Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1080, Section 1076: Infinite Intelligence (Second Update)

The yellow gem hovered above his palm, not in direct contact with his skin. Even so, whispers emanating from within the gem and a torrent of thoughts still attempted to breach Salomon's mental defenses.

Tyrant, murderer, schemer, hypocrite, liar...

Numerous soul-searching questions poured forth, yet Salomon readily accepted all the probing inquiries. He accepted them all without wavering, for he fully understood the consequences of his actions. He simply took out a combination lock box from his briefcase—lined with black velvet, black synthetic foam, and a black lining emitting a deep, greenish glow like a circuit board—placed the gem inside, and locked it. This completely isolated him from the endless whispers of his mind, a power capable of altering the very fabric of human thought, as weak and powerless as white waves crashing against a towering obsidian mountain range.

He had taught Wanda about the nature of visions long ago, trying to ease her psychological burden, knowing she would inevitably face this test. However, it now seemed the Mind Stone had still exploited a weakness in Wanda's heart. While the Mind Stone itself is neither good nor evil, not everyone can control its powerful spiritual force without being overwhelmed. If it weren't for his premonition leading him to this apartment early, Wanda Maximov might very well have become the embodiment of the Mind Stone, using her own power and the stone's influence to cause a tragedy she never intended to create.

He was not dissatisfied with Wanda Maximov's performance.

Not everyone possesses a soul of steel. The act of personally severing an intellectual individual inevitably inflicts emotional trauma. Even Salomon, who received his education at Kamar-Taj, wavered due to his reluctance to do so, and this remains true even now. This is even more true for Wanda, who is already closely connected to Vision and the Mind Stone; for her, it is an extremely difficult test. There is no better solution to this problem than to rely on sheer willpower to overcome it. Either allow your soul to become scarred, or rely on a logically consistent theory and an ideal of justice to explain your actions; otherwise, your thoughts will inevitably stray, leading you into an abyss from which you cannot escape.

For Wanda, this outcome wasn't far off, because her talent was simply too overwhelming. Such overwhelming magical talent inevitably led to mental illness and psychological trauma, a situation exactly like Salomon's own. Before the castle's instruction, she was an ordinary person; her soul was unrefined. The nihilism of the vast universe, which acknowledged the meaninglessness of humanity, and the incomprehensible horrors of the human condition were gradually consuming her mind. Salomon's appearance guided her soul down a different path, preventing her mind from being torn to pieces by her unbridled talent. He had Wanda carry out that mission herself to help her overcome this extremely difficult test, just as the Sorcerer Supreme had sent her on the mission in Corinth, refining her soul through repeatedly solving similar problems, building a strong mind with layer upon layer of thick scars.

This is definitely not a matter of mental health or psychotherapy. Although it's simple and brutal, it's highly effective. Kamar-Taj is building guardians of the real universe, not sentimental artists—achieving personal value in Kamar-Taj is not important; that's not the spiritual pursuit of the arcane mages. What matters is the collective and humanity. Everyone is an ideal martyr, even Salomon. He also cultivated Wanda Maximoff and the Immortal City in this way, because their generation is bound to sacrifice themselves for the future of humanity, dedicating everything to the peace and tranquility of the human race.

This is one of the costs they have to pay.

Wanda's condition appears to be quite good; her spirit has endured for a considerable time, far exceeding what a typical spellcaster could sustain when facing the Mind Stone. While such a soul might not be strong enough against the vastness of the universe, it is sufficient to handle advanced situations. He will personally place the stone in the underground prison of Kamar-Taj, the safest place he knows, even more secure than the underground prison of the Immortal City. Each cell there contains 100,000 runes engraved on the veil between the real universe and the illusory universe, completely isolating the real universe from the influence of extradimensional forces, creating a vacuum of spiritual power where the stone cannot affect anyone. If the Time Stone in the Eye of Agamotto is not bound, the underground prison of Kamar-Taj is also the only place to store it.

The consensus between Kamar-Taj and Asgard is that the Infinity Stones possess intelligence, and the saying "the Infinity Stones should not be kept too close" is not just empty rhetoric. Asgard gained mature and complete technology for entering and controlling the Bifrost from the Space Stone, while Kamar-Taj gained profound magic about time and space from the Time Stone and Space Stone. The Immortal City also obtained the Aether Soul and Homunculi from the one-quarter Reality Stone. This knowledge all stems from the intelligence of the Infinity Stones, and only by using them carefully can one avoid being devoured and manipulated by them. Only fools would lack restraint and self-discipline when dealing with the Infinity Stones and be manipulated.

He pressed the remote to open the curtains, letting the sunlight flood the room again. At the same time, he commanded his invisible servants, crafted by his will, to sweep the room clean, disposing of regret, pain, and deception along with the dust into the trash. Then he threw away the rotten food delivered by the supplier, put fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, and picked up a kitchen knife to prepare lunch. Wanda was still taking a shower; once she came out, a simple but comforting meal would be enough to soothe her soul.

He also called Pietro Maximov, as Wanda now needs the company of her family.

Just five minutes later, Salomon felt something brush against his shoulder, like a light feather, making his back itch. This was followed by a low, rumbling sound, like the collapse of air after teleportation, but quite different. "I told you, don't get so close to me so suddenly," Salomon said, continuing to peel carrots. "My automatic counterattack program will treat you as an enemy. Do you want to become a dried-up corpse, blown to bits, or turned into a stone statue?" Pietro Maximov thought he was fast enough that others wouldn't notice, but Salomon's eyes were actually fixed on him—a physical attribute granted by his Stigmata, not some superpower. If he hadn't prevented the spell from triggering, the kitchen would have exploded by now.

“Teacher.” Pietro Maximov stood grinning at the counter in the open kitchen, unfazed by the threat. His face was flushed, suggesting that the journey from upstate New York to Manhattan had taken some time and effort. “Need any help?” He leaned lazily against the marble counter, casually spreading his hands. “You know, I’m quick.”

"It's best not to," Salomon said slowly. "It would be even better if you could go to the Avengers headquarters and pack your things; that would save your older sister a lot of trouble."

"To be precise, I'm quite old..."

"I don't care."

"How about I help? I can do a little." Pietro moved to the other side, leaning closer to Salomon. "Why don't you go check on Wanda, make sure she doesn't faint in the bathroom. Don't look at me like that! Don't look at my memories! Fine, whatever, I can't fight back anyway!"

Salomon glanced at him, placed the peeler and the still-wet vegetables on the cutting board, then untied his apron and set it aside. "I'll settle the score with you later," he said. "Don't think you can hide your telepathic conversations with Wanda from me; I just don't want to see them."

"You didn't actually have to come out so quickly. You know Wanda's been waiting for you for ages." Pietro's smile remained unchanged. "Besides, I don't think it's a bad thing. She's an adult. I can pick up pretty young girls at bars just by saying I'm an Avenger. She won't have that kind of luck, and she can't just tell you directly. Go on, just make sure you don't miss lunch. I'm going to wander around outside first."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)