Chapter 156 Doctor Otto
The next morning.
In a laboratory funded by the Oscorp Group in New York.
Today, Peter Parker changed into a light blue shirt, and his hair was neatly combed, making him look energetic.
Today, his mood was extremely good.
Ever since he severely taught the Green Goblin a lesson, he had also successfully won back Mary Jane's heart.
The conversation techniques taught by Luka were so useful.
Mary Jane was so moved at that time that she hugged him and cried for a long time.
Now, they had made up and even agreed to go see a movie together over the weekend.
Peter, who had reaped a double harvest in love and career, now felt that even the air in New York was sweet.
Soon, he arrived in front of the laboratory door.
After tidying up his clothes, he swiped his card and walked in.
Because of his extremely outstanding grades in physics and biology at Empire State University, Peter was specially invited by the Master of this laboratory to serve as an intern assistant.
Being able to come in and study here was a huge honor for Peter.
"Good morning, Doctor Otto."
Peter walked into the laboratory and greeted a figure busy in front of the computer ahead.
That was a slightly chubby middle-aged man.
The other person was wearing a lab coat, wearing a pair of thick glasses, and his hair was somewhat messy.
But this was the person in charge of this laboratory, DoctorOtto Octavius.
Hearing the voice, Otto turned around.
He had a friendly face, and seeing Peter, he immediately showed a warm smile.
"Oh, Peter, my good boy! You've come just in time!"
Otto strode over and patted Peter's shoulder.
"Come and take a look at the simulation data I just ran last night! We have made another breakthrough in our research!"
Peter followed Otto to the display screen.
The screen displayed a complex toroidal reactor model, and the energy particles inside were rotating at high speed.
Otto pointed at the screen, his eyes flashing with a light close to fanaticism for science.
"Peter, look. As long as we can increase the stability by another fifteen percent, we can successfully ignite this artificial sun!"
Otto spread his arms, his tone excited.
"Can you imagine? Infinite and clean energy! It will completely change the entire world. There will be no more energy crisis, no more pollution. This will be the masterpiece of my life!"
Peter gazed at the model on the screen, involuntarily thinking of the reactor of Stark Industries.
As well as the industrial-grade clean energy showcased at the Stark Industries press conference some time ago.
Mr. Tony had already done it.
And he had even shrunk nuclear fusion down to only the size of a fist.
Peter was very clear about this point.
But he absolutely could not blurt out Stark's secret.
Therefore, Peter began to carefully observe Otto's data model.
Relying on his talent in science, he quickly saw a small problem within it.
"Doctor, this model is great. But..."
Peter pointed at a node on the edge of the magnetic field.
"If you lower the energy output frequency here, and then adjust the angle a bit, wouldn't it be able to better solve the high-temperature problem when energy overflows?"
Otto was stunned for a moment.
He leaned close to the screen and carefully deduced the modification plan proposed by Peter.
More than ten seconds later, Otto's eyes lit up.
Then he excitedly grabbed Peter's shoulder and shook it hard.
"Peter, your intuition is too sharp! How could I not have thought of this detail! If I had met you earlier, this project would have succeeded long ago!"
"You flatter me, Doctor. I'm just making a small suggestion." Peter was praised until he felt a bit embarrassed.
Otto calmed his excited mood and walked to the depths of the laboratory.
"However, even if the theoretical problem is solved, actual operation is still extremely dangerous."
Otto pressed a switch, and a huge display cabinet slowly opened.
"The high temperature and strong magnetic field generated by nuclear fusion are things the human flesh cannot approach at all. Conventional mechanical arms are too bulky to complete precise parameter adjustments."
Otto looked at the thing in the display cabinet, his gaze becoming incomparably proud, just like looking at his own child.
"So, I invented this."
Peter walked forward uncomprehendingly.
When he saw clearly what was inside the display cabinet, he couldn't help but gasp.
That was a mechanical spine crafted from metal.
And at the back of the spine, four thick and slender mechanical tentacles were connected!
The end of each tentacle had sharp mechanical claws, and the surface was covered with precise sensors and circuits.
"Neural mechanical tentacles."
Otto reached out and stroked the cold metal.
"They are made of high-strength titanium alloy and carbon fiber, which are not only fire-resistant and radiation-proof, but can also withstand extremely high temperatures."
Otto looked at Peter, his tone turning serious.
"Most importantly, this set of equipment does not need manual operation. It will connect directly to my spinal nerves."
"I will use my brain, use my thoughts, to directly control these four tentacles!"
"They will become an extension of my body. Only in this way can I complete the operation of nuclear fusion in an extremely dangerous environment, just like using my own arms!"
Peter widened his eyes, his heart sinking heavily.
Directly connecting to the spinal nerves? Controlling such huge and complex machinery with the brain?
Peter's intuition told him that this was extremely unsafe.
In case the mechanical system malfunctioned, or energy flowed backward, the powerful current and erroneous data would instantly wash away the fragile human brain nerves.
Moreover, machinery was likely to produce weak intelligent feedback, which would greatly affect the user's spirit.
"Doctor... this is too dangerous." Peter said with a frown and worry.
"Directly conducting neural connection, if the tentacle's AI system produces data conflict, it may in turn affect your nervous system. This will damage your brain."
"Hahaha! Don't worry, my child. I had thought of this point long ago."
Otto smiled confidently.
He walked to the rear of the mechanical spine and pointed at a thumb-sized miniature chip.
"See this? This is the inhibition chip I designed."
"It is installed on the Master neural center."
"The function of this chip is to ensure that the brain has absolute control over the mechanical tentacles. It will cut off the reverse signals sent by the machinery to the brain."
