MTLNOVEL Chapter 83: Chapter 83
Tony was struggling to process everything. The revelation of magic existing in a world he thought he had thoroughly dissected with science had almost dismantled the foundation of his worldview. It was like being hit by a wrecking ball, leaving him dazed and grappling with questions he never thought he'd have to ask.
Magic? A hidden layer of reality he had never even considered?
The notion of the world holding secrets didn't surprise him entirely. As a scientist, he understood that the deeper one delved, the more mysteries unraveled. But this—this wasn't just a mystery. It was a complete departure from the laws of physics he held sacred.
Ethan, meanwhile, remained silent. He knew Tony needed time to adjust, so he stood back, his eyes idly scanning the lab. His gaze landed on the unmistakable shape of Captain America's shield.
"It doesn't seem to be the original," Ethan muttered to himself.
He remembered the scene from the movies: the moment when Agent Coulson casually pointed out the shield during one of his visits to Stark. Tony's surprise in that moment had seemed genuine. But this shield, as Ethan observed now, looked like a replica. Perhaps it was just something Tony had tinkered with on his own, given his father's deep connection to Captain America and vibranium technology.
Still, Ethan didn't dwell on it for too long. There was too much to unpack about the man in front of him. Tony's laboratory was a treasure trove, packed with tools and devices that would make any inventor salivate. But Ethan knew better than to get distracted. Most of the interesting gadgets, like the Iron Man suits, were likely hidden in specialized storage compartments.
Finally, Tony snapped out of his daze and refocused on Ethan. His sharp gaze returned, though there was an undeniable edge of skepticism still lingering.
"So, you're saying… you can use magic to fix me?"
"To be precise," Ethan clarified, "I can use magic to protect your life, extract the shrapnel from your body, and heal the damage afterward."
He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "Technically, this could also be done with advanced technology. But current technology cannot guarantee that the shrapnel can be removed without risking your life."
Tony nodded reluctantly. "That's true."
Hearing Ethan spell it out made Tony realize just how well-informed the young man was about his condition. This wasn't a guess. Ethan clearly knew the stakes.
"So you're saying you can remove the shrapnel… without killing me?" Tony's tone carried a mixture of curiosity and guarded hope.
"Absolutely," Ethan replied confidently.
Ethan had already worked out the solution. He planned to use a magic circle to generate a strong magnetic field, controlling the shrapnel in Tony's body and guiding it to a non-lethal position before extracting it entirely. It was a crude but effective method.
However, he was fully aware that the procedure would still leave significant damage in its wake. That's why he'd prepared a series of advanced recovery measures, including a powerful potion he had refined over the past few weeks. He would also create an environment optimized for healing, ensuring that any critical injuries would be addressed in real-time.
Ethan's plan wasn't just a reckless gamble. It was a carefully calculated strategy.
Tony, however, wasn't one to take things at face value. "Even if it sounds good in theory, I'm not sure I can trust this completely," he said, his tone guarded.
"That's understandable," Ethan replied smoothly. "Which is why I'm leaving you with the antidote first. It will keep the toxins in your body at bay for now. You'll have plenty of time to consider whether or not to proceed with the treatment."
Ethan wasn't one to force people into decisions. This was Tony's life, after all. His role was simply to present the options. Whether Tony accepted or declined was entirely up to him.
The antidote, Ethan reasoned, could act as both a gesture of goodwill and a practical solution to Tony's immediate problem. He knew that while Tony had his flaws, his arrogance, his biting wit—he wasn't the type to take advantage of others without repaying his debts. If anything, Tony valued fairness, even in his own peculiar way.
"Here," Ethan said, pulling out a card with his contact information. "This is my number. Call me when you've made up your mind."
Tony didn't take the card. Instead, he gestured toward the room around him. "I'd rather you stay here. I can arrange accommodations, and we'll call you my… 'personal health consultant.' That way, we can discuss the details of your plan thoroughly. I want to be involved in every step."
Tony's insistence was no surprise to Ethan. This was a man who'd built his life around having control. Even in matters as critical as his own health, Tony Stark wouldn't simply hand over the reins.
Ethan thought about it for a moment. He didn't have any pressing obligations elsewhere, and his preparations for Tony's treatment could continue just as easily from here. The added scrutiny from Tony and Jarvis didn't bother him in the slightest. Even if every step of his work was recorded, they wouldn't be able to replicate magic through science.
