novelhk Chapter 165 The Scarlet Witch is indeed powerful.
Chapter 165 The Scarlet Witch is indeed powerful.
Chapter 165 The Scarlet Witch is indeed powerful.
Rune actually received an invitation to Professor X's funeral, but he didn't go because he had more important things to do.
He arrived at the foot of a mountain range called Wangda, a mountain shrouded in leaden-gray clouds year-round. Mortals could not comprehend the secrets behind this mountain, but as a mage, Rune could clearly sense the dark magic permeating the soil—this was the birthplace of the Scarlet Witch, the source of chaotic magic, and the place where Xithon once descended.
Rune scanned the scaled rocks, each step leaving a shimmering footprint on the damp moss. A wisp of dark red energy coiled between his pale, slender fingers, flowing in a certain direction as if blown by the wind, guiding Rune like a compass.
He soon arrived at his destination.
"This is it," Rune murmured. He looked up and saw a half-collapsed stone temple in front of him. The runes carved on the porch had been blurred by the passage of time, but he could still feel the ancient power contained within them.
After the M-Day, the loss of her child utterly broke Scarlet Witch, leading her to exile herself and erase her memories. Her place of exile was Mount Wingdale, the very place where she was born. If Red Skull hadn't orchestrated this series of events, the Avengers and X-Men should be searching for this terrifying reality warper by now.
Perhaps because he was getting close to the possessor of the chaotic magic, the red energy in Rune's palm suddenly throbbed violently, beating like a heart.
The temperature plummeted the moment Rune stepped into the temple. His breath condensed into frost in the air, but the magical energy within him flowed ceaselessly, dispelling the biting cold. The temple's interior was much larger than its exterior, clearly distorted by some kind of spatial magic. Scattered on the shattered ground were withered bones and rusted weapons, testaments to the fierce battles that had once taken place here.
In the center of the deepest circular hall, a red figure curled up on a stone platform, like a fetus in a womb—she was Wanda Maximoff. Even in the Marvel Universe, she was among the most dangerous characters, because of her power; the will of the universe did not even allow her to have a child.
Rune held his breath. Even in her unconscious state, Scarlet Witch was still surrounded by visible chaotic energy, and a red mist-like substance flowed around her as if it were alive. Her red hair had lost its former luster, and her face was pale to the point of being almost transparent, but that power—that power capable of reshaping reality—still slumbered within her.
"I've finally found you, witch." Rune stepped forward, and as he moved, the skeletons obediently moved aside, not hindering this equally powerful wizard.
When he was ten steps away from the stone platform, a red barrier suddenly appeared and bounced him away.
Rune nodded. He was indeed powerful, worthy of the blessing of Sithon, but still far from being able to stop Rune. He stretched out his hands, black energy seeping from his fingertips, spreading through the air like ink. When it came into contact with Wanda's red barrier, it hissed like corrosion. The two forces clashed and intertwined for a full ten minutes before Rune's magic finally shattered Wanda's barrier.
The moment the barrier shattered, the entire temple trembled, and rubble rained down from the dome. Rune snorted coldly, his magic surging forth, and the temple, on the verge of collapse, instantly solidified under his will.
"Wake up, Wanda!"
Rune's consciousness pierced Wanda's mind like a dagger, initially leaving a blank, like a wasteland after a blizzard. But Rune didn't panic; he patiently moved forward, searching for any trace of memory. Gradually, fragments began to emerge—a pair of gentle eyes, a simple farmhouse, two happy faces. But as Rune continued, things began to go wrong. Endless screams gradually filled the air, shattered red bodies, books emanating dark magic, countless people kneeling before her, calling her "Mother," and then everything collapsed—screams, cries—
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Rune stopped. Before him was a towering wall that seemed to stretch to the horizon. There was only one door on the wall, locked with iron chains. Sure enough, because those memories were too painful, the Scarlet Witch had chosen to seal them away.
Rune didn't care. He took action and dismantled the chains. Under the influence of memory magic, the chains were no stronger than a toothpick.
Then, the door burst open as if it could no longer bear the weight, and memories flooded back. Rune saw Wanda driven mad by the death of her child, and then she unconsciously distorted reality, creating a world ruled by mutants, who enjoyed supreme status and humans were relegated to second-class citizens.
Her father, Magneto, became the ruler of the world, while she herself enjoyed a life without any superpowers, simply taking care of her children. However, King Kong and the other heroes exposed this false world, leading her to utter the famous line, "There will be no more mutants."
As the direct recipient of the flood of memories, Rune felt unprecedented pain. This was not because he was attacked, but because a large number of painful memories flooded into his brain. The excessive information directly caused his brain to malfunction, and he was almost forced to relive the Scarlet Witch's life.
In the real world, Wanda on the stone platform suddenly arched her back and let out a heart-wrenching scream. Rune was also forced out of her mind and knelt back a few steps.
This was the first time Rune had ever been so wolfish, but it deepened his understanding of his weaknesses. He had previously thought that the only attacks he feared most were the unpredictable forces of time and space, and deadly poison, but he hadn't expected...
Excessive information can actually be used as an attack method, and it is quite effective.
While Rune was still reflecting on his thoughts, Wanda had already sat up, and a dazzling red light emanated from her eyes.
She looked at Rune, her expression quickly shifting from confusion to rage.
"You!" Her voice resonated with chaotic magic, as if other men, women, and children were speaking with her: "What have you done to me?!"
"I awakened you, and I've brought back those memories, Wanda," Rune replied expressionlessly. "I've come to give you a gift."
"Shut up!" Wanda's hands began to gather red energy. "You have no right to make me recall those past events!"
"I truly have no right to awaken you," Rune readily admitted, dozens of layers of armor enchantments now covering him. "But you need them. Wanda Maximov is incomplete without the past, especially when the world is about to need the Scarlet Witch once more."
"Shut up!" Wanda waved her arm, and a red energy wave swept across the entire hall. Wherever it went, bones turned to dust and stones to fragments. The hall, which had just been reinforced by Rune's Transfiguration spell, began to tremble precariously. However, Rune successfully withstood the attack, seemingly with ease.
But Wanda didn't care about any of that. She floated into the air, her red hair dancing like flames, the red light in her eyes almost illuminating the entire temple: "What I hate most are those beasts who wantonly manipulate other people's minds!"
"Without me, you'll just fall into a deep sleep!"
"I'd rather it be this way!" Wanda clasped her hands together, and a ball of chaotic energy pulsated like a heartbeat. "Those memories..."
I'd rather forget those children forever!
Energy balls shot towards Rune, who allowed them to attack without caring about the loss of his magic power. Some of the energy balls that blocked Rune's movement hit the ground, and a large area of the ground instantly turned into red particles and dissipated into the air.
"Truly impressive magic," Rune remarked, then asked, "Wanda, if you remain asleep, who will remember your two children?"
Wanda was stunned for a moment, then screamed hysterically, the shrill sound quickly turning into painful sobs.
"What if I told you I have a way, with a chance of bringing back the child from your memories?!"