Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 245 The Stunning Man with a Perky Butt (First Update!)

They hadn't gone far when a bullet, seemingly out of nowhere, shattered the rock wall above them, and a clump of dirt rained down from mid-air, covering the arcane mage's head and face. This enraged Salomon. "Where did these guys get here?" The agent pulled the arcane mage forward, the android following behind, helping him clean the yellowish-brown dirt from his hair. It was difficult to clean completely, so the arcane mage simply shook his head violently like a dog that had just taken a bath, trying to shake it off. Salomon turned to Agent Romanov beside him and questioned, "Didn't S.H.I.E.L.D. do their reconnaissance properly?"

"They just appeared out of nowhere, like goblins in a story." Agent Romanov also ducked his neck to avoid being hit by stray bullets. The appearance of these armed groups was indeed unexpected. If they had been lying in ambush nearby, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Quinjet and other aerial reconnaissance methods would have found them, but they still suddenly appeared, like groundhogs in spring.

Upon their arrival, they immediately launched an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. Their objective was clear, their actions decisive; it seemed they had known who their enemy was all along. The monastery, carved into the rock face, was located at the innermost edge of a U-shaped basin. S.H.I.E.L.D. had already established defensive fortifications around the basin, and it was precisely because of these preparations that the armed groups did not immediately breach the monastery.

The firefight lasted only a few minutes before the battlefield fell silent. Because the two sides were far apart and had cover, there were no known casualties. The handful of dirt that hit Salomon on the head was probably the most intense firepower an individual could have endured in that exchange of fire.

According to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s observations, the enemy's markings were varied, ranging from notorious mercenaries to the private armies of arms dealers. It was unclear who commanded this potentially language-challenged group. As S.H.I.E.L.D. prepared for a counterattack and the enemy prepared heavy weaponry, Salomon instructed Agent Romanov to take him to Father Morru and the boy—if the boy were purified now, Mephisto would be even less likely to appear, and the boy couldn't be rendered useless before the demon emerged. Not far from the place where the monks were holding their ceremony, Agent Romanov led the sorcerer through a naturally formed, dark rock passage to the ritual site.

The layout here wasn't as sacred as the agents had imagined. There were only a few low stone blocks arranged in a circle; no cross, no stained glass windows, no altar. Even the clergy weren't dressed in black, but rather ascetic monks in tattered brown robes, their faces covered in aphoristic tattoos. The androids were clearly wrong; there was no pool of water, and the purification ritual was definitely not a baptism—it didn't even look like there was water here.

Although there were no stray bullets, the situation was just as bad. The sorcerer saw Agent Melinda May standing in front of the boy, holding a pistol and shouting at the monks not to let them get close. The boy's mother was kneeling beside her child, gently comforting him. Only Father Moru stood between the two sides, waving his hands wildly and shouting something. The scene was chaotic.

"Wait!" Agent Romanov called out to the sorcerer who was heading in that direction. She also felt the situation was a mess. She wanted Salomon to help find out how those armed groups appeared, whether it was magic or something, but Salomon's attention was focused on the boy. It was really bad. If Captain Rogers' raiding party failed on the front lines and Nick Fury couldn't contact reinforcements, the amount of ammunition transported from the base might not be enough to sustain this counter-terrorism operation.

"Wait!" Agent Romanov managed to stop Salomon before he could seize the monk. Natasha quickly relayed Nick Fury's plan, and the sorcerer nodded perfunctorily before stepping forward to halt the monks' advance. "It's not time yet," Salomon said, standing before the monks and pressing his hand to the chest of the leader. "Do it the way we agreed, do it my way."

"No." The leading ascetic monk reached out and grabbed Salomon's hand, pressing down hard on the web of his hand, attempting to subdue the sorcerer. However, Salomon withdrew his hand on his own. He shifted his body, took a half-step forward, and slammed his shoulder into the monk's chest, knocking him back several paces. The monk's movement was the starting stance of Jacob's hands and feet, which Salomon had seen before, hence his ability to counter it with ease.

A conflict erupted suddenly. The homunculus swung his greatsword, pressing it against a monk's neck. Father Morru rushed forward to stop them, standing between Salomon and the monk, separating them with his hands. "Their method of purification is to kill that boy," the priest said to Salomon. "We cannot let this happen."

