051. Temporarily Moving into Hell's Kitchen
"Where is the worst place?"
"Hell's Kitchen!"
Duke nodded; it was just as he expected.
The official name of Hell's Kitchen should be Clinton, also commonly known as 'Midtown West.' Generally speaking, it is a rectangular area bounded by 59th Street to the north, 34th Street to the south, Eighth Avenue to the east, and the Hudson River to the west.
In its early years, it was a famous slum on ManhattanIsland, primarily inhabited by the Irish working class, and was notorious for its chaotic and backward living conditions and severe ethnic conflicts.
Of course, Hell's Kitchen is mentioned not only in the original New York of Earth but also in Marvel and DC.
In Marvel, it is where Daredevil lives; it is also mentioned in DC's Gotham, and Jessica Jones is from Hell's Kitchen as well.
Not just her, but the other two superheroes who would later form the 'Defenders'—Luke Cage and Iron Fist—are also from Hell's Kitchen.
Well, they are a group of street heroes active in Hell's Kitchen, fighting against the mob.
"How bad is it?" Duke asked.
"Uh... let's put it this way. Based on the information I've gathered, Hell's Kitchen is a place notorious for'serial murders' and is described by all of New York as 'possibly the lowest, filthiest block in the entire city.' Drugs, prostitution, casinos—there's nothing they can't do there that you can't imagine," Samir said.
"OK, then we're going there." A playful curve bent the corners of Duke's mouth.
"Ah?" Samir was stunned.
Diana was also very puzzled: "What are you going to do?"
She had originally thought Duke was planning to target those four major families. Had he become addicted to robbery? After a week on the train, she had already noticed this troubling sign in Duke.
Can one really get addicted to robbery?
But now, it seemed... perhaps... it wasn't what she thought!
Duke had no idea about Wonder Woman's inner thoughts; if he did, he would certainly be between laughter and tears. He was a protagonist, a good guy! How could he do such things? Even if he were to target the four major families, that would be extortion; how could he do something as blatant as robbery?
And don't forget, he owed the system -17,038 Talent Points; he had to earn points to pay it back.
Duke didn't answer Wonder Woman and continued to ask: "Who controls Hell's Kitchen now?"
"Uh..." Samir scratched his head, "I'm not clear on that; I didn't dare ask around. I only gathered from snippets of conversation that the other party is currently New York's number one mafia, the Giummo Family from Italy."
It was quite awkward.
Duke didn't blame him. After all, that was a mafia with a fearsome reputation; for them, killing was just a minor diversion in their daily lives.
Samir was still an ordinary person, so it was reasonable that he didn't dare provoke them.
"My dear, don't you want to punish evil and promote good? Protecting innocent humans from harm—hasn't that always been your belief?" Duke persuaded.
"I..."
In fact, Diana had no idea how to survive in the human world; her mind was a complete blank. Since she had chosen Duke, she would follow him, and Duke would be the one making the decisions. After killing Ares, she had lost her goal. If not for Duke, she would have chosen to 'live in seclusion' long ago.
At the end of the 'Wonder Woman' movie, she left Samir's group and walked into the crowd, which represented her choice to hide among people.
After all, having lost her boyfriend and completed her mission, her life had lost its purpose. Unable to return to Themyscira... she was completely lost about the future.
Just as in 'Justice League,' Batman questioned Diana, saying Superman was once the beacon for this world, and asked Diana—who had isolated herself for a century—what she had ever done for humanity?!
But now, her boyfriend was Duke, and he wasn't dead. After killing Ares, she had no direction in life and was lost in the human world, so she could only choose to stay by Duke's side.
Duke was also subtly guiding Wonder Woman!
"Don't you want to be a heroic outlaw like Robin Hood?" Duke asked.
"Robin Hood? Great, great, I want to be Robin Hood!"
To everyone's surprise, Diana wasn't the one drawn in; instead, Doutzen Kroes was like she'd been injected with chicken blood, clapping her hands excitedly, almost jumping for joy.
Duke rolled his eyes: "You get to the side; you can only be Robin Hood's follower."
"Why?" Doutzen Kroes was not happy.
"Because you still haven't cracked the 'Magic Program' I gave you." Duke rolled his eyes again.
"I... you, you're bullying me."
Doutzen Kroes put on a tearful expression, but Dukeremained unmoved; he had long since seen through this woman's act. Seeing that this trick didn't work, she gave Duke a harsh glare and ran back to her room to continue studying that damn 'Magic Program.'
Seeing this scene, Duke really wanted to slap himself. Why did I have to open my big mouth!
Now his Talent Points were negative, and he couldn't buy magic items from the mall at all.
Sigh, what a tragedy.
What if Doutzen Kroes actually cracked the Magic Program? Wouldn't he be unable to produce anything? No, he couldn't lose face; he had to move to Hell's Kitchen as soon as possible.
That place was full of villains; killing them would surely bring in plenty of Talent Points. He estimated that after taking down that whatever Giummo Family, he would definitely earn a lot of points.
Anyway, the Talent Points he earned wouldn't be deducted instantly; he could choose to pay off the debt, or he could choose to save them temporarily, or... buy some items or something.
As for drawing cards, he could forget about it; he wouldn't even think about drawing cards for the next few years!
He would talk about it once he had paid everything off.
Furthermore, Medivh had many more spells that he hadn't fully mastered yet. Could he learn a massive amount of magic in just one short week? Don't be ridiculous; a significant portion was still sealed. With his current strength, he couldn't read them, let alone understand them. Even if he looked, he couldn't learn them, and he might even... suffer from cultivation deviation.
No, it's 'Mana Burn.'
It's the same principle as cultivation deviation; if a mage isn't careful, they'll burn themselves up. Especially those specializing in fire—they're walking incendiary bombs who might turn themselves to ash at any moment.
"How about it, my dear?"
"I..." Diana was still hesitating.
"Don't think too much! I know you're lost about the future right now, but sometimes, we don't need to be fully prepared before we set out. Isn't the reason life is wonderful because of the infinite variables?" Duke said, gently patting Wonder Woman's hand.
"Fine, then let's go to Hell's Kitchen."
"Good. Samir, go buy a three-story house."
"Understood."
Now that they had money, it was just a three-story house; money was no object!
---Meanwhile, Robert Stark was pacing anxiously in his room, looking at his son who was fast asleep on the bed, nearly pulling his hair out.
052. Marvel's First Mage Tower (Part 1)
Eternal Slumber.
Three days. In these three days, Robert Stark felt as if a century had passed. Half of his hair had turned white, as if he were about to go gray overnight.
His brilliant son, who made him so proud, had been asleep for three days without waking up.
The way he looked...
It looked just like normal sleep, but he simply wouldn't wake up. Countless Doctors had come and gone, all of them helpless. Slapping him or pricking him with needles was useless; it was as if he couldn't feel pain. Although his son looked like he was just sleeping, he wasn't eating or drinking, and he was growing weaker by the day. Kept alive only by glucose, in less than three days, those once-round cheeks had sunken in.
"God, why are you torturing me?!" As he spoke, he pulled out another handful of hair... he was almost bald.
The maid pushed open the door and walked in quickly: "Sir, Doctor Hughes has arrived."
"What, Doctor Hughes is here?"
Robert Stark stood up abruptly, a glimmer of light appearing in his dull eyes. Doctor Hughes was considered a miracle in the medical world; since the inception of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1901, he had won the Nobel medal for three consecutive years.
To outsiders, this seemed unbelievable. How could something so ridiculous happen? It must be cheating. But those in the know were well aware that Doctor Hughesrelied entirely on genuine talent and learning.
Among his three Nobel medals, one was for 'Modern Sleep Medicine'.
Doctor Hughes was Robert Stark's last hope.
"Quickly... quickly, please bring him in."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait, I... I will go invite him personally..."
"..."
A moment later, Robert Stark walked in, tightly holding the other man's hand: "Doctor Hughes, I'm entrusting my son to you."
"Mr. Stark, please remain calm. I have heard about this matter. Rest assured, I will do my best."
"Yes, yes, please proceed."
With that, Doctor Hughes opened his toolbox, took out his medical equipment, and began a meticulous examination. About ten minutes later, just as Robert Stark was sweating profusely and becoming impatient from waiting, the Doctorfinally packed away his equipment.
"Doctor Hughes?"
"It's not looking good. This is the most bizarre patient I have ever encountered in my life."
These words caused Robert Stark's heart to sink into the ocean. Was... was there no hope?
"Mr. Stark, there are two possibilities before you."
Two possibilities?
Robert Stark's spirits lifted again. The other Doctors had done nothing but shake their heads repeatedly, unable to say a single useful thing. As expected of a three-time Nobel Prize winner, Doctor Hughes presented two possibilities right away!
