"So this is the Black God Set?"
Rowan opened the case that Inspector Wang had delivered.
Inside lay a single black glove.
Rowan stretched out his left hand and slid it on.
At first, he felt nothing. But after about thirty seconds, a sharp sting pricked at his thumb, followed by a spreading ache across his palm and fingers.
The glove began to ripple, as if boiling water had condensed into countless drops of black liquid crawling across his skin. Thin red lines of blood-thread seeped into each droplet, merging with the black. The transformation continued for fifteen minutes, before finally subsiding.
"Not bad."
Rowan raised his hand. He could feel the faint brush of air over his palm.
The glove no longer felt like clothing it was as if it had fused with his very flesh. It breathed, sensed, and moved as naturally as his own skin.
"Buzz…"
At his thought, the glove dissolved into streams of black light that swept over his body, encasing him in a sleek, modern combat armor.
"Perfect. The control is even smoother than Helen Zhao and Shuri's nano-suit."
Rowan nodded with satisfaction. The Black God Set was true cosmic technology decades ahead of Earth's best attempts.
"Let's try stacking them."
The armor shifted back into a black necklace against his collarbone. Rowan activated his vibranium nano-suit.
This time, the nano-particles spread tightly over his body in a skin-fitting azure weave, resembling the Panther's battle-suit rather than bulky armor.
"The vibranium suit absorbs kinetic force. Works well as an inner layer."
At his command, the Black God Set re-formed, layering black alloy plating over the blue vibranium weave.
"Double armor, no strain at all."
Rowan flexed his arms. The two suits blended seamlessly, neither hindering the other.
"With this shell outer Black God Set for defense, inner vibranium to absorb impact even a planetary-level warrior couldn't scratch me."
He chuckled. On Earth, only Hong or Thor might break through.
Just as he finished testing the armor, his communicator chimed.
"Rowan, the Master wants to see you," Inspector Wang's voice came without preamble.
"The Master?" Rowan blinked, then nodded. It made sense. In the eyes of the Extreme Dojo's high council, he was already a mental force wielder with the potential to break into the planetary tier. Hong himself seeking him out was only natural.
"When?"
"Two o'clock this afternoon. I'll take you."
"Understood."
…
At two, Rowan ended his training, showered, and waited.
The doorbell rang.
He descended, shifting the Black God Set into casual wear with a thought.
"Rowan, let's go." Inspector Wang smiled at the door.
They drove to the dojo's true headquarters. Not the villa Rowan had visited before, but a colossal vessel-like fortress spanning ten kilometers, guarded by entire divisions of troops.
"So this is the real headquarters…" Rowan murmured.
A blue beam scanned them.
"Access granted: Inspector Wang, Trainee Rowan."
Inside, the corridors gleamed silver. Most staff wore blue robes, a rare few in crimson elders.
Everywhere, they bowed respectfully to the Inspector.
At last, they stopped before a quiet chamber. Wang knocked.
"Enter," came a cold voice.
Rowan inhaled. This was Hong.
"Rowan, the Master will see you alone," Wang said, patting his shoulder.
Rowan nodded, stepped in and felt his chest tighten.
The chamber was bare, black as ink. Only two cushions.
On one sat a tall man in black training garb, cropped hair sharp as steel, his presence like a spear ready to pierce the heavens. His eyes opened and closed like the gaze of a coiled dragon.
"Sit," Hong commanded.
"Yes, Master."
Rowan sat opposite him. Even without a word, Hong's aura pressed down, forcing his head low in instinctive deference.
"This is our first time meeting," Hong said, voice softening.
"Yes, Master. I've only just joined the Elite Training Camp."
"I hear your telekinesis has reached peak War God level, and you seek a breakthrough?"
"Correct."
Hong flicked his wrist. A virtual tome appeared in the air, six characters glowing: Foundations of the Telekinetic Arts.
"As reward for your contribution of the Despair Serum, I give you this manual."
"Thank you, Master!" Rowan's eyes lit.
This text contained the Celestial Codex, the very practice that had once propelled Ist into the planetary tier. With his Mind Stone, Rowan was confident he could advance as well.
"Understand, the manual can only be studied within the War God Palace's virtual chambers," Hong continued. "Slay a lord-level beast and apply for admission. Then you may access it."
