The Road to Divinity

by Darwin-18

(SI) A Marvel fan, who decided to do the right thing and save a life, succeded but at the cost of his own. Instead of facing death, he was thrown into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Coming to terms with his new surroundings, he has to navigate his way through a world full of heroes, gods, and villains. How difficult could it be? (Includes X-Men and F4, and more)

8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay.
Note, made a Discord, will go more in the A/N at the end. Otherwise, enjoy the Chapter.

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Chapter 8 - Building a Team

I hummed as I patiently waited at the front desk of the London Sanctum.

Needing new materials and ingredients, nothing stopped me from visiting the Sanctum with all the resources. I got plenty of history books and videos to get Bucky back on track, but I needed some things as well. I finished most of the books I took from Kamar-Taj, except the last three that were more advanced, which I plan to start mastering soon. The books I now planned on taking will enhance the list of spells I already know while also adding more variety. There was plenty to go around, the more the merrier. Also plenty of ingredients for potions and enchantments.

The Master who lived in the Sanctum seemed to be a grumpy fellow, especially when I presented with the list of things I needed. He wasn't the same guardian the last time I visited this Sanctum, which most likely means this is a substitute. Pleasant or not, the Master still went to get all the items I needed. Before he left, I tried getting some information on what's going on the magical side of the world. Seems like The Ancient One kept many of her subordinates in the dark about her whereabouts and her course of action, or they were asked to stay silent about the subject. I could only theorize what her plan might be, for now at least. Knowing her, it has to be important in some way, guess I'll have to figure out what's going on there as well at one point.

When he returned, the Master told me a package just came in with my name on it. Naturally, I was totally confused. It was a sealed Bag of Holding that only opened when my hands touched the cloth. From within, I took out a brown-leathered tome book with various gold accents, the single gem in the middle shinning briefly. Opening it, there was an envelope neatly placed in the center on the first page, unfolding by itself.

"Dear Ethan, I trust your training is coming along rather smoothly, since you've requested more books it seems like you've finished the last batch. I'm glad. This one is dedicated to practicing Chi. Personally, I think it's an interesting and versatile power that's very much worth the effort. I made a list of my preferred choices for more study material. I look forward to seeing how you progress." Signed, the Ancient One.

"Universe, you work in mysterious ways." I thought gleefully as well as a little concerned. I knew far better than to question how she knew, so I should just be thankful she helped me out. I'll just never wrap my head around how she does this kind of stuff.

With another trip inside the many rooms of the Sanctum, the Master returned shortly with numerous books floating by his side. I thanked him and left, getting a refill on my resources, I should be fine for the foreseeable future. Money is finite, although getting more of that from criminals won't be that much of an issue.

Now I would have to ask myself, what else would I need?

The logical answer would be to improve my physical capabilities, as that's what I'm lacking so far. My physique over the past few months has greatly improved, something I'm quite glad as I feel alive as ever, plus I was liking progress I was making. Still, while I can do more and more exercises to improve, I would still be limited on how strong I would be on normal means. Physically empowering your muscles with magic tends to end badly, as it's overly complicated and having it be in effect all the time would only damage the cells in the body over the years. Not saying magic users don't use this or fear of using it, it's just you can achieve certain results if you do it that way.

Extremis or the Heart-Shaped Herb would be ideal, as they provide numerous other perks alongside physical improvement.

Personally, I was never a fan of Extremis, the flaming body being the major reason for that. It did provide great healing properties, the worry of ever losing a limb disappears immediately after taking it. The insanely hot flames were cool, I guess, but it offers nothing new. I took the original and only complete sample of it as it might come in useful at some point, and I planned on recruiting Maya Hansen as well.

That leaves the Herb.

It's my preferred option and the superior one of the two. While thinking of its properties, I realized what huge benefit it would be. The enhanced speed it provides will help me cast a spell within an instant, while my senses would allow me to react quicker. Having night vision is nifty as well, with the bonus of being able to hear heartbeats those close to me and track any scent. It offers more beneficial properties, so it would be wise to get a hold of that plant.

With my mind set on getting that Herb, I won't have to worry that much about coming up with a way of taking it. I know exactly how the room looks and a simple way of getting in and taking the Herb without raising any alarms. I might want to meditate a little before making a portal to properly envision the scenes from the movie just in case, as I only need that room. Wakanda is notorious for its highly advanced security systems, and an important area like that is bound to be guarded, except for the room itself.

When I properly scan the room, which I'm fairly sure is still going to be like in movie form, I'll have my answer. The key is small openings. I don't need to actually enter the room to get what I want, rather I would make a small one first to cast a spell that would allow me to get a fully recreated copy of the room to see its layout. Once I learn how the place looks like to the last detail, I'll be sure to make my move undetected. Looking at it, I would take two, one for myself and one for Bucky, as well as some of its soil as well, I'm quite sure it possesses some properties that allow the plant to grow. Getting a third one, it would allow me to make many more afterwards, just in case. The Herb would most likely need low light in order to grow, that's why it's only lit up by torches.

All I would need to do before I continue is picture the image in my head. While meditating, the room became more familiar as I remembered more details about its layout. When finished, I began making my scanning spell, a small silver transparent orb the size of a Cheerio.

While I knew I was doing this completely blind, my hunch is still that within that room specifically this won't be spotted at the far end of it. The sphere won't let out any kind of light or sound, rather it will vanish instantly when it senses it entered a different area. Once it does, I will get a full scale replica of the environment with sensors that lets me see if anyone is moving from inside.

Sitting cross-legged in my training room, where the room would change size to mimic the growth room identically, I created a very small portal that went upwards to take the sphere away. I waited for about five seconds before the environment started developing, each structure forming out of tiny grey cubes at rapid speed. At first the layout was only colored in grey, but after it was fully formed it gained its color as well. Before I knew it, I was standing in the center of the planting grounds for the Herb.

Standing up, I looked around to see who was inside at the moment. Only two keepers. By the looks of it, they aren't aware what just happened, luckily the smaller the portal the lower the sound it produces. Walking about the grounds, I checked if there's any security to worry about, and there wasn't. All that's left to do is choose what plant to take.

There were many plants scattered all around yes, but something in my mind made me scout out the least noticeable ones. I don't really care if they notice a few of them missing, as they won't even know who took them, nevertheless my OCD made me be careful.

After circling the area, I found the three I'm taking with me. Two were hanging close to the edge while the last one was right near the brick wall. The keepers were doing their daily tasks of taking care of the plants, neither of them were remotely close to the ones I plan on taking. Having a clear view of the entire room, I walked to each individual plant, making a portal just the right size to swallow it whole. I took some of its soil from the far end. I don't need much, just enough so I can make more later on.

With the Herbs were in my possession, I didn't need to waste any more time here.

The two women were still going about their routine as if nothing ever happened.

Dismissing the copied layout around me, I was greeted with three Heart-Shaped Herbs along with some soil in a silver container several feet away from me. Walking towards it, I grabbed a hold of one of the Herbs, taking out the important part while returning the shell to the container. I admired the Herb in all its glory, slowly rotating it in my hand. I now have the plant that's equivalent to the Super Soldier Serum, arguably even better in some areas. Gripping it gently, I let out a sigh of relief, happy that I've acquired another very useful upgrade.

I don't know what it was, I just felt an overwhelming sense of relief while holding the Herb. These past few months took quite a toll on my mental state, to put it lightly. It always went back to the same thing, to become strong as fast as possible, so I would be lying if I was content staying the same. I was satisfied whenever I learned something new, as it wasn't enough. I can't tell what held my composure in place after all this time, but am I glad it's still going strong.

However, I've managed to use every single minute of my time here to improve my odds.

At times like these, I'm glad to be who I am.

Realizing how much time I spent in the dead-silent room alone with my thoughts, I shook my head.

"Damn, I wasn't kidding when I said this was taking a toll on me," I thought while rubbing my eyes. "I need to get out some time to get out of this funk. I should convince Bucky to take some time off with me soon, or I can maybe ask someone from the X-Men to just hang out? I can definitely use the opportunity to talk to people around my age, God do I need that."

Walking out of the training room, I went to tell Bucky about our new fruits. He was in the corner of the library, sitting at the edge of the table with numerous books around him, but Bucky was focused on the video he was currently watching. The screen was wide and it was adjustable, the yellow energy lines around it made it easy to do so. I created several Silver Snitches that scan and analyze any sort of book, easily able to absorb any knowledge if it's on paper and start making a replica of it. They can do a lot more, but for now this was enough.

Bucky didn't waste a minute after joining me to catch up on all the things that happened in the last century. I made sure to write down all that he would need to know, only I think I overdid it a little. Ever since I gave him that, Bucky didn't bother with anything else. He agreed to let me do another check up on him to be a hundred percent sure there were no loose ends, to which there weren't any. The human mind is very complex and delicate, I'm just thankful the spell I used did the job exceptionally well.

Of course, I gave him my own version of all the events that happened before giving him the detailed script. Just as I expected, I was asked a question I wasn't necessarily prepared for, about Captain America himself. That topic in particular was troublesome to figure out. On one hand, they both deserved to know the other survived, that they had a connection to their "old life", but it wasn't so simple. They were in no shape to see each other at this time, it was too soon. It was necessary that they get adjusted to this world, at their own pace.

For the time being, I had to go with a white lie. Just like in the history books, Steve Rogers was able to redirect the plane from hitting the city by crashing it into the Arctic Ocean, forever lost to the world. To say Bucky was devastated when he heard the news would be an understatement. The mission that would put an end to Hydra was all for nothing, and his best friend "died" young as a result. When I finished with the explanation, all Bucky said that he would make sure Steve's sacrifice will not go in vain. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Bucky's head turned for what seemed to be the first time in the last few hours.

"Still not taking a break, I see," I taunted jokingly while taking out the seat next to him.

"I did... for like two minutes," Bucky expressed leaning back slightly. "It's kind of a lot to take in, but I still want to see for myself what happened after the War. So far, it's safe to say plenty has happened."

"You should take your time with that," I advised as I waved my hands to summon a teacup for myself and a long glass for him, water being a better option than more coffee. A teapot made out of dark green energy formed as I had everything else on hand. "Nearly seventy years of history isn't the easiest to learn all at once. I know how redundant that sounds, but I still think taking it slow for a while is the better route. You've been very silent the last few days, I wanna make sure you're alright."

"No, no I'm fine, really," Bucky huffed, simultaneously looking back at the screen. "It's all I could think about, aside from eating and sleeping really. I wanted to see if we won the War, but we lost more in the long run. It's horrible, everything that happened."

I'm absolutely sure I heard that before. "Don't worry, we'll do the cleanup. If we play our cards right, at the right time, their empire will come crashing down."

Bucky stiffed a smile. "You seem to be sure a lot of things will go our way, how come?"

"I like thinking ahead," I replied smiling upon drinking my tea. "That and doing my research. A few kinks have to be worked out, other than that we won't have any problems dealing with them. As a matter of fact, I just have the thing that will help us with that."

Reaching into my pockets, I took out the two Herbs, placing them onto the table. Choosing to remain silent momentarily, as Bucky really didn't know how to answer, raising an eyebrow before speaking up. "A plant?"

