10 Chapter 10. Morphing
(General POV)
"Do you know what I pay for a suit ma size?" Aiden quipped, mimicking Brick's distinctive catchphrase as Speedy expertly shot an arrow that collided with Brick's firearm, causing a detonation that engulfed Brick's suit in flames.
Superboy furrowed his brow in confusion at Aiden's remark. "What?"
Aiden flashed him a knowing grin, accompanied by a subtle eye roll, conveying a silent message of "you'll understand one day."
The mission, as Boy Wonder had outlined it, involved persuading Speedy, Green Arrow's protégé, to join the Team. Despite Aiden's certainty about how the scenario would unfold and his belief that it was a futile endeavor, he eagerly agreed to participate, craving the thrill of the action.
He relished the opportunity to employ some of the counter-moves Wonder Woman had demonstrated during their earlier training session, blending them seamlessly with his own repertoire of tricks and magic. As the rest of the team rallied around Speedy to thwart Brick's illegal weapons operation, Aiden joined them with palpable excitement, eager to showcase his skills and contribute to the cause.
Aiden first assessed the situation with a cool demeanor. His prior training in martial arts, combined with his mastery of magic constructs through the Sling Ring (System given), gave him a unique advantage in combat scenarios.
As the shots rang out, Aiden's reflexes kicked in and he moved with swiftness and precision while conjuring diverse barrier constructs to deflect the incoming gunfire, protecting himself from harm.
Drawing inspiration from Wonder Woman's techniques, he seamlessly integrated her counter-moves into his own fighting style, effortlessly disarming opponents and neutralizing threats with calculated efficiency.
With each opponent he faced, Aiden adapted his strategy on the fly, exploiting their weaknesses and turning their strengths against them (just like Wonder Woman had done to him). His mastery of both hand-to-hand combat and mystic arts allowed him to switch fluidly between physical and magical attacks, keeping his adversaries off balance and unable to anticipate his next move.
Whether it was a flurry of punches in close quarters combat or a barrage of mystical arrows raining down from above, Aiden's versatility on the battlefield became impressive that even Boy Wonder noticed.
"I gotta get him to spar with me." Boy Wonder mused to himself as he knocked out three goons at once with even swifter reflexes and precision than Aiden.
Brick unleashed his brute strength with a calculated fury. With a grunt, he uprooted a massive boulder from the earth and hurled it toward Speedy, who was deftly dodging and weaving between the shipping containers, unleashing a barrage of arrows in response.
However, before the boulder could find its mark, Superboy seized the opportunity to showcase his own immense strength. With a thunderous leap, he soared into the air and delivered a bone-crushing blow, shattering the boulder into a cascade of rubble.
Undeterred by the setback, Brick doubled down on his assault, seizing another boulder and hurling it directly at Superboy with unyielding determination. It seemed that experience had taught Brick nothing, but in his world, brute force was king, and he wielded it with unwavering confidence.
As the second boulder hurtled toward him, Superboy stood his ground, unfazed by the incoming projectile. With a casual ease, he intercepted the boulder mid-flight, his muscles rippling with raw power as he halted its momentum.
But Brick was not one to relent so easily. With a primal roar, he charged forward, intent on overwhelming Superboy with sheer force. Yet, before he could reach his target, Speedy's expertly aimed arrow pierced through the air, disrupting Brick's advance and thwarting his attack.
Seizing the opportunity, Superboy seized the boulder that had been turned against him and, with a mighty heave, launched it back at Brick with equal force, closing the distance between them in a matter of heartbeats.
As Kid Flash deftly disarmed opponents with his lightning-fast movements and Aqualad subdued them with his formidable hard-water constructs, Aiden couldn't help but draw inspiration for his own magical creations.
Weapons aside, Aiden felt the urge to push himself further, driven by a desire to uncover any of the remaining techniques unrealized within the constructs perk of his system. With most of the goons already subdued, Aiden sensed an opportunity to test the limits of his magical abilities and explore new avenues of growth.
"What's he up to?" Aqualad voiced his curiosity, drawing closer to the other members as they observed Aiden's immobility in the face of danger.
"Now that I have seen him in action, his constructs bear a resemblance to yours, Aqualad," Boy Wonder remarked, highlighting the similarities between their respective abilities. "Only that, they are made of that golden-yellow hue that crackles with power, instead of water."
"Eldritch energy." Aqualad clarified.
"Who are the newcomers?" Speedy questioned. "Have you replaced me already? I get why you need two to fit my spot, but it's still salting."
"You left the team on your own Speedy. But no one is replacing you." Robin assured him. "The Team could use you. But seriously..."
