Ch 46- Super Saiyan
Not to blame the Ancient One for making such a big fuss, but Marcus was outrageous!
The new ability, [Danger Perception], was fine. An early warning system was pretty useful.
But this [Magical Immunity]...
Wasn't this basically putting mages out of business?
Are you sure a mage should learn this?
She silently made a decision. No one except the Sorcerer Supreme could learn this ability!
The Ancient One's expression became even more respectful.
She bowed and stepped back through the [Portal], not straightening up until it had closed.
This was the real boss. Not someone you could afford to offend!
As for the time branches that might be created by resurrection?
Ha!
Who cared? She hadn't seen anything anyway.
Marcus quietly admired the view.
Even watching Wanda dig a grave with her butt sticking up was pleasant.
Stark didn't dare stare and immediately turned his back, whispering to Pepper.
Banner didn't dare look either!
If his heartbeat sped up too much, he might transform on the spot.
After hesitating for a while...
Banner walked over to Marcus and smiled awkwardly.
"Hi, my name is Bruce Banner."
"Yeah, what is it?" Marcus looked away.
"It's just... there's another consciousness inside my body. Can you help me... deal with it?" Banner asked hopefully.
Marcus thought about it and became interested.
Banner and Hulk.
One body, two souls?
Or a split personality?
"Let me take a look."
He raised his hand and released the [Phoenix Force], probing into Banner's mental world in search of the second personality.
The space was empty. Nothing could be found.
So...
The [Phoenix Force] went deeper into Banner's soul, and only then did Marcus discover the problem!
The two souls were connected back-to-back. Hulk's soul was less than one-tenth the size of Banner's.
No wonder Banner was usually the dominant one.
But...
While the two souls were slowly merging, strengthening Hulk's soul, Banner's soul was also being weakened.
If this continued...
It would be hard to say who would be in control in the future.
So...
The [Phoenix Force] turned into a sharp blade and attempted to sever the connection between the souls.
The moment it touched them...
Hulk's soul suddenly opened its eyes!
In reality,
Banner instantly turned green and grew larger, transforming into Hulk without warning.
He threw a punch straight at Marcus!
"Boom!"
A lot of noise, no effect.
Marcus didn't even move a hair. Instead, Hulk was sent flying backward.
[Vector Control]!
A physical attack?
Even a supernova exploding wouldn't be enough to injure Marcus.
Marcus raised a hand.
The [Phoenix Force] bound Hulk and lifted him into the air.
No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
All he could do was glare at Marcus with red eyes.
Marcus walked over and lightly patted Hulk's hand.
"Astral Projection."
The fused souls of Hulk and Banner were pulled out of the body.
Marcus even thoughtfully created a mirror so the two souls could see each other.
"No wonder science can't solve it." Banner smiled bitterly. "This is the soul dimension. Modern science can't touch it."
"Roar!"
"Hulk, can we talk?"
"Roar!"
No matter what Soul Banner said, Soul Hulk only roared back.
He clearly had no interest in communicating.
...
This guy couldn't speak at all!
Makes sense.
After all, he was a newly born soul. He rarely got the chance to come out, and whenever he did, people were usually trying to kill him.
When would he have had time to learn?
With no other choice,
Soul Banner looked to Marcus for help.
"You have two options." Marcus said. "First, I can directly destroy Hulk's soul."
"ROAR!!!"
Soul Hulk bared his teeth furiously at Marcus.
Marcus immediately gave him a "speaking ban."
"What's the second option?" Soul Banner asked.
"Join my team. I'll have someone teach you magic." Marcus said. "What you're experiencing now is called Astral Projection. Once you learn it, you can communicate with Hulk and gradually teach him things. Eventually you can reach an agreement and coexist."
Soul Banner blinked.
Once upon a time, he had wanted to kill Hulk because Hulk had ruined his normal life.
But if Hulk was truly a soul and not just a condition...
That changed everything.
...
Soul Banner asked, "If I join your team... what do I need to do?"
"Hmm... I don't need you for combat. Just continue whatever research you want." Marcus said casually. "You probably can't use Cybertron's tech tree, but Kryptonian biotechnology might be useful. You could accomplish something with that."
Soul Banner: "..."
He could tell Marcus was recruiting him on the side.
Whether he was needed or not wasn't the point.
He understood.
Big families often kept talented followers around. Sometimes they produced unexpected results.
"Okay! I'll join!"
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Bruce Banner. The family's scientific research capabilities have increased!]
[Congratulations to the host for receiving the reward "Super Saiyan Bloodline"!]
Name: [Super Saiyan Level 1]
Grade: [A]
Introduction: Obtain S-Cells. Under extreme anger, explosive growth can occur instantly, transforming into Super Saiyan Level 1. Overall physical power can increase by up to fifty times!
Slogan: Look! A Super Saiyan!
Well...
It was a good ability.
Too bad Marcus couldn't really make use of it.
Why use your fists when you could solve things with your brain?
And you had to become extremely angry?
Ha!
"Super Saiyan Transformation!"
Marcus' eyes turned blue.
Golden flames erupted around him, crackling with electricity.
His hair turned golden, with several bangs hanging down.
It looked cool as hell.
Marcus checked himself in the mirror.
Not bad.
As for the strength...
Marcus clenched a fist.
A sonic boom cloud appeared around his hand and exploded with a deafening crack!
Stark's eyes nearly popped out.
Holy crap!
With that grip alone,
Forget his head. Even an Iron Man suit wouldn't survive.
The most ridiculous part was...
Marcus suddenly got an idea.
He cupped his hands at his waist and compressed the [Phoenix Force] into a sphere of light.
When it reached half a meter in diameter,
He thrust both hands forward.
A crimson beam shot into the sky like a red comet, heading straight toward the moon!
"Phoenix Kamehameha!"
At the same time,
Every energy detector on Earth began sounding alarms before exploding almost simultaneously!
No explanation needed.
Anyone in the Northern Hemisphere could simply look up and see a red comet streaking toward the moon!
Right before everyone's eyes,
It struck the moon and created a crater visible from Earth!
The crater looked coin-sized from here...
But next to it was the moon's largest crater, the Aitken Basin.
This new crater was roughly one-tenth its size.
The Aitken Basin was about 2,500 kilometers wide.
That meant this "small crater" was around 250 kilometers wide!
"F*ck! Are you serious?!" Stark shouted. "Are you trying to destroy the moon?"
Marcus glanced at Stark.
Still under the Super Saiyan form, that single glance scared Stark into immediate submission.
"Okay, I admit my voice was too loud." Stark said guiltily. "But the moon affects Earth's tides. If something happens to it, the planet's ecosystem is finished!"
Marcus looked away and canceled the transformation.
"Just testing a new move."
"The power was a little low. Couldn't blow it up."
"Even if I did, I could restore it."
Stark: "..."
You're the boss.
He quietly retreated to Pepper and questioned his life choices.
The commotion didn't disturb the siblings, who were focused on grave digging.
"Boom!"
Pietro's shovel finally hit Obadiah's coffin.
Crimson energy flashed in Wanda's eyes.
The [Mind Scepter] nearby glowed faintly as if responding to something.
Then,
Wanda subconsciously raised a hand.
Crimson energy wrapped around the coffin and lifted it into the air!
"Boom!"
The coffin crashed to the ground.
Pietro turned into an afterimage and circled the coffin repeatedly.
The nails were finally torn loose.
With a wave of Wanda's hand, the coffin lid flew open!
A skeleton lay inside, with bits of rotting flesh still attached.
Pietro's excitement froze.
His throat moved.
He looked ready to throw up.
Wanda remained calm because...
Marcus had covered her eyes beforehand.
"Don't look at dirty things." Marcus said softly.
Wanda could roughly guess what was inside.
She quietly allowed Marcus to cover her eyes.
She couldn't help recalling the energy shield he had used earlier to block the blood spray from Stark.
Small details like that mattered to girls.
Marcus inhaled the scent of Wanda's shampoo.
With one hand, he activated the [Power of Time] and reversed time.
The bones slowly regained flesh.
The corpse became whole.
Fresh.
Alive.
Obadiah, buried for nearly a year, suddenly opened his eyes!
He sat up abruptly and met Stark's gaze.
"I'm not dead?"
"Hahaha!"
"I'm not dead!"
Obadiah was still celebrating when Pietro delivered an accelerated punch!
The 200-kilogram man was launched into the air on the spot.
Two-thirds of his teeth flew out.
Stark winced.
The teeth he had lost earlier were still lying on the floor back home.
That had hurt like hell.
Before Obadiah could get up...
Wanda swung the shovel straight at his bald head!
"Clang!"
The impact made Obadiah scream.
Wanda immediately used [Chaos Force] to search through Obadiah's memories.
The hatred in her eyes exploded.
That's right!