Speaking of this, Otto patted his chest.
"As long as this chip is here, the tentacles will always just be obedient tools. I am their Master, absolutely safe."
Peter furrowed his brows slightly, staring closely at that small inhibition chip.
Although Otto spoke very confidently, his worries still had not dissipated.
The chip looked too fragile.
What if the inhibition chip was burned out under high temperature or strong magnetic field?
That consequence would simply be unimaginable.
Otto was a great scientist who could dedicate everything for science.
But sometimes, the desire for success would make people paranoid, thereby ignoring fatal dangers.
Moreover, seeing Otto's fanatical gaze, Peter knew that no matter what he said now, he couldn't persuade him.
"I hope my worries are unnecessary."
Peter prayed silently in his heart.
Chapter 157 Nanotechnology and Sorcerer Supreme(Two-in-One)
The midday sunlight poured down on the steel forest of Manhattan.
On the roof of a seventy-story building.
Gale-force winds howled across the rooftop, causing the protective railing at the edge to emit a slight tremor.
Gwen Stacy sat on the railing at the edge of the rooftop.
Her slender legs dangled hundreds of meters high, gently swinging.
Her body leaned backward, comfortably resting against the shoulder of the man beside her.
This person was none other than Luka.
At this moment, he was sitting beside Gwen, his right hand naturally embracing her willow-like waist.
The two had not seen each other for several days.
Ever since completely establishing the reputation of the Justice League at the expo last time, Luka had been busy at Stark Industries.
As for Gwen, she was also extremely busy due to school exams and nightly patrols.
Today, Luka specifically carved out some time at noon to personally come find his little girlfriend.
And by the way, bring her the battle suit.
At this moment, Gwen was wearing the brand-new battle suit that Luka had personally designed for her.
This battle suit had a white base color, dotted with pink on both sides of the body and the inner arms, while the chest and mask parts were black.
The fabric of the battle suit had a strangely smooth feel to the touch.
Not only did it completely fit Gwen's voluptuous and fiery figure, but it also did not have a single trace of redundant wrinkles.
"Luka, this outfit is simply incredible."
Gwen raised her hand, looking at the faint light shimmering on the surface of the battle suit under the sunlight, her large eyes filled with amazement.
"I feel like this is just like a second skin. Just now, when I swung over from a few blocks away, the wind resistance was almost zero. And the battle suit can actually automatically adjust temperature according to my body temperature."
"Honestly, this is amazing. What kind of material are you using to make this anyway?"
"Don't be too surprised, little Gwen, this is the exclusive confidential material of the Stark Family."
Luka slightly turned his head, gently rubbing his chin against the top of Gwen's head.
He was also wearing a Symbiote battle suit at the moment.
That's right, he defined this battle suit as a Symbiote battle suit.
The pitch-black battle suit seemed capable of devouring the surrounding light.
This battle suit not only displayed his exaggerated muscle lines, but also exuded an aura of wildness and danger.
"I put a lot of thought into this outfit."
"Aside from basic functions like bulletproof, fireproof, and radiation-proof, I also specially installed a bio-forcefield simulation system for you."
Luka's fingers gently brushed across the battle suit on Gwen's waist, causing Gwen to shudder slightly.
"As long as you activate that system, even if you fall from the stratosphere or get hit head-on by an anti-tank missile, this battle suit can help you absorb eighty percent of the impact force."
"Of course, most importantly, I reinforced the anti-upskirt design. I certainly wouldn't want my girlfriend to have some inappropriate photos taken by bored reporters while flying in the sky."
Hearing this, Gwen was quite pleased.
Then she directly removed her mask, revealing her exquisite and stunning face.
She proactively leaned forward and planted a fierce kiss on Luka's lips.
"Thank you, Luka. This is the best gift I have ever received."
When Gwen said this, her eyes were filled with love and adoration.
Luka took the opportunity to hug her tighter, deepening the kiss.
The two of them were uninhibitedly acting lovey-dovey on the rooftop hundreds of meters in the air, enjoying this rare time alone.
"Woo!! Woo!! Woo!!"
Just as the two were kissing so passionately they couldn't bear to part.
On the street below, siren sounds suddenly came over.
Following closely were dense gunshots and explosions.
Billowing black smoke rose from the entrance of a multinational bank two blocks away.
The romantic atmosphere was interrupted.
Gwen quickly put on her mask and stood up from the railing, her gaze looking toward the direction where the black smoke rose.
"It looks like our date has to be temporarily suspended, Mr. Stark. The bad guys in New York never pick a time."
Gwen shrugged, saying quite helplessly.
Luka also leisurely stood up.
"No, my dear."
"This isn't called interrupting a date, but free commercial marketing."
"The Justice League has been worrying about lacking news material to maintain the stock hype of Stark Industriesthese past few days. Since a blind idiot has voluntarily delivered themselves to our doorstep, we should naturally entertain them well."
The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
The next second.
Gwen flicked her wrist, shooting a web and swinging toward the bank.
Luka also shot straight up into the sky, closely following behind Gwen.
At this moment, the bank entrance had turned into a tragic battlefield.
Dozens of patrol cars tightly surrounded the bank entrance.
But the police could only hide behind the car doors, not daring to lift their heads at all.
Because on the steps of the bank, stood a guy over two meters tall.
This criminal was wearing a crudely styled homemade exoskeleton armor.
The most eye-catching part was his arms.
Mounted on them were two huge silver cylinders, the front ends of which flashed with dangerous blue light.
"Get the hell out of my way! I am Shocker! Whoever dares to stop me, I will shake their internal organs into meat paste!"