I held in a chuckle at the reply. "Not just any plant, Bucky. This is the Heart-Shaped Herb, the successor to the Super Soldier serum. In fact, it's theorized that Dr. Abraham Erskine took a sample of the Herb so he can create the serum."

Bucky's eyes grew wide upon hearing that. "No way." His hand grabbed one of the Herbs, delicately examining it. "I never thought something like this existed."

"Dr. Erskine did amazing work with the small sample he acquired, sadly, his final product didn't come close to the original," I explained, before backtracking a little. "Make no mistake, the serum he gave Steve was effective and a huge success, only the Herb offers more than the original serum does. After his death, Hydra tried replicating the serum the best that they could, luckily they couldn't come close to making it. Hydra spent lots of resources in making their own serum, which they inevitably did. From my research, the serum they injected you with is still in many ways inferior. With this, you'll double your current strength.

"Wait, wait," Bucky stammered. "If this thing is basically like the same as the serum, where on Earth did you find this?"

"I got a tip from one of my peers about its location, a guy owed me a favor." I lied causally. "Preparing a plan on taking it took a while, but it's an upgrade that will greatly benefit us. It belonged to the same people who originally owned the Vibranium I took from that smuggler."

"The Wakandans?" Bucky asked questionably. "Aren't they supposed to be closed off from the world? Plus I can't imagine something like this lying around without it being heavily guarded. Won't they notice that you took their plants?"

"True, but they were also too full of themselves," I admitted. "There is only one place where you can find this Herb and the area it's hidden in is armed to the brim with guards, as only a select few are allowed to enter. That being said, the room itself was the only place that didn't have any security, as nobody can go too far into the temple without sounding the alarms. They also have an abundance of these Herbs, and I've made sure to leave no trail. Trust me, I'm careful like that."

Looking back at the purple plant, Bucky appeared to be somewhat skeptical. "So how do we do this?"

---

"Wish me luck." I uttered before drinking all the purple-liquid that came from the Herb.

Bucky nodded. "I'll be off by the side in case anything happens."

Giving him a quick thumbs up, laying on my back with my arms crossed, feeling my eyes getting heavier as I was dozing off. For the longest time, I felt like my eyes wouldn't open, no matter how hard I tried. These past few months of using Astral Projection, this time felt slightly different, like my body was sinking down with no end in sight. After a certain point, I could feel slowly waking up.

Turning my head to the side, I could barely see anything, my vision was blurry. Looking at the other side, I could see a simple table placed in front of a tree with purple leaves clear as day. After I laid my eyes on the tree, my vision slowly returned the more I focused on it. I was in some sort of grass field, glancing up to see purple streaks along the night sky, confirming I indeed am in the Astral Plane. The atmosphere itself felt vastly different, the air was cleaner and gave off a warm aura of sorts. Standing up, I walked slowly towards the table, where I noticed a familiar object placed in the middle.

The Codex.

Getting a better look, I already noticed something was off about it. The gems, they were red instead of green. Last time it was like that was before it took some of my blood, before I "unlocked" it. Flipping the book open, my suspicion was confirmed when I looked at the first page.

"Blank." I uttered calmly.

Now, this is interesting.

In the blink of an eye, the peaceful aura was gone. It was like standing next to a fire, being so close to the flames at such a degree where it would become unbearable. Only this sensation was a hundred times more intense. I could feel how powerful the aura was, yet it was shrouded in mystery. It was difficult to describe the feeling, but I was certain of one thing. I wasn't alone anymore.

Slowly looking up from the book, I was met with the downcast gaze of Bast herself.

To my surprise, I didn't even flinch when I looked straight at her, calm as a cucumber. But the sensation she gave off made a chill go down my spine for the briefest moment. Seems like the countless hours of meditating are paying off in more ways than one. The Goddess was massive in height, her piercing white eyes along with the powerful aura made me realize how small I was in comparison, both figuratively and literally. Yet, I remained completely calm. My only train of thought was to make sure I properly think my words through before I speak. I walked behind the wooden table to sit cross-legged on the grass.

"The Panther Goddess, Bast, the child of Ra and guardian of the Wakandans. It's an honor to meet you." I bowed towards the Goddess, my tone nothing but respectful.

"You don't belong here, Planewalker," Bast said, her voice booming. "You've stolen what belongs to my people. Explain yourself, then I may consider your fate."

"First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for that, I did not mean no disrespect. I'm fully aware of your status. Yet, I require your help, oh great Goddess."

Bast's eyes squinted at me, a low hum escaping her lips. "I see. You are no ordinary human, nor is this your first time within this state. A sorcerer, I was not expecting this. I am aware of your kind, contacting the dead at your pleasure. However, The Herb does not belong to you, why should I listen to anything you have to say?"

"From my knowledge, whoever eats the Herb receives the powers of a God," I began explaining. "We Sorcerers offer nothing but respect in the presence of a divine entity. I am aware that this kind of power is not that easily received, although I still believe I'm entitled to a chance to earn that."

"Sorcerer or not, you humans are so predictable," Bast spoke in a disappointed tone. "You only lust for power and rule those beneath you. It's truly sickening, to treat your kind so horribly, it makes me question the loyalty you all have to your own kind."

"Not to go against your word, but that's where you're wrong."

"Explain." Bast commanded.

"If you know about us sorcerers, then you must know we abide by certain rules. I don't collect power to be used to spread harm. Connections between humans and deities are common, giving the hosts powers in return of following their requests. I would like for you to do the same for me. With your help, I can fulfill my goal."

"Then tell me, Sorcerer, what is your goal?"

Without missing a beat, I answered with honesty. "To survive, and to protect those that need protecting."

"How can I believe you?" Bast replied with hostility. "Empty words will only bring you closer towards your death, and it won't be a merciful one if one would defy me."

"These aren't empty words, it's my whole existence," I shot back confidently. "It's what I stand for, and wouldn't let chaos flood the world. I would like to prove my worth to you, great Goddess. I've done such things before, and I will gladly do it again if that's what it takes."

Bast was silent, as if she was thinking it over. "What makes you worthy of being my Avatar?" Bast asked. "Humans with power only give birth to new wars, a never ending cycle. Since you broke the tradition of my people, death would be the appropriate punishment. But I'll humor you, Planewalker. If you are so confident, what makes you so sure you won't fail with that promise if I would agree?"

"Because… I won't."

"Why is that?" Bast asked demandingly.

"Simple," I responded calmly. "I refuse to bow down to some nut job that puts my life, and the life of others at risk. There is no order in the world, not from where I stand. Someone has to restore it, I intend to do that. Not just from humans, but from other worldly creatures that bring nothing but war. My duties as a sorcerer require me to insure Earth's survival, no matter the circumstance. For me to be its guardian, I ask for your help. If I were to become your Avatar, I promise you I will not only protect your people, but the entire human race as well. I only ask to be offered a fair shot."

My plea was met with silence, her glowing eyes slowly narrowing. I gulped, the anticipation in my mind slowly killing me.

"Very well."

My eyes widened slightly, as if a massive burden was lifted off my shoulders. I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding in, preparing myself for whatever trial she had in store for me.

"Your resolve is strong, Planewalker, I'll commend you for that. One trial. If you desire to wield my power, you'll have to complete one trial. Survive."

I gulped at her request, not liking the little amount of detail in her demand. "May I ask what the conditions are?"

"All the power and knowledge you gathered so far will be put to the test. If you claim to have the will to survive, and seek my power to fulfill your goal of protecting mortals, you must prove yourself to me. For the trial itself, you will be placed within a jungle where you will encounter creatures someone of your stature would be familiar with, with the objective being to reach the end of it, alive." Bast explained, stopping momentarily. "If you complete this trial, I'll deem you worthy of inheriting my power. But make no mistake, this will be no easy task."

Of course, I wanted to know more before I jumped the gun. "Are there any other conditions? What would happen if I fail?"

"The pain you experience will be very real, however, it won't affect your real body. If by chance you don't complete this trial, you will be banished from this realm." Bast explained, her tone becoming more menacing. "If I sense your presence entering this realm once more, I will not hesitate to wipe you out of existence. I have pardoned the crime of stealing the Herb from my people, but do not take my kindness for granted. I offer you one chance, Planewalker, what is your answer?"

The moment Bast asked me that, I already knew my answer. The fear of the unknown definitely made me feel uneasy, as well as possibly being caught off guard when it's most important, but the drive for survival outweighed that fear. It's the same feeling I experienced on that park bench when I made up my mind on how to go about in this new universe, along with the promise I made to myself. I will not fail. I will survive.

"I accept."

"Good," The Goddess hummed. "Your trial will now begin. Survive within the jungle, and I will grant you my powers."

When her paw crushed me, it felt like my very existence was whipped out. But a second later after it happened, my eyes shot open to find myself in a dark jungle. Examining myself, I felt normal, opposed to being ripped to shreds not a moment ago. My mask was in my left hand, with all my gear on, including the armor as well.

"Damn these Gods..."

Seems she was kind enough to let me use my powers, as if I had to go in barehanded then my chances of surviving would be slim. I could feel it in the air, this area is filled with mystical energy, along with who knows what kind of terrors lurking around. To get through this, I'll have to go with a different approach, kill on sight. Whatever this place is, I'm positive it's made by Bast herself for this trial to screw with me, as well as forcing me to my limit. I don't gravitate towards mindless killing, but I'll have to this time around. It didn't help that it was nighttime with the only light being the purple accents in the sky.

To my luck, I extended my portfolio so I should come out on top. I focused on skills that are AOE and detection, perfect for keeping me updated when I approach things such as pseudo-Spider Sense poison, radiation and so much more. With the beads stacked up, I'll be prepared in more ways than one.

I put on my mask before I began the first act. Clasping my hands together, I formed a small white sphere and threw it into the air, going way higher above the trees. Couple of seconds passed before it came down, going inside my sleeve into the Rune on my forearm, making a camera wide view pop up inside the orange rectangle. Welp, seems like the gigantic panther-like statue in the far distance is my finish line. I feel as if I teleport right to there I will get immediately disqualified, totally defeating the purpose of the trial.

"Let's ace this test." I uttered confidently, taking in one last breath before breaking off into a run.

While running, I waved my hands to form a platform from the earth's soil, then commanded it to propel forward, tripling my current speed. The terrain wasn't entirely even, but with my feet connected to the platform like a magnet, I won't be falling off that easily. My sensory beads were all active, so far it wasn't picking up anything. I have a long ride ahead of me, only good thing is that time won't be a factor within this plane.

It wasn't until a few minutes of moving that I finally sensed something, and it was heading my way, fast. I could tell it was an animal, a big one, along with powerful electrical discharge. Leaning to my right, I jumped off the platform while commanding more soil to rise up to form a shield, exploding not a moment after it's formed. Landing on the ground, my head snapped in the direction where the lightning came from, a grim expression forming.

In the distance, I was greeted with my first obstacle. A white bear that was about five meters tall, a bulky build with glowing white eyes, strings of lightning surging around its mouth. As it got closer, its footsteps grew louder, the ground trembling slightly. With a loud growl, the beast charged towards me with ferocious intentions.

