Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 103 Hammer---!

Salomon wasn't waiting for Thor, but for the uninvited Loki, because he wanted to see Loki's strength. Loki's magic was taught by Frigga, the Queen of Asgard, and as the most powerful sorcerer in Asgard, Loki's abilities couldn't be lacking. Salomon strongly suspected that even Kamar-Taj's "True Vision" magic might not be able to distinguish Loki's illusions.

In fact, even Strange in the future was usurped as the Sorcerer Supreme because of Loki's illusions. Salomon didn't want to cause trouble now, as he was certainly no match for Loki right now. He just wanted to try and see if there was any way to break Loki's invisibility magic, since no one would complain about having too much information about their opponent.

The sorcerer was certain that Odin, the Allfather, wished he could merge Loki and Thor into one, as their strengths and weaknesses were too obvious. If they could support each other, Asgard's revival was possible. However, Odin's parenting methods were so poor; he failed to give his two heirs a clear answer about the throne from a young age and even raised Thor in a military camp, leading to the current situation. Otherwise, Thor would be a more powerful and intelligent monarch than Odin himself.

Power is good, but intelligence is another matter. The Sorcerer Supreme wouldn't want to see that happen, nor would Salomon. An Asgard with a wise ruler poses far too great a threat to Earth. Who knows if that ruler might be considering completely conquering Midgard?

Salomon also held some affection for Loki, but this wasn't out of sympathy for someone who had missed out on a supreme position; rather, it stemmed from Salomon's admiration for Loki's incredibly cunning mind. If the Nine Realms were to find peace in the future, Loki would be the ruler who maintained the status quo, the god of mischief's wisdom sufficient to sustain Asgard's prosperity. Unfortunately, the Nine Realms would hardly experience a single day of tranquility in the future, and the throne of Asgard would inevitably be occupied by a restorer like Thor.

This is truly a pity. Loki's reputation among the people of Asgard isn't bad. He's the god of mischief, not a god of evil, though this title is far removed from his brother's. To many in Asgard, Loki is just a child who never grew up, at most playing pranks. If Odin were to suddenly announce Loki's succession to the throne, aside from his friends in Thor's camp, not many would object. Kamar-Taj could then simply interact with Asgard like politicians, instead of worrying about Odin suddenly doing something like this.

"Good evening, Nick Fury." Salomon sat on the 3-in-1 popcorn bucket, stuffing the cheese-flavored popcorn in his mouth. Even when he was tilting his head and holding his phone, he didn't stop. This kind of junk snack sold in chain pharmacies was his favorite.

"Why hasn't Saul come?" Nick Fury asked anxiously. He had acted too quickly; three air force bases in New Mexico were on standby, but Saul, whom he had been eagerly awaiting, had not yet appeared. Impatient, he couldn't help but call to complain about it, because his only source of intelligence about Saul was currently Salomon.

"I've already been to the restaurant in town. The proprietress said that a burly man with long blond hair was once seen there," Salomon said casually. "That's the origin of two of the three types of E. coli. Who knows which toilet Thor might be squatting in now."

"Don't joke around, Salomon! This is serious." Nick Fury frowned, barely containing his anger; his dark forehead was lined with wrinkles. "Now, Congress is going to question me because I didn't tell them why I was mobilizing the troops! If Saul doesn't come soon, I'm going to write my resignation!"

"Relax, relax." Salomon munched on popcorn, which he had heated up to the perfect crispness—absolutely not to be missed. He said, "You just need to check for thunderstorms to know if Thor is close to the hammer."

"So he really is Thor, and not some alien like the Kree or Skrulls?" Nick Fury asked. "Then why would the Sorcerer Supreme let such dangerous creatures into Earth?"

"Asgard is the suzerain state, huh?" the sorcerer said nonchalantly. "If you're unhappy about it, go to Asgard and have a fight yourself."

"You seem so relaxed, are you just letting this happen in Kamar-Taj?" Nick Fury's voice came from near, then faded into the distance, accompanied by the sound of an engine approaching. "I haven't eaten junk food from chain pharmacies since my twelfth birthday. Of course, part of the reason was that my family was poor back then."

"I knew you'd come, you suspicious bastard. Shouldn't you be in your office receiving reports and directing operations? Even that lottery-winning tollbooth operator is more dedicated than you." Salomon stood up grumbling, bent down, pulled a bag of popcorn from a tin can, and threw it at Nick Fury. "This is my hobby, you idiot who doesn't even know how to enjoy snacks. If some evil villain tries to destroy all the popcorn in the world, you have to tell me, and I'll fight him to the death. Nobody can stop me."