This was the bastard!
She kicked Obadiah to the ground and started smashing him with the shovel.
Pietro joined in as well.
Banner, back in his body, shook his head.
Brutal.
But...
He deserved it.
Soon,
The resurrected Obadiah entered the process of dying all over again.
Marcus didn't revive him this time.
He stepped forward and pulled Wanda into his arms.
Her emotions were running wild.
"Cry. Just cry it out."
One sentence was enough.
Wanda finally found an outlet.
She buried her face in Marcus chest and burst into tears.
Ten years of resentment exploded at once.
Pietro's expression became complicated.
Whether he was jealous because he wasn't getting hugged, or because his sister was being hugged, nobody knew.
After crying for half an hour,
Wanda finally calmed down.
She had cried so hard her body was still trembling.
Keeping her face buried in Marcus chest, she didn't dare look up.
She had cried way too loudly...
Would everyone laugh at her?
"...Alright, get up."
Marcus patted her shoulder.
"Let's go revive your parents."
Wanda instantly looked up!
If Marcus hadn't reacted in time, their foreheads might have collided.
"Can... can you really do that?" Wanda asked in a trembling voice.
Pietro stared at Marcus too, his eyes full of hope.
"Of course." Marcus shrugged. "They've only been dead for a little over ten years. That's not difficult."
Marcus didn't know the upper limit of Time Reversal.
But within a hundred years, it was easy.
The siblings were overjoyed!
Then Pietro's expression suddenly darkened.
"They were killed by artillery shells. I don't even know if their bodies remained intact. And after all these years under the ruins..."
Wanda's face also turned pale.
They finally had hope...
Why hadn't they properly recovered and buried their parents back then?!
Her eyes turned red again.
Tears threatened to fall.
"Why panic?" Marcus comforted. "As long as I'm here, it'll be fine."
That one sentence immediately stabilized Wanda's emotions.
She looked at Marcus through tear-filled eyes, waiting for another miracle.
Marcus rubbed Wanda's head and plucked a strand of her hair.
Just like the Ancient One had done earlier.
He tossed it out, and it transformed into a [Portal].
[Trace Tracking]!
A spell that could locate blood relatives through a medium.
Very useful.
...
"Ratatatatat!"
Heavy gunfire erupted from the other side of the portal.
A green-haired girl stood with her back to them.
Green aurora-like energy flashed around her hands.
Countless bullets hung suspended in front of her, and more were constantly being added.
...
"Lorna?" Marcus said in surprise. "That's strange. Why did it lead to you..."
His gaze sharpened!
The [Phoenix Force] surged forward to protect Lorna.
A rubber bullet the size of a finger hovered directly in front of her forehead.
Cold sweat instantly appeared on Lorna's face.
The bullet wasn't metal.
Her magnetic powers couldn't stop it.
If Marcus hadn't intervened...
Enough force could still turn a rubber bullet into a headshot.
Marcus looked annoyed.
Lorna was one of his predetermined wives.
Who had the guts to do this?
He stepped through the portal with a dark expression.
Looking at the soldiers still firing,
He noticed "SSS" printed on their armor.
The Sentinel Services?
The [Phoenix Force] became a shield.
With a wave of his hand, every bullet was reflected back.
The soldiers were instantly wiped out by their own gunfire!
Without the threat of bullets,
Lorna dropped her power.
Her legs immediately gave out.
Marcus caught her before she could fall.
She had overused her abilities and exhausted herself.
[Horse Talisman]!
Lorna instantly returned to full condition.
She pulled away from Marcus and looked at him with a complicated expression.
"Was Blink the one who called you?" Lorna asked.
Before Marcus could answer,
Blink- Clarice Ferguson, spoke from behind.
"I tried calling for help, but the signal was blocked. I couldn't get through."
Marcus turned around.
Clarice waved at him.
Behind her stood a group of elderly people, women, and children.
Further back,
Other mutants were locked in battle with Sentinel Services agents.
They had basically been surrounded.
Quite a coincidence that he showed up now.
"Ratatatata!"
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the area.
Lorna's expression changed immediately.
Looking at the portal beside them, she shouted to the people behind her.
"Quick! Get out of here..."
Marcus waved a hand.
The portal expanded.
Wanda, Pietro, and Banner stepped through.
Then the sparks vanished.
Everyone who had just gained hope froze.
Huh?
It disappeared?
At that moment,
Turner arrived with his men.
Seeing the bodies covering the ground, his expression became ugly.
Then he spotted Marcus...
And froze.
Why was it you again?
But the next words out of Marcus mouth made Turner explode on the spot!
Ch 47- Big gift
Marcus recognized Turner.
The last time he saved Lorna, Turner had also been leading the team chasing her.
Persistent as ever.
He looked at Lorna and asked, "Do you want him dead or alive?"
Lorna was stunned!
Turner was stunned too!
Aren't you the Saviour?
Aren't you supposed to be on humanity's side?
How can you say something like that...
"It's the Saviour!"
"What did he mean by that?"
"The Saviour has a good relationship with these filthy... Mutants?"
"It's over! Is this mission going to fail again?"
"Ah! I want an autograph!"
Marcus had just saved the world a few days ago. Every major news outlet was praising him nonstop.
He was extremely famous.
Many agents lowered their guns. If not for their duties, some of them might have run over to greet their idol.
Marcus ignored all of it and simply looked at Lorna.
He repeated, "Kill him? Or let him go?"
Lorna frowned, still trying to process everything.
On the other hand, many of the rescued mutants started shouting.
"Kill them!"
"Kill them all!"
"The government's dogs! Kill them!"
Most of them didn't know Marcus, but they could tell he was protecting them.
The hatred in their eyes was something Wanda and Pietro knew very well.
Hatred.
They had been chased by the Sentry Secret Service like rats in the sewers, yet the hunters still refused to leave them alone.
The resentment they carried was obvious.
Lorna wasn't influenced by them.
She shook her head firmly.
"Killing them won't solve anything. Let them go."
Lorna held considerable authority among the mutants.
Although some clearly disagreed, nobody argued with her.
Marcus nodded and looked at Turner.
"You're lucky."
The Phoenix Force spread out, linked everyone together, and then they all disappeared.
Turner was left standing there with a dark expression, venting his frustration helplessly.
At the Transformer base.
The giant Ark was parked there, while the Autobots and Decepticons moved equipment back and forth.
Neither side looked particularly friendly toward the other.
After all, years of conflict couldn't be resolved overnight.
Whoosh!
Marcus appeared with hundreds of people, instantly drawing every Transformer's attention.
"My King!"
"My King!"
"My King!"
"Get these people settled first," Marcus said.
"Yes, My King!"
The base was still under construction, and S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel were nearby.
There was no shortage of materials.
The survivors who had just escaped disaster wisely chose not to bother Marcus.
Even Clarice only glanced at him from a distance before leaving.
Marcus noticed her look, but he didn't have time to deal with it right now.
He looked at Lorna, then at Wanda.
The answer had already formed in his mind.
Trace Tracking could not be wrong, especially when enhanced by the Dragon Language.
At the very least, Wanda was Magneto's daughter, just like Lorna.
As for why she ended up in Sokovia...
That would have to be answered by Magneto himself.
"I know you're all wondering..."
After explaining everything and sharing his theory,
Marcus looked at Wanda.
"These are only my guesses. We still need to verify them."
"Do you want to find Magneto first, or revive your parents and ask them directly?"
Wanda's head was spinning.
She stared at Lorna, then at Marcus.
What was going on?
She had come here to revive her parents, and suddenly she had a younger sister and a whole new family connection?
Pietro looked even worse.
He and Wanda were twins.
So had their parents lied, or was he Magneto's son too?
Lorna also looked between Wanda and Pietro.
Her expression was complicated.
She had spent so many years alone, and now she suddenly had a brother and a sister?
All three fell silent.
After a long pause,
Wanda finally spoke.
"No matter what, revive our parents first. We can ask them everything afterward."
"Since that's what you want, no problem!" Marcus clapped his hands. "Do you still remember where your home was?"
"Absolutely!"
Marcus nodded and turned to Lorna.
"This is my base. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is fifty kilometers away."
"If you stay here or go there, nobody will hunt you anymore."
Lorna's expression became even more complicated.
They had met twice.
He had saved her twice.
This really...
"If you need anything, just ask. I've already given the orders."
"We'll talk later."
Marcus wrapped an arm around Wanda, used the Phoenix Force to bring Pietro along, and teleported away.
Looking at the brightly lit base, Lorna suddenly felt relieved.
As if some burden had finally been lifted.
Her steps became noticeably lighter as she walked away.
Meanwhile, Bruce Banner was left standing there blankly.
Uh...
What was he supposed to do now?
At that moment,
A Quinjet flew in and landed.
The hatch opened automatically.
