As an avid fan of "animated comics," Han Yu was no stranger to this ring. It hailed not from the Marvel Universe but from another iconic superhero universe—the DC Universe.
The most iconic superheroes in the DC Universe were Batman and Superman. And this ring, one of the most powerful artifacts in the DC Universe!
"This is a jackpot!"
Han Yu couldn't take his eyes off the Green Lantern Ring in his hand. His fascination went beyond the ring's status as a divine artifact; it was its unique ability that truly captivated him.
The Green Lantern Ring could materialize any object or person imagined by its wielder, with the limit solely determined by the wielder's willpower.
Coincidentally, Han Yu possessed the ultimate spiritual power—the Immortal Seal. It was a fundamental ability granted to him by the system upon his arrival in this world.
Despite its seemingly over-the-top name, the Immortal Seal lived up to its reputation. While it didn't grant true immortality, it elevated Han Yu's body and spirit to unprecedented heights, enabling him to unleash formidable mental attacks.
His previous display of awe-inspiring presence that intimidated the Six Paths of Pain was a testament to his formidable mental prowess.
As for the Immortal Seal, it was reminiscent of the renowned celestial deity in the Marvel Universe—Odin, the father of Thor and the All-Father. Currently, Han Yu stood as a super-deity on par with Odin himself.
With a mere thought, Han Yu's Green Lantern Ring emitted streams of green light, transforming into various forms before him—the Monkey King, Pleasant Goat, Big Big Wolf, SpongeBob... Every character he imagined was perfectly materialized, down to the finest detail.
Yet, amidst his excitement, Han Yu's brow furrowed as he gazed at the ring. He recalled something that should accompany the ring, but it wasn't present.
After scouring through his personal information list for quite some time, Han Yu confirmed that the missing item wasn't there. Even with his composure, he couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief.
"This ring... doesn't have a lantern!"
Every Green Lantern Ring came with a matching lantern used to recharge the ring's energy. But Han Yu had only received the ring, not the lantern.
Since this wasn't a temporary weapon exchanged for upgrade points, it shouldn't deplete its energy in a single use.
What did this mean?
It meant that this ring's energy was potentially limitless!
Han Yu took a shaky breath, his eyes sparkling with excitement that he struggled to contain.
The energy of the Green Lantern could be shared. With an infinite energy source, Han Yu could create dozens, even hundreds of Green Lantern Rings, all controlled by the master ring in his possession.
In the end, he could forge an army—the Green Lanterns, the Green Lantern Corps!
Han Yu's eyes gleamed with anticipation. In the DC superhero stories he knew, the Green Lantern Corps was a formidable force that governed the entire universe. If he could establish such a legion in the technology-reliant Marvel Universe, he would truly be unstoppable. The Green Lantern Corps was a true army of superpowers!
"I must master the use of this ring as soon as possible. It will be my strongest asset!"
Han Yu pushed open the door and approached a small door located beneath the stairs on the second floor. It appeared to be a storage closet, but upon entering, he was astonished by the vastness of the space within. The exterior, which seemed no more than a few square meters, concealed an area spanning over a hundred square meters.
"The extra-dimensional space I created with five upgrade points has finally come in handy."
With a mere thought, Han Yu transformed the interior of the space into a modern-day metropolis, albeit with distinct boundaries. His grocery store was far more than just a simple three-story building. The number of floors was determined by Han Yu himself. Ten upgrade points added another level, each with five rooms, and the appearance of these rooms could also be altered with upgrade points.
Han Yu had designated this hundred-square-meter extra-dimensional space beneath the stairs on the second floor as a training ground or testing area for new acquisitions. He casually gathered Green Lantern energy in his palm, condensing it into a verdant palm strike.
As he swung his hand, the palm strike grew in size, reaching twenty to thirty meters in length and width by the time it struck the target building, instantly reducing the struck area to dust and causing the entire structure to collapse.
"Amazing! Even without using a fraction of its full power, this infinite Green Lantern Ring has destroyed an entire building. Its destructive capability surpasses even Hyourinmaru's!"
Han Yu grinned. He recalled that in his knowledge of Green Lantern lore, the heroes often fought by materializing objects. However, Han Yu was different. Born in China, he had a deep appreciation for martial arts and xianxia novels, their dazzling techniques and skills captivating him since his youth.
This influenced Han Yu's fighting style, where he leveraged his energy not just with swords but also through martial arts techniques.
Throughout the night, Han Yu honed his mastery of the Green Lantern Ring in the storage closet. Even the extra-dimensional space created by the system could only withstand half of his power before risking collapse.
When Han Yu emerged from the closet, it was already noon the next day. He stretched deeply, feeling as if he could devour a whole cow after the overnight training. Pinching his thumb and index finger together, he conjured a Senzu Bean between them and popped it into his mouth, instantly quelling his hunger.
Despite the hunger pangs subsiding, Han Yu decided to return to his room for a nap. For him, sleep was a cherished pleasure, and the thought of losing it upon becoming a god was unacceptable.
Just as Han Yu was about to retreat to his room, he heard the tinkling of a wind chime from downstairs.
"A customer?"
Han Yu quickly composed himself and made his way down. As he descended the stairs, the door to the grocery store swung open.
Seeing the familiar face of the visitor, Han Yu couldn't help but feel a hint of surprise. He had only seen this man on television a few days ago, where the latter had just taken down a hideout of a notorious villain.
The visitor was none other than Iron Man, Tony Stark, a member of the Avengers!
As Stark entered the grocery store, he surveyed the interior, which seemed far from what he had expected. He approached the door once more to scrutinize the sign hanging above it and checked the business card in his hand, confirming once again that he was in the right place before heading towards Han Yu behind the counter.
"Hello, I'm looking for your store manager."
Stark scanned the surroundings while walking towards Han Yu, noting the absence of anyone else in the shop before addressing the latter.
"That's me," Han Yu smiled, responding naturally.
He was used to such reactions. It was indeed difficult for people to believe he was the manager of this place upon first meeting, especially considering the extraordinary nature of the items within. If someone assumed he was a centenarian, Han Yu would have found it perfectly understandable.
"You are?"
Stark, unsurprisingly, looked astonished, scrutinizing Han Yu once more, incredulous that such a young man could be the manager here.
"What do you need? This grocery store has everything you might desire."
Han Yu donned a professional smile and inquired.
After a prolonged examination, Stark sighed, chuckling to himself, "I must have been foolish to think this place could solve my problems."
Shaking his head, Stark turned to leave, not wanting to waste any more time with Han Yu.
Just as his hand was about to grasp the doorknob, Han Yu's words halted his movement mid-air.
"I know you fear that what happened in New York could happen again, and that you're struggling to develop a suit that satisfies you."
Han Yu referred to the alien invasion that had occurred a few months ago, an attack that had revealed to Earthlings that they were not the only intelligent life in the universe.
Stark spun around, staring at Han Yu in disbelief, astonished that the latter knew his deepest fears.
In the aftermath of the Battle of New York, Stark had been plagued by unprecedented anxiety.
He dreaded the possibility of a similar incident recurring, the horror of being unable to prevent it, and the thought of helplessly watching his loved ones get hurt or even killed.