Rowan froze. That would mean becoming a War God graduating.
He'd wanted to linger in the training camp, milking the gravity chambers and trial towers longer.
Hong saw his expression and chuckled. "You don't want to graduate?"
"Not yet. My blade-work and movement haven't reached Insight. My force output is only 3.5. I'd rather refine them here."
Hong laughed quietly. "I see. Few are so cautious."
He waved his hand. "Very well. I'll have the text converted into a video module and delivered to your Extreme Dojo account."
Rowan brightened. "Thank you, Master!"
Hong's smile thinned. "You've had… opportunities, haven't you? Ancient relics, perhaps?"
Rowan's eyes narrowed.
"Don't worry. Fortune is yours alone. Every council member has gained some chance of their own. I will not pry."
Rowan exhaled softly.
"But I will ask you this," Hong's tone turned serious. "Among your opportunities… do you possess technologies that could raise all of humanity's strength? If so, I will exchange them fairly with treasures."
Rowan feigned hesitation, then said, "Indeed, I have more. Alongside the serum, I hold a genetic herb formula, a reactor design, and a model for rudimentary artificial intelligence."
Hong's gaze sharpened, but also softened with relief. He had guessed correctly Rowan's inheritance leaned technological.
The two discussed terms. Hong valued the Heart-Shaped Herb formula at 40 Stellar Credits, the Arc Reactor at 10, and the AI model at 8 a total of 58.
Rowan, grinning inwardly, agreed.
Hong then unveiled a massive exchange catalog of 62 treasures.
Rowan's eyes landed instantly on one: Void Shuttle a third-tier psionic weapon, priced at 40. Cosmic-grade. A true artifact.
"Definitely this one."
He also selected the Thousand-Year Vermilion Fruit (3 credits), Hong's handwritten Essays on Domains (10 credits), and four sticks of Divine Incense (1 credit each). For his last credit, he took dragon's blood.
Hong was bemused at Rowan's eccentric choices especially picking domain theory before even reaching planetary rank but did not refuse.
…
Rowan left headquarters elated.
With the Void Shuttle, even Thanos without stones would stand no chance.
Yet he did not slack. Returning to the Nine-Tier Pagoda, he pushed his blade, movement, and force toward Insight. Only then would Hong's domain notes prove useful.
At night, he switched to the Marvel world, sorting schematics of the Heart-Shaped Herb, Arc Reactor, and Tony's AI framework for submission.
…
The next day, after delivering the data, Rowan rushed back to study.
Opening his Extreme Dojo account, he found the promised file: Foundations of the Telekinetic Arts.
Three branches: Object Manipulation, Psychic Assault, Beast Mastery.
He skimmed through the psychic attacks dream illusions, soul pierce, mind spikes. Weak against the iron wills of Swallowed Star, but devastating in Marvel, where even Thanos nearly fell to Mantis' hypnosis.
Then he opened what he truly wanted: The Celestial Codex.
Ninety-nine diagrams of telekinetic control.
"Whether I break through depends on this."
Ist had reached the 18th diagram to stand as Fourth Councilor. Rowan figured ten would suffice for planetary breakthrough with the Mind Stone.
He tried the first. Eight blades whirled around him, weaving impossible patterns like fish darting through rapids. After seconds, his eyes widened.
"Already mastered? My consciousness isn't half bad."
He moved to the second diagram: twelve blades, perfect cycles in 3.2 seconds.
This time he struggled. Blades clashed, sparks flying. His head throbbed, his mind exhausted. After half an hour, he had to stop.
"It'll take me a month just to get the basics. Two to finish at speed."
Rowan sighed. Then his gaze drifted to the locked vault.
"…Unless the Mind Stone can help."
He summoned it, the gem floating before his brow.
Golden light spilled over him. Instantly his mind sharpened, fatigue vanishing like a cool drink in summer heat.
Rowan's eyes lit up.
"Perfect."
The twelve blades danced again. This time, clumsy but complete the second diagram executed at last.
He laughed softly.
"At this pace, I'll master it in a week. Sorry, Luo Feng… I'm the cheat-player here."
Bathed in the Mind Stone's glow, Rowan smiled.
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