18 Chapter 18: Ascend! Divine! Ascension!
After obtaining the evidence of Oberthaya's involvement in selling weapons to terrorists and hiring them to assassinate Tony Stark, the previous events finally reached a conclusion, and Warren could finally relax and indulge in his card draws.
With such a substantial gathering of gold, it was natural for anyone to have questions. Therefore, Warren decided to be a bit extravagant, especially since he recently drew a variant ability of the Steelman.
The signing ceremony with the New York Police Department didn't attract much attention this time, perhaps because many reporters were busy digging up dirt on Stark.
After the ceremony, Warren invited several business associates.
"Are you planning to pave the ground with gold bricks?" one of the attendees exclaimed, astounded by the celebration in honor of Senator Stern.
Warren had actually piled up such a large amount of gold in his mansion, which seemed excessive. Flaunting wealth should not be done in this manner!
Eleven tons of gold bars on the floor dazzled the onlookers. Although it didn't appear to be much, everyone present understood its value.
The gold was divided into two piles, resembling two large bedside tables. After all, gold has a density of 19.32, and these two piles added up to just a little over half a cubic meter.
Director Carlos couldn't help but smile. "Warren, are you planning to melt this gold and create a solid gold statue of yourself?"
"Good idea, I will consider it."
"But I need to remind you about security issues."
"In that case, let's put them away."
Warren walked over and stood in between the two piles of gold, placing his hands on them.
"..."
Nothing happened.
"Apologies, I forgot something."
He adjusted the "Dispel Bracelet" on his left wrist to standby mode, deactivating its ability-blocking effect.
Whoosh!
Pure white wings unfolded, and it was fortunate that Warren wore a garment with openings at the back to allow his wings to emerge.
"Oh, could this be..."
"Exactly."
"Could it be a device that restores mutant abilities?" one of the guests exclaimed in amazement.
Thanks to his composed demeanor, Warren smoothly continued the conversation.
"Indeed, the purpose of this bracelet is to nullify the effects of the 'antidote,' Director Fury."
The speaker was none other than Nick Fury, who represented S.H.I.E.L.D. and had recently ordered a batch of webbing equipment and antidote weapons from Worthington. That's why Warren had invited him, but he didn't expect Fury to show up.
He thought the busy director wouldn't come.
Well, it's just a casual bluff. What if someday an enemy assumes that breaking his bracelet would deprive him of his superpowers?
The scene would certainly be spectacular.
"My researchers have discovered that the 'antidote' gradually loses its effectiveness in suppressing mutant genes, lasting approximately three years. Does that device suppress the effects of the antidote? It seems you've stumbled upon something rather unpleasant," Nick Fury spoke bluntly.
"Your team is impressive, indeed. I didn't disclose to the public that the effects of the antidote only last for three years. Originally, I planned to announce this news next year... Besides, the antidote isn't too expensive, right? Everyone can afford it once every three years."
Faced with Warren's business-like demeanor, Nick Fury couldn't be bothered to say much. At least Warren was only interested in making money and hadn't done anything too outrageous.
Moreover, despite the antidote being somewhat costly, the government provides many subsidies to address the mutant issue. If it's once every three years, it's truly affordable for everyone.
If worst comes to worst, you can show off in front of the New York Police Department. They will give you a shot for free, and they're equipped with web shooters, so you don't have to worry about getting killed.
One of the reasons Nick Fury came this time was because his research team had discovered the time limit of the "antidote."
In addition, he wanted to see what Warren had been doing with the large amount of gold he acquired these past few days and discuss the important matter at hand.
"Make them disappear," Warren said as he pressed his hands against the gold. The system provided a prompt.
"Recharge them all!"
The balance of gold coins in the system skyrocketed, and in the gaze of everyone present, those gold bars worth billions were ignited. A golden radiance flowed into Warren's body, leaving behind only ashes, as if they had never existed.
The gold coin balance reached 110,000, and now, Warren could finally draw an epic card.
"What is this... magic?" Carlos, just an ordinary police chief, felt that his concepts were being challenged.
"It's simply..."
Draw a card, an epic one!
