Columbia University.
Feeney's enrollment didn't cause much of a stir. To most people, he seemed just like any other student, even though the Ancient One had once told him he could have a great impact on the world. Since he didn't plan to live on campus, he wasn't assigned a dormitory. But because the university was far from home, he decided to rent an apartment.
"You really didn't think I'd come pick you up in a car?" Skye asked, watching Feeney as he inspected the new apartment.
"No," Feeney replied, shaking his head. "I might need to visit the temple often. It's easier if I stay out here."
Skye didn't press the issue. Instead, she nodded and said unexpectedly, "Okay, then I'm moving in too."
Feeney was caught off guard. The apartment wasn't small—money wasn't a problem—and there was an extra room. Still, he hadn't expected this. "Why would you do that?"
"It's comfortable here," Skye said, giving him a strange look. "There are always people coming into the store asking when you'll be back. It's noisy. And things feel awkward at home. Besides, you'll be at school all day, and I can use the internet here without anyone bothering me."
Feeney frowned, scratching his head. "You know, you're an adult now. Don't you think it's time to live independently?"
Blushing, Skye snapped back, "I... I can pay rent, okay? We're just renting this place together. If our parents weren't worried you couldn't take care of yourself, I wouldn't even be here. Do you think I *want* to live with you?"
With a huff, she stormed upstairs to unpack, leaving Feeney standing there, a bit dazed.
Still, he couldn't really argue. New York could be dangerous, and Skye was a beautiful young woman. Maybe it was better this way.
University life turned out to be easier than Feeney had expected. His chosen major was in a rather obscure field, which meant fewer classes and more free time.
Currently, he was studying ancient Sanskrit. He hadn't yet read most of Kama Taj's books because current translation software wasn't advanced enough. He'd even asked Skye to help develop a tool, but without a strong dataset, the results were poor.
In the past, he had relied on others for translations, but he couldn't inconvenience them all the time. The efficiency was too low.
It was another sunny afternoon.
With no classes, Feeney was reading a textbook in the living room. Nearby, Skye flipped through a fashion magazine with a bored expression. Soon she tossed the magazine aside, stretched out on the couch, and poked Feeney with her foot.
"Tony Stark again," she grumbled. "He's *everywhere*."
"You've been reading that book for almost a month," she added. "Aren't you bored? The weather's getting cooler again. Let's go shopping for clothes."
Feeney sighed and shut his book, glaring at her. "I really shouldn't have let you move in. And don't you already have enough clothes?"
"We're shopping for *you*," she corrected, then smiled cheekily. "At most, I'll just pick out a few things for myself."
He glanced out the window. Since November had started, nice weather had been rare. He turned back to Skye's hopeful expression and nodded reluctantly. Then he noticed the fashion magazine she'd tossed aside. Tony Stark was on the cover, looking sharp in a tailored suit.
"Didn't you used to like Tony Stark?" he asked.
Following his gaze, Skye curled her lip in disdain. "I admired his skills and inventions. But he turned out to be just a playboy."
"That's hard to say," Feeney replied, gazing at Stark's confident photo. "He might actually be a hero."
"*Hero*?" Skye raised an eyebrow. Tony Stark had many labels—billionaire, genius, playboy—but hardly anyone called him a hero.
"He's very peace-loving," Feeney said with a shrug. It was a tradition of the master and apprentice to not reveal too much.
"He runs an arms company!" she exclaimed.
Feeney didn't respond, and Skye didn't push the topic. Instead, she retreated to her room to do her makeup.
That evening, after spending the day with Skye, Feeney went to the New York Sanctum and opened a portal to Kama Taj.
The crisp early morning air reinvigorated him. In the past few months, his experience at Kama Taj had grown more than in all his prior years.
The experience bar, which had reset after extracting 'Demon-haunted,' was now more than halfway full. But his progress had slowed. He lacked both the talent and the time, needing to devote much of his energy to translation and study. On top of that, he couldn't find suitable sparring partners.
Most of the other mages weren't interested in combat. Mordo was often busy, and Feeney couldn't keep bothering him. So lately, he'd struggled to find someone to train with.
As he walked toward the training grounds, he spotted a slightly plump figure and called out, "Good morning, Wong. You're here today?"
At this time, Wong wasn't yet the librarian Doctor Strange would come to know. He was a guardian of the Hong Kong Sanctum and didn't often visit Kama Taj.
"Good morning, Master Feeney," Wong replied politely, approaching with a low voice. "Any chance you have a chicken nugget roll?"
"Uh... isn't it a little early for fried food?" Feeney asked, even as he summoned a 'Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll' with practiced ease and handed it over.
Wong took the roll, inhaled deeply, and sighed contentedly. "It's fine. I already had breakfast."
Feeney could only shake his head.
Whenever he saw Wong, he knew there'd be no progress in gaining experience that day. Wong wasn't as strong as Mordo, but he was still a decent opponent, especially since his fighting style was less nimble and more grounded.
After months of intense training, Feeney had improved significantly—though not so much in magical spells. With the 'Demon-haunted' equipment and his growing combat knowledge, he had become one of the most formidable fighters at Kama Taj.
Well... at least in terms of raw combat power.