The majestic hall fell back into its eternal silence. The four guests had vanished, their consciousnesses snapped back to the physical world by the absolute finality of his decree.
Aryan allowed a small smirk to play on his lips. "It's good to play both sides," he whispered to the empty air, the sound swallowed by the grey fog.
To the world, he was the brilliant CEO of Umbrella and a fellow member of the Tarot Club, 'The World.' He pulled up his own system interface, the blue light reflecting in his eyes like a cold star. The spending today had been monumental, a transfer of wealth that would have destabilized nations and it was time to claim his own share of the harvest.
While he had sold "Beta" and "Gamma" versions to the others… Aryan's own upgrades were absolute. He authorized a series of purchases that redefined his very existence.
Sebastian Shaw's Energy Absorption (Alpha): For $1 Billion, he acquired the ultimate kinetic and energy absorption ability. He realized he could bypass the danger of "overload" by siphoning excess energy directly into his own personal dimension, making him a walking black hole for any attack.
Cellular Hydration (Alpha): For $1 Billion, he removed all biological environmental limits. The vacuum of space, the crushing deep sea trenches, or scorched deserts… his body was now a self sustaining system.
Marine Life Telepathy (Omega): For $10 Billion, he took total dominion over the living oceans. Every creature, from the plankton to the leviathans, would answer his call.
Cognitive Multitasking (Omega): For $10 Million… he ensured he could control his army of clones with god-like precision, splitting his mind into a thousand slivers without losing focus.
Technopathy (Omega): For $15 Billion, he established a direct mind link with Red Queen. He could manipulate every scrap of information on the internet with a thought.
Hydrokinesis (Omega): For $20 Billion, he gained mastery over water at the molecular level… solid, liquid, or gas. He could pull moisture from the very air to create a storm or boil the blood in a man's veins with a glance.
He had earned a total of $228.265 billion and spent only $47 billion, leaving a net profit of $181.265 billion from today's Tarot Club meeting. An absurdly efficient way to make money.
Aryan leaned back, reviewing the "patches" he had sent to the others. He had been strategic, a gardener pruning his most dangerous plants.
For Namor, he had pushed the Gamma Level regeneration and the Alpha Level Hydrokinesis, limiting his reach to ten meters. He gave him the ability to talk to sea life, but not to command the entire ecosystem as Aryan could.
For Tony, he had delivered the Gamma Level multitasking and the Alpha, ten meter technopathy. It was a taste of divinity, just enough to make Tony feel invincible, yet leaving him hungry for the next tier of the "User Manual."
For T'Challa, he set the kinetic absorption at a hard 700kJ limit. It was a massive upgrade for a mortal, turning the Black Panther into a juggernaut, but a drop in the bucket compared to the infinite void Aryan now carried within his own cells.
"Give them enough to feel like gods," Aryan mused, his eyes glowing with the violet hue of the Castle, "and they will spend everything they have to actually become one."
Aryan closed his eyes as the last flickering light of the system menus faded from his mind. He leaned back in his leather chair, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
The others believed they were using a "Transmutation Ledger," some mystical function of the Sefirah Castle. In reality, that function didn't exist. Aryan had simply opened a specialized gateway to his own personal dimension, acting as the ultimate middleman. When Namor "sold" his ancient gold and T'Challa "pledged" his Vibranium, the materials were being funneled directly into Aryan's private vaults.
"Let them believe in the 'market logic' of the Castle," Aryan whispered.
Once the goods were safely in his hands, he would sell them to the System's true interface himself. If the System valued an item at its full intrinsic worth, Aryan would simply report back a "fluctuating rate" of 30% or 50% to the Tarot Club members. He pocketed the difference as a massive "brokerage fee" they didn't even know they were paying.
"If it's their resource, I take my cut." He let out a low chuckle. "They get their powers and I get the profit of three kingdoms combined."
The Tarot Club was more than a circle of heroes destined for godhood. It was a cross dimensional engine designed to power his own ascent.
He closed the interface. The "Transmutation Ledger" was overflowing with the ancient gold and Vibranium Namor and T'Challa had pledged.
With a thought, Aryan's consciousness began to dissolve. The transition from the gray mists of the Sefirah Castle back to the physical world was instantaneous. Aryan opened his eyes in the dimly lit office, the hum of the servers a familiar comfort.
"It's time," Aryan said to the empty room, his voice grounded but filled with a new authority.
He summoned Pietro and Wanda to his office. The young man arrived with his usual restless energy, unaware that his life was about to shift its axis forever. Without a word of explanation, Aryan led them deep into the sub levels of the Umbrella estate, past security checkpoints that didn't exist on any blueprint, to a basement sector that had remained off limits even to the siblings.
The heavy blast doors hissed open to reveal a fortified training chamber. The walls were reinforced with a classified high strength alloy, designed to withstand the impact of a falling star.
"Pietro, Wanda," Aryan began, turning to face them, his expression serious. "You are not ordinary people. There is a power dormant within your blood, a legacy of potential that has been sleeping. I have kept this from you because the world is a cruel place for those who are 'more' than human."
He gestured to the ceiling. "Even now, satellites and shadow agencies watch this company. If you had awakened your power outside this room, they would have seen you as a resource to be harvested. They would have hunted you down to find the secret in your marrow. You must promise me. After today, you will train here to master yourselves, but to the world outside, you must remain the same people you were yesterday. Your identity is your greatest shield."
