Chapter 131: Bound Together, Wanda Learns Magic
"Hey, you're the first guy to mess around with my sister right in front of me! Kid, what's your name?"
Johnny didn't notice the darkened expression on Reed's face as he aggressively questioned Xi Nian.
"My name is… Max Eisenhardt." Xi Nian didn't use his real name. He casually blurted out an alias, then glanced at Lorna beside him. "And this is…"
"I'm his sister, call me Polaris!" Lorna suddenly stepped forward, wrapped her arm around Xi Nian's, and sweetly introduced herself.
"Sister?" Johnny, Reed, and Susan all froze in surprise.
No matter how you looked at them, there was clearly no blood relation.
"She really is my sister. I was adopted by her family, so…" Xi Nian improvised on the spot, patching the story while letting his eyes dim with feigned sadness.
That acting performance? Full marks.
"I see." Johnny nodded in realization, then asked, "So you two came out here alone?"
"Couldn't help it. Polaris insisted on going downtown in Los Angeles over the weekend." Xi Nian sighed helplessly, then looked at Susan. "Big sister, can you let go of me now?"
That was the art of conversation—phrasing it so it sounded like Susan was the one clinging onto him.
Susan also assumed it was her power spiraling out of control and apologized. "I'll try… I'll do my best." She turned pleading eyes toward Reed.
Reed comforted her. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to separate you two. For now, just treat it as me showing you around Los Angeles. All expenses covered."
"That's great." Xi Nian showed just the right amount of gratitude. He and Lorna had no intention of revealing their real identities or abilities.
And besides…
Jarro had already told Xi Nian telepathically. It wasn't just the rock-skinned guy and Susan who could turn invisible—both Reed and Johnny also possessed unique and powerful energies within them.
Among them, Susan and Johnny carried the strongest life energy.
Reed let out a silent breath of relief. It was laughable that he had actually felt jealous of a child just moments earlier.
His rival should only ever be someone like the wealthy, accomplished Victor—never an ordinary-looking teenage boy.
…
"Since we've found Ben, let's head back to the company first." Johnny looked toward the Thing not far away.
Reed was about to respond when a deafening roar erupted on the opposite side of the bridge.
A speeding construction truck lost control, tipping onto its side and scraping along the asphalt, sparks flying as it skidded straight toward the accident site!
Screams filled the air as the crowd panicked and scattered in all directions.
Still clutching Xi Nian's arm, Lorna narrowed her eyes. With her back to Susan and the others, she subtly let one small hand drop down, ready to act—
But before she could use her power, another loud boom shook the air!
An orange, hulking figure rushed forward. The Thing spread his rocky arms wide, bracing himself like a living boulder, and stopped the runaway truck head-on!
The front of the truck crumpled inwards as it kept pushing the massive figure several meters back, carving two deep trenches into the ground before finally grinding to a halt on the bridge.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Not bad strength.
Xi Nian assessed silently. It wasn't on the same level as Abomination or the Hulk, but it was at least comparable to Spider-Man's enhanced physique.
Looking at that massive build, raw power wasn't even his greatest asset—his defense was.
After all, his body had already turned into something monstrous.
…
But the disaster wasn't over. It felt like a chain of calamities.
From the back of the stopped construction truck, a metal canister tumbled out. It rolled a few times before erupting in a fiery explosion, flames rapidly spreading to the nearby vehicles!
"Follow me." Susan suddenly rushed forward. With Xi Nian's hand still stuck to her, he was dragged along. Lorna just chuckled softly as she watched them go.
"I can do this, I can do this…"
Susan whispered to herself, working up her courage. She stretched her hands forward, and instantly a translucent energy field of shimmering blue light spread outward, forming a protective barrier that wrapped around the flames.
Too focused to notice, she didn't realize that Xi Nian's eyes were glowing faintly with the same blue hue.
He could feel it—this wasn't just about their bodies being physically bound. Their abilities, their very energies, were now linked through that connection!
Something unprecedented.
Was it because of Susan's unique powers? Invisibility, force fields… perhaps far more than that.
And then it happened.
What even Susan thought impossible—her energy barrier completely encased the fireball and swiftly sealed it off, extinguishing the flames inside!
"Well done!" Johnny pumped his fist and cheered.
Beside them, Lorna quietly lowered her small hand.
"Let's go back now, it's not safe to linger outside."
Seeing the growing crowd's attention, Reed spoke up. He glanced at Xi Nian and Lorna. "You two should come as well."
Xi Nian and Lorna exchanged a glance, then obediently nodded. Right now, they were simply playing the part of an ordinary brother and sister.
…
Kamar-Taj, ancient training grounds.
As always, Master Mordo was leading the sorcerers of the sanctuary in their daily practice, repeating the same lessons year after year.
But today was different.
The Ancient One herself had arrived at the training ground. Not only that, she had brought along a young girl to observe—Wanda.
Was the Sorcerer Supreme about to take on another apprentice? And this one hadn't come to Kamar-Taj seeking knowledge like the others, but had been brought directly, as if granted a special privilege.
Mordo, prideful as ever, felt a flicker of dissatisfaction. He addressed the sorcerers gathered before him:
"You've already heard this before, but I'll say it again."
"The language of mysticism has existed since the dawn of civilization. Ancient sorcerers called it incantation—a source code that shapes reality."
"We sorcerers mainly draw upon powerful energies from other dimensions across the multiverse. Combined with incantations, we can conjure shields, forge weapons, and cast other supernatural spells. But this process isn't something one can master at will. No matter how gifted, every sorcerer must dedicate years of hard work."
"Now, let us practice the most basic spell structure."
Mordo spoke an obscure phrase, and as his hands swept forward, a golden spark traced a glowing line in the air.
The other sorcerers repeated the movement, chanting the words under their breath, drawing golden trails of light one after another.
At the side of the training ground…
Young Wanda stood quietly beside the Ancient One. Her eyes were wide, watching every detail intently. She opened her mouth slightly, hesitated, then closed it again.
The Ancient One smiled kindly at her. "Do as you wish."
"Like this?" Wanda took a deep breath and repeated the words Mordo had spoken. Her small hand lifted into the air—
And at her gentle wave, a glowing golden line sparked into existence, shining brightly in the space before her!
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