Those time travelers that year

"Go! Go back through the door and warn the cult that a demon lord, most likely from the hellish realm of evil spirits, has descended upon the mortal world..."

Looking at the village now reduced to ruins, and the 'monster' that looked around before turning and disappearing into a cloud of black smoke, the two mages gritted their teeth, deciding not to confront the 'monster' directly! This matter was beyond their capabilities.

Now, the only option is to return to the Order and report what we have seen and heard today. Perhaps only the Supreme Master can intervene personally, or the Order can organize a sufficiently powerful force to confront the demon that seems to have descended from the hell of evil spirits.

"Where do you want to go, little mice?"

Just as the two mages were about to leave the village through the mirror world and find the door, a mocking voice suddenly echoed in their minds before they had gone far.

"Oh no!" The two men's expressions changed drastically.

Crash! Like the sound of a mirror shattering, a hand emerged from nothingness, appearing before them and pressing down in mid-air. Around them, as if glass were breaking, several translucent cracks appeared with a crash.

153. A mage who can't fight in melee is not a good mage.

A series of crackling sounds rang out as cracks appeared one after another in the mirror world before the two mages. It wasn't that space itself was shattered like a mirror, but rather that the boundary between the material world and the mirror world was forcibly torn open. At this moment, Shar, now clad in full armor, had twilight flames burning fiercely in his dark golden eyes.

"This is impossible!" A mage shouted in disbelief as he saw Sharl forcefully pull apart the divide between reality and the mirror image. "Why? Why, the mirror world..."

"Go! Go now!" another roared, drawing his weapon from beneath his robes. A circular magic circle formed in his other hand, glowing with orange magical energy. "I'll stay. You go back and tell the Sorcerer Supreme..."

Crash!!!

The shattered mirror splintered into pieces. Charles placed his other hand in mid-air as well, then pulled hard with both hands. With a crashing sound, a crystalline space appeared in front of him, like a broken mirror, where there had been nothing before. Similarly, two figures dressed in robes appeared before Charles.

"Go!!" the weapon-wielding man shouted. At the same time, this man, who was holding a long staff in one hand and had a circular orange magic circle on his other hand, lunged at Xia Er.

A flash of blue light streaked across the sky, and the Soul Greatsword instantly appeared in Charles's hand. Then, with a simple horizontal slash, the orange circular magic circle's defenses were easily torn apart. The long staff in the man's hand, clearly imbued with magic, was also cleaved in two by the Soul Greatsword, along with his life…

"No!!" The last remaining mage cried out in grief and anger, rushing towards Charles without regard for anything else. But what greeted him was still only a merciless sword light, and with splattering blood, the last mage also fell.

"These two...were actually mages?" After delivering two bento boxes, Charles looked at the two robed figures who had been slain by the Soul Greatsword with slight surprise. In his perception, these two were mages. However, why didn't they throw fireballs the moment they saw him, but instead chose to draw their weapons and create a shield wall to fight him head-on? That was a question. But, thinking about his own inexplicable class change, Charles put those questions out of his mind. "Just what I needed, a perfect opportunity. These two idiots, they really came at the right time!"

After capturing the souls of the two dead mages, Sharl exited the alternate dimension he had torn open and then used Apparition to disappear from the spot.

——————————Divider Line——————————

On that same aircraft carrier, the spy chief, nicknamed "One-Eyed Dragon" for his black leather trench coat and dark skin, once again met his capable assistant, who had just returned from the airport after waiting for a playboy who had caused a lot of trouble.

"Coulson! One of my best assistants, I expect you to bring back good news, or at least useful information." The one-eyed man asked, forcing a serious expression.

“Of course, sir!” Coulson replied. “It’s obvious that our playboy, Tony Stark, has been suffering lately, and has been provoked in a certain way…” As he spoke, Coulson pointed to his head. “…Upon returning, this genius immediately announced at the company’s press conference the closure of Stark Industries’ weapons production facilities.”

“That’s the first piece of bad news, of course, for the military and financiers!” One-Eyed Dragon raised an eyebrow and replied, “But that has nothing to do with us. We never clean up the messes of those Wall Street crooks, and how many people hang themselves on the streetlights of Wall Street is none of our business.”

"But this should be good news for us, sir!"

"No! At least on the surface, this is bad news, so I have no plans to create any Superboy project, nor do I intend to contact that playboy, do you understand?"

“Yes, sir!” Coulson nodded, putting everything he had just heard out of his mind, and continued, “But I did manage to get another piece of information out of Stark.”

"Is it worth the plane ticket to New York?"

“Of course, sir, it’s great value for money, and I should even be able to apply for a vacation.” Coulson nodded and replied, “Regarding the astronomical phenomena over the Middle East, in fact, our Playboy just happened to be in that area. He’s not very willing to go into details, apparently because he thinks I’m an FBI agent.”

