Shadow trail of the beautiful world

Chapter 502 27. Visitors

Merlin left from the Trident headquarters. His schedule today was a bit tense, so he didn't do extra, superfluous things, and directly used the teleportation spell to come to a slightly remote villa near Long Island, New York.

This is Lord Samuel's home in the Muggle world.

Well, even great wizards who have been immersed in the magic world for a lifetime occasionally want to see the world outside of magic, and most wizards don't care much about money.

The paper money used by Muggles is almost like a beautifully printed decoration in their eyes, without any additional meaning.

Merlin came directly to the observation deck of the villa, where the Great Wizard, His Excellency Samuel, was already waiting for him.

This old man is very interesting. In the Muggle world, he didn't stubbornly continue to wear his luxurious grand wizard's robe, which has at least 7 magic effects, but a black loose shirt with Tom the blue cat on it. Shirt, a pair of board shorts, and shoes off.

Dress up like a real tourist.

Except for the wizard's staff that turned into a cane in his hand, that thing is probably the only magic-related thing on Wizard Samuel.

For orthodox wizards, the wand, or staff, is always something they must have at hand.

"Here you come, Wizard Merlin."

Compared with when we first met back then, today's great wizard Samuel still looks very old with a big beard, but Merlin knows that this wizard has lived for more than 100 years. It is estimated that he can live for at least another 70 years...

"Come and sit down."

The great wizard warmly invited Merlin to sit at the table on the viewing platform, and he said to Merlin:

"I just ordered two seafood pizzas. Muggles are getting more and more technologically advanced, and they are getting lazier and enjoying life more and more. More than 30 years ago, if I wanted to eat this kind of food, I could only Send servants to buy, now you don’t even need servants, it’s just a phone call or a text message.”

Merlin looked at the steaming pizza in front of him. While cutting the fragrant food with a knife, he said to Wizard Samuel:

"I thought you would eat healthier. Some old wizards are very particular about this."

"Haha, that's because they are not talented enough."

Your Excellency Samuel rolled up a piece of pizza, put it in his mouth and took a bite, he said to Merlin indifferently:

"If they can become great wizards, the magic power in their bodies can help them decompose 99% of harmful substances. In fact, every great wizard will become a gourmet in the end... You have also tasted those damn potions, Just because we drink those potions doesn’t mean that our sense of taste has degenerated, no one likes to eat pig food unless we have such a personality, right?”

"Indeed."

Merlin tasted the pizza and said:

"From Mick's Restaurant?"

"Well, you know that restaurant too?"

The great wizard smiled and said:

"It seems that our tastes are very similar, which is very good, Wizard Merlin."

"Well, Stan hired a really good cook."

Merlin says:

"My kids liked it too. By the way, Mr. Samuel, did you know old Stan?"

"know."

His Excellency Samuel pointed to his head, he said:

"I have a deep impression on everyone I have come into contact with. The gentleman who draws manga is a really good man. He has experienced many things and has lived a wonderful life. Unfortunately, his life is about to come to an end. ...but for a Muggle, at his age, it's not such a sad thing."

"Well, indeed."

Merlin nodded, and for the next few minutes, the two of them didn't speak any more, but enjoyed the food to their heart's content.

They eat very slowly...

It seems like it's because both of them know that after a pleasant lunch hour, it's time to talk about something less pleasant.

"Swish"

After Merlin finished eating the last piece of pizza, he put down the knife, picked up the napkin, and wiped his hands. He looked at the great wizard who was also wiping his hands, and said:

"About Brimstone Harbor..."

"I knew it, that's what you're here for."

Wizard Samuel said with some headaches:

"They thought they could hide it from you, but in fact, I knew from the beginning that these things couldn't be hidden from you. Even in the past half a year, you haven't focused on New York."

"But when a keen spider is still lying on its elaborate web, the vibrations from every part of the web cannot be hidden from it."

The old wizard looked at Merlin, and said:

"I declare in advance, Merlin, regarding the incidents of Sulfur Port and Dracula, the decisions made by the Magic Council are made by the Council itself, not myself...I am more inclined to tell you these things, but unfortunately, As speaker, I pay more attention to this official attitude than other members of parliament."

"I can understand."

