Marvel: Ned the Master of Mystic Arts

The following week, Ned kept things low-key. He spent most of his time at home, keeping his grandmother company and continuing to drink the Taiyi Mystic Water daily.

Days passed quickly, and before he knew it, a week had gone by. Strangely, there was still no sign of Thor, and yet, the day of Ned's long-awaited arm regeneration had finally arrived.

"Master Ancient One," Ned greeted respectfully as he stepped into the quiet chamber of Kamar-Taj.

"Hmm, follow me," the Ancient One replied with a calm nod, opening a shimmering portal and stepping through without hesitation.

Ned followed closely behind.

On the other side of the portal lay an endless expanse of snow, with icy winds howling through the desolate landscape, sending snowflakes whipping against Ned's face.

Thankfully, Ned's training had borne fruit, and he was able to use his magic and his Cloak of Levitation to stave off the bitter cold. He thought to himself that if Doctor Strange had been the one to face this, it wouldn't take long for him to abandon his stubborn ways and learn to open portals.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of footsteps breaking through the snow was the only noise as Ned followed the Ancient One. With each step forward, the chill intensified. Ahead, a swirling white mist grew thicker and colder.

Soon, Ned found himself struggling. His movements became sluggish, and even his magical protections seemed insufficient. He was no longer as nimble as when he had first arrived in the snowfield.

Determined, he clenched his jaw and kept following the Ancient One, who moved with an ease that suggested she wasn't feeling the cold at all.

Finally, they reached the center of the fog. By now, Ned's teeth were chattering, and his movements had become stiff. Frost was forming on his face, and even his Cloak of Levitation trembled as if frozen—or perhaps it was mimicking Ned's discomfort.

The Ancient One, in contrast, remained calm and unbothered.

"Hummm…"

The Ancient One raised her hands, rapidly forming a series of complex, glowing runes in the air.

"Open!"

With a commanding shout in flawless Mandarin, the Ancient One triggered a reaction. The mist around them began to spiral violently, as though they were caught in the eye of a storm.

Boom!

The spiraling mist became a raging whirlwind, its icy winds cutting into Ned's exposed skin like sharp blades, leaving shallow cuts in their wake. His eyes squeezed shut against the onslaught, and he felt his strength wavering.

"Why aren't you using a protective charm?" the Ancient One's voice rang out over the storm.

Before Ned could respond, he felt an energy shield wrap around him, shielding him from the relentless winds. He opened his eyes cautiously to see a shimmering golden dome enveloping both him and the Ancient One.

Ned's shoulders slumped with relief—but also embarrassment. He recognized the protective spell—it was one he knew perfectly well.

Once the mist subsided, the surroundings cleared, revealing a mysterious icy pool. Steam rose faintly from its surface, and its crystalline waters shimmered with an otherworldly glow. In the center of the pool floated their target: the flawless Sacred Lotus Root.

"First, you'll need to release your astral form," the Ancient One instructed.

Ned complied without hesitation, his spirit separating from his physical body.

"Hmm…"

The Ancient One nodded approvingly, then moved swiftly. With a single gesture, a streak of golden light flashed out, severing Ned's left arm at its very root—his astral arm included.

Pain flared instantly, and Ned's astral form reflexively clutched at his missing arm. The pain wasn't just physical—it cut into his very essence. His spirit, once whole, was now incomplete.

Before he could cry out, a second flash of light flew from the Sacred Lotus Root and into his astral body. Cool energy surged through him, soothing the pain and filling the void where his arm had been.

Brilliant light enveloped Ned's astral form as a new arm began to form—an arm that radiated purity and strength, unlike anything he had ever felt.

The Ancient One reached into the pool and retrieved a small piece of the Sacred Lotus Root, pressing it to the shoulder of Ned's physical body.

The root fused instantly, transforming into a gleaming, jade-like arm. The transformation was complete.

Ned examined his new arm, but his initial excitement turned to awkwardness.

The arm was far too conspicuous—it was flawless and unnaturally white, standing out starkly against the rest of his skin. The contrast was as jarring as Steve Rogers standing next to Nick Fury.

"Um, could we…"

Before Ned could finish his request to reconstruct his entire body to match, the Ancient One waved a hand, sending him hurtling back through a portal.

He landed unceremoniously in his room at Kamar-Taj. A glowing message in golden script floated before him:

"Get out!"

Muttering under his breath, Ned rummaged through his wardrobe and found a pair of gloves. He slipped them on, determined to cover the glaringly white arm before heading outside.

On the way home from buying another pair of gloves, Ned stumbled across a shady scene—someone appeared to be trying to lure an underage girl away.

Fueled by righteous indignation, he intervened immediately.

Unfortunately, the righteous didn't always prevail.

After a brief and embarrassing scuffle, Ned found himself nursing a bloody nose. Tears welled up in his eyes—not because he was crying, of course, but as a natural reaction to being punched. Definitely not because he was crying.

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