"But when I was talking to him, I discovered that Stark mentioned something about him..."

"Him? Who is he?!" the one-eyed man asked.

“I don’t know, sir. Stark did mention someone named him, and we might assume that he’s connected to that astronomical spectacle. For example, something appeared during that strange event, something like…”

"An outsider or a third kind of contact?!"

“That’s right, sir!” Coulson said with a smile. “Isn’t this worth the plane ticket and a vacation?”

"Send more people to the Middle East. As for our Playboy side, I'll have Natasha find a way to infiltrate. I believe our Black Widow can get some other information out of that tabloid celebrity on the cover." One-Eyed Dragon turned around and began fiddling with the stack of folders on the table.

"So, sir, what about my vacation?"

“Coulson, you’re not on vacation now!” One-Eyed Dragon said, handing a folder to Coulson and gesturing for him to take it and open it.

Coulson, puzzled, reached out and took the folder. He flipped through it and, seemingly seeing something unbelievable, his expression changed drastically.

Do you still need a vacation now?

"No, sir, I want all this year's holidays canceled and replaced with overtime!" Coulson looked at the one-eyed man with an incredulous expression. "Um, I..."

“That’s just getting started, no rush! Before that, my dear agent, please investigate Stark’s attack…and how he managed to escape unscathed from a group of jihadists.” The one-eyed man patted Coulson on the shoulder. “When it’s almost time, you’ll be the first to see the legend…”

"Phew, it's my honor, sir!"

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean in the Middle East, in a small town where various shady businesses were conducted openly, Charles lay idly on a sofa, enjoying the tranquil music with his eyes closed. This place originally belonged to the villa of an arms dealer who operated both legally and illegally; the villa had a swimming pool, a garden, and a large number of bodyguards.

In addition, this arms dealer is actually a spokesperson for certain countries, specializing in doing things that cannot be brought to the forefront. Therefore, even the most arrogant terrorists in this region do not dare to cause trouble here.

So now, everything has benefited Ciel; with just one [Soul-Stealing Curse], everyone has become a slave, completely subservient to him.

Meanwhile, Charles was sorting through the souls of the two mages he had killed, trying to find the information he wanted to know.

Soon, Charles easily tore through the soul's defenses, revealing the memories of the two mages to him in their entirety.

154. I've never been to New York.

New York City, the premier metropolis of the United States, is the heart of the New York metropolitan area—the world's most populous and largest metropolitan area. For over a century, New York has wielded immense global influence in commerce and finance. A world-class city, New York directly impacts the global economy, finance, media, politics, education, entertainment, and fashion. The United Nations headquarters is also located in the city, thus earning New York's widespread recognition as the world's capital.

This is a city that far surpasses Washington, D.C. in both economy and fame. So, in this world, what's the fastest way for bad people who want to become famous? It's simple: just come to New York and cause a scene, and you'll be truly famous.

However! This isn't the battlefield that will later usher in a new era. At least for now, there's no scenario where some alien monster plans to open a door above New York, deploy a massive remote-controlled bio-army, only to have its WIFF cut off and be wiped out. But who knows how many days are left until that day!?

On this day, at JFK Airport, New York's largest airport, named after former President John F. Kennedy, located in the heart of Queens, 15 miles (24 kilometers) from downtown Manhattan, a luxury flight from Europe, on the other side of the world, landed. It was considered luxurious because the entire plane had been privately chartered. Upon landing, a convoy led by a Rolls-Royce pulled into the airport, picking up the passengers and taking them to their pre-booked hotels.

This is a country where money reigns supreme, so the rich are the only ones who matter. Even if many people were unhappy about being overtaken along the way, they all obediently shut their mouths after seeing that luxurious convoy. However, because many people's attention was focused on that 'luxury convoy driven by some rich, bored tycoon,' no one noticed that shortly after the convoy left the airport, a wisp of black smoke fell from the car. Then, in a corner where there were no cameras and no one was paying attention, the black smoke gathered together, and then a figure in a trench coat stepped out of the black smoke.

"I've never been to New York, never been to Hawaii, never worn jeans in the San Francisco rain... I've never been to New York, I want to feel the air of freedom, I want to break free and liberate myself..."

Humming "I've Never Been to New York," Ciel straightened his clothes and began surveying his surroundings. He was in an alley. Of course, we know what might be in an alley in a 'free' country, especially in a world where superheroes roam. What's the best way for newly minted superheroes to gain reputation? That's right, it's through the thugs hiding in the alleys! Don't you see, our Spider-Man does exactly that? From this, we can see just how 'free' this 'free' country truly is; at least Ciel had never heard of anyone 'freely' choosing to be a lowly antagonist, grinding reputation and experience for superheroes.