Merlin nodded, and he said to the great wizard:

"But I'm still curious, based on what kind of thinking and what kind of attitude are your congressmen, they will keep a blind eye to Dracula's stay in Sulfur Port... Could it be that Haven't they heard of the legend of Dracula? Or, did they reach some surprising cooperation with that legendary vampire?"

"There is indeed an agreement."

Samuel nodded and said:

"The agreement came from a newly promoted vampire member of the Magic Congress. As a representative of the Magic Congress, it had an interview with the legendary vampire Lord Dracula the night he entered New York."

"Dracula's attitude on this matter is very clear. He promised the congressmen that as long as he wants that city, his rule will only stop at Sulfur Harbor, and he will not touch the New York City on the ground, let alone destroy it. The new order that is currently deepening on the North American continent.”

The great wizard glanced at Merlin, and said:

"You should know that Dracula's real goal is not in the real world, at least, that's what he himself declared."

"Ok, I know."

Merlin said disapprovingly:

"He tried to get his hands on the throne of the Lord of Hell, a wild fantasy. Of course, this had nothing to do with us, until I learned something about Dracula from the Supreme Family a few hours ago."

"He has a follower, a vampire freak, who can create an astonishing number of vampires in a short period of time through the spread of viruses. Not only do they feed on the blood of other creatures, they can also feed on the blood of vampires , and most importantly, this virus is also effective against other heterogeneous species."

Merlin knocked on the table, he said to the great wizard:

"Personally, I might believe in Dracula's promises, but his promises are one thing, and his ability, willingness, and ability to control his raging and bloodthirsty army of vampires is quite another... Grand Wizard Your Excellency, I think you should know that from a certain point of view, the only function of a contract is to be torn up."

He shook his head and said to Samuel:

"I don't think that when Dracula's army of vampires stormed into New York, he would send a declaration of war to the Magic Congress in advance."

"so what?"

The great wizard looked at Merlin, and he asked:

"Wizard Merlin, what do you want me to do?"

"It's simple."

Merlin scratched his finger on the table and said:

"In this war that is about to start, stand on our side again, and re-enter the framework of the order we agreed to and established together."

Wizard Samuel looked at Merlin, he didn't answer the question right away, and Merlin didn't rush him.

This is a showdown, and there is no easy decision.

Ten seconds later, Grand Wizard Samuel let out a long sigh, and he said to Merlin:

"In the first few years of cooperation between the Magic Council and S.H.I.E.L.D., most wizards praised the combination of the two sides, and they were not stingy in their praise, saying that this is the most successful cooperation between the wizarding world and the Muggle world. Become a bridge between the two worlds."

"But as time goes by, when the order in New York begins to stabilize, the aliens no longer act mischievously, and the number of Aurors sacrificed becomes less and less. After the general environment is getting better and better, some things that we ignored at the beginning The murmur started."

Wizard Samuel leaned on his cane, and he whispered to Merlin:

"The Muggle world is very complicated. The situation in the wizarding world is better, but it is equally complicated. This is a small circle. Merlin, you are also a wizard, and your strength is already comparable to that of a great wizard. You can understand that there are always people in the small circle. This kind of weird idea... Some more traditional, or more rigid wizards, don't think that this better and better cooperation is in line with their image of wizards."

"They think that wizards should stay away from the Muggle world and live their own lives, that young wizards should get together to discuss magic, not the stars...that's where the conflict started, and then in just a few years, this This conflict escalated to the parliamentary level."

The great wizard's voice became deeper and deeper.

"The wizards saw that the aliens lived a new life under the plan of S.H.I.E.L.D. The dozen or so small reservations in New York are becoming more prosperous and full of order every day."

"This is a good thing, but some people have seen the other side of the coin."

"When werewolves get used to putting away their minions, put on suits and rely on part-time jobs to support their families, when vampires no longer prey on passers-by, but obtain legal blood through the daily supply in the reserved area, when succubi only need to follow Muggle When the most stupid ghouls start to get enough fresh meat by helping the authorities clean up the sewers..."

The great wizard looked at Merlin, and said:

"Wizards have a fear..."

"If one day, you also ask us not to wear robes anymore, and when you ask us to wear suits to teach in school...does the tradition of wizards, our history of thousands of years, still make sense?"

"A wizard like that is still called a wizard?"

Facing the words of great wizard Samuel, Merlin did not refute, he nodded, and he said softly:

"What you said makes sense, Mr. Samuel, but unfortunately, these are just appearances."

