Wake up. Open eyes. Strange ceiling.
The strong smell of medicine instantly made Finney realize he was in a hospital. He turned his head and immediately saw Skye dozing at the side of the bed.
"Skye!"
Finney gently shook her hand. She jolted awake instantly. When she saw him, her eyes lit up with joy and relief.
"What's the matter with you?"
But her expression quickly shifted—pale with anger and worry. She stood up and asked sharply, "The doctor said you're overexhausted, even bordering on physical collapse. What have you been doing lately?"
Because of his intense special training, Finney had been somewhat elusive over the past week. Skye had been too busy dealing with Stark's stock issues to pay much attention, never expecting something like this.
"I'm doing a special training exercise. I just... accidentally pushed myself a little too far," Finney replied with a dry cough, hiding the fact that he had pushed himself deliberately and recklessly.
"Special training!?" Skye was stunned, then frowned, clearly upset. "Finney, don't be ridiculous. No special training should push you to the point of life-threatening exhaustion. If you ever do this again, I'm going straight to the Ancient One."
Skye had been at Kamar-Taj for a while, so she knew the Ancient One well—making her threat very real.
"It's over now, I swear it won't happen again," Finney said with a small, surrendering gesture. Before he had fallen unconscious, he knew he had succeeded. He had broken through, unlocking the stealth ability of Haunted by Demons. The special training had accomplished its goal.
And the gains went beyond that. In that near-death state, it wasn't just his physical limits he had surpassed—it was his willpower that had broken through, and that, in turn, boosted his physical endurance.
As a result, Haunted by Demons had evolved slightly. The improvement wasn't massive, but it gave Finney exactly what he needed at this moment: Ice Resistance.
Surviving that blizzard on the brink of death caused Haunted by Demons to adapt. Now, when wearing the armor, Finney would have resistance to ice and snow. If he were to return to Mount Everest, the howling winds and biting cold wouldn't vanish—but they wouldn't feel nearly as unbearable.
The only regret was that although Haunted by Demons had now gained two new abilities, it still hadn't unlocked the fourth extraction. It was so close—just a little more experience, and maybe one more fight, would be enough.
After checking over his body and confirming that everything was fine—including his sling ring—Finney completed the discharge procedures. In truth, he hadn't been unconscious long—just five or six hours.
Outside the hospital, he basked in the warm sunshine and stretched, smiling. This was the closest he'd ever come to death, and in this moment, he truly appreciated the joy of simply being alive.
"Are you sure you don't want to let the doctor run more tests?" Skye asked, still worried. The doctor had strongly recommended further observation, but Finney had refused.
"I'm really fine. Just a little overworked. Nothing serious," he reassured her again.
"Alright." Skye didn't press further. She knew about Finney's unique circumstances. In fact, if it hadn't been absolutely necessary, she would've avoided bringing him to the hospital altogether. There was always the risk of an exam revealing something that couldn't be explained.
Back home, Finney reflected on the breakthrough. Though his determination had led to success, he realized how reckless his final approach had been.
The memory of slowly edging toward death was still vivid. This time, he succeeded—but next time, he might not be so lucky.
He now understood that while pushing limits was sometimes necessary, it shouldn't be a regular strategy. True growth should still come from steady improvement and calculated risk. A near-death breakthrough like this was only acceptable once in a while.
Looking at his experience bar—just a sliver away from leveling up—Finney couldn't help but feel excited. Soon, he'd unlock his fourth skill. The previous three, including Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll, had all been game-changing. That made him all the more curious about what the next would be.
Unfortunately, the aftereffects of his physical breakthrough were still lingering. He needed proper rest before earning that final sliver of experience. Coincidentally, Mordo was at Kamar-Taj during this time, so Finney decided to rely on his favorite sparring partner—his most familiar and reliable "experience bank"—to help push him over the edge.
Somewhere in the distance, Mordo suddenly sneezed.
"Still… maybe I should ask the Ancient One for help..."
A new idea had taken root in Finney's mind. What if he used the Eye of Agamotto to glimpse into the future before drawing a new skill? Could he pick the one he wanted?
The future was always changing. Maybe the system drew different skills depending on the timeline. But there were complications.
First, he didn't know if the Eye could even influence the system. Second, how would he explain this to the Ancient One? He had no intention of revealing the system—that was his biggest secret, second only to being reborn.
And those who meddle with time... usually get meddled with. The Ancient One, despite her immense power, was extremely careful with the future. She never spoiled anything, even though she could probably see everything.
On top of that, Finney couldn't think of a convincing reason to ask for her help. What would he say?
"Hey, Ancient One, I might unlock a new power soon. Can you look into the future and see if it's any good? If not, I'll just unlock it later!"
Yeah... she'd definitely ignore him.
As for sneaking off with the Eye of Agamotto? He might as well just yank out the Time Stone and try it himself.
In all of Kamar-Taj, only the Ancient One could properly use the Eye to peer into the future. And that was a secret within a secret. That kind of talent—like Doctor Strange's—was rare beyond words.
Finney shook his head. Thinking about it only depressed him.
After scratching his head in frustration, Finney gave up the idea for now. Worst-case scenario, he'd rely on luck. And who knows—maybe the method wouldn't even work in the first place.
Once he was fully recovered, Finney returned to Kamar-Taj and went looking for Mordo, smiling as he approached.
"Come on, come on, let's go!" he grinned. "Fried chicken nuggets are fresh out of the fryer. If you don't come now, you won't get any!"
Embodying his role as Kamar-Taj's weirdest disciple, Finney knew just how to lure Mordo in. The smell of delicious food tempted the usually stern mage, who clearly wanted to say no but couldn't quite resist.
"...Fine!" Mordo finally gritted his teeth and gave in, following Finney toward the training ground.
"I might be busy with something soon," Finney said casually as they walked. "Might not have much time to hang around here."
He was probably the freest mage in all of Kamar-Taj. The Ancient One hadn't assigned him any specific duties, and he didn't have to follow a strict practice schedule. He came and went as he pleased.
There's a reason he'd earned the nickname "The Ancient One's Most Eccentric Disciple."
"Something for school?" Mordo asked. He was one of the few who knew about Finney's studies in New York.
Finney just smiled mysteriously. "By the way," he added, "fair warning—I learned a new move recently. Don't get taken down in one hit."
"Hmph! I've got seventeen spells ready to beat you!" Mordo scoffed, already plotting how to defeat Finney.
Seventeen ways to lose, and you still want to talk big?