The criminal roared arrogantly.
Seeming to feel it wasn't domineering enough, he also raised his right arm and aimed at a police car in front.
The cylinders instantly emitted a high-frequency buzzing sound.
Boom!
The powerful sonic oscillation erupted instantly.
The police car was directly blown flying over a dozen meters away, disintegrating mid-air.
The police were so frightened that they retreated one after another.
High-frequency sonic weapons; firearms simply could not penetrate its defensive forcefield.
"Hey! That fatty wearing a tin can!"
Just as Shocker was preparing to go on a killing spree, a crisp voice descended from the sky.
Swinging on a web, Gwen steadily landed on the roof of a police car.
"Didn't your mother tell you that disturbing the peace with noise is an immoral act?"
Shocker was somewhat annoyed at being interrupted.
Turning his head to see Gwen wearing the pink-and-white battle suit, he revealed a cruel smile.
"Ghost Spider? A lackey of the Justice League? You came at the right time! Today I'll let you know my power!"
Shocker didn't intend to talk nonsense either, raising both arms simultaneously and aiming in Gwen's direction.
Hum!!!
Two even more terrifying high-frequency shockwaves crossed and blasted over.
Wherever the soundwaves passed, the road surface shattered inch by inch, and all the surrounding display windows exploded into powder.
Gwen's Spider-Sense went off wildly with warnings.
This kind of high-frequency soundwave was not only astonishingly destructive, but also covered a huge range.
The most fatal part was that this could severely interfere with her senses and balance nerves.
This was the natural suppression of Superpowers by sonic weapons.
Knowing she couldn't take it head-on, Gwen immediately shot out a web to prepare to dodge.
But just the moment the web was shot out, the high-frequency shockwave directly shattered the web in mid-air into dust!
Gwen was shocked, her body losing its leverage point in mid-air, about to be hit head-on by that terrifying soundwave.
"Bang!"
Right at this critical juncture.
A pitch-black figure crashed heavily in front of Gwen!
The road surface was smashed into a deep pit, with gravel flying everywhere.
Luka took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Gwen's waist, protecting her behind him.
But facing the shockwave, Luka just stood there casually.
Rumble!
The soundwave fiercely crashed onto Luka's body.
But a shocking scene occurred.
The terrifying shockwave directly disappeared the moment it contacted Luka's battle suit.
The surface of the battle suit twitched slightly, absorbing all this powerful kinetic energy and converting it into Luka's own energy.
Feeling the slight increase in his strength, Luka smiled with satisfaction.
"Th-This is impossible!"
Shocker widened his eyes, taking a step back in panic.
"For this level of massage, the strength is passable."
After saying this, Luka's eyes lit up with dazzling red and blue light.
Then he put Gwen down and walked step by step toward Shocker.
"Now, it's my turn to loosen up your bones."
Shocker was so frightened that his soul almost left his body.
In his desperation, he could only frantically press to start the shock wave generator, wanting to make a final counterattack.
But Luka didn't give him any chance.
"You're lucky. Try my new toy."
Swish!
Amidst the shocked gazes of all the police and the newly arrived news reporters on the scene.
The back and arms of Luka's battle suit suddenly twisted and boiled.
Following closely, four thick black tentacles burst out like venomous snakes emerging from their cave!
"What kind of monster is that?!" Some reporters couldn't help exclaiming out loud.
The four black tentacles instantly spanned a distance of over a dozen meters.
Two of them wrapped around Shocker's arms, while the other two locked his legs tightly.
"Ah!! Let me go!"
Shocker struggled desperately, and his armor was already overwhelmed.
"Too noisy."
Luka's mind stirred.
Snap!
The four black tentacles exerted force simultaneously.
The exoskeleton armor was forcefully twisted into a pile of scrap iron by the tentacles.
The sonic wave generators on Shocker's arms were also directly crushed and exploded, with electric currents darting everywhere.
With a thud.
Shocker was heavily smashed onto the ground, fainting on the spot.
Judging by this, he seemed to have completely lost his combat capability.
The whole process took less than five seconds.
A disaster that left the New York police helpless was easily resolved by Luka just like that.
The tentacles quickly retracted back into Luka's body, and the battle suit restored its smooth texture.
The scene was dead silent.
Until Luka turned around and took Gwen's hand.
AI Model: gemini-3.6-flash
The journalists hiding in the shadows finally snapped back to reality, rushing forward madly with cameras and microphones to surround the two.
"Mr. Superman! May I ask what kind of weapon those tentacles were just now?!"
"The armor you're wearing is completely different from before—it can actually morph tentacles! Is this some kind of biotechnology?!"
"Miss Ghost Spider, is this new suit also part of the Justice League's new equipment?"
Facing countless flashing lights,
Luka smiled and motioned for everyone to be quiet.
"Everyone, don't make a fuss."
He then pointed to his suit and spoke in a confident tone.
"Many people have asked me what this is. I can clearly tell you all right here that this is neither alien technology nor magic."
Luka deliberately paused, letting everyone's curiosity reach its peak.
"This is Stark Industries' latest research achievement! The Nanotech Armor."
As soon as these words were spoken,
the entire crowd went into an uproar!
Viewers watching the live stream around the world all gasped in unison.
Nanotechnology?!
In current scientific circles, nanotechnology remained merely in theory and its earliest laboratory stages.
To make countless nanobots freely combine, morph, and even withstand such terrifying attacks... wait.
All of this was, in everyone's eyes, a myth that could only be realized decades in the future!
But now, Lucas Stark was actually telling the whole worldthat they were already wearing nanotech armor?!
