Rowan was quite satisfied with Venina's honesty. Without a word, he reached into his spatial ring and drew out three shimmering Woodya Crystals.
The moment they appeared, a soft, warm light filled the room, and the air was instantly saturated with the rich aroma of sweet rice. The scent was so thick it seemed to linger in every breath.
Venina's eyes widened. She had never seen anything like it. The crystals were beautiful far more radiant than any gem she had ever encountered.
"What… are these?" she asked curiously, gazing at the glowing crystals suspended before her.
"These are called Woodya Crystals," Rowan explained calmly. "If a mid-tier War God consumes one, it can directly elevate them to the rank of Planetary Level One."
Venina froze, her jaw dropping. "Planetary level?!"
In a flash, she sat upright from Rowan's embrace, completely stunned.
"What? You don't want it?" Rowan teased, using his mental energy to make one of the crystals float lazily above his head. His amused gaze drifted over Venina's perfect figure, his tone playful.
"I… I do want it…" Venina stammered, her voice trembling. She knew Rowan wasn't lying. But she could hardly believe that something so precious a treasure capable of transcending the limits of a War God was something he would casually offer to her.
After all, ascending to the Planetary Level meant becoming something beyond human. It was a realm only a handful of people on Earth had ever achieved after decades of battle and hardship.
And yet, one of these crystals could make that leap possible in a single instant.
The mere thought made Venina tremble. The value of the Woodya Crystal was beyond measure.
Seeing her hesitating between desire and disbelief, Rowan couldn't help but chuckle. He gently guided one of the crystals toward her with his telekinesis. "Take it," he said simply. "You're my woman. What I have you'll have too."
He wasn't a man of flowery words. Rowan's affection was simple, direct, and sincere. If he liked someone, he made it clear. If he didn't, he wouldn't pretend otherwise.
And yet, that single sentence, spoken in his calm, confident tone, struck deeper than any elaborate declaration of love.
Venina's eyes glistened as she accepted the crystal, her heart overflowing with emotion. At that moment, Rowan completely replaced Li Yao in her heart the difference between the two men was like heaven and earth.
"Yao's coming," Rowan murmured after a moment, sensing another familiar presence. "Go upstairs and stay quiet. Take the time to absorb the crystal."
He gave her a light smack on her firm, round hips his palm lingering for just a second. The soft elasticity made him smile.
Venina shivered, blushing hard, then obediently dressed and retreated to the attic room.
She already knew about Rowan's relationship with Yao, but it didn't bother her. A man like Rowan a man of true power was destined to be surrounded by women. Venina was clever enough to understand her place.
By the time Rowan adjusted his clothes and used his telekinesis to restore the bed to its original state, Yao was already stepping into the living room, heading upstairs.
They met face-to-face.
"The Director sent you?" Rowan asked casually, already guessing her purpose. Earlier, when he'd passed by Hong, the Director had messaged him wanting an update on what he'd found inside Mist Island. But Rowan, distracted by Venina's sudden appearance, had let the matter slip his mind.
"Yes. You're not upset, are you?" Yao replied softly, her eyes bright. Truthfully, she wasn't here just for Hong's orders she wanted to see Rowan.
"Of course not," Rowan said with an easy smile. "I made great progress this time. Just consumed a Woodya Crystal and came back to stabilize my energy."
That explanation was enough for Yao. She followed him to the living room, her curiosity growing.
"These ten Woodya Crystals are for you," Rowan said, summoning ten of the gleaming crystals to float before her. "Take them all. Once you've fully absorbed them, your strength should rise several levels."
Yao's eyes went wide, her hand covering her mouth in disbelief. She'd heard about these crystals their miraculous power and yet, seeing twenty of them suspended in the air before her, she could hardly breathe.
She was currently a Planetary Level Two warrior. If she consumed all ten crystals, she could probably reach Planetary Level Five or Six.
Even so, she knew that each step beyond this point required immense energy, and no matter how potent the Woodya Crystals were, they couldn't instantly propel her to the peak.
"These… are for me?" she whispered, still uncertain.
"Yes," Rowan confirmed. "And these five are for the Director." He gestured to another small cluster of crystals. "Distribute them accordingly."
He had already decided how to allocate the spoils from Mist Island. A portion would go to humanity's forces in the Devouring World, and the rest he'd bring back to the Marvel Universe.
As for himself, he had no need for them anymore. His strength had already surpassed what the crystals could offer.
Yao, overwhelmed with emotion, could no longer contain herself. She threw her arms around Rowan, her body pressed against his as her gratitude spilled out wordlessly.
Rowan responded in kind matching her passion with his own.
By the next morning, Yao departed, carrying the Woodya Crystals with her.
Once she was gone, Rowan went upstairs to check on Venina. She was deep in meditation, her body surrounded by faint light as she absorbed the crystal's energy. The process would take weeks.
