[Comprehensive Anglo-American] Gem Merchant

"Again, I'm a doctor."

Strange raised his head from the pile of books: "Doctors first, then magicians."

He takes those books as seriously as "Medical Anatomy" and "Molecular Biology". Just like the carelessness of surgery will cause unpredictable negative effects, the result of magic mistakes will not be good Where to go.

He has long been used to this, Strange thought, walking on thin ice, what is this, he has stepped on the ice for half his life, and every operation is a single-plank bridge across the mountain of knives.

Perhaps these magicians have rich experience in performing spells, but he himself also has a precious wealth that is worthy of pride and cannot be lost to anyone.

The hand that can no longer hold the scalpel wears a hanging ring, and with the flow of magic, the portal can take him wherever he wants.On the first day when Karma Taj couldn't hold them both, Alphonse and Strange sneaked back to a supermarket in New York and bought themselves a large bag of snacks.

——then brought back Kama Taj, and enthusiastically distributed them to these ascetics who were severely deficient in material conditions.

The children were as happy as it was Christmas. One of them grabbed a handful of candies and shouted excitedly to chase after me, but they accidentally bumped into Karl Modu, who had a bad face, and whispered "Brother" I'm sorry, wisely I didn't intend to get into trouble, and quietly hid aside.

Modo suppressed the unknown anger in his heart, glanced at Strange who was dumping his pile of medical bottles, turned around and scolded Alphonse angrily: "Look at what you've done!"

Alphonse had Coke in one hand and potato chips in the other, and there was a bag of fruit jelly in front of him. While chewing, he looked up at Modu: "Isn't this very good, you see everyone is very happy."

"You clearly know that our magic requires hard training!"

Modu said: "Excessive enjoyment will destroy a person's will, and desire will become a rope ladder to hell. We are completely different from magicians like you! You will destroy them!"

This time, Alphonse did not budge.

He has known for a long time that there is a difference in the philosophy between himself and Modu, but most of the time there is no obvious contradiction between the two.Karl Modu respected the messenger selected by the clock tower to mediate the world, and Al also recognized the other party's achievements in guarding the dark dimension. The two sides maintained basic communication, and occasionally had good cooperation.

Most of the orthodox magicians in the clock tower are afraid of Weishandi's lineage, thinking that they are "poor and sick, and they believe in evil gods too strong, and they are easy to go crazy if they don't agree with each other". The magician in the tower lacks humanity, has no conscience, and uses everything to the extreme. The two parties have little contact and even hate each other.

"You should at least give them a choice."

Alphonse looked directly into those eyes full of anger: "Maybe everyone has different reasons for embarking on the magic path. You can't ask everyone to study and live according to your rules. There are countless ways to go to the root, The magicians in the clock tower also have their own rules, and no one has ever said that the way to maintain one's heart is to abstain from everything worth enjoying."

"That's because you don't care about other people's life or death at all... As long as it doesn't involve changes in the world, you don't care about the life and death of human beings at all!"

Modu retorted: "Don't you think it's okay to add another Casillas who is difficult to deal with?!"

"..."

Strange turned around and saw that there was pity in Alphonse's green eyes that he couldn't understand—the Alphonse in his memory had never had such a "superfluous" expression.

He heard the other party speak slowly: "Master Ancient One can see the future, but she has never deprived anyone of the right to embark on the path of magic, whether it is Casillas, Strange, me, or you. Since Having become a magician, the pursuit of knowledge is always free."

The scenery should be long-term.

Since Stephen was able to open the portal smoothly, Alphonse's access control in Karma Taj was lifted, but when he thought of the rapid progress of this new magician, he didn't want to go back to Adelphi. Walter jewelry store.

Instructing the clerk to deliver some custom-made gemstones to the servant demons who came to buy them, and after replenishing some necessary daily necessities, standing in the empty jewelry store, Alphonse rarely looked a little melancholy.

"The store manager?"

The clerk said with some doubts: "Your time for 'business trip' this time is extraordinarily long."

Alphonse hesitated for a moment: "If you have a highly respected senior, and she is about to die..."

Clerk: "..."

The shop assistant: "...!!"

He sat up straight in horror. There were not many seniors who could make his boss feel particularly respected. This might be a major event that could change the era of the mysterious world.His subconscious first reaction was to rush to the front of the notebook to submit the emergency plan, but just after he opened the document, he realized that Alphonse was still standing there with his eyes downcast, as if he was still waiting for him to say the answer.

And that answer, he couldn't give it easily.

"If you're sick..."

The little clerk hesitated: "Boss, can't your gemstone save her?"

Ruby, which can even save the dying Tony Stark, should have no intractable diseases that cannot be cured, right?

"It's not sick."

Alphonse sat down on the sofa, with both hands drooping on the armrests: "It's the future, and it's very close to the future where she will die. Her death is almost engraved on the quantum fixed belt, no matter which parallel The world, or most of the worlds that can be observed, she will die around this point in time."

