There was nothing particularly remarkable about the apprenticeship process. Salomon was very grateful that Old Mr. Johnson didn't mind his foreign appearance. In the following years, due to the educational plan arranged by the Sorcerer Supreme, Salomon's daily schedule was a routine of Kamar-Taj—New York Sanctum—boxing gym—New York Sanctum—Kamar-Taj, waking up at dawn every day.
Salomon got along best with the Guardians of the New York Sanctum, and the reason was simple: it was a matter of taste. In their eyes, "foreigners" wouldn't eat beef offal, but Salomon could eat a large bowl… And people who can eat are never bad people.
Salomon also greatly admired himself for being able to resume his student-era routine. Ever since he started working, he would just close his eyes after work and then it would be morning.
Youth is truly wonderful.
However, for a body that was only single-digit years old, such a burden was still a bit much. Fortunately, the Saint's power was slowly taking effect, and Salomon grew taller, stronger, and reacted more quickly than children his age. During this time, the Sorcerer Ancient One also did not neglect Salomon's cultural education. Various language courses were rotated, including Hebrew, Sanskrit, Greek, Old English, Celtic, and more. These were all languages that had to be learned to read magic books, and Salomon bore pressure that was beyond his age.
Salomon had seen the memories brought by the Stigmata. When those Archmages became apprentices, their lives also consisted of copying scrolls and attending classes, but which magic tower also taught close combat? He had no intention of learning to be a magic warrior from the Inner Sea World, fighting with a knife in one hand and magic in the other.
Furthermore, there was the nationality that Baron Mordo had arranged for Salomon… For this, he had to avoid Britain's child welfare agencies because they were trying to find an adoptive family for Salomon and send him to school. It was said that they had already contacted an old lady to adopt him.
But Salomon didn't want that. He had just managed to enter the magic world, and now he was going to be sent to primary school?
Fortunately, however, the Sorcerer Supreme also adhered to the principle of "good enough." After Salomon underwent five years of close combat training, by the time Salomon was ten years old and the Master Brothers in the boxing gym who were a few years older than him couldn't beat him anymore, the Sorcerer Supreme finally began to arrange for Salomon to learn the Vishanti-lineage magic of Kamar-Taj—Salomon had been waiting for this day for a long time. He was not content with only being able to use cantrips.
"I don't know if you should undergo the trial," Sorcerer Ancient One said in the quiet room. "But you also know how Kamar-Taj obtains magic… But you are different; you are born with magic."
The Ancient One did not want Salomon to fall into the Vishanti's contract like her. Although this model, where the suzerain provides magic to the spellcaster and the spellcaster works for the suzerain, could quickly enhance the combat ability of Kamar-Taj's magic users, it would subject them to the suzerain in more advanced situations.
But this was understandable because even the Vishanti could not control human desires. They were very worried about the appearance of a magic user who could bring disaster to Earth, so they could only cut off the possibility of Kamar-Taj becoming powerful from its source. The Ancient One, however, took a small advantage because she was the first to sign a contract with the Vishanti. The Vishanti were not too demanding in the contract, and she also had great room for development.
Therefore, the Sorcerer Ancient One specifically prepared something for Salomon—she held a silver ring inlaid with a sapphire. This ring immediately caught his eye, not because of the gem, but because of the magic on it… It was reminiscent of Sauron's magic ring…
"But the problem is, even your innate magic cannot compare to the Vishanti's endless energy… I can bear the first Vishanti magic backlash for you, but besides this ring, there are two other rings. Only when combined can they completely control the Vishanti's magic." The Sorcerer Ancient One pushed the ring towards Salomon. "But after this, you must face the trial alone."
"I will do it, Teacher." Salomon bowed his head, saluting the Sorcerer Supreme. Just as he lowered his head, a mark appeared on the Sorcerer Ancient One's forehead, but it quickly disappeared.
"Begin. Put on this Ring of Heavenly Energy." The Sorcerer Supreme said. Salomon nodded, carefully picking up the ring with his thumb and forefinger.
There was no abnormal sensation, no burning sensation; everything seemed ordinary. Then Salomon put the ring on his right index finger. The ring, which was originally too large for a child, automatically shrunk its aperture, firmly binding Salomon's index finger.
The Sorcerer Ancient One did not breathe a sigh of relief because of this. She quickly stretched out her hand, unfolded the Mirror Dimension, and covered all of Kamar-Taj, which was located halfway up the mountain.
"Thief!" A loud roar came from the air. A massive tiger head appeared in the void. The tiger's eyes emitted dazzling light. Under the immense pressure of Hoggoth, the Sorcerer Supreme's Mirror Dimension constantly produced cracks.
"Thief! Where!"
The mark on the Sorcerer Ancient One's forehead was completely revealed, but no one could see it except Salomon. And under the Sorcerer Supreme's protection, all the magic users of Kamar-Taj never discovered the Vishanti's anger.
"Teacher…"
Salomon was a little anxious. He didn't know what price the Sorcerer Ancient One would pay for this. Although the Sorcerer Ancient One adopted him for her own purposes, the Sorcerer Supreme was, after all, his teacher. The Sorcerer Ancient One did not respond. Salomon saw the Sorcerer Supreme's sweat dripping continuously. He could only sit down, cross-legged, and enter meditation, as taught in Kamar-Taj's basic training.
He imagined ten colorful rings in a dark space. Salomon did not specifically arrange the positions of the ten rings, but simply arranged them in a certain order from low to high.
He imagined the first ring, which was also the lowest ring. He imagined this ring emitting light. This was self-hypnosis, and also to unfold the Stigmata.
In his imagination, the rings gradually emitted light in four colors: orange-yellow, olive, reddish-brown, and black (of course, black meant no color). In the outside world, a surge of magic rose from his body and finally condensed onto the ring.
The Sorcerer Supreme gradually found her pressure beginning to lighten. This was not because the Vishanti's anger had subsided, but because Salomon was gradually taming the magic within the ring. The unique magic attribute brought by the Stigmata was constantly resisting the high temperature brought by the Vishanti's magic. If not for the Stigmata, Salomon would have been cooked very quickly.
Hoggoth looked around but did not find the thief who stole the Vishanti's magic. He became increasingly irritable. Even though He became the trinity Vishanti, He was still essentially a big cat, a magical big cat. He had immense patience, and when He noticed the magic fluctuations in the ring gradually disappearing, He also gave up the pursuit.
Anyway, there were still two rings, and the thief would appear sooner or later.
The Sorcerer Supreme wearily opened her eyes, watching Salomon wake from meditation.
"How was it?" the Sorcerer Ancient One asked.
"I don't know, but… when I opened the first Stigmata, the magic in the ring became tamed." In fact, Salomon was also a bit confused. He activated the Stigmata only to resist the burning sensation from the ring, and he was prepared for the memory shock that would follow—but this did not happen. This time, he could gently browse those memories, slowly chewing and absorbing them, and his own magic also suppressed the Vishanti's ring.
"It seems I was right, Salomon," the Sorcerer Supreme said. "You do possess the Ten Rings."