"Of course, monster-like animals, who would have figured…?" I mentally groaned, not missing a beat for prepping my counterattack. Throwing my hands up, a wide earth wave towards the bear with me on top of it, along with a spell-circle that repeatedly shot yellow beams, the bear matching them with his lightning bolts. When in range, the wave engulfed the bear as the earth surrounded it, trapping it inside. Before I could fire an empowered shot, it broke out of its prison with my beam burning its left shoulder.

Landing on the ground, I sent countless earth spikes erupting from the ground towards the bear, scratching its paws slightly as it jumped high into the air. I could see sparks of lightning charging around its mouth, immediately forming a portal underneath me to get out of the way. The portal reopened way above the bear who crashed down and destroyed several nearby trees. As I was descending, I conjured four lengthy sized spears and sent them down at the bear, piercing both its arms and shoulders, causing the creature to howl in pain. Once they were in, they instantly grew in size to stay in place, pinning its arms to the ground. I took out my Sol Blade as I landed on top of its oversized head, plunging it in right in the center, jumping off with an earth cushion waiting below me that widened the distance between us.

The bear roared in pain, pulling away but the large spears kept it in place. Its left arm almost disjointed, barely staying in one piece. With one last tug, it managed to regain some freedom at the cost of ripping off its heavily wounded arm.

"Come on, shoot a nice big one at me." I stood in place while raising my other dagger with a pure white blade with some electric sparks radiating from it.

Pissed beyond any measurement, the bear intended killing me with one blast, this one being the most destructive one. That's it, keep it going. It happened faster than I expected, the bolt flying at immense speed, but with my dagger up and spell in place, the attack was gradually being absorbed. It was pushing me back, but I could withstand it. When enough was absorbed, I tilted my blade, causing a volleyball-like net made out of lightning going from my blade to the one embedded in its head. The action was swift, but effective. Its head split in two vertically, the lightning rapidly dying down, with its body flopping down to the ground with a thud.

Approaching the lifeless creature, I located my dagger that was covered in blood and some organs. Cleaning it, I stored it into the holster and looked down. I need to be quicker and more decisive. I know I settled on "kill on sight", but I still have to make these decisions without hesitation. I think it's the fact that it's so easy to kill, and how quickly it can be done. It's… infuriating, I was always a pacifist and reserve, the sudden change was difficult but I knew there wasn't an alternate method.

When my hand is forced, I will have to be swift.

My thoughts were broken when I could sense something approaching, and fast. Without skipping a beat, I slammed my hands on the ground in that direction, causing the area to burst into flames in a cone, spreading wider so "it" doesn't survive. For a brief moment, whatever was moving stopped, only for a black wolf with most of its skin burned off to emerge from the flames. It was too late to react with a spell, so I tried evading it.

My attempt to dodge it was foiled as its mouth latched onto my left ankle, dragging me away while running at top speed, my mask occasionally hitting the ground while moving. The constant shaking made me slightly disoriented, but I ignored it, begging to channel my Chi into my right hand.

"Let. Go!" I yelled, plunging my hand into the wolf's side. I could hear the bones breaking as my whole forearm went in for his mouth to release me, the animal whimpering as it tried crawling away. Getting up, I channeled up my Chi Fist with increased intensity, striking its neck with a swift strike. Just as I silenced it, my beads picked up multiple new threats approaching. Hiding behind the trees, a pack of wolves double the size of the one I just killed.

How fun.

Sensing the first one lunging towards me at high speed, I raised my hands to form a barrier and repelled it off. Like vultures, the rest joined in on mauling me, managing to fully complete my barrier without any openings. They tried destroying it with brute force, pilling on top of each other to each get their shot.

What they didn't expect is countless spikes erupting from the barrier, piercing the front pack then extending out to hit the ones in the back. Expanding the barrier to throw away the carcasses to the side, I formed multiple stacked red spell rings that flew off on their own, eliminating the remainder of the pack.

Here I thought Killian and the Brotherhood were a nuisance. These beasts were ridiculously fast, and killing machines, with preparation being my biggest advantage. Fighting the unknown is always problematic, not to mention terrifying at times. Survival to the fittest isn't kind, so neither can I.

Opening my Codex, I chose my set of spells I'd have ready at all times.

Now, let's get out of this jungle.

---

The deeper I found myself within the jungle, my perception of time grew weaker.

I faced many animals along the way, deadlier iterations of animals that inhabit a jungle. While I couldn't tell time, I made it a habit to check my condition every now and then, using any necessary potion to stay sharp. After a while, my body started kicking back, unable to avoid the side-effects when in constant use. I was able to ignore it, making sure I preserve my strength so it doesn't worsen.

Aside of insects and wild birds plaguing the sky, I was able to fight back against the ongoing swarm of creatures that just kept coming.

Right now, I travelled on top of the river with a water board beneath my feet with two rings circling around me for protection. Every now and then, I shoot out water bullets from them at massive cobras that sprung from both sides. The longer I traveled, the river grew wider, and more unpredictable.

"It's too silent, something tells me that isn't a good thing," I pondered as I constantly checked my surroundings. "If I didn't know any better, I'm bound to run into one of those creatures any-"

My beads went off, sensing a big one coming, from below. In front, a wide maw belonging to a crocodile surfaced, closing just as I was about to pass it. With a slight jump, I evaded its attack, smoothly continuing my surf. I could sense it swimming towards me, at rapid speed. On the second attempt, the water ring sent out multiple crescent symbols toward it, slicing its mouth effortlessly.

Not long after, a whole swarm of them started popping up, only to lose their mouths when doing so. Jumping around wasn't the problem, but it took up more time to prepare a counter attack. I had the water be pulled to the side, Moses style, creating countless water spears that pierced all the exposed crocodiles. Getting a proper look at them, they were about ten meters in length, sadly their skin wasn't helping them at all. Releasing my hold of the water, I was safe for the time being, entering an open area of the lake. I could sense small and faint movements, preparing for the unexpected.

Suddenly, a crocodile ten times the size of the previous ones emerged. Its maw was already open, biding its time for the right moment to strike. If I were to jump away, I might possibly be crushed by its giant teeth, not wanting to see if the armor could withstand a bite that strong.

Going deeper inside, I used the water present to form a sphere-like barrier, several seconds passing as it slowly built up energy. When ready, I made the sphere enlarge, pressing against the crocodile's stomach, easily breaking its bones. Moments later, I was out the other end with a massive hole in the creature that swallowed me, slowly drifting back down to the river's depths.

I surfed towards the river's end, finally setting foot on ground once more. Sitting cross-legged beside a lengthy tree, my barriers immediately came to life. It was a while since my last dose, so I'd say it was time for another round. Taking the first sip almost made me throw up, trying my best to ignore it.

Noticing my vision getting a bit blurry, I knew I was starting to push it.

Oh well, can't quit now.

---

"Close, I am so close."

I focused on that thought, and nothing else. Since the start of this trial, I have sliced and killed countless monsters along the way, each more challenging than the last. Due to the inability to tell the time, I couldn't tell how severe the side effects of the many potions I drank and healing were to keep me up and running, but by now my system couldn't handle another potion. While my physical condition was fine, my mind was in shambles, the magical exhaustion made it difficult to cast the simplest of spells.

I could have been in here for hours, possibly even days, but I did it, I've passed. I have been worked to the bone, but the satisfaction I felt as I limped out of the jungle. After a while, I decided to look up from the ground, once again being met with Bast's downcast gaze. She was silent up until I was a few meters away from her, kneeling and bowing down in respect.

"Well done, Planewalker." Bast commended me, her voice filled with genuine praise. "You have passed the trial, proving yourself to be worthy of inheriting my power."

"T-Thank you, oh great Goddess," I replied weakly with gratitude, now only concerned with getting this ordeal over with. "It's a great honor to be deemed worthy of your power."

"Before I send you back to the mortal world with the powers of the Black Panther, there is one question you must answer first." Bast announced.

Raising my head slowly, I looked up to Bast with a blank expression. "What?"

"Do you still intend to keep the promise you made before the trial?" Bast asked, her tone menacing per usual.

I replied instantly, more due to my mind not functioning properly from the tiredness. "I do not know what the future will bring, nor what kind of obstacles I'll encounter along the way. But one thing's for sure, I will not fail at my mission, no matter how difficult it may become. I give you my word."

A few seconds pass in absolute silence, what already felt like eternity. Until Bast spoke up. "Then I have no other requests. As per the agreement, you will carry out my demand of protecting my people, as well as Earth itself. Even on death's door, I expect for you to fight till your last breath."

The area around me suddenly grew brighter, the intensity only increasing until there was nothing else but white everywhere. Only Bast was still clearly visible, but slowly started fading away over time. "Do not disappoint me, Plainwalker."

Then I was out, again.

---

When my Astral journey was over, my eyes shot open.

First and foremost, I swallowed the lump in my throat that built up while I slept. Raising myself slowly, I looked over myself to spot any changes to my body. Perhaps there were some minor changes around my muscles, only I couldn't notice any. When thinking about any physical changes, my ears picked up a faint sound. Focusing more on it, I could make out a "ba-dum, ba-dum" sound going off every second coming from behind, the left corner of the room to be exact. Breathing through my nose, I picked some sort of scent, with it becoming stronger the more I focused on it. Then a pair of feet gracing the floor, accompanied with a soft grunt.

"Did it work?" Bucky asked with concern as he came from behind, lowering his hand to lift me up.

"Pretty sure it did," I commented, accepting his help. "Never wanna go through that again."

"You don't seem... any different," Bucky commented with uncertainty. "Isn't it supposed to, I don't know, buff you up big time?"

"The Herb doesn't work like the serum does," I began explaining. "It doesn't alter your physical appearance that much, on the inside that's a different matter. The best method to test it out is the old fashioned way. Hit me."

Bucky blinked. "You want me… to hit you?"

"Yup! As hard as you can," I said before perking up. "Oh, and with your left arm as well."

Instead of asking further questions, Bucky simply sighed. Raising his left hand, he gave me a warning as he leaned back, then striking me after a second of winding up.

At that moment, it felt as if time slowed down.

His metal arm moved way slower than a regular punch would, the same could be said for his muscles over all. I wasn't caught off guard by the sudden action, but was rather in awe how I could react to his attack without any effort. On pure instinct, my arm moved on its own, catching his closed metallic fist with my right hand, shaking at first until I strengthened my grip.

Bucky was taken aback how easily his punch was stopped midway, retracting his arm back while we entered a neutral stance. "Guess it really did work."

"Aside from strength that surpasses even a Super Soldier, the Herb has other perks as well," I said while motioning with my hand to make the second Herb fly into my open hand. "Enhanced speed, agility, endurance, durability and healing, possibly even more stuff. Quite the impressive list for one plant. It also allows the user to see in the dark, track a scent to great distances and hearing the heartbeat of those in close range. We should run some tests to make sure. Now, it's your turn." I opened a small portal, pulling my hand out to him so he could take the other Herb.

Bucky stood still for a second or two as he stared at the plant. "So what, I just take it and go to sleep for a while?"

I stifled a cough. "Umm, actually, you first have to talk to a twenty foot cat Goddess."

Upon hearing that, Bucky's eyes widened as he raised his head. "A twenty foot what?"

"Now that I think about it, she might be bigger, I'm not really sure." I corrected myself.