"My King asked me to take you home. Get in."
Banner had seen Transformers before, but this was the first time he had been this close to one.
Curious, he stepped forward.
Then suddenly paused.
Hadn't he forgotten something?
Someone still needed Marcus's treatment...
Sokovia, outside the old apartment building.
"You're sure this is the place?" Marcus asked.
"No mistake," Pietro replied. "The HYDRA research base isn't far away. I used to sneak back here to pay my respects."
Wanda rolled her eyes at him.
"You never brought me here!"
"You're too heavy!" Pietro shot back. "I couldn't sneak past the guards with you around!"
Marcus glanced at Wanda.
She was clearly curvy, not fat.
Ignoring the siblings' argument,
Marcus released the Phoenix Force and floated into the building.
A bag of gold appeared.
Ten seconds later,
A couple with three children opened the door and walked out.
As they passed Marcus, they naturally picked up the bag of gold.
Problem solved.
Marcus led the way inside, with Wanda and Pietro following immediately.
Standing in the living room,
Before either of them could start reminiscing,
Marcus released the Power of Time, covering the entire building.
Buzz...
Everything around them began rewinding rapidly.
Objects vanished.
Walls rebuilt themselves.
Broken bricks flew back into place.
Within a few breaths,
Time had reversed more than ten years.
The apartment became a ruined building once again.
The siblings stared in shock.
Looking at the missile in front of them, the words "Stark Industries" instantly brought back their worst memories.
Fear appeared in Wanda's eyes.
Suddenly, she felt warmth in her hand.
Marcus was holding it.
He smiled gently.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
"Your power is extremely strong. You can't keep fearing the past. That creates weaknesses."
He pointed at the blinking missile.
"This missile was originally normal, but someone modified it into a bomb."
"Your Chaos Force was awakening at the time."
Wanda nodded, only half understanding.
Her gaze drifted toward the collapsed section of the building nearby.
Their parents were buried underneath.
Marcus waved his hand.
The collapsed rubble rewound itself, turning back into a staircase.
A terrified couple rushed downstairs.
The moment they saw Wanda and the others, they froze.
The husband immediately grabbed a shotgun and aimed it at them.
"Get out!" he shouted. "You're not welcome in my house!"
The wife hurriedly ran deeper into the building.
"Wanda!"
"Pietro!"
"Where are you?"
Even with a gun pointed at them,
Wanda and Pietro weren't afraid at all.
Their eyes turned red.
Tears began flowing uncontrollably.
They were back.
Their parents were really back.
Marcus smiled and released the time lock.
A new fragment of information appeared in his mind.
Danger Perception.
The ability to see a short glimpse of the future.
Seeing the emotional reunion beginning,
Marcus disappeared.
The rest of the time belonged to them.
As for the trouble...
Marcus spread his hands.
The Phoenix Force and the Power of Time emerged together, surrounding the small house that no longer belonged in the current timeline.
A few seconds later,
A rectangular portal opened nearby.
Five women in uniforms marked with TVA stepped out.
The Time Variance Authority.
Simply put,
They were responsible for erasing timeline branches and maintaining a single Sacred Timeline.
No parallel universes.
Only one main timeline.
In the Loki series,
The Infinity Stones that everyone fought over were basically worthless to the TVA.
Their status was ridiculously high.
This time,
The target they had come to eliminate was Marcus.
The Power of Time swept forward.
The five agents froze instantly.
Marcus walked past them and headed toward the rectangular portal.
Click.
The portal shut immediately.
The frozen agents vanished.
Their personal timelines had been reset.
"Tsk. Afraid I'll go in?"
Marcus felt a little disappointed.
He had wanted to play around with a few sets of Infinity Stones.
Wouldn't that be amazing?
"Master, Phil Coulson is calling!"
Huh?
"Phil Coulson, calling this late at night..."
"Mr. Marcus!" Coulson said urgently. "Director Nick Fury is dying! He was attacked by three Yellow Lantern ring holders and is currently being treated. Please help..."
Before he could finish,
A long, continuous alarm sounded.
The heart monitor.
"His heart has stopped!" Coulson shouted. "No matter the cost, please come!"
Before Marcus could answer,
"Master, Pierce has left a message. He says he has something you will definitely be interested in. It is..."
The moment Marcus heard what it was, his heartbeat sped up.
Holy hell.
Using that to tempt him?
"Open another channel."
Pierce's hearty laughter immediately came through.
"I knew it, Mr. Marcus. You'd definitely be interested."
"Cut the crap. What do you want?"
"Very simple, Mr. Marcus. Do nothing."
Pierce got straight to the point.
"This is a conflict between HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. According to what you said before, you won't interfere in Earth's internal affairs, correct?"
He wasn't pretending at all.
Marcus thought about it.
Watching the show didn't sound bad.
If he didn't like the outcome, he could always rewind time and start over.
"Fine. Just deliver it to my house."
"I'm already on the way. I'll be there in thirty minutes," Pierce laughed. "Thank you for your contribution to Earth! HYDRA will never forget your support! Hahaha!"
Marcus hung up in disgust.
The guy laughed way too loudly.
He switched back to Coulson's call.
"Sorry, Phil Coulson," Marcus said helplessly. "I just reversed nearly twenty years of time in one area. I can't use my abilities at full power right now."
Then he hung up immediately.
He wasn't particularly close to Fury or Coulson.
There was no personal relationship involved.
Honestly,
Whether Fury was really dead or only pretending didn't matter much to Marcus.
After all,
There was no way Fury hadn't prepared backup plans for a situation like this.
Marcus wanted to see what kind of trump card Fury had hidden away.
But...
Marcus glanced toward the house.
The family reunion had only just begun.
Judging from their emotions, it wouldn't end anytime soon.
And Sokovia was Baron Strucker's territory.
Basically his backyard.
There wouldn't be any problems.
Marcus rubbed his hands together and disappeared.
He couldn't wait to receive Pierce's "big gift."
Ch 48- Stepford Cuckoos
Right now, Marcus was facing something that was very tempting.
That was why he had rushed back without making a move elsewhere.
The Stepford Cuckoos.
The best part was...
They had originally been created from White Queen Emma Frost's eggs as quintuplets.
Although two had died during their escape, who was Marcus?
It had only been a little over a decade. Bringing someone back to life was easy.
When the time came...
Quintuplets meant five times the fun...
No.
The enjoyment would increase exponentially.
There was no intense confrontation. Instead, Marcus waved for the three Cuckoo sisters to sit down.
Since they were already here, there was no need to worry about them running away.
The three sisters were slightly surprised.
They had mentally prepared themselves during the trip, expecting things to become physical immediately.
Instead, they were invited to sit?
"Tell me, why are you willing to come to me?" Marcus asked with a smile. "You'll be my wives in the future. If there's anything bothering you, I can solve most problems."
The eyes of the three sisters glowed with brilliant blue light.
Like sapphires.
This was their unique hive mind, allowing them to share telepathy, knowledge, and memories.
They were discussing it among themselves.
Marcus wasn't in a hurry.
His gaze wandered over them as he patiently waited.
Ten seconds later,
The girl in the middle spoke first.
"I'm Esme. That's Sophie on the left and Phoebe on the right."
"Marcus, an alien and your future husband," Marcus introduced himself casually. "Say whatever you want. There shouldn't be any secrets between husband and wife."
"Fine. Since you asked." Esme got straight to the point. "We actually didn't want to come."
Sophie continued, "But Pierce promised the boss that if we came, the Brotherhood would be officially recognized."
Phoebe added, "And you'd help the boss take control of the Hellfire Club and become its leader."
Esme concluded, "So we came. For the future of the Brotherhood and mutantkind."
Marcus nodded.
So it was a transaction.
No wonder the normally proud Cuckoo sisters had agreed to marry him.
Still, that didn't really matter.
What interested him was their hive mind.
It gave him ideas for all kinds of entertaining possibilities...
That would definitely be fun.
Setting those thoughts aside, Marcus smiled.
"There's one more benefit you didn't mention."
"If you're my wives, then if the Brotherhood or the Hellfire Club runs into trouble in the future, I can't exactly ignore it, can I?"
The three sisters nodded in unison.
"That's right. It's another layer of protection. That's why we're willing to become your wives."
Even so,
Their indifferent tone made it sound more like they were completing a mission.
Even if he pushed things further right now, it would be boring.
So...
"You're still not willing..."
The Phoenix Force surged out.
As the embodiment of emotion itself, it directly overwhelmed the three sisters telepathic defenses.
The sisters immediately felt a rush of excitement.
The cold rejection on their faces softened considerably.
Among the Brotherhood, strength was everything.
But that alone wasn't enough.
Marcus dropped his trump card.
"I can bring your dead sisters back to life."
The blue glow in their eyes flickered wildly.
