Marvel: You Call This A Sorcerer?

If it weren't for Ronan's firm tone and the serious, solemn expression on his face, Tony Stark would have thought Ronan was toying with him.

Midnight at 12:01? That was already far-fetched enough, and he had to kneel on both knees?

When had Tony Stark ever knelt on both knees?

Except for that one time, that other time, and another time, he had never done it!

More importantly, chanting such a so-called "honored name"—wasn't that something cultists did?

No matter how he thought about it, it didn't sound like something real.

Ronan, standing nearby, clearly noticed the distrust in Tony Stark's eyes.

But he didn't argue—he just shrugged.

"I know it could be dangerous. If it accidentally summons some evil god, then it really would be trouble."

"So, I've never tried it."

"Something this dangerous—for someone like you... you'd better not try it either."

Ronan glanced at Tony Stark, shaking his head.

?????

What do you mean by shaking your head?

And whose direction is that look of disdain aimed at?

Seeing Ronan's expression, Tony Stark almost blew a fuse.

Since childhood, it was always Tony Stark provoking others—when had anyone ever looked at him with such disdain?

This was provocation!!!

A blatant provocation!!!

"If what you said is true, then I will certainly try it. As for whether it's dangerous—that's not your concern."

"Besides that, do you have any other information?"

"If you do, I'll pay you the same amount."

Tony Stark waved the check again.

However, this time, Ronan shook his head, refusing Tony Stark's "generosity."

One warning was enough—make him both cautious and feel the itch of curiosity like a cat.

That would suffice!

"Sorry, that's all I know—I can only tell you so much."

"Oh, and someone once told me this—it's a freebie from me."

Ronan shook his head, looking very serious.

"What was it?"

Tony Stark hadn't expected an extra tidbit.

Ronan raised his head, looking deeply at Tony Stark before speaking.

"Do not lightly test the existence of magic; otherwise, you will find yourself beyond salvation."

"Once someone ventures into a field they're unfamiliar with, they will realize—without knowing when it started—they've already become lost."

This was yet another warning, a sincere piece of advice from Ronan to Tony Stark.

In fact, Ronan wasn't just scaring Tony.

In the world of magic, it wasn't just about white magic—the most pervasive, in fact, was black magic.

On the one hand, white magic required strict conditions to practice, including guidance from professionals, which limited its spread.

Black magic, however, was different.

Many forms of black magic were easy to learn, and some just required a ritual and a small offering—sometimes, that alone was enough to summon a demon!

Just think about how absurd that was.

They, the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, could only imagine meeting the Vishanti in their dreams.

Yet using black magic to meet some infernal creatures or demons was comparatively simple.

Should it be said that those demons and infernal beings had more free time than the Vishanti?

As Ronan said, if Tony Stark ever began researching black magic, that would be the beginning of his fall.

Once tempted by demons or infernal beings, this Iron Man before him would become a pawn for Hell or the Dark Dimension.

This was all Ronan could say.

If Tony Stark remained stubborn, continuing to meddle in the realm of magic...

All Ronan could do at that point was help him live his next life.

On the opposite side, Tony Stark fell silent.

He wasn't unaware of the dangers of magic—on the contrary, he knew very well.

Many books on mysticism included warnings, however subtle, about the dangers of delving into magic.

But Tony Stark was Tony Stark.

The kind of person who wouldn't stop until they hit a brick wall.

His track record spoke for itself—just look at one example to see how high the stakes were.

Ultron.

An AI that almost destroyed the entire Earth.

Of course, this wasn't to say Tony Stark's thinking was wrong—it was just his personality that had flaws.

Sometimes, one of his ideas could lead to an invention that transcended time and space, rewriting tragic endings.

Other times, one of his ideas could destroy the world.

"Alright, Mr. Stark. Our transaction is complete."

"As for today's interview, your employees will give you the results."

"I should leave now."

Ronan stood up from his chair, patting his pocket.

Getting 100,000 dollars easily was the biggest reward Ronan had gotten from this trip.

And he was sure Tony Stark wouldn't be able to resist his curiosity—he would definitely recite those words.

So Ronan was waiting for him.

To give him an even more unforgettable memory!

Ronan's words interrupted Tony's train of thought. He looked up in confusion, glanced around, and realized it was just him and Ronan left in the room.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Happy."

