Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 504 Idealists (First Update)

Many people have a vague impression of things far removed from their daily lives. For example, no one knows that the full name of Bangkok, Thailand, actually has 167 letters, and even if they did, they might not remember them. Magic and Kamar-Taj are similar in the eyes of those in the know in secular society. When Salomon first had a "friendly" exchange with S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury devoted considerable effort to investigating the secrets of magic, and over the next few years established a secret department [Note 1] to investigate Salomon's secrets.

However, the successes of this temporarily formed organization were all small-scale.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s methods for selecting mediums are as absurd as the past Stargate Project [Note 2], including but not limited to precognition, clairvoyance, mind reading, telepathy, psychic abilities, and telekinesis. Some of the mediums they recruited did indeed possess some skills. These spellcasters had a bit of talent, but no method, no medium, or psychic could demonstrate abilities like Salomon's.

Whether it's summoning creatures or controlling the weather, what those mediums can do is nothing more than divination and spiritual communication (the former being tarot card divination, the latter's authenticity is questionable). As for exorcism, that's utter nonsense; almost everyone S.H.I.E.L.D. hires to perform exorcisms is a fraud like the Warrens.

With only one photograph provided by S.H.I.E.L.D., the psychics attempted to prophesy Salomon's fate, and the deaths of those capable mediums were all quite gruesome. Therefore, Nick Fury sealed and destroyed that portion of the data and placed the agents present at the time under lifelong surveillance—because some agents had gone mad at the time, drooling and muttering incomprehensible words—but this surveillance was no longer possible, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s forces had shrunk to only Agent Coulson's small team and a few secret bases.

That was the ruthless crushing of the minds of ordinary people by external forces; for ordinary people to come into direct contact with it was tantamount to suicide.

Part of the reason the medium was killed and the agents went mad was the Sorcerer Supreme's protective measures for Salomon, a protective spell placed upon him from birth. Even now, with the power of the Stigmata sufficient to protect him, this spell remains in effect to ensure his true name is not revealed. This spell is so powerful that it had to incorporate a portion of the eternal god's true name as an affix, and the Supreme Sorcerer Supreme paid a tremendous price.

Those agents who went mad were relatively lucky. If they had directly come into contact with the Dark Dimension or the power of Chthon, the arcane mages of Kamar-Taj would have come knocking. Because those unfortunate souls would unwittingly become vessels for extradimensional beings, summoning them; death would be a form of forgiveness for them.

In short, even though Salomon repeatedly emphasized the Venerable One's power and status, it remained something invisible and intangible to Nick Fury. Now, however, things are different. Salomon possesses the most tangible symbols of military might: cutting-edge creations of modern technology, multi-faceted warships and tanks powered by steel, and an unknown number of powered armored troops. This is something visible and tangible to Nick Fury, something that humans can understand.

Natasha's palms sweated as she stared at the massive cannon barrel hanging before her. It was as if the cannon, nearly as tall as a person, ignited the very air of the underground city; she could almost smell the lingering stench of gunpowder. Experience told her this was a test-fired cannon, but S.H.I.E.L.D. simply didn't know where this behemoth had wreaked havoc.

This was merely a turret Salomon had installed on the Skycarrier, not the main gun; the anti-aircraft guns originally mounted by Hydra were now just embellishments among the giant cannons. She couldn't imagine what could possibly fight this behemoth in the air. According to Salomon, it would later be equipped with a one-way electromagnetic shield, an anti-missile system, and more advanced engines, propulsion systems, and fire control systems. Such a monster, with adequate logistics, would be enough to destroy a small country with a weak air force (or India). She couldn't understand why Salomon was dissatisfied with such firepower.

All of this couldn't have happened recently; Salomon had been secretly building his own power base for a long time, and S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't discovered anything. Only Nick Fury knew that Salomon had been spending less and less time on video games in recent years, but he had simply attributed it to his heavy academic workload and hadn't investigated it further.

"Because our enemies are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Not only aliens, but also devils, demons, ancient serpents dwelling in the Silent Sea, and chaotic evil gods imprisoned in castles," Salomon said. "No amount of firepower is enough, and my new ships are still there, even with the help of high technology, it is still a huge project that will take centuries to complete."

"No wonder Nick Fury suspected you were being paranoid."

Salomon shrugged noncommittally. "Come on, I should show you around to the department you'll be joining."

"I never said I'd definitely join," Agent Romanov said with a smile. "You'll have to show me what this place is like first."

"You'll like it," Salomon said, pointing to a building with a pointed spire in the distance. It was one of the few towering buildings in this underground city, its exquisite Gothic copper-clad spires gleaming under giant searchlights. It was the main building for the new members of the sorority, the primary place for training and learning.

She found the city excessively clean; she hadn't even seen a single dead insect. The elevator's decor was old-fashioned yet still luxurious, making one feel as if they were in a grand theater from a hundred years ago.

"I rescued those girls from Albanian gangs, underground brothels, and European human trafficking organizations, and trained them into my army." Salomon ignored Natasha's furrowed brow. He said, "They have the freedom to choose. They can choose to return to their hometowns or they can choose to stay here. For the girls who choose to stay, I will cure their illnesses, fit them with prosthetics, and provide them with the best education."

"You want them to fight for you?"

"As I said, they have the right to choose, and I have given them the ability to fight back with blood. This is not a slave owner's defense of property, but rather out of a grander ideal. I have forged them into a sharp sword, so that they may fight alongside me on battlefields inaccessible to ordinary people. They are not agents, not spies; they are the army."

The sorcerer's expression was cold and stern, and every word he spoke carried a heavy, bloody scent that could make one dizzy and suffocate.

This is an emotion only a few can understand—a tragic sacrifice that forged the very soil of life, a sacrifice that Kamar-Taj has made for millennia. He had seen only a select few of the sorcerers return from their missions; after Salomon's birth, this sacrifice gradually decreased, yet it still persisted. From childhood, Salomon was taught the truth: every inch of soil on which humanity now lives was bought with the blood of the Kamar-Taj sorcerers, and everyone on Earth owes the Venerable One a life.

Even Kamar-Taj cannot cope with that terrifying future on its own, and now this responsibility has fallen on Salomon's shoulders. He has an obligation to dedicate everything to it.

"You can accuse me of being cold-blooded, but their sacrifice will save many more lives, even the survival of all human civilization. It's a very worthwhile trade. Humanitarianism is meaningless on the battlefield of survival, because I've included myself in this calculation." Salomon's eyes were filled with idealism, which made Natasha Romanov's eyes redden. "Currently, we can't find suitable female instructors for some training subjects, and I think you're perfect. Join us, Natasha, for humanity."

[Note 1] WAND, The Wizardry Alchemy Necromancy Department, is a S.H.I.E.L.D. division used to deal with magical threats. It is a S.H.I.E.L.D. branch on Earth-616.

[Note 2] The CIA's superhuman program during the Cold War.

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(End of this chapter)