Wanda reached out and squeezed Aryan's hand, a shared understanding that left Pietro standing in the cold.
Pietro looked at Wanda, his jaw dropping. "You... you know? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I only learned the full truth today, Pietro," Wanda said softly, stepping toward him, placing a calming hand on his arm.
Aryan then focused on Pietro, his gaze firm. "Pietro, I have something that will stabilize your latent abilities and push your physical form to absolute human peak. But to activate this power, there is a verbal component." He explained, "You must recite the Honorifics as you touch me."
Pietro looked at Aryan, then at Wanda, then back at Aryan, his expression utterly bewildered. "Chanting? Really? I'm about to become Captain America and I have to... sing a prayer? What is this, a high tech cult initiation?"
"It is the necessary protocol," Aryan said, keeping a perfectly straight face. "If you prefer the alternative of a surgical injection with unknown side effects, I can arrange that."
Pietro blanched. "No! No, the chanting is fine. Chanting is great. Just... What should I say? Do I get a robe?"
Aryan sighed, "No robe. Just repeat after me. And try to look serious." He extended a hand and Pietro, with a dramatic eye roll, placed his hand on Aryan's shoulder.
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era..." Aryan began, his voice a steady drone.
Pietro muttered, his voice full of forced reluctance. "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era... by the way, this is ridiculous."
"The Mysterious Ruler above the gray fog..."
"The Mysterious Ruler above the gray fog," Pietro mumbled, looking around the pristine chamber as if expecting the furniture to judge him.
"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck..."
"The King of Yellow and Black who wields... good luck," Pietro continued, speeding up the words as if to get them over with. "Can we hurry this up?"
"The True Creator who embodies luck, deception and fate."
Pietro let out a frustrated huff. "The True Creator who embodies luck, deception and fate. We pray for your grace. We pray for your blessing. We pray for the mercy of your gaze. There! Done! Did it work? Am I super yet?"
The moment the final words left his lips, a wave of intense warmth flooded Pietro's veins. He gasped as his musculature tightened and refined, knitting itself into something denser. His endurance, strength and sensory perception surged to the absolute human peak.
The air around Pietro began to vibrate. To Wanda and Aryan, he became a blur, to Pietro, the world simply... stopped. He felt a surge of kinetic energy so violent he couldn't help but move. He vanished from his spot, a streak of silver light echoing through the chamber as he shattered the sound barrier within the confined space.
Boom.
"Pietro, focus!" Aryan called out. "You're hitting Mach 3. Control the friction, or you'll level this room!"
Pietro skidded to a halt, laughing breathlessly, his hair windswept, his eyes wide with pure excitement. "Everything is so slow... it's like the whole world is standing still!" He zipped back to Aryan, almost vibrating with energy. "Your turn, Wanda! You're next!"
Aryan then turned to Wanda. As he moved to place his hand on her shoulder, she met him halfway, her hand resting on his. For a brief moment, the air between them grew warm from a genuine heat of shared affection. They smiled, a silent acknowledgement of their bond, before Aryan focused.
"Wanda," Aryan said, his voice calm but firm. "It will stabilize your body…"
"I know, I know," Wanda interrupted, her gaze serious. "But Aryan... do I have to make it sound like a magic spell, or a grocery list like Pietro?"
Aryan allowed a small smile. "Your sincerity is what matters, Wanda. But perhaps a little less... 'fast food order' than your brother."
Pietro, still vibrating with speed, shot her a wounded look. "Hey! It was efficient!"
Wanda just rolled her eyes, but she looked at Aryan, her expression one of deep trust. She placed her hand on his shoulder, her eyes closing.
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era..." she began, her voice soft but resonant, tinged with a sincerity that transformed the mundane words into something powerful.
"The Mysterious Ruler above the gray fog..."
Her voice gained strength, a lyrical quality that seemed to make the very air hum. "The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck..."
"The True Creator who embodies luck, deception and fate." Her voice was a rising crescendo, her eyes still closed, a faint scarlet energy beginning to shimmer around her. "We pray for your grace. We pray for your blessing. We pray for the mercy of your gaze."
As the final words left her lips, a swirling red energy erupted from her palms, curling around her arms like living smoke. The temperature in the room spiked.
"Wanda, listen to me," Aryan said, his voice steadying her as she stared at her glowing hands in awe. "What you feel is Chaos Magic. It is a universal power, far beyond simple telepathy or telekinesis. Within that crimson light is the ability to warp reality itself."
He began to detail the scope of her inheritance:
Energy Manipulation & Ionic Blasts: The ability to project pure, destructive force.
Telepathic Dominance: A mind control so potent it can rewrite memories.
Reality Warping: The power to change the 'is' into 'was' or 'could be.'
Force Field Generation: Shields that can withstand nuclear level pressure.
"This power is ancient," Aryan warned. "It responds to your emotions. You must be the anchor, Wanda. If you lose control, the world around you will break to match your heart."
Wanda looked from the red mists in her hands to Aryan, her expression moving from fear to a newfound resolve. She felt the serum stabilizing her mind, giving her the mental fortitude to hold back the tide of chaos.
"I won't break," she promised, her voice resonating with a power that shook the reinforced walls.
Pietro zipped back to her side, his hand on her shoulder, both siblings looking at Aryan… no longer just as their benefactor, but as the man who had given them the keys to their own souls.