Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 625 The Macedonian Dynasty Bloodline (Second Update! Please Vote!)

Pale sunlight refracted through the mirror and streamed in through the holes in the tattered, dirty, heavy curtains. The boy's eyelids fluttered a few times before he quickly opened them. The sudden brightness didn't seem to bother his pupils. The nights in Sokovia were as silent as a dead zone; even the cries of infants were usually hushed by their mothers under heavy blankets. The shadow cast by the Avengers' departure just days before and the resurgent local government hadn't dissipated easily; many were still worrying about tomorrow's food.

He stayed up all night, yet felt no fatigue. Even in the quiet of the night, he remained vigilant.

As the first recipient of genetic alchemy and biological laboratory modifications, he possesses many qualities that future genetically modified warriors and even the Royal Guard would never have—his sovereign is like an artist splashing paint on a blank canvas, modifying each recipient's unique traits. The profound and mysterious art of genetic alchemy, controlled solely by the sovereign, subtly and continuously reconstructs him from a microscopic level until he is perfect. More importantly, certain incredibly pure modification rituals will result in the future absorption and replacement of special transplant glands storing sacred genetic codes, becoming his original organs, just like his heart and brain—organs he was always meant to have.

This transformation would not only grant him an endless lifespan, but also an eternal resistance to the terrifying erosion of the outer dimensions, making them the sharpest weapons for monarchs to rule the material world and conquer the outer dimensions. The entire process of the transformation was a secret known only to the Royal Guard, and Salomon was not hesitant to show the boy these dark secrets.

This process would take decades, even centuries, to complete, requiring unique surgeries bestowed upon him by the monarch, and accompanied by a considerable mortality and failure rate. But the boy firmly believed he could endure those trials, for the monarch held high hopes for him and for every future member of the Praetorian Guard, and for he remained true to his mission. The blood of the Macedonian dynasty flowed in his veins, and the best qualities of all the monarchs of the Byzantine Empire's most glorious era were infused within him, shaping him, along with his sacred genetic heritage, into a unique Praetorian Guard.

The boy walked to the other side of the dusty windowsill, parted the curtains, and looked outside.

From here, one could see the Orthodox chapel in the city center, a building of immense artistic and religious value, so much so that even the guerrillas and the local government did not intend to completely destroy it. After scouting the previous night, he discovered that some kind of massive machinery was being built underground in the city. The factory, buried deep underground, operated around the clock, radiating an industrial brilliance never before seen in Sokovia, and the slight tremors penetrating the ground became a nightmare for the Sokovians. The steel left behind by Baron Stakra became Ultron's weapon. By manipulating the network and the steel legion, Ultron acquired many high-tech electronic components that could not be manufactured here. Through a dense network of underground pipes and a series of thrilling stealth assassinations, he pinpointed the approximate location of the massive machine.

However, the presence of numerous robots guarding that area prevented him from obtaining more accurate intelligence. The manufacturing capabilities of artificial intelligence were unparalleled, but he still remembered the monarch's warning—if the problem of artificial intelligence wasn't resolved here, and humanity's desire for AI engineering capabilities wasn't curbed, then this problem would become even more severe when humanity ventured into the stars. Like a tumor in human civilization, it would grow larger and larger, eventually spiraling out of control and becoming the dominant force.

The monarch's choice was to prematurely puncture the festering sore, squeezing out the foul pus, giving human civilization a chance to heal itself, and leaving a sobering scar. Even so, the impending war was something humanity had never anticipated, and no one would thank the monarch for his good intentions.

Several disassembled robot heads lay at the boy's feet.

Although he wasn't particularly skilled at tinkering with machines, he had still studied the basics. He sent the data from the robots' storage devices to the Immortal City via his personal terminal. After the information department decoded the data, he could obtain the images the robots had viewed, thus gathering intelligence to determine what Osaka had created. This intelligence would also be presented to the strategic and tactical staff, studied, and then sent to the monarch after receiving advice. Intelligence is the key to ultimate victory in warfare, but it is not the crucial factor in winning this war.

Perhaps he could solve this problem alone after his complete transformation, but not now. His mission is to gather intelligence and then take the opportunity to eliminate enough targets. What truly solves the problem is the soon-to-be-launched sky carrier and the fully equipped mortal army and the Sisterhood's firearms and chainswords, as well as the heavy firepower stored in the warehouse.

Victoria Hand, as head of intelligence, was summoned to a staff meeting. Her and Tita's opinions would directly impact the operational methods of the mortal army and the Sorority. Agent Hand was reluctant to attend such a meeting because her agents had recently located the Inhumans residing in China, and the female hacker from Agent Coulson's team had also infiltrated the organization. She was preparing to launch a full-scale attack on the organization in coordination with Commander Gonzalez of the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. when orders from the Immortal City arrived on her carrier, summoning her back.

"We're facing a crisis that could destroy Earth, aren't we?" She looked at the diverse group of people standing around the holographic projection table. There was a serious-looking android in power armor, a red-haired girl with braids wearing a light bulletproof vest but exuding a wild aura, and the head of the internal affairs department wearing jewelry personally crafted by Salomon. The operations, intelligence, and logistics departments worked together under the arcane mage's orders to ensure the successful completion of this operation in Sokovia.

"So this is your work?" She scanned the expressions of everyone else in the room, then looked back at the holographic projection. "Dinah, if the BOSS says to stop the birth of a new Ultron, then you should call in our armed forces!"

"If I can't do it, your mortals certainly can't. The reason Master didn't send you on this mission is because he knew about it. The reason is simple: with Thor here, no amount of armed ships will be of any use." The holographic projection of Dinah remained expressionless. She raised a small clay hammer engraved with many runes, making it visible to the rest of the staff. "I had temporarily seized the power of Mjolnir at the time, but I still couldn't stop Thor from powering the Cradle of Regeneration."

"The upper echelons of Stark Industries have been completely destroyed. According to the investigation, it appears to be the result of a massive, uncontrolled electrical surge, as Stark Tower was struck by lightning twenty-six times! You can see that in the news. Do you want to see the impact of your battle?" Agent Hand was quite troubled by the group of androids with special powers possessed by the arcane sorcerer. They wouldn't obey anyone's orders, and even she couldn't directly command them. "In other words, not only did you fail to prevent the birth of a new artificial intelligence, you might have even wiped out all the Avengers except Thor! I don't know if the BOSS had any contingency plans, but I'm sure he didn't expect you to do something like this."

Tita remained silent.

"My battle didn't affect anyone else because Wanda Maximoff was there; she ensured everyone else's safety... To be honest, I quite liked wearing that Thor armor. Thor is more of a hammer god than a thunder god." Dina reached up and tugged at her hair, which had curled up from the electric shocks. The witch had already booked a salon appointment for her; she was going to get a haircut soon. She said expressionlessly, "The broken glass falling from the building isn't my concern; I only care about the mission."

"But you failed, and a new Ultron was born."

"This is within Master's expectations; it's just one possibility." Diana waved her hand. "If necessary, we can kill that AI, even though it's on our side now."

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(End of this chapter)