The next morning, Arthur sat across from Daniel Wang in the Phoenix Group's top-floor conference room. London sprawled below them, a city on the edge of a new millennium, drunk on technology and possibility.
"You look terrible," Daniel said, sliding a folder across the polished table. "Late night?"
"Something like that." Arthur opened the folder, scanning the quarterly reports. The numbers were staggering — even though he'd paid little attention to the investment strategy in recent weeks. "The tech sector's performing well."
"Performing well?" Daniel laughed, the sound laced with disbelief. "We're up three hundred percent this quarter alone. Every internet startup we've touched has doubled in value. It's absolutely insane."
"It's a bubble," Arthur said quietly. "And bubbles burst."
Daniel's enthusiasm dimmed instantly. "When?"
"Soon. Around a year or so. I'll give you the exact dates when they come closer. Use them to the best of your ability."
Daniel leaned back in his chair. "You know, with your prophetic advice, investment isn't all that fun anymore. It's too easy."
Arthur's lips quirked. "If you want, I won't give you any dates. You can figure it out yourself."
"And lose out on the profits? Never." Daniel pulled out his tablet, already making notes. "I'll create a specialized team to manage the tech portfolio. We'll need people who can execute complex strategies without asking too many questions."
"Do it. But carefully. If word gets out that Phoenix Group is betting against the market—"
"We become the catalyst for the crash ourselves," Daniel finished. "The prophet of doom becomes the cause. I understand completely. Anything else?"
"I'll be traveling for a while. Possibly weeks. If you have anything urgent to discuss, contact me via Winky. She'll relay your messages."
"Another adventure?" Daniel's tone was light, but genuine curiosity flickered in his eyes. "One day you'll have to take me with you on one of these mysterious trips."
"Sure," Arthur agreed, standing. "I'll take you to a futuristic alien planet one day."
Daniel blinked. "What?"
But Arthur was already gone, leaving his CEO staring at empty air.
—
That evening, Arthur called Carol through the Kree communicator. Her image flickered to life, the backdrop showing what looked like a busy alien marketplace with creatures of every imaginable shape haggling over goods.
"Bad timing?" he asked, noting the chaos behind her.
"No, just collecting spare parts for my ship." Carol held up what looked like a crystalline power converter. "What do you need?"
"Nothing urgent. I have a list of planets I'd like you to take me to eventually. No rush."
Carol's eyebrows rose. "Anything special about these planets?"
Arthur's expression was carefully neutral. "Every one of them is special in its own way. You'll understand when you read the list."
With that, Arthur transmitted the data.
The list contained names like Asgard, Nidavellir, Xandar, and many more. It even included Morag, the desolate planet where Arthur knew the Power Stone rested.
To become strong enough to defeat—or even kill—Mephisto, Arthur wouldn't rely solely on chi. That would merely support his other pursuits. His real targets were the Power Stone, Asgardian magic, and artifacts forged by the dwarves of Nidavellir. With those, he was certain he could make Mephisto pay a much harsher price for any future encounters.
Carol's eyes widened as she read the list. "You've given me an incredibly hard task, Arthur. Even the Kree stay well away from territories governed by Asgard. They're not exactly welcoming to visitors."
"I'm not in a hurry," Arthur said. "Take your time—even years if necessary. I don't want you picking fights with god-like beings now. You might not be a match for them yet."
Carol nodded slowly, still processing the list. "It will definitely take time. I'm rather busy at the moment. Some Kree rebels fled from Hala during the ceremony and are now terrorizing other planets."
"So fast? Someone's living up to her promise of being the space superhero."
A genuine smile crossed Carol's face. "I like it, actually. The gratitude. The adoration. It's giving me a goal in life."
Arthur said, "All this in one day? Things are progressing quickly."
Carol replied, "Blame the Kree for not giving me time to rest. I was planning on going to Maria's when these rebels escaped Dar-Benn's control and promised to wreck havoc. It's handled now."
Arthur said, "Good that you stayed behind then. Otherwise we would've missed this group. Be careful though. I don't want my intergalactic travel agent dying before she takes me on the grand tour of the universe."
Carol laughed. "Don't worry. I'll help you fulfill your space tourist dreams. Though I have to ask—why the sudden urgency with this location? You didn't mention any of this yesterday on Hala."
Arthur exhaled slowly. "Because yesterday I fought someone… someone strong. Stronger than I expected."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You look alright, so I'm guessing you won?"
"Maybe," Arthur admitted, a shadow flickering across his face. "But barely. And he wasn't even at his full strength. If I keep moving forward like this, I'll hit a wall. I need other ways to grow stronger. These places, these plans… they're my best bet."
Carol was quiet for a moment, then said firmly, "I'll help however I can. But promise me one thing, Arthur—don't take reckless risks just for power. You don't have to carry this burden alone."
Arthur promised.
The transmission ended, leaving Arthur alone with his thoughts.
He hoped to visit Asgard relatively soon—but Odin was not someone he could challenge at the moment. The All-Father might have looked soft and weakened in the movies, but examining his actual deeds revealed anything but softness. The old god had conquered realms, defeated cosmic threats, and held the Nine Realms in an iron grip for millennia.
He would have to wait. Patience was bitter medicine, but necessary.
For now, Arthur prepared for the K'un-Lun trip. He hoped that with advanced chi manipulation, he might strengthen his body enough to bear the power of the Power Stone when the time came. He desperately wanted to avoid another incident like the Space Stone fiasco, where absorbing its power had left him magically crippled for weeks.
Chi was his best bet to avoid that particular fate. If he could strengthen his physical form to superhuman levels through K'un-Lun's techniques, perhaps he could handle an Infinity Stone without his body breaking down.
The pieces were moving into place.
The Phoenix Group would come out at the top from the coming economic storm.
Carol would scout his future destinations.
And soon, very soon, he would breach the barriers of K'un-Lun and see what secrets that mystical city held.
All paths forward required power.
And Arthur Hayes would claim it.
One way or another.