Gwen wore an expression with her lips slightly parted.
Very soon.
As she came to her senses, she looked down at the Holy Armor she was wearing.
The unique ice-blue glow of Andromeda flickered occasionally over the Holy Armor on her body, accompanied by the twinkling of the Nebula.
Gwen instinctively reached out and touched it.
In an instant.
The cool metal sensation washed over her, accompanied by a sense of intimacy.
The moment Gwen slightly raised her arm, the necklace that added some different colors to the Holy Armor also emitted a pleasant hum.
At the moment she touched the chain, the nebula seemed to be swirling in her emerald green eyes that could speak volumes.
Gwen looked at Hawk, who was standing in front of her, smiling, and mischievously blinked.
The next second.
"Nebula Chain—"
With a delicate shout, the chain wrapped around Gwen's body came to life as if it had a mind of its own. It followed Hawk's command to protect Gwen, suspended in mid-air, then wrapped itself tightly around Hawk's body at the corner of his drawn lips.
Loop after loop.
Hawk was firmly bound.
He looked down at the chain that had trapped him, then looked up at Gwen who was blinking mischievously at him, remained silent for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Gwen, this gift I gave you was not meant for tying me up."
Gwen mischievously blinked again, lowered her voice, and said to Hawk, "Hey, aren't you quite fond of bondage?"
Upon hearing this, Hawk's lips uncontrollably twitched again.
As expected.
Women after marriage instinctively become cheeky.
Gwen was no exception.
Hawk thought to himself, and in a moment of reflection.
Boom!
The Pleiades Holy Armor returned once again from Gwen's body, and the chains binding Hawk also reverted, becoming a necklace pendant suspended on the Holy Armor once more.
Immediately after, a flash of ice-blue light passed by, and the Pleiades Holy Armor transformed once again into the necklace pendant hanging around Gwen's neck.
Gwen glanced down, then looked up at Hawk: "Hey, I'm not done playing yet!"
Hawk laughed: "This is for protecting you, not for playing, plus its energy is limited. Don't wait until you truly need it and find it depleted."
Gwen was somewhat curious.
"Can't you recharge it?"
"I can, but the materials don't suffice."
Once again.
Vibranium can absorb all energy but cannot store it.
So...
The current Holy Armor that he used to protect Gwen can only protect Gwen twice at most; Gwen has already used it once.
But it's not a problem.
When Gwen completely uses it up, it just needs to be reforged.
Gwen listened to Hawk's explanation, responded with an "Oh," then looked down, rubbing the small pendant of the Pleiades Holy Armor between her fingers, a sweet smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her lips as she looked up at Hawk.
"Hawk."
"Hmm."
"Thank you, I really like this gift."
"You're welcome."
Hawk faced Gwen's gentle emerald green eyes, also smiled, and then said: "Let's go, since we've come all this way, didn't you want to take photos?"
Gwen nodded, then looked at Hawk: "That's right, photos, can I wear the outfit you gave me to take a picture?"
Hawk resolutely refused: "No, reforging is troublesome."
Gwen was slightly disappointed, then seemed to think of something, glanced at Hawk.
"It's all your fault."
"..."
Hawk was baffled.
What just happened?
She was saying thank you one second, blaming me the next?
Indeed.
A woman's heart is like a needle in the sea.
However...
Though Gwen couldn't wear the Pleiades Holy Armor again to take photos, it only affected her mood for less than ten seconds.
Because very quickly, Gwen was immersed in the beautiful snowy mountain scenery, almost leaving footprints around every snow-covered mountain near Kamar-Taj.
It wasn't until the sun was about to set that the two returned to Kamar-Taj.
As the two were walking down the corridor, looking at the enchanting scene of magical apprentice mages practicing magic not far away, an Asian man with a sturdy build and a stern, steady face approached them.
Wang!
Currently, he is the librarian at Kamar-Taj Library.
Wang addressed Hawk: "Mr. Phoenix, Madam Phoenix, dinner is ready, and the Supreme Mage invites both of you to dine."
Before Hawk could say anything, Gwen, hearing Wang's address to her, was the first to respond: "Okay, thank you."
Evidently.
Gwen was very happy with the recent address.
She looked at Wang who had just addressed her as Madam Phoenix: "And you are...?"
Wang replied with seriousness: "Wang, everyone calls me that."
Gwen, hearing this, smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Wang."
Wang smiled slightly, ready to turn around when he seemed to remember something. He took a note from his pocket and handed it to Gwen.
Gwen reached out to take it and looked at the letters spelling Shamballa on the note, slightly stunned.
