The winter Atlantic Ocean is always stormy, two shadows guided by constellations quickly fly over this vast water.
The sea, people always find it mysterious, but that's just because ordinary people cannot see the more mysterious places.
"Have you been to the United Kingdom before?"
Magnetic King's flying speed is too slow, Su Ming can only fly along leisurely, making small talk to pass the time, while also trying to glean some information.
Perhaps because Deathstroke expressed willingness to help, Magnetic King's attitude improved significantly, although he still wore a blank expression, his tone had returned to normal.
"Back then, when my wife and I escaped from a concentration camp in Poland, we fled east like mad, because I heard it was a country where workers and peasants could become masters. But in reality? No matter how hard I worked, far sillier than others, I reaped far less than others. Just because I was an outsider, they treated my family as slaves. And once they found out I was a mutant, they..."
The more Magnetic King spoke, the more sinister his expression became, the years of hatred fermenting into something unknown in his heart.
"Well, the villages of the Fur Bear were like that in those days, you can't expect villagers to have much insight."
Su Ming chimed in casually, actually this also probably had something to do with Magnetic King's expression management. Even in his youth, he always had a face of bitterness, a naturally foreign face in their village, and of course he was targeted.
But who can you blame for this? Can you expect a child out of a concentration camp to have a smiling face every day and be amiable? Ultimately, the blame shifts back to Hydra.
"Are you saying I should have chosen to enter the city back then? Maybe find work as a worker?" Magnetic King puts aside the memories, shakes his head with a bitter smile.
"No, entering the city would make you more susceptible to Leviathan Organization's attention, a far tougher ordeal than villagers, I mean you chose the wrong direction from the start, you should have come to the United States." Su Ming turned over, continued flying in the backstroke position.
"Leviathan, I only found out afterward, but I also know the United States has SSR, certainly not much better." Magnetic King answered calmly, his mind now filled with the reality of his goal to torture Xiao to death.
"But the United States has me, I know some things about you and sympathize with your experiences. Moreover, the external environment here is quite good, as the victor country, there is a great group of bored, trouble-seeking 'protectionists,' you know? A while ago, some even considered raising cattle on ranches as unfair exploitation of cows, they stormed the largest ranch on the outskirts of New York and released the dairy cows back into nature."
Eric's expression was peculiar, wanting to laugh but unable to, these people prefer to protect cows rather than facing mutants, indeed hope cannot be placed on others...
"No, this is not my path, mutants are not weak. There are no useless abilities, only useless people, even the weakest mutants have hands and feet, can accomplish anything ordinary people can do. We do not need protection, we need to strive for fair choices ourselves."
"Well, suit yourself, but fighting for justice with force is a difficult path, you're far from powerful enough now, I suggest you find a school, maybe study physics, playing with magnetic power regularly, learning some theory never hurts."
The night wind and ocean waves made Deathstroke's voice seem ethereal, yet Magnetic King knew he was genuinely looking out for him, unaccustomed to others caring, he stammered slightly.
"I... will consider it, but I must first deal with the enemy who killed my family."
"Alright, I'll tell you about his abilities and the forces behind him, to fight them I need some helpers." Su Ming nodded.
Magnetic King furrowed his brow: "Reliable?"
"If they don't follow my instructions, it's death, I suppose you could say reliable." Deathstroke replied calmly.
..........
In the thin dawn, the two reached London, the streets filled with the golden mist coating every corner, the damp cobble streets squeaked under their feet. Exhaust mixed with the damp air, filling their noses.
The Victorian-style grandeur and depth displayed in the most direct way, a whole different environment from America, like returning to an earlier era.
At a corner of a street, the two stopped between the gap of two houses, Deathstroke told Magnetic King to close his eyes, then led him into a strange world, as Eric opened his eyes, he found a historical palace appearing out of thin air before him.
"Follow me."
Su Ming, familiar with the way, pushed open the door of the house, tilted his head to signal him to follow.
"What is this place? Are you wealthy or what?" Magnetic King looked around, greeted by extravagance to the point of absurdity, even the coat rack by the door made from Indian sandalwood, a screen made entirely of ivory.
Such luxurious items abound, yet the owner seemed indifferent, they sprawled somewhat chaotically everywhere, filling the air with a lived-in feeling.
"This is the London Sanctuary, also my territory, simply put, you can consider it an important gathering place for mages, but also a key node in protecting Earth from demon invasion."
Su Ming led him deeper inside, before meeting Magnetic King, he had already instructed the Black Great Mage of the New York Temple to inform London's Master of Mischief to prearrange preparations here.
But where did Master of Mischief go? Why didn't he come to greet us? Along the way, only a few apprentices respectfully saluted Deathstroke.