The little clerk imagined it for a while, and the result made him feel chilly.If a person knew when he was going to die, wouldn't he live every day in the silent silence waiting for the sword of Damocles to fall suddenly and the death knell to strike?

Maybe he doesn't understand magicians, but he doesn't understand death at all.The death rate of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents is not low, and the insurance premiums for special occupations are several times higher than other industries.Alphonse had a calm expression on his face, but his boss had never been expressive enough, maybe he really didn't know what to do in the face of such a future.

He submitted a briefing with some melancholy, and soon, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent a receipt asking him to confirm whether Alphonse had a plan to replace that "important person".The little clerk stared at the computer screen, dazed for a long time, really didn't know how to speak to his boss.

"what happened?"

The lake-green eyes stared at the little clerk who was facing the screen and scratching his head. The expression on the other side showed that he had encountered something difficult: "You can tell me directly, and you don't need to be stuck in your place."

"Boss, I..."

When he heard the other party say that, he felt even more ashamed, and felt that even in the whole world, it was difficult to find a person who could truly think from his standpoint.This is too difficult. Predicting the future is an ability that ordinary people can't imagine, and the mysterious world is separated from their daily life by a thick barrier. The transmission of anger, sorrow and joy is even more impossible to talk about.

Every magician is an island, a lone star in the Milky Way that looks very close but is actually far away.

In the shop mixed with the aroma of coffee, the clerk scratched his hair and was about to organize his words when he heard the roar of an engine coming from outside the window.The wind chimes at the door jingled, and the golden-red battle suit opened the store door, and lifted the visor towards Alphonse.

Tony Stark smiled a little awkwardly: "Natasha said that I saw your application for travel subsidies on the intranet of S.H.I.E.L.D. I thought there might be something worth seeing on the intranet, so I just Let the smart housekeeper help to pay attention, and then I just saw the notice from your agent..."

The little clerk curled his lips, this notification is an internal special line for the Mystery Department, you are not paying attention at all, but stealing information!

"—so I thought maybe we could have our long-lost meal?"

Tony Stark suggested: "Based on when you were in Nepal and said you missed the restaurants here in New York."

Alphonse was taken aback for a moment, and then the lake green eyes gradually warmed up: "My honor, Mr. Stark."

The two turned around and walked out of the store together. Before the clerk closed the door, he vaguely heard a complaint that was blown away by the wind: "I think we are familiar enough to call names, otherwise Edelfelt sounds too much." hard to pronounce……"

The food was very good. Although Tony Stark himself had mixed reviews, it was still worth going out to welcome the hotel owner himself, and even wanted to take a group photo as a souvenir.

"Come to Al."

He readily agreed to the request to take a photo, and stretched out his hand to take Alphonse to the other side of the lens: "I haven't even taken a photo with you yet."

The alchemist who was suddenly dragged over obviously hadn't adjusted his expression yet, and was finally taken a group photo with a confused look on his side.

Tony saved the photo contentedly, and decided to ask Lao Jia to help remove the boss who got in the way when he went back.

At the dinner table, he did not try his best to ask various questions related to mysticism as before, nor did he chatter endlessly to show off his latest achievements, but he just said casually: "I saw that report, the predestined death Is it an unchangeable fact?"

"It's like you can't bring a dead person back to life."

Alphonse thought for a while, and made an analogy: "There are two kinds of things that can be observed by the future vision, one is 'possibility', and the other is 'conclusion'. If death is the conclusion of the future, then through the future Seeing death is the same as you and I are discussing those who have died, and there is no difference on the scale of time between the two."

"It doesn't sound like a good thing to predict a prophet."

Tony said, "Have you seen your own future?"

"I don't have that ability."

Alphonse shook his head: "Few people have this kind of eyes, and even if they have the magic eyes of future vision, most of them can only see the very near future, ranging from seconds to years. The farther away from the 'now' the observed future tends to be, the more ambiguous it is, often only seeing an isolated outcome rather than inferring the process leading to it."

Tony put the last piece of food on the plate into his mouth, and asked slowly: "So, there is no room for you to change?"

"..."

Alphonse paused: "I'm helping her cultivate an heir."

It means that all the efforts that can be made have been done, and there is no other way except to take advantage of the last time to deal with the funeral.

Looking at the calm alchemist in front of him, Tony really doubted whether the magicians were too accustomed to the departure of their friends and teachers.He wanted to reach out and stroke the shoulder-length blond hair of the opponent, but he paused when he first made the move, and finally failed to move.

He knows, from Natasha, Clint, Saul's current respect, and Nick Fury's prudence and fear, he can understand what kind of invulnerable steel plate the person in front of him is. guy.

"The heir."

