Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 799 Preparations for Departure (First Update)

Like a meteor streaking through the atmosphere and crashing into Upper New York Bay with a scorching flash, the famous Statue of Liberty viewing point in Battery Park was enveloped in thick steam within seconds. Out-of-town tourists who hadn't yet left were bewildered by what had happened; their tongues and noses tasted the metallic, heated smell of the steam carried on the wind, along with a swirling aroma of rosemary rising from the riverbed, mixed with the stench of river silt.

They couldn't see what was happening behind the veil of reality, but the battle on the other side could affect the real world. Some tourists with more acute senses could vaguely see what was behind the veil through the thin curtain, but without exception, they all thought they were seeing things, because they vaguely saw flashes of electricity and tongues of fire scorching the air in the steam. They only thought they heard the sizzling sound of cold water being poured on hot metal, and a thunderous roar continuously rising from underwater. "What's that?" After the dense steam dissipated slightly, the tourists looked up at the sky. "Are those fighter jets?"

"What nonsense are you spouting, you New Jersey country bumpkin? That's Iron Man!" A man in a suit, reeking of alcohol, woke up on a bench. His tie was nowhere to be found, and one of his shoes lay beside a trash can. No one knew why he hadn't frozen to death in the cold night; perhaps the newspaper on his person offered a plausible explanation. "He flies over New York every morning, more punctual than my son wets his pants! Paul, give me some more whiskey; I really don't want to go home."

A woman shrieked, "Shut up, you drinking idiot! Look at Tony Stark rushing around, that means the aliens have invaded again. I just got a push notification that two of the Platinum Stars stunt team's fighter jets crashed, it must have been aliens..."

A geeky girl with a backpack and a beanie asked, "Where are the aliens? I can't see any!"

"They must have been chased away!" the boy said, looking up. "Captain America must be there too!"

"Shut up, you snotty brat!" another tourist scoffed at the boy's words. "Aliens are just a conspiracy concocted by wealthy Jewish people and politicians. They're after..."

"Why? Tell me!" the boy retorted defiantly.

"To cover up the fact that the earth is flat, to cover up the freedom God gave people to know the truth, you fools! Can't you see? Why don't you open your eyes and look!"

"I want to see Thor!" the woman cried. "Think of his arm, damn it..."

“I’ve seen aliens with my own eyes,” the homeless man said slowly. “Back then, I was hiding in a cardboard box, just like back at the World Trade Center. John, I had the same idea as you back then, and that’s how I disappeared. They couldn’t find my body, and I became a missing person forever. I watched my wife remarry, my children have new families, and what did I gain after losing so much? Freedom, John, it’s freedom.”

The arguing crowd couldn't see the golden figure leaping from the river, leaving trails of steam and flames as it flew into the distance. Salomon, of course, knew nothing of the argument in Battery Park; he only knew that anglers at the Long Island fishing grounds next year would be astonished to find an astonishing abundance of fish, each one plump and succulent. He sensed an unusual magical fluctuation emanating from the witch's location, a kind of violent and cruel emotion seemingly unleashed.

"So how did all this happen?" Salomon asked, utterly bewildered. "It's impossible."

"Yes, that's impossible. A witch's contract is a blood contract, just like your contract with the seventy-two demon gods, possessing terrifying coercive power." The sorcerer Daniel was equally perplexed. Joan of Arc now lay in a coffin, her soul not there. She wasn't dead, but the connection between her body and soul had become incredibly fragile, like the wisps of smoke rising from burning incense. Countless secret arts from Vishanti and spells from the witch race were cast upon Joan of Arc, struggling to maintain this fragile connection. The scent of lily perfume mingled with the smells of ink, parchment, and the dust from the tapestries and bookshelves.

"Although Gomorrah is just a mindless beast, it is capable of thought. Unless there is a higher level of command, contract, or coercion, the hellish dragon Gomorrah bound by the witch's hair could not possibly break free," said the mage Daniel. "Considering the previous angel attack... Gomorrah could not possibly possess the magic to strip away souls. This was not an isolated incident, Salomon, this is a conspiracy against the witch."

Bayonetta remained expressionless, her pale gray eyes burning with icy rage. Like her, Salomon's mood was as acrid as the acrid smell emanating from his jetpack; he hadn't expected Joan of Arc to be harmed in such a farcical situation. The arcane sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had already gone to the scene to investigate, carefully analyzing all the magic present, trying to determine what magic had stripped Joan of her soul, and where the portal that had pulled her soul to the lower plane led.

"Who else can..." Salomon trailed off. He exhaled a breath of hot air. "I need to use the passage."

"That's impossible, Salomon. All the portals on Earth that lead to the outer dimensions have been sealed by Kamar-Taj. Even the Venerable One wouldn't allow you to break any of them, since nobody wants to see hordes of outer-dimensional creatures flooding into the real world."

"I will solve the problem." The sorcerer lowered his eyes.

"I've contacted Rodin," Bayonetta said. "He might have the information we need."

Salomon looked at Joan of Arc, enveloped in magical light, clutching the witch's pocket watch in his hand. This watch contained the soul and power of the witches, demonstrating the relationship between the phases of the moon and magic. The moon has three phases: new moon, full moon, and waning moon. Fate has three, magic has three—Salomon suddenly found the person he needed to consult. "Time waits for no one. I must find Hecate, the Titan goddess of magic from ancient Greece," he said. "Her magical skills are unparalleled; her elixirs will surely be able to help us."

Master Daniel tried one last time, saying, "His Holiness forbids you from going to Europe, Salomon."

"I believe Your Excellency can understand the power of a vow, Mage Daniel. Even if it was just a thoughtless remark, a promise is a promise," Salomon said. "I once swore to witches that I would save their souls even if they fell into hell. Now it is time to fulfill that promise."

"No……"

"I'll have a backup plan, Mage Daniel." Salomon wasn't wearing a helmet, but he still felt the cooling system on his jet engine was damaged in the fight; otherwise, why would he feel such unbearable heat on his back? "I've prepared a nuclear bomb. If the mission fails, a high-yield nuclear weapon will completely destroy the entire ecosystem there. Sufficient light and heat can destroy extradimensional life, can't it?"

Master Daniel sighed. "Yes, but..."

"I guarantee it." Salomon extended his hand to Constantine, as well as Catherine and Aura, who were attending the meeting as representatives of the sorority. "Order the Sky Carrier to set sail. Time is of the essence; we'll head to the Mediterranean first."

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(End of this chapter)