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She began to see more.
Not just her own memories—something deeper.
Inside the Mind Stone, countless whispers echoed. Echoes of every life it had ever touched.
Wanda's consciousness moved among them—touching, separating.
She saw another version of herself in a different universe. Mad. Desperate. Turning to ash in the end…
She saw Jiro—his sorrow at failing to save someone.
She saw the terrifying enemies he faced.
She saw a golden sun, the endless stars, black armor shining like firelight…
"Ah!"
Wanda's eyes flew open, drenched in cold sweat.
The Mind Stone's light slowly dimmed, returning to calm.
Jiro looked at her quietly. "What did you see?"
Wanda's chest rose and fell rapidly, then slowly calmed.
"Too much… way too much," she said softly.
"The other me… she's gone, right?"
Jiro didn't deny it. "That universe is finished."
Wanda was silent for a moment, then looked up—there was no more confusion in her eyes, only a firm light.
"I don't want to end up like her," she said.
"I want to control my power. Not let it control me."
Jiro smiled faintly. "Good. That's the first step."
He reached out, and the Mind Stone slowly floated into Wanda's palm.
"From today on, it'll help you sort out your chaos magic. But remember…"
His eyes were sharp and steady. "The stone is just a medium. Real power always comes from you."
Wanda tightened her grip around the stone, feeling its steady pulse. She nodded solemnly.
The lights in the training room softened, as if responding to the flow of energy between them.
Jiro stood, his black t-shirt outlining a body like it had been carved from stone. Wanda's breath caught for a second—but she quickly composed herself.
"Now, try this." He waved his hand through the air, drawing a glowing golden rune that formed a complex three-dimensional magic circle.
"The most basic application of chaos magic—reality warping."
Wanda stared at the rune and tilted her head. "That… doesn't look basic at all."
Jiro chuckled. "For you? It is."
He flicked his finger, and the magical array split into dozens of tiny runes, circling around Wanda.
"Touch them with your energy," he said. "Don't force it—just let them respond to you naturally."
Wanda took a deep breath. Scarlet energy flowed from her fingertips like a living thing, reaching out toward the glowing golden runes.
The moment they made contact, the space in the training room rippled briefly, and the walls shimmered like liquid.
"I… I did it?" Wanda stared at her hands in surprise.
"Nope. You're just mimicking," Jiro said, shaking his head.
"True reality-warping doesn't need runes to guide it. Close your eyes. Picture something you want to change."
Wanda shut her eyes again, her brows slightly furrowed.
A few seconds later, the air in front of her shimmered. A red teacup slowly took shape, with traditional Sokovian patterns decorating its sides.
"Not bad."
Jiro picked up the cup and gave it a gentle squeeze. It immediately shattered into a flurry of glowing particles and vanished.
"But remember—creating something out of thin air takes a ton of energy. Until you've got full control, it's better to start by changing stuff that's already there."
He snapped his fingers, and a metallic target rose from the center of the room. "Try turning it into something else."
Wanda focused. Scarlet energy surged toward the target.
The metal surface began to ripple and twist, morphing into a giant steel rose. Its petals were razor-sharp at the edges.
"Not bad at all." Jiro smiled encouragingly.
"Now make it fly."
Wanda twitched her fingers. The steel rose slowly lifted off the ground—but just two meters up, it suddenly spiraled out of control and shot toward the wall. Jiro calmly raised his hand, forming a golden shield that stopped it midair.
"Still not enough control." He walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Feel the flow of energy. It should feel as natural as breathing."
Wanda's shoulder trembled slightly. Sweat rolled down her cheek. "It's so hard… it keeps trying to break free…"
"That's because you're scared," Jiro said, his voice softening.
"Chaos magic amplifies emotions—especially the bad ones. The more afraid you are of losing control, the wilder it gets."
Wanda looked at him, confused. "How do you know I'm afraid?"
He pointed to the Mind Stone pendant hanging from her neck. "It told me. Every time you use your powers, childhood memories rise to the surface. Pain. Anger. Helplessness. They're all affecting you."
Wanda bit her lip. The scarlet energy around her flared slightly.
"Look at me."
Jiro met her eyes. "Those experiences shaped you, but they don't define you. Pain can give you strength—but it should never become your cage."
The training room went silent for a moment.
Outside, the waves gently lapped against the shore. The rhythmic sound was almost soothing.
"Let's go again."
Jiro finally spoke, waving his hand to reset the metal target. "This time, don't try to control the magic—guide it."
Wanda took a deep breath and slowly raised her hands.
This time, the scarlet energy was no longer wild. It wrapped around the target like a soft mist.
Ripples spread across the metal's surface, and it gradually transformed into a lifelike red bird. It flapped its wings, soared through the room, and finally landed gently on Wanda's outstretched finger.
"I… I did it?" Wanda stared at the tiny bird in disbelief.
Jiro smiled slightly. "Better than you think. Now… make it sing."
Wanda wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that a bit much?"
The red bird tilted its head and let out a clear, melodic chirp. The tune—it was the lullaby her mother used to hum when she was a kid.
Wanda's eyes instantly welled up. The bird dissolved into scarlet light, but her smile lingered long after it was gone.
"Remember this feeling," Jiro said, unusually gentle.
"Magic comes from emotion. But it takes reason to control it. Keep practicing. We'll pick up again tomorrow."
He turned and walked toward the door.
"Jiro," Wanda called out suddenly.
"Thank you… not just for the training."
Jiro didn't look back. He just waved casually. "Get ready. Tomorrow's gonna be even tougher."
As the training room door clicked shut, Wanda lowered her gaze to the Mind Stone on her chest and touched it gently.
The gem glowed faintly, as if responding to her touch.
"Turing?" she whispered.
"Always at your service, Miss Wanda," the AI butler answered instantly.
"Can you… find some Sokovian folk songs for me? The kind my mom used to sing."
"Of course. I've found 37 traditional folk songs. Play them now?"
Wanda nodded and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window. The setting sun bathed the ocean in a warm orange-red glow.
Soft melodies filled the room—tunes she thought she'd long forgotten.
Surrounded by the music, for the first time, the pain she'd buried deep inside felt… just a little lighter.
"....."