Their hive mind nearly lost synchronization.
Esme stepped forward and grabbed Marcus's arm.
"Really?"
Phoebe moved to his other side and hugged his arm.
"If you can do it, I'm willing to marry you. Completely willing!"
Sophie came behind him and started massaging his shoulders.
"Me too! If you can bring Mindee and Celeste back, you can ask anything of me!"
As expected of a hive mind.
Their coordination was flawless.
After enjoying the attention for a moment,
Marcus received an address from Pierce.
It was the laboratory where the five sisters had originally been created.
No one had touched the place.
With a thought,
The four of them teleported away, sofa included, arriving inside an abandoned building overrun with weeds.
The three sisters visibly trembled.
They would never forget the nightmare they had experienced here.
The Power of Time spread out, covering the entire ruined laboratory.
The weeds shrank backward.
The dust disappeared.
The ruins rebuilt themselves in reverse.
Everything around them rewound rapidly until they reached the night of the sisters greatest nightmare.
The night Esme, Sophie, and Phoebe attempted to escape while MIndee and Celeste were held hostage.
The collars around the younger girls' necks tightened until they suffocated.
Back then,
Through the hive mind, the other three sisters had experienced the same suffocation.
Just like now.
The two younger girls struggled for air, and the three older sisters instinctively struggled as well.
Marcus flicked a finger.
The Phoenix Force shot forward and destroyed the collars instantly.
At once,
All five sisters breathed in fresh air desperately.
Marcus activated the Power of Time again.
It flowed into MIndee and Celeste, rapidly aging them until they matched Esme and the others.
The hive mind remained active.
Through shared memories and knowledge, MIndee and Celeste quickly gained the same maturity and experience as their sisters.
The transition from childhood to adulthood was completed almost instantly.
The five sisters, Esme, Sophie, Phoebe, MIndee, and Celeste, cried together through the hive mind as they shared years of emotions.
Tears streamed down all their faces.
Although Marcus was eager to move things along, he refrained from interrupting them.
Only after the sisters finished reconnecting did they remember the important matter at hand.
They didn't leave the hive mind.
Instead, all five walked toward Marcus together.
The reward had arrived.
One day and one night later,
Using the Horse Talisman as usual to erase all signs of fatigue,
Marcus hummed a tune as he finished washing up and walked out of the master bedroom.
Then he saw someone unexpected.
"Jane?" Marcus asked in surprise. "Why are you here?"
"Ah... I'm here to see Darcy... no, that's not right. Actually, I came to see you... no, that's not right either..."
Jane was so flustered that Marcus was confused.
Still, he didn't rush her.
He handed her a glass of water and gestured for her to take her time.
After taking a sip,
Jane finally organized her thoughts.
"First of all, I don't like Thor. It's just that he still owes me an explanation."
"I wanted to ask Darcy whether you knew where Thor was."
"I saw him on TV, but he never came to see me..."
Marcus smiled.
She still hadn't completely let it go.
"Then you're too late," Marcus said with a shrug. "He returned to Asgard yesterday evening. He probably won't be back anytime soon."
Jane's eyes widened.
She had searched all over the world for him.
He came back to Earth and didn't even visit her?
That was a bit much.
Regardless of the reason,
Any remaining good feelings she had toward Thor disappeared.
"Thank you for telling me. I'll leave now."
Jane stood up disappointed.
"Want a drink?" Marcus invited. "Besides, in a little while I'll be opening a massive wormhole and transporting an entire planet. I think you'd find that interesting."
Jane's eyes lit up.
But she hesitated.
Staying felt awkward.
After all...
She had just asked about Thor, and now she was accepting Marcus's invitation.
Wouldn't that make it seem like she was treating Marcus as a backup option?
Seeing her hesitation,
Marcus smiled.
"Nothing ever happened between you and Thor. He just met you before I did. Wanting answers from him is perfectly normal."
"Are you sure?" Jane still looked uncertain.
"Of course." Marcus spread his hands. "Besides, I didn't come looking for you either, so we're even."
He simply had too many wives.
If Jane hadn't shown up herself, he might have forgotten about her completely.
Jane bit her lip and finally sat back down.
This time Marcus didn't bring out his personal collection.
Instead, he opened a spatial portal.
On the other side was a room packed with expensive wine.
The Phoenix Force swept through and took everything.
Just before the portal closed...
"Hey! Marcus! Don't push it!"
"That's my entire collection!"
"You dumped me in the middle of nowhere last night and I haven't even settled that score yet..."
The portal closed, cutting off Tony Stark's shouting.
Marcus didn't care.
Jane looked slightly embarrassed.
"Isn't that a little much?"
"It's fine. He owes me." Marcus waved it off. "I saved his life twice yesterday."
Well...
Even though Marcus had been the reason those situations happened in the first place.
But Jane didn't know that.
Hearing this, she drank without any guilt.
Unfortunately...
She was a lightweight.
A bottle and a half of red wine was enough to get her completely drunk.
Once she was tipsy, she started speaking her mind.
"That guy fell out of the sky. I saved him! Fed him! Gave him clothes!"
"And then he tried to hit on me?"
"And you!"
"I was obviously interested in you too!"
"If I disappeared, couldn't you have come looking for me?"
"If you'd shown up, I would've gone with you!"
"You men are all idiots!"
Listening to Jane's drunken complaints, Marcus found it amusing.
Jane had spent all this time wondering whether she should choose Thor or Marcus.
Meanwhile...
Both of them had basically forgotten about her.
He couldn't really be blamed.
When you spent every day surrounded by wives, it was easy to forget things.
Still...
Now that Jane had practically delivered herself to his doorstep, there was no way he was letting her leave.
An hour later,
Marcus looked at Jane's sleeping face.
Her tolerance was really terrible.
He immediately sent Faora a message asking her to collect Jane's DNA and create a Kryptonian Blood Serum suitable for her.
After cleaning up,
Marcus opened the system and checked the reward.
Since Jane had practically delivered herself to him, she had naturally been added to the family registry.
[Congratulations to the host for marrying Jane Foster and strengthening the family's astrophysics research team!]
[Congratulations, reward obtained:]
Name: Quake Version Mjolnir
Rank: C
Description: Thor's Mjolnir was shattered during the final battle. After Odin spent divine power repairing it, its power was reduced, but it gained additional fragmented abilities.
Slogan: I am Thor, God of Thunder, for the glory of the Norse gods!
Marcus immediately took out the hammer.
It looked similar to Thor's Mjolnir, except it was covered in cracks and lacked Odin's enchantment.
It automatically recognized Marcus as its owner.
With his permission, it could grant someone the power of Thor.
Perfect timing.
Jane would become the Goddess of Thunder in the future anyway.
This was made for her.
Walking out of the bedroom,
Faora arrived right on schedule.
"I'll go..."
"No rush." Marcus stepped forward and pulled Faora into an embrace. "I'm in a very good mood right now."
"Good. Then let's get started."
By nightfall,
Faora left with Jane's DNA to begin creating the Kryptonian Blood Serum.
After resting for a while,
A portal opened.
Sharon and the others stepped through, followed by Darcy, who immediately ran over.
"Marcus! I did it!" Darcy exclaimed excitedly. "I opened that portal myself!"
"Oh?" Marcus praised her. "You've got talent. Once you've mastered the basics, you can focus on your own contract grimoire."
"I'm already studying with Jean!" Darcy said confidently. "I'm going to learn Resurrection Light within three days!"
As expected of a future support specialist.
The first thing she wanted to learn was healing magic.
Marcus noticed something.
After Natasha stepped through, the portal closed.
But Bruce Banner wasn't with them.
Didn't he go to study magic today?
Natasha immediately explained.
"Dr. Banner discovered something. It seems important. The Ancient One asked him to stay at Kamar-Taj for the time being."
Oh?
If it caught the Ancient One's attention, then Banner had probably found something significant.
Marcus was curious.
What could possibly interest the Ancient One that much?
Transformation magic?
He almost wanted to go investigate personally.
But leaving all his wives behind for research?
That would be ridiculous.
He'd just wait for Banner to explain it himself later.
"After a full day of studying, everyone must be hungry, right?" Marcus stood up. "Let's go. Tonight we're heading to france for a big meal!"
"Woo!"
"Yay!"
"Let's go!"
Natasha stayed behind.
Someone had to watch over the sleeping Cuckoo sisters and Jane.
After everyone left,
Natasha sat alone in the living room, manipulating magical patterns in her hands and practicing without wasting a single moment.
At the same time, one thought kept replaying in her mind.
Kamar-Taj had time magic.
And because of that...
She had an idea she wanted to test.
If it worked...
Marcus probably wouldn't dislike her because of it...
Right?
With that thought,
Natasha became even more motivated and focused entirely on constructing magical patterns.