The third gray card flickered madly, representing an epic-grade card, and unsurprisingly, it solidified into gold.
[Golden Epic!]
The resounding voice of the announcer declared the card's level.
The card had a purple crystal face, with a golden gem set in the middle, depicting a six-winged angel.
"It's just my mutant ability; you all should know that I'm a mutant, so... is anyone interested in investing in the Worthington Bank?"
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Worthington Bank?"
"When did Worthington have a bank?"
Warren smiled faintly. "It's still in the preparation stage, but as you all have seen, I will safeguard everyone's wealth."
I don't believe you. We only saw you wasting gold.
...
Golden Epic [Ascend! Divine! Ascension!]
A golden gem was embedded in the amethyst card, and intricate and mysterious patterns radiated from the gem, imprisoning the image of the six-winged angel within the card.
Ascend! Divine! Ascension! What is this thing? It looks like an angel, but why so many exclamation marks in the name? I've always disliked books with excessive exclamation marks filling the entire page.
Golden Epic [Ascend! Divine! Ascension!]: A one-time talent card that grants the divine talent Ascend! Divine! Ascension!, which belongs to the righteous angel Kael.
As you grow into a complete divine being, you will go through four stages: Zeal, Fervor, Ascension, and Transcendence.
You will acquire three pairs of angelic wings and gradually ignite them.
At each stage, you can integrate one of your own abilities into Ascend! Divine! Ascension!, and the integrated ability will determine the ultimate strength of your divine being. Choose wisely.
"Righteous angel Kael? Isn't Kael known as the Angel of Judgment?"
Warren hadn't played games in a long time. The game must have undergone some changes.
After all, he had graduated from school a long time ago, attended numerous banquets and social events, but couldn't find time for gaming sessions anymore.
"I remember angel passives reduce resistance. How did it end up like this? It seems quite powerful."
As Warren continued chatting with everyone, he chose to use [Ascend! Divine! Ascension!].
Why does this name need so many exclamation marks? Is it to stand out? Do you know how annoying it is to have a novel with exclamation marks covering the entire screen?
You're so cool. Do the legendary cards know about you?
...
Warren did not shy away from acknowledging his status as a mutant, confidently spreading his wings, all in preparation for his next plan.
Senator Stern, who had a good relationship with him, was aware of Warren's upcoming plan. After all, they had discussed it before, and Nick Fury was likely informed as well.
The others, driven by money and personal connections, and being experienced individuals, did not pay much attention to these matters. After all, many of them had already dealt with people with extraordinary abilities.
"Warren, how is your new project progressing?" Nick Fury calmly conversed with Warren, completely disregarding the wings behind him.
"Which specific new project are you referring to?"
"The Worthington Laboratory, mutants."
"Oh, it's going quite smoothly. I've consulted Dr. Esnoxin, and he mentioned that if we add a supercomputer to the laboratory, we should be able to decode the 'self-healing gene' within two years."
"That's indeed good news." Stern chimed in.
"As a matter of fact, the President is planning to invest in this project, and it's likely to be approved by Congress."
Listening to the tone of the Hydra Senator, manipulating Congress as if it were nothing, was truly disdainful.
"Perfect timing. I need some investment now. I've recently added several new ventures, and funds are becoming tight."
Nick Fury and Stern expressed complete disbelief. You were just performing extravagant magic tricks with gold moments ago, and now you claim to be short on funds?
"This is a groundbreaking invention." Nick Fury showed great interest in the matter, especially considering it involved a healing elixir.
He had seen data on mutants with rapid self-healing abilities and understood how powerful it would be if such abilities could be bestowed upon ordinary individuals, even if only temporarily.
Field agents would carry it with them, and there would be no need for medics.
Buzz...
Suddenly, Warren's body started to vibrate, and the intense light cracked his body, shining through the broken porcelain-like surface.
Stern was petrified, but Nick Fury, the King of Agents, reacted swiftly, pulling him aside and grabbing a decorative candlestick as a weapon.
The power of stars and flames surged, incinerating the wings on Warren's back.
As if standing from a higher-dimensional perspective, Warren "saw" other powers within himself.