"I have a feeling I'm never going to get used to this…" Bucky sighed as he rubbed his temples.

---

Now that Bucky and I were juiced up with the Panther Herb, there was one thing to check off our list.

I may have gotten my supplies and some stuff to get Bucky up to date, but there wasn't anything he could use that he was familiar with. When he was awake after taking the Herb, I asked him how his experience was and it was quite different from what I've gone through. Due to being brainwashed for decades, his trial was to relive all those memories and with time nonexistent, it was his own personal hell. Since he woke up with the Herb's buffs, he was able to pass her challenge. I also liked to think he acquired some clarity as well, further strengthening his resolve.

Pushing aside the Astral Plane and cat Goddesses, it was back to the real world, and I needed more supplies.

Luckily, I had the perfect place to go shopping. First, I had to get a laptop to access the A.I.M. files to scout out the hidden bases Killian had made. I went across the world, one of New Zealand's islands to be exact, before looking through all the files. Have to say, I was satisfied with the things I discovered. Killian had numerous facilities across the US, only some were more valuable than others. I set my sights on the largest one with the most goods.

When I went over there to see for myself, I discovered all its blind spots and disposed of them, then moved on to knocking the unit stationed at the base. I whipped up a sleeping spell that from one whiff, a person is knocked out for several hours. Covering the whole base with it, the people stationed began falling one by one, leaving all the goodies unguarded. Going back to base, I asked Bucky to tag along, opening a portal to the storage room of the facility.

"What happened to them?" Bucky asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Sent them to sleep," I replied nonchalantly, looking around at all the boxes. "That smoke when inhaled sends a person into a deep and long nap. Easier to just knock them out then clear out all their supplies."

The further we walked, Bucky scanned the area while I stopped to examine the wide display of weapons for the taking. Taking one out, Bucky eyed the weapon as he took a shooting position.

"You have more experience with guns, so take your pick."

"Feels the same, just seems shinier." Bucky commented while inspecting the weapon.

"From what I hear they're top of the line, the best money can buy," I picked up an M-16, first time actually holding a real gun. Right now, it didn't feel all that special. "What do you think?"

Bucky gave another look across the field of weapons, nodding his head slightly. "This will work. In fact, it's more than enough. With the amount of ammo they have, we won't run out for a while."

"Wait till you see what in mind for infinite ammo, you're gonna love that." I placed the M-16 back into its box, now preparing to clean the place out top to bottom. I created numerous energy platforms to place the boxes on, sliding them through a portal back to base when they were full. At the rate we were going, it didn't take us long before all of the weapons were in our possession.

When the process was complete, I told Bucky he could go back without me, as I wanted to do two more things before we left. First, I wanted to check out if they had any worthwhile tech for the taking. Upon checking their lab and storage, I wasn't greeted with anything notable, or useful, I decided to not waste any further time.

Lastly, I wanted their vault. I was conservative of the money I had just in case it would run out, now that won't be an issue anymore. While observing the place, I found they hid their funds somewhere underground in a massive and "impenetrable" vault. After locating the safe, I simply made a large square section of the lock disappear, allowing me to enter inside. On nine long tables that formed a U, piles of money neatly lined up, a single stack with a ten-thousand marked on the strap. If I'm positive, the total amount was somewhere around the three-hundred ninety million range, which I'd say is more than enough.

I could do so many things with that amount of money, and invest to make more after I decide to make my own company. Thank you Killian for helping with the future finances.

I created multiple portals to dump all the money in a storage unit back in the base, making a note to count it later just in case. When I made sure everything of importance was taken, I bid farewell to this place and to the poor souls who'll wake up without even knowing what happened. There were many supplies that were left behind since we got so much already, so I marked all the boxes and supplies to disintegrate after I left. The database didn't offer any useful information, nevertheless I deleted every file they had, bringing them to a total zero in terms of any resources.

Stealing from criminals is so fun.

---

After about a week from our shopping trip, it was safe to say we were pretty stacked.

I, for one, wasn't that excited about obtaining dozens and dozens of weapons as I preferred other methods. Bucky, on the other hand, looked like a child on Christmas morning. I had a spell do the money counting for me, when finished, the grand total being three-hundred ninety six million dollars to ve exact. Every time I saw him on the shooting range, he had a wide smile on his face whenever I saw him pick up a new gun to try out. When I made it so that any empty shells that were left behind would be refiled, making it so we have an infinite amount of ammunition, Bucky couldn't be happier.

With the Heart-Shaped Herb, Bucky was keen on testing his reflexes and aiming accuracy to their absolute limit, to which I happily obliged. I tended to his training before I solely focused on my own, as I wanted to give him everything he might need. Along the way, we got more creative with his training courses, as well as more challenging. After many attempts, Bucky was like a well-oiled machine, rarely missing his target when shooting and tended to be effective as possible. It's where I got to see some of his tendencies as a military soldier first hand.

We didn't spend every waking moment sticking to the same routine, we weren't robots. At first, the conversations would be short but overtime they would be more fleshed out the more we learned about each other. Pictures and history lessons were one thing, but Bucky still craved to see the outside for his own eyes. Using a simple set of illusion and protection spells were enough to shield us from the outside, appearing as two totally different people to everyone else. I took him to the places he requested, which were the locations he would visit in his old life before he joined the army. The one that affected him the most was his used to be home, describing it as a whole different building entirely, only resemblance being the layout and nothing more.

It was like taking a little child out in the big city for the first time, every slight detail catching their attention immediately. Honestly, it shouldn't have been comedic at some moments as I did feel bad, to him I doubt it was anything but pleasant.

To take his mind off of… everything, I tried getting him into different hobbies to switch things up. Figured it would be the appropriate time for that. Since he seemed to never learn how to cook for himself, it was something I'm good at and I expected him to get the hang of it after a rocky start, I was dead wrong. After a few kitchen disasters, Bucky ultimately gave up, only deciding to get some basics down and came to the agreement I will be the one doing the cooking from here on out.

It was a bust, but there are still many other hobbies to try. It would take some more time, but Bucky was slowly becoming more open and comfortable around me, but I was glad I was able to help the man out the best that I could.

As for myself, I went ham at my new powers.

Bucky and I were sure to take advantage of our sped up regeneration to test our physical abilities. It got to the point I actually felt somewhat sorry for our training dummies. Hand-to-hand combat became significantly easier for me ever since then. My reaction time was incomparable than it was before, I could wait the last possible second before doing anything and my body would be fast enough to respond right away. It became sort of like muscle memory. Using the many fighting styles Shang provided, we practiced various different moves until we had to stop for some rest, which lasted for a short period of time. My experience with portals drastically improved, being able to create multiple ones at the same time and open much faster, the shorter distance the quicker they open. I practiced using portals during combat, getting sneak attacks in on weak points or for the element of surprise, maybe a Rasengan to the back will make things simple.

Aside from combat training, I spend a while meditating as well. Chi, on the surface, has many other applications it could be used for, so I was determined to better understand it. A perfect example why the Herb's properties compliment a Chi user is that it extends the duration it can be used. Fatigue is a common symptom after excessive use, which could be avoided if the body is trained to withstand it. The healing factor negates that, meaning I get the most value of the two. They synchronize together quite nicely. Of course, Chi can amplify the powers granted by the Herb, further propelling me to get better at it. I'll have to go over all of its applications within time, for now, I'm more than content with practicing a few of them for now.

Oh, and my control over water was smooth as ever.

Each movement perfectly transitioned to the next one, with the enhanced speed giving me more freedom to use different moves on the go. My control of it is greatly amped, easily able to control more amounts of liquid unlike before in my regular state. Of course, I had to test my limits. In areas with large quantities of water, I was unstoppable, as before longer use of controlling water would take a toll on my body. I could keep it up for hours, without any hiccup whatsoever, meaning as long as I have some form of liquid with me I have a weapon at any given moment. Forming shapes was easier, and more responsive, I'd make a mental note to train with my legs to form spells and manipulate elements, would double my speed in certain cases.

For my personal favorite, combining Chi with Elemental Manipulation.

"Ughh-ahhh!"

Shifting all of my weight forward, I sent a wild cyclone made out of water, with a yellow energy orb in the center of it all towards the training dummy that was five times its original size. The attack threw the dummy towards the wall, blowing off its entire chest, while leaving cracks across the body. I wanted an attack with such a density that could obliterate through any kind of armor.

That's where the creation of the Water Cyclone came to be.

Developing a brand new sub-form of magic wasn't that simple. It took countless attempts, with many hours of practice. The Herb made it so I could produce my attack way sooner, as fatigue was a thing of the past. With Chi being able to mix with Water, I was hard at work theorizing and practicing new attacks. There isn't any documentation of Chi infused Elemental spells, I was forced to walk into uncharted territory. Creating your own spells, in practice, isn't considered hard, it's more trial and error than anything. I knew two Elements at this time, add Chi on top of that and the final product packs one hell of a punch.

Chi can be easily mixed with water than with any other Element, I could summon the liquid necessary to bond with it on the fly which made it the perfect combination. It all depends on the amount, as it needs very little amount of Chi to spread all across the water. To be honest, it acted like a Rasengan with Water Release, which was my initial concept. When forming a Rasengan, the Chi it leaks can spread to the water surrounding it.

While it may seem one-note, its versatility allows for many other uses. The size can be changed, the intensity can be increased, and its purpose can be altered. It can be formed to serve as a lethal attack or when hitting an enemy, the liquid can change its shape so it traps the victim.

It was only one ability, but it was good enough for me. Reinforcing water with Chi on a larger scale is possible, but making distinct abilities is never a bad thing.

During training I thought of an idea I was immediately on board with, Chi Constructs. While making appendages, items, weapons and tools with simple Energy Manipulation from magic I already know, Chi is leagues better for that purpose. For starters, Chi acts like an extension of one's will, which alone makes its usage easier. For instance, I'd very much like something that's suited for both defense and offense, I have the perfect idea I wanted to turn into reality. As another bonus, I wanted to make some wings too. Unlike Dr. Strange's Cloak, I intended for these to be faster and used as defense, as well shoot out projectiles to even things out.

Of course, I couldn't get ahead of myself with my planning. I wrote down my experience and started developing on my research, writing down notes the more I learned about its mechanics. I knew the existence of Chi Storage, making the foundation won't take long, but actually storing Chi and using it proficiently is going to take time. On the up side, the more I use it and train with it, I'll be able to increase the process.

I went on to explore the Chi Storage idea. Having some knowledge how energy storages are made/used, so I could make that without a fuss. It then occurred to me how low my Chi supply was, which is to be expected. Even for a complete beginner one can channel enough Chi for many uses, but it wasn't close enough to create what I had in mind. I had enough for a few attacks and to enhance some body parts, which isn't a bad start. My goal is to use Chi to form my ultimate defense, as well as my ultimate offense.

Turns out, the Herb expanded the Chi pool I had prior. If I remember correctly, my body had to be more physically prepared to handle a larger quantity, whilst allowing more options on using it. Being above the peak of human condition, more possibilities presented themselves. To accelerate the process, I'll have to use Chi as another extension of myself, not as a switch. At first, the process took some getting used to, but I could adjust way faster than I expected. With my fast regeneration and healing potions I can cut down the downtime in-between, which was my biggest advantage.