"Which... which two possibilities?"
"Mr. Stark, have you ever heard of 'Sleeping Sickness'?"
"Sleeping... Sickness?"
"Yes! Six years ago, while traveling in Kazakhstan, I treated a unique patient. At that time, he had been asleep for—five days!"
"Five days?" Robert Stark was shocked.
"However, his situation was different from your son's. He would wake up for a period of time every day, but for no more than an hour, before falling back into a deep sleep. I spent a lot of effort to cure him. Yet, although he woke up, he suffered from symptoms such as lethargy, memory loss, and hallucinations." As he spoke, Doctor Hughes shook his head regretfully.
This was considered the greatest failure of his career; of the countless patients he had treated, this was the only case that was a failure.
Although he had successfully awakened the person from a long-term slumber, the patient went from'sleeping' to 'lethargic'—the kind where they doze off frequently throughout the day and need to sleep for a while every hour or two.
Although he had technically saved the person—since prolonged slumber can lead to death—there was still a sense of helpless frustration.
Furthermore, the patient exhibited symptoms like memory loss and hallucinations.
It was a massive headache for him.
"Then... is my son's condition... 'Sleeping Sickness'?" Robert Stark gritted his teeth hard.
If there was no other way, he would have to choose this!
Although his genius son might become a disabled person, it was... better than eternal slumber, wasn't it?
'Memory loss' would be absolutely fatal for a scientist!
"I can't be certain!" Doctor Hughes shook his head. "This is different from the case I encountered. I need to carefully examine past records before I can reach a final conclusion."
"Then... what about the second possibility?"
"The second? Mr. Stark, forgive me for asking, but have you offended anyone?" Doctor Hughes suddenly asked in a low voice.
This...
"Offended someone? Heh!" Robert Stark paused, then gave a bitter smile. "The Stark Family rose to prominence fifty years ago. Through countless competitions, I don't know how many families and factions we've crushed to get where we are today. I'm not a good man. The number of people I've offended in these fifty years... is far more than hundreds or thousands."
"..."
"Are you saying my enemies have made a move?" A look of ruthlessness flashed in Robert Stark's eyes. "Did someone poison him?"
"No! No! No!" Doctor Hughes quickly shook his head and waved his hands. "It's not poison. I've checked, and there isn't a trace of poisoning. Your son may have offended... a mysterious power!"
Robert Stark was stunned: "A... mysterious power?"
He wasn't stunned because he didn't know; on the contrary, he knew very well. It was recorded in the family archives, and his father had mentioned to him that they had received help from a mysterious power in the early years.
From the sound of it, it should have been a 'mage', but they disappeared later.
Otherwise, the Stark Family would have long since stood at the pinnacle of New York. Now, they not only had to endure the arrogance of the Wayne and Kane families but also had to watch out for Osborn's underhanded tactics.
Wait, could it be Osborn's doing?
No, that's not right!
If they had that kind of ability, they wouldn't have waited until now.
Do you think mysterious powers are a dime a dozen?
(At this stage, mysterious powers are all hidden away, unlike in later generations where you might encounter them just by walking down the street.)
"Mr. Stark, have you remembered anything?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing."
"Very well. I will go back and consult some ancient records. But if it is a mysterious power... I am powerless. You can only seek help from those who also possess 'mysterious powers'."
"I understand. Mary, please see Doctor Hughes out for me."
Mary was the maid from earlier.
"Certainly. Doctor Hughes, this way please."
"Thank you."
After leaving the Stark mansion, Doctor Hughes looked around to ensure he wasn't being followed before hailing a taxi.
(Taxis already existed in New York in 1907.)
"Driver, to Hells Kitchen."
"Huh?! It's not safe there, sir. Are you sure?" The driver was startled; it was very dangerous there, and drivers were afraid to go.
"Don't worry, just drop me off at the beginning of 8th Avenue."
"Alright then."
8th Avenue was a rather peculiar place, acting as a watershed: to the west was hell, and to the east was 'heaven'. Although Hells Kitchen was chaotic, it still had its own 'order'. They usually didn't cross the boundary randomly, so that side was relatively safe.
It felt a bit like the vibe of the Kowloon Walled City.
053. Marvel's First Mage Tower (Part 2)
At the very edge of Hells Kitchen, there was a small three-story Western-style house.
"Doctor Hughes, thank you. This is your payment," Samirsaid with a smile, handing over a money bag.
"You're welcome! You're welcome! If you ever need me for anything, just come find me." Doctor Hughes nimbly opened the bag, and seeing the $5,000 inside, his heart finally settled.
"But remember, about this matter..."
"Don't worry, I will absolutely not say a word. Besides, I wouldn't dare provoke you guys."
"Good then. Please, after you."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Like a dog, he left while bowing and scraping, the air of a top-tier Doctor from before completely vanished.
"Boss, he's been sent off," Samir said.
"Mm, I see."
Diana walked over. "I thought you were going to kill him."
"Why? You think too poorly of me!" Duke smiled and took Wonder Woman into his arms. "I'm a person with a very clear sense of right and wrong. I only kill those who are truly heinous. As long as there's even a slight chance of redemption... I won't take their lives."
"I hope so!" Diana sighed.
It wasn't that she had developed a resistance to Duke, but in these three days, she had seen far too much 'evil.' She wanted to kill, yet she was strictly adhering to her own creed.
Inside Hells Kitchen, she couldn't feel a shred of 'goodness'; there was only 'evil' and darkness here.
She had personally seen an old woman stab a little girl to death just for a bite of food.
She couldn't eradicate the darkness of this world; she could only protect kind humans. But in Hells Kitchen... she couldn't find a single kind human. She didn't even know who she should be protecting. Perhaps this 'goodness' could only be found in children under six years old?
Duke could feel Wonder Woman's anxiety, but he didn't have any good solutions. Coming to Hells Kitchen was for the purpose of farming talent points.
And the most annoying part was that three days ago—the first day they moved into Hells Kitchen—the damn system had woken up and even issued him a mission.
---- 'As a future Law God, how can you not have your own Mage Tower? Young man, work hard towards your Mage Tower!'
A Mage Tower, huh?
Holy crap!
The system rarely gave him missions, and this time it had completely caught Duke off guard.
What, how do you even build that thing?
Fortunately, the system provided blueprints that current-era architects and workers could understand. Floor plans, 3D views, perspective drawings, etc., along with dimensions, scales, and annotations—everything was comprehensible.
Among the Mage Towers offered by the system, such as [Hogwarts], [Tower of Eternity], [Tower of Miracles], [Farahlon Floating Island], [Dalaran], and [Karazhan], Duke still chose 'Karazhan'.
Nonsense, he had already inherited Medivh's magic; what would it be if he didn't bring Karazhan into existence?
Then he received 100 A1-sized blueprints for Karazhan. ヽ(｀Д′)?︵┻━┻.
He couldn't understand them at all.
But it didn't matter, as long as the architects understood. Besides that, he also received quite a few core materials for the Mage Tower, such as—[red dragon essence].
It was a massive chunk, as tall as a person and as wide as three, which nearly crushed him to death.
This thing... it must be a high-level 'magic essence' that only condenses after an ancient red dragon dies, right?
And then... needless to say, to build a tower, you first need money, and second, a piece of land that isn't small. Additionally, you need power... uh, well, in fact, in the United States, you just need money.
Although he had robbed a million dollars, he was still far from being 'rich'.
The first thing Duke thought of was finding a wealthy sucker.
His first target was Tony... no, it was the Stark Family. After all, compared to Batman, he was more familiar with Iron Man. At least he knew Iron Man's father, but he wasn't familiar with Batman's dad, let alone Batman's grandfather. At this current point in time, both families were headed by the 'grandfathers.' And as for the grandfathers' situations, how the hell was Duke supposed to know about that?
But unfortunately, although the Stark Family was very rich, he calculated that it wasn't enough to build a Mage Tower. Not in terms of funds, but in terms of favors; he hadn't been able to find a breakthrough point.
His interaction with Robert Stark was only that one time on the hms tamar, and it had even caused the other party to develop a hint of wariness.
Just as he was preparing to turn around and choose the Wayne Family, a piece of unexpected news provided him with a good opportunity.
—Iron Man's father, Howard Stark, was seriously ill.
And it wasn't a normal illness; he had fallen asleep and never woken up. Duke keenly sensed that this might not be a'sickness,' so he transformed into a raven and flew over.
Sure enough, Howard Stark's body was entwined with a very evil magical energy. To be precise, it shouldn't fall under the category of magic; it was 'Black Witchcraft'.
Eastern Black Witchcraft and Western Dark Magic actually shared similar principles.