"This suit is composed of hundreds of millions of nanomolecules. It connects directly to my nervous system and can morph into any form based on my thoughts. The tentacles just now were merely one of its most basic shape-shifting functions."
Without batting an eye, Luka claimed all the credit for the Symbiote for Stark Industries.
After all, apart from him and Tony, no one knew the truth.
"Stark Industries always stays at the absolute forefront of human evolution."
Having finished showing off, Luka wrapped his arm around Gwen's waist and waved to the crowd.
*Boom!*
The two turned into two streaks of light and vanished from everyone's sight.
Leaving behind only the journalists frantically recording, and a global news story about to explode thanks to nanotechnology.
...
Later that night on the same day.
In an apartment in Manhattan.
Sorcerer Wong was sprawled out on the sofa.
Holding a plate of black truffle caviar in his hand, a bottle of Lafite rested beside him.
A boring soap opera was playing on the huge TV screen.
Lately, thanks to Luka and Tony's sincere hospitality, Wong's life had been beyond comfortable.
He had completely forgotten The Ancient One's original intention in sending him to the New York Sanctum.
Not only had he failed to teach the Stark Brothers even a single shred of magic, but he was also indulging uncontrollably in fine dining and luxurious living every single day.
On the other end of the sofa,
Steve held a rag, expressionlessly polishing his shield.
Ever since taking Pietro to a bar last night to experience the adult world, Steve had been quiet all day today.
He was just that kind of person.
When it was time to speak, his words were cruder and more blunt than anyone else's.
When it wasn't time to speak, he was like a cold stone.
He didn't need superfluous words to assert his presence.
*Chomp, chomp...*
Wong ate until his lips gleamed with oil, letting out a satisfied burp.
Steve stopped polishing his shield and shot a cold glare at Wong.
"Fatty, your belly is bigger than a pregnant woman's now. Keep eating like this, and I bet a portal won't even fit your fat ass."
Wong rolled his eyes and casually stuffed another huge mouthful of caviar into his mouth.
"Captain, you don't understand. This is a gift from capitalism, a compensation for my protection of Earth. magic consumes physical strength; I'm storing energy."
Just as the two were glaring at each other with mutual distaste,
*Bzzzt bzzzt!!*
A ring of brilliant golden sparks suddenly ignited out of thin air in the room.
The sparks rapidly spun and expanded, tearing open a circular portal over two meters high.
Steve's eyes instantly turned razor-sharp.
Reacting with incredible speed, he grabbed his shield and slipped it onto his left arm.
His body tensed up immediately, dropping into a combat stance.
"Fatty, what trick are you playing now?"
"Takeout again? I warned you, don't use that damned magic as a food delivery service."
However, Wong behind him didn't talk back like he usually did.
With a clatter, the spoon in Wong's hand dropped directly onto the floor.
Steve sensed something was wrong.
Turning his head slightly, he saw Wong drenched in sweat, the plate in his hands trembling violently, his face even more terrified than if he had seen a ghost.
"No... I didn't open this."
Wong's voice trembled fiercely as he bounced right off the sofa.
"Not you?"
Steve frowned.
Just as he was raising his shield to defend,
a figure in monastic robes slowly stepped out of the portal.
It was a woman.
A bald, thin woman with deep, profound eyes.
She just stood there quietly.
But Steve could feel that this woman was definitely no less dangerous than Luka, who liked flying around in the sky.
"Who are you? A shampoo salesperson, or here to pick a fight?"
Steve gripped his shield, his tone calm.
"If you got the wrong door, you'd better get the hell out right now before I kick your bald head like a soccer ball."
The bald woman wasn't angered by Steve's offense, a faint smile remaining on her face.
"Shut up! Captain! Lower your weapon at once!"
Wong was scared out of his wits.
Scrambling and crawling over, he ran in front of the bald woman and bowed deeply.
"Sorcerer Supreme... Master... why have you come in person?"
Wong was freaking out right now.
He thought The Ancient One was here to hold him accountable.
After all, he had been living luxuriously off Stark's black card during this time.
Not only had he failed his task of teaching magic, but he had also allowed the Stark Brothers to analyze magicusing scientific instruments.
This was sheer, severe dereliction of duty!
"Wong, you seem to have gained quite a bit of weight. It seems New York's cuisine agrees with your palate."
The Ancient One smiled faintly, her tone very gentle.
But to Wong's ears, those words sounded like a death warrant.
"I... I was just..." Wong stammered, unsure of how to explain.
"It doesn't matter. I didn't come today to blame you."
The Ancient One turned her gaze toward Steve, who was still maintaining a vigilant stance.
Steve narrowed his eyes slightly.
Sorcerer Supreme? Sounds like quite a flashy title.
But he didn't give a damn about what kind of big shot she was.
"Captain Steve Rogers. I have long heard of your renown," The Ancient One nodded slightly.
"Cut the small talk, lady. I'm not buying it," Steveresponded coldly.
"I have come this time to invite you both to be guests at a certain place."
Unbothered by Steve's coldness, The Ancient One stepped aside, making way for the portal behind her.
"Where to? A mental asylum, or your cult headquarters?" Steve raised an eyebrow.
"Kamar-Taj."
The Ancient One looked at him, her eyes gleaming with the light of wisdom.
"This world is far vaster than what you see, Captain. Some threats cannot be solved with shields and fists. I would like to talk with you, as well as the Messrs. Stark, about the future."
Steve fell silent.
Although he was foul-mouthed and rough around the edges, he was no brainless brute.
He could sense that this woman carried a heavy burden on her shoulders.
Moreover, ever since he woke up, this world had indeed become increasingly absurd.
