{🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please support me.🥰 You can access upto 100+ advance chapter through Patreon by using the link: https://patreon.com/Oreski}
"What is this?"
For a moment, Shen He was stunned.
"Magic. Isn't this something you gave me?" Tony maintained a glowing spell circle suspended in mid-air, intricate runes shimmering faintly.
"Of course I know it's magic..."
Shen He instinctively reached out. Though his hand met nothing tangible, he clearly felt a force push back against him.
"A shield..." he muttered, eyes narrowing.
"Well, I have to admit, Tony, you've shocked me." Shen He looked at him with a mix of amazement and envy. "How did you manage this? I've tried countless times, but I'm still stuck at the perception stage. I can barely produce sparks—and you don't even have a Sling Ring."
Even if Tony was a genius on par with Doctor Strange, the latter had the Ancient One as his teacher. And even then, it took time and training to master the basics.
"Yeah, the Sling Ring. According to the book, it acts as a conduit between the mind and the multiversal currents," Tony replied nonchalantly. "But I don't have a master to hand me one. So, I improvised..." He smirked and pointed at his arc reactor. "Why are you staring at my chest?"
"Huh? Oh—right. You can… put that away now." Shen He turned his gaze aside, conflicted.
This was the difference between a genius and the rest. Even though Shen He had massive reserves of mana, he still couldn't perform even the most basic spell. At best, he could conjure a weak sparkle.
"Magic is just energy," Tony explained, retracting the spell into the reactor in his chest. "I isolated it, extracted it, and had JARVIS model a method to store and rapidly channel it. Turns out, it doesn't interfere with arc energy at all."
"So you're storing magic in your reactor?" Shen He raised an eyebrow.
"That's part of it," Tony said, clearly pleased with himself. "The virtual reality project proved human will can be converted into signal data. Give me a bit more time, and I'll probably crack a method to simulate a working spell model. At the very least, I can build a device to draw and channel magic—especially through my armor."
"Stop. Stop right there." Shen He held up a hand, cutting him off. "If you're here just to show off, you can go home now."
From the third sentence onward, Shen He had barely understood a thing Tony said. But that smug expression of his—it was too much. He felt like kicking Tony out right then and there.
In some Marvel multiverse, Shen He recalled, Iron Man did become the Sorcerer Supreme. Perhaps this was how it began.
"Heh, I get it. You're jealous," Tony said smugly, sipping the tea from Shen He's desk. "Magic is absolutely dripping with scientific potential. That book you gave me only covered the basics. I think I need a 'teacher.'"
A real genius never shies away from learning. On the contrary, they actively absorb every bit of knowledge they can.
"Semiramis is a master-level mage," Shen He said, eyeing him.
"No thanks!" Tony raised both hands in mock surrender. "Your followers are terrifying. I'd like to live a bit longer."
"Hmph."
Shen He didn't argue. In his view, his followers were adorable. Tony just didn't get it.
Still, Tony's words reminded Shen He: this world's timeline didn't match the original. Spider-Man, for instance, should've appeared ten years post-New York Battle. So when would that wavering medical doctor suffer his car crash?
Perhaps it was time to reach out to the Ancient One.
"Did Thor mention when he's going back?" Shen He asked.
"No, but he and his girl are glued together now," Tony replied. "I even gave them a ton of cash for their little getaway."
"Good. Once I handle a few matters, let's take Thor on a trip. We'll consider it our first step toward contact." Shen He frowned. "Still... even for Chaldea, she is too much of a mystery. I have no idea how she'll respond to us. Tony—we prepare for the worst."
Back during the Battle of New York, Shen He had expected the Ancient One to intervene. She hadn't.
And with the information he had... her death could very well have been staged. She was powerful. Far too powerful to fall so easily.
"I get it," Tony nodded, turning serious.
Now that he'd tasted real magic, he grasped how terrifying it could be. And Shen He's consistent wariness of mages only added to the weight of it.
In the end, both of them benefited from this meeting.
Shen He had reassured himself that he and Tony wouldn't drift apart anytime soon. And Tony's magical potential—well, it was enough for Shen He to start taking him even more seriously.
Still, more urgent matters awaited. Namely, dealing with the increasingly uncontrollable Semiramis.
After several summons of mild-mannered, docile followers, Shen He had almost forgotten the kind of stress monsters like Qimu Nanxiong brought.
Where to begin...
For two straight days, global attention was fixated on the floating Sky Garden above the virtual reality company.
With full momentum, the company launched a live broadcast that revealed the city's every inch—from infrastructure to the magic behind it. Every plant, every structure was under Semiramis's absolute control. They showcased bioluminescent flowers, vine-woven stairs, and zero-gravity platforms linked by magical chains.
Gradually, her city planning was also revealed—schools, shops, housing, healthcare... everything a modern metropolis could dream of.
Between the stunning magic, the scenery, and the ultra-modern conveniences, the city was years ahead of its time.
Even without Chaldea's protection, it was already a utopia.
Every day, countless inquiries flooded in, people desperate to learn how to become residents. What, they asked, was the "warrior qualification" Semiramis spoke of?
The company only responded: "Construction incomplete."
But everyone knew—when conditions were announced, demand would be global.
Yet behind the scenes, shadowy plans brewed.
The world's real powerhouses were not placing all bets on this new order. While some sought profit under the new regime, others schemed to preserve the old and restrain Chaldea's influence.
On the third day, Shen He stepped onto Sky Garden soil for the first time.
Though it was already autumn, the weather was strangely warm. Magic coursed through the foundation—power that could defend against enemies or reshape the city itself.
To Shen He's senses, it was an extension of Semiramis's very will.
"Master... why are you here alone?"
A sultry voice emerged behind him.
Semiramis had appeared without warning, her breath warm and sweet against his ear.
"I came to speak with you," Shen He replied calmly, turning to face her. Her enchanting face filled his view.
"Then come see the residence I prepared for you~" she smiled.
Without waiting, she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him through the still-decorating plaza.
Shen He didn't resist. He simply let her pull him along as the workers looked on with amused, ambiguous smiles.
Eventually, they arrived at an opulent chamber.
White jade walls. Thick velvet carpet. Elegant, tasteful decor. And at the center—a colossal mahogany bed that could fit twenty people.
Shen He raised an eyebrow.
This was going to be complicated.
{ Enjoying the chapters? Please Support me on Patreon and unlock 100+ advanced chapters, with 3 new chapters released every two days!
The fanfic is also available for one-time purchase on Patreon – unlock lifetime access to the full collection, no membership needed! Don't miss out –support and own it forever!
patreon.com/Oreski}