"Ho ho ho…"
The lizard man Connor stared at the vast emptiness, his gaze dimming.
"How… how is this possible?"
He stumbled backward several steps before crashing heavily to the ground.
Green blood seeped through the cracks in the earth.
"You… you can actually do that?"
Wanda looked at Hode in disbelief.
This shrouded Hode in an even thicker veil of mystery.
At that moment, she realized there was an inexplicable charm about him.
She had thought Hode was merely strong in power and magic, but quickly discovered that was just one facet of this man.
She hardly knew him; he was far more enigmatic than she had imagined.
A mountain climber, an entrepreneur, acquainted with Tony Stark, a self-made man.
He understood magic, knew chaos magic, and possessed ancient energy within him as well.
She had thought she had reached the limits of her understanding, but the laser she had just seen shattered her perceptions.
Moreover, she was acutely aware of the power contained within that beam of light.
"Are you really not a superhero?!"
Gwen exclaimed, her face alight with admiration as she gazed at the composed Hode. "What you just did was so cool! How did you create that ray?"
As she spoke, she gestured excitedly, still shaken by what she had just witnessed.
"Talent."
Hode pulled his hand out of his pocket and ruffled Gwen's excited little head. "Want to learn? I can teach you!"
"Cough, cough, Hode, this is something others can handle."
At that moment, Wanda unexpectedly interrupted their conversation.
She didn't know why, but seeing their affectionate interaction made her feel uneasy.
Especially that familiar gesture of ruffling hair; she had come to think of it as her own exclusive sign of affection.
But now that Hode was doing it with someone else, a mix of emotions swirled within her.
However, she also understood that nothing inappropriate was happening between the two.
Boom!
Suddenly, an ear-shattering explosion echoed from a nearby building.
The massive blast even caused the ground to tremble slightly.
"Not good!"
Gwen's face went pale as she heard the commotion. "I totally forgot about the main issue!"
"What's happening?"
Wanda asked, frowning as she scanned the distant situation.
"The lizard man plans to spread canisters containing mutation factors throughout New York, causing everyone to mutate!"
After saying this, Gwen took a running leap and swiftly headed toward the incident site.
She knew full well that once the canisters went awry, no one in New York would be safe.
This was Connor the lizard man's true aim: to turn everyone into reptilian creatures!
"Let's go! We need to help too!"
Hode suggested, and he and Wanda quickly flew in that direction.
The first floor of the towering building was engulfed in flames, with explosions occurring intermittently.
Enormous flames rolled outwards, while thick smoke spiraled up, creating a suffocating heat that warped the air.
Black smoke poured out from the broken areas, blackening the surrounding walls.
At that moment, the deep-blue sky was obscured by heavy smoke, while the roaring flames intertwined with bizarre green fog.
"Come help us! Call the fire department now!"
"Who will save my kids? They are still inside!"
"Don't pull me! I have to go in and save my wife!"
"Where's the fire hydrant? Someone help!"
"…"
Outside the building, the crowd was in chaos and despair, many having taken refuge from the lizard man's rampage.
But they never anticipated an explosion; the surging crowd had trapped many inside.
Outside the building, cries rang out, with some rushing back in only to be pushed back by the scorching flames and suffocating black smoke.
"We need to put out the fire quickly! If not, the flames will carry the green mist across all of New York!"
Gwen stood atop the building, her expression tense as she searched for water tanks nearby.
If they didn't act fast, even if the people inside miraculously survived, they would still be infected and transformed into reptilian monsters by the green mist!
"Wanda?"
Hode noticed Wanda next to him, her face a mix of confusion and fear.
"Hode, the fire is too great, I can't do it!"
Wanda's voice trembled, recalling memories that collided with reality.
She wasn't sure if she could really do it. What if she failed…?
During that mission in Germany, her mistake led to an explosion.
The resulting fire spread, and she hadn't been able to extinguish it.
"You can do this."
Hode grasped her shoulder, his expression encouraging. "Chaos magic can destroy everything, but it can also create."
"Right! I can do this!"
Wanda felt warmth and trust return, rekindling her lost confidence.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly began to walk toward the fiery scene.
Her resolute figure starkly contrasted with the panicking crowd around her.
"What is she doing?" Gwen wondered.
If she remembered correctly, Wanda shouldn't be able to put out fires.
"Putting out the fire!" Hode hoped this experience would help Wanda overcome her inner demons.
Without confronting her fears, she would always be trapped by them.
And this was the perfect opportunity!
"Who is that person? Why is she walking toward the fire?"
"I remember now; that woman is the Scarlet Witch!"
"Why is she coming here?! Does she want to harm those inside?!"
"Oh my god, finally a superhero has arrived! Please save my children!"
"But what can she do? Isn't this just a person who indiscriminately kills innocents?"
"Shut up! Everyone makes mistakes; right now, we can only place our hope in her!"
"Yeah, after all, the Scarlet Witch has saved New York before!"
"…"
The murmurs from the crowd made Wanda's determined steps waver slightly.
What if I mess up again?
"Don't be afraid. How many famous people don't have their fair share of critics?"
"Just look at how Tony Stark has lived through so much gossip and still thrives!"
Hode interjected with an ill-timed joke, fully aware of Wanda's fragile heart.
She was, after all, a sensitive and insecure soul.
Having lost her parents at a young age and relying on her brother to survive amidst war.
After finally making it to America and ending her years of revenge, her brother had sacrificed himself.
No one could withstand such a burden.
And it is precisely for this reason that chaotic magic amplifies the fragile side of one's heart infinitely.
"Hode, you're right."
Wanda's gaze grew more resolute as she looked deeply at Hode, whispering in a voice only she could hear, "I still have you."
Boom!
The blazing inferno roared again, causing another explosion.
The trapped people inside the building let out desperate cries.
With determination, Wanda removed her hood and tossed her cap to the ground.
In that moment, she mustered her courage and revealed her true self.
All eyes around her turned to the Scarlet Witch.
Boom!
She spread her arms wide, her clothes billowing with the airflow.
Crimson light swirled around her like flowing currents.
Wanda lifted off the ground, surrounded by the scarlet glow.
All chapters at (l)(i)(n)(k)(t)(r).(e)(e) / (c)(l)(o)(u)(d)(r)(u)(n)(t)(L)