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"This can't be helped," Aidan said with a finality that surprised even himself. "Since this path isn't easy to solve, I'll simply step away. Isn't this what you wanted to see?"
The Ancient One smiled, relief evident in her expression. "It seems you've done considerable thinking these past three days."
"Yes." Aidan nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. He planned to focus entirely on his inventions now—to travel the universe and explore other dimensions, seeking materials to manufacture "life concept" molecular weapons as quickly as possible. The universe was vast and wide; surely a man's goals should reach toward the sea of stars. When the time came, he'd become an interstellar merchant, approaching everyone with a simple question: "Interested in buying?"
Once his harvest from the Transformers world stabilized, he'd find a way to reach Asgard and meet the dwarves. He wondered if the Ancient One had means to send him there.
"Do you want to go to Asgard?" the Ancient One asked curiously, as if reading his thoughts.
"Yes," Aidan explained. "I want to study their archives. They've developed for millennia—their knowledge must be incredibly rich. I also want to learn the dwarves' forging techniques. Hopefully, they don't have strict rules about keeping secrets. I'll exchange my knowledge with them."
The Ancient One pondered this for a moment. "Very well. Let me consult with Odin. If he agrees, I'll send you there." With the Rainbow Bridge broken, travel was only possible through portals—but Asgard surely had defensive barriers that would make uninvited visits impossible.
"Perfect. I'll return with these," Aidan said, raising his hand to display the ring and bracelet he'd received. He stood and bowed politely before opening a portal to Apex Island.
The Ancient One watched him leave, then closed her eyes to resume meditation. But Aidan had barely crossed the portal when something occurred to him. He turned around and stepped back into the temple.
"Master, I have something for you. Would you like it?" Seeing how the Ancient One spent her days in solitude, he'd decided to give her a gift.
"What is it?" The Ancient One opened her eyes, regarding her disciple with interest.
"Let me find it..." Aidan rummaged through his ring's storage, searching through various items. "Found it!" He extended his thumb, and a black shadow leaped out.
A magnificent black-and-gold tiger materialized between them. The metallic creature looked impressive but lifeless—until Aidan activated it with a fragment of AllSpark energy. Red energy flowed into the tiger's body, and its mechanical movements instantly became fluid and natural.
"Cook," Aidan called out experimentally. "Cook, can you hear me?"
"What do you want?" The tiger's response was cold, ignoring Aidan entirely.
Thwack! Aidan smacked it on the head. "Don't act aloof with me. You'll be following my master from now on. Go to her for whatever you need. Understood?" He pointed toward the Ancient One.
Cook glanced at the bald human, then padded over to circle the Ancient One, sniffing curiously. "Fine. I'll follow you," it declared, raising its head with obvious pride.
"It wants you to pet its head," Aidan said, rolling his eyes.
"Really?" The Ancient One looked at the arrogant mechanical tiger with amusement. When she reached out to touch Cook's head, it immediately rubbed against her palm affectionately.
"This is an energy crystal. Should last about a month," Aidan said, producing a bag filled with white crystalline fragments.
The Ancient One accepted the "cat food" with a gentle expression. "Thank you. I truly appreciate this gift."
"Mordo and the others never gave you anything, did they?" Aidan asked, noting her reaction.
"They respect me too much," the Ancient One smiled wryly.
"Well, I won't give them gifts then." Aidan waved goodbye. "Just contact me when you need more cat food." He disappeared through another portal.
The Ancient One looked down at Cook, who had rolled onto his back, belly exposed. After a moment's hesitation, she reached out to touch the exposed surface. Instead of cold metal, she felt something surprisingly soft and warm. Cook flexed his paws and squinted with contentment.
Apex Island
In the endless ocean, fish occasionally leaped from the waves, drawing graceful arcs through the air. But one section of sea seemed peculiar—though the surface moved with the waves, close observation revealed a fine line dividing the water. A curious fish approached this boundary, only to find its progress mysteriously blocked by an invisible barrier. Puzzled, it dove deeper to continue its journey.
"So even animals can be fooled?" Aidan stood on a reef wearing shorts, watching the confused fish through what appeared to be glass.
"Yes," the White Queen's projection materialized behind him. "The virtual device includes an ecological simulation system that can deceive animal perception."
"Good. Let me get some real sunlight in here. The simulated sun is bright but completely lacks warmth," Aidan said, squinting at the artificial star above.
"Certainly. Where would you like it positioned?"
"Anywhere is fine. Just put it near the deck chair. And could you prepare some lemon juice? Thank you." He gestured toward the beach chairs and umbrellas on the shore.
"Of course. Estimated completion time: five minutes."
The artificial sun seemed to vanish, replaced by genuine warmth that spread across Aidan's body with a pleasant, natural heat.
He'd spent roughly eight years in the Transformers world, yet unlike others claimed, he didn't feel himself maturing with age. At most, his ideals had shifted slightly. The Baymax robots and healing potions would suffice for humanity's needs. Further developments—dormant storage units, nano-medical equipment—would serve consumers adequately. But there was no need to push beyond that. He'd save as many people as possible.
His next path led to the universe and other dimensions. Initially, he'd use the AllSpark to create bio-metals, add some chips, and trade weapons. He'd find ways to manufacture "life concept" molecular equipment materials, then replace the AllSpark for bio-metal production, expanding his business significantly. If possible, he'd deal in entire living planets—surely some dimensional lords would find such offerings appealing. Dormammu of the Dark Dimension, for instance, had quite an appetite for matter. Being a traveling cosmic merchant would certainly help him discover many treasures.
The thought filled Aidan with clarity and purpose. Basking in sunlight and sipping lemon juice, he closed his eyes and imagined a brighter future.
Though he wondered if he was really cut out for business...
Yinsen: "o((⊙﹏⊙))o."
THROW POWER STONES PLZ