For now, I'm content with empowering my attacks with it and occasional empowerment in my hands and feet. Next up, I had to get more advanced levels of security up and running. I need to get notified when and if something happens that requires immediate attention. Helix can place wards around the city that will get me a map in real time with vision practically everywhere.

New York is unpredictable and has a lot of important people lurking around, keeping an eye out for any potential threats is essential. The wards I have set up around my apartment aren't that widespread, serving only as a means for security. To my delight, the tall buildings make it so placing on top of them gives a clearer and wider view of the city's layout.

With my mind set, I began working on my operation. I needed to add some tweaks to the wards I already use, then they are good to go. When they are placed, each ward will connect to the ones within range, forming a map of the areas that are marked. To make it more accessible, the map will appear with a tap of a bead. When I got everything I needed to set it up, I gave everything to Helix, opening a portal on the roof for him to be on his way.

I had another idea for what to use Chi for, puppetry. The first time I used a puppet, I would have to be within a certain range of it while also using my hands to control its movements. I know it's possible to transfer Chi into an object to control it with a simple thought. Since I have an easier time emitting Chi out of my body, using it as an extension of myself into a puppet will increase my combat prowess without me having to lift a finger. Of course, I'd first have to establish a connection with it and maintain it, as well as practice for it to smoothly without hiccup. To ease my troubles, I can add a sprinkle of magic to buff it up and fix any issues I find along the way.

I planned on using the puppet I used to steal the Vibranium with some improvements, but for now, I wanted a new design. I would use Vibranium for the material, but I don't want to worry if it's suddenly left behind or captured, better to just use regular metal with enhanced endurance. Starting off with the skeleton, I made the upper body bulkier, with some room for hidden compartments. The weapons I wanted to make were blades that radiate plasma, as well as to turn into lightning whips that extent to about two meters. Along the blade, every few centimeters it was separated by a V that allows the plasma to pass along through, making it extendable to form the plasma whip.

If I get proficient enough, I could use multiple puppets at once, without even having to lift a finger. I'll get more creative with further designs with different functions, use them to do the work for me.

Not even an hour after I sent Helix on his mission, my bead started beeping.

Not a good sign.

Checking the map that formed in front of me, a red dot blinked somewhere just outside of Queens. Tapping on the dot, the map transformed into a feed of the ward that triggered the alarm. Showing the downcast view of the ruined street below, smoke everywhere but the ward had a filter that made the area more see-through. The entrance of a bank had a massive hole in its place, with rubble scattered everywhere, plus with it being a Sunday there weren't any people inside.

As for the ones in the middle of the chaos, it appeared to be Spider-Man and what by the looks of it, Shocker as well.

Every day I come across a different surprise, can't say I'm disappointed.

"Should get over there right away." I thought as I dismissed the display, jumping to my feet with a clap of my hands to change my attire. I made my way to the other room where my mask and equipment were, Bucky sitting by the side of a nearby table.

"Where are you going?" Bucky asked questionably.

"Downtown, guy with high-tech weapons causing havoc," I responded hastily as I put on my mask. "Heading over there right now."

Bucky's eyes widened slightly at my response. "Do you need me to do anything?"

"Noup!" I responded, opening a portal then turning to him before crossing through. "Be right back!"

Now on the rooftop on one of the buildings, I stepped closer to the edge. With a few quick waves, I formed an indivisibility field around me so I won't get spotted, as well to kill of any cameras nearby. Looking down, Spider-Man and Shocker were still going at it. They were an even match, albeit Spider-Man wasn't going all out, mostly evading Shocker's attacks. The street around them was slowly crumbling away, Shocker's gauntlets destroying whatever object was behind Spider-Man. It was impossible to land a long range attack, only that didn't stop him from trying again and again.

Spider-Man didn't have his classic suit, it was more like a budget homemade suit. He wore blue sweatpants and a red hoodie, the holes on the mask had sunglass lenses. It's safe to assume this iteration of the Wall-Crawler is still new to the hero business. Shocker, on the other hand, had some similarities to his comic counterpart in terms of appearance but still vastly different. He wore a suit that appeared to be incomplete. The gauntlets were bulky, but aside of his arms, the rest of his body had openings that were unprotected. Only the mask was the same like in the comics. Although, the tech used on the suit seemed rather familiar.

Back to the battle, there were no bystanders as everyone ran far away from the growing chaos. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a woman looking over the corner from an entrance of one the buildings, a phone against her ear. While Spider-Man dodged the blast, he caught sight of a large chunk of a building moments away from falling, a girl standing out in the open underneath it. Maneuvering in the air, Spider-Man thwiped in her direction, landing beside her and pushed her back in, throwing out another web to move him away from the falling debris.

In that split second, he lowered his defenses just as Shocker flew at him, his fist colliding with the web-heads back, sending him flying upwards. I waved my hands to form a yellow sphere, engulfing the Spider as he was stopped in midair, while rapidly healing the injuries he had. Forming a portal beneath me, I teleported to his location with a yellow spell circle beneath my feet.

"I'd say you got this covered, but the collateral damage is piling up, don't you think?" I said lightheartedly as I floated next to the hero.

"W-What?" The Spider uttered confusingly, noticing his wounds vanishing while looking around. "It's... healing me?"

"Correct, just a few seconds more and you're good as new." I explained as we floated down to ground level, bending down for the tip of my fingers to grace the concrete where I immediately cast a spell that started repairing the damaged area, the holes filled up instantly and the pieces of rock flying back to the buildings in their rightful place like they were Legos. Within seconds, the whole block was good as new.

Shocker had no idea what just happened, nor did he have the faintest clue who this new arrival was. Either way, it didn't matter, he'll just kill two birds with one stone.

The Spider-themed hero circled in wonder as he watched the city block that was in ruins moments before was now spotless. "You sure you couldn't show up a few minutes earlier…?" Spider-Man said jokingly.

"I showed up the moment this got on my radar, so cut a guy some slack, will ya?" I replied with the same tone. "Need a hand with him?" I asked the spider-themed hero.

"Y-Yeah," Spider-Man stuttered. "By all means, Magic Man."

With a thumbs-up, I clasped my hands together, pulling them apart to reveal a circle of glass that had several cracks on it. Shooting both my arms forward to propel the circle towards Shocker, drastically increasing while traveling. Before Shocker could react, the large circle smashed through him, breaking into thousands of tiny glass shards. Once it broke, every single object and parts of the buildings started inverting, only to return to normal a moment later.

Spider-Man, noticing the area around him seemed… different, decided to inspect it a little further. His surroundings seemed shinier and somewhat distorted, but other than that he couldn't be sure what it was. His Spider-Sense went off briefly when the "projectile" flew, but it gave no indication of harm heading his way, so he asked his savior. "What was that?"

"To simply put it, a prison and some cover," I explained. "This is called the Mirror Dimension, a parallel dimension to be exact. Now that we're inside, we won't have to worry about causing damage or innocent bystanders as we're in a different plane altogether, it's only us three now."

"Cool…" Spider-Man awed, almost forgetting about the criminal with shock gauntlets.

Almost.

With a war cry, Shocker slammed both his hands to the ground, sending a cone-shaped shockwave towards us. Just as Spider-Man was about to web-sling away, I stepped forward to form a wall of glass from the ground, absorbing the shockwave. Flicking my wrists forwards, the wall tumbled down, causing the ground below to send several waves as my attack.

Shocker held his balance before he was knocked down, rapidly firing from his gauntlets. Sadly, they didn't come close to hitting me. Spider-Man put more effort while dodging, while I merely sidestepped or deflected with a spell ring at the last second. Clasping my hands together, two rock hands forming from the ground and slapping him from each side, then sending him crashing backwards.

Feeling slightly dizzy, Shocker ignored whatever injuries he may have received, going for a different course of action. Tactical retreat. The left side of his suit was acting up a little, not a good sign. Shooting at the ground, Shocker propelled himself upward, setting foot on the building's edge, helping him get a bigger boost for the next jump.

"He's getting away! I'll catch him!"

Like a torpedo, Spider-Man blasted off at a remarkable speed, swinging from building to building with every ounce of strength he had. Seems like he already forgot I told him this was a prison, or maybe I didn't explain it properly. Eh, no reason to worry, more fun for me. I could teleport until I was close enough to catch him, but that would be way too easy, plus I wouldn't get to try some new moves. With my Chi training, I wanted to create some sort of utility to not always rely on my surroundings, that's where I created the Chi Step.

Basically, I channel my Chi into my legs to enhance them, which alone would increase my speed considerably, after that, I would create a small platform that would act as a springboard. While using this, I'll have to send a flow of Chi over my body for stabilization while moving at that speed. For this technique, it all depends the amount of Chi I decide to use. It's quite versatile and will be battle-ready soon after some more practice, it will make it easier to maneuver while in the air instead of relying on substitutions or even tanking a hit.

At the moment, I can channel a solid amount of Chi into a certain part of my body, as I can't handle controlling a large portion in my whole body at the same time. Nonetheless, I'll have to train harder to further unlock its potential. Imagining a percentage scale in my head, I channeled my Chi to the desired amount.

"About three percent will be more than enough while I'm in here." I thought as I felt my legs becoming lighter, leaning slightly forward for better trajectory.

Then I was off.

I didn't even put all my strength into my jump, but the Mirror Dimension's buffs propelled me higher and faster than I originally expected. My already enhanced physique and endurance coated with Chi allowed me to smoothly travel in the air. Going for another jump the second my body started falling, I propelled myself even faster than the first time, gradually building up more speed with each jump. The experience of jumping on air was thrilling, fun as hell too. Definitely going to catch my enemies off guard with this one.

It didn't take long before I was on their tail, the shards of glass floating above the road or on the side of the buildings leaving a nice trail. While in pursuit, I spotted an air blast coming from a mile away, courtesy of Shocker. Jumping slightly left to dodge it, I put more force into my next jump to thrust me even further. More and more projectiles were incoming, easily evading them all with no issue. The memory of playing that mission in Marvel's Spider-Man where you have to chase Shocker becoming more vivid.

"Magic Man!" Spider-Man shouted as he saw me catching up, doing his best to avoid the projectiles as well.

"Did I miss anything?" I asked in a laid-back tone, unbothered by the scenario I found myself in.

"He's too darn slippery, just as I am about to close the gap he gets away!" Spider-Man complained as he did a barrel roll to dodge Shocker's attack. "He has what appear to be some kind of vibro-shock gauntlets, when activated can project a concentrated blast of air at an intense frequency. If it weren't for this Mirror Dimension of yours he would have made a big mess by now."

"The way he uses his gear, doesn't seem like a newbie but no expert either," I deduced, an idea popping into my head. "Want a boost?"

My offer surprised Spidey, that and avoiding another blast. Agreeing, I explained to him what I wanted him to do and when. After Shocker fired a few more shots, it was time to act. I made it so I jumped as Spider-Man released his grip from the web, creating a slightly beefed up springboard of Chi around the area where Spidey would descend. When his foot touched the platform, he leaned forward a little to spring himself off, flying like a bullet at the criminal. Upon getting close, Spidey shot a web that stuck to Shocker's leg.

