Reborn as the God-Emperor in Marvel

Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Negotiation



When Solomon exposed one of Nick Fury's biggest secrets, the veteran agent couldn't hide the tremor in his eyes. For a spy or an intelligence agency, secrets are weapons, and Solomon had just disarmed Fury by revealing one of his. But soon enough, Fury regained his composure—he had more cards to play. What mattered now was assessing SHIELD's losses.

Solomon's footsteps echoed as his heels clicked against the floor, pacing around the room. After taking a glance at Fury, he decided he'd given him enough time to think. With a wave of his hand, the room returned to normal. Phoenix stopped flapping its wings and perched on the desk in front of Solomon.

"You see, once you calm down, we can have a proper conversation." Solomon sat back down in the chair, eyeing Fury like a snake, gripping him tightly. "You think you know many secrets, but that's far from true."

"I get it—magic," Fury quickly accepted. As one of the few people aware of the existence of aliens, Fury's open-mindedness exceeded that of most. In a world full of impossibilities, magic was just another reality. He rubbed his sore arms, then abruptly raised his gun and aimed it at Solomon. "This is how a real negotiation works. Now, tell me—how do you know about Carol Danvers?"

"Go ahead, shoot." Solomon suddenly grabbed the gun, pointing it at his own head. "The agents tried the same thing. If you want to know why I wasn't hurt, pull the trigger and find out."

Fury didn't move, merely staring at Solomon, evaluating the threat. Growing impatient, Solomon snatched the gun and fired a shot at his temple. The bullet stopped in midair, as if it had lost all momentum. Solomon plucked the still-hot bullet from the air, tossing it and the gun back to Fury.

"I must clarify something," Solomon said. "Kamar-Taj has stood for over a thousand years. It knows far more than SHIELD. I'm not just aware of Carol Danvers—I know much more. Do you think a cosmic police officer, who gained her powers from the Tesseract and only knows how to throw her strength around, could escape the mirror dimension? Magic is based on intelligence, not brute force. If she hadn't driven away the Kree fleet, what do you think would have happened to them? The Supreme Sorcerer wouldn't allow anyone to threaten humanity, even if it's outside the realm of magic."

"Magic world?" Fury's tone softened as he glanced at Phoenix. Realizing he was alone and outmatched, he resigned himself to listening. "There are others like you?"

"Yes. Any sorcerer, regardless of their origin, must submit part of their magic to the Supreme Sorcerer's jurisdiction if they live on Earth," Solomon explained. "You can think of the Supreme Sorcerer as the king of the magical world, and I am his student."

"Sounds like a dictatorship," Fury probed.

"Perhaps. People in democratic societies often equate dictatorship with tyranny, and since you were raised with Western ideals, it's no surprise you think that way." Solomon casually propped his legs on the desk, loosening the small cape with the Eton emblem. "But the crises in the magical world are far more dangerous—any one of them could destroy the world. We don't have time for democratic votes. Remember a year ago when all satellites lost their signal? That was due to a battle between a god and a demon. The Supreme Sorcerer activated planetary defense systems and the mirror dimension to shield human civilization from the aftermath."

"If it's so dangerous, shouldn't it be under government control?" Fury pressed.

Solomon suddenly sat up, looking sharply at Fury. "Do you really think you understand, Nick Fury? Do you think humanity has avoided alien colonization just by luck? Do you think Heaven and Hell haven't established dominion on Earth out of mercy? Who do you think rules this planet? Every dimension beyond your comprehension has felt the footsteps of the Supreme Sorcerer, and under each step lies the corpses of enemies. That throne, built of blood and bones, wasn't won through fake ballots or weak political statements. Do you think the laws of men mean anything to the Supreme Sorcerer? Do you think gods and demons care about election results? In this universe, the only true authority over Earth belongs to Kamar-Taj."

"Then what about Salem? Does such an organization need to rob a congressman's ring? And Collins Town—weren't you responsible for all those murders? Does the Supreme Sorcerer intend to turn his sword on his own people?" Fury asked mockingly.

"The Salem incident was to recover a magical artifact. As for Collins Town—vampires, werewolves, the usual black magic creatures. Collins Town just happened to have a nest of them, so I was tasked with cleaning it up."

"Are they not human?"

"I didn't know you sympathized with black magic creatures, Nick Fury," Solomon said with a disgusted look. "Vampires and werewolves are a plague among humanity. They breed rapidly and can turn countless others at will. After turning, they're no longer human—one is dead, the other is infected with an incurable lycanthropy. Wait… vampires and werewolves don't just exist in Collins Town—SHIELD has known about them, haven't they?"

"Yes," Fury admitted. "I know about them. SHIELD has studied them, but I assure you we've kept their numbers under control."

