This work is finished; you can read all the advanced chapters on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395
The entire affair, the entire process, differed so drastically from what Arthur had imagined.
On the return journey, Mordo, having recovered his spirits, found Arthur to apologize, feeling he had played no meaningful role in the matter.
Arthur smiled dismissively. "It's not your fault. I underestimated the potential dangers. It's a lesson worth remembering."
As his power grew, Arthur felt himself becoming somewhat complacent. He had begun to believe that with enough strength and manpower, he could overcome any obstacle. He had overlooked the myriad strange powers and abilities that existed in the world, leading to unpredictable consequences.
If he had continued down that path, Arthur shuddered to think what kind of crushing blow awaited him when the purple behemoth reappeared.
Never underestimate any opponent!
Whether they're human, a gem, or even a skeleton!
Taking a deep breath, Arthur comforted Mordo before saying, "Once we return to Asgard, I'll have someone send you directly back to Kamar-Taj. Remember to give my regards to the Ancient One."
"Of course," Mordo replied, but then hesitated slightly, shaking his head. "I must be suffering from a nervous breakdown. I really need a good night's sleep. My only hope is... that I don't dream."
Arthur watched Mordo's retreating figure, his brow furrowing slightly.
If possible, he didn't want this man to fall to darkness, adding unnecessary complications to the future.
But preventing such a thing required a gradual, subtle process. Unfortunately, in the culture of Kamar-Taj, such forbidden powers were strictly off-limits. Once touched, corruption was almost inevitable.
Yet they often overlooked something... that power or a weapon, in itself, has no inherent right or wrong. Only people do.
"But that clearly won't convince Mordo," Arthur muttered, rubbing his forehead. He suddenly wondered why the Sorcerer Supreme had recommended this man to him.
Besides the fact that the person he valued most still lacked the strength to support everything, was there another reason he didn't know?
Following this line of thought, Arthur realized he'd need to have a serious conversation with the Ancient One when he returned.
In the preceding days, Arthur had spoken with everyone on the ship, ensuring their mental states remained stable. In truth, the additional information hadn't triggered any major problems. Instead, the memories from the dream were already fading from their minds.
But whether this fading was true forgetting or something etched into their very bones remained a mystery.
...
In the room.
Arthur channeled cosmic energy into his palm, the orange gem resting delicately on his palm, subtly asserting its presence.
After a long silence, as if gathering his resolve, Arthur closed his eyes.
The orange light swirled, touching his brow. In the next instant, Arthur felt his soul leap across countless eons in a single moment!
The universe, born from a violent explosion, flooded his mind in countless, fleeting images. An indescribable cacophony filled his ears.
Most of the sounds were impossible to decipher, their frequencies alien and bizarre.
Amidst the chaos, he could discern the chirping of insects, the calls of birds, the roars of beasts, and the rushing of mountain streams and mighty rivers.
Arthur frowned, as a faint voice echoed deep within his heart.
"Look..."
The moment the voice appeared, Arthur's eyes snapped open. The room remained unchanged.
The gem's light had receded, condensing back within its core.
Arthur stared blankly. "Look at what?"
The gem, of course, offered no reply. Arthur took a deep breath and finally stored it within the Disassemble space.
Whether it contained a soul or something else entirely, once inside the Disassemble space, everything froze.
This brought Arthur a sense of relief.
At least, it wouldn't cause him any more trouble.
But whether this was just a temporary reprieve or a permanent end to the chaos, no one could say for sure.
He raised a finger, and light gathered at its tip, a manifestation of energy, a technique he owed to Thoth's Pen!
In fact, modern Grading Machines can disassemble items of the DisassembleCarina level in a relatively short time. Thoth's Pen was already disassembled yesterday.
Besides a large quantity of large crystals, the most important outcome was acquiring two new abilities!
Condemnation: Upon declaring someone guilty, a "Sin" mark will appear on their body.
This ability primarily functions like planting an eye on the enemy. As long as they remain within the range of Arthur's abilities, whether hiding in the sky or underground, they cannot escape his sight.
Death Descent: Instantly delivers a fatal blow to anyone marked with the "Sin" mark.
This ability is not limited by quantity and complements Condemnation perfectly. With sufficient energy, Arthur can apply the Condemnation mark to multiple enemies and then use Death Descent to deliver fatal strikes.
This reminded Arthur of Hela's words from that time.
the time, she called this pen the "Sin Pen" and explained its abilities in detail.
But when Arthur asked her how to use it, she refused to answer.
Now, he didn't need her explanation anymore. Through this method, the pen's power had become completely unrelated to Thoth's Pen.
"This is probably a moving story," Arthur murmured, exhaling softly. After gaining this ability, he had been eager to descend into Hell immediately and confront that woman in a real battle. But ultimately, he hesitated.
He wasn't in his prime condition yet.
With a thought, a massive object materialized before Arthur, a golden... cocoon.
"So... what fate awaits you?"
Arthur tilted his head, gazing at the figure before him, whom he couldn't yet call Adam.
Because he still lacked life…
(End Of This Chapter)