Like trying to swat a pesky fly, Shocker used his other gauntlet to shoot down at Spider-Man, not one shot landing. Preparing a stronger Chi Step, stronger than the one I gave Spidey, I flew past the two like a speeding bullet. Spinning around, a platform stopped me in my tracks and stayed in the air. I made some distance between my jump, just enough time to prepare my "show". Clasping my hands together and folding them, the fingers of my right hand extended forward, aiming at the approaching Shocker.

The criminal was shocked to see at what speed the second guy moved at, but he was prepared to blast him away. In the corner of his eye, he saw the side of a building break like it was glass, revealing a massive spider leg heading towards him. Panicking, Shocker aimed for the appendage to propel him backwards so it doesn't hit him, the sudden shift making him slide down a wall of a building, leaving glass shards in his wake. By some miracle, he didn't take that much damage from the fall, already on his feet as a second claw came crashing down beside him. Its appearance resembled an orange tarantula with a lion head, its size comparable to the tall buildings. From its sides, it released multiple webs that blocked any means of escape, acting like a triangular barrier. It may have been an illusion, but how the spell was placed it made it more believable. It used its claws to make Shocker jump around, like a predator playing with its prey.

Spider-Man released the web and landed atop a lamppost, watching in awe. Sliding down, he regrouped with his teammate that was standing in the open street.

"Ugh... is it friendly...?" Spidey asked somewhat reluctantly as his eyes could only focus on the building-sized tarantula with a head that resembled a lion.

"Don't worry, it's just an illusion. It's more of a toy than anything," I explained while using the spider's legs to make Shocker zigzag around. "Wanna try?"

The web head bobbed his head like an excited child, passing him the red orb into his hands. "So... how does it work?"

"When you want it to do something, squeeze the orb with both hands and picture the thing you want it to do." I answered.

Doing as instructed, Spider-Man squeezed both his hands and waited to see if his command would go through. The gigantic animal stopped in its tracks, Shocker taking the chance to blast its head off. As a result, hundreds of miniature spiderlings flopped down, crawling towards Shocker. I'm not sure if I ever heard a scream like his before in my life, if I was any closer I probably would go deaf. While they were illusions, they still moved and acted like they were real. Without much of a plan, Shocker fired in each possible direction while moving backwards, the wall behind him preventing him from going any further. Within seconds, he was drowning in spiderlings and screaming for his life, trying to swat away the endless swarm of tiny arachnids.

"Think we tortured him enough." With a snap, every single spiderling popped like confetti, with the original one turned into butterflies that quickly vanished. Shocker was utterly speechless how everything suddenly vanished, it only made him even more furious.

"That's it!" Shocker yelled in rage. "I'll end you both!"

Slamming a compartment on his suit, the criminal's gauntlet's building up a strong enough attack, Shocker stood in place for a few seconds as his gauntlets stored a hefty amount, then using some of it to propel him upward, as well as heading straight towards us.

"Here he comes…" Spider-Man uttered cautiously, entering a defensive stance.

"Charging in without a plan, of course." I thought as my eyes locked on to his gauntlets. In quick succession, I made the necessary gestures to form two red energy spheres around his weapons, shrinking in size moments later. The sudden change crushed his gauntlets, letting out a small explosion on each of them. Shocker was still in the air while this happened, so he could only scream as he lost his focus, landing onto the ground a few meters away from us. Without the power from his gauntlets, he dropped down like a sack of potatoes.

"That's an end to that," I said leisurely while brushing my hands together. I turned to the Spider, who seemed to be in a state of awe. "Wanna do the honors?"

"O-Oh, right, on it!" Spidey said hastily as he broke off into a run. Shocker, who was still conscious, could only verbally harass Spider-Man as he dragged him to the closest lamp pole, using his webs to immobilize him completely, webbing up his mouth when he was finished.

I looked around while walking towards the two, letting out a fake cough when I was close.

That made Spider-Man jump up from his crouched position. "Hey! Listen, I wanted to-"

I raised a single finger up before he could continue. "A moment, if you please."

Waving my arms, I made a small gateway then expanded in size, going over the lamp pole so Shocker doesn't stay an eternity in the Mirror Dimension. On the outside, we entered a nearby alleway to not stay in the open, leaving Shocker to be picked up by the police. I could feel a bead notifying me, making me raise my hand to form a camera-view that constantly changed, courtesy of Helix. Two police cruisers are heading our way, approximately thirty seconds from reaching us. "Listen, if you wanna chat some more, meet me at the billboard with the vacuum cleaner. The police are on their way and I don't feel like dealing with them."

"Neither do I. Have a feeling they don't like me very much." Spider-Man commented as he turned to the sound of the sirens.

"Well, I'll be there if you're down for a quick chat, but now, best that we disappear," I formed a portal beneath me, instantly dropping down. "See ya there."

I choose this location for a reason, as appearing here without a plan beforehand would be irresponsible and stupid. While I had Helix map out the city, I had him carry seeds that when placed would act as an invisible dome, making the places he marks a secure location where we can't be heard or seen.

I leaned back to the metal support beam, waiting to see if the young hero would show up to my offer. Truth be told, I was excited to potentially meet Spider-Man. By far, he was my favorite hero since I could remember, I know it might sound cliché but I essentially grew up right around the time the hero was at his highest selling point. There wasn't a place where that red and blue wouldn't make an appearance wherever you go, so it was kind of hard to miss him. Even though I lived here only a few months and met tons of different people, I was still looking forward to this encounter.

After about another minute of waiting, I began hearing the familiar "thwip" sound. To my left, I saw Spider-Man swinging from building to building, doing a front roll as he went to land on the same roof as me. When he raised his head, he jumped back slightly when he saw me leaning back.

"W-Wait, you're already here?" Spidey asked with a hint of confusion. "I didn't even see you standing here."

"You can thank this barrier around us for that." I said cheerfully as I pointed behind him.

When he turned around, he saw a transparent ripple effect that was fading away, tapping the edge of it with his finger for another ripple to form. "Wow… cool, it's like an invisibility field, right?"

"Correct, as well as nullify any sound from within," I commented as I walked over to the edge, sitting down so my feet could dangle freely. "Can't be too careful these days."

Energetically, Spider-Man walked over and flopped down to sit next to me. "No, you can't. Anyway, I wanted to, ugh, thank you, for lending a hand over there, you saved my bacon. I'm Spider-Man, by the way."

He extended his as he introduced himself. It occurred to me that I never used a pseudonym or superhero name when meeting all these people, never had much of a use for it, except now would be a good time to start using it. I spent quite a bit of time thinking of what kind of name would be an appropriate fit to my persona. A name should hold some sort of meaning, especially a superhero name. I wouldn't want a boring name or use something stupid, so I had to choose carefully. After a while, I made my decision.

"I'm Fulcrum, a pleasure to meet you." I shook his hand,

"Fulcrum, huh?" Spidey said with a hint of surprise. "Was expecting something totally different, to be honest."

"What can I say, it stuck out to me," I admitted sheepishly. "I saw what you did to save that lady, you did well out there. It takes a lot of courage to charge in head first like that, or to be slightly moronic. Still, you can take a punch that's for sure."

Spider-Man rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "Y-Yeah, well, I'm still particularly new to this whole superhero thing.

"I could tell, otherwise you wouldn't be wearing a budget homemade suit." I commented lightheartedly as I scanned his attire.

"Hey! I'll have you know, this jacket didn't come cheap," Spidey quipped back. "Gotta make do with what you've got, right?"

"Been there before, so I know what it's like. Speaking of which…" I trailed off as my hand swiftly grabbed his wrist, a gesture that I'm sure surprised him with how quick it was. My eyes examined the web shooter, finally being able to see the device that's the real deal. "Nice, nice. Small, compact, somewhat sturdy I'd say, shouldn't break that easily. Extra points for using broken watches as its base. How'd you make the liquid?"

Spidey was embarrassed a little at my interest in his work, but was happy to answer all of my burning questions. Real life logic sometimes couldn't explain how some feats were executed and had some elements that only exist in fictional universes. He kept his other life on the private side, only going as far to discuss stuff about technology and some inventions he was able to make. After bombarding him with question after question, he wanted to know more about my skill sets as well.

"Anyway, with a job well done deserves some lunch. What do you want?" I asked the Spider while opening a small portal and sticking my hand through the other side.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Dude, I could pull out anything from here, just choose."

Spider-Man stared at me blankly for a few seconds before responding. "You got pizza?"

"Toppings?"

"Pepperoni, please and thank you."

"I could go for that," I turned to the portal to dig out one of the few frozen up pizzas I already made, pulling the box with various toppings, putting some Pepperoni slices on the pizza. Taking it out, I closed the portal with the pizza floating in-between us, placing a finger under it to light it up, within ten seconds it was cooked. A single snap made the pizza split into eight pieces. A twitch of my finger made the compartment over my mouth open, along with a snap for the pizza to split into eight pieces. Grabbing a slice, I gestured for the teen to take his own. "Enjoy."

Taking one for himself, Spidey lifted his mask half way, releasing numerous hums after tasting the pizza. "Is it just me, or does magical cooked pizza taste better than regular cooked pizza?"

"I think there's a point where it's made to perfection, but that's just my theory," I commented while I took another bite. "Beats having to wait, that's for sure."

For the next several minutes, we enjoyed our meal in silence until I spoke up after finishing my half.

"Say, I'm curious, what got you into this whole crime fighting business?" I asked inquisitively.

"It's… complicated." Spider-Man replied

"In this line of work, it always is. Don't worry, I got my share of complicated stuff, so I think I'll understand if you at least tried explaining it,"

Spider-Man let out a defeated sigh. "A little bit of everything, around the same time to be honest. I wasn't born with these powers, when I got them it felt like a blessing but soon it became a curse. A person close to me once said, "With great power, comes with great responsibility". At first, I didn't really care all that much, it was only when I lost that person did I truly realize what that saying meant. I… could have made a difference, but I didn't. That day will haunt me for the rest of my life, but I made a promise to that person, as well as to myself, that I won't ever let such a thing happen again. As a long as I live, I will do what's right, no matter the consequence."

Hearing his story first hand was touching, but empathetic as well. All I could do is agree with my favorite superhero. "I respect that, I really do. Not a lot of people would go to those lengths, and I understand where you're coming from. Losing someone important to you is never easy, and to people like us, hits harder than regular people, we can't let it cloud our judgment. Personally, I think the people of New York are lucky to have a hero such as yourself looking out for them."

While I couldn't see it, I could make out a smile beneath his mask. "Come on, don't sell yourself short, but I think you'd be a few ranks below me of course," The web head said lightheartedly. "Anyway, what got you into this gig?" Spidey asked optimistically, somewhat glad the focus wasn't on him anymore.

With a hum, I thought about my answer. "Instinct."

"What do you mean?" Spidey asked questionably.

"That's just it, instinct," I threw him a sideways glance as I started explaining. "I was always more of a silent type that would just let life pass me by while I did my own thing. Even so, my morals sometimes can get the better of me, and one day, I paid the price for it. While walking to a friend's house, I saw a kid playing on the road of a speeding truck. At that moment, I didn't think, I simply jumped forward and acted on instinct. As a result, my life wasn't the same afterwards."