He called out towards the door.

Happy immediately pushed the door open, staring warily at Ronan.

"I'm fine."

"Help me send him back."

Tony Stark gestured towards Ronan, looking exhausted.

If it weren't for the fact that Happy, who'd been outside, hadn't heard a sound, he might've thought Tony had just gone through a battle.

He looked drained.

"No need. I rode my bike here—I can ride back myself."

"Thanks for the offer, Mr. Stark."

Ronan smiled, refusing Happy's help, then turned and left the meeting room.

Inside, only Tony Stark, gazing out the window, and a bewildered Happy were left.

Upon leaving, Ronan found that Gwen Stacy was still sitting on a chair outside the door, studying intently.

"Hmm?"

"Gwen, why haven't you left yet?"

Ronan looked at Gwen in curiosity.

Hearing Ronan's voice, Gwen looked up and quietly packed her things.

"I'm the team leader the teacher assigned, so it's my responsibility to wait until everyone finishes their interviews."

Gwen replied flatly.

"What about the others?"

Ronan glanced around.

"They all went back to wait for news."

"Stop looking around—you're not that popular. I'm the only one waiting for you."

Gwen shattered Ronan's fantasy.

Ronan couldn't help but roll his eyes. So none of his gestures at the end had made anyone grateful.

In that case, they shouldn't blame him for not treating them to a meal.

"Alright, I guess they're missing out."

"Today's interview had a little surprise."

"Come on, since you waited for me, I'll treat you to dinner!"

Without waiting for Gwen's response, Ronan walked proudly towards the nearby elevator.

"What, did you get hired?"

"I saw Mr. Stark went in earlier."

Gwen kept pace with Ronan, asking in surprise.

After Tony Stark entered, Gwen had been observing the room.

But with Happy standing outside, she couldn't get closer to listen and had been stopped.

So she had no idea what had happened inside.

"Hired?"

"No, no, no—if the interview went well, that would be bad news."

"It's just that Mr. Stark bought a little secret from me and paid for it."

Ronan patted his pocket, showing a very satisfied smile.

One hundred thousand dollars.

He was going to enjoy spending that for quite some time!

No, tonight he had to have a good meal to celebrate.

"A secret?"

"Can I hear it?"

Gwen's face was full of curiosity.

She wanted to know what kind of secret Tony Stark would pay for.

Facing the elevator, Ronan turned his head and gave Gwen a mysterious smile.

"Sorry, that secret is classified for now."

"Maybe someday, you'll know."

Ronan held the elevator door as it opened and gestured with his left hand.

"After you, ladies first."

Hearing Ronan's mysterious words, Gwen rolled her eyes and stepped into the elevator.

One good thing about Ronan was that when he promised to treat someone to dinner, he always followed through.

The two of them chose a restaurant with decent reviews and had a simple meal.

Afterwards, Ronan even insisted on escorting Gwen home.

Given New York's crime rate at night, walking home alone as a girl could be risky.

However, after dropping Gwen off, Ronan couldn't shake the feeling of coldness down his spine.

It made him nervous the entire way.

Meanwhile...

Back at Stark Tower.

Tony Stark wasn't having such a relaxed time.

He sat on the couch, looking through the glass at the New York streets at night, as thoughts surged within him.

Should he trust Ronan?

Forget about all this, and avoid provoking those dangerous sorcerers?

Or should he trust his own instincts...?

For Tony Stark, this was a difficult choice.

He could clearly sense Ronan's fear regarding these matters.

Maybe it was because of the stories he'd heard growing up, giving him a natural fear of sorcerers.

But for Tony Stark, his desire to explore the unknown was growing stronger.

"Tony, are you alright?"

Pepper Potts' voice broke Tony's thoughts.

Tony came back to his senses, pulling Pepper close and forcing a smile.

"I'm fine."

"Just thinking about something."

Honestly, it wasn't clear whether Tony Stark couldn't lie well, or if Pepper had long seen through him.

Every time Tony made that face, Pepper could tell he was hiding something.

"Ever since meeting that kid today, you seem distracted."

"You even signed your name wrong this afternoon."

"Did something happen?"

Pepper leaned on Tony's shoulder and asked softly.

The perceptive Pepper had, of course, noticed Tony's unusual behavior.

Especially after meeting the boy named Ronan.

