Authors Note-
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After three hours of constant moaning in the room, Ivan appeared refreshed. Meanwhile, Tina lay weakly on the bed, drained of strength due to the intense ordeal. Despite her magically enhanced body, it paled compared to Ivan's resilience.
As the evening progressed, the housekeeper, Henry Morgan, and the maid, Abigail, collaborated to prepare a lavish dinner. Kyle, Chris, and Clark were already seated at the dining table, awaiting the meal. Surprisingly, even Ivan's father, Shaw, had joined without anyone noticing. However, they all regarded Ivan with disdain as though he were a mere beast.
Ivan struggled to contain his frustration. Had it not been for Shaw's presence, he might have taught the disrespectful trio a lesson. Unfortunately, with the support of the older man, the three troublemakers not only lacked fear but also mocked Ivan covertly. Frustrated, Ivan resolved to keep a mental record and vowed to settle the score in the future.
"Cough, cough!" Ivan coughed awkwardly and addressed his father, "Dad, why are you here? Haven't there been any recent issues with mutants?"
"Why shouldn't I come? You disappeared for half a year. I would have feared the worst if the Red Queen hadn't assured me of your safety. As soon as I heard of your reappearance, I had the Red Devil send me over with Chris and the others. I wouldn't have known about my two additional grandchildren if Red hadn't informed me after your departure." Shaw wore a displeased expression, struggling to find words of comfort.
"About my disappearance, it was unfortunate because of unforeseen circumstances. I apologize; it won't happen again," Ivan quickly interjected, softening his tone towards his father.
Upon hearing Ivan's apology, Shaw's expression lightened a bit. "Tell me, where have you been for six months?"
"It's complicated," Ivan sighed, delving into his experiences over the past six months. He recounted being transported inexplicably to the legendary Asgard, the realm of God King Odin, where he studied. After six months, he returned to the universe, engaging in trade, conflicts in the void, and battling predators.
Shaw had yet to anticipate the richness of Ivan's experiences over the past six months, leaving him somewhat bewildered. Kyle, Chris, and Clark, still young and unaware of the potential dangers, listened wide-eyed as Ivan recounted unbelievable sights from the universe, filling their hearts with envy. The youngsters even wanted to accompany Ivan on his cosmic adventures, but he declined, citing their youth.
Upon learning of Ivan's plan to venture into the universe to create a sanctuary for mutants, Shaw immediately agreed. He pledged to handle the mutant forces in his control and hand them over to the Red Devil upon Ivan's return. Furthermore, he committed to leading mutants into the universe and developing cosmic power after six months.
Unbeknownst to them, seven days swiftly passed. Ivan juggled various responsibilities, from communicating with his three sons to receiving updates from Kerry. He also dedicated a day to assisting Phoenix in refining and absorbing a ray of eternal fire. Following a rebirth, Phoenix transformed into a genuine divine beast—an undying bird with a height exceeding fifty meters. Ivan engaged in intimate moments with Tina until midnight in the evenings, a feat that would likely exhaust most individuals.
When the day arrived, Ivan found himself on Skull Island, where the genius doctor approached and reported: "Dr. Ivan, over 1,000 people have volunteered to join. Although you initially called for 200, I've streamlined the selection process, and we still have 300. Should we reconsider?"
Ivan shook his head, "No, three hundred would be fine. My spaceship can accommodate them, albeit a bit snug."
While Ivan desired to bring more people, it is the mutants' first foray into the universe required caution. He needed help managing a larger group with many unknowns to explore.
Under the doctor's guidance, three hundred mutants stood before Ivan, clad in black mutant suits adorned with shimmering scales, exuding an air of mystery.
"Fellow mutants! I'm touched by your willingness to stand here. This venture is fueled by personal will rather than coercion, and your commitment to the future of mutants is commendable. I'm moved because it signifies..."
Ivan delivered a rare and heartfelt speech, even using a bit of mental power to disorient the mutants for a moment. The departure was imminent.
With only three hundred mutants, opening a space wormhole would take several minutes for them all to pass through. Ivan's spaceship sat on a desolate planet far from Earth. Opening the wormhole would consume massive amounts of space crystals, prompting Ivan to opt for a more efficient method.
Ivan retrieved an oval mirror from his backpack. The back of the mirror bore intricate post-magic runes, forming a complex geometric pattern with a circle representing closure and transformation serving as the outer corridor. The inside comprised a combination of hexagonal and triangular shapes.
