Outskirts of New York, Abandoned Industrial Zone
James Holden stood in the middle of a desolate wasteland, surrounded by crumbling walls and rusted machinery. Once a chemical factory, the area was now a mess of cracked concrete and overgrown weeds.
"System, display my skill panel," he murmured in his mind.
[Ding! Host's skill panel generated]
[Host: James Holden]
[Current Ability: Complete Steel Body (evolving)]
[Strength Level: Capable of lifting one million tons with ease (evolving)]
[Defense Level: Immune to conventional physical attacks, able to withstand the epicenter of a nuclear explosion unharmed. Magic resistance lower than physical defense, except against high-level mages like the Ancient One; ordinary mages can be ignored.]
[Speed Level: Up to 0.3c in space, 200 Mach in atmosphere]
[Energy Reserve: Continuous recharge via yellow solar radiation, current level: 97%]
[Special Abilities: Heat vision (max temperature equivalent to the sun's surface), arctic breath (near absolute zero), bio-force field (protection or manipulation of contacted objects), X-ray vision (penetrates all but lead), super-hearing (directional global-scale listening)]
[Weakness: Kryptonite can weaken or kill the host with prolonged exposure. However, the host can ignore this weakness unless desiring death. Bio-force field blocks even kryptonite vapors.]
James nodded slightly, scanning his surroundings. He needed to test his abilities without drawing attention from S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA.
"First, strength."
He approached an abandoned concrete building and placed a hand on its wall. His bio-force field enveloped the entire structure. With a gentle motion, he lifted it.
BOOM!
The 8,000-ton building rose into the air, steel rebar groaning under the strain. Thanks to his bio-force field's precision, no debris fell.
"About 8,000 tons. No effort," he murmured. Though the system had specified his limits, he wanted to confirm it himself.
[Strength test complete. Current lifting limit: not reached.]
He gently set the building down, causing no tremor on the ground.
"Now, speed."
James took a deep breath, bent his knees, and…
BANG!
A sonic shockwave erupted as he vanished. Nineteen seconds later, he floated above the Atlantic, gazing at the ocean.
"Too fast," he exhaled, still dizzy. "System, calculate my speed."
[Speed test result: Approximately 180 Mach.]
[Warning: High-speed movement generates sonic booms and thermal radiation, detectable by satellite. However, the host can use the bio-force field to eliminate noise.]
James nodded and returned to New York's outskirts in an instant.
"Let's test heat vision and arctic breath."
He focused on a distant hill. His eyes glowed, and two red beams, thin as hairs, shot out, slicing the rock into molten lava. Then he inhaled and exhaled.
WHOOSH!
A blast of frigid air instantly froze the lava into a glossy black crystal.
"Perfect control," he said, satisfied. "System, energy consumption data?"
[Heat vision (low power): 0.01% energy consumed]
[Arctic breath (single use): 0.005% energy consumed]
"Almost negligible," James grinned. "And super-hearing?"
He closed his eyes, focusing. Instantly, a cacophony of sounds flooded his ears: sirens in New York, crowd chatter, subway rumbles. Further out, political debates in Washington, military radio communications, and even a secret meeting halfway across the globe.
His super-brain automatically filtered S.H.I.E.L.D. communications. He searched for a specific target and caught an encrypted conversation:
"The HYDRA base was destroyed, abnormal energy readings detected."
"No witnesses, all cameras offline."
"Director Fury orders a thorough investigation, but leads are scarce."
James smirked. S.H.I.E.L.D. was looking for him, but they had nothing.
He tried intercepting HYDRA communications, but their encryption was tighter. He caught only fragments:
"Winter Soldier on standby."
"Target may possess super-speed."
"Advanced plan in preparation."
"HYDRA's more cautious than S.H.I.E.L.D.," James muttered, opening his eyes. "But they haven't found me either."
He decided to test his super-brain.
"System, analyze this world's tech tree. Priority: energy technologies and materials."
[Ding! Analysis in progress…]
[Marvel Universe tech level: Superior to reality in certain fields.]
[Key technologies: Arc Reactor (Tony Stark), vibranium (Wakanda), Pym Particles (Hank Pym), Super-Soldier Serum (Dr. Erskine).]
James narrowed his eyes. "If I master these technologies with my powers…"
He pondered for a moment, deciding to dive into this universe's sciences. Standing in the abandoned factory, he closed his eyes, feeling the colossal energy of his Steel Body and the infinite potential of his super-brain.
But a problem arose: he lacked foundational knowledge to fully exploit these technologies.
"To dominate this world, brute strength isn't enough. I need knowledge."
Step 1: Fundamental Sciences.
He activated his X-ray vision, piercing dozens of kilometers to reach the New York Public Library. Book texts became clear as day. University Physics, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Fundamentals of Biochemistry… His eyes scanned each page at superhuman speed, his super-brain absorbing information like a sponge.
Molecular structures, electromagnetic theories, thermodynamic laws, DNA coding… Everything integrated into a coherent cognitive system. In minutes, he mastered the basics of human sciences.
Step 2: Advanced Technologies.
He turned his gaze to MIT, where a late-night lab was active. Students worked on a miniature nuclear magnetic resonance device, their screens displaying quantum computation models. James scanned every line of code, every parameter, his brain deducing underlying principles.
"So, plasma confinement for nuclear fusion works like this…"
His super-brain simulated a virtual lab, testing hypotheses without physical equipment.
Step 3: Marvel's Unique Technologies.
He focused on the Arc Reactor from Stark Industries. His vision pierced Tony Stark's private lab atop Stark Tower. Tony was tweaking a new reactor's output. James observed the plasma flow and energy conversion matrix, his brain optimizing the design in real-time.
"Palladium is a temporary fix. The real breakthrough would be…"
He mentally designed a more efficient and stable reactor than Stark's.
Next, he analyzed vibranium. In a Wakandan diplomatic suitcase at the UN, he spotted a sample. His atomic-resolution vision decoded the metal's unique crystalline structure.
"Its vibrational frequency absorbs kinetic energy?"
He simulated vibranium's properties, imagining ways to synthesize a similar material.
Finally, he studied Pym Particles, stored in Hank Pym's old safe. His vision decoded quantum tunneling effects, and his brain calculated spatial compression equations.
"Shrinking doesn't reduce mass; it folds dimensions…"
At dawn, James opened his eyes, a confident smile on his lips. Without relying on the system or leaving traces, he'd assimilated everything from fundamental sciences to this universe's cutting-edge tech. He didn't just wield a god's strength but the knowledge to reshape the world.
"Next step," he murmured, gazing at New York's horizon, "real-world experiments."