Duke had already scouted from the windowsill from a distance; it wouldn't be hard for him to lift the Black Witchcraft!
The price would then be—using Stark's money to build his 66-meter Mage Tower.
That's right, sixty-six meters.
I want to cry (ㄒoㄒ)
What year would it take to finish building this?
But fortunately, the system didn't give a time limit.
A 66-meter tall Mage Tower.
It would need at least ten hectares of land area.
Considering that besides the main Mage Tower, there needed to be a surrounding area for the barrier, it would easily go up to twenty hectares of land.
Then considering current purchasing power, land sales, construction materials, and so on.
As well as the single largest investment in this: the train transport issue. After all, the stone materials for construction would all have to be quarried and transported from the Western Mountains. Given the relatively weak carrying capacity of a single train in this period, as well as the long transport time, quarrying the ore, loading it... it would take half a month for a single train to run to New York once. One round trip for a train would take at least twenty days.
At current speeds, it takes basically a week for a train to run from the Western Mountains to New York.
The quarry workers in the Western Mountains would need to maintain at least five thousand people to ensure the ore could be loaded and shipped on time.
Once delivered to New York, dozens of large trucks and over a thousand people would be needed just to transport one trainload of ore to the construction site.
To not interrupt the supply of stone, four trains would be needed to transport simultaneously, or at the very least three. At the same time, chartering three trains to run back and forth for at least half a year—how much would that cost?
On both ends, the miners in the Western Mountains, several construction teams at the site, as well as the odd-job and logistics staff, the number of people would basically reach nearly ten thousand. What about the food, drink, and basic needs of these people?
The money was mostly spent on quarrying ore, during transport, and on labor. As for buying the land and the wages for building the Mage Tower, those were actually insignificant by comparison.
A rough calculation suggested it would be at least close to a hundred million dollars.
Fortunately, this was Marvel Earth, not the one from his previous life. We ordinary people simply don't understand the world of the rich and the financial power of the Four Great Families; otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to afford it.
Trading for Howard Stark's life.
Was it worth it?
That's hard to say; it depends on how his old man calculates it...
Since he had a goal, Duke made his move.
Samir had found out that the most famous person in this regard was that Doctor Hughes from before. However, no one knew that this Doctor had become addicted to drugs because he couldn't overcome a certain medical technique.
He had already squandered his consultation fees from earlier years.
So, when Samir went over, he didn't have to say much before they hit it off.
They set a trap for Robert Stark.
During this time, Duke didn't have time to go out killing—no, to... punish evil and promote good. He had to pore over the design blueprints. When the Mage Tower reached a certain point in construction, he would have to go and carve the 'Spell Formulas,' bury the magic materials, until finally placing the 'red dragon essence' to activate the entire Mage Tower's barrier Spell Formula and link them all together.
Not only that, but he also had to connect the Mage Tower's defense and attack mechanisms.
He had to make markings on specific blueprints. After all, he couldn't always be guarding the site; when construction reached those parts, the foreman would need to notify him.
So, building such a thing was very troublesome.
Currently, large areas of land in New York were vacant, so there were plenty of places to choose from to build the Mage Tower. After continuous comparisons, he finally set his target on the Westchester area.
Hmm???
Why does this name feel so familiar?
054. Vika the Wisp
Oh—right, Duke remembered now; Westchester was Professor X's hometown.
Being neighbors with Professor X?
Hmm, that's actually a possibility.
Although the old man's academy often ran into trouble and was constantly being demolished, it was still fine. The location he chose was quite a distance from the 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters,' and his Spell Formulabarrier was enough to withstand those kinds of collisions.
Well, he just didn't know if Jean Grey was Famke Janssenor Sophie Turner?
The former had a good aura, while the latter had the advantage of being young and having bigger curves.
Of course, Professor X hadn't been born yet—let alone him, even his father was still a child right now.
That house was still just a mansion; it hadn't been turned into an academy yet.
Sometimes Duke wondered if Professor X had hijacked an alien spaceship. Why was the architecture of the basement so futuristic and high-tech, while the outside... was entirely in the style of the last century?
Two days later, Duke finally marked the key node locations on the 100 A1 design blueprints for Karazhan. He needed the construction foreman to notify him promptly when they reached those parts during construction.
"Boss, I got an invitation to Robert Stark's banquet. I'm sure you'll find it useful," Samir walked up and said.
In the three-story small western-style building, Duke and Diana lived on the top floor, Doutzen Kroes on the second floor, and Samir stayed on the first floor. The rooms were quite large, but Duke didn't look for a maid or anyone to do housework because there was something better...
Watching the 'Wisps' flying up and down in the room, Samir swallowed hard. He became increasingly firm in his belief in embarking on the path of magic.
This was simply too magical, wasn't it?
Over the past few days, Samir felt as if he were living in a 'fairy tale' world. Inside the house and outside... were completely different styles.
The interior was rich with fantasy style, while the outside... was a dark hell.
Stepping out the door instantly pulled him back to the real world.
"An invitation? What is it?" Duke raised his head and took the invitation. "Help me tidy up the blueprints."
"Yes, sir."
As Samir packed the blueprints, he was filled with amazement. He knew what this was—a 66-meter Mage Tower. That was where he would live in the future.
He was so damn excited!
Even though these blueprints gave him a massive headache!
"An invitation? Heh, how interesting. His son is about to die, and yet Robert Stark actually has the leisure for this?" Duke smiled and tossed the invitation onto the table. "Vika, help me pour a cup of coffee."
"Gugu..."
Vika was one of the pure elemental Wisps he had summoned. She had only a chibi humanoid form without facial features; her gender was indistinguishable, and she couldn't speak, only making sounds like 'gugu,' 'jiji,' or 'kaka.'
Soon, the transparent little ball flew over, holding a cup of coffee.
"Thanks, Vika."
Taking the cup, Duke smiled and patted Vika's little head, just like petting a puppy.
"Gugu."
The little ball rubbed comfortably against Duke's palm a few times, then circled around and flew off to continue cleaning the room, as if her boundless enthusiasm knew no fatigue. Although the 'Wisps' couldn't speak, Duke could still feel their emotions. For example, 'gugu' meant happy... 'jiji' meant confused or surprised... and 'kaka' meant angry.
"I'm so envious. When will I be able to summon a Wisp like Vika?" Samir finished tidying the blueprints and stood to the side, eagerly watching Vika as she fluttered up and down.
Even though Vika often shouted 'kaka' 'kaka' at him, he wasn't angry; on the contrary, he never tired of it.
He wouldn't even dodge when Vika threw things at him.
"You have no hope in this lifetime." Duke glanced at Samir; his loyalty was already at 70%!
"Ah?" Samir's face immediately froze.
"There are more than ten thousand types of magic in this world. The magic I'm going to teach you can't summon Wisps." Duke shook his head.
In reality, summoning Wisps was just one of the tens of thousands of low-level spells Medivh knew, but he didn't plan to grant Medivh's inheritance to others.
"Ah? Then I..."
"You'd better think it through. Wisps are just a minor spell; they aren't very practical in terms of effect," Duke said.
"Then, then never mind..." Samir scratched his head awkwardly.
Well, he had just been hit by another 'light orb' thrown by Vika.
This was Vika's only means of attack. The 'little light orb' was just a one-centimeter bead; it was painless and had no lethality, feeling like being flicked by a blown bubble.
"Keep it up. Just two more parts to go, and you can learn magic." Duke smiled, patted Samir on the shoulder, and walked downstairs.
"Boss, what are those 'two parts'?"
He was a bit confused. The boss was always saying things like 'two and a half parts left' or 'two point three parts left,' and now it was 'two parts,' but what exactly were these 'parts'? He couldn't understand it at all!
"Take a guess!"
"I..." Samir was so frustrated he almost spat blood, and he hurriedly chased after him. "Boss, isn't there a testing crystal ball or something? To see which element I'm suited for?"
"Read fewer of those fantasy novels; reading too many will make you stupid. My magic inheritance doesn't need those messy methods. You can choose one from Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Illusion, Necromancy, or Transmutation." Duke shook his head.
"Ah? But I've never seen any of these." Samir was speechless. What were all these schools of magic?
"That's why I told you to consider it carefully in advance," Duke said.
"Ah... oh."
"Alright, don't think too much about it. Go get ready; we have a banquet to attend tonight."
"Understood, Boss."
"Diana, are you going tonight?" Duke called out.
"No!"
"Alright then."
Wonder Woman was currently in a period of confusion. Over the past two days, he often saw her playing 'The Thinker,' probably considering the meaning of her existence? Duke didn't have much guidance to offer on this. To be honest, he was still just a university student himself and needed guidance too. What he could give her was nothing more than experience in dealing with people in the workplace.