"It's nothing, really—I just heard some surprising news."

Tony patted Pepper's shoulder, signaling that there was no problem.

But Pepper didn't believe his nonsense.

"We agreed not to lie to each other."

"Don't make a mistake."

Pepper gave Tony another chance.

Tony opened his mouth but didn't know how to explain to Pepper.

The danger this might involve was beyond his own estimation.

But if he didn't say anything...

"Alright, Pepper. Today, from that kid, I heard a bit of a legend about sorcerers."

"And he told me a few words—apparently, it can summon those sorcerers."

"I've been struggling with whether to try."

Tony finally shared what had happened.

"Summon those sorcerers?"

"Like the one from that day?"

Pepper immediately recalled that "special" Christmas memory.

After all, in all her years of celebrating Christmas, nothing had been as thrilling.

"Perhaps even worse."

Tony pursed his lips.

He knew that the "mysterious guy" from that day hadn't been serious at all.

In his own words, he was only giving Tony a warning, and it turned out to be true.

If he'd really made a move, that day could've been Tony's last.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Pepper seemed to hear the danger in Tony's words.

But Tony shook his head, not answering.

He himself hadn't made up his mind yet.

Since the last time he had let go of his inner burdens, his heart had always had someone he cared about.

If, before, when carrying the nuke into space, he'd already regretted trying to be a hero...

Then what about this time, facing a similar danger—what should his choice be?

"Tony."

Pepper stroked Tony's face.

Tony looked down at Pepper in his arms, and they kissed gently.

"Tony, no matter what you face, we can face it together."

"I support all of your decisions, but you have to promise me—no matter what, come back safely."

"Okay?"

Pepper's eyes sparkled.

Looking at his beautiful girlfriend, Tony smiled and nodded firmly.

They embraced each other again.

Late night, 11:30 PM.

Reminded by Jarvis, Tony, who had already fallen asleep, woke up in his bed.

According to Ronan, he not only needed to be alone, but also to bathe and change clothes beforehand, as a sign of respect.

More importantly, he needed to find the tallest building in all of New York City.

Of course, that tallest building was his very own Stark Industries, something he had already confirmed.

So for safety, Tony obediently took a shower, changing into a set of clean clothes.

Afterwards, he even meditated for ten minutes in his room, trying to calm his mind.

To show the respect Ronan had mentioned!

Finally, at midnight, he walked to the top floor of his own building.

The sky was full of stars, and the winter wind blew against Tony Stark's face.

Tony took a deep breath, walked to the center—right at 12:01 AM.

This was it!

He knelt down, and began to chant:

"To the one who does not belong to this world..."

"The only Supreme above the heavens..."

"Master of mystic arts, ruler of all realms!"

"I, Tony Stark, request a meeting with you!"

Boom!

As soon as Tony said the last word, a bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere in the clear sky!

As the lightning struck, strong winds immediately picked up!

The fierce wind whipped at Tony's body, almost making it impossible for him to stay upright.

Rumbling...

Thick clouds quickly covered the stars, and lightning surrounded Tony.

Seeing this, Tony's expression drastically changed.

He had never expected the weather to change so dramatically!

What was even scarier was the invisible pressure, making it hard for Tony to breathe.

Although he hadn't yet seen who he had summoned, just the current circumstances were enough to leave Tony stunned.

What had he summoned?

A demon?

Or an ancient evil god that had been sealed for centuries?

Tony didn't dare to think, but he also didn't leave.

Because he knew if he had really summoned a terrifying evil god, even if he left, the entire world wouldn't escape the consequences.

Many books had said that when an evil god or demon first descended, it was when they were at their weakest.

So Tony's plan was simple.

If it was really a monster, he'd take it down while it was still weak!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but touch the bracelet on his right wrist.

That was his last, greatest trump card!

Crack!

At that moment, a massive bolt of lightning struck.

The bright lightning illuminated the dark night.

And at that very moment, Tony Stark clearly saw someone slowly walking out of the dark clouds above.

The figure wore a black robe with a black hood.

They seemed to step on the air itself, with countless bolts of lightning behind them.

Just that entrance alone left Tony speechless in shock.

Hooded robe...

Tony swallowed hard—one thought dominated his mind now.

Had he...

Made a mistake?

He shouldn't have recited those words; he shouldn't have tried this.

But now, it was all too late!