Merlin tapped his fingers on the table, and he said word by word:

"What you are really afraid of is losing your current privileges... What you are afraid of is being put back in your rightful place in this new system that you and we have built together."

"You've seen the rise of S.H.I.E.L.D., you've felt your importance in the system go down every day, you've felt restless, you've thought you'd be abandoned."

Merlin's voice became slower and more explicit.

"You are afraid that you will change from the makers of the order to the followers of the order. Just like those emperors who are greedy for power, you are afraid that you will be kicked off the throne. So this time you are trying to stand by and watch the invincible S.H.I.E.L.D. A big somersault, in order to let us see your value again."

"But the problem is..."

"How many of those emperors who were greedy for power ended well?"

Merlin shook his head and said:

"You shouldn't be afraid of the final arrival of order, because S.H.I.E.L.D. will not always be the judge of order. We will also enter this system and become a part of order, just like you."

"No one will try to manipulate it. This nascent order is now just a caterpillar. It is not beautiful, and it is ugly. It needs help to crawl forward."

"But one day, it will turn into a butterfly, and it no longer needs a guide to fly by itself."

"By that day, we will all be members of the system, and that is the ultimate manifestation of order. What I want to say to you and the wizards is... It's okay to express dissatisfaction, but don't use this extreme method. Once The situation in Sulfur Harbor is out of control, once there is a large-scale attack and casualties in New York, it will only make us stand on the opposite side faster."

"I don't want to be ordered one day to lead the demon hunters to destroy the Magic Congress..."

Merlin tapped his fingers on the table and said:

"So I advise you, stop playing with fire and turn around now..."

"You still have time."

This slightly cold tone made the atmosphere on the viewing platform stagnant for a while. After 2 minutes, the great wizard raised his head and said to Merlin:

"It's easy to convince me, Merlin, I'm a pacifist."

"But it's not that easy to persuade other MPs."

"You said it was difficult?"

Merlin smiled, stood up, and said to the great wizard:

"Come with me, Mr. Samuel, and I'll show you something."

Merlin stretched out his hand and twisted open the door. The next moment, he passed through the door and walked into the ice room of the mysterious house. Wizard Samuel followed him. In the cold air of the ice room, the great wizard, who was only wearing a shirt and shorts, didn't even notice it.

A wizard like him has long been insensitive to changes in temperature.

"Icarus, activate 'Hunter'."

Merlin said softly.

The next moment, under the gaze of the great wizard, the huge red and blue iron box stored in the deepest part of the ice room was quickly activated during the conversion of gears and modules.

During this period of time, according to Merlin's request, Xuanlan changed the shell of the Kree Sentinel, which Icarus had cracked all the operating programs.

When it was fully activated, it was no longer the original rough anthropomorphism. On the contrary, Xuanlan replaced the sentry with a more futuristic sci-fi style armor according to some design drawings left by His Excellency Da Vinci.

It's become more slender, every piece of its shell is angular and looks imbued with a sharp edge, and its head armor has been reconfigured to resemble a hybrid of an owl and a bat, borrowed from Bruce's Inspired by that suit of armor.

The hexagonal eyes of the helmet armor turn dark red when activated, looking quite menacing.

In front of its arms, it is equipped with sharp and thick sword-shaped armor, and its five claws are more slender. On the quadrangular shoulder pads on the shoulders, some weapon modules found from AIM are also installed.

According to the blueprint of the flying boots designed by Winston, Icarus re-equipped the flying system for the heavy sentinel robot. Of course, it would be very difficult for such a heavy guy to fly, and the demand for energy is extremely high, but fortunately, Merlin also had an energy cube from a level 3 civilization in his hand.

"You can cast magic on it at will, Your Excellency Samuel."

Merlin looked at the great wizard beside him, and said softly:

"I can guarantee that you will never be able to destroy it... This thing is almost completely forbidden. It can convert external energy into an energy shield or simply launch it out."

"I have evaluated its combat effectiveness. When dealing with some difficult aliens, it has little effect. After all, it is huge in size and slow in action."

Merlin says:

"But if one day, I get an order to destroy the Magic Congress, it only needs one order, and its hands will be stained with the blood of wizards..."

Merlin patted Grand Wizard Samuel on the shoulder, and he whispered:

"Please do me a favor, my friend."

"Don't let us use it when..."

(End of this chapter)