Time magic sounded incredibly advanced.
She needed a solid foundation before she could even begin touching it.
Ch 49- Infinite Wealth
Early in the morning,
Removing the hands, legs, and chest draped over him, Marcus teleported straight to the bathroom.
Standing under the shower, thirty-nine degree hot water washed away his drowsiness. The Phoenix Force picked up a scrub towel and cleaned every corner of his body.
He felt completely refreshed.
When he left the bedroom,
Jane was chatting with the Five Cuckoo Sisters, while Celeste and Mindee listened attentively.
Although they shared memories and knowledge, they still had independent awareness.
Their actual life experience was only thirteen years, most of it spent in a dark laboratory.
So they were fascinated by the astronomical knowledge Jane was talking about.
The other three sisters joined in and listened as well.
As a result,
Marcus walked over without anyone noticing.
"If you're interested, you can go into space anytime."
The six girls who were focused on talking and listening jumped in surprise.
Then,
Celeste tugged on Marcus's shirt and looked at him eagerly.
"Really?"
"Of course. Why would I lie to you?" Marcus said, rubbing Celeste's hair. "Faora already prepared Kryptonian blood serum for you. After the injection, you can go into space and absorb solar energy."
"That's great!" Mindee said excitedly. "Then let's go! Let's go find Faora!"
Esme, Sophie, and Phoebe naturally had no objections and followed the two sisters to the underground laboratory.
Jane lowered her head and tried to follow them, but Marcus grabbed her.
"What?" Jane avoided eye contact. "Don't I get one too?"
"What happened to all that courage you had while pretending to be drunk last night?" Marcus teased. "You were pretty aggressive then..."
"Hey! Don't say it!"
Jane glared at him in embarrassment. He was really taking advantage of the situation.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you."
Marcus opened the Gate of Babylon, took out Mjolnir, and handed it to Jane.
The moment she grabbed it,
Lightning spread across her body, and the Power of Thor greatly enhanced her physical strength.
Jane's eyes widened.
"Mjolnir? Did you rob Thor?" she asked in surprise.
"What, feeling sorry for him?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Please. Who cares about him?" Jane said dismissively. "You're giving this to me?"
"Of course. It's for you."
"Made especially for me?"
"Something like that."
Jane smiled happily, stood on tiptoe to give Marcus a sweet kiss, then began familiarizing herself with Mjolnir.
Summoning lightning,
Automatic recall,
Extreme weight,
Its functions were basically the same as Thor's hammer, but it also had an additional scattering ability.
Mjolnir could split apart, send fragments flying at multiple targets, then reassemble and return to her hand.
Although the power of each fragment was lower, it could hit many targets at once, and the sharp fragments had enhanced cutting power.
Perfect for clearing out weaker enemies.
Even after the Five Cuckoo Sisters returned upstairs, Jane was still having fun with it.
Fortunately,
Esme brought the Kryptonian blood serum up with her, and all it took was a simple injection.
This thing had been difficult to develop and adapt.
After all, the underlying DNA couldn't be fundamentally altered.
Otherwise,
For mutants like the Five Cuckoo Sisters, the X-Gene would be overwritten and their mutant abilities would disappear.
Soon after,
A Quinjet Transformer slowly flew toward the upper atmosphere carrying the girls.
The Quinjet itself couldn't leave Earth.
But once they crossed the clouds and absorbed enough solar energy, they would awaken Super Flight and be able to fly into space on their own.
Marcus did not go with them.
Instead, he went to the Transformer base and found that Lorna and the other mutants were still there.
"I thought you'd go to Charles's place," Marcus said curiously. "Honestly, I'm surprised. Since you're Magneto's daughter, why not ask him for help?"
Lorna rolled her eyes.
If anyone else had asked that question, she probably would have punched them.
"That guy doesn't deserve to be called my father," Lorna said bitterly. "If he hadn't abandoned my mother, we wouldn't have spent years hiding in a basement."
Well,
A classic messy family story.
Marcus sat down beside Lorna.
"What about Charles? Professor X is supposed to welcome mutants."
"Yeah, right." Lorna laughed. "He welcomes mutants with potential. Do you think he takes in old people, women, and children with no useful abilities? Everything costs money."
Now that she mentioned it,
Most of the students at Xavier's School were either young, powerful, or showed great potential.
You rarely saw elderly people or ordinary mutants there.
Still, Marcus couldn't really blame Xavier.
There were simply too many mutants facing discrimination.
Even with all his wealth, how many people could Xavier personally help?
Marcus was different.
Money?
He could get as much as he wanted.
Manpower?
With the AllSpark in hand, he could build whatever he needed.
Land?
As long as he asked, even the newly appointed Pierce wouldn't dare refuse.
And...
Marcus had always thought humanity's rejection of mutants was incredibly stupid.
The abilities created by X-Gene mutations were clearly a form of evolution.
Across the universe,
Countless races would envy that.
Yet on Earth they were treated like heretics.
Or...
Maybe he should gather them all together?
One mutant might not mean much, but enough of them together could create regional genetic evolution.
Or produce powerful descendants.
The more Marcus thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
Just as he was about to discuss it with Lorna, she suddenly spoke first.
"Do you like me?"
Marcus blinked.
The question completely derailed his train of thought.
Why did she throw a direct question like that at him?
Still, he nodded.
Just as he was about to explain his feelings,
"Good. As long as you agree to one condition, I'll be your wife."
Lorna's expression was firm.
Clearly she had thought this through beforehand.
Marcus looked at the children climbing all over the Transformers in the square and the other people enjoying the sunlight nearby.
"You want me to protect them?" he asked.
"Yes." Lorna looked directly at him. "As long as you can keep them safe, I'll be your wife."
Marcus studied her for a moment.
He had wanted a normal relationship.
Instead, she had turned it into a deal.
"Is that the only reason?" Marcus asked. "Just a transaction?"
At that,
Lorna looked slightly uncomfortable but still met his gaze.
"No."
"Before you arrived the other day, I made a promise to myself."
"If you came from the sky again and saved us like you did last time, I'd follow you."
Oh?
She was more straightforward than he expected.
Marcus smiled.
"Since you're being so sincere, I can't exactly be stingy."
He extended his hand.
Lorna immediately placed hers in his.
Marcus squeezed her hand and said,
"I actually wanted your phone."
Lorna froze.
Without pulling her hand away,
She took out her phone with her free hand and handed it over.
Marcus had Rob1 dial the number and switched it to speaker mode.
After two rings, someone answered.
"Who is this?" Pierce asked.
"It's Marcus."
"It's you!" Pierce replied enthusiastically. "Are you satisfied with the gift I sent?"
"Pretty good. Send more in the future."
"No problem."
"Good. I'm calling because I have something to discuss."
Marcus glanced at Lorna.
"I'm establishing a mutant sanctuary called Dawn. It'll accept mutants from around the world. Any objections?"
Lorna's eyes widened.
Holy crap.
She had seriously underestimated Marcus's ambition.
Protect them?
No.
He was aiming at the entire world.
On the other end of the line, Pierce frowned.
Mutants represented considerable influence, and he had originally planned to bring them under his own control.
But this was Marcus's first request.
He couldn't afford to reject him.
Pierce looked up at the sky.
The craters on the moon were now visible to the naked eye.
After all,
Marcus had created that damage while standing on Earth, nearly one light-second away.
If Marcus went into space and decided to cause trouble, nobody could stop him.
And the worst part was,
He wasn't even from Earth.
If he got angry and left, what could anyone do?
Nothing.
"I have one condition," Pierce said. "Give me a chance to make a public announcement. The Security Council will officially recognize Dawn and encourage cooperation. Any mutant without a criminal record who wants refuge there will be provided transportation through the nearest available flight."
When Lorna heard that, the way she looked at Marcus changed again.
Was he really this valuable?
"Deal," Marcus replied. "On behalf of Dawn, I'll donate ten tons of gold to every country."
"Then on behalf of Earth, thank you for your generosity," Pierce said with a smile.
Ten tons of gold meant ten million grams.
Worth roughly one billion dollars.
There were 197 countries in the world.
That was nearly two hundred billion dollars.
Even Pierce felt tempted.
Marcus was giving away an unbelievable amount of money.
After hanging up,
Marcus handed the phone back to the stunned Lorna.
"Dawn will be managed by you. Recruit whoever you need. If any government refuses to cooperate, make that call."
Lorna nodded absentmindedly.
A few seconds later,
"Huh? What did you say?"
Marcus repeated himself with a laugh.
"Oh. Right, okay."
Lorna finally calmed down, then grabbed Marcus.
"Wait! Ten tons of gold per country? You're serious?"
Marcus shrugged.
"You forgot. I'm an alien."
"There are planets made almost entirely of gold."
"Some planets literally rain diamonds."
"And..."
Marcus waved his hand.