[Inherent Strength] [Unwavering Calm] [Agile Dexterity] [Feline Agility] [Beastly Instinct] [Hardened]
He "understood" that to ascend the Divine Long Step, he needed to choose one power to merge and reach the first stage of "Zeal."
"This goes without saying. It must be..."
In his card collection, he used the purple rare card [Individuality, Explosion]!
Divine Long Step, First Stage: Zeal.
Merged Ability: Explosion!
This was currently the best ability he could utilize.
Moreover, the Divine Long Step possessed the power of stars and flames, making it a suitable match for the explosive ability, wouldn't you agree?
An illusory staircase appeared, and a colossal foot descended. In that moment, a scene resembling a nuclear explosion flashed, blinding Warren's titanium eyes. He vaguely glimpsed six golden wings shimmering behind the towering figure.
Is that... my future divine form?
...
Crackling sounds.
Unlike the massive nuclear explosion in the spiritual world, Warren only witnessed faint sparks of explosions in the real world, about as powerful as a firecracker, but still quite intimidating.
Nick Fury was considering evacuating everyone and securing the area. After all, if a powerful mutant lost control, it would be a catastrophic disaster.
"Warren?" he shouted loudly, attempting to bring Valen's consciousness back.
The intense starlight on Warren's body dimmed, revealing his usual smile.
"Sorry, just had a bit too much to eat. Please don't worry about it, everyone."
Nick Fury let out a sigh of relief and put the candlestick back in its place.
Damn, so this is what happens when you eat too much gold? Quite an enlightening experience, I must say.
"Your wings seem to have multiplied." Nick Fury pointed out.
Warren looked back and indeed, his wings had transformed from a single pair to three pairs.
One pair remained on his scapula, another pair at the lower rib position, and a slightly smaller pair hung down like a swallowtail coat.
A regular angel had evolved into a six-winged angel, and these magnificent luminous wings, composed of delicate flowing light, exhibited pleasing and graceful lines.
"Well, I'm still growing." Warren offered an explanation that nobody believed.
Nick Fury quietly noted this information. Warren Woxington seemed to have the ability to consume gold and evolve.
Why did he come to this conclusion? Transforming from two wings to six wings clearly indicated evolution!
As for analyzing his character, Nick Fury found it somewhat elusive. He only felt that Warren was intentionally putting on a show today, but the reason behind it remained unclear. Perhaps it was related to his desire to promote mutant ideologies. Senator Stern had been paving the way for him lately, and the intention was quite obvious.
However, Nick Fury wasn't particularly concerned. Warren Woxington was not anti-human or anti-society. If he wanted to showcase his mutant abilities, it was his own business. It might have some influence on the government's strategy to eliminate mutants, but that didn't concern him. In fact, he even somewhat agreed with Warren's approach.
His purpose in coming here today was solely to ascertain the authenticity and reliability of the healing elixir. He needed to confirm that this substance was genuine.
"Sorry for the interruption."
Warren needed to change his clothes. Although his previous outfit had accommodated his wings, he didn't expect two additional pairs to emerge. Even though the radiant wings didn't cause any inconvenience, the burst of energy had torn his clothes at the back, leaving him feeling a chill.
...
A six-winged angel.
Warren never expected that the epic card he drew would transform him into a six-winged angel.
If he was merely a mutant with extended wings before, now he had truly become an angel.
Divine Long Step, an epic-level talent that would allow him to grow into a godly being, required four stages.
Now, with his transformation into a true angel, he would lead mutants to obtain sufficient social standing.
"Perhaps the strategy can be changed a bit."
In his room, Warren changed into a new outfit, with the ethereal six wings flowing through his clothes like a projection effect.
"Let's be more radical."
Swoosh...
Looking through the mirror, he saw his six wings expand and solidify behind him. The illusory wings made of flowing light became dazzling, illuminating the dim room.
"I'm thinking about what slogan would be more suitable for mutants... Ah, got it."
"Talent!"
"Glory!"
"Faith!"
Gazing at himself in the mirror, exuding an air of a somewhat charismatic... angelic figure, Warren cleared his throat and solemnly declared in a deep voice, "Follow the will of the divine."
Pfft!
Hahaha...
