American Comics: Heaven's Reward

"There are many kinds of magic in Asgard," Eileen began, her voice steady and instructive. "Each magic type serves a different purpose. The illusion magic I specialize in falls under the category of support magic."

She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing.

"But do not mistake illusion magic as being weak simply because it is classified as support. When mastered, it can be devastating on the battlefield."

Eileen raised her hand.

"The simplest example—illusion duplication. It allows a magician to create false images of themselves, misleading enemies and manipulating their perception."

The moment she finished speaking, Aaron blinked.

There were now two Eileens standing before him.

Indistinguishable.

From appearance to posture, from the slight movements of their fingers to the subtle scent of their perfume, the copies were flawless.

"Illusion magic is… unique," both Eileens spoke in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized. "At its most basic level, it is a tool for deception. But if cultivated deeply, it becomes something far greater."

Aaron listened intently.

"When refined, illusion magic can manifest physical entities, not just mirages. These advanced illusions can harm, attack, and even kill. At that point, they are no longer mere illusions but fully realized energy constructs with destructive potential."

Eileen stepped forward—or rather, one of the Eileens did.

"A powerful illusionist can deceive not only sight but all five senses," she continued. "What you see, what you hear, what you feel—it can all be controlled, just like the dark illusion before."

Aaron's mind raced.

Creating false images was already useful, but making physical duplicates that could fight? That was an entirely different level.

Without hesitation, he began practicing.

A notification appeared in his mind:

[You have performed Phantom Magic seriously once. Phantom Magic proficiency +1.]

A new skill had emerged in his status window:

[Phantom Magic LV1 (1/10)]

Aaron's excitement surged.

Immediately, he focused on something simple. Instead of creating a body double, he conjured… a pen.

Then, he dismissed the illusion and repeated the process. Again. And again.

The pen flickered in and out of existence as he perfected his control.

Eileen, watching from the sidelines, could barely believe what she was witnessing.

Her eyes widened.

Odin above.

What am I seeing?

A magic genius? No. This is a… monster.

Even Loki, the most naturally gifted magician of Asgard, had never demonstrated such an absurd learning speed.

Not even Queen Frigga, the greatest sorceress of Asgard, had mastered spells at this rate.

Not even Odin.

In all of Asgard's history, only one magician had ever learned magic this quickly.

And Aaron had just done the impossible.

Eileen's previous assumptions shattered in an instant.

She had thought Aaron was simply talented—someone with a rare gift.

But this?

This was beyond talent.

This was something else entirely.

She felt a lump form in her throat.

Had Aaron truly sensed magic energy the very moment he tried? Had he spent the rest of the time merely getting familiar with the process?

Had she underestimated him that much?

A shiver ran down her spine.

She had thought Aaron would one day become a great magician. But now…

Now, she was certain.

This boy was going to become the greatest magician in the Nine Realms.

And possibly beyond.

Her breathing felt shallow.

She turned to look at the other apprentices, only to see the same dumbfounded expressions reflected in their eyes.

Then it happened.

Aaron's next illusion wasn't a pen.

It was a duplicate of himself.

For a moment, Eileen forgot to breathe.

The illusion was lifelike. A perfect mirror image of Aaron stood beside him, identical in every way.

That alone was enough to prove that his Phantom Magic had already evolved from novice to proficient.

But what happened next nearly made Eileen scream.

Aaron created another duplicate.

This time, it wasn't just an illusion.

The copy moved.

Not only that—it had substance.

A true energy construct.

Eileen's hands trembled.

This isn't happening.

She had spent centuries refining illusion magic. It had taken her hundreds of years to create something like this.

Yet Aaron had done it in mere minutes.

And even worse…

Where was he getting all this magic energy from?

By all logic, Aaron—someone new to magic—should not have been able to sustain this many illusions at once.

And yet, he had.

Was his magic absorption rate also beyond normal limits?

Her mind spun.

She had lived for thousands of years, yet she had never encountered anything like this.

For a fleeting moment, a trace of jealousy stirred in her heart.

Fortunately, her wisdom as a seasoned sorceress quickly extinguished it.

She could not afford to feel envious of Aaron.

No.

She had to guide him.

But… was she truly fit to be his teacher?

Eileen's hands clenched into fists.

Aaron deserved the best. Someone who could push him to his limits.

If she failed to teach him properly—if she wasted his potential—she would never forgive herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Aaron suddenly stopped.

He exhaled sharply, a look of contemplation crossing his face.

Checking his status template, he analyzed his progress:

[Name]: Aaron[Life]: 1000/5000[Ability]: God Rewards Those Who Work Hard[Skills]:

Asgardian Meditation LV4 (1000/10,000)

Fighting Technique LV3 (633/1000)

Spear Mastery LV3 (723/1000)

Sword Mastery LV3 (300/1000)

Illusion Magic LV3 (99/1000)

[Attributes]:

Intelligence 3

Strength 4

Speed 3

Endurance 4

Energy Strength 3

Fighting Skill 4

[Strength Evaluation]: Surface Level (Second-rate Superhero)

Aaron sighed.

"Magic energy is running low… It seems that, besides study time, my biggest limiting factor is my energy reserves."

He clenched his fists.

"Even if I had unlimited time, my current magic reserves wouldn't allow me to advance too quickly."

His thoughts sharpened.

"I need to balance meditation and spell practice carefully. And I can't neglect combat training either."

His resolve hardened.

"I won't just be a magician. I'll be a warrior too."

A magician who could fight.

A magician with no weaknesses.

A magician who would be feared.

Raising his head, Aaron looked directly at Eileen and declared:

"Teacher, I want to learn new magic!"

Eileen: "…"

She was speechless.

Learn more?

If he kept this up, he'd surpass her before the end of the day!

She had always believed that one day, Aaron would surpass her.

But today?

That was too soon!

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