In this strange world, he didn't even know how to live his own life yet.
For now, let's just make do with me helping you and you helping me.
While he was guiding her, wasn't she also subtly guiding him?
Regarding Diana's confusion, he was indeed somewhat helpless; she needed to figure it out and move past it herself. Whatever others said or advised would be useless.
After nightfall, at the Stark Mansion.
"Boss, this way please. I can't go inside, so I'll wait for you in the outer hall," Samir said.
"Mm, keep an eye out for any news," Duke instructed, then walked toward the inner hall.
055. You Know Nothing About Power
At a high-level banquet like this, servants aren't allowed in; they can only stay in the outer hall. However, one must never underestimate that outer hall. Sometimes, intelligence or news can actually be fished out from there.
After Duke entered the inner hall, he wasn't in a hurry to find Robert. Instead, he walked straight to the dining table, grabbed some food, and then asked for a drink before heading to a corner.
In here, he didn't know anyone except Robert Stark. Was the woman on Robert's arm his wife?
The banquet was quite dull, filled with various sorts of small talk.
Duke finally understood why Robert Stark was holding a banquet at this time—it was to create an illusion for everyone: 'his son has woken up.'
Although he didn't know why, this was a classic tactic, wasn't it?
From a distance, Duke raised his glass in a remote toast. When Robert Stark turned his head and saw him, his expression changed drastically. Leaving his wife and guests behind, he rushed over in a panic. Well, in Duke's eyes, Robert looked panicked, but in the eyes of the other guests... they were wondering who this person was that could make Robert run over to 'greet' him?
"Why are you here?" he questioned in a low voice. "I don't recall inviting you."
"But I did indeed enter with an invitation," Duke smiled.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Hey, hey, hey... back on the ship, didn't you say we had a pleasant conversation? How have we become so distant after not seeing each other for a month?" Duke continued to smile.
"You—"
The reason Robert Stark's expression changed so much was precisely because he saw Duke.
He had sent a telegram to General Wilson in Britain, but the news he got back was that there was no such person at all. The person who handled the documents was someone named Steve Trevor, but that person had already returned to the United States to report for duty.
The matter should have ended there as it couldn't be investigated further, but later General Wilson sent him an express package, sent directly from London to New York, though Robert had only recently received it. Inside was a photograph, the one taken by the old photographer in Feld town that day.
Of course, it wasn't the original photo but a photocopy. However, the clarity was decent, about eighty percent accurate.
After seeing that photocopy, Robert Stark was completely dumbfounded.
It wasn't because of Duke; he had seen 'Wolverine' Logan.
Gradually, long-buried memories surfaced. He had seen Logan when he was very young, probably around ten years old. Thirty years had passed now, yet the appearance in his memory hadn't changed at all.
Then Logan must be one of those with 'mysterious powers.'
He had seen Logan kill a woman with his bone claws with his own eyes.
Looking at the positions in the photo, Duke was standing right in the center with that woman. He didn't care about the woman... but Duke, standing right in the middle, was definitely no ordinary person.
Remembering that Duke had mentioned his son 'Howard' the moment they met made him even more shocked.
Consequently, he began to think in a rather unfavorable direction.
Could it be—that man named Duke was really coming for him and his son?
With so many coincidences piling up, was it still a coincidence?!
So, the moment he saw Duke appear, Robert Stark was certain the other party was the 'culprit'! Even kidnappers have to state their ransom terms; he believed... Duke was here to collect.
"Speak, what conditions do you need for my son to wake up?" he asked again in a low voice, gritting his teeth fiercely.
"I can only say I'm sorry, but your son's coma has nothing to do with me." Duke shook his head and drained his glass.
"You!" Robert Stark gritted his teeth in anger.
"Although it has nothing to do with me, I can save him." Duke slowly set down the empty glass and said with a smile.
"Are you... are you threatening me?!"
"Mr. Stark, don't you think this isn't the place to talk?"
Robert Stark gnashed his teeth and whispered, "You'd better not try to threaten me, or else... I will use all my power to destroy you all. Don't doubt it, I have that power."
"You know nothing about power."
Giving you a look of extreme contempt, figure it out yourself.
"You..."
Duke stood up and, without wasting any more words, walked straight upstairs.
Robert Stark was stunned for a moment and hurriedly followed.
"Where are you going?"
"To your son Howard's room."
"What the hell are you doing?!" Robert Stark questioned in a low voice, then shouted downstairs, "Catherine, entertain the guests for me first."
Then, without waiting for his wife's reaction, he clattered up the stairs after him.
"Poor thing, he's actually lost so much weight."
His cheeks had even sunken in. Duke shook his head; Howard actually had such an encounter?
Perhaps the world is different now?
"Speak, what do you need to..."
Duke waved his hand: "I've said it, your son's situation wasn't my doing. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. You can check the entry records and the hotel registration; I only checked into a New York hotel five days ago."
Robert Stark sneered: "Is that so? Coincidentally, my son fell into a coma exactly five days ago."
"..."
Damn it, the more I explain, the worse it gets.
Thinking carefully, it did seem that way, didn't it?
Although it didn't happen at the exact same moment, when Howard fainted, he had indeed just checked into the hotel. There were no surveillance cameras at this time; heaven knows if he had gone out after checking in.
"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do, but I'll say it again: you know nothing about 'power'." Saying this, Duke extended a finger and suddenly tapped Howard's forehead. A wisp of black light then spread out, flying toward the window.
Like a black thread, the end of the line was connected to Howard's forehead.
"This... what is this?" Robert Stark's mouth fell open in shock.
"A type of 'Black Witchcraft'. We'll talk about this later. Mr. Stark, are you sure you want this thread to continue spreading?"
"What do you mean?"
"What this black thread connects to is the Dark Wizardwho laid a hand on your son. When the black thread spreads and connects to him, the other party will realize they've been discovered. At that time... he might take a desperate risk and take your son's life," Duke said.
"What... stop, stop, stop, stop! Stop it now!" Robert Starkshouted hurriedly. He frantically reached out to grab the black thread, but no matter what, he couldn't catch or cut it. "You... what exactly do you want to make it stop?"
He suspected this was just a trick of Duke's, but he didn't dare gamble. Even if there was only a one percent chance it was real, his son would die.
"Can we talk now?"
"Talk, talk, we'll talk right now!"
Duke smiled and tapped his index finger again. The black line retreated swiftly, sinking back into Howard's forehead and disappearing...
"Whew..." Robert Stark slowly slumped onto the sofa, completely exhausted.
056. Lifting the Curse
"Wha—at?!"
After hearing the conditions, Robert Stark sprang up directly from the sofa.
"20 hectares of land, a 66-meter-high Mage Tower? You... don't push your luck!"
Crazy.
That would cost at least a hundred million dollars.
Buying land actually didn't cost that much; the key was the construction materials. The ones Duke requested needed to be transported from the Western Mountains. Although those materials weren't worth much themselves, the sheer volume was staggering. Combined with the long distance, the difficulty of extraction, the living expenses for nearly ten thousand people, and the need to commission at least three trains to run around the clock, the costs were astronomical.
Although there were already signs of an economic crisis, it didn't look too serious yet, so it was unlikely that prices and wages could be compressed too much.
(The United States experienced an economic crisis from 1920 to 1921.)
It would take at least five construction teams to build this Mage Tower.
The key was that he couldn't underpay the Chinese workers; they had to receive equal pay for equal work as the Americans. This...
He had initially thought of using Chinese workers because they were cheap.
Put it this way: if a local American worker's daily wage was one dollar, it might drop to eighty cents when the economic crisis hit. With some bargaining, it could reach fifty or sixty cents. But even so, it would still be twice as expensive as hiring Chinese workers.
In that case, hiring Chinese workers wouldn't be cost-effective.
"It's nearly a hundred million dollars at most. Is money more important, or is your son's life?" Duke said calmly and composedly. "If an agreement is reached, I can catch the 'culprit' for you right now and wake your son up."
"..."
"Have you decided? Of course, you can try to find someone else, but setting aside whether they can help you... is there still time?" Duke pointed to Howard's face, which had become very sunken.
This had already exceeded the normal rate of weakening for someone in a coma on an IV drip.
"..."
"You only have one hour to consider. After one hour, I will leave, and it will be useless to beg me then." Duke leaned back against the sofa with a smile. "To tell you the truth, my Mage Tower doesn't necessarily have to be a collaboration with you. I could completely look for the Wayne or Kane Family; they are even wealthier. If all else fails, there's also the... Osborn Family, isn't there?"