Alien monsters, magic, super serums... He needed to learn more of the truth.
"Fine."
Steve lowered his shield and strode over to the front of the portal.
"If this is a trap, I won't hesitate to snap your neck."
Saying that, Steve stepped fearlessly through the portal.
Wiping his cold sweat, Wong quickly followed.
As The Ancient One entered, the golden sparks snapped shut in the living room, vanishing without a trace.
Steve felt his vision blur.
When he could see his surroundings clearly again, he found himself no longer in the apartment.
A frigid breeze carrying the chill of snowy mountains blew against his face.
He was standing in a vast, ancient courtyard.
Surrounding him were ancient wooden buildings in an Eastern style, with endless majestic snow-capped mountains in the distance.
In the courtyard,
hundreds of people dressed in training robes of various colors were waving their arms, summoning whips of light and shields gleaming with golden sparks in the air.
There was no trace of modern technology here.
No roaring of cars, no glaring lights.
Steve looked around, watching the magical energy dancing in midair.
He then pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, pulled one out, popped it into his mouth, and struck a match to light it.
Taking a deep drag, he slowly blew out a smoke ring.
"Looks like a fucking hippie cult summer camp."
Chapter 158: That's Luka's Problem
Kamar-Taj.
In the courtyard, the smell of incense drifted from the center of the cold grounds.
Deep in the Himalayas, the area was surrounded by boundless snow-capped mountains.
The architecture in the courtyard exuded a simple, ancient Eastern charm.
Hundreds of sorcerers in robes of various colors were conducting tedious martial arts and magic training in the plaza.
Golden sparks and the glow of magical shields lit up the air from time to time.
Steve seemed completely out of place among these sorcerers.
Fortunately, he wasn't shocked by the magical phenomena around him that defied common physics.
After all, compared to magic, he felt Luka was the one who was truly absurd.
Thinking this, Steve pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, stuck it in his mouth, and lit it with a match.
Taking a deep drag, he slowly exhaled.
Wong walked beside Steve, breaking out in a cold sweat at his lawless behavior.
After mulling it over, he could only lower his voice and remind him cautiously.
"Captain, please put out the cigarette. This is a sacred place of practice, and The Ancient One is right ahead."
Steve paused for a moment and gave Wong a cold glance.
"Fatty, don't try to fool me with words like'sacred.' I'm nearly a hundred years old and I've seen plenty of cults scamming people out of money under the banner of the sacred."
As he spoke, Steve pointed at the apprentices meditating on the ground.
"This place looks like a rehab clinic that doesn't provide prostitutes."
"These guys making gestures in the yard wearing pajamas proves nothing other than that they're a bunch of virgins without a sex life."
Wong was left speechless, unable to say a word, and could only wipe his sweat as he kept leading the way.
Well, arguing with Steve was definitely not a wise choice.
The two followed the Ancient One into a tea room.
The decor of the tea room was very simple, with a low wooden table set in the middle.
The Ancient One sat cross-legged in front of the table.
Then with a gentle wave of her hand, two cups of steaming tea appeared out of thin air.
Steve frowned slightly, but said nothing.
"Please sit, Captain Rogers. Have a cup of tea first; it will help relax your tense nerves."
Steve nodded and sat down boldly on a cushion.
But he didn't touch the cup of tea, instead continuing to smoke the cigarette in his hand.
"I don't drink this root water that looks like urine."
Seeing The Ancient One remain expressionless, Stevelooked her straight in the eye and spoke in a flat tone.
"Bald lady, if you think I'm going to worship your tricks like a Boy Scout seeing a big-busted cow, then you've lost your mind."
"My zipper is pulled tight, and my mouth is shut tight. So drop the pleasantries, and get straight to the point."
The Ancient One didn't get angry at Steve's vulgarity either.
Having lived for centuries, she had long seen all kinds of people.
She knew that beneath Steve's crude exterior lay a hardened and guarded heart.
But not getting angry was one thing; whether she held a grudge was another matter entirely.
"Captain, your vision is limited by the material world."
"You believe that what you see is everything. But in reality, you haven't even crossed the threshold of the Universe. Perhaps I need to let you see this world from a different perspective."
As soon as the words left her mouth...
The Ancient One suddenly struck Steve's chest with her right hand, moving so fast that no one could react in time.
Steve instinctively tried to counterattack, but in the next second...
He felt his body suddenly become incredibly light.
Looking down, he actually saw his physical body still sitting on the cushion, with the half-burned cigarette dangling from his mouth.
While he himself had turned into a translucent spirit, floating in midair!
Astral projection!
Before Steve could shout an expletive, The Ancient Onegently tapped the air with her finger.
Steve's soul was instantly sucked away by an irresistible pull, hurtling backward at extreme speed.
The surrounding tea room, courtyard, and snow-capped mountains vanished in an instant.
What appeared next was endless darkness and magnificent light.
Steve passed through the boundaries of matter, seeing cellular division, seeing the microscopic realm of atoms and quanta.
Immediately following that, his vision was expanded infinitely.
He saw countless parallel Universes colliding like bubbles in the void, saw the Mirror Dimension filled with bizarre colors.
He also saw a dimension entirely composed of dark matter and twisted faces.
An amount of information exceeding human comprehension like this was enough to instantly shatter a normal person's mind and drive them insane.
A minute later...
A massive suction pull swept over him once more.
Steve's soul was stuffed back into his physical body.
He snapped his eyes open, his body lurching slightly forward.
The tea room was as quiet as ever.
The Ancient One looked at him calmly, waiting for this unruly warrior to show an expression of awe or fear.
However...