"Are you sure that guy's a villain? I think the WHO would definitely support him, because the average weight of American adults is already above average." Nick Fury opened some snacks, eating as he walked over. "This is my job—to assess Thor's danger level and prepare contingency plans. Some things you have to see for yourself; reports don't tell the whole story, just like when I saw those strange magical creatures with my own eyes. You're just standing here?"

"What else?" Salomon sat back down on the metal bucket. "The Sorcerer Supreme has foreseen all possibilities. I just need to guard against the worst-case scenario."

"The worst-case scenario?" Nick Fury narrowed his eyes. The phrase "predictable possibility" was something Salomon had inadvertently revealed, so he probably wasn't lying. Did that mean the Sorcerer Supreme was a prophet? But he didn't press the matter, because if he reminded Salomon of the leak, lies would follow, and Nick Fury, knowing so little about Kamar-Taj, felt he wouldn't be able to distinguish truth from falsehood. He asked, "What is the worst-case scenario?"

"There are many possibilities. For example, Loki might kill Thor and then go on a killing spree on Earth; or Thor might fall into Loki's trap and go mad. Who knows? Every possibility is possible." Salomon looked at the lights of the makeshift research base in the distance, lying to Nick Fury. He rarely told the truth to Nick Fury, because the guy was a cunning old fox. He said, "Aren't you going to tell Agent Coulson you're here?"

"I'm an agent," Nick Fury raised an eyebrow. "I'm meant to remain hidden in the shadows."

"If you weren't watching me with a satellite and running over here looking worried, that statement would be somewhat convincing. Black leather jacket, black eye patch—you look more like a gay porn actor now. They love extras like you. Don't mind, the leads in gay porn are way better looking than you." The sorcerer waved his hand. "Tell me the Wi-Fi password for the research base."

"What are you going to do?" Nick Fury asked, somewhat surprised and nervous. "Hacking into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database is illegal. You definitely don't want to go to jail and wear a smart bracelet for that. I can share the research report on Thor's hammer with you; you don't have to do this."

"You're overthinking it." Salomon rolled his eyes. "I'm just watching today's new anime."

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It wasn't until Nick Fury confiscated the last bag of chocolate popcorn from Salomon on the grounds of "racism" that the male and female protagonists Salomon had been "waiting for" finally arrived. "Do you think we should remind them that there are still onlookers here?" Salomon's voice was drowned out by a sudden clap of thunder, while Nick Fury stared with his one eye at the man and woman getting out of the car in the distance, completely ignoring what Salomon was saying.

"That's Thor?" Nick Fury crouched down and quietly peered over. "He doesn't look anything special."

"I don't know why the Aesir gods are humanoid either." Salomon sat openly on the metal drum, showing no intention of hiding. "Because according to their bloodline, I wouldn't be surprised if they grew a few tentacles."

"Blood ties?" Nick Fury emphasized the word again, but he figured Salomon wouldn't let him know too much, and the situation was far more serious. He glanced at his phone, then looked up and asked, "Is that woman Jane Foster over there? What's she doing with Thor? And why is he putting a coat on her? What's their relationship?"

"Just like you think." Salomon shook his head.

"You weren't involved?" Nick Fury stared wide-eyed at Salomon.

"I swear I didn't, I didn't even use that love potion," Salomon said. "It's probably because Jane Foster has been single for too long."

"Oh, he's running down! Hmm? It's raining?" Nick Fury watched Saul run down the steep slope while recording on his phone. Suddenly, he looked up at the dark sky. Dense clouds had gathered above them, and the thunderstorm intensified, bringing with it a torrential downpour. Salomon, however, showed no intention of moving. He simply propped his legs up on something out of sight, creating a transparent barrier above his head to keep the rain out, forming a white spray. Nick Fury also took shelter inside—or rather, he was lucky enough to avoid the rain because he was close enough.

"Is this the power of Thor?" Nick Fury asked seriously, because Thor's power far exceeded his imagination. This wasn't something that technology could achieve, and he wasn't just some simple alien—he had repeatedly emphasized "seeing is believing," and his trip had certainly been worthwhile. He said, "So, are we going to watch his performance now? Is he going to pull out his hammer and stage a superhero blockbuster? He even took down my agent!"

"It might be a tragicomedy." Salomon watched Thor storm into the base with a calm expression. A moment later, a heart-wrenching roar, which even the thunder and rain could not drown out, came from the temporary research base.

"Hurry, find a way to access the base's surveillance footage on your phone! We might be able to see something interesting."

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(End of this chapter)