American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

75. Magic and Curses.

Sorcery, or magic, in the Marvel Universe is a mysterious force that exists across various dimensions.

Unlike superpowers that come from personal mutations, magic requires one to learn, explore continuously, and establish connections with powerful beings from other dimensions to acquire those mystical powers.

For thousands of years, these energies have spanned the globe, causing earth-shattering changes on Earth and even across the universe. This forbidden knowledge, like a curse, entangles all wizards.

This is a method of using specific mystical energies to establish connections with other dimensional forces, fundamentally existing beyond the detectable scientific realm led by technology. Simply put, this power utilizes mysterious forces that science cannot fathom.

It can even achieve unimaginable feats like reality distortion, energy simulation, astral projection, and soul forging.

The fundamental rule of magical power is 'equivalent exchange.' In this regard, it has some similarities with alchemy, though Alex didn't know much about it. He only knew that learning magic in the Marvel Universe was not an easy task.

Besides needing the talent to wield magic, establishing connections with forbidden entities is inherently dangerous.

In this universe, the person who could help Alex safely learn this knowledge would undoubtedly be Doctor Strange.

Doctor Strange was originally an excellent neurosurgeon with an exceptional medical talent. However, due to a car accident, his hands could no longer perform precise surgeries. He then turned to various methods to try to heal his hands.

Ultimately, in his despair, he sought answers beyond science. He was chosen by the Ancient One and began learning magic, using these mystical powers to protect the world.

On the surface, Doctor Strange might not seem very impressive, but in reality, he is renowned among Earth's wizards and even among sorcerers from other dimensions. Having him teach Alex magic would certainly yield twice the result with half the effort. However, Alex didn't plan to do that.

While Doctor Strange's power is indeed formidable, his stubborn, arrogant, and somewhat twisted personality was not something Alex could accept. Moreover, being an 'intruder' from another universe, Doctor Strange might not just refuse to teach Alex magic; he'd consider it polite if he didn't try to lock him up.

Additionally, Doctor Strange himself is an unstable factor. Alex didn't want too much contact with him for now. When there's danger, Doctor Strange is the safest. When there's no danger, Doctor Strange is the most dangerous.

After much consideration, Alex decided to start with the basics. There may not seem to be many wizards on Earth, but in reality, there are more than one might think. Besides Doctor Strange, many capable and resourceful wizards are scattered around. Getting these people to provide a magical introduction would be enough.

But finding these people is far beyond Alex's capabilities. Those who possess forbidden knowledge and hide in the city or dark sewers are not something an ordinary person can detect.

Fortunately, he had a Kryptonian sister who was powerful enough to monitor the entire Earth.

New York, Hell's Kitchen.

In a damp and dark alley, a somewhat hunched old man was groping his way forward in the darkness. One of his eyes was blind, and his breathing sounded like a broken bellows, as if he could die at any moment.

The ground in the alley was very damp, with a drainage channel running along the wall, leading to the sewer. Perhaps due to a recent rain, foul-smelling water flowed through it.

The old man silently traversed the alley, picking up discarded items from trash bins. In Hell's Kitchen, places like this were not uncommon. Every night, the old man could find many valuable items here and sell them for a good price before sunrise.

Every few steps in the alley, there was a fluorescent lamp. Though the light was dim due to years of neglect, it was enough to illuminate the old man's path in the pitch-black night.

Finally, the old man arrived at a trash bin. This was not an ordinary round recycling bin but a pile of giant metal boxes filled with garbage.

The old man quickly approached and carefully searched. After shooing away a few rats foraging for food, he found some valuable scraps amidst the leftover food and foul-smelling refuse.

Perhaps it was his lucky day; the old man discovered a discarded lamp. It was a beautiful item with a glass cover and a metal cage. Though slightly damaged, it could fetch a good price if repaired.

Holding the lamp like a treasure, the old man's otherwise expressionless face showed a hint of a happy smile.

But the next moment, his smile froze.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, they say the industry is in decline, but I never thought that someone extraordinary like you would end up scavenging for trash."

The old man turned around sharply, only to see, under the pale light, a black-clad figure wearing a bird-beak mask abruptly appear in his sight.

Seeing this eerie figure, the old man slowly straightened up, cursing himself inwardly for losing his basic sense of vigilance over the years.

"John Falsworth, right?" The light from the lamp illuminated the figure from the waist down, leaving the upper body hidden in darkness, making it difficult to see.

"You've got the wrong person." The old man frowned and replied hoarsely.

"Heh, I think not. At least I can tell if you're 'human' or not. Honestly, when I found you, I was quite surprised. Even I didn't expect you to still be alive." As he spoke, the black figure took a few steps forward, fully emerging into the light.

Seeing the bizarre bird-beak mask and the faint glimmer of light reflecting off its lenses, the old man, named John Falsworth, couldn't help but take a few steps back, his expression becoming agitated.

He reached out with a trembling hand, trying to keep the figure at bay, and spoke in a shaky voice.

"What do you want? I... I retired a long time ago. I don't care what kind of freak organization you belong to, but I swear I've washed my hands of all this. I've been living under an alias for years and haven't done anything bad!"

.....

20 advanced chapters on p@treaon
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
76. The Blood Baron.
77. The Sun is Watching Me.
78. Magic.
79. Wind of Calamity.
80. The First Time Casting Magic.