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*****
Based on Feny's impressions, the best way to describe Nick Fury's personality was with a single word: a contrarian.
He maintained a baseline of suspicion toward everyone he met. At his worst, he even doubted himself. Knowing this, Feny figured that using a touch of 'Ars Magna' to simulate a physical reaction would inevitably make Fury question the validity of the oath.
Feny didn't need the Director to believe in it wholeheartedly; a nagging doubt that it might be real was more than enough. Feny had no intention of keeping his identity a secret forever. Once his strength reached a certain threshold, he wouldn't care if it was S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra knocking at his door.
Though the pain had only lasted for a brief three seconds, it felt like an eternity to Fury.
It wasn't the intensity of the pain that bothered him, but the sheer shock of the situation. The feeling of something spiraling so completely out of his control made him deeply uncomfortable.
"It looks like you were thinking about something you shouldn't have been," Feny said, his voice calm as he quietly dispelled the 'Ars Magna' command of 'Make his heart stop for three seconds.' "I think it would be in your best interest to honor our agreement."
"As long as the contract is upheld, the effects of the oath will remain dormant."
"Can any oath be made to work like that?" Fury asked, unaware that Feny had just used a specialized ability to deceive him. Instead, he began inquiring about the nature of the power itself. "Can the consequences of breaking it be modified?"
To the side, Tony was still trying to piece together what had just happened. He had only seen Fury's expression twist for a moment as he clutched his chest, followed by Feny's cryptic warning.
"Don't overthink it. This was a special circumstance; it's not something that can be used casually," Feny replied, cutting the conversation short. He was genuinely afraid that Fury might try to hire him just to force people into swearing oaths. Since he didn't actually possess a true 'Contract' ability, he quickly changed the subject.
"Allow me to introduce myself again. My name is Feny Halsey, a college student."
Feny extended his hand with a bright, sunny smile. In that moment, his handsome, youthful appearance made him look entirely harmless.
"Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
It was only then that Fury realized he had never actually introduced himself, despite Feny having used his name since the start of their encounter.
Like Tony before him, Fury's impression of Feny was that the boy was an enigma. The more they interacted, the more surprises he seemed to pull out of thin air.
"Remember, only you are allowed to know who I am. No files in the S.H.I.E.L.D. database, and no telling anyone else."
This was the primary reason Feny had insisted on the oath; he didn't want his family's lives to be upended by government surveillance or enemy retaliation.
Fury's dark complexion made it difficult to read his expression, but his mood was clearly far from pleasant.
"Where exactly did you get these abilities?" Fury asked, moving past the identity issue. He was far more concerned with the source of such power.
"I was born with them," Feny answered without blinking. Since he had been reborn with his system, it was technically the absolute truth.
Tony, sensing that Feny had no intention of revealing more, kept his mouth shut. He was still ruminating on the oath. Judging by Fury's reaction, the mystical penalty seemed very real.
Fury clearly wasn't satisfied with the answer, but since this was their first official meeting, he didn't want to push the relationship to a breaking point just yet.
"I need to understand the full scope of your capabilities," Fury said, pivoting to a threat assessment. This would determine exactly how useful Feny could be to his plans.
"Well, let's see. I have armor that I can equip at any time with excellent defense," Feny said, ticking items off on his fingers. "I can fly. And I can make fried chicken rolls."
"Wait... fried chicken rolls?!" Fury blurted out, stunned.
"Here, try one."
Since explaining it was a hassle, Feny decided a live demonstration was better. With a casual wave of his hand, he summoned two 'Violet Fried Chicken Rolls' and handed one to Fury and one to Tony.
As he stared at the steaming roll that had appeared out of thin air, Fury's understanding of Feny's powers was forced to reset once again.
He turned the roll over in his hands, watching the steam rise. For a moment, he was speechless. But after taking a single bite, a rare, genuine look of delight—if a bit awkward—tugged at the corners of his usually stoic face.
This was actually a new development for the 'Violet Fried Chicken Roll.'
After providing food for a large group of people every single day, the proficiency of the skill had skyrocketed. However, it seemed that the production speed—three rolls per second—was the hard cap of the skill itself. Consequently, the 'evolution' of the skill had moved into the quality of the food.
Anyone who ate a 'Violet Fried Chicken Roll' now experienced a profound sense of euphoria.
The food had essentially been given a 'soul,' making it incredibly delicious and dangerously addictive. It was almost as if it were laced with something, reminding Feny of the system's original description of the item.
"I can make three of these every second," Feny explained. "No ingredients required, no energy source needed. As long as I'm not working twenty-four hours a day, I can provide a constant supply."
If Fury could find a high-volume outlet for these rolls, Feny would be thrilled. It was his easiest and most proficient skill, and he was curious to see how far it could evolve.
Fury remained silent, neither accepting nor declining. Once the initial wave of euphoria passed, his professional caution kicked back in. Until he knew if there were long-term side effects, he wasn't about to let Feny flood the market with magical food.
Seeing Fury's lack of response, Feny sighed in disappointment and continued. "Then there are the portals. Currently, I'm limited to the New York area, but I can open a door to almost anywhere I'm familiar with."
"The fiery rings you used to get here?" Fury asked.
"Portals!" Feny corrected him with a glare. They might look like fiery rings, but this was a top-tier application of spatial manipulation. It was incredibly difficult to learn!
Fury didn't argue the semantics; he went straight for the technicalities. "What are the limitations? Maximum distance? Duration? How large can they be? Can they transport more than just people?"
Feny felt a bit of a headache coming on. He started to wonder if his decision to cooperate was a mistake.
"For now, I'm limited to New York and places I know well. The range might expand later. They can stay open for about ten minutes at most. As for the size, the diameter is roughly two meters. As long as it fits, it goes through."
Feny carefully modulated his answers, giving Fury only about a fifth of his actual maximum limits. After all, compared to the masters at Kamar-Taj, his talent for sorcery was rather mediocre.
"And then there's the 'Flame Blast' from earlier today. You saw the power for yourself, though I can only fire off one shot."
Feny's expression darkened slightly as he recalled the brutal battlefield. To be honest, the reason he had agreed to meet Fury today—aside from his name being leaked—was largely due to that fight.
While he told himself he wasn't a superhero, he couldn't stand by and watch the city be torn apart and families destroyed while doing nothing. If he couldn't stop the events leading up to the Chitauri invasion entirely, perhaps by working with Fury, he could at least help minimize the casualties when the war eventually reached Earth's doorstep.
Of course, if it all went south, it didn't really matter. He was just trying a different approach. Even if New York ended up being hit by a nuclear missile, as long as his friends and family were safe, he wouldn't be too devastated.
(End of Chapter)