"I don't care what purification methods you use." Salomon waved his hand, signaling the androids to remain vigilant. "You can't do anything before the devil appears. The devil's children must be dealt with, but we also need to capture the devil; that's our agreement. If you continue, I'll cut off your heads first."

"I know, I know," Father Moru shouted. "I know what you want to do, I know what you want."

"You should go and scout out the battlefield situation..." Natasha also pulled Salomon back.

"They want to kill him..." the boy's mother wailed beside him, while Agent Melinda comforted her.

Salomon was incredibly agitated; the initial joy of finding some treasure had completely vanished. The boy and his mother spoke one language, the priest and monks another, and Agent Romanov and Melinda kept repeating what they had just said in English. If he could, Salomon would have liked to shut everyone up.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound rang out, and several black dots rapidly approached from the dim sky. In the blink of an eye, a violent explosion struck the rock face on the left, the deafening roar shattering the argument. Dust and debris flew in all directions like stray bullets, large chunks of rock crashing down the mountainside. Dust and flames enveloped the area, and a semi-circular, azure barrier blocked everyone's view, shutting out the sound waves, flames, and smoke. "Now, you all fucking listen to me!" Salomon frowned, because he could still smell the acrid stench through the barrier. He said impatiently to everyone who had crouched down for cover, "Don't do anything until I get back, okay? Agent Melinda May, if they want to make a move, then shoot!"

"I'd love to."

“Vishanti,” Salomon shook his head, leading the androids away from the chaotic scene. Agent Romanov quickly followed. “A complete mess, huh?” she said. “Perhaps you should contact Captain Rogers; he’s on the front lines. And Director Fury, he’s contacting the Ankara airbase in Turkey, trying to get air support.”

"If S.H.I.E.L.D. is any good, then how do you explain the grenade launchers raining down on us? I almost got shot the moment I stepped outside!" The arcane mage waved his hand impatiently and walked towards the firefight. "Am I just having such bad luck today? Why are you stopping again?"

Agent Romanov pressed her earpiece and glanced at Salomon. "You need to hurry," she said. "Captain Rogers has been ambushed by supernatural beings."

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A motorcycle roared through the narrow canyon and over the armored vehicle. A girl with short white hair leaped off the motorcycle, plunging her greatsword straight into the driver's compartment of the armored vehicle. The armored vehicle then went out of control and crashed into a rock wall. Just as the armed group disembarked to provide support, the motorcycle flew over them again, and several grenades landed at the mercenaries' feet.

"Dinah, where is the place Agent Romanov mentioned?" The motorcycle stopped at the edge of the cliff for the third time. Salomon peeked out from the cliff face and then quickly ducked back in; the grenades had been too effective, and he tried to avoid looking at the carnage. The arcane mage shouted to the androids below, "We have to get there before Captain Rogers gets bitten by the werewolf!"

"Master, there are no dark magic creatures among these mercenaries." The android emerged from the driver's cab. Her rough movements had left the armored vehicle's interior splattered with blood and entrails, even staining her black skirt. "I think we're not far off," she said. "They're calling for reinforcements."

"Great," the sorcerer smirked. The monks' adrenaline surged at the mention of dark magic creatures; they planned to take their Bibles and swords to the battlefield, to shed their blood for the Lord's glory, and they wouldn't mind doing so on evil wizards (referring to Salomon). Of course, the sorcerer had no interest in their enthusiasm. He rode a S.H.I.E.L.D. motorcycle, carrying the androids, straight along the route Natasha had given him—he didn't know if the Super Soldier Serum could resist the beast disease, but it was best not to try. If Captain Rogers turned into a werewolf, Salomon would have to kill him.

"Any news about that coward?" Salomon asked. Mephisto's avatar hadn't appeared yet, and no one knew where he was hiding. He'd asked the wrong person; the homunculus could only shake his head, unable to answer.

"Come on, sweetheart, we need to hurry." The sorcerer beckoned the android to jump on. "It would be a shame if the man with the nicest butt in all of America turned into a werewolf."

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(End of this chapter)