After steadying himself, Steve merely reached out, took down his cigarette, and took a deep drag.
"Fuck."
Steve exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and gave a serious evaluation.
"This stuff is even more thrilling than when I was back on the European battlefield, screwing that big-busted French female spy while smoking a cigar."
Saying this, Steve licked his lips and looked at The Ancient One with a smile.
"Honestly, bald lady. You shouldn't stay on this godforsaken snow-capped mountain."
"You should go to New York and open a nightclub, sell this routine to those rich bastards on Wall Street, and I guarantee the money you make could buy all of Manhattan. How about giving me another round?"
To the side, Wong almost had a heart attack on the spot hearing this.
He frantically signaled Steve with his eyes, but the man didn't pay him any mind at all.
Even The Ancient One's normally unruffled face showed a touch of surprise.
Well, she finally understood that when dealing with Steve, any profound and unfathomable methods were a waste of effort.
"Let us get back to business, Captain."
The Ancient One abandoned the idea of trying to enlighten him further.
Raising her hand, the Eye of Agamotto on her chest slowly opened, revealing the green-glowing Time Stone inside.
"The reason I invited you here is that the future of this world has deviated from its original track."
The Ancient One swept her finger lightly through the air.
A projection of a green timeline appeared in the center of the tea room.
"In the past, I could clearly see the endless possibilities of the future through the Time Stone. I could avoid disasters and guide this world toward its proper outcome."
Steve was taken aback for a moment, but quickly accepted the existence of something like the Time Stone.
"That's pretty nice. Isn't that a good thing?"
The Ancient One nodded slightly, but soon shook her head again.
"However, ever since Lucas Stark awakened his power, everything has changed."
In the projection, the originally clear timeline suddenly turned into a chaotic mass of light.
Like a dense forest, it was filled with fractures and mist everywhere.
"Luka is a variable that does not belong to the logic of the timeline."
"His abilities have no upper limit, and he can forcibly devour and assimilate Chaos Magic. Such energy plundering has not only broken Earth's energy balance, but also attracted the attention of other dimensions."
"Because of the timeline's chaos, cracks have appeared in Earth's protective barrier. Ancient demon gods lurking in the Dark Dimension, such as Dormammu, have already sensed the opportunity. Their invasion may come much sooner than I foresaw."
Steve listened quietly, expressionless.
The destruction of the world?!
That was Luka's problem, what did it have to do with him?
Chapter 159: Name Your Price, Ancient One
"So what? What's the point of telling me all this nonsense?"
"I'm just a grunt. I don't understand all your mystical, ghostly nonsense."
"I need you to act as a bridge."
The Ancient One put away the Time Stone, her tone thoroughly sincere.
"I hope you can invite Lucas Stark and Tony Stark to Kamar-Taj. I would like to speak with them."
"Although Luka acts without scruples, the power he possesses is the best weapon against those demon gods. If we can guide him to use that power to protect Earth..."
"Stop, stop, stop."
Steve impatiently interrupted Ancient One.
He threw his cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it out forcefully.
"Bald lady, you'd better put away this idea of saving all living beings."
"I know what kind of person Luka is better than you do."
"He's just a scumbag whose head is filled with nothing but cash, wild orgies, and chasing women."
"That kind of guy has no bottom line. If anyone touches his interests, he'll rip out their guts with a smile and stuff them down their throat."
Speaking up to this point, Steve seemed to recall something and snorted coldly.
"You expect a bastard with no morals to save the world? You'd be better off expecting a pig to lay golden eggs."
"Right now, even though everyone is protecting New York, that's only because his company and his women are here. You want to talk to a guy like that about protecting the multiverse? He'll just ask you how much money he can make off the deal."
The Ancient One remained silent for a moment.
She certainly knew Luka's personality, which was precisely what gave her a headache.
"I know it is difficult," The Ancient One said.
"But when facing a dark demon god that destroys everything, we need someone even more unreasonable than the demon god."
Steve quietly looked at Ancient One, and after a moment of silence, he stood up.
"Fine. Since you want to see him so badly, I can pass along a message for you."
"But I'm only responsible for delivering the message. If that kid comes over, takes a liking to something here, and tears this place down, don't blame me for not warning you."
"Of course. Thank you very much, Mr. Steve."
...
Ten minutes later.
Stark Industries Tower, New York, United States.
Heavy rock music echoed through the laboratory.
Tony stood intently in front of a workbench.
Ever since he put on Luka's bio-suit last time, it had given him immense stimulation and inspiration.
After returning to the laboratory, he locked himself inside, conducting research and development day and night.
Although it was impossible to build a nano armor in a short time, relying on his incomparable talent, he had already achieved a shocking breakthrough.
"Luka! Stop drinking and get your ass over here to see a true scientific miracle!"
Tony yelled excitedly toward the laboratory's lounge area.
Luka sauntered over, holding a glass of red wine.
"Let me see what our big genius has made in the past twenty-four hours besides getting two dark circles under his eyes—what kind of scrap metal is it this time?"
Tony ignored Luka's venomous tongue.
Instead, he turned around and raised his left hand in front of Luka.
On his wrist was a silver bracer.
The bracer looked quite heavy, its surface covered in fine, dense patterns.
"Your suit is indeed convenient. But I, Tony Stark, will never rely on alien garbage."
As he spoke, Tony raised his chin with confidence.
"This is called a preliminary prototype of the shape-memory metal folding storage matrix. I used a magnetic constraint algorithm to rearrange and compress the armor's structure."
Tony reached out his right hand and gently pressed a red button on the bracer.
"Open your eyes wide and take a good look."