"This is..."
"The WIFI password for Kamar-Taj."
"WIFI... password?"
As Gwen listened to Wang's explanation, a multitude of meanings flashed through her mind. She opened her mouth: "Alright, thanks."
Wang smiled once again, then returned to a serious expression, turning around to lead the way.
Following behind, Gwen glanced at the smooth wifi connection on her phone, unable to help making a quip to Hawk beside her: "Isn't this supposed to be a world of magic?"
Hawk shrugged: "Keeping up with the times."
After all, the Supreme Mage was not someone stuck in the past.
You could see it from how the Supreme Mage could borrow power from the Dark Dimension.
After dinner, Wang once again led them to the door of a guest room.
He pushed open the door.
The layout of a five-star hotel room greeted them.
A modern bed, a modern bathtub, once again clashed with the antique architecture.
But Gwen was used to it by now.
At that moment, Gwen stood in front of the window, gazing at the snowy mountain illuminated by the moonlight not far away. She couldn't help but take out her phone again, focusing on the moonlit mountain and snapping a photo.
After taking the picture, Gwen turned around and smiled at Hawk: "Let's take a bath and sleep."
Hawk: "..."
The next day.
Morning.
Hawk glanced at Gwen, who was so fierce as a tiger last night, now calm like a little cat in the morning. He smiled slightly, kissed Gwen on the forehead, then dressed himself and, under the guidance of a mage apprentice, arrived at the Kamar-Taj Library.
Wang was already waiting at the door.
Hawk nodded in greeting.
"Good morning, Wang."
"Good morning."
Wang opened the library: "The Supreme Mage is waiting for you inside."
Hawk thanked him and stepped into the library.
In sight.
Surrounding him were bookshelves that seemed to have a life of their own, continuously swimming like fish in the enormous space that didn't match the outward appearance, carrying shelves full of magic books as they roamed around.
Hawk reached for a shelf that swam in front of him, and at the moment of contact.
Like a startled fish, the shelf retreated with a swish.
"These magic books were either created or collected by mages of past Supreme Dimensions. Since you are not a mage of the Supreme Dimensions, you cannot read these books."
"That's a pity."
Watching the frightened bookshelf retreat, Hawk saw the Supreme Mage in white robes not far away shrug, and then he walked towards the Supreme Mage: "Can I borrow the Time Gemstone now?"
The Supreme Mage smiled gently, turned around, and led the way.
Seeing this, Hawk didn't say anything, quickly following the Supreme Mage.
Soon.
With a wave of the Supreme Mage's hand, the space before them fractured like a mirror, revealing a space formed by stacked bluestones.
In the forefront was the wall opposite Hawk.
On the wall, three stone-carved heads were clearly visible.
It was the trinity of Emperor Vishanti.
Omnipotent Oshite, all-seeing Agamotto, and the ancient Hoggs.
Below the sculpture, there was a platform.
On the platform, disregarding gravity, an ornament floated atop the stone display table.
The Eye of Agamotto!
Speaking of which...
The reason the Ancient One didn't bring him in yesterday might have been because the Eye of Agamotto was on them, so they had to put it back in place before bringing him in.
Couldn't help but think, Hawk looked at the Supreme Mage who had walked to the stone platform and was forming hand seals to slowly open the Eye of Agamotto.
As the Supreme Mage gradually opened the Eye of Agamotto containing the Time Gemstone, its unique green glow began to seep out.
Soon.
Hawk saw the Time Gemstone fully exposed in the Eye of Agamotto after it was completely opened.
Possessing the core function to manipulate time, it could speed up, slow down, or stop the flow of time locally or on a large scale, and could create time loops, and even travel along the river of time, seeing the future much clearer than the past with its powerful ability.
The Supreme Mage then manipulated the fully opened Eye of Agamotto to ascend into the air, then headed towards Hawk's direction.
Hawk caught it in one swoop, and looking at the Eye of Agamotto, sparkling in his hand, he thought a bit, curious as he looked at the Supreme Mage: "May I ask, what promise did I make?"
The Supreme Mage's face remained gentle, but their gaze carried a trace of subtle curiosity: "What do you plan to offer me as a transaction now?"
Hawk laughed and said, "I have an idea, but right now I cannot fulfill the promise I want to give you."
The Supreme Mage's expression remained calm.
"No problem, I have already fulfilled it."
"Alright... hmm?"
Hawk was baffled, looking at the Supreme Mage.
The next moment.
On the stone platform, the Supreme Mage raised a hand, forming a flower with their fingers and smiling.
Hawk's pupils contracted suddenly.
...