Tony Stark thought for a while: "If there is a chance, let him come to the Avengers to file a case, just like your current part-time job. Hydra also has some magic guys, and maybe there are people who can interact with each other." Opportunity to coorparate."

"I've already done that."

Alphonse replied softly: "He has already done so before he set foot on the path of a magician."

You see, Tony shrugged, this guy is flawless.Mr. Barthemelo was such a faultless man.

That's why... people can't take their eyes off at all.

***

Kama Taj.

Just as Alphonse returned to New York, Karl Modu challenged Stephen Strange.

It's not all about the challenge. Specifically, it can only be said that as a senior, Mordo is full of malicious "teaching" and "pointing" to Strange.

"Choose a magic dress that suits you."

Modu said succinctly: "You have learned enough theoretical knowledge these days, it's time to learn how a magician should fight and protect himself. The magicians of Weishandi often have to learn how to guard the darkness all their lives. Dimension, you should also get started now."

He suddenly pulled his Life Tribunal staff from the middle, the golden stream of magic power built the elongated staff, and the short wooden staff with the length of the forearm was immediately drawn to the length of the eyebrow stick: "Choose your weapon , Strange."

Stephen, who was named, glanced indifferently at the cabinets containing all kinds of dresses, did not choose any of them, but calmly put a hanging ring on his finger: "This is against the rules, I haven't started to learn yet. How to use magic to fight...and I'm a doctor, so I didn't intend to learn this in the first place."

"It's up to you to learn or not!"

Seeing that the opponent didn't intend to pick up the weapon, Modu directly lifted the long stick and threw it horizontally, wanting to knock the opponent down directly.Stephen retreated a few steps and dodged the attack in embarrassment, and found that the opponent was serious about beating him. He raised his hands horizontally during the final blow, and the magic power formed a rough shield between his hands, which was able to support the opponent. s attack.

The strength of the staff of the life court made his fingers ache slightly.

"Stephen, find a way to fight back! If you just hide, you will definitely be hit!"

Modu was still thinking of ways to attack while scolding. Strange had no combat experience at all, and it was very difficult to parry for a while. The magicians formed a circle and put the two of them in the middle. Some people looked hesitant and wanted to dissuade them. , as soon as he met Modu's eyes, he flinched back again.

On the one hand is the elder brother who has always been responsible for the respect of everyone, and on the other is the new magician who is talented and talented.Although Strange seldom spoke, he won the love and respect of many people during the days when he and Alphonse were studying together in Karma Taj.

Hey.

Jealousy is wrapped in magic, flowing through its limbs and bones.Modu held the wand of the court of life in his hand. The wand of this material is engraved with the characteristics that can interrupt most magic formulas, but it is ineffective against the magic power of the same source-this is to prevent the damage caused by the same family. It is precisely because of this that Strange was able to barely hold on under Modu's attack.

Something indescribable was gradually formed in his body, his soul seemed to be split in two, one half was clamoring to "teach this ignorant guy", while the other half raised his rationality and kept repeating "think Think of what you have held on to for years."

His magic wand is one of the secret treasures of Weishandi's lineage. Although it is not as good as the eye of Agamotto, a divine armor inherited by the supreme venerable, winning the right to use this wand is enough to prove his Work hard and persevere.Modu still remembered that day, he took the ordinary-looking wooden staff from Gu Yi, bowed his head reverently, and thanked the supreme venerable for his teaching, which allowed him to defeat his inner demons.

Soul magic is indeed easy to breed demons, but he has done a good job. He abides by the rules in his life and is trusted and relied on by everyone. After the damn traitor Casillas left, he was the big brother here.

But Gu Yi said: "The inner demon cannot be defeated, Mo Du. The inner demon is something that needs to be constantly contended with."

At that time, his soul was pure, and Modu thought he had done everything he should do.The young magician took over the wand bestowed by his mentor, and the light wooden stick was as heavy as a thousand weights in his hand: "I will continue to work hard."

Gu Yi's expression was complicated and difficult to understand, but the supreme venerable had always been like this. Her eyes looked at the future that ordinary people could not touch, and she was always worried about the safety of the whole world, so it was normal for him not to understand.

"The Ancient One gave every right person the opportunity to learn magic, whether it was you, me, those who left Karma Taj, or Strange."

But when Alphonse said such words one day, the other party's eyes showed the same indiscernible emotion as that of Gu Yi back then.

He knew that the other party was the Lord of Jewels, a leader whose strength was not inferior to most magicians.Even though they were about the same age, Alphonse was entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the ancient one, named Barthomello, looked at in a different light by several monarchs, and was taken as a disciple by that Wanhuajing...

——Back then, he begged hard to get the qualification to follow Ancient One.

With a bang, something broke in his mind, and was dragged back by the remaining pure soul.

"stand up."

He said to Strange, who was rolling on the ground in embarrassment, "Stand up, cast a spell, and attack me."