DOTM: Chapter 386/387

Chapter 386: This is a Really Good Reason

While Ethan was honing his new spells, he did not forget the comprehensive enhancement plan he had set before.

For him now, constantly learning new knowledge, continuously using existing abilities, and deepening his understanding of older knowledge was also a form of self-improvement. Therefore, even when making new potions, in a way, he was also training.

Especially when preparing new potions, there were always some minor issues that required his attention. Each time he resolved a problem, he felt a sense of "my strength has improved," which was a kind of illusion.

In fact, this was not entirely an illusion. It was just that the benefits gained from overcoming problems of this level were not enough to bring about earth-shattering changes in his strength. Improvement certainly existed, but it was extremely subtle, almost imperceptible.

He simply told himself this internally, which gave him more motivation to perform some rather mechanical and repetitive tasks. While such work felt interesting at first, continuous repetition became incredibly tedious, even leading to a feeling of aversion. However, to achieve his goals, he had to persist, so he had to find a reason to convince himself.

This method of self-hypnosis had a limited duration, but at least he managed to complete all the planned potions before Ethan grew weary.

Tailoring to each individual's circumstances, Ethan created several different types of potions.

For example, the enhancement potion created for Tony Stark was solely aimed at improving his physical fitness and significantly boosting his mental power, ensuring a smoother journey on the path of magic. No extraneous abilities were added.

As for Tony, he did not require those miscellaneous abilities. With just a healthy body and sufficient mental power to traverse the path of magic, he could rely on his brilliant mind to become a formidable existence.

He possessed this confidence, and Ethan also believed he could achieve it.

"Similar to the previous potion, it will not take effect immediately after use. It will gradually enhance your physical fitness and break through your body's limitations in the coming days. If you exercise diligently, you might even become stronger than Steve. I am not referring to overall capabilities, but purely physical attributes."

Howard and Maria had become significantly more active lately, and their appearances had matured to resemble twelve-year-olds.

Since Ethan and Tony spent much time in the underground laboratory during this period, Howard and Maria would often come to visit them. Humans require social interaction; life is difficult when you are only with yourself. Even though they had each other, they still desired to communicate with others.

During this time, Tony had been practicing magic. That such a wondrous thing actually existed, even though he had already witnessed various miraculous abilities, he still had not expected that his son could actually learn this legendary power.

As for the effects of Ethan's enhancement potions, while Ethan was making the potions, Howard often used the excuse of helping to observe the process. However, he discovered that the key to Ethan's potion-making was not the formula or proportions, but the magic used during the creation.

Extracting a specific effect from a concept and then formulating it into a potion.

Such a preposterous thing actually worked?

Howard truly struggled to accept this, yet with various facts presented before him, he had no choice but to believe that such an unscientific method of creation could indeed produce potent potions.

Fortunately, although he himself could not comprehend Ethan's methods, Tony, who had already learned magic, had the opportunity to learn this miraculous way of making potions. This seemed to imply that the Stark family would become a "magic family" standing at the pinnacle of Earth's scientific community in the future?

Why did that feel strange?

Howard was also contemplating whether he should learn some magic. He was a super genius no less capable than his son Tony. Since Tony could learn it, there was no reason he could not, right?

However, regardless of whether he learned magic, he still needed to focus on adapting to his new body for now. Even if he were to learn, it would have to wait until his body matured.

While it is generally better to start learning anything when one is young, his and Maria's situation was rather unique. Their bodies had been artificially matured, and after completing their growth, they would still require further refinement with potions to become truly normal bodies.

Cloning technology in reality has numerous issues. Although "black technology" is rampant in this world, there are still considerable problems with cloning. More importantly, no one has genuinely created humans using this type of technology, so no one knows what side effects might arise. To ensure everything goes smoothly, they must be extremely cautious.

Even the potions prepared by Ethan were administered in stages. All of this was to ensure the true resurrection of the Stark couple.

As for Pepper, who would likely become a new member of the Stark family, her situation was much simpler to address. She just needed to wait for the opportune moment and drink the potion directly.

The potion prepared for Pepper did not excessively enhance any combat abilities, though her physical fitness would still see a significant improvement. This was done with Tony in mind, as too great a disparity in physical condition could lead to issues in their life together.

Pepper's enhancement primarily focused on lifespan and restoring youth. In the coming period, her skin would progressively improve, and her appearance would gradually undergo subtle optimization. While it would not revert her to an eighteen-year-old girl, it would make her increasingly beautiful and maintain this appearance for a long time without aging, only rapidly aging in the final years before the end of her lifespan.

