34 The Serious Start, Hero Gathering!
Dan's heavy breathing quickly calmed down, and before long, it was as if he hadn't even started yet. If it weren't for the sweat that clung to him, it would be easy to think that Dan hadn't put any effort in at all. "So that's it then, I passed, does that mean I'm ready to face The Hand?"
"Yes, you could definitely win against the majority of them, however, most of the higher-ups are also very proficient in the use of Chi. There are even rumours of the existence of some form of beast hiding in the shadows, one that is not only capable of using Chi, but also some form of magic. During my time, I have seen some weird things, things that you couldn't even imagine, it's highly possible that this beast is a demon.
Demons are a force to be reckoned with, the last time we encountered one, it took the combined efforts of me and the strongest members of our force to barely kill that thing! However, if you continue to gather Chi at the same rate, you might just stand a chance."
"15 days, that's as long as I can do for now, who knows, The Hand may not be the only organisation willing to join the chaos. Mainly because White Tiger is currently gathering as many heroes as she can within the city, she's probably managed to gather quite a few by now."
"Is that so? If that's the case, I will also be taking part in this fight, this may be our only chance to completely wipe out The Hand, as well as any other organisations too."
The two of them continued to chat for a while before heading to the kitchen, where they found Andrei waiting for them. He gave a start when he saw Dan, "Ok, I know that I told you to try out gathering Chi, I didn't think it would have this much of an effect on you. Of course you got taller again, you're going to become a giant at this rate."
He has a point, System, how long will it be before I'm able to make use of Density Control?
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It will be approximately 8 days before you can start to use that ability.
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Wow, so I'm already close to having another ability that's not invisible on the surface. Of course, I may be able to see the effects of external Chi usage within the next few days. I wonder if I can combine Density Control and Chi Manipulation, that could be a powerful combination. System, what are the requirements for Adaptive Evolution to reach D-Rank?
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Requirements for D-Rank Adaptive Evolution:
Become 30x stronger than you currently are.
Run faster than 300 MPH.
Achieve Unified Awareness (Chi)
Achieve Energetic Synchronisation (Chi)
Achieve Transcendent Mastery (Chi)
Develop Complete Resistance to at least one element.
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That's much harder, now there are 6 requirements, Transcendent Mastery will definitely be a pain, but I guess that's to be expected. The basic elements, aside from Lightning, I could choose any of them. For fire I could stand right by an erupting Volcano, for water I would just need to dive deep into the ocean. For earth I could attempt to bury myself alive, and for wind, all I need to do is find a freak storm and nosedive into it! It seemed that Dan would have to risk his life for each of them.
But, as the saying went, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Lightning might also be possible if the Volcanic eruption is powerful enough, maybe I could become resistant to ash while I'm at it. I would have to be able to outrun a Pyroclastic Flow though, so that's probably a no-go. Then again, there's more than 1 type of Volcano. Pyroclastic Flows do vary drastically in speed too, I could always ask Tony to lend a hand. Dan continued to come up with ideas in his head for a while.
Just then, Dan's phone rang, he hadn't looked at it in a while. It was Angela, Dan immediately answered the call. "Hello Angela, how can I help you today?"
"Dan! It's been too long, I miss you, how are you doing? Have you become much stronger recently?"
Dan chuckled when he heard that. "It's nice to know that you miss me, I honestly haven't had much time to think about that. I'm doing alright, you probably won't even recognise me when we next meet, I'm already strong enough to be a Super Soldier. I've also learned how to use Chi, and that's probably going to have a drastic effect on my abilities. How are you doing Angela? How goes the hero headhunt?"
"You can use Chi now? Danny's going to be happy to hear that. I've gathered a lot of heroes, it looks like we'll have our hands full, all of these heroes gathering in one place. 3 other organisations other than The Hand have been showing signs of activity in the area. You may have heard of at least a couple of them. First of all, we have the Serpent Society, their leader, King Cobra (Klaus Voorhees), has been sighted in Hell's Kitchen.
Next in line we have A.I.M. (Advanced Ideas Mechanics), they will go through any means to gain as much power as they can. We've already encountered a few of their "experiments," they're pretty tough to deal with, you'll understand when you get here, but you probably won't like it. We're not to fond of it either.
Lastly, we have The Maggia, a large crime syndicate, their leader is called Silvermane (Silvio Manfredi). A high-level operative, Hammerhead (Joseph Lorenzini), they are the most powerful within that organisation. They've both been sighted in Hell's Kitchen too, and those are the organisations we've seen. It's going to be intense, a battle could breakout at any time now. So in short, I'm alright, but that could change at any moment."
Dan listened to all of this, slowly digesting the information, he currently had the phone on Speaker mode, and Yauheni had also been listening. His expression turned more and more grim, the more he heard. "Hey Angela, it's been a while, it looks like I'll have to bring everyone this time."
"Yauheni Ivanov, the leader of that little taskforce, so you're still around are you? Are you the one who's been training Dan?"
Dan slowly got up, and made as if to leave, "I'll leave you two to chat and settle whatever differences you may have. I'm going to continue to master Chi for now."
Dan headed back to his room, after closing the door to his room, he sat back down in a meditative position. He'd already planned out his schedule for the next 15 days, he would go through the automatic Chi absorption process for 22 hours per day. The other 2 hours would be spent either eating or socialising with his friends. Dan's appetite had been increasing drastically recently, and he had a feeling that it would only increase as time went by.