"Oh, is that when you learned magic?" Spidey inquired. "I mean, if you jumped at a speeding truck and you're here, something must have happened, right?"

I nodded. "Magic works in mysterious ways, sadly, adjusting to this life wasn't an easy one. I was lucky I had an exceptional teacher," I stopped briefly before chuckling. "Actually, I remember why I did what I did that day and continue doing it. I did it because it's the right thing to do. I had the power and opportunity to make a difference, and we have a moral obligation to do so when we have those things. To me, it's as simple as that."

"I see." Spider-Man replied lowly, with the next minute passing in comfortable silence.

"Huh, certainly didn't expect this after fighting a lunatic with shock gauntlets. We aren't getting paid enough for the work we do." I said bitterly.

"I don't know, man, just trying to get by as best as I can. Not sure how to move forward without things spontaneously combusting around me." Spidey expressed a low chuckle.

"Just keep your head straight and don't give in, should be easy enough, right?" I said cheerfully, pulling my legs close to my chest so my feet can touch the ledge. "Been working for me so far."

Closing the open area around my mouth, I stepped away from the ledge. "I'd love to stick around some more, but I should head back, have a few things to finish. Next time, you bring the food, sound good?"

"N-Next time?" Spider-Man's head snapped towards me, scurrying off the ledge so that we were both standing a few feet apart.

"Eh, I usually pop out of nowhere when trouble starts brewing. Have a bad habit meddling too much when it does." I admitted jokingly.

"Same here," Spider-Man uttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Look, I don't know a lot of people who do this kind of stuff, and you, you're an actual wizard.

"As a matter of fact, I was contemplating whether or not for us to stay in contact. You're alright, definitely wouldn't mind working with you in the future. So in that case…" I tossed one of my stones towards Spider-Man, catching it no problem. "Wanna team up?"

The question left Spider-Man flabbergasted. "C-Can you repeat that, Magic Man?"

"I'm trying to put together a small team, one that can keep things in line," I began explaining. "It's only me and one other person at the moment. I can offer you protection and a place to work on your inventions without any trouble. You see, just because there aren't criminals running around doesn't mean all is well, there are plenty of things hiding in the shadows waiting to make their move, I'd like to be prepared when it does, as well as have trustworthy allies by my side."

I paused to create a portal, turning once more to the hero.

"I don't want to put any pressure, so you don't have to answer right away. Sleep on it for a while, but if you only want some help here and there, I don't mind. I'd like to have all cards on the table if we would get properly acquainted, but that's up to you. Also, if by any chance a man in a black trench coat with an eye-patch comes knocking on your door, don't let your guard down around him. Stay out of trouble, Spider-Man!"

I waved at the spider-themed hero as I walked through a newly made portal, closing off the portal before Peter could respond.

Turning over the corner at our library, I caught Bucky in the same position before I left. Looking up, a smirk formed on his face. "What took you so long?"

"Actually, spent more time eating lunch than dealing with the criminal, so you tell me." I taunted back with a smile of my own, taking a book out from the large shelf and joining him.

Now, where was I?

---

Several days passed since my encounter with Spider-Man, nothing major happened since then.

While it could be said I was rather excited when it came to training, Bucky took it to a whole new level. A good portion of the day would be dedicated to the makeshift gym or the shooting range. I decided it was best to let him be on his own to blow off some steam, and I could tell there was plenty of that. All in all, it seemed he was doing well now that he's out.

As I worked on my new puppet's interior, I got a notification that someone was calling me from one of my stones.

To my delight, it was the Wall-Crawler himself.

It seems like he thought about my proposal, deciding he wanted to meet up in person.

Initially, I was surprised to hear that he was on board, not expecting he would come to a decision so soon. Just from talking with the fellow, I could tell he became Spider-Man quite recently, a few months at most. At this stage, Spider-Man is more naïve and carefree than he should be, meaning I did a first good impression. To be honest, that man has suffered many times in many different realities, it was something I couldn't allow to happen. I find it impossible that in a majority of realities he's put in shitty situations just like that unless it's some sort of cosmic rule then I wouldn't even be surprised. I don't know if the writers for Spider-Man really enjoyed beating him with the stick over the years, all I know is that I can't stand to see that happen in this reality.

Peter is a smart man, and a very resourceful one, but also stubborn at times. Without proper guidance and a friend by his side, he'll just repeat the same cycle other Peters have across the Multiverse. I'll have to approach him as a friend, and that's exactly what I planned on doing.

When I asked him at what time we should meet, he responded with anywhere after three PM if possible, right after school I'm guessing. Giving me the option to pick a destination, I set up safety precautions so we won't be interrupted or seen.

Preparing to head out, I wore a fresh pair of black jeans with red sneakers, a dark blue coat covering the grey sweater I had underneath. As for the location I picked, it's the same reason like last time, security. I made it so the specific area was completely invisible to the human eye and any potential cameras in that area. Peter would have to go through an alleyway in-between the buildings, a chained-linked fence with a door on the other end. Rolling up my sleeve slightly, I tapped the rune on my wrist to check the camera view to see if Peter showed up, and he was already there.

Truth be told, the way he acted it made it seem like he was waiting for his drug dealer, repeatedly looking around himself, unable to stand still for more than a second. All I could do was laugh a little at the sight, if it weren't for the area being invisible then he totally wouldn't look suspicious. Speaking of which, without his mask on, I got a clean look on this universe's version of Peter. He was neither of the three actors who portrayed him in any of the live-action Spider-Man movies, not entirely that is. I could see traits from each of them on this Peter, but the hair specifically reminded me of how comic Peter would style it.

All in all, I'm glad I can potentially team up with my favorite superhero.

"Better not keep him waiting." I said grinning, opening a portal beneath me to fall down right next to Peter. "Yo."

Just as I did that, he let out a yelp and instantly jumped around. "What the hell?!"

I couldn't resist but laugh softly at his reaction. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I couldn't resist, I don't often get to do this. The opportunity was too good to pass up."

His surprised face quickly reverted to normal. "It's you… Fulcrum-…"

"Of course it's me, you're the one who wanted to meet up," I said grinning. "Expecting someone else?"

Peter waved his hands rapidly. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that. You surprised me, that's all. I wasn't expecting you to just pop up out of nowhere, whatever happened to a normal approach?"

I merely shrugged. "I honestly can't tell the difference anymore. The only thing I do that's remotely normal is cook, but I digress," Then, I extended my hand with a smile. "Ethan Chester, a pleasure to formally meet you."

Peter accepted my handshake, with a smile of his own. "I'm Peter, Peter Parker. Nice to meet you as well!"

"Huh, I knew you were young, but you look about my age," I commented as I broke off the handshake. "It's the voice, I thought I was talking to a High School freshman for a while."

Peter chuckled in embarrassment. "I'm eighteen, actually," he paused momentarily. "Wait, how old are you, anyway?"

"Nineteen, my birthday is in a few months."

Peter nodded, shifting his focus to the ripples visible to us within the bubble. "It's just like the other day."

"Way too convenient not to use," I commented while observing the people walking along, oblivious to our presence. "Can't hurt to be a little extra safe, never know when someone might be listening when they shouldn't."

"Ah, you mentioned a little about that the other day, I wasn't quite sure what you meant." Peter exclaimed while rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't blame you, I wouldn't either. I'll go into detail about that later if you'd like," I paused with a hand on my chin. "Now, I was thinking of going somewhere where we could talk more freely, but that's up to you." I offered.

"Wait, quick question," Peter blurted out, to which I nodded. "Since you're a wizard, does that mean you live in a big wizard lair that defies any sense of logic and filled with all kinds of magical stuff?"

"I live in an apartment complex." I replied with a straight face.

"O-Oh…"

"But I do have something similar to that." I added with another grin.

That sparked his interest alright. "Can I see it?"

With an eye roll I spun my hands downwards to create a portal on the ground. "Watch your step."

Taking a single step forward, I fell down about a few feet until I easily landed on the floor of my little hideout. I took another step off to the side to let Peter have enough room, doing his signature spider landing as he jumped several seconds later. Twirling around when he stood up

"Oh, my god. This. Is. Amazing!" Peter gushed as he looked around place, abruptly stopping when the silver snitch halted in front of his face. It opened its shell to reveal a dim blue light before quickly closing, flying away in a different direction.

"Sorry about that, it notices when anyone or anything enters this place and gets a quick scan of it. Little feisty at times, but they get the job done. I was able get the whole library set up with their help."

"That's a snitch from Harry Potter, isn't it?"

"It is... only better."

Way practical too. Aside from using them to scan anything within its sights, it can also set up strong barriers and force fields while inside this place. Their range was somewhat limited, that's why they were so easy to make, and should experiment more with them.

"Want a tour?" I asked the energetic teen, where he replied by furiously shaking his head.

To me, it felt so plain while giving the tour, as by now this wasn't "interesting", but Peter would jump up and down like a hyperactive child. Every new sight showcased something he would observe every corner, even asking me permission to touch some of it. I think what took the cake was when I showed him the Sol Blades when turned on, then explaining the ability to change into any type of blade. He was so excited while swinging it around, he dubbed it the Magical Lightsaber.

The fanboying was amusing since I had the same thought while exploring magic, but not to this extent.

Peter was more than infatuated when I showed off the training room, the vast display of possibilities for the choosing made his mouth drool a little. I nonchalantly offered him to try it before moving on, not giving him enough time to respond.

Up next were the lengthy bookshelves surrounding the wide table, where I saw Bucky as he turned the corner.

"Oh, Ethan, you're back," Bucky greeted as he caught sight of me, his eyes locking onto Peter. "Who's that?"

"Hey Buck, right on time. This is Peter Parker, and Pete this is-"

When I turned to look at the young genius, I was taken aback when I saw Peter's eyes wide as dinner plates with his jaw hanging. "Is… is that…?"

Before neither of us could open our mouths, Peter sprinted towards the soldier, now standing mere inches from his face. "Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes from the second World War! It has to be! Wait, how are you alive, and why do you look so young? Weren't you like twenty-six when you joined the war? I got it, time travel. Right? Anyway, what was Captain America like?"

While I did find the scene funny in its own right, Bucky was like a deer caught in headlights. Most likely since this is the second person he met after getting out of the ice and it just so happened to be a hyperactive teen who can talk until next week without stopping.

I tugged on his shoulder a little, causing the brown haired boy to look at me confusingly. "Slow down, Pete. See the poor War vet can barely keep up? Go easier on him a little, okay?"

Peter looked back at the Soldier, now realizing how uncomfortable he made them man with his bombardment of questions. "S-Sorry, got a little too excited. It's an honor to meet you, sir."

The boy extended his hand, trying again with a more polite approach. Nevertheless, Bucky accepted the gesture. "No worries. A friend of Ethan's is a friend of mine."

"Say, speaking about Captain America, I think you'll love what I'm about to show you, come here." I gestured Peter to follow along, Bucky joining us as well.

With a swipe to the left, a square section of the wall moved in that direction, revealing the many containers of Vibranium neatly stacked on beside one another, with plenty more behind the front row. The sight to us two was nothing special, but I could practically hear the anticipation just by looking at him. "Question time, do you know what material is used to make Captain America's shield?"