"What on earth is he doing?" Robin's attention shifted to Aiden, who appeared to be stunned, despite the incoming goon.
As the final adversary stood before him, Aiden seized the moment to experiment with a new technique.
"I've been dissipating the energy in my constructs and starting from scratch each time I want to create a new one," Aiden mused aloud, assessing his past approach. "But that's not always efficient, especially when I need to conserve energy and act quickly."
"Morphing seems like the solution," he continued, his mind racing with possibilities. "Instead of dispelling the initial construct, I can reshape it into something new, saving time and energy in the process."
He reflected back to his day's experiences, believing that if he had used morphing, he could have at least surprised Wonder Woman and catch her offguard. Or, if he had used morphing, he could have perharps limited and controlled the energy of the speed boat, maintaining the construct for longer than several seconds.
With a determined gleam in his eye, Aiden focused his magic, channeling his intent into the energy sword he had conjured. Slowly, he began to alter its form, molding it into a staff with fluid precision.
"I've got some juice left," Aiden remarked, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Let's see how this brave guy handles a taste of my creativity."
With a swift, calculated motion, Aiden lunged forward, wielding his newly morphed staff with a blend of confidence and caution, ensuring he didn't incapacitate his opponent too quickly.
Mid-fight, as the confrontation unfolded, Aiden felt the need to adapt and diversify his tactics, craving the versatility to change weapons and maneuvers on the fly. With a deft flick of his ring, he reshaped his staff into a whip, swiftly disarming his adversary of his firearm.
Sensing the incoming punch, he smoothly transitioned the whip into a shield, using it to deflect the attack with practiced precision. Then, with a fluid motion, he transformed the construct into a pair of daggers, swiftly incapacitating the foe. Finally, he concluded the engagement with a morphed Eldritch punch, rendering the goon unconscious.
As Aiden glanced up at his teammates positioned on the nearby containers, he noted their curious expressions and exchanged glances.
"I was beginning to wonder if his mind had gone blank in the face of danger," Robin commented, referring to Aiden's initial stillness when confronted by the goon.
"It seemed like he was contemplating a new strategy," Aqualad surmised, recognizing the calculated pause in Aiden's movements.
"New strategy? I didn't see anything groundbreaking," Superboy interjected, puzzled by the exchange.
"Understanding his actions requires a grasp of magical techniques," Aqualad explained patiently. "He was teaching himself how to conserve energy while increasing his agility. Instead of starting from scratch with each construct, he was seamlessly reshaping his initial energy into an array of weapons and shields."
"It's a skill that demands both mastery and intuition, and he executed it flawlessly on his first attempt," Aqualad continued, his tone tinged with a hint of admiration. "I still have my reservations, but I'm starting to appreciate why he's embraced the title of the Master of the Mystic Arts."
"What say you, Roy?" Kid inquired. "The Cave is awesome, and there's this hot redhead that I'm dying to get back to. Are you coming with?"
Megan had decided to stay back in the Cave and bake cookies for them for when they came back.
Roy remained focused on the task at hand, extracting another arrow with practiced precision. "Pass," he responded tersely. "I don't want any part of it."
"Your new recruit's impressive, but remind him to stay mindful of the battlefield," Speedy added, his tone serious as he notched another arrow and took aim. "You can't afford any slip-ups." With precision, he released the arrow, sending it speeding toward Brick's back as the formidable foe prepared to strike at a distracted Aiden with his brute strength.
The arrow struck Brick squarely in the back, releasing a burst of sticky, maroonish substance that enveloped him from head to toe. Instantly, Brick's movements slowed to a crawl as he struggled against the adhesive, effectively immobilized by Speedy's well-placed shot.
But Aiden didn't seem to notice this save, as his gaze was fixated on the System in front of him. The same pinnacle of symbols and Eldritch glow, bearing a message.
Finally, on his second day in DC, he had achieved something noteworthy.
---
Yay... You've realized a boring technique: Morph and save time and energy. How clichéd. When will you get to something that's actually interesting? You really need to work on you Prowess, man. Think outside the box. Break the Freaking system, so to say.
Perk: Construct (2/4)
- Materialization
- Morphing (Unlocked)
- Locked
- Locked
~Prime
Let's discuss Prowess for a moment. It's a pathway to circumvent the System's limitations. While the System may indicate that certain Perks are locked, it serves more as a directive than an absolute barrier for Aiden. With sufficient dedication and effort (such as enduring a 5000-year war), he could potentially unlock a "Locked" Perk or technique, thereby advancing his Prowess to a level akin to that of Doctor Strange (100%).
His initial Prowess of 25% is the reason he can even use Doctor Strange's powers to begin with. Otherwise he would...
Advance chapters in Patreon if you are interested.
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