Until I reach the level of a Celestial, or find some other means to sate my appetite at least. That's made me think of another ability to add as an Adaptive Evolution Process. System, please use one slot for the power to create and destroy matter, that way, I could probably make food using that ability.
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Adaptive Evolution: Matter Mastery with Eternal Mana Fusion
Matter Perception:
Cosmic Awareness: Initiate a state of heightened awareness, expanding consciousness to perceive the fundamental elements of matter throughout the universe. Neural pathways adapt to accommodate the increased sensory input, allowing for seamless integration of cosmic awareness. (20 years)
Sensory Augmentation: Enhance sensory receptors to detect and analyse matter at microscopic and macroscopic levels, facilitating precise manipulation. Neural connections strengthen to process the heightened sensory information, enhancing perception and analysis capabilities. (26 years)
Neural Rewiring: Adapt neural pathways to process vast amounts of complex data regarding matter composition, structure, and behaviour. Neuroplasticity increases, allowing for rapid rewiring of neural circuits to optimise cognitive functions related to matter perception. (7 months)
Matter Convergence:
Energy Matrix Integration: Integrate mana-infused matter manipulation abilities into the body's energy matrix, establishing seamless synergy between physical and cosmic energies. Cellular structures undergo modification to accommodate the influx of cosmic energy, enhancing energy transfer and utilisation. (36 years)
Cellular Harmonisation: Align cellular structures with the principles of matter manipulation, enabling precise control over atomic and subatomic particles. Cellular membranes become more flexible and permeable, facilitating the exchange of energy and matter. (3 years)
Genetic Enhancement: Modify genetic code to optimise molecular interactions and energy conversion processes, maximising efficiency and effectiveness. Genetic expression patterns shift to prioritise the development of traits essential for matter convergence, enhancing adaptability and functionality. (8 years)
Mana Fusion:
Energetic Assimilation: Assimilate mana energy into cellular mitochondria, converting it into bio-compatible forms for sustained energy production. Mitochondrial density increases, allowing for greater energy production and storage capacity. (Continuous)
Energetic Conversion: Convert absorbed mana energy into raw material for matter creation and destruction, catalysing the transformation of energy into tangible substance. Metabolic pathways evolve to efficiently convert mana energy into usable forms, minimising energy loss and maximising output. (Continuous)
Energetic Reservoir: Expand the body's capacity to store and regulate mana energy, forming an eternal reservoir of cosmic power for matter manipulation. Energy storage organs develop to contain the influx of mana energy, ensuring stability and balance within the energetic system. (Continuous)
Matter Creation:
Quantum Synthesis: Harness mana energy to manipulate quantum particles, initiating the creation of matter from pure energy at the subatomic level. Quantum coherence within cellular structures increases, allowing for precise control over quantum states and transitions. (22 years)
Molecular Fabrication: Organise and arrange subatomic particles into complex molecular structures, shaping matter according to precise specifications and intentions. Cellular machinery undergoes modification to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of molecular structures, enabling rapid and efficient matter fabrication. (35 years)
Multiversal Manifestation: Extend matter creation abilities across dimensions and realities, manifesting new forms of existence from the infinite wellspring of cosmic potential. Interdimensional conduits form within cellular structures, allowing for the manipulation of matter on a multiversal scale. (62 years)
Matter Destruction:
Entropic Nullification: Utilise mana-infused matter manipulation to destabilise atomic bonds and disrupt molecular structures, initiating the annihilation of matter with unparalleled precision. Cellular organelles evolve to emit focused bursts of energy, disrupting atomic stability and inducing molecular disintegration. (24 years)
Cosmic Disintegration: Direct destructive energies towards the dissolution of matter on a cosmic scale, unravelling the fabric of reality itself to return it to its primal state. Energetic pathways within cellular structures expand to accommodate the flow of cosmic energy, amplifying the destructive potential of matter manipulation. (43 years)
Universal Renewal: Initiate the process of cosmic renewal by balancing creation and destruction, perpetuating the cycle of existence across infinite iterations of reality. Cellular regeneration mechanisms evolve to restore balance and harmony to the cosmic continuum, ensuring the continuity of existence. (82 years)
Adaptive Evolution:
Cellular Adaptation: Evolve cellular structures to withstand the immense energies involved in matter manipulation, enhancing resilience and durability. Cellular repair mechanisms become more efficient, facilitating rapid recovery from energy-related stress and damage. (Continuous)
Neural Enhancement: Optimise neural pathways to process and control mana-infused matter manipulation abilities with greater efficiency and speed. Neural networks expand to accommodate increased computational demands, enhancing cognitive processing and reaction times. (Continuous)
Genetic Mastery: Master genetic manipulation to unlock the full potential of matter manipulation abilities, achieving unprecedented levels of cosmic harmony and unity. Genetic editing capabilities evolve to encompass a wider range of functions, allowing for precise control over evolutionary processes and genetic expression. (Continuous)
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Oh, well, I guess it'll be a while before I can do most of that. It's time to Absorb as much Chi as I can within 15 days.
Sorry for the delay, there's something I need help with. I need some help with creating both a hero name for Dan and name for the hero team that's not called Heroes For Hire or The Defenders. I'm sure that some of you are good at naming. The next chapter will be the last one in Volume 1! I also want to thank you all for all the Power Stones you've given so far, especially TheSystemFan, Alex_773H, blue_cookie24, and O_p_7953!