*Hum!*
The silver bracer instantly burst with dazzling light.
Immediately after, rows of tiny scales poured out from inside like liquid!
These scales rapidly spread and assembled along Tony's forearm.
In less than two seconds, a red-and-gold gauntlet covering Tony's left hand and half his forearm appeared out of thin air!
A white light lit up in the palm of the gauntlet—a miniature repulsor cannon.
"How about that?"
Tony triumphantly shook his arm.
"Although it can't shrink the entire suit inside yet—the current algorithm can only accommodate the mass of one arm—"
"as long as I master the logic of the arrangement, full coverage of the nano armor is only a matter of time!"
Seeing the armor on Tony's arm, a trace of admiration flashed through Luka's eyes.
As expected of Tony.
To compress a mechanical suit to this extent after just one day of research—this progress was already terrifying.
However, whatever he thought inside, Luka naturally wouldn't show Tony a pleasant face on the surface.
"The direction is indeed right, Tony."
Luka took a sip of iced Americano and raised an eyebrow.
"But the speed is still too slow. By the time you build a full-body nano armor, I'll probably have already conquered the Milky Way Galaxy. At best, this is just a toy glove for magictricks."
"What the hell do you know?!"
Tony gnashed his teeth in anger.
"Science requires rigorous calculations! Do you think everyone can get stronger just by sunbathing and absorbing alien bugs like you? You're cheating!"
Just as the two brothers were engaging in their daily mutual bickering...
"Gentlemen, a guest has arrived."
Jarvis's voice echoed in the laboratory.
Just as the voice fell, a brilliant ring of golden sparks suddenly flared up in the laboratory.
A portal opened, and Steve and Wong walked out one after the other.
"The experience with this crappy door is terrible. I'd rather take a slow green train."
Steve blew out a ring of smoke and looked at Luka and Tony.
"Hey big bosses, put your toys away for a second. A bald nun wants to see you."
"A bald nun?" Tony froze for a moment.
"The boss of Kamar-Taj, called the Sorcerer Supreme or whatever."
Steve flicked his cigarette ash, his tone calm.
"She told me to pass along a message asking you two to go to the temple on the snowy mountain for a cup of tea."
"She said because of you two bastards messing around, Earth's timeline was turned into a total porridge, and now a group of monster demon gods or whatever are preparing to crash the party."
Hearing this...
Luka and Tony exchanged a glance, both becoming excited.
Tony was the most excited.
magic? Kamar-Taj?
If he could get close to the Sorcerer Supreme and analyze her energy frequencies and the algorithms of spatial magic, wouldn't the spatial storage problem of the nano armor be solved easily?!
Isn't this an unmined treasury of science!
Luka had a similar thought.
Since Kamar-Taj commanded a cross-dimensional energy network and could even manipulate time...
If Stark Industries' reactors could connect to this network, Stark Industries could become the largest energy supplier in the entire Universe!
"Very good. Since it's an invitation from a master, as good citizens of New York, how could we refuse?"
However, just to be safe, Luka's thoughts stirred.
Beneath his skin, a black bio-suit surged out instantly, turning into a set of black armor.
Not only was it strikingly handsome, but it also exuded an unquestionable dominance.
Tony also immediately pressed a switch on the workbench, and a portable mark armor quickly covered his entire body.
"Let's go, bro. Time to talk about a big deal."
"If possible, we'll buy that snowy mountain and turn it into a Stark Industries ski resort."
Steve rolled his eyes helplessly.
He had no doubt that these two guys could take tickets to Heaven and list them on the stock market to rake in cash.
A few minutes later.
Luka and Tony stepped through the portal side by side.
A icy wind blew against their faces.
The two arrived at the primitive, ancient courtyard of Kamar-Taj.
The Ancient One stood in the center of the courtyard with her hands behind her back, looking at them with a smile.
"Welcome to Kamar-Taj, Mr. Lucas Stark and Mr. Tony Stark."
The Ancient One nodded slightly, her tone full of an elder's indulgence.
"I have been awaiting you both for a long time. Regarding the future of this world, as well as the variables contained within you, we need to have a deep discussion..."
Before The Ancient One could finish her sentence...
Luka stepped forward directly, interrupting her.
"Cut the flashy, nonsensical future talk, Master."
"I heard from my employee that you possess infinite energy channels connecting to the multiverse. This is a great technology, but your monetization capabilities are terrible."
"Name your price, Sorcerer Supreme."
Luka announced arrogantly with deep pockets.
"Stark Industries wants to acquire 100% of Kamar-Taj's energy extraction rights. Or, we can talk about a joint venture going public."
"As long as you sign, I guarantee every monk here will be driving a Ferrari."
Chapter 160: A Sissy in a Dress?!
Luca's words were still echoing in the courtyard.
On the other side, Wong was completely dumbfounded.
In his eyes, Kamar-Taj was a sacred place protecting Earth; how could it be measured by worldly money?
And Sorcerer Mordo, who had just arrived and stood behind The Ancient One, was completely triggered.
As a conservative of Kamar-Taj, Mordo could not tolerate the desecration of magic.
He quickly stepped forward, pulled his hands across his chest, and a long whip flickering with dazzling golden sparks instantly formed.
"Ignorant fellows!" Mordo glared at Luca and Tony.
"This is a sacred place protecting the real world, not Wall Street's stock exchange! Put away that filthy money, and do not use your pathetic assets to insult sacred magic!"
Facing Mordo's angry rebuke, Luca didn't even spare him a direct glance.
Instead, he turned his head and spread his hands toward Tony with some helplessness.
"Tony, did you see that? This place doesn't even have decent security training, and the employees have such bad tempers, pulling out whips to scare clients at every turn."
