Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 618 A Bastard's Monologue (First Update)

Only those who have experienced war, when they share a common ideal, will allow the purity of humanity to blossom in its most beautiful form. Salomon was an idealist; anyone who has seen him discuss the future of humanity would describe him as "a man with flames of hope burning in his eyes." The future he envisioned for humanity was so beautiful, so unrealistically beautiful.

To help the boy understand his ideals, Salomon personally taught him, leading him to visit experts in various fields of social science, dissecting all the problems facing human society like a scalpel. From then on, all children who were favored by Salomon's reformation had to receive this education; they had to understand the essence of how human society works and become philosophers, artists, thinkers, and military strategists—this was Salomon's purpose in creating them.

A mobile human library, containing wise advisors—only such people are needed in the future, and granting them ultimate military power is merely a necessary means to achieve this goal.

"History is a cycle. When we talk about feudal society, we're not talking about hereditary titles from hundreds of years ago, not about crowns and thrones, but about the owners of hereditary assets—the nameless nobles of modern society." The clash of swords didn't extinguish the lively discussion echoing in the amphitheater, as if it were a marketplace in Athens rather than a gladiatorial arena. Salomon circled around, calmly discussing matters with the restless boy in the center. Education is not about indoctrination, but about igniting a flame; he fully embodied Socrates' educational philosophy, constantly guiding the boy to think.

"You can draw a comparison between modern and feudal societies. A new feudal society is formed when workers are forced into debt in order to obtain jobs, education, and housing. The only difference is that modern people are bound to debt, while serfs are bound to the land."

A gunshot rang out, then abruptly ceased. The high-carbon manganese barrel, its red-hot cut still visible, fell to the ground, and in a flash of electricity, the adamantite-forged blades clashed once more. "So the question is, how do we solve this problem?" Salomon said calmly. "How can Marx's financial industrialization and liberal markets be implemented in a way that neoliberalism takes over the market, preventing the emergence of the Federal Reserve and Russian theft rings, and preventing a class that does not produce from siphoning off all economic income?"

"Law and Order".

The boy blinked his stinging eyes. The sweat that had seeped into his eyes nearly severed his fingers; if he hadn't reacted quickly, three of his fingers would have been replaced with bionic mechanical ones. Nearly a hundred blazing black iron braziers surrounded this secret training ground, modeled after an ancient Roman colosseum. The smell of black smoke from the incomplete combustion of fuel, combined with the scorching air, almost suffocated him, and hot sweat poured down his face. The boy was used to facing unexpected questions during training; he thought it was just his master randomly pulling out a running thread from his mind. He had no idea how many unanswerable questions his master was simultaneously pondering.

"A strong regime, a regime that can cancel the debts of the poor, a regime that can erase the savings of the rich, a regime that can prevent financial consolidation," the boy said through gritted teeth. "The monarch of the new feudal society is the bank, but then someone needs to seize that crown. The rich, who control one percent of the wealth, cannot achieve social advancement. Only by consolidating power with swords can humanity perish in endless hardship and economic stagnation."

"You know, last night a robot also expressed pessimism about humanity's future to me. The enemy you're about to face considers the perspective of all species on Earth, while I, from humanity's standpoint, believe we can find the answer within Kree society." Salomon swung his longsword again, squeezing the boy's time to think. "The Supreme Intelligence, as a quantum computer created with technology incomprehensible to humans, profoundly and precisely controls every aspect of Kree Empire society, including finance. Don't you think this is what we need?"

"An artificial intelligence?"

"A machine devoid of emotion, making only rational judgments, and forever loyal to humanity." The sorcerer stopped. "There's no need for insincerity. You know you have the right to offer me advice. I don't mind discussing this further with you now, because such opportunities will become increasingly rare."

"Do you intend to become that kind of machine?"

"Perhaps this is the necessary price. The establishment of ideals inevitably comes with sacrifices. There's no need to worry; that future isn't coming anytime soon, and now is not the time to abandon humanity."

The sorcerer moved again, his swordplay growing faster and faster until he swung his longsword into a silver curtain of lightning, stirring up dust in the training ground like a gust of wind, and even extinguishing the flames in the nearby brazier, which were as tall as a person.

He was as arrogant as a lion asserting its dominance; his roar was like the sparks flying from clashing swords, and the flames burning in his eyes were too intimidating to look at. This was the only, and the last, time the boy witnessed the monarch display such astonishing nobility and fury. The arrogant would kneel before him, begging for nonexistent forgiveness; the pessimistic would plead for empty mercy. He was like a tyrannical god standing in the clouds, delivering judgment upon the guilty with flames strong enough to burn steel and thunder that resounded throughout the universe.

This memory could not be completely erased even after all the surgeries were completed. Even though psychological adjustments had eliminated his fear, the sense of danger from the top predator in the food chain, hidden deep in his genes, still swept over him.

"How many fathers, how many children will die by my hand! Whether guilty or innocent, I will send them to hell without hesitation! You'll see that rising city soon, and the blood of many more innocents! Many more! Boy, this is the future you'll face! Your hands stained with blood, just like mine! A damn idealist, a hypocritical bastard, a murderous butcher! F*ck! F*ck!"

He roared, like a howling gale sweeping through the clouds. The boy struggled to follow his movements, noticing the evaporation of inexplicable tears from the corners of his monarch's eyes. He had never imagined his monarch could be so angry, yet so sorrowful.

"Perhaps you think I'm an ascetic, a hermit, but no, never! I love beautiful women, I love fine wines, I love wildly galloping steel behemoths! Hurry, child, hurry! We should enjoy these things! We should wear expensive suits! We should drink whiskey! We should spend money like water! We should sing our hearts out! Let us exercise our birthright! Let us savor the last luxury of human society before the dark ages arrive! Let us ignite our great ideals in iron and blood! Let us not regret what we have done! For I am Salomon Messiah Damonnet Pendragon, I am the first and last emperor of mankind! The last guardian of mankind! The wielder of the sword of Terra! I am the weapon! I am violence! I am death!"

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)