When Wayne and Kane were mentioned, Robert Starkdidn't feel much, as those two were indeed more powerful than him, but at the mention of 'Osborn'... he suddenly shuddered.
Although the two of them weren't strictly enemies, they were old rivals in the business world. Once the Osborn Family gained Duke's assistance, it probably wouldn't take long for the Stark Family to be annihilated.
Wait?
Could it be...?
Robert Stark suddenly thought of a possibility and immediately smiled. "The Stark Family is willing to cooperate with you, and I personally will help you build this magnificent Mage Tower, but I have one condition..."
"It seems the agreement is reached. I'll go catch the culprit for you now." Saying this, Duke pushed himself up from his knees and stood up.
"Hey, wait, I haven't finished speaking yet." Robert Starkbecame a bit anxious.
"You seem to have forgotten, Mr. Stark. Only I can set conditions, and you... cannot! Besides, you know nothing of true power."
Duke glanced back at Robert Stark and then ignored him, lightly waving his hand. A white 'Light Screen' appeared out of thin air, white in the center with a blurred halo around the edges. Robert Stark was shocked because he saw a very unusual room right in the center of the 'Light Screen'.
Then, he saw Duke walk straight into it and instantly vanish without a trace.
"Hey..." He reached out his hand, wanting to grab Duke or perhaps jump in as well; in short, he was dazed.
Is this... 'power'?
Do I really know nothing of power???
The next second, he heard a series of messy sounds like 'clatter', 'clash', 'bang', and 'whoosh' coming from inside the Light Screen. Just as he leaned his head closer to see what was happening inside, he saw Duke jump out clutching a man dressed entirely in black robes.
He was almost kicked flying by him.
As Duke jumped back, that magical 'Light Screen' also disappeared.
—Thud!
"Speak, who sent you to harm him?" Duke casually tossed the black-robed man onto the floor and pointed at the unconscious Howard on the bed.
"You... cough cough, who exactly... are you? You, you actually destroyed my magic cultivation..." The black-robed man's face was full of pain; his connection to magic had vanished.
A lifetime of effort, lost in a single day!
Awkward!
Pure awkwardness.
It was actually Black Magic. Well... to be honest, Black Magic and Black Witchcraft... are very hard to distinguish if you don't look closely.
This person lost his cultivation; is he useless now?
Robert Stark suddenly became bold. He stepped forward and delivered a heavy kick. "Damn it, you dare to harm my son?! Speak—why did you harm me?! My patience is very limited; don't make me skin you alive... Speak!!!"
The black-robed man was quite straightforward. He propped himself up to a sitting position, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and spat out a broken tooth. "The famous Robert Stark, I don't know you, and I have no grudge against you!"
Saying this, he glanced at Duke with a look of grief.
"Meeting a master, I'll take the loss today. There's no harm in telling you; the one who hired me to harm your son was Jumo. As for anything else, I don't know. Fine, just kill me."
Jumo?
The Mafia boss in Hells Kitchen?
How did he get involved?!
"Hmph! You want to die? It won't be that easy. Adams!"
Bang! The door was pushed open with great force. Dukeglanced over; it was the burly head of bodyguards he had seen on the boat before.
"Lock him in the backyard basement. I want him to wish he were dead."
"Don't worry, Boss. I'll take good care of him." Adams was massive; he reached out and hoisted the black-robed man up like a little chick.
"You destroyed my magic; Kamar-Taj won't let you off. You will be hunted endlessly by sorcerers from now on." Before leaving, the black-robed man added a 'threat'.
Duke laughed. "Oh? Since when did Ancient One allow you people to take on these kinds of harmful jobs privately? If she knew I killed you, she would probably thank me."
The black-robed man was instantly struck with terror.
He had originally only intended to intimidate the guy who had suddenly appeared before him, but he hadn't expected the other party to actually know the Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One.
"Mr. Duke?" Robert Stark had no interest in some Ancient One; he only wanted his son to wake up.
"Rest easy, it's not hard."
Duke turned around and lightly swept his hand over Howard's forehead, a pale purple glow lighting up his hand once more.
'Lifting the Curse'
This Black Magic was actually a type of 'Curse Technique'.
The next second, a hideous'skull' condensed from black smoke suddenly emerged from the center of Howard Stark's brow.
The skull began to wail and howl with resentment, its expression hideous and distorted. Its hollow, soul-devouring eyes glared fixedly at Robert Stark.
It scared him so much that he felt chilled to the bone, as if the Grim Reaper's scythe was resting against his neck, and cold sweat poured down his back.
Unfortunately, it was just for show.
After struggling for a second, the skull was evaporated and purified.
"Is... Mr. Duke, is it finished? My son..."
Before Robert Stark could finish his sentence, he saw his son on the bed groan and slowly open his eyes.
"Son—!"
A sudden lunge.
"Ah!"
057. My Life is Without Regrets
"You old geezer—are you trying to kill me?!" Howard Starkkicked his old man off the bed, heaven knows where he got the strength from.
Maybe it was a burst of terminal lucidity.
Well, after the kick, he slumped back onto the bed.
"Eh... why am I... so, so weak? I don't have... a shred of strength...? What's this? Why am I being stuck with needles?"
Suddenly seeing the glucose bottle by the bed, Howard Stark was momentarily dazed.
Duke was speechless. Who would have thought that the famous founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the future had such a 'derpy' and 'cute' phase?
Robert Stark climbed up from under the bed. He had been too excited just now and almost crushed his son to death when he lunged forward.
He looked quite embarrassed.
"You unlucky brat, you've been unconscious for five days and five nights," Robert Stark scolded, then turned and shouted outside, "Mary, have the kitchen prepare some milk and food."
Westerners are something else; after a long period of hunger, they don't eat congee or millet porridge, they go straight to gnawing on a plate of beef.
"Ah? Five days? No wonder... Whoa, what's wrong with my face? I look like a vampire!" Suddenly seeing the mirror nearby gave Howard a fright.
Duke stood to the side with a smirk. Was childhood Howard this amusing?
"And this is?"
Little Howard noticed Duke standing nearby.
"This is your Uncle Duke. He's the one who saved you with magic. You were in big trouble, kid—you were cursed by black magic, you know?" Robert Stark reprimanded him, "During this time, you're not allowed out without my permission, do you hear me?"
What the hell?
How did an 'uncle' suddenly appear after a five-day sleep?
But it didn't matter.
magic?
Little Howard's eyes immediately lit up. "Uncle Duke, I think I had a dream. It was very long, in a magnificent temple. Inside, there were many strange, powerful people... telling me all sorts of... messy things, I'm not very clear on it. Was it a dream? It felt so magical, like it was right next to me, especially that emblem... of an eagle with spread wings."
An eagle with spread wings?
No way?
Duke frowned. From the sounds of it, could Little Howardhave dreamed of the 'Holy Shield Brotherhood'?
You can even dream about that?
Like a temple specifically for enlightening and revealing things to humanity, guiding you from a vast distance... inspiring you... unlocking your innate instincts?
He didn't know much about the Holy Shield Brotherhood, only that the founder was an ancient Egyptian named Imhotep who led a group to resist an invasion by an alien insectoid race 4,600 years ago. And at that time, Apocalypse was just a subordinate of Imhotep. That's right, the one from X-Men: Apocalypse, one of the oldest Mutants in existence.
So Little Howard had received enlightenment from the Brotherhood of Holy Light so early on?
In that case, S.H.I.E.L.D. could be considered a branch of the Holy Shield Brotherhood, as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s eagle logo is very similar to the eagle relief on Imhotep's shield.
After all, the adult Howard's achievements were incredible, not paling in comparison to famous historical figures like Zhang Heng, Tesla, Newton, Da Vinci, Galileo, and other giants.
"This is an opportunity for you; make sure to seize it." Dukesmiled and patted Little Howard's head. Being called 'Uncle' a few times by Howard while he was still a little boy felt exceptionally satisfying.
This was a future big shot, after all.
"Mm, I will." Little Howard nodded, though he didn't quite understand what it was yet.
Having just woken from a deep sleep, after some food, the little boy drifted off into a slumber.
"Mr. Duke, what were you talking about? Is there... something wrong with the dream?" Robert Stark led Duketoward the living room, asking curiously as they walked.
"You don't need to know that. Just know that Howard has gained a blessing in disguise this time. Of course, whether he can seize this opportunity depends on his own ability. Now, let's talk about the construction plan for the Mage Tower."
As he spoke, Duke reached out to the side.
A sudden small vortex appeared. Robert Stark watched in horror as Duke's hand reached in and disappeared. Only the upper arm remained; the forearm was gone.
He curiously reached out and waved behind the'small vortex'. There was no sense of obstruction. Was the hand really gone?
"What are you doing?"
