Compared to the four, Doom's consumption this trip was actually not the most serious, but he suffered a lot of internal injuries in the previous fight. He slapped Doctor Strange's hand away and struggled to stand on his knees, but before he could get to his feet, he fell limp and half-knelt down.

Doctor Strange was bored, so he simply folded his arms and stood aside and looked calmly.

Oh, if you don't help, you won't help, I'm here watching you pretend.

Michael caught a glimpse, walked up to Doom, and extended his hand to him as well.

"Forget it, the great 'Doctor Doom' doesn't need help." Strange taunted from the sidelines.

As a result, Doom hesitated for a second, grabbed Michael's outstretched hand, and stood up with his help.

Doctor Strange: "??? ”

"Is it okay?" Michael asked.

"A little bit of a wound." Doom snorted, "It doesn't matter to destruction. ”

Strange blinked, looked at Doom, and then at Michael.

Why can't I just do it?

Strange is not happy. He drew a circle and opened the spell portal, and snorted: "You talk slowly, I'm sure you must have a lot to say, so I won't bother." ”

After saying that, he retreated into the portal and went sullenly, as if he was very angry.

There are three people left. Doom seemed to want to say something to Michael, but his mouth opened and closed, and he couldn't get a word out for a long time. He squinted at Wanda, who was naturally holding Michael's arm, and said with some displeasure: "We have something to discuss." ”

Wanda hugged Michael's arm tightly: "Let's talk about it." ”

Wanda wasn't very happy about his attitude. We all have a role to play in saving your mother, what are you not saying in front of me?

But Michael knew Doom. It's not that he has anything important to talk to himself alone, it's just that there are some things he can't say when others are present.

Michael patted Wanda on the shoulder: "It's okay, you go back and rest first, I'll come later." ”

Since Michael said so, she naturally didn't have any opinions. She nodded obediently, "Okay." ”

Wanda left, leaving only the two of them in the dark chamber beneath the castle.

After a long silence, Doom said, "Thank you - I don't know how many times I said this, but I really don't know how to ...... it"

"Not necessarily." Michael interrupted lightly, "My answer will never change. You are my disciple, and I helped you because I saw your potential, and you have indeed lived up to me so far. ”

Doom pondered for a moment, then slowly reached out and took off the cold steel mask.

He looked down at the mask in his hand, as if he were facing himself.

"All the hard work, all the study, the pursuit of those mysterious and powerful powers...... It's all about today, here and now. "There's not a day I don't fantasize about this moment. Defeat Mephisto and save my mother's poor soul...... Until now. I did it, thanks to you. ”

He closed his eyes slightly.

"But if I had to describe my mood in one word...... The answer is, nothing. He said slowly, "I slashed the enemies of my family and overthrew the throne of the king. I saved my homeland, and now Latvia is getting better and better under my rule. And now I've saved my mother's soul, and that's my biggest goal so far, one I never even imagined what it would be like to be done.

But the process ...... All of this ultimately made me who I am now. ”

Michael understood what he was trying to say.

If you have to say what factors led to the birth of Dr. Doom, the most accurate answer should be fate. The intricacies of fate played a role at almost every fork in the road in his life, and every choice he made and every step forward became a key factor in guiding this future.

And then there was the current Doom. A dictator, a master of arcane arts, a giant of science, a recluse guy who stands on top of the world.

"I've felt the same way as you." "It wasn't that long ago that I thought, when all the work is done, what will I have left?"

The truth is, we are the same kind of people, Victor. We are so similar, so similar that even our troubles are so similar. The reason for this confusion is that no matter how good we are, at the end of the day, we are still human. No amount of knowledge or power can change that. ”

Doom narrowed his eyes.

"There is no way for people to exist apart from the group, even people like you and me." He patted Doom on the shoulder, "And as a master, I don't want you to be trapped in the shackles of 'Doctor Doom' forever. ”

"Maybe." Doom calmly put back on his mask, "Maybe I'll consider making a change, but not yet. He looked up at Michael, "So she's the change you chose to make, wasn't she?" That little witch? ”

"Yes. I've been ignoring Wanda's intentions for too long, and I don't want to let her down any longer. ”

"She's really special." Doom gave a rare positive evaluation, "She is indeed worth cherishing." ”

"You also have someone who has been waiting for you, Victor. The question is only you, whether you are willing to take this step. I'm trying to do this, and I hope you can do the same. ”

Michael said, the spell portal opening behind him. Doom watched him retreat towards the door, hesitated for a while, and finally couldn't help but ask, "One last thing." ”

Michael stopped, looking sideways at him.

"If we lose." "If we don't beat Mephisto," he said...... Are you really going to give your soul to that demon? ”

Michael and he stared at each other for a long time.

"The point is, we don't." He turned around and continued to walk through the door, "I also knew we were going to win. ”

The portal swirled, and his form vanished.

Doom watched as the spark dissipated, and stood alone in the darkness of the basement for a long time.

He's a man who hates to owe favors to others.

But only Michael, he knows that from now on, no matter what the other party asks, he may not refuse.

***

When she returned to the office, Wanda was already waiting there. She stood up as soon as Michael walked out of the portal, as if she had been waiting for it for a long time.

"What did you say?"

Michael looked at her with a blank expression.

"Victor told me that Wanda is a good girl and that I should cherish."

Wanda's face turned red and she was suspicious: "...... It's true? ”

"Really." The corners of Michael's mouth hooked, and he smiled slightly.

“...... All right! You're making fun of me again. ”

Michael shrugged his shoulders and didn't explain. He sat down back at his desk and opened the hovering interface with a wave of his hand.

Wanda dragged a chair and sat down beside him, "We just had a fight with the Hell Lord, maybe you might consider taking a break for a while?" Not working today? ”

"The data collected in the previous battles still needs to be processed. There is also a lot to be done about Mephisto's archives that need to be updated, as well as ......"

Michael shut. Out of the corner of his eye, he swept over Wanda and noticed that the little witch was pouting and looked a little lost.

Michael closed his eyes gently. With a wave of his hand, he turned off the hovering screen.

"Perhaps...... You are right. It's nothing to have a day off. He said, "Where are you going?" Listen to you today. ”

Wanda smiled happily: "Then let's go find something to eat first." I'm starving. ”