Gold bars appeared out of thin air and surrounded the entire base, forming a massive golden wall.
The dazzling sight left everyone staring in shock.
What the hell?
A wall made of gold?
Wasn't he worried someone would steal it?
"Use this wall for now," Marcus said casually. "I'll take it back when you're done."
Lorna was speechless.
Dawn.
A golden wall.
The overwhelming amount of good fortune made her wonder if she was dreaming.
She grabbed Marcus's arm and bit down hard.
Crack.
"Oww..."
Her tooth broke.
So this wasn't a dream.
Marcus didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Without her magnetic powers active, Lorna was physically just an ordinary person.
Trying to bite him was obviously a bad idea.
A Light of Recovery fixed her tooth immediately.
"Calm down..."
But Lorna wasn't listening.
Thinking she had finally gotten confirmation that everything was real, she boldly threw herself at Marcus.
Her hands weren't exactly behaving either.
Marcus wasn't about to back down.
She was being this bold?
Out in the open?
What interested him most was that whenever Lorna became emotional, a faint aurora surrounded her body.
It looked beautiful.
But that beauty was something he preferred to enjoy privately.
Marcus quickly picked her up and teleported them back to a bedroom in Dawn Tower.
Lorna didn't even notice the change in scenery.
She had already gone from nervous and awkward to completely passionate.
Marcus naturally wasn't going to be polite.
After some skilled maneuvering, Lorna finally crossed that last line, tears filling her eyes as realization struck her.
This really wasn't a dream.
Ch 50- Science
Do you feel embarrassed when you wake up in the morning and see the opposite sex?
The answer is yes.
And very embarrassed at that...
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Lorna's emotions went out of control, and her Magnetic Field Control ran wild, sending the metal objects in the bedroom flying everywhere.
Although the room became a mess, none of the attacks hit Marcus.
When Lorna finally calmed down,
Marcus waved his hand, and all the objects returned to their original positions. The signs of destruction disappeared.
"What? Weren't you the one taking the initiative last night?" Marcus teased. "Now you're shy?"
After venting her emotions,
Lorna returned to being her usual bold self and looked directly into Marcus's eyes.
"Even though I thought it was a dream, it's already happened, so..."
Lorna boldly threw herself at Marcus again, and the aurora around her lit up the bedroom once more.
Beautiful.
Unfortunately,
Her courage was admirable, but her combat ability was lacking.
After another truce,
Marcus wrapped an arm around Lorna and said, "Marry me. I won't let anyone bully you again."
"Really? Didn't you just bully me?" Lorna shot him a look. "And what kind of proposal is this without a diamond ring?"
"Haha, that's easy."
Marcus raised his hand.
A diamond ring appeared. The diamond was as large as a pigeon egg.
It fit Lorna's finger perfectly.
Lorna happily rubbed the ring, her eyes lighting up.
Well then.
Looks like she really liked this sort of thing.
Marcus looked around.
The cups, glasses, decorations, and other items in the room all turned into diamonds.
Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The entire room sparkled brilliantly, leaving Lorna dazed.
Taking advantage of the moment,
Marcus had Rob1 register Lorna, and the system notification sounded.
[Congratulations to the host for marrying "Lorna Dane". The family bloodline has gained a potential X-Gene!]
[Reward obtained:]
Name: [Strike Freedom Gundam]
Rank: [A]
Description: The upgraded version of Freedom Gundam, designed for large-scale firepower annihilation battles. A single unit can handle mid-range and close-range suppression and guerrilla operations!
Slogan: The ultimate cure for insufficient firepower!
Huh?
Marcus had expected Magnetic Field Control, so why did he get a giant robot instead?
Still,
It was one of the most popular Gundams.
"Wow!"
"So pretty!"
Lorna's eyes lit up as she grabbed Marcus's arm.
"I want this cup to be green!"
Good grief.
She wanted custom colors too?
Still, she was his wife now.
What else could he do?
Spoil her, obviously.
After a few adjustments,
The room became much more colorful. Red, yellow, blue, and green diamonds filled the room, leaving Lorna completely satisfied.
Even though she was exhausted, she insisted on rewarding Marcus again.
This time,
Lorna was completely out of energy.
Marcus, meanwhile, felt refreshed.
After taking a shower, he walked into the living room in a great mood.
There he ran into Darcy, who had tears in the corners of her eyes.
Beside her,
Faora looked embarrassed and avoided eye contact with Marcus.
What happened?
Did Faora bully Darcy?
"Waaah!"
Darcy burst into tears and threw herself into Marcus's arms.
Marcus felt a little sorry for her and gently patted her back.
"What happened? Why are you so upset?"
As he comforted her, he looked at Faora questioningly.
Faora looked even more embarrassed.
"After Darcy injected the Kryptonian blood serum, she suddenly lost her ability to sense magic. I think it's because Kryptonian cells reject forms of energy other than solar energy."
Well...
Even Marcus found that amusing.
"It's not your fault. You were trying to help." Marcus said helplessly. "Darcy, stop crying. I have a solution."
Darcy immediately looked up in surprise.
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
"Waaah! Marcus, you're the best!" Darcy said excitedly. "What do I do now?"
"Kryptonian bloodline or magical perception. Which one do you want?"
Darcy hesitated.
The power of a Kryptonian bloodline was obvious.
Who wouldn't want that kind of strength?
But the ceiling for magic was even higher.
Not to mention,
She could borrow Marcus's power for free. Even a weakened version could rival Superman if used properly.
And Marcus would continue growing stronger.
"I want magical perception," Darcy said firmly.
Marcus nodded.
Using the Power of Time, he reversed Darcy's body to the state before she received the Kryptonian blood serum.
Done.
Darcy happily summoned a magic pattern and immediately kissed Marcus passionately.
Faora finally let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the problem was solved.
Otherwise it would have become a headache.
After Darcy finally let go,
Faora reminded him, "The others have already been injected with Kryptonian blood serum too. If they want to learn magic, you'll have to help them."
Marcus rolled his eyes.
" Why are you acting so formal?"
"I'm just reminding you," Faora said.
The expression looked strangely out of place on her usually cold face.
The contrast was obvious.
Come to think of it...
Faora still hadn't spent much time with the other wives, had she?
Just then,
A Transportation Gate opened, and Banner rushed over excitedly.
"I have very important news!"
"Hurry!"
"Come with me to Kamar-Taj!"
Seeing how excited Banner was, Marcus became interested.
Taking Faora and Darcy with him, he followed Banner to Kamar-Taj.
The Ancient One was there as well.
She was staring at a graph on a computer screen with complete focus.
Marcus looked at Banner.
Go ahead.
Banner pointed at the computer excitedly and explained:
"Magic is a language that interprets reality. I understand it as a program."
"It's like binary code, zeros and ones, except much more complicated."
"It operates within reality itself. You can think of it as source code that controls energy and matter."
"Magic absorbs energy, shapes it into shields or weapons, and then executes spells. Essentially, it's like connecting to a network, turning on a computer, and running a program."
Banner put an instrument on his head.
Then he raised a hand.
A magic pattern instantly formed and expanded like a kaleidoscope into a magic shield.
Fast.
Far too fast for a beginner.
Marcus frowned.
Combined with Banner's explanation, he already had a rough idea.
Darcy stared with wide eyes.
How did Banner manage that?
Hadn't he only been here for two days?
That was ridiculous.
Banner continued excitedly.
"I record the brainwave pattern, synchronize it with my own brainwaves, then reproduce the casting process exactly."
"It's basically copying and pasting a program, with a few adjustments for a different operating system."
"And it works!"
"This proves that magic is also a science, just one that humanity doesn't fully understand yet."
"Give me enough time and enough spell models, and I'll be able to derive formulas that let ordinary people use magic just like guns!"
Banner's face was red with excitement.
He even looked like he might start turning green.
The Ancient One glanced at him once.
The Hulk immediately settled down.
Clearly he had learned his lesson.
"All paths lead to the same destination," the Ancient One praised. "For Dr. Banner to analyze magic this way, that's true genius."
Banner smiled awkwardly.
"It was only possible because of your cooperation, Ancient One. Otherwise I couldn't have completed the first model so quickly."
The two exchanged polite compliments.
Meanwhile, Marcus was deep in thought.
Banner's scientific magic required a universal formula because every person's brainwaves were different.
But...
Brainwaves?
Humans were all different.
What about machine lifeforms?
Marcus immediately opened a Space Gate to the Transformer base.
Optimus Prime happened to be passing by and was surprised to see him.
Before he could speak,
Marcus waved him over.
Banner instantly understood what Marcus was thinking.
His excitement grew even further.
If this worked...
The entire Transformer army would become both technological and magical powerhouses.
Banner immediately copied the data onto a flash drive and handed it to Optimus Prime.