"No, nothing." Robert Stark scratched his head awkwardly and sat back down.
'Space Bag': Creates a portable independent small space to store and retrieve items.
Soon, 100 Karazhan A1 design blueprints were taken out and placed on Robert Stark's table.
This... is so freaking convenient!
Startled, Robert Stark quickly flipped through them. A1 blueprints are quite large. Although he didn't understand this stuff, his businesses included real estate. He usually dealt with design corpses.
So complex?
So detailed!
So massive?
He secretly sucked in a breath. What on earth was he building? This wasn't just a tower; this was a freaking war tower that could fire shockwaves!
But...
Cough, this is really too complex.
I bet the design corpses are really going to become design corpses!
"Fine! I'll take this job. Since I said it, I'll definitely do it. Mr. Duke, please be patient. I'll need about a month for preparation," Robert Stark patted his chest in assurance.
"I'm in no hurry. You don't need to call me 'Mr.' anymore; just call me Duke."
"Ah, alright, good, good."
Robert Stark was overjoyed. This was exactly the result he wanted! Dropping the 'Mr.' meant their relationship had grown much closer, at least on the surface.
This was quite rare.
"Then, that... me?"
Duke knew what he was thinking and waved his hand. "You won't have a chance in this lifetime. Everyone has their own destiny. Like your son, Little Howard—he's been chosen by a 'mysterious power'. His future... will be incredible. Focus on raising your son for now. I can only guarantee that as long as I'm around... the Stark Familywill not be destroyed."
Robert Stark sighed inwardly. He knew it was a pipe dream, but this was fine too.
"As for your descendants, that will depend on their fate with me."
As he spoke, Duke stood up.
"You don't need to get involved in Jumo's business. I'll handle him personally."
"Very well."
"That's it, then. Please open the window."
"Huh?"
Robert Stark was stunned, not quite understanding, but he obediently pushed open the window. Then his eyes widened. What did he see? Duke turned into a black crow and flew out with a 'caw-caw'.
To his ears, the 'caw-caw' sounded like it was mocking him—fool, fool, fool!
Then he flopped back onto the sofa.
Why did this crow feel so familiar?
"Ah—?!"
Wasn't that... the crow he shooed away from his son's bedroom window two days ago?
"..."
Emmmm...
(￣—￣)
My life is without regrets. I remember running under the sunset that day; that was my lost youth.
(ㄒoㄒ) Farewell...
058. Moving into Karazhan
Time flowed by, and it had already been two years since Duke arrived in New York.
Under his efforts, "Hells Kitchen" had become "Hells Kitchen." Jumo of the Mafia family had already been dead for a year and a half; Duke hadn't been in a rush to kill him, but instead kept him on edge, letting him live in panic and fear. Within two years, he had drastically overhauled Hells Kitchen, sweeping away its dark atmosphere.
Of course, although today's "Hells Kitchen" had changed its name, in Heaven... shadows still existed.
Darkness can never be fully purged.
"Boss, I've mastered 'Sunlight Shot'!" Samir ran in nimbly, and seeing the window open, he fired a shot toward the outside.
'Bang!'
A burst of fierce, golden sunlight suddenly exploded.
It was dazzling.
"Very good, but you've frightened Vika!" Duke revealed a "kindly" smile.
"Ah...?"
Having just learned his new 'Gun Magic,' he hadn't even had time to get excited before he froze with his mouth wide open.
The next second, he nimbly scurried downstairs.
However, it was too late.
A large water droplet smacked him right on the back of the head, and then... he was soaked to the bone.
"I say, Vika, I've fed you quite a few bullets, haven't I?" Samir felt very aggrieved, a total tragedy.
"Humph!" Vika was very tsundere and cold.
But when she was tender, she was like Water, and when passionate, she was like Fire—two completely different personalities!
"Then... then I'll head down first, Boss." Samir shook his hair and nimbly ran toward the stairs.
Indeed, two years had passed.
Three months ago, Samir's loyalty reached 90%, and he finally received the inheritance of magic as he wished; now, his loyalty was at 92%. Once it reaches 90%, it won't decrease, only increase, but that's no longer significant. It simply means that at 100% loyalty, he would sacrifice himself for Duke without hesitation.
Of course, Duke didn't need that!
The inheritance Samir received was the magic of Alzack Connell, an 'A-Rank Mage' from the 'Fairy Tail' Guild—the 'Bullet Magic' that involves loading magic bullets into firearms.
Also known as 'Gun Magic.'
Since Samir was already good with guns, Duke just gave him 'Gun Magic.'
Well, his current outfit looked a bit like Wolverine's look in "Van Helsing," a Demon Hunter's attire. A leather coat, a western cowboy hat—full of cowboy style.
However, Samir wasn't equipped with Van Helsing's crossbow; several guns hung at his waist, and several different types of guns were also hidden under his leather coat.
magic 'Bullet': A magic where firearms are loaded with 'magic bullets' to perform attacks based on different bullet types.
For example, the bullets fired by 'Spark Shot' produce electric shocks; Duke couldn't understand why it was named that—shouldn't it fire flame bullets?
Rename! Rename! It must be renamed!
And the 'Sunlight Shot' from earlier was actually firing flash bullets to blind enemies.
Besides that, there was 'Cyclone Shot,' which fires two bullets that merge to create a massive tornado.
'Blast Shot,' using a single gun to fire bullets rapidly and continuously.
'Full Fire,' surrounding the target with guns and cannons to fire every shell.
And so on and so forth...
Of course, Samir hadn't mastered all of the 'Bullet Magic' yet. Moreover, different spells required different firearms, which was why so many guns hung inside his clothes.
For instance, 'Full Fire' required a cannon barrel to perform, but where was he supposed to get a cannon barrel?
However, once he fully mastered Gun Magic, these limitations could be broken. For example, using a pistol to fire full cannon shells...
As for him feeding Vika many bullets, that was because he needed to practice Bullet Magic, and Vika's trait was devouring magic. After devouring magic, she would grow.
Simply put, the little sprite Vika could grow by eating magic.
Now, two years later, Vika was no longer a chibi blob; she had grown into a 'great beauty.'
Well, although she still had no facial features, her figure had become increasingly sexy.
Of course, her growth was under Duke's intervention and control. If Duke wanted her to grow fat, she would have grown 'round' instead of her current devastatingly beautiful form.
"Wait a moment."
"Ah? Boss, is there something else?" Samir quickly braked and turned around to ask.
"Get ready to pack up; we're moving today."
"Moving? Really!!!" Hearing they were moving, Samirimmediately jumped up. "Are we... are we moving into Karazhan?"
Excited, he was far too excited, even though he wasn't quite sure why that Mage Tower had to be named 'Karazhan.'
"Mhm."
"Yes, that's great! I bet the lady boss will be very happy. Then Boss, I'll go get ready right now." As Samir spoke, he nimbly darted out.
He could use magic to step on the air and move rapidly.
Two years.
The Mage Tower was finally completed!
He had gone to see it half a month ago; the Mage Tower's progress was very fast, with only some minor details left. Once they cleared out the debris, this magnificent high tower could be declared finished.
Overall, it still followed the 'grey-black' tone of the original Karazhan—ancient, solemn, and grandly steady. Although newly built, it gave off a weathered sense of age.
It looked like something from hundreds of years ago.
The stone structure was entirely made from rocks from the Western Mountains.
The exterior was identical to Karazhan, but the interior had some slight changes. The outer shape was based on the Karazhan dungeon from the game, and the internal structure was basically consistent with the dungeon, but in reality... one could refer to its appearance in the Warcraft movie.
After all, the Karazhan in the game was ruined.
After Medivh's magic explosion, many places were destroyed, and later it was further damaged and altered by demon invasions.
The stables, banquet hall, and opera house on the bottom floor still existed, but they had changed quite a bit.
The stables became the Beast Pen.
This place could be said to be the graveyard for those who sacrificed themselves when the Stormwind guards attacked Karazhan. Because of Karazhan's unique nature, the souls of the dead soldiers couldn't leave and could only gather here at the stables to 'guard the door.'
Duke's Karazhan wasn't actually in the Middle Ages, so there wouldn't be any horses; thus, there was no need for stables, so it was changed to a 'Beast Pen.'
He had an idea.
But it couldn't be realized yet; it would have to wait for later.
Just after the group moved into Karazhan, the long-absent system popped up again.
'Host, your magic has reached saturation; it is time to advance to the legendary realm. Please ensure you finish your affairs and instructions in the human world.'
Duke was instantly excited. Was he finally about to step into the legendary realm?
Wait, what did it mean by finishing affairs and instructions?
