The blue magical compass hovered in Noah's hand, its needle pointing confidently in a certain direction, presumably towards the Leader's current location. This spell, utilizing the Shuo'ma energy he had obtained, allowed him to track the owner of that energy.
"Did it work?" Noah looked at the floating compass with interest. This artifact wasn't an exact replica of the original spell, but his own unique design.
Raising the compass, he followed the direction indicated by the needle and, stepping outside, took flight using magic.
"Southwest... It seems he hasn't gone too far," he murmured, observing the needle, which suggested that the Leader was still somewhere in the New Mexico region.
"Now, it's just a small matter. But first, perhaps I should check on Banner's progress."
He knew he could find the Leader if he dedicated enough time, but he decided to check on Banner's progress with the detector. If the device could pinpoint which exit of the underground tunnel the Leader had used to escape, it would significantly narrow down the search area.
Memorizing the needle's direction, he shrunk the compass, transforming it into a bracelet composed of magical runes. With that done, he waved his hand, opening a portal before him, and immediately flew downwards, passing through it.
In the underground laboratory on the island, Bruce Banner sat at his desk with a cup of hot coffee, enjoying a well-deserved break. His respite was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a horizontal portal, materializing in mid-air.
Noah smoothly descended from the portal.
"You can fly too?!" Banner exclaimed upon seeing Noah. He was accustomed to his sudden appearances via portals, but this time, he was surprised to see him hovering without any technological assistance.
"Didn't you know I could fly?" Noah asked, crossing his arms as he landed before the scientist. A faint blue glow emanated from the runic bracelet adorning his wrist.
"No, of course not! Isn't it obvious? You could only fly with your armor before!" Banner raised his hands in astonishment, emphasizing that this was the first time he witnessed Noah flying unaided.
"This is incredible! You can fly without any technology, just like Superman. Can all mages fly?" He extended his arms forward, mimicking Superman's iconic flying pose. Noah understood that various DC comics, including Superman, existed within this cinematic universe.
"No, not all mages can fly, only some," he replied thoughtfully. He recalled that in the movies, mages like Wanda Maximoff and a few other witches could fly, while Doctor Strange relied on his magical cloak. As for the Ancient One, she hadn't flown in the films, but he was certain she possessed the ability.
Banner's mention of Superman reminded him that as the power of his Resolve rune grew, his physical abilities also improved. In the future, even without acquiring specific superhero powers, his rune-enhanced body would be strong enough to convincingly cosplay Superman.
"Anyway, Banner, how's the detector coming along?" He steered the conversation back to the task at hand.
Banner smiled, set aside his coffee cup, and approached the computer, quickly typing a few commands.
"I've improved the previous gamma radiation detector. Now it can scan a much wider area and with greater precision. I believe we can use it to find Samuel Sterns," Banner explained, gesturing towards the noticeably enhanced device.
"Excellent. I have some news as well." Noah raised his wrist, revealing the glowing magical bracelet. With a wave of his hand, he transformed it back into the magical compass.
"What is that?" Banner asked, intrigued by the radiant artifact, which he found quite beautiful.
"This compass can pinpoint our target's location. It's a spell I just completed," Noah said, holding the magic compass aloft so Banner could see the needle.
"Does such amazing magic truly exist?" Banner marveled, observing the oscillating magical runes on the compass. He unconsciously reached out and touched its edge, feeling a cool sensation against his fingertips. The compass was tangible.
"If we have something like this, we don't need the detector to search for Sterns, do we?"
"We could, but it would take more time. Using the detector in conjunction with the compass will be more efficient."
Banner nodded, pleased that his efforts weren't wasted. Noah suddenly remembered something and tapped his belt. A holographic image materialized before them – a photograph.
Bruce carefully studied the image, which depicted a man with green skin and a disproportionately large head. His clothing seemed familiar. But most striking of all, he recognized the face.
"Is that... Samuel Sterns?!" Banner finally uttered. A moment later, he recognized his friend, whom he once knew as "Mr. Blue." However, Sterns's appearance now resembled something eerily familiar to Banner from his own experiences transforming into the Hulk. Only Sterns's head and skin had changed. Then he noticed another detail: the clothes in the photo looked identical to what Noah was wearing.
"Where did you get this photo? And why is he wearing your clothes?" Banner voiced his suspicions.
"See for yourself," Noah replied with a smile. In the next instant, a cloud of smoke enveloped him. When it dissipated, the young man was gone. In his place stood a green-skinned, large-headed mutant – Samuel Sterns himself.
"What the hell?!" Startled, Banner stumbled back, bracing himself against the laboratory table. However, realizing that this was another of Noah's magical transformations, he quickly regained his composure.
Looking at Noah, now in Sterns's form, Bruce understood why the clothes in the photo looked so familiar.
Noah tilted his large green head, trying to get used to the unusual weight. Before creating the tracking spell for Sterns, he had decided to use Nico's abilities and transform into the Leader, as the movies never revealed his post-mutation appearance. This is how he acquired the look and took the picture, experiencing firsthand the opponent's enhanced intellect and newly acquired telepathic abilities.
"Bang!"
Another cloud of smoke enveloped Noah, and he returned to his normal form.
"Dr. Banner, there's no time to waste. We have to move now, before he gets too far away."
He was determined to deal with the Leader today – this matter had lingered unresolved for too long.
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