However, New York isn't all low-level gangsters and thugs. Many people with a bit of knowledge know who the boss of New York's underworld is, and who Kingpin is, the villain entangled with Daredevil. Although he's not the kind of supervillain boss with the power to easily destroy the world, he's still a troublesome figure. After all, he's intelligent, has connections in both the legal and illegal worlds, and is relatively clean in his dealings. So, the truly troublesome villains aren't just those bosses who threaten to destroy the world; those with high intelligence can still be a real headache.

But this has nothing to do with Ciel. He looks down on Kingpin. Although Kingpin is indeed a notorious villain, he only bothers law-abiding heroes. If he encounters those with a darker style, things won't be so easy to handle. Similarly, in this city that will become a battlefield in the future, Kingpin is really nothing. The Chitauri don't care if you're rich or not.

At this point, the curtain has not yet risen, so the city remains prosperous and peaceful. Even Spider-Man has not yet been officially bitten, and Iron Man has only just made his move, presumably still testing and developing the Mark I.

"Hey! You sissy kid, hand over all your money!" Just as Charles emerged from Apparition and regained his footing, before he had gone far, a boastful voice rang out. Suddenly, four men with ill intentions, wielding steel pipes and knives, emerged from around the street corner.

"Oh! Are you talking to me?" Although he didn't know why these monsters, which would be used by various bored superheroes to farm experience and reputation in the future, had come to him, Xia Er still looked at these reckless thugs.

"Yes! Hand over everything of value you have!" A knife was pointed at Xia Er. The men were pale-faced and dressed in clothes that looked like those of a punk rocker, and even their hair had a strong punk rock style.

"In fact, gentlemen!" Charles replied with a smile, gently pushing the knife aside with his finger, "I personally suggest that you all reduce your drug use!"

"Shut up, kid, or I'll sell you to those brothels!" A hot-tempered man wielding a steel rod swung down at Xia Er.

"Alright! I got it!" Charles sighed, grabbed the steel pipe, and snatched it away. He twisted the steel rod into a pretzel shape, tossed it aside, and shrugged at the four dumbfounded thugs, saying, "An American-style welcome ceremony, not bad, very good. Now it's my turn!"

A dark shadow began to spread out from beneath Ciel's feet...

"Close the door! Unleash the dogs!"

"Aaaaaaaahh ...

……

After experiencing the unique welcoming ceremony of the U.S. military, Charles walked out of the alley with a normal expression. Although Charles was temporarily unable to use the Reality Marble skill for some reason, it did not prevent him from releasing the things in the Reality Marble, such as: dogs... Isn't there a saying that goes, "A caster who cannot release dogs is not a good caster"?

As for those four thugs who wanted to rob us, they were obviously high on drugs... Heh, may Satan protect them, but even Satan can't just take away Ciel's soul without a word.

On the street, after casually asking a passerby for directions to the famous Stark Industries Building, Charles hailed a taxi. With a little hypnosis, the taxi driver, looking honored, took him to one of New York's iconic landmarks, the Stark Industries Building.

155. The loser relies on mutation, the rich rely on equipment.

There's a saying that goes, "The poor rely on mutation, the rich rely on equipment," a truth that holds true in both DC and Marvel universes. Let's take a closer look at two of Marvel's most famous superheroes. First, Iron Man. While Tony Stark constantly invents and improves his armor, he's also one of the world's wealthiest men, able to get whatever he wants. Even now, this future Iron Man is still in the early stages of development, staying home to perfect his first official Iron Man suit. Because he's so wealthy, he can even buy aerospace materials at will, and all sorts of experimental equipment are incredibly expensive. Not to mention, he possesses a super artificial intelligence—Jarvis—whose value is immeasurable.

The lifestyle of the wealthy involves sipping Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (a 1992 vintage that fetched a record-breaking $50 at a charity auction, earning it the title of "King of Auctions") while having their AI place massive orders with various producers. Meanwhile, what are the poor doing? Toiling away as supermarket clerks for a pittance, working themselves to the bone for a few dollars a month, barely having time to find a girlfriend.

For example, before he became a part-time superhero, Spider-Man, although later, after becoming a superhero, earned some money by selling photos of his "body" to newspapers...

However, the glass of red wine that Iron Man drinks in his spare time is worth more than Spider-Man's annual salary...

What a truly joyous and wonderful world of 'freedom', and a beacon of 'hope' for humanity!

So while Spider-Man was working himself to the bone to pay his mortgage, car loan, and girlfriend, Iron Man casually spent a fortune to acquire materials for his armor. It truly proves the adage: the poor rely on mutation, the rich rely on equipment!

