With a soft "ding," Lance's Zanpakutō slid back into its sheath.
Lance wiped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, then slowly descended from the air, like a breeze flowing gently.
Lance looked at the man with a slight smile and said, "Anthony Ludgate?"
The bald old man rubbed his fingers together, then calmly lit the end of his cigarette. Thin smoke wafted into the air as the old man smiled faintly. "I thought the world of magic had forgotten me."
Lance smiled wider and said, "You are the chosen successor of the Sorcerer Supreme. How dare the world of magic forget your existence?"
The Ancient One had three main disciples.
The first was Mr. Jip, a talented sorcerer who was overly obsessed with dark arts. Mr. Jip rejected the Ancient One's teachings that aimed to limit the use of dark power. In the end, Mr. Jip left Kamar-Taj at a young age, forging his own path. It could be said that Mr. Jip was a predecessor of Kaecilius.
The second was Anthony Ludgate, better known as Dr. Druid.
Initially, Anthony was just an ordinary English psychiatrist. However, Anthony's life changed when he discovered a shocking fact:
Anthony Ludgate was a direct descendant of the ancient druid, Amergin Glúingel.
The call of his ancestral blood awakened the druidic powers within Anthony. Drawn by ancient knowledge, Anthony delved into the teachings of druidism and mastered magic sourced from nature.
This power also gives Anthony the ability to remain youthful.
Although Anthony's appearance suggests he is in his fifties or sixties, in reality, he has lived for nearly two hundred years.
The history of the Druids has mostly been passed down orally. Many ancient secrets have been lost to the sands of time, swept away by ever-changing civilizations. However, Anthony Ludgate did not accept that reality so easily.
Anthony wandered the world, searching for traces of Druid history hidden in the shadows of the past. Ancient manuscripts, forgotten ruins, whispers from the spirits of nature—Anthony pursued them all.
At one point in his quest, fate led Anthony to meet the Ancient One.
At that time, the Ancient One was also looking for a successor.
Under the guidance of the Sorcerer Supreme, Anthony learned many things. He delved into the study of magic with an insatiable thirst, expanding his understanding of reality and the limits of mystical power.
However, not all teachings could be accepted without question. Anthony and the Ancient One often disagreed. There were clashing ideologies. There were concepts that were difficult to reconcile.
In the end, Anthony chose to leave Kamar-Taj. However, unlike Mr. Jip, who betrayed the teachings of Kamar-Taj, Anthony never betrayed them. He simply chose his own path.
Anthony established his own school, a place where he could teach his understanding of magic without the constraints of dogma.
Years later, Baron Mordo—or Karl Mordo—entered Kamar-Taj and became the Ancient One's third student, taking the position that Anthony had once left behind.
Anthony was similar to Doctor Strange.
Stubborn. Not easily submissive to authority.
Anthony was the type of person known by everyone, but not truly loved by anyone.
Anthony rarely returned to Kamar-Taj. And even when he did return, he only met with the Sorcerer Supreme.
The subsequent sorcerers—those who came after him—barely knew who Anthony Ludgate truly was.
Anthony was like a ghost from the past.
Someone whose name was whispered among those who knew, but never present in any real memory.
Lance heard the name Anthony Ludgate from Senior Wong. The Wong family had served the Sorcerer Supreme for several generations. They knew every great and small secret in Kamar-Taj. According to Senior Wong, the type of magic that Anthony mastered most was not nature magic.
It was not control over roots and branches, nor power that grew from the earth. Rather, it was mental magic. Telepathy. Telekinesis. Hypnosis.
Magic that could bend thoughts and reality with a single thought.
Proof of his expertise? Anthony had just erased the memories of hundreds of people in an instant.
Senior Wong once joked: "The world of magic has forgotten Anthony for two reasons."
First, because of Anthony's irritable nature. And second, because of Anthony's strange hobbies. Anthony was similar to Professor Xu. Too immersed in research, too engrossed in bizarre experiments.
Anthony often locked himself in his laboratory for decades. Maybe ten years, maybe twenty years.
Thus, it was no wonder that the new generation had only vague memories of Anthony. Anthony Ludgate was a figure who walked between light and shadow. Known, yet forgotten.
"Where do you come from?" Anthony Ludgate did not immediately respond to Lance's words.
Anthony's sharp eyes stared deeply at Lance, as if wanting to extract more from this figure. Anthony's voice was deep and heavy, full of curiosity.
"The magic you use is very foreign.
I have traveled the world, meeting various sects of magic and dark arts, yet what you use... I have never seen before."
Lance merely smiled faintly, sensing that there was something more than mere coincidence in this encounter. Facing someone like Anthony, Lance knew he had to be cautious.
"I suppose it's my invention," Lance replied softly, in a deeper tone. "Using the power of the soul to manifest as supernatural power... perhaps that is something unique in today's world of magic."
Lance turned slightly, contemplating the possibility of strengthening his relationship with Doctor Druid. His relationship with Mordo was indeed somewhat tense, and Anthony Ludgate could be of more help if further tensions arose.
Anthony's qualifications and abilities were far stronger than those of Mordo, Kaecilius, or anyone else Lance had ever encountered.
As is known, sometimes the Sorcerer Supreme leaves the Earth dimension to explore the universe and the multiverse. However, Anthony had acted as the Sorcerer Supreme multiple times and possessed Planetary-Level combat power. Even more interesting, Anthony's knowledge was profound in many fields—something that often made the magical world blush with embarrassment.
When Anthony heard the explanation about a completely new power to him, the curiosity in his eyes was evident.
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