Considering the relationship between Tony and Pepper, perhaps by that time, Tony would already be capable of further extending both their lifespans. If Pepper remained with Tony, the two could very likely walk hand-in-hand for a very long time.

All the potions for the Stark family had been given to Tony; he could use them according to the specific circumstances. As for his own, he had already used it.

In addition, Rhodey's potion was also given to Tony, who would decide when to deliver it to his good friend.

Rhodey's potion had effects similar to Tony's, but without the significant boost to mental power, essentially a weakened version of the potion Tony used.

Besides the Stark family's potions, Logan also received the potion specially tailored for him. His situation was simpler than anyone else's. His body had long since surpassed its limits and could continue to improve indefinitely. Thus, Logan's new potion had only one effect: providing him with a special ability.

Now, Logan's claws could carry astonishingly high temperatures. His already very sharp claws had become even more terrifying; even when encountering metal objects capable of resisting Adamantium, he could "cut" through them like cheese using the intense heat.

Even without using his claws, any part of his body could release high temperatures, and it would absolutely not suddenly lose control like the Extremis virus. Even though Logan had just begun using it and his control was not perfected, he did not need to worry about suddenly exploding.

Logan did not resist or say thank you for this. He just found the ability quite interesting and then went back to practice how to use it more effectively.

Watching Logan wave and casually leave the laboratory, Tony suddenly remarked, "I wonder if I should feel sorry for Logan's future girlfriend…"

"…"

Ethan gave the guy a look that said, "You're too dirty-minded," and received the response, "If you can understand it, how are you any better?"

Subsequently, Ethan's companions successively received their respective potions.

Evelyn received a potion similar to Pepper's, which could better maintain her youth and appearance. The improvement in physical fitness would also enable her to better pursue her interests.

As for combat? In fact, improved physical fitness can also boost combat power. Whether she gains significant combat prowess depends on whether she is interested in putting effort into that area. It does not matter if she does not. The Goddess of Dawn is not lacking in combat power because of her.

O'Connell and Jonathan used the same type as Rhodey's. Of course, as their own strength increases in the future, they can also receive a certain "specialized potion" like Logan if the need arises. This depends on whether they will actually have this need or desire in the future.

Ethan was not stingy about improving their strength. As long as they had the will, he was very willing to help. After all, they were already companions, and a motivated companion was certainly more appealing.

Imhotep and Anck-su-namun chose the type that enhances mental power, similar to Tony's. They positioned themselves as Ethan's divine servants, and even Anck-su-namun was diligently studying spells, eagerly hoping to boost her mental power.

As for Shirley and Laura, they had not used the enhancement potions yet. Their portions were ready. Laura could use hers after a while, while Shirley still needed to wait a few years.

As for Annette, she also chose the enhancement potion focused on mental power, as it would allow her to conduct research more effectively. However, at Ethan's request, Annette had not taken it yet.

After dealing with everyone, only Ada and Selene remained to be addressed.

"Ada, your and Annette's enhancements will need to be slightly postponed for a while, as I need you to first help Selene complete her physical transformation."

This task was not troublesome. There was highly automated equipment, and they just needed to figure out how to operate it. The potions were also prepared in advance. The two simply needed to come over frequently to monitor the situation and ensure no accidents occurred.

As for why Ethan was not personally helping Selene with her physical transformation? Because this time, Selene needed to be completely immersed in a special medicinal liquid, and she could not have any items on her body.

Hearing that this was the reason he needed their help, Annette did not say anything, but Ada stared at Ethan for several seconds, prompting Ethan to add another sentence.

"Thor sent me a message saying a group of Kree are heading towards Earth. I might need to make a trip to Asgard."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 387: Before the Mission Is Victorious

This time, Ethan did not call anyone to accompany him and headed to Asgard alone.

Tony needed to train in magic, and since his parents had finally been resurrected and their active time each day was limited, he also wanted to spend more time with them, even if he never admitted it. Just seeing him constantly running to the underground laboratory to train magic and conduct various research revealed what he was truly thinking.

Ethan saw this but did not feel the need to point it out. He even specifically helped Tony keep track of time to avoid him getting stuck in deep meditation and missing the chance to chat when Howard and Maria were active.

After this period, Tony could also control his training time well on his own, so Ethan no longer needed to specifically remind him.

At the same time, as his magical strength steadily increased, he no longer needed Ethan by his side to watch out for accidents.

As for his companions from the ship, they were also busy with their own matters. With the new potions, they all needed time to digest the effects. Fortunately, this large mansion was not only spacious but also well-equipped with various facilities, including dedicated training rooms.