In the Marvel universe, Stark Tower may not yet be the main battlefield against alien monsters, so it remains Stark Industries' New York headquarters and hasn't yet become the base for the space portal. Although Tony Stark, who had just escaped from terrorists, managed to salvage the plummeting stock prices, his statement at a press conference announcing the shutdown of weapons production caused the stock to crash again. And like a rollercoaster, it plummeted all the way down.

This infuriated both Stark Industries' shareholders and high-ranking U.S. military officials with ties to the company, but to no avail! The true backbone of Stark Industries was Tony Stark himself. So, no matter how much the shareholders clashed, Tony, now with a new toy, completely ignored them, focusing solely on perfecting his Iron Man suit. However, this capricious behavior caused considerable distress for his secretary and future mistress, Pepper Potts, as not everyone wanted to deal with the persistent reporters always seeking sensational stories, and the even more troublesome shareholders and military representatives. Nevertheless, the Stark name was undeniably effective. No matter what those troublemakers who annoyed Pepper to the point of wanting to slap them said, as long as Tony was invoked as a shield, they were utterly helpless.

Everyone knows that when Tony Stark gets carried away, he's the kind of guy who won't reason with you at all. If you try to reason with him, he'll talk about philosophy; if you try to talk about philosophy, he'll talk about classics... In short, if he doesn't want to talk to you about something, he absolutely won't.

However, some people can be ignored, while others cannot. For example, this slightly overweight and balding guy in front of her is someone Pepper can't ignore. He's Obadiah Stane, Tony's uncle, his father's business partner, Tony's patriarch, and the CEO of Stark Industries. In fact, it could be said that if Obadiah hadn't cultivated such connections, the socially awkward Tony would have already offended a large number of people, leading to Stark Industries' downfall.

“Ms. Potts, I’d like to ask Tony what his decision is?” Despite his age, Obadiah, still looking sharp, stood in front of Pepper Potts, who was sitting behind her desk, and asked, “The entire company is unhappy because he stubbornly shut down weapons development. All the shareholders are dissatisfied, and high-ranking military officials have questioned me about this several times.”

“Yes, yes, Mr. Stan, I know, I know…” Pepper Potts could only patiently talk to Obadiah. “But Tony has been staying in his lab for several days in a row, and he doesn’t even want to participate in many social activities.”

“I’m not talking about whether Tony should attend those damn shareholder meetings, or the press conferences those paparazzi are hoping for,” Obadiah said. “What I want to ask is about that little toy he’s come up with now, that little toy called the Arc Reactor. You know, after he shut down weapons development, the military is already considering the levitation device and human enhancement agent that Osborn is developing…”

"No matter how hard I try to explain to the shareholders' meeting and military representatives, what they need now is a finished product, a finished product that can replace the shut-down weapons development, a toy that can satisfy those big shots."

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stan…” Pepper Potts replied helplessly, “But Tony is absolutely unwilling to talk to me about company matters, not even the slightest bit. I’m so sorry, Mr. Stan…”

"OK, OK, I understand, I understand. It's Tony throwing a tantrum again." Obadiah shrugged and said angrily, "Alright! I'll find some time to talk to him. Sorry to bother you, Ms. Potts!!!" With that, Obadiah turned around and walked out of the office. Pepper Potts was helpless against this rude behavior.

After Obadiah left the office, Pepper Potts could only helplessly sit back in her chair, continuing to clean up the messes Tony Stark had created with his capricious temper. Sometimes, she wondered what it was about this troublemaker she actually liked, considering how she had tirelessly dealt with his various problems for so many years…

Just as Ms. Chili was troubled by all sorts of documents in the company and secretly annoyed by Tony's tantrums, which annoyed her to no end but she had to help him deal with these troublesome matters, a voice suddenly rang out in the office.

"Hello, Miss Potts, oh, I suppose this is how you mortals address people..."

Little Chili was startled and turned her body towards the direction from which the sound came. At that moment, in the office, in front of the floor-to-ceiling window behind her desk, stood a boy wearing an old black trench coat, with long black hair tied in a ponytail and strange dark golden eyes.

"Who are you?!" Pepper Potts slowly stood up and asked, "When did you arrive? How did you get in? Did you have an appointment, sir?!"

“Sorry, I just wanted to ask, Tony Stark, um, does he live here?!” The uninvited guest laughed. “After all, in a sense, I need to thank him in person.”

"If you need to speak with Mr. Stark, sir, do you have an appointment?"

"No! I have no interest in dealing with the idiotic programming of mortals, so I came directly to your door. By the way, my name is Charles Gretel, Miss Potts, you just need to ask Mr. Tony Stark!"

"You know Tony?" Pepper Potts asked hesitantly.