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Watching the progress bar crawl forward, Senju Haruto simply found a spot to sit down.
Arthur, a seasoned regular here, was already familiar with the process. With practiced ease, he ordered two glasses of tequila, sliding one gently toward Haruto.
"The tequila here is quite good," Arthur said with a polite smile tugging at his lips. From beginning to end, he maintained a tone of utmost respect.
And it wasn't an exaggeration. Among all the sorcerers on Earth, Arthur admired Senju Haruto the most—so much so that he could only bow his head in awe. He firmly believed Haruto's future accomplishments would one day rival, perhaps even surpass, those of the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One.
That kind of reverence did not go unnoticed.
As a well-known patron of the No-Door Bar, Arthur had a certain reputation. Before Haruto crossed into the Marvel world, Arthur himself had served as the guardian of the New York Sanctum. That position wasn't just about status—it was proof of formidable strength.
So while Arthur admired Haruto's talent and power, the other guests couldn't help but feel envious. Yet what shocked them most was how a sorcerer of Arthur's stature could be so humble before someone as young as Haruto.
"Could the rumors be true…?" murmurs rippled through the crowd as speculation about Haruto's identity grew louder.
"What rumors?" someone asked.
Of course, the kind of people who came to the No-Door Bar were no ordinary folk. They either wielded magic themselves or possessed unusual abilities. Such powers often made them dismissive of ordinary humans, even blind to the world outside their own. The information passed around here rarely touched mundane affairs—it was always about other dimensions, magic, or omens of disaster.
So not everyone had immediately heard what happened in New York.
"You haven't heard? Word is, a powerful sorcerer appeared at the New York Sanctum."
"They say he effortlessly defeated a magical construct created by the Dark Dimension's lord."
"I've heard it too. They say his potential rivals that of the Sorcerer Supreme."
"The next Sorcerer Supreme, maybe?"
The discussion grew more heated. After all, the title of Sorcerer Supreme meant Earth's strongest defender. And with the Ancient One having held that mantle for centuries, everyone knew she would eventually have to choose a successor.
Without realizing it, Senju Haruto had already become the leading candidate in people's minds. Arthur's deferential behavior only strengthened the impression, making it impossible not to link the two.
Until—
Just as Haruto relaxed with his tequila, a group of people strode boldly toward him.
At their head was a woman dressed in a striking green gown. She carried herself with icy elegance, each step exuding superiority. Her gaze was sharp and frigid, sweeping the room like a winter wind that forced everyone back.
The crowd parted like receding waves. An invisible pressure spread through the bar, silencing the earlier chatter. Everyone knew something was about to happen—and it wouldn't be pleasant.
Arthur's expression hardened. He sensed the hostility radiating from the approaching woman and rose slowly from his chair. His voice was low but firm.
"The guardian of the Sanctum is resting. Do not disturb him."
As he spoke, his eyes narrowed, and his fingers spread apart. Magical energy began to shimmer faintly around his hands.
Arthur was not someone to be trifled with. Even here, many feared his power. The men trailing behind the woman immediately tensed, wary of provoking him.
"The guardian of the Sanctum, is it?" The woman's lips curled into a cool smile. She looked anything but surprised—rather, her expression said she had expected this.
"I mean no harm, Arthur," she said evenly. "I only wish to speak with this man." Her gaze slid past him and fixed squarely on Senju Haruto.
Haruto, for his part, hardly looked interested in the interruption. But he knew exactly who she was.
Her dress, her aura, the faint thrumming of magic inside her—it was unmistakable.
She was Madame Viper.
One of Hydra's core leaders.
And unlike someone like Alexander Pierce, who relied on schemes and deception, Madame Viper combined cunning and political mastery with something far more dangerous: magic.
She had forged a pact with a being of terrifying power—the Elder God of Death, more ancient and malevolent than even Mephisto or Dormammu. Dormammu's power itself was said to have originated from this god.
Though the TV version of Madame Viper in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been unimpressive—eventually defeated by the fourth Ghost Rider—in the comics she was far more formidable.
She was, after all, one of the rare mortals who had once lifted Thor's hammer despite lacking the godly worthiness to wield it.
"You must be Senju Haruto," she said smoothly. "The one who caused such chaos in New York."
Ignoring Arthur completely, she revealed Haruto's identity in front of everyone, then pulled out a chair for herself and sat down gracefully.
Arthur's face darkened. He felt insulted, but more troubling was the fact that she didn't fear him at all. That alone proved this woman's background was anything but ordinary.
"What do you want to talk about?" Haruto asked casually, setting his glass down. He gestured lightly for Arthur to sit.
Viper was powerful, yes—but in the end, she was just Hydra. And Hydra was nowhere near enough to threaten him.
"Cooperation, of course," Viper replied with a charming smile. "I don't know which Elder God your power comes from, but it's extraordinary. Twice now in New York you've displayed abilities that surpassed even my expectations. If we were to join forces, conquering this world would be child's play."
She paused, slipping him a special card. Some things, after all, couldn't be spoken aloud in front of so many witnesses.
Haruto glanced at it and confirmed what he already knew—this elegant, dangerous woman was indeed Madame Viper, one of Hydra's highest leaders.
"But I'm curious," Haruto said, meeting her gaze with a playful smirk. "If I help you conquer the world… what exactly do I get in return?"