Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 769 The Power of Technology (First Update)

All components inside the power armor had malfunctioned due to overheating, leaving the arcane mage trapped inside feeling like he was in a giant, stuffy container. With the heat-insulating coating and outer armor destroyed, the intense heat completely destroyed the high-tech power armor. The intricate bionic electronic muscle cables, composed of countless tiny alloy wires, melted due to the high temperature and cooled upon contact with sweat and blood, effectively turning him into a steel statue.

The automatic detection system was completely destroyed, and even the display screen burned due to the high temperature, releasing toxic fumes. But Salomon, deaf and blind, could still hear the hive's wailing—parasites with weak flight abilities couldn't escape in time and died in large numbers. Those that barely survived in the crevices tried to burrow into the sand, attempting to escape the intense heat. But on the nuclear fusion guillotine chosen by Salomon, the desert turned into a molten pool of glass.

He would not allow the ancient Inhuman gods and the Kree's genetically modified slaves to continue living.

With his eyes closed, he listened intently amidst the excruciating pain of burns, the dizziness of dehydration, and the stench of toxic gases from the burning electronic components, until the hive's dominant consciousness gradually weakened and finally disappeared. The sandstorm that had been controlled by the hive vanished completely; the intense heat of the vaporized steel ensured that no living thing could survive.

This was part of his plan: to use himself as bait to concentrate the Hive's power, then detonate a low-yield hydrogen bomb in the air. Only fire and radiation could kill the Hive, so he adopted this most thorough method to eliminate the monster that could potentially destroy civilization. Even though the Hive had suffered a hydrogen bomb counterattack before consuming the civilization, it underestimated its enemy's resolve, underestimated Salomon, and underestimated Kamar-Taj, the organization that nurtured this thug. This primitive man had never heard of Kamar-Taj, nor did he know how fanatical this utterly warlike organization could be in its pursuit of eliminating humanity's enemy.

If Kamar-Taj had the time, it would choose to send the planet to incineration on another star. Salomon, pressed for time, couldn't do that, but his solution was similar.

The intense flames vanished, and the sudden, explosive decompression nearly threw Salomon forward onto the molten glass-covered ground. He struggled to his feet, using his longsword and shield as support. With each movement, the grating sound of metal being torn apart echoed continuously; sparks flew from the bearings and servo motors; almost half of his outer armor was burned away, revealing the molten, then solidified, dark electronic muscles beneath; and the exquisite gilded decorations melted into a pool of molten gold.

Only now did the low-temperature spells cast to resist the intense heat take effect, helping him pull his leg armor out of the molten black glass. Under the extreme heat of the hydrogen bomb explosion, the magical reduction in temperature was at best enough to help him survive, reducing the heat somewhat. His survival was primarily due to the strength of his protective spells. Protective spells were Kamar-Taj's specialty; it's just that all the arcane mages chose to smash their shields over people's heads.

As for why he didn't teleport away from the blast zone, it was because he wasn't sure if there weren't parasites lurking in the gaps of his power armor, given how close he was to the Hive. He didn't want the Hive to have a chance to escape, so he wouldn't attempt anything that could allow a single parasite to survive.

He removed his helmet, breathing in the air thick with radioactive dust. Salomon tore off his armor, forcefully pulling out the metal wires embedded in his muscles. The process was excruciatingly painful, yet his face remained expressionless. The burns on his face were slowly healing, just like the other wounds on his body; with the help of the Stigmata, his mystical genes were beginning to function. This was a brutal victory won at the cost of his life; Salomon had no confidence he would survive, for he had never pushed the Stigmata to such a level. Night fell again, and he walked expressionlessly across the glowing radioactive glass, his golden eyes searching for any possible signs of survival within the Hive.

"Gamma Squad, respond immediately!" Catherine anxiously gazed at the epicenter of the explosion. The command squad was the closest combat force to the nuclear blast; if it weren't for the protective spells cast on them by the arcane mage, they might have been destroyed by the intense heat and fierce winds. Although reluctant, Catherine still obeyed the orders from the monarch, moving as far away from the epicenter as possible and calling out to the combat squads scattered throughout the planet.

"This is... Gamma... Target detected... Leo..." The electromagnetically resistant radio communication equipment transmitted intermittently from the various squads. Catherine issued new rendezvous points and organized the intelligence they had gathered. This task was originally supposed to be completed before encountering the Hive, but the situation hadn't progressed smoothly. Catherine had no idea whether her monarch was still alive, but she still held onto a sliver of hope. Guard Zero, however, was not as sentimental as Catherine; he continued to fulfill his duties.

"Find those two mortals and drag them out!" Catherine said viciously. "If it weren't for them, we would still have time to get support from the Sky Carrier."

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"Who is the Sky Carrier firing at?" The deafening roar of the Retribution's fire did not escape S.H.I.E.L.D.'s detection. Upon receiving the information, Mike immediately went to the warehouse, where he only met Stephanie after confiscating the weapons. Daisy Jensen, who had come with him, was left outside, with several explosive rifles aimed at her.

"I thought you were here to thank me." Stephanie didn't turn around, but stared at the magical incantation formed by the glass. As Salomon and the Sisterhood's combat team teleported, Stephanie's heart pounded faster with each passing moment. Not long ago, she had received an encrypted communication from the Retribution, in which Tita said she had received orders from the Monarch to launch a tactical nuclear weapon and several missiles into the portal. Stephanie deduced that the Monarch had encountered the ancient Hydra gods and had begun their attack. Just as she was eagerly awaiting further orders, Tita claimed this was the only communication, and there had been no further news from the Monarch.

"Listen, I appreciate your medical personnel and the bio-engineered organs you provided, but that's another matter," Mike said calmly. "Your SkyCarrier is right above the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, which has no air defenses. Your indiscriminate firing will cause panic among the agents and could potentially expose the base. I want to know who you're firing at. We haven't detected any facilities or aircraft being attacked."

"enemy."

Stephanie's taciturn attitude infuriated the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but now that she had deployed a large number of armed personnel for a rescue mission, Mike had little to criticize. All he could do was persuade Stephanie to avoid actions that might expose the base, given that S.H.I.E.L.D. was still considered a terrorist organization by Congress and the public.

"What kind of enemy?"

"An enemy on another planet," the head of the Interior Ministry said softly. "We dropped a tactical hydrogen bomb to eliminate the parasites. I know you have better methods, but time is of the essence, and your agents could be infected at any moment."

"Don't your agents know how?" Mike asked.

Stephanie pointed to the prefabricated sterilization corridor encased in a glass array. "This is the order I received; everyone coming out of there must undergo strict disinfection. I remember I already ordered two hundred sterile towels; why haven't they arrived yet?"

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(End of this chapter)