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Ivan was unaware of the developments on Magneto's side, and he preferred to remain in the dark. He had set the stage for Magneto and left it to him to deliver a remarkable performance.
After Ivan dispatched Darwin to the X-Men, he had no intention of returning to Skull Island. Previously, Ivan had assigned Ghost to Arnold, tasking him with missions to enhance his strength. Arnold, one of Ivan's capable subordinates, had been undertaking various mercenary tasks worldwide, facing death daily. Thanks to the super serum injected by Ivan, Arnold's strength significantly increased, allowing him to survive numerous life-threatening situations.
Ivan gave Ghost to Arnold because it needed to devour souls to augment its strength and create an army of undead. This arrangement ensured that Arnold, engaged in daily mercenary tasks involving death, had Ghost to protect him, enhancing Arnold's safety.
Despite Arnold regularly updating Ivan on the situation, Ivan still wanted to personally check Ghost's progress. With Ivan's phantom magic, he no longer relied on Red Devil's teleportation. Using his magical power, Ivan could instantly travel anywhere on Earth.
Contacting Arnold and confirming the coordinates, Ivan, in his shape-shifting phantom form, quickly reached the destination. It only took a few minutes to locate them.
"Master" Both Arnold and Ghost saluted Ivan simultaneously.
"Enough with the formality; Rise," Ivan said, focusing his gaze on Ghost. At this moment, Ghost appeared as an ordinary man who could speak. Only Ivan, privy to the mystery, could discern any anomaly.
"Ghost, it appears your strength has surged. How many souls have you consumed, and how many can transform into super-spectral forms?" Ivan didn't beat around the bush, directly inquiring about what concerned him most.
Terrified but truthful, Ghost replied, "Master, forgive me. I've devoured over 10,000 souls, but those transforming into super-bright forms are fewer than 30. I've learned that such souls must belong to individuals with strong beliefs and willpower. Unfortunately, they are scarce."
Understanding dawned on Ivan, "Belief and strong will? Indeed, such individuals are rare. Thirty isn't bad. Presumably, your association with Arnold, who encounters constant danger, has influenced this. Regardless, over 10,000 souls are sufficient as cannon fodder. Return with me."
"Yes, master"
Ghost immediately shook his body and turned into a cloud of black mist, slipping into Ivan's sleeve.
Ivan inquired about Arnold's activities during this period. After confirming that everything was in order, he was about to leave and return to Skull Island. However, at this moment, the voice of the Red Queen suddenly sounded, providing him with unexpected information that changed his plans.
"Dr. Ivan, I think you should wait. I captured an unusual event just now. I find it interesting. You should take a look."
Ivan became intrigued upon hearing the Red Queen's words. "It's not trivial if you consider it special. Please send me the picture."
Ivan raised his wrist, and a beam of light popped up on the exposed watch, forming a picture. The image portrayed a desert scene where a man in an ancient robe approached a rock nearly half buried by wind and sand. He reached out and stroked it a few times, and soon the stones moved, revealing a huge stone man. The stones before were its limbs.
The enormous stone man didn't stand up; instead, it cracked, forming a dark hole. The man in the robe walked in, and the stone giant reclined again, partially submerged in the sand, with a part still exposed outside, appearing unchanged.
For some reason, upon witnessing this scene, Ivan felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. However, he couldn't pinpoint the source and scratched his head in confusion.
The screen replayed, and the Red Queen zoomed in on the man in the picture. Ivan then realized that the man's appearance was unusually handsome, with a slightly pale complexion and non-human features on his cheeks.
"Dr. Ivan, according to the Dark world data we've collected, this person is Prince Nuada of the Dark world. He has always been strongly hostile to humans. During the biological war between humans and the Dark World, Nuada, the prince, was known for his cruelty and belligerence. He advocated the annihilation of the entire human race. The Dark World created the Golden Army as a weapon to kill humans, but when victory was within sight, Nuada, dissatisfied with his father's decision, chose self-exile."
Hearing this, Ivan finally understood the source of the familiarity. The scene from the giant earlier was reminiscent of the discovery of the Golden Corps in the second part of Hellboy. In other words, the rift in the belly of the giant was an entrance to a different space where the Golden Legion was stored.
"Red Queen, provide me with the coordinates immediately. I want to go," Ivan urged his interest in the Golden Army prompting him to seize this opportunity.
After receiving detailed coordinates from the Red Queen, Ivan couldn't wait. In front of Arnold, a phantom appeared at the position indicated by the Red Queen.
Surveying the barren desert and the weathered stone pillars, which seemed on the verge of collapsing, who would have thought that this was part of the stone giant's body?
Ivan attempted to touch the stone pillar as Prince Nuada did, but he couldn't awaken the stone giant. It seemed that a special magic frequency was required.
Ivan settled into a spot, patiently awaiting Prince Nuada's emergence. He planned to restrain Nuada directly and coerce him into leading the way to the Golden Legion. Ivan aimed to unravel the secrets of the Legion and, if unsuccessful, locate the crown controlling them—knowledge he already possessed.
During the dull waiting period, Ivan, with nothing better to do, surveyed the surroundings. He soon detected a peculiar magical fluctuation, creating a phantom halo. This enchantment deceived observers from the sky, making the area appear as a barren desert with no stone pillars. Anyone passing through would be influenced by the magic, altering their travel direction.
Amid the stone pillars, an intense and sinister aura emanated from their center, characteristic of someone who had committed countless murders. Ivan sensed that this malevolent energy had lingered for centuries, likely originating from the Golden Legion. The evil presence had transformed a once lush and vibrant area into a desolate wasteland.
Ivan, pondering this, became curious about another matter and inquired, "Red Queen, I haven't asked you yet—there's a magical halo here, and theoretically, you shouldn't see the actual situation from outer space. How did you overcome the magical halo's obstacles to capture images of Prince Nuada?"
"On this matter, I must commend the ancients' wisdom. I discovered a special technique in the information you provided. By combining four different lenses, the magical halo's effect can be penetrated. I equipped the camera with this lens, initially for experimentation, but unexpectedly found Prince Nuada. Luck played a part."
Reflecting on the Hellboy plot, Ivan realized a similar technique was employed—Hellboy used it to see through the magical light on the body.
Engaging in conversation with Red Queen for half an hour, a rumbling sound signaled the stone pillar rising again. Aware that the stone giant was awakening, Ivan retreated to a safe distance to observe.
As the giant sat up, Prince Nuada emerged from the abdomen's split. Joyous, Nuada had successfully discovered the Golden Legion.
Nuada, delighted by his achievement, now faced the challenge of obtaining the three crown fragments held by his sister and father. Unconcerned about those, he prioritized finding the fragment in human hands. His vision of wielding the Golden Legion's power to conquer humanity and dominate the world consumed him.
Amid his triumphant reverie, Nuada felt a tap on his shoulder and heard a voice behind him.
"His Royal Highness Prince Nuada, you seem quite pleased. Anything good you'd like to share with me?"
Startled, Nuada leaped back, turning to face a figure with a sly smile that was anything but friendly.