Solomon in Marvel

"You... don't even try to deny it—I know you're complimenting me," Tony Stark pointed at the magus. "Next time, can you stop being so awkward about it? Giving praise actually benefits you too. Not that I have much room to talk, but these days, I never hesitate to appreciate others."

"I was complimenting your family, not you. Don't get it twisted."

Whether it was Howard, Tony himself, or even his future daughter Morgan, the Stark family had played a pivotal role in the history of human technological advancement. Howard Stark, in particular, had been one of the key initiators of the Celestial War fought by the Shield Brotherhood. The records of that war were still being organized—Solomon didn't trust anyone else with such classified information. That meant he had to personally sift through the data, selecting which technologies could be shared with Wakanda to accelerate the Immortal City's military research and the Mars Foundry project.

"As long as nothing unexpected happens, I'll live for a very, very long time," the magus stated. "I'll watch you grow old and die. Then your daughter. Then your grandchildren. A full human lifespan, from birth to old age, is nothing more than the blink of an eye for someone like me."

"How long are we talking about?" Stark's face twisted like he had just swallowed a dry, oversized piece of chestnut cake—rough enough to start a fire from friction. "Two hundred years?"

"A minimum of one thousand," Solomon replied. "That's the conservative estimate, calculated by my girlfriend and my teacher. And even that might be an understatement—my teacher, barring any accidents, is immortal. For a Supreme Sorcerer, age is meaningless. Any magus who reaches a certain level of mastery ceases to be bound by mortal lifespans."

"You magic types… So how do you deal with identity issues?"

"Simple. Magic can accomplish many things," Solomon smirked, his expression downright devious. "Hypnosis, suggestion, illusions—there's always a method that works. And beyond that, we have gold. Lots and lots of gold."

Gold could achieve nearly anything. Gold chains held stronger than iron ones. With financial persuasion, the Malik family's promised technological assistance had already arrived. Solomon and Stephanie, accompanied by the Sisterhood, returned to the Malik estate to oversee the transfer of their researchers. The magus tasked Stephanie with meeting Gideon Malik, showing him some non-classified Immortal City documents—just enough to subtly reinforce their overwhelming superiority.

Meanwhile, Solomon checked in with the artificial humans he had stationed at the estate to monitor Gideon. To his surprise, the old snake had been remarkably quiet, making no suspicious moves. This, ironically, made Solomon uneasy—Gideon Malik was not the type to submit to another's rule. Unlike Stephanie, who had genuinely pledged loyalty, Gideon's compliance felt unnatural.

Of course, it was possible that Stephanie's presence as a hostage was enough to keep the old snake on a tight leash. With her in Solomon's hands, the Malik family's lifeline was effectively under his control. But Solomon still retained a fundamental distrust of Gideon—he wasn't as naive or easily subdued as Stephanie.

The Sisterhood escorted the researchers aboard a transport vessel bound for Immortal City. Before departure, however, each individual was thoroughly searched to ensure they weren't carrying tracking devices or communication systems. Solomon himself remained at the estate with the artificial humans on guard, waiting.

Eventually, a beaming Stephanie emerged from the manor, carrying a tray of mousse cake. Behind her followed Gideon Malik, his face clouded with unease.

The moment the old snake spotted Solomon, he immediately forced a more neutral expression. Stephanie, on the other hand, was genuinely pleased—her father was finally coming to terms with the fact that their new master was far more powerful than their old one.

But Gideon felt no such joy—only despair.

He had realized that his daughter no longer stood by his side. She spoke of "we", referring to the Immortal City as her home.

Regret gnawed at him. He should have introduced Stephanie to Hydra's inner workings from a young age. Now, she wielded far too much power, and she had zero intention of relinquishing it. Worse still, she had outgrown Hydra.

That bastard had taken her to dine at an alien restaurant!

The Immortal City's ambitions transcended Earth itself! Hydra, in comparison, was nothing but a group of country bumpkins!

To make matters worse, as a father, Gideon detested how his daughter fawned over Solomon. He had always known this day would come—but he had assumed it would be with someone like Baron Strucker's son, or perhaps a promising Hydra operative. Someone he could control.

Instead, this had happened.

And now, for the first time, Stephanie had baked a cake.

For him.

Gideon had never once seen Stephanie step into a kitchen.

This was a father's fury!

"My Lord, won't you have a taste?" Stephanie placed the cake before Solomon, then sat beside him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It wasn't just her actions—her words made Gideon's temple veins bulge. The sound of war drums pounded in his ears.

If he had blood pressure medication, he would've swallowed the entire bottle.

With a strained smile, Gideon sat on the guest seat in the drawing room. He was used to occupying the main seat, yet today, it was that man who sat at the head of the table. That man not only occupied the seat of power but also sought to devour all of Hydra.

A crushing sense of helplessness overtook him—the same feeling he had when he first uncovered his father's secrets.

The shattering of faith. The realization that the world he had once believed in was gone.

"Hold on."

Solomon closed the book he was reading and reached into his pocket, producing a small, heart-shaped box adorned with three pearls. He handed it to Stephanie, who then passed it to Gideon.

"Submission is rewarded—I keep my promises."

Solomon's gaze bore into Gideon's, his words dripping with hidden meaning.

The magus explained the box's contents:

The white pearl could detect poisons. If swallowed, it would delay the effects of any toxin. The silver pearl could detect diseases. If swallowed, it would cure ailments. The black pearl could detect invisible entities. If swallowed, it would grant true sight.

Additionally, the box contained alchemical pills, each with specific uses. In essence, it was a survival kit—a noble's lifeline.

Gideon only wished it contained blood pressure medication, because Stephanie had already sliced the cake, and it looked like she planned to personally feed it to Solomon.

Perhaps sensing that this wasn't quite enough to satisfy Gideon's forced loyalty, Solomon also gifted him a one-inch-tall bronze gryphon figurine. After explaining its function, Gideon's expression finally improved—slightly.

The statuette could be activated with a command phrase, transforming into a real gryphon under the user's control. It could be summoned twice per week, each time for six hours—an artifact capable of truly protecting the Malik family.

Though it wasn't as powerful as an actual extraplanar summon, it was still an invaluable magical item.

Stephanie, delighted by the gift, saw it as a sign of Solomon's trust in the Malik family.

"Of course I trust the Maliks," Solomon declared with a straight face.

As if his words had nothing to do with the artificial humans standing behind him—each one armed with a longsword.

"My father wishes to invite you to a banquet." Stephanie cut another slice of cake. "Didn't you want to consume the conservative Hydra faction? All of them will be there. The Nazi-aligned factions won't be much of an issue."

Gideon Malik nearly fainted.

He hadn't expected his own daughter to sell out Hydra's last bargaining chip so quickly.

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