"Fine," Ethan agreed. "But I'll need to go back and gather a few things first. Then I'll return."
Tony nodded; it made sense, and he had no reason to refuse.
But the scene that unfolded next left Tony speechless. The glowing circular portal he had seen before suddenly materialized in front of Ethan, and before Tony could process it, Ethan stepped through and disappeared. The portal closed behind him, leaving Tony staring at the empty space.
Suddenly, Tony felt as though his home was anything but secure.
"Damn magic!" he muttered under his breath, frustration lacing his voice.
What he wanted to do more than anything now was to devise a way to defend his home against magical intrusions. The problem was that he didn't know a thing about magic. At that moment, he was strangely grateful that he had convinced Ethan to stay. Maybe over the coming days, he could learn more about this mysterious force. Even if he couldn't master it himself, he'd at least figure out how to counter it.
Ethan didn't waste much time retrieving what he needed. While Tony reviewed the security footage of Ethan's abrupt departure and arrival, directing Jarvis to analyze the energy fluctuations of the portal and brainstorm potential ways to block it, the same glowing ring of light appeared again in Tony's line of sight. Ethan stepped through, carrying a large bag, as if nothing extraordinary had just happened.
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Man, I swear, I really want to shoot you out of my house."
Ethan chuckled. He knew his method of transportation might be unnerving, but he had no better alternative. Traveling from New York to Tony Stark's mansion in Los Angeles required crossing the entire continent. Without teleportation magic, there was no way he could have made the round trip so quickly.
"I know it's annoying," Ethan admitted. "Don't worry; I won't make a habit of this."
What Ethan didn't mention was that he wasn't capable of creating these portals himself. Without a Sling Ring or training in Kama Taj's techniques, he had to rely on the Ancient One's assistance for these teleportations. However, now that he had a clear understanding of the portal's structure and principles, combined with his own teleportation knowledge, he was already working on developing his own version of teleportation magic.
Tony crossed his arms and stared at him. "So, where'd you go to grab whatever it is you needed?"
"New York," Ethan replied casually.
Tony blinked. "You mean to tell me, as soon as you step through that glowing door, you're in New York?"
"That's right."
Tony whistled, his tone shifting to a mix of fascination and envy. "That's convenient. Seriously. Can you teach me how to do that? Don't worry, I'm very smart. I'll pick it up in no time."
Ethan hadn't expected Tony's sudden enthusiasm and could only offer a helpless smile. "I can explain the general theory to you, but I can't guarantee you'll be able to learn it."
"No problem," Tony replied confidently. "As long as I understand the theory, nothing can stump me."
But over the next few days, Tony's confidence began to waver.
"This is ridiculous! It doesn't make any sense! It's not scientific at all!"
Tony had been observing Ethan's method of creating the antidote, and the process baffled him completely. He watched Ethan place various random plants onto a complex pattern, extract something seemingly intangible from them, and inject the result into a pre-prepared potion. Somehow, that final concoction was the antidote—a liquid designed to save his life.
At the same time, Ethan tried to explain the magical principles behind the process, but to Tony, it sounded like utter nonsense. The plants Ethan used didn't seem to have any natural interaction, and yet they worked together flawlessly to produce the desired result.
Frustrated but determined, Tony attempted to replicate the process using his own scientific methods. The result? Jarvis flagged the substance he created as "extremely hazardous" and strongly recommended its immediate destruction. Even the smell of it was enough to trigger warnings.
Ethan chuckled as he disposed of Tony's failed experiment. "Tony, this is magic," he said matter-of-factly.
Ethan's antidote relied on stripping out the essence of "detoxification" from the plants and then combining and enhancing that concept with a magical foundation. By merging this with the antidote powder he had brought from the Diablo World, he created a potion that could counteract the palladium poisoning in Tony's body.
It wasn't just the pharmacological properties of the plants working in tandem, it was the extraction and amplification of their detoxifying concept, blended into a single coherent whole. For Tony, who had built his life around tangible scientific principles, the sheer abstractness of this method was a complete reversal of everything he knew.
"Seeing this stuff happen right in front of my eyes is…" Tony paused, struggling to put his thoughts into words. "Let's just say it's given me a bit more confidence in your treatment plan."
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