"The spell model is in here. Give it a try."
Optimus Prime didn't understand what was happening.
He simply looked at Marcus.
Marcus nodded.
Good.
This subordinate was smart.
Optimus Prime plugged the flash drive into his system and read the data.
The next second,
He raised a hand.
Just like Banner had done, he condensed a Magic Shield with no difficulty at all.
Then another one.
One in each hand.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Banner shouted excitedly. "Magic really is a science! Hahaha!"
This excitement had nothing to do with power.
It was the satisfaction of proving a theory.
In contrast,
The Ancient One frowned slightly.
Marcus normally didn't care much about magic because he was already powerful enough.
But if it could be used to arm his subordinates, that was a different story.
And Kamar-Taj's magic drew energy from other dimensions.
Simply put,
It was like using someone else's Wi-Fi to access a rented account.
When only a few people did it, it wasn't a big deal.
But if too many people used it, what then?
And Transformers didn't even have souls.
The rented account effectively became a stolen account.
Why would beings like Mephisto tolerate that?
The Ancient One had accidentally created a huge problem.
No.
A huge opportunity.
"Your Majesty Marcus, there is something important I need to discuss with you."
After explaining her concerns, she added,
"If you intend to popularize magic, I'm afraid it won't be easy."
Marcus nodded as if he understood.
But he didn't really care.
Whether the Wi-Fi got cut off wasn't his problem.
As for Mephisto,
Did he really dare break the agreement?
Besides,
Marcus wasn't weak anymore.
He could handle plenty of threats himself.
"It doesn't matter," Marcus said casually. "If one sponsor cuts off access, I'll find another. If someone crosses over to cause trouble, I'll deal with it personally."
Simple and direct.
Little stars practically appeared in Darcy's eyes.
Her man was awesome.
The Ancient One smiled helplessly.
What else could she do?
Marcus possessed magical immunity and could freely use the Power of Time.
Even Dormammu would only be a fifty-fifty match against him.
And who knew how many other abilities Marcus still had hidden away?
Then she thought about it again.
With Marcus backing Kamar-Taj, didn't that mean Kamar-Taj had gained a powerful protector?
"Then I'll be relying on you in the future." the Ancient One said with a smile.
Her attitude shifted naturally.
As expected from someone who had lived for centuries.
Marcus didn't care what she was thinking.
Benefits first.
Problems later.
"Banner, I'll leave this matter to you," Marcus said. "Copy all the spell models and hand them over to Optimus Prime once they're organized."
"No problem!" Banner said confidently. "As long as I have enough spell templates, I'll eventually derive a universal formula!"
Marcus nodded and looked at Optimus Prime.
"Other than you and Megatron, distribute the system according to merit."
"Yes, my king!"
Finally, Marcus turned to the Ancient One.
"You'll need to collect more spell models," he said. "I'll support Kamar-Taj whenever necessary."
"Looks like I'll have to bring out some of our hidden magic to keep things fair," the Ancient One joked.
She hadn't dared do that before.
Now things were different.
After Marcus finished speaking, Faora stepped forward and looked at Banner.
"Can I try it?"
Without hesitation, Banner handed her the device.
Faora put it on.
Her super brain activated immediately, and she quickly understood the principles.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't create even a spark.
Reluctantly, she removed the device.
"Super cells reject all energy except solar energy. Scientific magic can't be learned by those with Kryptonian blood."
That eliminated the entire Kryptonian race.
Otherwise,
Imagine a Kryptonian Superman who could also use magic.
Even Mephisto would get beaten up.
What a shame.
Faora stepped back regretfully.
Darcy immediately grabbed the device.
Then removed it a few moments later with a confused expression.
Brainwave maps?
Casting trajectories?
What was all this?
She couldn't understand a thing.
Marcus tapped her forehead and laughed.
"With that little brain of yours, stop looking for shortcuts. Just learn it normally."
Darcy pouted but couldn't argue.
Marcus laughed even harder.
Faora had a super brain.
Banner had seven PhDs.
Darcy hadn't even graduated yet.
What was she expecting?
It also proved that,
Even if scientific magic became a reality, you'd still need a smart enough brain to learn it.
It wasn't truly universal.
The matter was temporarily settled.
At that moment, Optimus Prime spoke respectfully.
"My king, there is another matter that requires your decision."
"Oh?" Marcus began walking toward the Space Gate. "Faora, come with me. Darcy can stay here and continue studying."
Marcus's reputation had reached an all-time high across the world.
He had saved Earth from disaster twice.
The title of Saviour was completely secure.
And now,
Governments around the world announced their support for the construction of Dawn.
Any mutant without a criminal record could register through official channels.
Food and housing included.
Transportation included.
The treatment of mutants had gone from second-class citizens to honoured guests.
There was no helping it.
Every time people looked at the holes covering the moon, they couldn't help but feel intimidated.
Not to mention,
The full backing of the World Security Council.
And...
Marcus was offering too much.
Ten tons of gold per country.
Every nation wanted a piece of that wealth.
Since resisting was impossible, maintaining a good relationship was clearly the best option.
An alien had brought the long-awaited spring for mutants across the world.
This would completely change the global balance and place mutants back in the spotlight.
The impact it created...
Was enough to change the course of history.
Ch 51- Whatt???
Eric "Magneto" Lehnsherr was planning something big!
That was...
At the upcoming International Summit, he intended to use the X-Gene Converter to transform all the world leaders into mutants!
The problem was...
To activate the X-Gene Converter, his Magnetic Field Control ability was required.
But even the small-scale activation earlier had cost him half his life!
"No, I can't!"
"The mutant cause still needs me!"
"I need to find someone to replace me..."
Unfortunately,
The most suitable little troublemaker had already run off to the X-Men.
A name flashed through his mind.
But just as quickly, he dismissed it.
He already owed too much to Lorna and her mother. He couldn't drag her into something like this too.
Tap tap tap...
Hurried footsteps approached.
Lehnsherr looked up and saw a woman walking over with several newspapers in her hands.
"Raven, you're just in time," Lehnsherr said weakly. "Go to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and bring back the little troublemaker. This plan needs her."
Mystique, Raven, who usually obeyed him without question, shook her head this time.
"That can wait. Take a look at this first." Raven handed him the newspapers. "Your plan may need to be postponed."
Postponed?
Lehnsherr immediately frowned.
The International Summit only happened once every five years. If he missed this opportunity, he would have to wait another five years.
Still, Raven would not bring this up without a reason.
Suppressing his dissatisfaction, Lehnsherr took the newspaper and looked at it.
[Shocking! 197 Countries Make a Joint Announcement! Mutants About to Experience the Largest Migration in History!]
What?
Had the world introduced another anti-mutant policy?
Lehnsherr quickly continued reading.
His serious expression gradually turned into surprise.
...
That alien saviour wanted to take in mutants from all over the world?
He picked up another newspaper.
[Dawn! The Dawn of Mutantkind!]
[Breaking News! The Spring of Mutants Has Arrived!]
[The Saviour Chooses Mutants, Are They Humanity's Future?]
[The Saviour Shelters Mutants, Kindness or Hidden Agenda?]
...
International news, military news, entertainment news, tabloid news...
Every outlet was reporting on it.
A campaign of this scale was using the title of Saviour and had the support of the World Security Council.
There was no way it was fake.
Otherwise, the damage to government credibility would be far worse than arresting a few mutants.
And...
In one entertainment newspaper, Lehnsherr discovered that the person in charge of Dawn was actually Lorna Dane.
And her identity was listed as...
The Saviour's wife?
Lehnsherr narrowed his eyes.
That alien...
He had already taken the Three Cuckoo Sisters away, and now he was after his daughter too?
The guy was unbelievable.
Still...
Just from the nearly two thousand tons of gold alone, it was obvious he valued Lorna greatly.
After thinking for a long time,
Lehnsherr finally said, "In that case... the plan stays the same. No need to bring back the little troublemaker. I'll do it myself."
Raven immediately became anxious.
"The situation is finally improving. Why do you have to sacrifice yourself? You..."
Lehnsherr raised a hand and interrupted her.
"Precisely because of this, I have to cut off their escape route," Lehnsherr said firmly. "Lorna is doing well. I have no regrets anymore. I can die in peace."
Raven nearly broke her teeth from clenching them.
If she had known delivering the newspapers would lead to this decision, she would have stuck with the original plan.
"That's enough. It's settled," Lehnsherr said calmly. "It's too much to ask a child to die for me."
Magneto was never someone who feared death.
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Xavier, Ororo, Logan, and the other teachers were also discussing Dawn.
"Lorna really surprised me," Xavier said with emotion. "When she turned down my invitation and built an underground mutant shelter, I knew she cared deeply about those people."
"She's too kind," Ororo sighed. "In the old environment, trying to protect every mutant was almost impossible."