"Mage? Demon? Are you joking? But I'm afraid I lack a sense of humor." Magnetic King's lips curled up slightly, squeezing out a reluctant smile, just pretending to laugh along.
However, when he saw Deathstroke remove the mask, revealing his true face, he realized the seriousness of the situation as his face lost all traces of a smile.
"Are you telling the truth?" Eric's eyes widened.
Su Ming spread his hands, standing under the giant crystal chandelier, letting the warm white light encompass him, turned to Magnetic King and said, "The world is not as simple as you see. There are many things you don't know."
"Who exactly are you? And who are they?"
As they walked through the hallway into the reception hall, many apprentices were practicing small magic or strenuously immersing themselves in floating books in this luxurious ballroom.
And Magnetic King felt his worldview being overturned. After receiving Deathstroke's answer, based on his sensitivity to magnetic power, he could feel a kind of indescribable special energy filling this place.
He realized it was true, there really is magic in the world.
"They are my students, I am the Supreme Mage. What you see now is a path for humanity to walk towards the All-Powerful Universe with a mortal body." Su Ming saw Master of Mischief emerging from a corridor with a few others, and he casually answered Eric's question.
"Supreme Mage..." Magnetic King recalled Deathstroke clad in full heavy armor, which didn't match any of the robe-wearing, staff-holding images from storybooks at all.
Su Ming then waved to Master of Mischief with a smile, joking in a Chinese dialect, "Are you here, my brother?"
Master of Mischief was also very happy, at least Deathstroke was much more interesting than Master Gu Yi, and he replied in dialect, "Why are you only just arriving? I've waited for you for half a day. Come, let's go to the stove, eat spicy crayfish."
Magnetic King, who was just frowning about the mysteries of the cosmos, now looked emotionless, pondering whether he had entered a mental hospital.
The Supreme Mage and Master of Mischief unexpectedly greeted each other like American Black men on the street, with hand slaps and fist bumps, which did not look serious at all.
Magnetic King, who was lost in thought, really couldn't bear to watch the old and the young talk nonsense. His gaze fell on the people brought by the Elder Master.
A middle-aged man with a pale face and a red dot on his brow, his expression was full of gloom, unwillingness yet daring not to resist.
A young woman with white hair, looking very relaxed, as if the Magic Realm and the things happening before her were nothing new, with two long swords slung across her back, and two handguns at her waist.
An American typical cowboy, missing an arm, holding a small hip flask and drinking. He even brought his horse indoors, leaving dark hoof prints on the luxurious carpet.
Lastly, a very striking big kid, called a big kid because he looked only thirteen or fourteen, striking because he was bald with a sunny, warm smile on his face.
Su Ming and Master of Mischief chatted for a while, which was a friendly way of greeting based on the person, appearing amiable.
Then he went towards the crowd, patting Ciri's arm with a smile and asking, "How was your trip home? Is Geralt and the others okay?"
Upon hearing the question, Ciri displayed a face of helplessness. During the years when Deathstroke went on vacation, she completed the foundational science courses in Zhongsi Academy and out of boredom, she went back to find Geralt and Yennefer.
"The Female Sorcerers are doing fairly well, they have organized preventative measures against Bai Shuang neatly, and due to friendly relations with the Toussaint Duchy, the first giant underground shelter was built there. Now the second shelter is being chosen at Skellige Islands, but geological issues on the island need to be resolved, slowing progress."
"Geralt, he has changed a lot, he used to just love jumping from heights, like to flaunt a special hand crossbow called a Projector, constantly showing off his 'HR99' hunting level, and he raised a cat that even made me jealous, eating like a whirlwind."
"But things got even more complicated after he switched worlds."
"He became even more lively. Recently, in the Hunter New Continent, a new monster called Behemoth appeared, and after hunting it, Geralt followed creatures called Moguri through stones known as Crystal of Light to another world."
"He now claims to be a Warrior of Light, no longer riding 'Carrot' but something called 'Demon-guided Death God', and in pursuit of dragon hunting, he switched his weapon to a Silver-Plated Long Spear, always boasting 'sculpted gold is the best in the world...'"
Finishing these words, Ciri adorably rested her forehead, just talking about it felt tiring.
"Hiss, I told him not to practice Insect Staff back then, and now he's into Dragon Spear, can't he just fight honestly? Must he jump around?" Su Ming inhaled sharply, why had the Demon Hunter run off to another world again? Wasn't he getting further away from his own world?
Ciri stroked her white hair, slowly shaking her head: "Now I understand why he doesn't appreciate your 'New Year Sword Technique', his swordsmanship mostly comes from the Cat School, favors jumping to fight monsters, and those two New Worlds, allow him to jump even higher..."