chsdbacks Chapter 110 Magic Aptitude
Chapter 110 Magic Aptitude
In the laboratory atop Stark Tower, Nick Fury sat in a chair, looking at his hands with a complex expression. The brief burst of magic had subsided, but a strange energy flow lingered within him, as if countless tiny electric currents were coursing through his veins.
"Tell me your specific feelings." Chen Haotian pulled up a chair and sat opposite him, his eyes gleaming with analytical insight. "Every detail is important."
Nick Fury took a deep breath, struggling to organize his thoughts: "At first, it was a strong sense of resonance, like hearing a familiar song but not being able to recall its name. The moment I gripped the hilt of the sword, a surge of heat flowed from my palm, quickly spreading throughout my body. Then my vision changed—not seeing different things, but seeing more things."
"More?" Tony asked while taking notes; his tablet was already full of data charts.
"Dust particles in the air, the angle at which light refracts, even... the trajectory of energy flow." Nick Fury raised his hand, his fingertips tracing patterns in the air. "I can still vaguely see them now, like transparent threads floating in the air."
Chen Haotian and Tony exchanged a glance. This was precisely the energy flow pattern they had observed in their research on the Kryptonian fragments, but it had always been detectable only with sophisticated instruments.
"It seems this sword grants you the ability to directly sense energy," Chen Haotian said thoughtfully. "Try to see if you can actively control this perception."
Nick Fury closed his eyes, his brow furrowed. A few seconds later, he opened his one eye in surprise: "Yes. When I concentrate, those 'threads' become clearer. When I relax, they become blurry."
Tony snapped his fingers excitedly: "Adjustable sensing capabilities! This is more advanced than any sensor we've ever designed!"
"That's not all." Nick Fury stood up and walked to the other end of the lab. "I can also sense the energy signatures on you. Tony, that glowing thing on your chest looks like a small sun. Haotian, there's a...mist-like energy field around you, it's hard to see clearly."
Chen Haotian was slightly startled. It wasn't surprising that the energy characteristics of the Ark reactor were detected, but his special identity as a transmigrator shouldn't be easily noticed. The abilities granted by this sword seemed to be more profound than they had imagined.
"Try to see if you can influence these energy threads," Chen Haotian instructed. "Don't force it; safety first."
Nick Fury nodded, extended his right index finger, and gently touched an invisible energy trajectory in front of him. As he moved, the air around his fingertip began to ripple, forming a small, distorted area.
"Incredible!" Tony leaned closer to examine it. "He's locally altered the energy density of space!"
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Nick Fury's forehead: "It's a bit strenuous, like pushing against an invisible wall with sheer willpower."
Chen Haotian walked to the isolation box and carefully took out the Amazon short sword. As the blade was exposed to the air, Nick Fury suddenly turned around, his one eye fixed on the artifact.
"It's completely different in my eyes now." Nick Fury's voice was filled with awe. "Now I can see the blade covered with dense energy patterns, and those ancient inscriptions are glowing, as if they're alive."
Tony quickly adjusted the scanning equipment: "The energy readings are indeed changing, synchronized with Nick's brain activity frequency! The sword is responding to his senses!"
Chen Haotian placed the short sword flat on the lab table: "Nick, try to interact with it without touching it."
Nick Fury focused his attention, his gaze fixed on the short sword. A few seconds later, the blade began to vibrate slightly, emitting a low hum. Even more surprisingly, the gem at the hilt gradually glowed with a soft white light.
"I'm trying to understand the meaning of those inscriptions," Nick Fury explained. "They're not just words, they're more like... compressed packets of information."
Suddenly, a holographic image was projected above the short sword—an unfamiliar constellation map, with stars connected by glowing lines. The image lasted only three seconds before disappearing.
"Did you see that?" Nick Fury asked eagerly.
"I saw it!" Tony excitedly retrieved the recordings. "But the equipment didn't capture anything! It's only visible to the naked eye!"
Chen Haotian approached the experimental table and carefully examined the short sword: "It seems this magical energy is immune to conventional detection methods. Nick, what did you just do?"
"I just mentally asked it to show me where it came from," Nick Fury said. "And then the image appeared."
Tony stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Two-way communication! This sword doesn't just passively release energy; it can also respond to specific commands!"
Over the next two hours, they conducted a series of tests. Nick Fury gradually mastered basic energy perception skills, becoming able to distinguish the characteristics of energy from different sources. Most surprisingly, he discovered that he could briefly "block" the energy signals of small devices—a cell phone completely lost its signal under his focused gaze, only returning to normal when he looked away.
"This ability is invaluable in espionage operations!" Nick Fury revealed an excited expression for the first time. "Imagine I can temporarily disable surveillance equipment or interfere with communication signals!"
Chen Haotian, however, appeared more cautious: "The stronger the ability, the greater the risk. We don't yet know what the side effects of this magical aptitude are."
As if to confirm his concerns, Nick Fury suddenly staggered and had to grab the lab table to steady himself.
"What's wrong?" Tony stepped forward to help him up.
"Dizziness...like low blood sugar, but something else is weirder." Nick Fury's face was a little pale. "And those energy threads are starting to get too bright, a bit dazzling."
Chen Haotian immediately put the short sword back into the isolation box. As the box closed, Nick Fury visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
"It seems that using this ability will consume your mental energy," Chen Haotian judged. "And prolonged exposure to the artifact will increase the burden."
Tony pulled up Nick Fury's physiological data: "Heart rate increased, brainwave activity abnormally high, adrenaline levels elevated. Indeed, this ability doesn't come without a price."
Nick Fury sat back down in his chair and took the energy drink Chen Haotian handed him: "It's worth it. If used properly, this ability will be a game-changer."
"However, we need to develop a training plan to help you adapt gradually," Chen Haotian said. "Starting tomorrow, you will have regular daily skills training, but we must strictly control the time and intensity."
Tony has already started designing training programs on the tablet: "I can design some energy sources as training targets, from weak to strong, to help you gradually master this perception ability."
Nick Fury nodded, a determined glint in his single eye. "I will master it. But before that..." He looked at Chen Haotian, "I want to know, why me? Why did this sword choose to activate my potential, and not any of yours?"
Chen Haotian and Tony both remained silent for a moment. This was precisely the biggest question in their minds.
"Perhaps it's because of your specific psychological traits," Chen Haotian speculated, "or your experiences make you more receptive to this kind of energy. Or perhaps..." He glanced at the isolation chamber, "it sensed your most genuine needs."
Nick Fury thoughtfully touched his eyepatch: "The most genuine need of a former S.H.I.E.L.D. director..."
A brief silence fell over the laboratory as the three men each pondered their own thoughts. Outside the window, the New York night sky twinkled with stars, while inside the laboratory, a brand-new ability was quietly awakening. It would change their journey across two worlds and, in the near future, bring unexpected opportunities and challenges.