"Either way, she's succeeded now," Logan said. "Charles, what about the school?"
The question struck at the heart of the issue.
Everyone looked at Xavier.
Xavier smiled openly.
"Wasn't our original goal always to preserve mutantkind as much as possible?"
"Now that Lorna has accomplished that, this school's existence may actually limit the future growth of mutants."
"Send out the notice. We're joining Dawn. Anyone who wants to come can come with us."
"With something this large to manage, Lorna will definitely need help."
To so decisively abandon a school he had spent decades building,
And willingly work under the younger generation...
Even Logan and the others had to admire Xavier's openness.
The average mutant didn't care much about what the two major mutant organizations were doing.
Most of them couldn't analyze the situation and worried that this was some kind of government trap.
So they still hesitated.
But there were also smart people who understood that governments would never risk their credibility just to catch a few insignificant mutants.
After repeatedly confirming that the same news was being reported worldwide,
They finally stepped out of the shadows and appeared at police stations, Sentinel offices, mutant investigation bureaus, and other government departments they used to avoid.
More often than not,
These were people with nowhere else to go and nothing left to lose.
...
Andy, who awakened his mutant ability after suffering school bullying.
And Lauren, whose powers were exposed while protecting her younger brother.
The siblings had been hunted by the Sentinel Services and forced into hiding.
Even their parents had been dragged into the mess.
Originally, they planned to seek out the mutant underground shelter.
But it had suddenly disappeared from public view.
Just as they were losing hope...
A newspaper they found on the side of the road gave them a new chance.
"Are you sure this isn't a trap?" Andy asked nervously.
"Do we really have another choice?" Lauren replied with a bitter smile. "Either we starve, or we take the risk."
Andy was still just a bullied high school student.
What else could he do?
"Then we'll do what you say."
Soon,
The siblings climbed out of a storm drain.
The moment they emerged, they ran into Turner and several mutants with horns and tails.
The collars suppressing their mutant abilities were gone.
Lauren immediately became excited.
Could it be...
Dawn was actually real?
Still, the siblings didn't dare approach recklessly.
Andy even hid behind Lauren.
The pursuit over the past few days had left a deep shadow on him.
Turner recognized the siblings immediately, and his expression darkened.
His child had died because of mutants.
He hated mutants with a passion.
But...
The policies had changed.
Mutants without major criminal records were no longer allowed to be detained.
Instead, they were to be treated well and sent directly to the nearest flight bound for New York.
What could a low-level official like him do?
With a dark expression, he asked, "You heard about Dawn?"
Lauren's eyes lit up.
"So... it's real?"
"I wish it wasn't," Turner muttered through gritted teeth. "I'm taking them to the airport. You two come along."
With that, he headed for the parking lot.
The other Sentinel agents ignored the siblings as well.
Only the mutants enthusiastically tried recruiting them.
"We were just released from prison."
"Anyone with less than a one-year sentence got released directly!"
"Come on! The Saviour is my god!"
...
Encouraged by their fellow mutants,
Lauren finally stopped hesitating and pulled Andy along.
They got into a Sentinel transport vehicle.
The entire trip felt unreal.
It wasn't until they actually boarded a plane, complete with private rooms, that they finally relaxed.
After eating a large meal, Lauren collapsed into a massage chair and immediately fell asleep.
The past few days of hiding had left her exhausted physically and mentally.
She had no energy left to care about anything else.
Until...
"Wow! That's awesome!" Andy shouted. "Is this real?"
Hearing her brother's voice, Lauren woke up immediately.
Andy was pressed against the window, his eyes shining.
What now?
The moment Lauren looked outside, she understood.
Robots!
An entire army of robots!
"Transformers!" a mutant said enviously. "They're the Saviour's only military force. They're survivors from Cybertron and can transform into any vehicle!"
Andy's eyes lit up.
He immediately wanted one of his own.
Lauren was also amazed by the existence of such incredible lifeforms.
But she remained relatively calm.
Just as she was about to leave with the crowd...
Whoosh!
A Space Gate opened beside her.
Marcus stepped out and immediately came face-to-face with Lauren.
Huh?
This girl seemed familiar.
Marcus searched his memories and remembered she was the heroine from The Gifted.
He had liked this brave and energetic older sister when he watched the show.
Definitely not because of her figure.
Then,
Marcus left Optimus Prime behind and walked directly toward the stunned Lauren.
Who was this man?
He was unbelievably handsome.
"Hello, beautiful. My name is Marcus," he said with a smile. "Are you part of the first group of mutants arriving at Dawn?"
"Ah? Oh! Yes!" Lauren answered absentmindedly.
"Thank you for trusting me." Marcus handed her a business card. "If you encounter anything unreasonable, feel free to contact me directly."
"Huh? Contact you? No, no!" Lauren waved her hands frantically. "Having a place to stay is already amazing!"
Meanwhile, Andy, who had been timid moments ago, excitedly grabbed the card.
"I'm Andy, and this is my sister Lauren," he said enthusiastically. "You're the Saviour? I'm your fan! Can I get your autograph?"
Marcus was about to respond when...
Boom!
Boom!
Crash!
A disturbance broke out elsewhere in the base.
Though it was quickly brought under control.
Optimus Prime hurried over.
"My king, the issue involves Sentinel Prime. I need to investigate immediately!"
Marcus nodded.
Optimus Prime activated his boosters and flew off.
Marcus looked back at Andy.
"As you can see, I'm a little busy right now. Contact me later."
After saying that,
He disappeared in a flash.
Andy clutched the business card tightly, his face completely red from excitement.
The surrounding mutants looked on with envy.
That was direct contact information from the Saviour.
The value was obvious.
Some of the smarter mutants immediately shifted their attention to Lauren.
The Saviour seemed unusually interested in her.
Several female mutants quickly approached her.
Building a relationship with her certainly couldn't hurt.
Marcus teleported to the source of the disturbance.
Megatron was proudly showing off his new upgrades to Optimus Prime.
"See this?"
"The Vibranium my king gave me!"
"My entire outer armor has been replaced!"
"Shells bounce off, energy weapons bounce off too!"
He was extremely proud.
The moment he noticed Marcus approaching, Megatron immediately dropped to one knee.
"My king!"
The other Transformers followed suit.
Only one older Transformer remained standing, studying Marcus carefully without any intention of kneeling.
Sentinel Prime.
In Transformers 3,
He had tried to bring Cybertron to Earth through a Space Bridge and sacrifice humanity to restore his homeworld.
A seemingly noble leader who, like General Zod, would do anything for his people.
Now, however...
"Stand up," Marcus said casually. "This arrogant one must be Sentinel Prime."
Optimus Prime immediately became nervous.
"My king, my teacher has only just arrived. He doesn't understand your greatness yet. Please don't take offense."
Megatron smirked.
But he didn't add fuel to the fire.
Instead, he excitedly said,
"My king! Sentinel Prime brought the coordinates of Cybertron and the complete set of Space Bridge pillars!"
"We can teleport Cybertron directly!"
"Use the AllSpark to reignite the Well of All Sparks, and Cybertron will enter a new era!"
Optimus Prime and the other Transformers all looked at Marcus excitedly.
Waiting for the answer they hoped to hear.
Only Sentinel Prime remained silent.
If possible,
He didn't want Cybertron controlled by anyone else.
But what choice did he have?
Marcus barely spared him a glance before nodding.
"I've already asked Zod to find a suitable planet. Once it's ready, Cybertron will be moved there and rebuilt with Krypton's assistance."
Megatron and Optimus Prime immediately looked at each other before bowing deeply.
"Thank you, my king!"
The other Transformers followed.
"Thank you, my king!"
"Thank you, my king!"
"Thank you, my king!"
Cybertron could finally be restored.
Then...
A discordant voice broke the atmosphere.
"Why not bring it here?"
Every Transformer turned in surprise.
Even Optimus Prime frowned as he looked at Sentinel Prime.
Before he could speak...
"Let him continue," Marcus said.
Optimus Prime could only remain silent.
Megatron lowered his energy cannon and narrowed his eyes.
The other Transformers were equally unhappy.
Where had Sentinel Prime been when Cybertron was dying?
And now he questioned their king?
Who did he think he was?
Sentinel Prime ignored them all and looked down at Marcus.
"This planet is rich in resources and ideally located. Why not move Cybertron here?"
"By directly absorbing this civilization's resources, Cybertron could save twenty years of development."
"Or perhaps..."
"You don't actually want Cybertron restored. You simply want control."
Good grief.
He was even trying to provoke him.
Marcus sighed.
Why did people always think they could compete with him?
He didn't even bother arguing.
"Optimus Prime," Marcus said casually. "He's your teacher. You handle it."
Optimus Prime's entire body shook.
Was his king asking him...
To kill his teacher?