"Oh, Vibranium, of course. But it's an extremely rare material alloy that is known to only be found in Wakanda nowadays, but during the war Howard Stark managed to get a very small amount that was turned into a shield. It's stated that it's virtually indestructible when properly molded and in theory, be used for all-"

I threw one of the containers at him to cut him off, his hands clinging to it so it doesn't fall on the ground. "Excellent, then you're gonna have a field day with this. I took this stash from a smuggler who's been hoarding this stuff for years. I was saving it until I figured out everything it can do, but seems like you know your stuff."

Peter's eyes danced back and forth from Bucky to me then to the container, only letting out slight gasps each time he turned his focus.

Bucky, for the umpteenth time, gave me a confused and questionable look while observing the teen that began spouting what sounded to him, and to a slight extension myself, gibberish that was barely comprehensible.

"Should we be worried or...?" Bucky leaned in with a whisper.

"Nah," I replied with a smile. "Not yet anyway."

---

"I can't believe I got to meet a World War 2 veteran today! Here I thought the highlight of my day was getting an extra sandwich at lunch." Peter gushed as he followed me to our next destination. Bucky excused himself to go do his daily training session.

"Then I'm glad I could spice up your boring Tuesday."

"But seriously, how is he… you know, here. There has to be some story behind it, right?"

I released a sigh at his question, no reason beating behind the bush. "There is, it's not a pretty one. Since you plan on sticking around, I feel like you should know as well," With my finger I motioned him to get a little closer, immediately picking up what I was about to say meant to be a secret. "You read the textbooks, you know the day he "died", no?"

"Yeah, his and Captain America's final mission on stopping Hydra and ending the War. On their mission, they had to hop on a moving train, where Mr. Barns fell out while fighting the bad guys. It's stated he fell into a river, but the body was never recovered so it was presumed he didn't survive."

"He was a hair away from death, if it wasn't for Hydra themselves. They fished him out of the river and did… experiments on him." I said remorsefully.

"Wait… what do you mean by Hydra?"

I went on to give a short explanation on Bucky and his relationship with Hydra, leaving out some details that weren't necessary. Peter, for the entire duration, was silent. The expression on his face said more than words could after the revelation.

"I-I didn't know…" Peter expressed remorsefully, unable to think of any other kind of reply.

"It's ok, nobody could have known. Just don't go heavy on the questions. I patched him up, he's good as new, but I'd still like it if he adjusts properly on his own pace."

"I understand," Peter said solemnly. "I'll be more careful next time."

"That's what I wanna hear," I said appreciatively. "That reminds me, what you think of this."

As Peter turned around, his senses gave off a slight warning, his hands catching a small glowing core, the Arc-Reactor I stored all this time. Peter's eyes blinked repeatedly, unable to believe the sight of the item he was holding. "I-I-Is… is this a-an Arc-Reactor…?"

"Indeed it is, but not of Tony Stark's design," I began explaining. "If you remember a few months back at the Stark Expo when that crazy Russian attacked, he powered all of his droids with one of these. I was lucky enough to snag one of these from their remains, always wanted one so I couldn't resist. That's where you come in, I want you to study it, figure out what makes it tick." I offered.

Peter's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Really?"

"Yup. I had a thing for tinkering with machines and trying to make something out of old parts but I was limited. Kinda sucked at advanced engineering and science was never one of my stronger suits. You said you were an expert at that kind of stuff, think you can do it?"

"Well, I wouldn't say an expert but..." Peter replied sheepishly. "I mean, I wrote a couple of theories about the Arc-Reactor on how it's made and potential applications for it. In normal circumstances, it would take years to just figure out the kinks in order for it to even work. With this, I could just tear it apart and make a new foundation from there."

With a hopeful smile, I asked. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Of course! There wasn't a single thing I couldn't tear apart and put it back together even better," Peter admitted excitedly, forming a downcast look at the Reactor. "But I don't have the appropriate tools to even open this up, plus finding the right equipment isn't something lying around in a scrapyard." Peter muttered while in a thinking pose.

"Then you'll be needing this." I answered his worries by handing him a black leathered notepad.

Taking it into his own hands, Peter examined the item. "This one of your magical books?"

"Nope, just paper." I replied with a grin.

Remaining quiet for a few seconds, Peter contemplated whether or not to ask a "dumb" question. "...Magical paper?"

I couldn't resist holding in a laugh. "It is technically made with magic so I guess you can call it that," I walked a few steps towards him, gently tapping on the surface of the notepad. "I want you to write down everything you'll need to set up your own lab. Equipment, energy sources, materials, the works. Also, don't think about expense, that won't be an issue."

Peter was speechless. "I-I don't know what to say, I mean, all the stuff I made so far is just from old machines or stuff I found lying around with nobody using them. This is something I only dreamed of doing if I ever got to the levels of Tony Stark or Reed Richards, I'm not sure if I'm capable, to be honest with you."

"That's the insecurity talking. Believe me, I was nervous as hell when I started learning magic, I was practically at the bottom of the barrel starting from scratch. However, I knew I wouldn't get anywhere if I only thought I couldn't reach the levels of my peers." I said reassuringly. "I also know what can be achieved when the proper resources are provided to the ones who have talent. I was fortunate enough that my teacher gave me all that I needed to get on my own feet, so I would like to do the same in my own way. I told you what my plans are, and what I intend to do. The choice is yours, I'll be happy with whatever decision you make. What do you say, Peter Parker, can this sorcerer count on you?" I extended my arm with a smile.

The teen was stunned, looking at my hand for a short period while thinking it over. "No." Peter uttered before furiously shaking his head and correcting himself, rapidly shaking my hand. "Wait, I meant yes! Got confused, sorry. Anyway, yeah, I would love to work with you. Like... I'm honestly speechless. I always wanted to go bigger than just tinker on the small table in my room, but I never thought something like this might happen. I promise I'll live up to your expectations."

Smiling, I spoke up. "Just take your time, Pete, I look forward to seeing you in action. Think I might need some tutoring in that field so I don't get lost."

As we finalized our agreement, Peter went into overdrive on the notebook, writing all kinds of equipment and things we may or may not need. I gave him an idea what kind of setup I'd very much like and the stuff we'll start off with.

"Hey, would it be a problem if I made one of my dream projects first?" Peter asked pleadingly as he stopped writing.

"And what might that be?" I asked.

Peter stepped a bit closer to whisper his suggestion, my eyes widening slightly at what I heard. "You wanna build that?"

The teen could shrug with a small smile as a reply.

"You know what, my stuff can wait, go wild."

Oh yeah, this is going to be fun.

---

One lead, that's all Natasha desired at the moment.

Her current assignment only annoyed the hell out of her. She is yet to find any concrete proof or lead on the new ghost in town. Going off of the little she knew, Natasha started at the only place where actual footage was taken. With Killian's sudden death, and his work exposed, there's a connection there but it was still thin. If anything, his death most likely was his own fault judging by the corpse.

Natasha did some digging around Killian's facility where the video took place. For her target, it was a dead end, somewhat. The areas inside were heavily damaged, and there weren't any clues that could pinpoint her targets skillset. Whoever her target was, he at least knew how to cover up his tracks. There were no recordings or files in their servers, all of it whipped clean off. He was cautious, Natasha will give him that, but everyone slips up eventually, and this just might be her lucky day.

While back in S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, there was a report about a person with advanced tech robbing a bank and causing havoc around the block, with two vigilantes present as well. Unfortunately, there weren't any recordings of the event as the woman who witnessed it called the police before she was interrupted and the call went silent. The description her colleague gave her, was that the street was in "ruins", but upon her arrival the area was spotless. Something wasn't adding up.

They dispatched a unit to where the criminal was located, tied up around a light pole and was quickly taken into questioning. Natasha wasn't sure what to make of that, specifically the criminal himself. Herman Schultz, or as he likes to be called, Shocker, wasn't of any use whatsoever. Every question they asked him was met with silence or denial, making Natasha believe for a moment the nitwit was an exceptional actor to keep up a convincing poker face. When they hooked him up to the polygraph, the second round of questioning showed no results, a steady heartbeat for most of the duration, only acting up when asked about robbing the bank. Only more questions than answers arose after that little encounter.

That begs the question, how did he do it?

Judging by Schultz's behavior, it was like he was genuinely hearing that for the first time. It's a high possibility his memory was tampered with, he wasn't on any drugs nor does his file state about having any medical conditions. First, she'll have to confirm her suspicion if she was to move forward with her investigation. Tracking down the woman who made the call, she knocked on her door.

"Hi, excuse me, I'm Antonia Stanovic, from NYPD," Natasha expressed while showing the lady her fake-badge, receiving several nods from the lady. "Around a quarter past five PM you reported a robbery at this address, I just wanted to ask some questions to fill a few gaps."

"Ah, yes, I did," The woman answered with uncertainty. "But I'm not sure you're going to believe what I saw."

Natasha merely chuckled. "Ma'am, nothing can surprise me anymore. Please, if you could provide as many details as possible it would be a big help."

Reluctantly, the woman agreed to answer some of Natasha's questions afterwards. Besides Herman, the woman noted there were two other males present. They had some data on the first one, a vigilante with spider-like powers in what essentially is a blue and red onesie with a mask. S.H.I.E.L.D. picked up on him a few months ago, becoming more active in low-level crimes as of late. As for the second one, it's the same ghost they've been searching for weeks, the description fitting perfectly. She stated that prior to the third one's arrival, the street trashed and damaged before it was "fixed in seconds" with all three parties vanishing without a trace.

It only confirmed one of Natasha's suspicions, Supernatural aspects were in play. She checked the woman's file just in case, so whatever she said happened most definitely did. An entire block was trashed and cleaned up within seconds, all parties disappearing afterwards.

"How troublesome..." Natasha frowned at the total information she was able to collect. "If he's slippery as this then it's all up to chance. Unless bating him out, but that's "if" as well."

On her way back to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, she pondered what course of action to take. There's a high likelihood he'll reveal himself if a high-level crime is underway, and when it does, they have a short window to collapse on.

Just a little more.

Just a little more and Natasha will be able to put all the pieces together. She does love a challenge after all.

(Edit - I noticed/read some sentences were repeated or left unfinished. Word file bugged on me so I fixed the ones I could find.)

That's it for Ch8. I'd like to think I covered a lot of stuff with this one. We received the Heart Shaped Herb and its benefits, as well as some new ones. I didn't want to go too long with Bast than just with his specific trial, since it's been done. I only touched a little how drastic the buffs were at the start, but Ethan's progression is coming along smoothly.

I didn't want a too-long info dump of what he can do without much practice. So the next Chap will expand his training with a small time skip.

Also, we added Spider-Man to the list. Nothing against MCU Spider-Man, just wanted a different version to fit my story and think can accomplish so much with it. Personally I think the movies didn't do enough justice but those are my two cents. It will be an interesting trio and look forward to writing those three more.

Next Chap will come out faster since I know what to do plus I have already started writing it.

The link for Discord is " www - discord gg - bTyYgzEm7r" (Removes the - for the internet links), dunno if the name sucks so I'll change it if so (still have to edit some channels and customize and such). Will fix it up in the morning if anyone decides to join.

That's all I got, till next time, cya.