"I'll pick you up at 3 PM!"
"OK!"
After hanging up the call, Richard found a quiet room, sat cross-legged, and meditated.
2:55 PM.
Richard opened the Portal on time and appeared in Tony's oceanfront mansion.
"Hey, Richard!" Tony Stark, who had been waiting for a long time, was dressed in a flashy burgundy suit, and his hair and beard were meticulously groomed. He was completely different from the disheveled man who hadn't slept for a day and a night yesterday.
Richard gave a wry smile, "No, your outfit..."
Tony straightened his collar and raised an eyebrow smugly. "How about it? This look should impress your kids, right?"
"Ha~" Richard chuckled to himself, thinking: If you want to keep those knowledgeable Little Snakes in check, you'll have to wear Iron Armor!
"It's about time, let's go!" He waved his hand and opened a Portal.
On the other side of the Portal was the Reception Room of a large manor house in Beverly Hills.
Nearly thirty people were scattered Reception Room.
Besides the twenty-odd Little Snakes from Starlight Bar, there are a few new members recently recruited, including Grant Ward.
Everyone was dressed in their finest attire, with Adele being the most dazzling.
A shimmering silver fishtail gown perfectly accentuated her figure, with a V-neck design revealing most of her fair skin. A silver-gray necklace adorned with a large, crimson gemstone hung above a seemingly bottomless abyss, sparkling brilliantly under the dazzling Crystal chandelier.
Adele's outfit drew three female companions to surround her, and the men also frequently glanced at her.
At that moment, the Crimson Portal opened, and Richard stepped out.
The Little Snakes stood up on their own.
Grant Ward, sitting next to Thomas, followed his movements closely.
"Boss!" Everyone bowed respectfully in greeting.
Richard nodded and stepped aside...
The next second, shiny burgundy leather shoes appeared first, and the flamboyant Tony Stark made a dazzling entrance!
The Little Snakes exclaimed in surprise.
"By the Lord of Crimson, it really is Tony Stark!"
"Rumor has it that he slept with all the cover girls on the cover of Penthouse magazine for 12 months last year?!"
"Watfuck?! Is this rumor true?!"
"Damn! I'm so jealous of that guy!"
"Envious? Bernhard, aren't you afraid Freya will hear you saying that?"
" Coulson! If Freya finds out, it must be because you snitched!"
"No, bro! There are so many people here, how can you be so sure I snitched?!"
"Hmph, I've set my sights on you!"
"Fuck you, Bernhard!"
Tony listened to the Little Snakes ' whispers and confidently raised his chin.
"Hi, good afternoon, kids, it's Tony Stark!"
The impetuous Thomas asked loudly, "Hey, Mr. Stark, they all say you slept with every cover girl on the cover of Penthouse magazine last year, is that true?"
Tony glanced at the hulking Thomas and replied humorously, "Good question, part of that is true! But the March cover girl clashes with my schedule, thankfully the December cover girls are twins!"
Tony's answer immediately set the Little Snakes on fire.
"Fuck! Twins?! He slept with twins?!"
"I'm so fucking Envy!"
"No wonder he's a notorious playboy, he's got style!"
"Damn it! I need to learn how to pick up girls from Mr. Stark!"
"That's right, Jeremy! Let's all raise a glass to Mr. Stark later!"
"Me too!"
"Count me in too!!"
Grant approached the group discreetly and whispered, "Count me in, guys!"
Adele glared at Tony with a look of utter contempt, while her three female companions glared back at Tony with unfriendly eyes.
"Hah!"
"That's disgusting!"
"You're right! Judy, all men are disgusting!"
"No! Richard is different!"
"Ah, no wonder you look so beautiful today, Adele, it's because of the boss..."
"I didn't..."
Adele blushed and glanced at the dashing Richard before playfully teasing her friends.
Richard twitched his ears, pretending not to hear. Adele was beautiful, but not his type...
Moreover, this girl has a special status; she's practically one of the leaders of this group of Little Snakes. It's best not to get too close to her.
'Sizzle~'
A crimson spark of energy suddenly appeared, and a Portal opened with difficulty.
Shay, sporting a head full of dreadlocks, staggered out of the door.
"Hey everyone, am I late?" Shay grinned smugly after regaining his balance.
The Little Snakes stared at Shay in disbelief.
Thomas: "Fuck you! Shay, when did you learn that trick?!"
Shay puffed out his chest and boasted, "The boss discovered I had extraordinary talent for Magic, so he brought me to Kamar-Taj!"
The Little Snakes turned to look at Richard, their gazes burning with desire.
Richard helplessly spread his hands. "Don't look down on me... Shay was lucky to become my first follower. He can borrow my power, which is why he had the opportunity to become a formal Sorcerer Apprentice."
"Boss!" a loud shout rang out, and then a long-haired boy rushed out and slid down to his knees to stand in front of him.
Richard:...
He looked down and, by chance, they knew each other!
Isn't this Kenneth Vila, the guy I knocked out first at Starlight Bar because of his excessive arrogance?
"Boss! I, Kenneth, am also your most loyal follower. Do you think I have a chance to become Sorcerer?"
Richard:...
Tony looked rather jealous, wondering: How did Richard manage to tame this group of kids who clearly came from privileged backgrounds?
Richard looked down at Kenneth, whose face was filled with adoration, then glanced up at the nervous and excited Little Snakes, and could only raise his hand and place it on Kenneth's head...
He sighed inwardly: Becoming a believer is not so easy...
"Huh?!" Richard's eyes widened instantly. He stared at Kenneth in disbelief, a crimson Mana emanating from his right hand, drawing out the trace of energy he had just sensed hidden within Kenneth's body.
Kenneth was bathed in a crimson glow, appearing exceptionally divine under the reflection of the Crystal chandelier.
"Wait-fuck! Kenneth, when did you become the boss's follower?!" Shay shouted, his mouth agape.
Kenneth's eyes lit up, and he looked at Richard with surprise. "Boss, does this mean I also have a chance to become Sorcerer like Shay?"
Richard withdrew his right hand, nodded with a complicated expression, and said, "After the banquet, I'll take you back to Kamar-Taj."
"Yay!" Kenneth jumped up excitedly, ran to Shay, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, brother!"
Shay patted him on the back happily, pleased to have gained another companion. " The Kamar-Taj course is no easy feat. As followers of the Boss, we absolutely cannot let him down!"
The two separated, Kenneth nodded vigorously. "Just wait and see!"
The other Little Snakes looked at Richard with eager eyes.
The four girls exchanged glances, and Adele's voice trembled with excitement. " Richard! What about us?"
Richard sighed softly, "I will help you test it, but don't get your hopes up too high..."
As he spoke, a crimson Mana burst forth from his body, sweeping across the entire Reception Room like lightning.
Tony felt a jolt in his chest; the Arc Reactor seemed to have short-circuited for a moment.
He looked down thoughtfully at his chest...