Eye, but its power came from the same source. And once she had seen that power for herself, she would have no doubt that he was the real Sorcerer Supreme—just one who came from another universe.
Her current demeanor already proved he had guessed right.
"I now declare that you are, without question, a true mage."
"And now…"
"It is time for you to make your choice."
Her voice was calm, almost gentle.
The moment she said it, the entire courtyard fell silent. Every mage present held their breath.
Everyone knew Haruto had three paths before him.
He could stay at Kamar-Taj and continue training in seclusion. But that was the least likely option. After all, Haruto had already used Shadow Clones to study every book in the library. He had visited the vault of artifacts. His spiritual strength was already equal to the Ancient One herself. His combat power was overwhelming.
Someone like that rarely chose to remain.
More often, they left Kamar-Taj to temper themselves through real experience. Or they went to one of the Sanctums to take on greater responsibility.
And in the wagers circulating among the mages, those were the two options everyone was betting on.
The Ancient One's smile faded. She waited patiently for his answer.
Shouldn't we wait for the other mages to return and choose together? Haruto thought briefly, but dismissed it just as quickly.
If she was asking him now, then he might as well answer now.
Besides, he had already completed his sign-in at Kamar-Taj. With the status he now held, he could always come back for another sign-in later, using any excuse he liked.
He took a deep breath, about to speak—
—but just then, the voice of his system echoed in his ear.
Please proceed to the New York Sanctum to sign in.
Completion will grant a reward.
Another sign-in mission?
And this time, the location was the New York Sanctum?
"How interesting."
A faint grin curved Haruto's lips.
Truthfully, he had already been planning to head to New York. In the Marvel world, Earth was the center of the universe—and New York was the center of Earth.
Superheroes, supervillains—so many of them were born there. Nearly every major event in this universe unfolded in that city.
If he could enter the Sanctum as its guardian, it would give him both an official identity and easy access to information. It would also provide the perfect base for his next moves.
Now, with the system setting a sign-in point there, there was simply no reason not to go.
"I choose…"
As Haruto opened his mouth, the entire courtyard seemed to freeze. Even the Ancient One herself held her breath, waiting for his reply.
"…to go to the New York Sanctum."
His words were calm, almost casual.
Some of the mages blinked, wondering if they had misheard.
"I knew it," the Ancient One murmured. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile again.
The choice was his, but by choosing New York, he had effectively accepted the mantle of Sanctum Guardian—the one who stood against incursions from other dimensions.
In time, guiding Strange down the same path would be an easy matter.
For three seconds, the courtyard was silent.
Then it erupted with thunderous applause—along with the groans of those who had bet on the wrong outcome.
"I knew it! I knew he'd choose to become a Sanctum Guardian!"
"To witness the rise of a legendary mage—it's me! I'm the one who gets to witness it!"
"Haruto! Eternal God!"