"After we acquire it, we must carry out a first round of massive layoffs. Drive all the impolite guys off to Siberia to dig potatoes."
Tony nodded in deep agreement, glancing at Mordo by the way.
"Agreed. That green robe is in such poor taste, he looks like a walking green pepper. Stark Industries employees must absolutely not dress like that."
"It seems the so-called Sorcerer Supreme isn't much either; the apprentice she taught is still acting all high and mighty, thinking they are superior to others."
"You cannot insult the Sorcerer Supreme!!"
Mordo was completely infuriated by the two brothers' disregard.
Then he raised his long whip, preparing to teach these two audacious fellows a lesson.
But as expected, an accident was about to happen.
Steve silently stepped forward and leisurely took a drag of his cigarette.
Afterward, his cold gaze locked onto Mordo.
"A sissy in a dress."
"You'd better put this jump rope away right now."
"If you dare swing that thing over here, I guarantee I'll snatch it away and shove it up your ass inch by inch, until you spray shit every time you open your mouth to hiccup. Did you understand?"
Mordo was stunned.
For a moment, he actually didn't know how to respond.
He had never seen a man who treated profanity as everyday language and could say it with such righteous confidence.
"Enough, Mordo. Stand down."
The Ancient One opportunely broke the deadlock.
She raised her hand, signaling Mordo not to be impulsive.
Mordo gritted his teeth and could only resentfully dissipate his long whip and retreat to the back.
Ancient One cast her gaze toward Luca and Tony once again.
This time, she revealed a smile that saw through worldly affairs.
"Mr. Stark, in this Universe, money is the most useless thing to measure value."
As she spoke, The Ancient One took a step forward.
"You are accustomed to using money and technology to solve all problems because you have always stood at the pinnacle of the material world."
"But today, I need to let you see just how big this worldtruly is."
As soon as her voice fell, her body suddenly moved.
The speed was unbelievably fast!
Even Luca's super perception only captured a lingering phantom.
The Ancient One had already appeared right in front of Tony and Luca.
Then she extended both hands, fiercely slamming them down toward Tony's and Luca's chests respectively!
Bang! Bang!
Two muffled thuds sounded simultaneously.
The very moment her palms made contact with their chests.
Tony and Luca only felt an irresistible force pierce through their flesh and act upon their consciousness.
The next second, everything went black before the two of them.
When they opened their eyes again, they saw a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
Tony saw his physical body standing in place, while he himself had turned into a translucent spirit floating mid-air!
Luca was the same.
It seemed their souls had been knocked out.
"Oh, damn it! What kind of phenomenon is this?!" Tony's soul let out an exclamation in mid-air.
Before they could react, The Ancient One gently tapped her finger in the void.
Boom!
The souls of the two were instantly sucked backward by a massive pulling force.
The surrounding courtyard and snow-capped mountains instantly vanished.
They crossed the boundary of matter.
Tony saw the infinite division of cells, seeing the microscopic world of atoms and quanta.
He also saw the eleven-dimensional space model that he could normally only calculate using supercomputers.
And now, these things were vividly presented right before his eyes!
Luca saw countless kinds of berserk energy surging through the Universe.
He saw parallel Universes colliding in the void like bubbles, and saw the Mirror Dimension filled with bizarre colors.
The amount of information exceeding human cognition frantically washed over their consciousness.
Before the vastness of the multiverse, everything on Earthappeared so insignificant.
One minute later.
The massive suction force came again.
Swish!
Luca and Tony's souls were stuffed back into their physical bodies.
The two opened their eyes simultaneously, their bodies stumbling forward half a step uncontrollably as they gasped heavily for breath.
The courtyard was dead silent.
Mordo and Wong quietly watched them, waiting for the two to show expressions of fear or awe.
Because ordinary people experiencing out-of-body experiences and the baptism of the multiverse for the first time would almost certainly be scared to their knees, doubting life itself.
However.
One second passed.
Two seconds passed.
Tony straightened his body, his mask automatically opening as he laughed excitedly.
"Goodness... The frequency of space folding... and the color changes of the quantum dimension..."
An unprecedented fanaticism erupted in Tony's eyes.
This was just like an explorer seeing an peerless treasure.
What could be more exciting than this?!
"Too thrilling! This subverts the laws of physics!"
"If I can write the multi-dimensional space algorithms I just saw into the nano-armor, I can solve the repulsion problem of spatial storage!"
Luca also straightened his body.
Then he took a deep breath, his face showing a lingering sense of satisfaction.
"I have to say, Master."
"That trick just now was really quite cool. The weightlessness of the soul detaching from the body is very thrilling. If this business is taken and developed into a VR experience hall, I guarantee it can monopolize the global entertainment industry."
Seeing the two brothers' reactions, Mordo was completely dumbfounded.
Wong also helplessly covered his face.
Even on The Ancient One's placid face, a trace of surprise flashed across.
These two men's psychological resilience and ability to accept the unknown far exceeded her expectations.
However, after this bout of out-of-body experience, Luca and Tony also realized something.
This so-called Sorcerer Supreme was definitely an existence possessing unfathomable power.
They were no longer as frivolous and hostile as before.
After all, in front of truly powerful individuals, one could talk business, but couldn't blindly remain arrogant.
Thinking of this, Luca smiled slightly.
"Alright, The Ancient One. You have successfully piqued our interest."
"Since everyone has a basic understanding now, I think we can sit down and have a good chat about what purpose you had in dragging us to this God-forsaken place."
The Ancient One also returned a smile, then pointed toward the tearoom.
"With pleasure."