Chapter 412: The Time Stone
"Don't worry, I'm just a little interested in the Eye of Agamotto. If you don't want to show it to me, that's fine; it's not like I'm desperate to see it."
Seeing Stephen Strange's vigilant expression, Silas immediately offered a harmless smile to defuse the rigid atmosphere.
"Honestly, your smile always reminds me of the Ancient One," Strange said, watching Silas.
"Is that so? Probably because I spent so much time drinking tea with her," Silas said as he set down his teacup, preparing to leave.
Sizzle—
A portal crackled into existence nearby, and Peter stepped out from the library.
"How was it? Find anything useful?" Silas asked. Looking at Peter's dejected face, it was obvious he hadn't found any healing magic.
"Nothing. Though I did see a lot of other amazing spells," Peter shook his head gloomily.
"Since there's nothing, we should head home. It's clear our host isn't fond of entertaining us," Silas said, giving Strange a meaningful look.
Feeling Silas's gaze, Strange quickly waved his hand. "No, Peter, you are very welcome. It's just you, Silas, who isn't."
"That truly breaks my heart, Dr. Strange," Silas joked before leading Peter away.
"I hope you never come back," Strange muttered to the empty air as they departed.
Queens
"Alright, you've been to the magical library. Since there's no healing magic, try to settle your mind and redirect your focus."
"Focus on deciphering father's decay rate algorithm. Please trust me—Gwen will be fine, I swear."
Silas placed his hands on Peter's slumped shoulders, offering comfort. Peter could only nod; he truly had no other options left. Gwen's fever was bizarre. The hospital couldn't find anything wrong because her cellular activity was perfectly normal. Rather than saying her body was weak, it was more accurate to say Gwen was currently incredibly strong, yet her body remained stuck in a feverish state.
Under Silas's encouragement, Peter returned to his room to focus on the decay algorithm left behind by Richard Parker.
"Spider-Man has been too busy lately..." Silas walked to the window, looking up at the peaceful sky. This peace was merely a surface level facade; beneath it, crime was festering in every alley. Because Peter was preoccupied with Gwen, the crime rate in New York had begun to climb again.
As for other superheroes, they weren't as proactive as Peter. Unless they happened to stumble upon a crime, they were usually busy with their own affairs. Even Daredevil, Matt Murdock, was a busy lawyer with his own firm to run.
Interestingly, in Hell's Kitchen, where the crime rate was usually highest, the numbers were actually trending downward. This was largely thanks to John and Jenny. John was a police captain whose duty was to lock criminals away. Jenny was different; she caught criminals because her Eater Ninjas needed shadows as nourishment to grow.
Underworld Mike, now the secret owner of a boxing ring, had established his own rules in his territory, effectively reducing crime. And as the Kingpin of crime, Wilson Fisk wasn't ordering large-scale criminal activities; instead, he was hiding all his usual "businesses." Fisk's movements forced all illegal transactions in Clinton underground, no longer daring to operate in the light.
So, Hell's Kitchen—which should have been a den of iniquity—looked sunny and clean on the surface.
To ensure Peter wasn't disturbed, Silas pulled out a Soundproofing Spell and placed it in Peter's room. No sound could enter, even if someone shouted directly outside the window or door. The only way to get Peter's attention was to physically walk into the room.
"How is the situation over there?" Silas asked.
"No problems at all," a Shadow Ninja appeared beside him.
"Remember, don't let anyone near it. Ignore those passing by accidentally, but if you identify an enemy, do not issue a warning. Eliminate them immediately," Silas said.
"Understood." The Shadow Ninja knelt respectfully. His name was Black Fish, a name Silas had given him. Black Fish's mission was to guard the Scepter—or rather, the Mind Stone—at the Frozen Base.
After confirming Silas had no further orders, Black Fish returned to the Shadow Kingdom.
"Next, Asgard will likely face Ragnarok." Silas was worried about accidents in Asgard. If Ragnarok didn't happen, the direction of the plot would become a total unknown. The reason Silas hadn't followed Thor to Asgard was the presence of Hela and the Fire Giant Surtur at their peak.
"What a headache~" Silas took a glass of juice from a nearby Shadow Ninja and, much like the Ancient One used to do, began to observe the world.
Avengers Base
"JARVIS."
Tony, who had been sitting motionless, suddenly opened his eyes.
"Ready, Sir," JARVIS replied, understanding the cue.
Tony reached his hand into the table, and a piece of armor attached itself to his arm. At that moment, because the surveillance cameras had been hacked by JARVIS, the agents monitoring Tony immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Everyone to Stark's room! He's hacked the feed!" an agent shouted. Instantly, weapons were drawn as they converged on Tony's quarters.
"How many seconds until they arrive?" Tony asked, flexing his armored hand.
"Estimated: three, two, one!"
Thud, thud, thud!
"Stark! Stand down!" an agent pounded on the door. It was an electronic door, now locked by JARVIS. They couldn't get in. Their only option was to blow it open, but given that Tony was an Avenger, they hesitated.
"Sorry, stand down from what?" Tony strolled leisurely toward the door.
"Please, don't force our hand, Stark." The lead agent signaled his team. They immediately planted explosives on the door.
"Hmm? Am I forcing you?" Tony continued to tinker with his new arm. This suit was just finished and hadn't been tested yet. Tony loved testing tech under pressure; it was a testament to his confidence.
The lead agent shook his head and ordered his team to clear the blast zone.
BOOM!!!
The door was blown inward, thick black smoke billowing out. The agents rushed in, raising their stun batons and tasers to find Tony.
"Over here!" Tony's voice came from the side. Before the agents could turn, a red armored fist caught the lead agent in the chest.
Thwack!
The agent was sent flying. The others circled Tony, pointing their electric weapons at him.
"Looks like you lost, Stark," an agent sneered. There were six of them, all well-armed.
"Aha~ quite a shame. Look behind you," Tony said.
Before the agents could react, flying pieces of armor zipped in from behind, slamming into them and knocking them across the room. Tony reached out with his left hand to catch an incoming gauntlet, which clicked perfectly into place.
"Next time, tell the One-Eyed Pirate to upgrade your gear," Tony said to the groaning agents as he stepped over them. He walked out of the room with a confident stride. Downstairs, more patrolling agents heard the commotion and began rushing up.
"JARVIS, I need the optimal route," Tony said as he walked.
"Planning now, Sir. Shall I summon the remaining parts?"
"Of course~"
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