059. Roaming the Astral Plane to Advance
"Wait, what do you mean by 'handling the aftermath' and 'giving instructions'?" Duke asked, dazed.
'The host's advancement will likely take several years. As for how long, that depends on the host's own talent.'
"Nani?" Duke's mouth fell open. Years?
Holy crap!
From the sound of it, it didn't just feel like a few years—more like a dozen, or even decades?
Could it be that as soon as I start advancing, I'll be out for decades?
Will I wake up to find that Tony Stark has already become 'Iron Man'?
"Alright, um... can I... not advance?" He wasn't mentally prepared for this sudden advancement and was feeling a bit flustered.
'That is impossible, host. magic power can only grow and will not decline, unless the host can completely exhaust their magic power, but that would only delay it for a while.'
Duke was conflicted. He could run to a deserted place, cast a few massive spells, and empty his magic power, naturally stopping the advancement. But that would only be a temporary halt because magic power recovers on its own. Given his strength, it would only take half a month to fill up again even if he did nothing.
Should he just keep casting?
To deal with the countless troubles and dangers of the future, he had to advance; there was no way around it.
The strength of the peak Hero Level wasn't enough to handle the 'Legendary' and 'Demigod' level invaders that would appear in the future at the drop of a hat.
"Fine, then... how long does it take to advance to the Legendary realm?" He was still a bit nervous.
'The host can refer to the 'Sorcerer Supreme' Ancient Onehere; it took her nearly a hundred years to advance from an apprentice to the Demigod realm. And now... 400 years have passed, and she remains at the Demigod level of strength.'
"Damn!"
400 years and she still hasn't advanced from Demigod to Master God!
"Then... what about advancing to the Legendary realm?"
'The host can refer to Azeroth's 'Guardian' Medivh. It took him five years to step from Hero to the Legendary realm. He roamed through countless astral planes and eventually found his own method of advancement.'
"Holy crap, five years?" Duke was dumbfounded. Medivhwas a once-in-five-hundred-years magical genius, and even he took five years to reach Legendary.
It's over. Duke felt that if he didn't have fifty years, he wouldn't be able to advance.
He didn't think his talent was better than Medivh's. Don't forget, Medivh inherited most of the Guardian power from his mother, the strongest Guardian Aegwynn, at birth.
And the 'Demon King' Sargeras lived inside his body too.
With the'support' of two top-tier big shots, it still took him five years to step from Hero to the Legendary realm.
Damn—
Duke felt that his own goal was indefinitely far away!
/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~
"Then... how... how do I level up?"
Duke didn't understand this at all. He knew how to cultivate magic power, but he didn't know how to advance. After all, he had a cheated life; he started at the late Hero stage and had never experienced the trials of advancing.
'The host's spiritual power will enter the astral plane to roam, but the physical body will remain in the original world.'
"Wait! I have to enter the astral plane?" Duke shuddered. It wasn't that he had never entered an 'astral plane' before.
The astral plane roughly meant a 'plane of existence,' but it wasn't a plane in the general sense. It was very complex! Put it this way: the Marvel sorcerers' 'Mirror Dimension' is a type of 'astral plane.' Additionally, 'dreams'... are also a kind of astral plane.
For Medivh, his astral planes were the many Dimensional Spaces connecting to Azeroth.
As for the Ancient One, to explore the world and increase her cultivation, she also frequently travels through the Universe and Multi-dimensional Spaces.
In short, the paths of advancement for these two were both successful only after wandering through various planes, dimensions, and Multi-dimensional Spaces.
So it wasn't the system intentionally messing with Duke.
Furthermore, when those two roamed, they traveled with both their physical bodies and spirits... crossing everywhere.
Medivh relied on the protection of two top-tier big shots; even if his strength was low, he could still roam the astral planes physically.
As for the Ancient One, he didn't know much about her.
However, he was different from the two of them. His physical body would stay in the original world, and only his spirit would enter the astral plane to travel.
It wasn't that he hadn't been to an astral plane, but those times his body had entered directly.
Like how it was back on the ship.
Having only the spirit enter... he was a bit panicked.
Separation of spirit and shell!
And the spirit is extremely fragile. If he encountered danger in the astral plane and was dispersed by a powerful enemy, then would he... become a vegetable? Or simply die?
'The host need not worry! During the time in the astral plane, the host's spirit is immortal and indestructible; no one can kill the host. However, the system can only guarantee the host this much.'
"Damn! Immortal and indestructible? Then... what if the opponent traps me? Wouldn't that be a total disaster?" Duke rolled his eyes. Don't play word games with me.
'Rest assured, if the host encounters an invincible opponent, you can call upon the system, but doing so will return the host's spirit to the body, which means... the advancement fails.'
"What happens if the advancement fails?"
'It is just a failure. If the host wants to advance, you must enter the astral plane to roam again! However, a period of rest is required before you can enter again.'
"I see." That was acceptable. Duke breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what about my body in the original world? How is its safety guaranteed?"
'Karazhan will activate its maximum defense mechanism. Only those permitted by the host can enter or leave freely. The host's room will have a second defense mechanism; anyone approaching with ill intent toward you will be instantly banished from Karazhan.'
Ah?
Does this mean the system is worried that Wonder Woman might have harmful intentions toward me?
No way, right?
Wonder Woman is a hero.
But one should never be without a heart of caution.
At this point, Duke finally understood why the system wanted him to build a Mage Tower; it was to give him an absolutely safe place. If he were in a tavern or a hotel, it would be too dangerous.
The advancement method was similar to cultivation; though slightly different, all paths lead to the same destination. Countless mages died during the advancement process from Mana Burn or Magic Backlash, which could be said to be extremely perilous. But Duke was different; he had the system and only needed to wake up from a nap for it to be OK.
But—this damn'sleep' time was uncertain. it could be a few days, or it could be years, a dozen years, or even decades. The higher the stage of advancement, the longer the time required.
Though for him, it was a 100% success rate.
He wouldn't suffer from Magic Backlash or Mana Burn; there was simply no threat to his life!
However, whether the advancement would actually succeed still depended on his own talent, opportunity, and comprehension.
As a side note, the reason the system needed talent points was for upgrading itself. It had already upgraded within the last two years, though after the upgrade, he didn't feel like much had changed.
"Wait, what if I'm attacked by enemies? If Karazhan is breached and an enemy gets to me, what then?"
'That is impossible. Karazhan's full-power attack can kill those at the Demigod realm.'
Holy crap, it's that powerful?
"Please answer directly."
'If that truly happened, the host would also wake up, and the advancement would simply be interrupted. But that is impossible...'
"Alright, I get it." Duke ruffled his hair, his face full of distress. If he slept for several years, would Wonder Woman cheat on him?
'The host need not worry; the host's body is still in the original world.'
Eh?
What does that mean...
Does it mean?
Ahem, an indescribable image appeared in his mind.
060. Karazhan Disappears
(PS: Today I'm updating with a chapter of 3000+ words. My old book, The Max Level Player in One Piece, has finished today. I'm feeling a bit sentimental; although the old book was a flop and didn't have many subscriptions, I still feel... a bit reluctant in my heart. You won't understand the sense of melancholy after finishing a book, it's like losing something. Thanks to the readers who supported me along the way. Starting tomorrow, I'll update 3 chapters at irregular times. ￣ω￣=)
————
"What? You're about to advance..." Diana was a bit stunned at the sudden news. "And you have to enter a deep sleep?"
"Yes! My advancement is different from others. Simply put, I just need to sleep. However, my spirit and body will separate; the body stays in the original world, while the spirit travels through the various Primal Astral Planes. As for... when I'll wake up and successfully advance... that's uncertain. It might take over a decade?" Duke's voice grew smaller as he spoke.
Diana was also a bit dazed. She had grown used to having Duke's company while sleeping. Suddenly having to'sleep apart,' and for over a decade at that...
"There's no other way. I must advance; it's something I can't bypass." Duke shook his head.
This wasn't strange anymore.
Just look at those masters in wuxia novels; to break through to a new realm, they'd go into seclusion for a year or two at the drop of a hat.
"Here." Duke pulled out a jade plaque and placed it in the Wonder Woman's palm.
"What is this?"
Diana turned it over and over; it was just a piece of ordinary jade. If one had to be specific, it was a piece of expensive Hetian Jade seed material with a yellow skin.
Both sides were smooth without any carvings, only some strange magic Spell Formulas flashing.
"This is an 'Astral Beacon'!"
"Astral Beacon?"
"Yeah, with it, I can accurately find you among the many astral planes. When you sleep, just place it by your bedside, and you'll be able to talk to me in your dreams. So, don't worry, I haven't left. Of course, I can't come to find you every night, so don't worry about my safety if you don't see me." Duke said.
