Mordo

Mordo

"Hmph! Invaders from another world. I really don’t know why the Supreme Mage hasn’t wiped them out completely. They just keep coming, wave after wave, like weeds."

A stern-faced Black man stepped out of the circle. Looking at the three people playing an electric-shock game, undisguised disgust flashed across his face.

"Mordo, the Supreme Mage asked us to bring them back. How they are to be dealt with should be left for him to decide."

The robed mage following Mordo also reminded him in a low voice. Mordo was good in every way—he cared deeply for his own people and protected ordinary people as well—but he was a little too rigid and harsh.

"Hmph, I know."

Mordo snorted, then raised his hand and swept out rings of golden light. In an instant, it seemed as though the entire world had undergone a bizarre change.

Everything around them shattered like glass. The ground flipped over, and the roads formed shapes like hamster wheels.

The Astral Dimension!

A hazy, indistinct world corresponding to reality, the world closest to reality, like a projection of the real world. Only highly skilled mages could pull the surrounding environment into it.

Here, any destruction inflicted upon the world would not affect reality.

This was also one of the methods mages used to protect Earth.

However, opening the Astral Dimension and controlling it did not mean one had completely mastered this world. After sealing off the surroundings, Mordo failed to notice that a figure not far away had also been drawn into the Astral Dimension.

"This power is interesting. That guy is Mordo…"

Xu Yue possessed his own AT Field. In another sense, the AT Field could also be viewed as a barrier between one’s heart and the world. To a certain extent, the strength of an AT Field was at a higher level than the boundary between the Astral Dimension and reality.

This undoubtedly made it easier for Xu Yue to understand the Astral Dimension.

He still could not wield it, but once he underwent systematic magical training, he should learn it quickly.

However, because this was not reality, the activation speed of his AT Field seemed to be affected, reacting a beat slower.

Meanwhile, as Mordo sealed off the area and pulled the vicinity into the Astral Dimension, the three people playing the electric-shock game noticed what was happening.

The delirious captain immediately abandoned the two men who were nearly roasted alive and charged straight toward Mordo and his companion, covered in lightning.

But in the next moment, without even the slightest chance to struggle, he was completely bound by a sparking ring of light flung out by Mordo. The lightning around his body was absorbed entirely by the ring, and he collapsed to the ground.

This sudden turn of events instantly left the two Reincarnators, who had just breathed a sigh of relief after nearly being electrocuted, utterly dumbfounded.

That arrogant captain, who had nearly finished the two of them off in just a few moves, had been so utterly helpless before this man!

He had been subdued in an instant without even touching a single hair on him!

Was this how terrifying S.H.I.E.L.D. was?!

Although they had technically been saved, the two still felt a chill rise from the depths of their hearts.

Even ordinary big shots probably didn’t have this kind of strength…

"Take them all away. As for how they will be dealt with, we must wait for the Supreme Mage’s arrangements."

After effortlessly dealing with the lightning-wielding man as if restraining a chick, Mordo acted as though he had done something trivial.

The other mage accompanying him also cast out two light whips, binding the two men who had nearly been cooked by electricity and dragging them over. Then, as Mordo formed a circle with his hands, another entrance leading back to reality appeared before them.

But just as the other mage entered with the three captives, and Mordo was about to follow him in the next moment—

He suddenly stopped, then whirled around and fixed a sharp gaze on the mysterious figure emerging from the shadows of the Astral Dimension.

"There’s another one? You actually managed to evade my senses…"

Having already used Transformation Jutsu to alter his appearance and draped himself in a cloak, Xu Yue stepped out of the shadows of his own accord and looked at Mordo. He was somewhat surprised by his own assessment.

But to confirm it, he still needed to conduct a simple test.

According to the Doctor Strange film, Mordo’s strength was indeed considered outstanding among the Mage Corps. However, compared with Ancient One, Doctor Strange, and Kaecilius, who had obtained part of Dormammu’s power, the gap was simply enormous.

Even so, the strength Mordo had displayed earlier had already exceeded Xu Yue’s expectations. Based on those two simple techniques alone, he was unquestionably stronger than ordinary big shots—perhaps even a level above Wang Zhaoming.

Yet his abilities were still worlds apart from Ancient One’s level!

"Mage Mordo, there is no need for hostility. I merely sensed an unusual fluctuation of power here and came to investigate. As far as our objectives are concerned, we are aligned."

Xu Yue spoke in a hoarse, indistinct voice.

"I do not believe the words of someone who hides his face."

Mordo’s face remained stern, though his expression had grown grave. The other man had remained undetected within the Astral Dimension until he chose to reveal himself. Mordo had no idea what his purpose was.

Moreover, while Mordo could tell that the man was using a disguise, he could not see through it.

When had such a person appeared? Why had the Sanctums monitoring Earth shown no reaction?

"My apologies. My identity is somewhat special."

As Xu Yue spoke, he released a trace of the aura he had acquired from Asgard. As CODE, the greatest benefit this ability gave Xu Yue in other worlds was connection.

Other Reincarnators might be detected as anomalies by certain beings, but Xu Yue could rapidly integrate himself into a world through CODE’s connection. This had been true in Asgard and was true in the Astral Dimension before him.

Therefore, it posed no problem for him to emit the aura he had previously carried from Asgard.

This allowed the mage, who was highly sensitive in such matters, to make a judgment easily.

"This ancient aura… an Asgardian?"

There was still an old soldier from Asgard on Earth. As one of the mages protecting Earth, it was only natural for Mordo to understand such power and aura.

The other party was clearly not the Asgardian he knew. Had another "god" from Asgard descended upon Earth?

"I came here only to handle some private matters. You should know something of Asgard as well. Safeguarding the stability of the Nine Realms is our responsibility, so there is no conflict between our positions."

Xu Yue continued explaining unhurriedly, his words filled with sincerity.

"However, I am curious about when mages appeared on Earth. So before I leave, I would like to learn a little about you."

That mild voice sounded as casual as asking whether someone had eaten today.

Yet it made Mordo sense an indescribable implication beneath it…

Two chapters done~

Note: Mages appeared in the comics quite early, but in the Thor: Ragnarok film, Thor and Loki were both casually strung up by Doctor Strange. At the time, Thor also asked when Earth had gotten mages. Since this follows the films, it can temporarily be assumed that Asgard had not descended upon Earth for too long. In Thor 1 and 2 and The Avengers, they came and went in a hurry and never encountered the existing mages. All-Father Odin, Ancient One, and the two Supreme Mages—Ancient One and Doctor Strange—would certainly have known of and interacted with one another, but the lower-ranking Asgardians likely did not know much.

Therefore, after discovering that mages had appeared on Earth, Xu Yue conducting a certain degree of probing was entirely consistent with Asgard’s position.