Marvel Magic Case Files.

Chapter 73 Explosion

Joan of Arc seemed a little off; when Salomon mentioned Ceresia and Bayonetta's names in succession, her voice faltered. But she quickly recovered.

"Do you think I can't launch missiles without a remote control?" Joan of Arc pointed her gun at the sorcerer again, speaking with disdain. While Joan was still stunned, Salomon was already standing on the railing, holding a piece of parchment.

"The magic of the 'command' property has a great use, and I know very well what this magic can do." Salomon waved the parchment in front of Joan of Arc. "That's why I prepared this."

"A piece of paper? What use could it be?" Joan of Arc had never seen a scroll before and naturally had no idea of ​​Salomon's plans. The sorcerer didn't bother to explain further; he simply tore open the scroll and activated the magic within. Salomon had always adhered to the principle that "there is only the most suitable magic, not the most powerful magic," and the magic within the scroll was undoubtedly extremely suitable for the current situation.

The second-circle Evocation spell, Darson's Furnace, can raise the temperature of an area to extreme heat, causing damage and other effects to creatures and objects within it. Due to Salomon's magic, this spell can last for a period of time. Fire has always been a witch's weakness, as Bayonetta has demonstrated. She has always hated Salomon's fire magic, even when they were hunting angels together. Now, Salomon is using this weakness on Jeanne before her.

After the spell was cast, the entire rooftop, except for the corner where Salomon stood, was enveloped in intense heat. The concrete floor dried rapidly, and the water vaporized into white steam, which then vanished completely. The raindrops that had just fallen hadn't even touched the ground before turning back into gas and returning to the leaden clouds. Now, the entire rooftop was dry, with a layer of white steam rising diagonally above Salomon. But Salomon wasn't finished. A semi-circular orange spell appeared in his hand, and he threw it out, not at Joan of Arc who had jumped from the other side of the rooftop, but at the weapons.

Immediately afterwards, Salomon fell off the railing and plummeted to the ground.

The Ring of Raghadore had been modified by the Sorcerer Supreme; while it lacked its powerful defensive capabilities, it was extremely sharp against ordinary objects. Salomon's magic swirled on the rooftop, slicing a deep gash in each missile. The solid fuel encased beneath the insulation (which Salomon couldn't distinguish if the missiles had insulation) and metal casing was instantly ignited by the intense heat.

The fire erupted from the gap in the missile body and spread extremely rapidly, engulfing all the missile launchers. The launchers, like thorny crowns, spewed flames into the sky, just like the Olympic torch. The surging torrent of flames even illuminated half of Sun Island.

Now, even if Joan of Arc tampered with those missiles, they couldn't be launched; the fuel would burn up before it even reached the engine. Salomon's next task was to find a way to land safely. The building was tall enough for him to cast a spell. Although he was missing his feather, he had plenty of ways to land safely; his magic tricks were enough for him.

"Boya, why do you like doing such dangerous things so much?" Before Salomon could finish the incantation, he felt a pair of arms tightly constricting his waist and abdomen, forcing him to exhale. The incantation was interrupted, and a lithe body embraced him from behind. Salomon, whose body age was 14, once again felt what it meant to have a "heavy sense of oppression".

"I thought you were still fighting." Salomon breathed a sigh of relief.

The sound was all too familiar. Even as he plummeted, Salomon abandoned his plan to continue chanting the spell. No one could expect someone whose soul had been dormant for decades to remain focused under such circumstances. Before Bayonetta could use her witch's magic to create butterfly wings on her back to slow him down, she and Salomon crashed into a large patch of shattered glass that appeared in mid-air and disappeared.

Baron Mordo was always extremely meticulous in his work, one of the Sorcerer Supreme's right-hand men, and also the person Salomon least wanted to encounter. Especially his piercing eyes, which seemed to say, "Go ahead and try to argue, we'll see if I believe you." He executed the Sorcerer Supreme's orders with near-rigidity and was also the most loyal customer of the chefs at Kamar-Taj headquarters. Of course, it's also possible that Baron Mordo's skin color made his eyes appear so striking; in reality, he didn't have a particularly stern look. Whether this was true or not, no apprentice would be foolish enough to test it.

"Good evening, Mordo," Salomon greeted him, and Bayonetta promptly put him down. Mordo's dark face was devoid of emotion, but he was clearly not in a pleasant mood. Behind him stood the Phoenix that Salomon had summoned, its wings outstretched, revealing a pair of short legs and a fluffy gray tail hanging down beneath.

Baron Mordo said expressionlessly, "His Majesty sent me to bring Seresa here."

"Mommy!" The little girl emerged from under the golden-red wings, clutching a plush toy and a listless cat in her arms. As soon as Ceresa saw Bayonetta, she rushed out and pounced on her, ignoring the witch's disgusted expression, pressing herself tightly against her thigh.

Although Bayonetta's expression was one of utter disgust, she still allowed Ceresa to approach her. During the battle with the angels, she had frequently heard Baldr's voice, a voice that told her that to unravel the mystery, she needed to take care of Ceresa and bring her to the center of Sun Island, to the Isabelle Mansion, for Ceresa held the key to all the mysteries. She had originally contacted Salomon to bring Ceresa there, but now, the actions of the Mage's Guild were exactly what she wanted.

Baron Mordo's mirror dimension was timely, not only because Salomon was at risk of falling to his death, but also because Salomon had overestimated the missile's safety. Even through the mirror dimension, they could see the upper part of the building completely collapse under the explosion, with the still-burning missile falling into it and exploding again. The reinforced concrete building crumbled completely in the impact, like an aluminum can stuffed with firecrackers. The continuous explosions completely destroyed the foundation, and the towering building crashed to the ground like a fallen giant, with even the torrential rain unable to stop the dust kicked up.

Several nearby buildings affected by the blast wave also suffered varying degrees of damage, exposing jagged reinforced concrete structures, including the Isabelle Building. Further afield, the glass surfaces of buildings were completely shattered by the shockwave, and a rain of broken glass fell across Sun Island.

Ceresia clung even tighter to Bayonetta in fright.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, access to Sun Island was strictly controlled in preparation for Easter; the island was deserted, populated entirely by Ragnarokists. The Ragnarokists were currently gathered near the island's largest church, awaiting Easter, so no one was injured in the explosion. However, if the Sage's plan succeeded, they might not survive long; the fanatical atmosphere was enough to influence everyone's thinking, and even the normally life-loving Ragnarokists might commit suicide.

Salomon, however, didn't care much about the lives of the Ragnarok followers. They were already prepared to sacrifice their souls anyway; even if he stopped them this time, there would be another. Kamar-Taj wasn't a babysitter who could watch over them every second. Baron Mordo didn't comment on the impending deaths of the Ragnarok followers, nor did Bayonetta, because what followed was more important.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Mordo." Salomon sighed. He suddenly felt that the future of Evocation magic was fraught with difficulties, and there was an urgent need to advance to the next level. Evocation magic, with its straightforward approach, was the most direct form of combat power and would be one of the most needed spells for Salomon when facing enemies in the future.

"His Majesty's next orders," Baron Mordo said. "His Majesty agrees to let you carry out the next mission. But on the condition that you can keep your life."

"I think I will." Salomon glanced at Ceresa, who was clinging tightly to Bayonetta's leg (along with the fat cat sandwiched between them), and said, "We have to make sure the final mission is accomplished, don't we?"

"Although I don't know what kind of task His Holiness gave you," Mordo glanced at Bayonetta, "and let a witch handle this kind of thing instead of mobilizing the entire Kamar-Taj. But this is not something you can interfere with. I hope you know where your limits are. That witch won't take care of you."

"I'm not that stupid. Of course I know when to run for my life." Salomon waved his hand. "Take us to the Isabelle Mansion. I don't have much magic left."

"The Sorcerer Supreme foresaw this; this will restore some of your strength." Mordo handed a vial of potion to Salomon and began casting a spell, opening a portal. "This will help you remember..."

"Save your life, I remember." Salomon blinked. "You'd be perfect as a babysitter, Mordo."

The portal Mordo opened was in the gap left by the bombed-out Isabelle Building. Bayonetta, holding Ceresa's hand, walked out of the mirror dimension, followed by Phoenix and a grey shorthair cat named Cheshire. Salomon followed closely behind, stepping onto the corridor filled with shattered glass, his shoes making a crunching sound.

Just as I left the mirror dimension, the rusty smell of rain washed over me again like a tidal wave. Broken glass glittered, reflecting the distant firelight like orange-red embers spread across a marble floor.

Just as he stepped out, his phone rang again.

"Did you see that? That explosion!" Luca's panicked voice came from the other side. "If I hadn't taken refuge in the Isabelle Building, I would have..."

"I did it," Salomon readily admitted.

"You! You actually... Well, you handled it pretty well. At least no one was injured, except for me. I almost died!"

"Alright, enough talk," the sorcerer said. "There's an even bigger battle ahead. I suggest you run now, or no one will be able to take care of you."

"You're as cold-blooded as ever, Salomon," Luca scoffed. "I've already tracked this far, how could I possibly give up? I'm the kind of man who'd give his life for the truth! Of course, dying in some inexplicable explosion doesn't count..."

"Good luck," Salomon said into the phone. "If you can survive the next battle..."

"What?" Luca was utterly confused, but Salomon offered no explanation. Instead, he hung up the phone, stepped forward, and shielded Ceresa behind him. Bayonetta stopped in her tracks. In front of her stood a woman in a red leather jacket.

That was Joan of Arc, who escaped the explosion on the rooftop.

Remember to vote!

(End of this chapter)