"I trust you didn't have ulterior motives when studying them. I know what kind of man you are. But don't make me catch you, Nick Fury. If I do, I won't care who those vampires or werewolves are—they'll meet the same fate: death," Solomon warned. "And vampires and werewolves are just minor threats. There are far worse things threatening Earth."

"You, of all people, should understand this. In the face of survival, human civilization means nothing—whether democracy or dictatorship, ideology has no place in the face of extinction. In death, there is no distinction of race. Only under this premise are humans truly equal. Those creatures from other dimensions or alien worlds won't spare someone just because their skin is lighter.

"Kamar-Taj is humanity's last line of defense. It's the barrier between reality and other dimensions. Those mythological creatures you don't see under your bed? That's because of us. Do you really want to see angels come down and reinstate the tithe system? Don't test me, Fury—I've lost my patience. I've always had a good opinion of you, at least in how SHIELD handles the messes caused by capitalist nations and itself."

"Yet I don't see the Supreme Sorcerer ruling the world," Fury retorted. "Sounds like it would be a fair rule."

"The Sorcerer has confined his rule to the magical world because magic is not humanity's future," Solomon said. "Technology, with its universal applicability, is the future of humanity."

From this conversation, Fury gleaned a clearer understanding of what Kamar-Taj represented. He said, "But you also know we're far behind aliens in terms of technology. We almost have no chance of catching up. If possible, I'd like to have magic's help in any form. Surely the number of sorcerers is small compared to the human population—otherwise, SHIELD would have discovered them by now. I can send agents to Kamar-Taj for training, to boost your numbers. We're both fighting for humanity; we should be allies, not enemies."

"It's not up to me or even the Supreme Sorcerer to decide who becomes a sorcerer. That's up to the Vishanti." Solomon raised his hand, showing Fury the ring on his finger. "Without a pact with the Vishanti, no one can wield magic. I understand your intentions, but even if your agents could make a pact, they'd have to be fully committed to the battles in other dimensions. If they betrayed that and leaked secrets, they would be eliminated."

"And who are the Vishanti?" Fury asked.

"The Vishanti are a trinity of beings, the source of white magic, omniscient entities, and the first Supreme Sorcerer. I cannot speak their names," Solomon explained. "But your plan is pointless. If someone is meant to learn magic, the Vishanti will guide them to Kamar-Taj. If not, no amount of effort will help. If you wish to explore magic, be prepared to pay the price."

"Fine. Then what's the point of you coming to see me?" Fury asked. "Don't tell me it's because my agents interrupted your schooling. Does a wizard want a normal life?"

"Precisely," Solomon said. "The Sorcerer wants me to crush those arrogant Saxons intellectually and physically, but your agents disrupted that plan. While I'm not thrilled about school, I always follow the Supreme Sorcerer's orders."

Solomon's youth showed in the conversation—he had inadvertently revealed key information. Fury now knew Solomon followed the Sorcerer's orders, knew about the Vishanti, and understood the existence of magical artifacts. Solomon was, after all, a scholar, not a spy, and couldn't be expected to cover every detail perfectly.

Satisfied with the new intel, Fury hid his feelings, still wearing a mask of frustration. "But you killed them!" he shouted. "They were just following orders!"

"I was following orders in Collins Town too, and I endured the pain of those decisions," Solomon replied. "Everyone has to bear the consequences of their actions. I did, and so must they. Besides, you may thank me for it someday."

"Alright." Fury nodded. As a seasoned leader, he understood that

 the lives of his agents had bought him valuable information. Their sacrifice had brought Solomon Damonet to his office, opening the door to communication.

"What do you want?" Fury asked.

"Leave me alone. Any surveillance or pursuit will be treated as hostile. Others are already spying on magic—you're not the only one. If you send anyone after me, I won't hold back." Solomon pulled out a parchment and wrote this condition down. "Also, you cannot disclose Kamar-Taj's existence or record any information about it, whether written or stored electronically. You cannot hint at or reveal anything about Kamar-Taj to others."

So young, Fury thought. He actually thinks writing it down will stop me.

"I can agree to that. But why not talk about cooperation?" Fury suggested. "I could use your help personally. SHIELD has collected numerous strange artifacts over the years. Perhaps you could assist in identifying them?"

"That's fine." Solomon jotted that down on the parchment as well. After writing for a bit, he produced a wax seal from his dimensional pouch, melted it with a flame, and pressed his ring into the wax. He pushed the parchment toward Fury. "Sign it. I don't trust a spy's word—only this contract can guarantee our agreement."

"So this is…" Fury realized this wasn't a memo, but a binding contract.

"A magical contract," Solomon clarified. "It restricts both of us, ensuring we don't break the deal. It's fair and reasonable. Tonight, you'll witness a glimpse of Hell—that's where you're headed if you betray this contract."

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