Chapter 113: Chapter 113
When Abel arrived at the luxurious café, his eyes quickly found Victor sitting by the window. Smiling, Abel approached and sat across from him. He waved over a waiter before turning his attention back to Victor.
"Victor, how long have you been here?" Abel asked.
Victor set down his coffee. "About half a month. I've been staying in an apartment nearby, preparing for when school starts at the State University of New York."
"Are you sure you're in?"
Victor nodded with a reserved smile. "My grades are solid. After applying, I got accepted within a short time. What about you—when are you applying?"
Abel grinned. "Funny you should ask. I was planning to apply this year, and I'm also aiming for the State University of New York. If all goes well, we'll be classmates."
Victor paused mid-sip, surprised. He smiled brightly. "That's fantastic! I was wondering if we'd ever attend the same school. Now, not only are we in the same school, but the same year. It's a pleasant surprise."
At that moment, the waiter brought their coffee. Abel picked up his cup, made a small gesture of cheers, and took a sip.
Victor glanced around and, with a quick snap of his fingers, an invisible force field enveloped their space. Abel could feel it—no one outside their bubble could hear what they were saying.
Victor leaned in. "A little magic trick to give us some privacy. We can talk freely without anyone eavesdropping."
"Impressive," Abel nodded. "It's great to chat without restrictions."
Victor's curiosity got the better of him. "I've been wondering about that magical secret realm you mentioned. As far as I know, there's no place like that on Earth. Of course, if it's sensitive, we can talk about something else."
Seeing the sincerity in Victor's eyes, Abel decided not to hide the truth. "Actually, it wasn't exactly a secret realm. I went to Asgard. You've heard of it, right?"
Victor's eyes widened. "The home of the Norse gods?"
"They're not gods—at least not in the divine sense. They're just highly advanced aliens. Asgardians are physically about three times stronger than humans, but their warriors and technology are on another level."
Abel explained further, detailing the Asgardians' advanced magic and technology. He revealed that while the Asgardians were incredibly powerful, they weren't as keen on the practice of magic as they once were.
Victor absorbed the information thoughtfully. "So, Asgard and aliens really do exist..."
Abel smiled. "Given that magic exists, aliens and so-called gods shouldn't come as too much of a shock, right?"
Victor chuckled. "True."
"How's your magical progress been?" Abel asked. "You seem a lot stronger than when we last met."
Victor responded humbly. "I've recently mastered all the magic my mother left behind, which is why my strength has grown."
While they both respected each other's abilities, Abel and Victor knew better than to pry into the specifics of the magic they had mastered. It was an unspoken rule between them.
As they continued their conversation, a loud commotion erupted outside the café.
Through the window, they saw a muscular blond man in white short sleeves and beige trousers, barefoot, standing in the middle of Times Square. Moments later, black cars arrived and surrounded him. From one of the cars emerged a man with a black eyepatch, dressed in a black leather trench coat.
Abel immediately recognized them—Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the man in the street was none other than Captain America, Steve Rogers, who had recently awakened from his long sleep.
Abel's mind raced. If Captain America was awake, it meant the events leading to the invasion of the Chitauri army were imminent. The battle over the Tesseract, which housed the Space Stone, was about to begin.
His thoughts spiraled further. Abel realized he would have to involve himself in the coming conflict. The presence of both the Space Stone and the Mind Stone made the situation impossible for him to ignore. He wasn't just concerned about the potential destruction of New York but also saw a chance to ensure the safety of his family and friends.
Lost in thought, Abel was snapped back to the present by Victor's voice.
"Abel?" Victor asked.
Abel blinked and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Victor, I was just thinking about a magic-related issue. I got a little lost."
Victor smiled, understanding completely. "No worries. I do that often myself. We're alike in that way."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone