Devil-Haunted
The fact that 'Devil-Haunted' could be lent to others was undoubtedly good news. This meant that if Finney ever got tired of fighting, he could simply lend the weapon out, without worrying about someone refusing to return it.
Take the green giant, for example—if that guy ever got his hands on 'Haunted by Evil Ghosts' with his strength, the result would be absolutely terrifying.
"Take my words to heart—don't let the power take control of you," said the Ancient One as she returned 'Demon Haunted' and turned to leave. Finney opened his mouth, wanting to ask why she hadn't formed the armor just now—but held back.
---
"Senior Brother Mordo, come out and fight me!"
Early in the morning, Finney stood outside Mordo's door, excitedly calling him out, impatience bubbling in his voice.
The combat experience gained through fighting far exceeded Finney's expectations. For the past week, he'd been battling Mordo daily using 'Haunted by Evil Spirits.'
The first time Mordo saw the ability, he was shocked. After grilling Finney for details and receiving only vague answers, he finally bought Finney's excuse that it was a special weapon gifted by the Ancient One. Since then, Mordo had often muttered things under his breath in private like, "Unfair… I was here first…"
Back to the point: after a week of intense training, Finney realized he had severely underestimated the value of actual combat—especially against strong opponents. In that single week, he had gained more experience than in the previous three months combined. If he kept up this pace, one month would be equivalent to an entire year's worth of progress.
Moreover, Finney discovered that he gained more experience from winning battles than from losing. He noticed this when Mordo got distracted once during a duel and Finney landed a surprise win. That moment made him deeply regret not figuring this out earlier. If only he'd known sooner—he would've risked exposure to find more opponents. By now, he might've had more than just three skills.
Still, that regret didn't last long. He remembered the Ancient One's warning and realized that rushing things wouldn't have helped much anyway. Gaining experience depended heavily on the opponent's strength and the use of 'Evil Ghosts.' With just 'Golden Great Technique' and 'Sumire Chicken Nugget Roll,' he wouldn't stand a chance against truly powerful adversaries.
In essence, it was thanks to 'Haunted by Evil Spirits' that his strength had grown. Mordo, being quite powerful himself, made a perfect sparring partner.
After figuring all this out, Finney let go of his regrets and focused on making the most of the present. Every day, he sought out Mordo to "farm" experience.
"Are you addicted to fighting or something?" Mordo opened the door with a weary expression. He had already checked with the Ancient One about the 'Evil Ghost Haunting.' Though she denied giving it to Finney, she also told him not to worry about it and to simply help Finney however he could.
"Alright, alright! Enough talking. Let's go!" Finney grabbed Mordo and dragged him to the training ground.
Many mages along the way noticed and followed them with interest. Kama Taj wasn't a huge place, and news of Finney and Mordo's daily sparring had spread like wildfire.
Though sparring wasn't unusual among mages, these were the Ancient One's disciples. Mordo was known to be one of the most powerful mages in Kama Taj, and Finney—though a newcomer—had become quite popular with his 'Sumire Fried Chicken Nugget Roll' and youthful energy.
"Master Finney, go get Master Mordo today!"
"Master Mordo, don't lose like you did last time!"
The training ground buzzed with excited chatter from both their supporters.
Ignoring the crowd, Finney stepped into the arena, flashed a confident smirk at Mordo, and summoned his long sword.
"Evil Spirits!"
The silver-white armor wrapped tightly around him in an instant. Though unarmed, his appearance alone outshined Mordo's modest attire.
The other mages were, as usual, stunned by the transformation. Most had reacted similarly the first time they saw it. After learning the supposed "source," whispers of "The Ancient One is so biased" and "I want armor too" became common—prompting the Ancient One to issue a mild reprimand.
Seeing Finney fully equipped, Mordo didn't dare take it lightly. He activated his Boots of Vaulting and summoned the Rings of Raggadorr—a set of magical shields—to guard himself.
Most of Kama Taj's mages were melee-oriented. Though ranged spells existed, they were incredibly powerful and hard to control, making them difficult to learn.
Finney wasn't sure whether Mordo could use ranged attacks, but it didn't matter. They weren't fighting to the death, and even if something went wrong, the Ancient One could easily rewind time with the Time Stone.
With nothing holding him back, Finney charged straight ahead, confident in his armor's defense.
Mordo remained calm. As Finney closed in, he used his boots to jump high, flipped mid-air, and landed behind Finney for a surprise attack.
But Finney was ready. The moment Mordo leapt, he pivoted and blocked the attack with his armored arm.
"Finney, you're a mage! Don't rely on your armor so much!" Mordo shouted as he retreated.
His words weren't out of envy—they were a sincere attempt to help Finney improve.
Finney acknowledged the point humbly. With the boost from 'Haunted by Evil Spirits,' even spells that previously only produced faint sparks now had a little more impact—though still inconsistent.
He formed a faint Ring of Raggadorr on his right hand and lunged at Mordo again.
Back and forth they went, the crowd gasping and cheering. After about half an hour, Finney's stamina gave out, and he lost the duel.
Removing his armor, Finney collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. Mordo, also out of breath, still looked in better shape.
"Can't you let me win for once, Senior Brother Mordo?" Finney joked, though he knew full well Mordo had probably been holding back.
Mordo had been helping him correct his flaws in combat, which is why Finney still called him "Senior Brother" in a more intimate way than the formal "Master."
"A real enemy won't go easy on you!" Mordo replied sternly, before softening. "Are you okay? Any injuries?"
"Come on, Senior Brother. Sure, I lost, but it's still pretty hard for you to break through my defense," Finney said, grinning.
Mordo sighed internally. "I was here first… Why does the master favor him so much?"
After that, Finney began dueling other mages too—but none of them gave him as much experience as Mordo.
Eventually, he gave Mordo a special nickname:
**Experience Baby Mordo Mage!**
And just like that, another month flew by. But then, one phone call disrupted Finney's entire training rhythm.