With a gentle toss, Ivan floated the mirror in the air, gradually expanding it into a mirror standing over three meters tall—its proper form. Previously, its size was altered through a shrinking spell.
Ivan extended his hand toward the mirror, prompting a miraculous transformation. The mirror rippled like the surface of a lake, and Ivan's arm seamlessly went through.
This mirror, as it turns out, was a magical item. When Ivan first delved into magic and the creation of magical items, he drew inspiration from Doctor Strange's mirror space magic. He aspired to fashion a supersized mirror space that would be permanent and unaffected by magic failure.
In Chinese myths, numerous treasures are said to open up worlds, often as beads, towers, mirrors, and more. Ivan conceptualized as one side and the mirror as the other, dividing realms. Among various shapes, Ivan believed mirrors were innate world-bearers capable of copying the image of a world, opening up two realms, and utilizing the power of the cave to capture.
Ivan invested considerable effort in researching mirror-related magic items and gathered knowledge on Kama Taj's mirror magic in the Himalayas. He created his mirror magic based on fundamental theories and began crafting the world within it.
However, Ivan remained dissatisfied. Initially limited by materials, the mirror space copied by his magic mirror was only the size of a football field, prompting immediate disinterest and destruction.
Subsequently, Ivan fashioned seven or eight mirrors, finding satisfaction in only two. This oval mirror was one of them. Its interior space consistently mirrored the size of a medium-sized city. On the other side, he spent a substantial sum collecting legendary alchemy materials from China, crafting an abstract yin and yang array on the back and featuring the shapes of the four holy beasts—Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—alongside Ivan's image on the front. Transforming into an area equivalent to a U.S. state in the real world, this mirror underwent a real and virtual transformation using genuine gemstones, ranking it among Ivan's most precious magical items.
Although the oval magic mirror was commendable, it found itself relegated to a mere mode of transportation due to Ivan possessing superior alternatives.
As three hundred mutants walked into the mirror, Ivan stored it away. A shape-shifting phantom then descended into the underground laboratory of Skull Island, where Ivan spent over 30 space energy crystals to open the space wormhole. Within seconds, he returned to the Celestia, released the mutants from the mirror, and set the spacecraft in motion toward the prearranged position with Stakar.
The voyage proceeded without incidents this time. However, the group of mutants, entering space for the first time, displayed keen curiosity about the spacecraft and the cosmos. To alleviate the annoyance, Ivan opened the spaceship permissions for all mutants, allowing them to communicate with Jade Rabbit, who would answer their questions. Ivan felt relieved.
After half a month of travel, Ivan piloted the ship to a meteorite area, landing on one of the colossal meteorites where Stakar and his group of predators awaited.
Upon seeing Ivan disembark, the predators, led by Stakar, breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past period, they had been concerned, as Ivan had guessed. Having been taught a lesson by Ivan before, their strength had been significantly diminished. The dozens of dark forces in the gang dared not trouble Ivan directly. Instead, they placed the blame on Stakar and his group, issuing a dark pursuit order. The ravagers had been hunted and killed by various dark forces. Facing enemies from all sides, with Ivan's support, they would have endured for a short time. Thus, they had been laying low and avoiding detection until the arrival of Ivan.
Ivan, the architect of their current plight, feigned ignorance and smiled, saying, "Yes, you have proven trustworthy. I am satisfied."
Stakar forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and tried to appear honorable. "How can I renege on Mr. Shaw's promises? Just let me know if you need anything!"
Other ravagers echoed their agreement, genuinely giving up any dubious intentions, ready to work for Ivan for protection.
"Excellent! I'll be counting on you," Ivan exclaimed, turning to the spacecraft. "Everyone, come down! Get acquainted with your future partners; cooperation will be crucial."
As Ivan spoke, mutants emerged from the spaceship. Three hundred individuals stood in orderly fashion beside the spacecraft, clad in uniform mutant suits that even obscured their faces, adding an air of mystery.
Stakar and his mutants were taken aback. How could such a small spaceship, no more than 12 meters long, accommodate so many people? It defied logic, even considering close quarters.
"These are my subordinates, each possessing formidable strength. I plan to establish the Black Shadow Mercenary Group for interstellar missions. You'll be responsible for gathering information and understanding various forces to avoid deception by others."
Temporarily setting aside their doubts, Stakar reassured Ivan, "No problem. I'm well-acquainted with the forces in the universe, knowing which ones to provoke and avoid. This knowledge has been our survival strategy for the ravagers."
And so, the Shadow Mercenary Group was officially formed, destined to become renowned throughout the universe.