Rowan sealed the room with a wall of vibrating vibranium energy completely masking her presence. Even if Yao returned, she'd never know Venina was there.
"Friday," Rowan said, his voice calm. "Modify room permissions. No one enters without my authorization."
After the AI confirmed the change, Rowan returned to his room, slipped on his dimensional ring, and once again stepped through the veil returning to the Marvel Universe.
At his seaside villa, he found the place unusually quiet. Neither Wanda nor Director Hill was there.
"Friday, connect to the global network," he ordered, settling lazily onto the couch. "Show me what's been happening on Earth lately."
Within seconds, Friday displayed a flood of information.
Venom's rampage. The emergence of multiple Spider-Men. The clash in New York where three Spider-Men from different universes fought side by side.
The Multiverse had opened.
On the western coast, Director Hill had granted Asgardians sovereignty over an uninhabited island. Thor had risen as their new leader, forming a New Avengers Alliance to defend both Earth and the cosmos.
Asgardian magic and technology were now partially shared with humanity though most of it was monopolized by the military.
Hill had become Secretary of Defense, with Natasha Romanoff as her chief assistant. Together, they handled most of Earth's crises though, to Rowan, those "crises" were little more than minor disturbances.
Feeling in the mood for relaxation, Rowan had Friday send invitations to his close allies Sharon Carter, Dr. Helen Zhao, and a few others for a private party. No outsiders, and certainly no Tony Stark.
That night, the villa came alive with laughter and music. Fireworks burst over the ocean, and a feast of Earth's finest dishes filled the tables.
By two in the morning, the celebration had quieted.
Hill, tipsy and smiling, leaned against Rowan's shoulder. "You've been gone so much lately," she murmured. "Where do you disappear to for weeks at a time?"
"I've been cultivating," Rowan replied simply. "Soon, I'll have to leave again for a longer period. I wanted to see all of you before I go."
The mood shifted immediately. Sharon and Dr. Zhao exchanged glances, their eyes dimming. Even Wanda and Natasha fell silent, their gazes filled with quiet longing.
They had all grown attached to Rowan, each in their own way.
He saw the emotion in their eyes but didn't dwell on it. Instead, he summoned three orbs of glowing Life Essence, their energy filling the villa with a vibrant, natural light.
"These," Rowan explained, "will greatly enhance your abilities. Helen, Sharon, Shuri each of you take one. Once you've fully absorbed them, use these two Woodya Crystals to advance even further. Together, they'll make your strength comparable to that of the gods."
They stared in awe as he handed out the gifts.
The mention of "gods" didn't impress them much after all, they'd seen Thor and the Asgardians. But they knew Rowan's words were never empty.
Rowan smiled faintly as they accepted the crystals. "Use them well," he said simply.
When the night ended, everyone departed. Rowan spent a final few days with Wanda and Natasha, cherishing the quiet moments before his next journey.
On the third night, he said his goodbyes, stepping onto his Celestial Shuttle and soaring beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Moments later, he activated his ring and returned once more to the Devouring World.
Upon arrival, his AI assistant Xiao Ming instantly wiped Friday's data clean, restoring her to her base configuration. Compared to Babata, Friday was obsolete.
Rowan then checked on Venina. Her aura was far stronger now, her energy swirling like a storm on the verge of breaking through to Planetary Level.
The Woodya Crystal she'd been absorbing had nearly dissolved. A few more days, and she'd ascend.
Just then, a message flashed across his communicator it was from Yao, summoning him to the Temple of the War God.
When Rowan arrived, he found the grand hall crowded with Planetary-level warriors, all speaking animatedly.
"Rowan! Over here!" Beast a rugged, bearded warrior waved him over with a grin.
As Rowan approached, the chatter quieted. The other warriors, recognizing him, quickly rose to greet him with respect.
They were veterans from the Mist Island expedition powerful figures in their own right but to them, Rowan was something else entirely.
"What's going on?" Rowan asked, taking a seat.
Beast chuckled. "It's about Li Yao," he said. "He recently broke through to the Planetary level and went after Luo Feng for revenge. But the moment they clashed, Luo Feng sliced him clean in half with some kind of psychic weapon."
Rowan nodded slightly, unsurprised.
Even with the Black God Set and newfound power, Li Yao could never match Luo Feng's telekinetic mastery or the cutting force of his curved blade.
"So," Rowan said, his tone even, "what do you actually want from me?"
Beast scratched his beard awkwardly. "Well… they were hoping you'd sell them some Woodya Crystals. I was supposed to make the introduction."
Rowan narrowed his eyes. "And how much did they pay you to sell me out?"
Beast's rugged face flushed red as he coughed into his hand.
"Rowan," one of the others interjected hastily, "if you're willing to part with even a few, our HR Alliance will trade you anything you desire treasures, relics, resources, name it."
Rowan leaned back slightly, expression unreadable.
It seemed word of the Woodya Crystals was spreading fast and the world was starting to realize just how powerful they truly were.
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