American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

"Tell me more," Luke said, momentarily abandoning the research at hand. He turned his gaze to the screen, locking eyes with Nick on the other side.

"It's exactly as you understand it. She's only willing to meet with the three of you," Nick Fury emphasized.

"Is it all three of us at once? Or...?" Luke frowned.

"Any one of you will do. All three of you can go together too." Nick's expression was grim. Although he had been mentally preparing for this, he hadn't expected that the profession of 'mage' actually existed in this world! Especially since they had been hiding so well under SHIELD's nose?

SHIELD had discovered aliens, vampires, other dark creatures, and many strange supernatural life forms, but mages were the one thing they had missed, making them look like fools. In Nick's view, this was a dereliction of duty for SHIELD!

"What are your thoughts?" Luke was somewhat uncertain. Although in his plans, he would eventually meet and talk with the Ancient One, the Supreme Sorcerer, now wasn't the best time. Meeting Stephen Strange was one thing, and Tony Stark was another, after all, both of them had the potential to become Supreme Sorcerer.

But what did it mean to have himself among the three?

Could it be that the Ancient One wanted him to be a successor as well?

Luke respectfully declined!

Although the Supreme Sorcerer had a considerable reputation in various dimensions, the key was that Luke had his own future plans. A person who was destined to become a dimensional demon god becoming the Supreme Sorcerer? And without any accidents, everything would belong to the Vishanti after his lifespan ended or he died unexpectedly, which Luke couldn't accept.

Let Stephen, the doctor, fulfill the responsibilities he was originally meant to bear.

Of course, not becoming the Supreme Sorcerer didn't stop Luke from being interested in the Supreme Sorcerer's magical books and items.

"My suggestion is that, given the uncertainty of their motives, neither you nor Stark should go," Nick gave an answer that fit his character perfectly. "I will arrange for Dr. Strange to take a long trip. For example, to a very, very rich person who needs his medical skills to save their life. What do you think of that excuse?"

"Did you ask Tony?" Luke asked.

"I can't get through to him at all right now. He must have upgraded his intelligent system." Nick's tone wasn't good. "The only way I can contact him now is through Pepper Potts, or I have to go there myself."

"What do you think of that doctor?" Luke asked again. He didn't believe that Nick hadn't investigated Dr. Stephen's information before informing him. Probably before this call, everything that could be collected about the doctor from childhood to adulthood was on Nick's desk. Maybe there were even a few agents who specialized in psychological profiling who had thoroughly analyzed his personality and presented it to Nick along with the intelligence information.

"Who? Strange? From the information we've gathered, I can only say he's a selfish person. The only thing he cares about, with a bit of emotion, is probably his ex-girlfriend, Christine," Nick quickly gave his conclusion.

"Do you think we can win him over?" Luke hinted. "The deeply-bonded kind?"

"That depends on how deep the bonding is," Nick glanced at Luke sensitively, thoughtfully.

"Then let's do this. I'll go with him. If Tony is willing, all three of us can go." After thinking about it, Luke ultimately decided to go. After all, many of his plans required a meeting with the Ancient One, the Supreme Sorcerer. Of course, before going, he needed to make the necessary preparations. At least to gain trust, you have to show something to prove that you're not just talking nonsense.

The reason for bringing Dr. Strange along was to use him as a shield at a critical moment. After all, compared to a doctor, Stephen also had a talent for the profession of Supreme Sorcerer.

"Are you sure?" Nick raised an eyebrow at Luke's decision, somewhat hesitant.

"Of course, I'm sure," Luke nodded.

"You know I don't want you to take risks. If something happens to you, the cooperation between Hyperion and SHIELD will be disrupted. There will be a lot of trouble then." Nick looked serious. He still had a strong wariness of those mages, or rather, he had the same vigilance towards any unknown.

"This isn't a risk," Once Luke made a decision, he wouldn't change it easily.

"Can I know why you're going to see the Ancient One?" Nick sensed Luke's determination and asked, puzzled.

"A negotiation that may concern the future relationship between ordinary people and mages," Luke thought for a moment and gave an answer that made Nick frown.

"That doesn't sound like something you would say," Nick couldn't help but laugh. "Giving me an answer about going to do business with the mages might be more believable."

"That's just your prejudice against me. I just want to help those mages better integrate into our human society," Luke said. The main reason why mages can remain aloof and detached from human view is that they don't have a high sense of belonging or need for humanity. Simply put, ordinary people and human society have nothing to offer them.

They maintain the peace of the world and prevent the invasion of various dimensional demon gods into Earth, but their purpose is not to protect humanity. As long as humanity isn't extinct, they probably won't take action no matter how bad things happen in the human world, as long as it's not related to the dimensional demon gods. Luke didn't want this aloof attitude.

He wasn't satisfied with this situation. What he needed was at least a close relationship of interest between the two. Mutual contributions. Equal transactions, etc., could be carried out. Only in this way would the relationship between the two be stable and valued.

"If you've decided, then prepare. I'll arrange Dr. Strange's itinerary." Nick didn't intend to keep dissuading Luke. Since the other party had made up his mind, he could only accept it. After all, the other party wasn't his subordinate, he couldn't directly order him not to go. Nor was he an official, Nick couldn't rely on his convoluted connections to find the other party's superior to stop him.

Luke was the key figure of a top company, a person that many high-level people wanted to befriend, and a core partner of SHIELD. In terms of status, he was equal to Nick.

"Two days. Two days later, Dr. Strange and I will go to see the Ancient One. If Tony doesn't go by then."