Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1280 A Terrible Universe (Second Update)

Stephen Strange rolled his eyes dramatically.

When Stephen Strange first arrived in Kathmandu, he thought Kamar-Taj was some kind of spiritual cult, a bunch of drug-addicted hippies. However, when he began his studies, he discovered that what he needed to learn didn't involve idolatry or any religious content; instead, it consisted mostly of natural sciences, archaeology, and philosophy. But now he changed his mind because the Emperor's words had a strong fatalistic tone, as if everything that happened to him was orchestrated by an unseen god, completely excluding human agency.

"I thought you were an atheist."

"I am, I'm just saying there's something that can influence the fate of humanity, especially those of gifted people like you and me."

The Emperor shrugged. His hair, already dried in the warm breeze of Kamar-Taj, was still slightly damp, his long black hair held in place by a silver ring on his forehead. He was quite familiar with tiaras now; in the past, witches had always helped him put on such ornaments. Stephen Strange, whose diet at Kamar-Taj had recently improved, still appeared somewhat tired and aged beside him. However, in Stephen's eyes, the Emperor was about his age, both men on the path to middle age, only the Emperor's eyes were more aged, just like the Sorcerer Supreme he had met, possessing an unnatural sense of detachment.

Hammurabi and Amun stood at a distance at the entrance to the deacon's quarters, blocking anyone from approaching the emperor without permission, for the emperor had something to say to someone. Despite this, it didn't stop the children from the mystical families temporarily residing in the deacon's quarters from crowding around, sticking flowers into the gaps in their power armor, and wiping their noses with their crimson robes. No one would have imagined that the mighty, one-man army of the Royal Guard could be subdued by a few children, but however impatient they were, their monarch had ordered them to stand there.

"You can call these things gods or demons, the human brain can't fully comprehend the nature of extradimensional beings, and there's nothing wrong with referencing ancient religious concepts. Our mission is to defeat them and gain true freedom."

This time, the Emperor didn't speak to him with the usual nonchalant attitude, but rather with a responsible tone. Regardless of Stephen Strange's past, once he arrived at Kamar-Taj, he would become a mystic befitting the function of Kamar-Taj. The Emperor even instructed an invisible servant to retrieve a box of top-grade Cohiba cigars (a gift received during a state visit to Cuba after the semiconductor trade deal was finalized) from the room and present it to Stephen Strange. This was Castro's favorite cigar, and also one of the Emperor's favorite tobacco products; almost all the items listed after it were alchemical creations rather than conventional worldly artifacts.

The Sorcerer Supreme and Kasirius also received cigars as gifts.

"I don't smoke, I'm a doctor."

The emperor pretended not to hear. He pointed to the children surrounding the guards at the entrance and said, "You, me, and those children's future are the same. Whether you and they like it or not, when our souls ignited the first arcane fire, we were forever cursed by our talents. Our souls are too strong, not the fragile souls of ordinary people that shatter at the slightest touch. To the extradimensional predators, they are a delicious meal, a valuable currency. Even so, we are still small boats on the sea, not submarines. We are still incredibly weak in the face of the extradimensional waves. Don't think of escaping this responsibility. For us, death is not the end of life. The body decays, but the soul lives on. Even for your own sake, you should bear your share of responsibility."

"That Sherlock Holmes. He was one too..."

"Variables that disrupt the formula of fate, another stone thrown into the water causing ripples, isomorphic entities in the multiverse, and so on." The Emperor spoke calmly, striking a long-handled match to light a cigar; the honeyed, herbal smoke rose slowly like clouds. "Do you think I would allow someone whose destiny is completely controlled to enter Kamar-Taj and compete for a position crucial to the future? How could Kamar-Taj have stood this long without careful calculation?"

All information about the car accident has been destroyed. Besides the Sorcerer Supreme, the only other person involved within Kamar-Taj was the Emperor. No one would tell Stephen Strange anything about what happened that night, and the Emperor couldn't possibly reveal his involvement in the accident, the fact that the therapist who guided him to Kamar-Taj and Jonathan Bourne were both Kamar-Taj agents, etc. Even after Stephen Strange mastered his skills, he wouldn't be able to extract this information from the Akashic Records. Both the Sorcerer Supreme and the Emperor were masters of protective magic, which could defend against not only direct curses and attacks but also prophetic spells that sought to extract information.

While it's uncertain whether these words will sway Stephen Strange, a man raised with a sophisticated education in self-interest, and make him take responsibility, it's certain that he'll follow the path designed by the Sorcerer Supreme, even if it's just to survive. Survival is the greatest instinct, and the Emperor believes this driving force is enough for Stephen Strange to continue. Whether he can ultimately bear that title is not the most important thing—the most important thing is the power struggle between the Vishanti, Stephen Strange's backers, and the Sorcerer Supreme and the Emperor, over the sovereignty of Kamar-Taj and Earth. Now, the Sorcerer Supreme has gained the upper hand, and the Emperor wants to completely control the next Sorcerer Supreme, thus severing the Vishanti's control over Kamar-Taj.

As for why the Sorcerer Supreme opposes the Kamar-Taj school's leader, the Triune Vishanti, there are complex reasons. Simply put, in this messed-up universe, no deity cares about the future of humanity. The Agamottos of the past, like the Emperors, were beings deeply integrated with outer-dimensional forces and the material universe, walking the world in human bodies. But the Agamottos of today have transcended the physical realm, completely shedding their material forms and having no further connection to the human race.

Regardless of the ideals of the Sorcerer Supreme Agamotto in the past, it no longer matters to the current Vishanti Agamotto. His becoming the overlord of Kamar-Taj is merely because this most powerful school of thought is a legacy and tool left behind by Agamotto in the material universe. The omniscient, eternal, and immortal Agamotto cares nothing for humanity, just as humanity cares nothing for the ants at its feet. Athena also cares nothing for humanity; she cares only for the Emperor himself, for the connection to the Olympian pantheon created by Agamotto and Oshutu. This foster mother of the Emperor harbors countless ulterior motives. Even the Earth Mother, deeply connected to the birth of humanity and involved in the Emperor's birth, cares nothing for humanity. Gaia merely sees humanity as a tool for expansion. As humanity ventures into the galaxy, Earth's importance will grow, providing Gaia with a decisive advantage in the game of the gods.

Aside from the Sorcerer Supreme and the Emperor, no one else could care about the future of humanity millions of years from now. Humanity could be noticed and crushed at any moment, like an ant noticed by a mischievous child, by some unknown deity. The Sorcerer Supreme rejected this future and entrusted this responsibility to his disciple, demanding that the Emperor find a true path free from the gods, so that humanity wouldn't be wiped out by the whims of some extradimensional being. The Immortal City, the Martian Foundry, Latveria, genetically modified warriors, the Royal Guard, the Sorority, automated combat droids, war engines, sky carriers, Pegasus heavy assault transports… everything the Emperor created in just a few years was in search of the path the Sorcerer Supreme had foreseen.

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(End of this chapter)