"Phew..."
If that was the case, Diana could accept it. At least they could meet and talk, so she wouldn't be completely lonely.
Even if it was in a dream.
"If you're lonely, you can come by yourself. Of course, don't drain me too much; occasionally feed me some ginseng and maca water." Duke suddenly leaned in and said with a mischievous grin.
At first, Diana didn't react, but when she saw Duke's cheeky expression, she understood immediately and glared at him fiercely: "What time is it, and you're still messing around!"
But in her heart, she added: Hmph, if I have to come by myself, I will.
"Then... do you have anything else to say?"
Diana was only stunned for a while and quickly adapted. It was nothing; wasn't she also isolated from the world when she was on Paradise Island?
"Nothing else! Just be safe. Although not many people can hurt you now... be careful with everything. As for the years I'm advancing, you can go experience life in the human world; you don't have to be a superhero every moment. Oh, right, this is for you." Duke took out a 'white jade' mask.
"What is this?"
"A 'Magic Mask'! Your lifespans are very, very long. 100 years is enough for a human to go from a newborn baby to ashes buried in the ground, but you... you don't change at all. So, if you want to live in the human world, remember to change your appearance."
"It can do that?"
"Yeah, it can change your age according to your thoughts, or completely switch to another appearance." Duke said.
Originally, the Wonder Woman wandered the worldstarting from London, changing cities every ten years, so she didn't need to change her face. But it wouldn't work now. Since the Wonder Woman had settled in New York, she needed this thing. Not just for the Wonder Woman, he also prepared a mask each for Doutzen Kroes and Samir.
"Thanks." Diana nodded and took the mask; Duke had thought of everything.
"By the way, where's Doutzen Kroes?"
He didn't often call her 'Duchen' because it always felt like he was calling his own sister.
"In the Training Ground, getting used to the magic shoes you gave her. She's probably covered in bruises again."
Mentioning Doutzen Kroes, Diana's previous gloomy mood vanished because Doutzen Kroes was too funny, often getting hurt by her own shoes.
"..." Duke also shook his head with a bitter smile.
Over the past two years, he had been constantly grinding talent points and finally paid off the seventeen thousand points he owed the system. Not only that, he also exchanged a magic item for Doutzen Kroes: leather armor shoes.
[Shadow Satyr's Steps (Legendary Imitation)]
251 Armor
+178 Agility
+268 Endurance
+178 Intelligence
+46 Mastery
+82 Haste
Equipment Skill: [Shadowstep]
'Shadowstep': 50-meter range, instant cast, 30-second cooldown.
Attempt to move through the'Shadows' and appear behind your target, then increase movement speed by 70% for 3 seconds, and increase the damage of your next attack by 20%.
How should I put it?
This 20% damage bonus is a bit vague, but that's how the equipment effect is written. You can understand it like this: if a sword strike could originally cut ten centimeters deep, it can now cut twelve centimeters deep.
Yeah, just like that.
The 70% speed bonus is the same.
Doutzen Kroes had directly changed her class to a Rogue, specifically a 'Combat Rogue' who uses dual swords. Although 'Shadowstep' is a Subtlety Spec skill used with daggers... emmmm.
However, this wasn't the original Level 101 legendary item; its attributes had been reduced tenfold, making it just a Blue item. As for a legendary item, he couldn't afford it with his talent points. Besides, Doutzen Kroes wasn't anyone special to him; a Blue item was good enough. Legendary items were naturally reserved for Diana.
Well, she didn't seem to need them much.
"Come, let's go see her."
As a result, as soon as they reached the Training Ground, they saw Doutzen Kroes tumble out of the'Shadows' headfirst and then crash into a nearby pillar.
Duke's cheek twitched; her head was probably going to be bruised, right?
If it were an ordinary person, that hit would probably have caused a concussion!
"Are you okay?"
This wasn't just Shadowstep; there was also the +82 Haste. Simply put, after putting them on, she was suddenly light as a feather and felt very unaccustomed to it. Her attacks, reactions, vision, and speed were all accelerated. It was fine for walking normally, but in combat... everything instantly went haywire.
"I'm... I'm fine, I'm okay, I'm okay." Suddenly noticing Duke's appearance, Doutzen Kroes's expression was very awkward; she had lost a lot of face.
"That's good, but... take it easy."
After he spoke about his'seclusion,' Doutzen Kroes didn't have much of a reaction, only staring blankly with her mouth open for two seconds.
"Alright, alright, you don't need to worry about me. Who you should really worry about is Diana. Be careful she doesn't give you a..."
"I'll tear your mouth apart."
Diana was exasperated and lunged forward with a big jump, and the two women instantly started wrestling.
"Uh..."
————
In the evening, Samir returned. He still lived in Hells Kitchen from time to time.
"What, the boss is going into seclusion for over a decade?"
He was terrified. Does advancing in magic take that long? Wait, doesn't this mean that lifespan increases after practicing magic?
Although he had to sleep for over a decade, this price should be worth it, right?!
"Diana will tell you what I've instructed. Also..."
Swish, swish—he raised his hand and wrote a magic Spell Formula on Samir's forehead.
"This is?"
"I'm not worried about Diana. I'm worried about you and Doutzen Kroes; your strength isn't enough yet. If you encounter danger, I won't be able to reinforce you. But don't worry, after you die, your souls will return to Karazhan. Just like before, only you'll become soul bodys." Duke grinned mischievously.
Samir had barely stepped into Elite strength and was still very weak.
As for Doutzen Kroes, with the boost from the 'Shadow Satyr's Steps,' she barely reached the peak of the Elitelevel and had not yet entered Hero Level strength.
"Ah?" Samir was stumped. "Boss, what's a soul body...?"
"You can think of it like Vika." Duke pointed to the little spirit Vika nearby.
"Uh... so... transparent?" Samir scratched his head.
"Yeah. Although your memories won't be lost and you can touch objects, you won't have a sense of smell or taste. So... whether you eat or not... won't matter."
"What? That won't do, no way." Samir quickly shook his head. If delicious food was placed before him but he couldn't taste it, wouldn't life be too tragic?
"So, if you encounter an unbeatable enemy, run toward Diana quickly, or run back to Karazhan as fast as you can. I've left a door for the three of you; no one else can enter. Anyone who tries to force their way in will only get lost in the Formula Barrier outside." Duke instructed.
"Understood, Boss."
————
After greeting Robert Stark and giving Little Howard a good roughhousing, Duke was ready to advance. Speaking of which, Little Howard was already a pretty handsome young man now; foreigners mature very quickly, and the little guy already had the potential to charm young girls.
On the night before the advancement, Duke was kept busy by the Wonder Woman for several hours of wild passion.
His waist almost broke.
"System, you can start." Duke lay down comfortably.
'Please clear your mind, Host!'
"Okay."
'Spirit Separation countdown starting: 10... 9... 8... 7—0!'
'Spirit separated. Entering the astral plane.'
He thought it would be very painful, after all, it was separating the spirit from the shell, but the actual experience didn't have a trace of pain, only a tiny bit of confusion and dizziness. But it was very brief, lasting less than 2 seconds before a heavy drowsiness hit him. His body felt as if it had fallen onto cotton, sinking rapidly, until suddenly he felt light, as if something had flown out of his body.
Before his eyes was...
"The Universe?"
When Duke opened his eyes and adjusted, he was surprised to find himself in the dark Universe. Earth was beneath his feet, and twinkling stars were in the distance. There were also some things like 'portals' around him, some far and some near.
"Those must be the astral planes, right?"
Entering the astral plane like this for the first time was still quite novel.
Duke shook his head, kicked off with his feet, and flew toward the nearest 'portal.'
'Activating secondary defense mechanism.'
Inside Karazhan, the three were surprised to find that the area around Duke's room was suddenly surrounded by a sphere glowing with purple light. Wisps of flowing arcane, fire, and frost tri-colored halos half-shrouded the entire sphere, making it impossible to see the truth inside.
"Huh?"
Diana found that only she could enter, while Doutzen Kroes and Samir were blocked outside.
'Activating Karazhan's ultimate defense mechanism!'
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz—an irritating vibration sound came from the air!
The various Spell Formulas arranged in Karazhan's walls and the surrounding barriers instantly came to life, forming large and small Formula Arrays. Then, the Formula Arrays interlocked... turning into a super-large, complex, and intricate grand Formula Array.
And Karazhan, from bottom to top... disappeared bit by bit.
The original location of Karazhan was also taken over by the forest.
At this moment, the Sorcerer Supreme Ancient One, who was meditating in the Hong Kong Sanctum, suddenly opened her eyes. She received news from New York and was instantly shocked: "What—you say Karazhan has disappeared?"