The Shield

The others murmured among themselves with the person in the middle for a few moments and quickly reached a consensus. In the empty theater, the old man spoke again.

"Then, Leo, are you willing to share in our gift? Do you possess such foresight? To prevent a terrible future?"

Leo gradually calmed down. He spread his hands. "But who can know what the future holds?"

"Through great science."

"Through Silence's mathematics."

"Through soundless truth."

"Through hidden art."

"Through mysterious magic."

The five people on the stage each answered with a single line, as though their minds were linked. The person in the center still gave the final summary. "Every question has an answer. Every equation has a solution. That is the world."

Leo slowly sighed and looked at his translucent hands. Stars moved within his body, beneath the pitch-black night sky.

"Then what can I do?"

The person in the center stared directly into his eyes and said in an exceptionally solemn tone, "The world needs you to step forward at critical moments, Leonid."

.

Seeing that he still did not quite understand, the old man in red added, "We advance humanity. We protect humanity. We are security officers. We are protectors. We are... the Shield!"

Leonid turned to look at Howard and the other man in the audience. The Mustache nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.

He thought for a moment, then raised his head to look at the platform again. "All right, I can join you. If it is for the world, of course I can step forward. Then what should I call you? By ancient custom, should I call you Master?"

The leading old man smiled. It was not a hearty laugh, but it was still very warm.

"I am Isaac Newton. Some used to call me