The Emperor's civilian identity was quite likable, because the sense of humor Salomon had been born with had not been ground away by the burden of responsibility. After a round of Mafia-style threats, shifting the mood with a rather amusing joke came naturally to him. But the Emperor did not joke with anyone, except Victor von Doom and the Praetorian Guard. That identity left no room for ease or pleasure in his soul.
"Say hello to my little friend."
"I've actually seen Scarface. I know that's Al Pacino's line." Stephen Strange pointed at the Assault Rifle. "In Scarface, Al Pacino blasted open a door with a Grenade Launcher. This Explosive Rounds Gun seems to have a similar caliber. I don't know what this weapon is really for, but anyone can judge its power. This is no little friend."
"You only need to say hello."
Salomon expertly checked the magazine, disengaged the safety, chambered a round, and carried the massive rifle in both hands toward the library's second door. Since the Sorcerer Supreme had begun transferring her authority, Kamar-Taj's library had also undergone certain modernizations. In the past, the library's second door had relied only on enchanted iron chains and locks for defense. Now, it had an alloy blast door and a combination lock. At the same time, the spells had been repurposed to protect the current in the electronic components and the alchemical intelligence from harm. Every level of security had been raised by more than one grade. The defensive facilities installed at Kamar-Taj were masterpieces combining machinery and magic, jointly produced by occult scholars from the City of Immortals and Mars.
"When can we enter that door?" Sherlock Holmes asked Master Wong. Stephen Strange had the same question, because every apprentice who advanced to a higher level claimed to