Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 177 Strict Rules (First Update!)

In the dimly lit room, only a few fluorescent candlelight made it possible to barely make out the furnishings. The flickering magical light in the Cosmic Cauldron was like the light of colorful stars, constantly being generated and bursting like endless bubbles. On each overlapping bubble, large and small, scenes of the past, present and future flashed by.

Salomon sat on the red silk cushion in front of the Cosmic Cauldron, frowning and looking dissatisfied. He was truly unhappy with the mess S.H.I.E.L.D. had made regarding Ghost Rider. He had given S.H.I.E.L.D. plenty of time, so he didn't want to concern himself with Nick Fury's underhanded tactics. A meeting with Ghost Rider was imperative.

He wasn't too worried about encountering Ghost Rider endangering his safety. Whether it was the vengeful spirit possessing Johnny Blaze, the elemental demon Zatanos, or even a hybrid of both, they were all ultimately extradimensional beings. He could bring Phoenix, who wrote and posted poetry online every day; its cries could temporarily banish extradimensional beings back to their own dimension. If he found Ghost Rider, Phoenix would be indispensable.

As for the fat cat, Salomon didn't plan to bring it along. He left the Cheshire Cat with Bayonetta, and he didn't intend to let the magical pet participate until the Cheshire Cat lost weight. Not an inch of the fat on this cat was loose, and it couldn't even fit into the cat assassin outfit that Rodin had painstakingly made.

Salomon remembered the dull thud of the Cheshire Cat jumping off the cupboard, and he and Joan of Arc were worried that the downstairs neighbors would come up and protest!

Suddenly, Salomon leaped from the cushions in front of the Cosmic Cauldron. Literally. At the same time, the shimmering starlight instantly transformed into crimson hellfire, the flames shooting skyward, licking the ceiling before quickly extinguishing, but the acrid smell of burning wood fibers and pungent smoke still filled the entire room.

Salomon was still trying to process what was happening, caught off guard by this unexpected gain. He uttered the name in a hoarse voice: "Mephisto!"

No, not possible!

Wasn't Mephisto's avatar already captured by the Sorcerer Supreme? There's absolutely no way the Lord of Hell could escape from the Sorcerer Supreme! The arcane mage's eyes widened, and he gasped. He felt a fine sheen of sweat on his back, an itchy sensation spreading throughout his body. But when he recalled the scene he had witnessed, and the fleeting glimpse of Mephisto's avatar from within the Cosmic Cauldron, he felt something was amiss.

The sweat turned cold, clinging to his back, cooling his mind slightly in the sweltering room and making him a little more clear-headed.

too weak.

That's right, it's just too weak!

Breaking Salomon's Eagle Eye spell was a skill, and so was counterattacking with it, but the counterattack spell was barely bigger than a fireball. Although the power Mephisto received from the Cosmic Cauldron scorched the ceiling, this power was far less than what Mephisto should possess. Salomon suspected that even without the suppression of the Cosmic Cauldron, those hellfires probably wouldn't even be able to cook a chicken.

Therefore, the sorcerer can only assume that Mephisto has more than one avatar on Earth. Since the previous avatar was captured by the Sorcerer Supreme, Mephisto's true form in Hell has become more vigilant, withdrawing the power of most of his avatars from the Prime Material Plane to avoid losses should the Sorcerer Supreme capture him.

Mephisto truly lives up to his reputation as a devil, treating even his own avatar with such harshness, prioritizing his own profit above all else. Salomon brushed aside his wet, black curly hair and sat back down before the Cosmic Cauldron. He opened the window, letting the swirling smoke escape—since Ghost Rider might have Mephisto on the ground, it meant he'd found the right place. His earlier use of the Cosmic Cauldron to cast "Eagle Eye" had essentially saved his life; otherwise, the hellfire would have directly burned his eyes.

Salomon took out his wand, placed it to his lips, and whispered a spell. Immediately, a long, thin strip of white paper covered in writing emerged from the tip of his wand and flew out the window—he was informing the Sorcerer Supreme about Mephisto. He himself would use the Cosmic Cauldron to continuously monitor Mephisto's avatars and the Ghost Rider's movements until someone took over his duties.

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Mordo took on the task. Since Salomon's birth, the smuggling of people from the lower planes had become increasingly serious. Coupled with the experiments that S.H.I.E.L.D. was conducting in New Mexico, all the arcane mages in Kamar-Taj were busy. Apart from Kasirius, who was hunting down cult groups in East Africa and Canada, and a group of deacons from the London and New York temples, only Mordo, who was recuperating, and some arcane mages on leave had time to deal with this matter.

However, when Salomon opened the door to the meditation room, he found that Mordo, who was standing at the door, did not look too good. He looked like he had been brightened up, his cheeks were damp, and his breathing was heavy, as if he had just gone through a serious illness. "You should rest well." Salomon stepped aside to let Mordo in. "Your injuries are not so easy to heal. Positive energy cannot repair cracks in bones."

"Don't worry, I'm fine, I don't feel any pain anymore." Mordo shook his head and sat down in the spot Salomon had been sitting in. "I can still handle this kind of work."

Salomon shrugged and, following Mordo's instructions, handed over control of Eagle Eye. Salomon reminded Mordo to remember to cast a fireproof spell—while the Cosmic Cauldron could block attacks, the ceiling wouldn't.

"I think what you should be doing now is fixing the ceiling and those two long scratches in the hall," Mordo said, seemingly unconcerned about Salomon's suggestion. "And you'd better explain why you're using the Cosmic Cauldron."

"Ghost Rider, Mordo." Salomon leaned against the door. Looking at the renewed, gaseous nebula-like light, he spoke slowly, "I don't know why the Venerable One would let Ghost Rider roam around outside, so I wanted to see where that guy was..."

"Everything the Venerable One does has a purpose, it's just that we can't understand it." Mordo shook his head and turned his gaze back to the Cosmic Cauldron. "Besides, you didn't use this artifact with permission."

"The key point is, I saw Mephisto. I remember saying that." Salomon shook his head. "The avatar captured by the Venerable wasn't the only one. We don't know why Mephisto would put so many avatars on Earth, nor do we know why he appeared near Ghost Rider, but he definitely has his own purpose. This purpose is certainly not good, and we should at least be prepared."

"This is none of your business, Salomon!" Mordo said without turning his head. His tone became stern. "His Holiness already knows everything. I originally thought you would be more compliant with the rules of Kamar-Taj than I am, but everything you've done today is breaking the rules!"

"I believe the Venerable One was certainly aware of my actions, at least before I used the Cosmic Cauldron to observe," Salomon said, pursing his lips. "The fact that the Venerable One didn't stop me means he tacitly approved of what I did. Besides... Mordo, you're not usually like this."

"I've been too lenient with you." Mordo didn't look at Salomon with his bulging eyes, and Salomon couldn't see his expression either. "You have great talent and have always been very sensible, but you've changed since you met the witch. I'll talk to the Venerable One later; you should stay away from the witch."

"Are you sure it's not due to the physiological effects of puberty?"

"I know very well why, Salomon. Now, go and apologize to His Holiness."

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(End of this chapter)