Chapter 711 - Focused Training (1/2)
”What do you think?” Ray inquired with a pensive expression. Yar was nowhere to be seen while Strange inspected a peculiar white-haired figure from a distance. ”It's true that Ms. Hardy had been enchanted slightly but the process is too complicated and...”
”And?” Ray inquired with a raised eyebrow, ”She smells a bit like Nik. It's the thing we both do nowadays. If I leave my scent on someone, he won't act against them if it's absolutely necessary and the same goes for me.”
”The process I mentioned is something I'm familiar with. This is what my order considers as dark magic but really, it's just different and slightly more dangerous. But it comes with benefits. For instance, Ms. Hardy's existence is shifting the rules of casualty every now and then to suppress any being working against her and providing herself with a better advantage.”
Ray looked at Strange for a moment before a scowl appeared on his face. ”So, you will not describe this situation as that she can make others unlucky but would rant about any and everything? Both of us need to have a 'chat' with you more,” Ray mumbled as Strange shivered. What he felt, excitement or fear, was unknown to anyone except Ray as he smirked.
”Damn, a store of misfortune, huh,” Ray shrugged before disappearing alongside Strange. Even though Felicia stole the artifact that housed the Time Stone, not a single thing could be found from Strange's magic and even during the entire transaction, Nik was clean, something Strange was quite convinced of. According to Strange, Time Stone would leave a very unique signature of energy that is hard to be removed even by the awe-inspiring gods!
However, to relieve himself and not using the bathroom for that matter, Nik had simply grown accustomed to purifying himself constantly.
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”With the strengthened mental abilities of Mind Stone... I can still not invade Morgan's mind. It is different from Garuk but quite similar, too. Her entire mind is a maze with so much unnecessary information that her core memories cannot be touched easily... and since she is just knocked out by lack of time, I can't enter her dreams, too,” Nik held the golden gem in his fist and sighed. He could feel Mind Stone slowly nourishing his mental state. It was slow now, as if the gem itself was reluctant to share more than it already has but Nik did feel energy seeping from the gem eventually.
The same thing happened with Time Stone. So, he decided to keep both the gems close to him whenever he's inside the Dream Core. In fact, he had even brought the three spirit bones— million-year silver dragon sword, the crown of skydream Iceworm, and Fenrir's ribcage— inside the dream core. Now that he had gained Time Stone, he intended to use its ability to finally infuse Dream Core with its river of time.
”Onto more important things,” Nik left Morgan's body alone and gazed at the rows of bubbles placed neatly. A wisp of dark red flame flickered within each bubble.
[Phantom Bubble: C-
Use: Brittle containers that are able to hold elements of a greater level than its own rank.]
”Hmm, Ray has awesome goodies, too,” Nik mumbled and popped one of the bubbles before letting the wisp of hellfire touch his palm. The thing about gaining affinity with a particular element of the world was that he either gains it by [Exotic Escort] or spends a lot of time staying close to such elements. That's how he learned to quickly tame Life Energy, too.
”Oh?” slightly startled, Nik's senses retreated to his spiritual world. Although his palm was easily set on hellfire, it didn't hurt as much as the palm of his spiritual avatar being set on fire.
Similar to Hellfire, Eternal Ice happened to be able to affect the spiritual and physical aspects of the world, too. With a single thought, Nik's right arm was encased in eternal ice and he promptly held his hands together, making the elements on both of his palms react to each other.
As Nik began setting himself on fire constantly with the advantage of the world around him void of time, making it essentially yet another time-training zone, much to his reluctance, his partner, the notorious goddess of mischief slowly walked into a dark chamber. This time, she held a glimmering blue cube in her hands and she finally sat down in a rather e.r.o.t.i.c pose. It simply came naturally to her.
”The teleportation mark is finally settled up there, I can just feel it,” she chimed with an eager grin as she couldn't help but recall the details of her plan.
”Mmmh... if he actually manages to do that... he'll just be my greatest consort,” biting her lips, she set the tesseract aside as the mere thought of Nik set her heart on debauched flames. The fact that Nik was only humanoid in appearance and not a true human only made the crazy goddess appreciate his existence further. As her fingers gingerly reached down, ready to provide a sense of substitution but fully knowing that she would need some further 'assistance', a knock on the doors of the chamber instantly ruined her mood.
”What is it?” Loki barked. Although the Chitauri Scepter provided more concrete mental control somehow, she herself was capable of expanding her 'loyal' soldiers.
”We have located Bruce Banner. He is currently with his Cousin in East Texas.”
”That monster has family?” genuinely surprised, Loki chortled.
”Yes, his younger cousin is able to... change just like the Hulk. But she is renowned as a lawyer.”
”She?” Loki inquired with her gaze brightening as she found a new toy to herself.
”Yes, Lord.”
”Hehe, we can finally pass the remaining weeks without getting bored!”
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Paradise or better known as— Savage Island, was still a place full of mystery. Although Nik now controlled the most important location of the island and even set-up a barrier to shun out the other forces from the nearby land. So, for now, all that lived within the Paradise were spiritual beasts slowly raising the quality of land, the pre-historic lizards that can make any collector crave for even a single bloodied tooth, the tribal men, and a few trained officers sent to explore this mine of bountiful resources.
”What is that?” Tigra inquired as Vertigo slowly drew the map.
The Paradise itself had a small portion of land but with the way Vertigo was drawing on the ground, it looked like this land was far greater than the boundary the barrier protected.
”This area is called Pangea... I don't know how it came to be but Brainchild once told me that this entire landmass is artificial and has its own power supply.”