Everyone was busy, so Ethan did not want to disturb them. Besides, in Ethan's view, this incident was not a big deal. Even if they went along, they would just be watching the show.

When Ethan arrived in Asgard again, Thor was already waiting. To Ethan's surprise, not only were Thor and Loki present, but Hela was there too. This person was not killed?

Ethan's surprise was completely undisguised. This reaction caused Thor to misunderstand, thinking he was curious about Hela's identity, so he simply introduced her. "This is Hela, the Goddess of Death of Asgard, and my sister."

Thor seemed to be thinking about how to phrase it, but after thinking for a long time, he could not come up with a suitable introduction.

After obtaining Stormbreaker, he went to Earth with Ethan and the others. His purpose was to deal with the "trouble" that was Hela.

In the original plot, after Hela broke free from her seal, she directly crushed Thor's hammer Mjolnir into pieces. Then, while Loki was frantically summoning the Bifrost, she seized the opportunity to rush into the Bifrost and return to Asgard.

Of course, while inside the Bifrost, she also kicked both Thor and Loki out of the Bifrost's transport channel, causing Thor and Loki to fall onto the planet ruled by the Grandmaster.

From this very brief encounter, it was clear that Hela's combat power completely overwhelmed Thor and Loki. Moreover, after returning to Asgard, her strength would steadily increase.

However, in front of Thor, who had already awakened his Thor-force and obtained Stormbreaker, Hela's strength was no match. She was suppressed by Thor the moment they met.

Because Hela had just returned and had not caused any major casualties, and she was his own sister after all, with his own strength completely overpowering hers, Thor felt there was no need to kill her and simply brought her back to Asgard.

No one knew what Hela was thinking at the moment. At least for now, she was acting relatively obediently, without the domineering attitude from the original plot like: "Anyone who doesn't listen to me must die!"

Regarding Hela's return, Odin said nothing, only making a series of preparations afterwards.

Even without the Kree invasion this time, Thor was going to inform Ethan and his other friends to attend his coronation ceremony.

"So, you are going to inherit the position of Allfather?"

"Although I don't particularly care about this position, Father's body is quickly failing."

Odin's weakness was now impossible to conceal. While Queen Frigga's magic was powerful and had miraculous functions, it had a limit, and Odin's current condition had exceeded what she could do.

As things stood, Thor possessed all the necessary conditions to inherit the throne: high enough prestige in Asgard, personal strength that had advanced by leaps and bounds, and after obtaining Stormbreaker, he also had the power to defend Asgard. The current Thor would not be at a disadvantage even facing Thanos head-on.

Furthermore, Odin noticed that Thor had also brought back the Power Stone, and a brief observation was enough to tell that his son was learning to control this Infinity Stone.

He did not explicitly object to this, only reminding Thor: while the power of the Infinity Stones is great, it is ultimately external power and should not be overly relied upon.

As for whether having two Infinity Stones too close together would cause trouble, he could not be bothered to worry about it. He had worried for countless years. It was time to lay down these burdens and pass them on to the next generation.

He also had Frigga retrieve the Mind Stone and give it to Loki, who had been standing by. He likewise gave his younger son various kind reminders and told him to consult his mother more. While his magic was top-tier among the younger generation, much knowledge required long-term accumulation, and in this regard, he still lagged far behind his mother.

Even though his current combat power far surpassed Frigga's, it did not mean his understanding and grasp of magic had surpassed his mother's. He still had much to learn.

To perfectly control the power of the Infinity Stones, this learning was essential.

With both sons wielding Infinity Stones, Odin no longer worried about Hela causing any trouble. This was Thor's decision. Since he wanted to give his sister a chance to "turn over a new leaf," whatever the final outcome, it would be Thor's concern.

After arranging everything, Odin quietly waited for the day of the ceremony. Unexpectedly, the Kree suddenly showed up at this time, almost as if deliberately causing trouble.

As for why Thor called Ethan? Because before they parted, Ethan had mentioned a Kree under Thanos named Ronan, a very radical lunatic whose pursuit of power and war was endless.

This Kree was also sent by Thanos to find the Power Stone. Since they had taken the Power Stone in advance, Ronan was very likely to track them down, and he would not care about Asgard's reputation. He would madly charge straight in.

If this situation occurred, Ethan had stated that as long as he was in this universe, Thor must notify him.

Although Thor was willing to help Ethan resolve this trouble, since Ethan had specifically and seriously instructed him, it was better to notify him.

Ethan's thinking was, "I stirred up this trouble, I'll deal with it myself. Don't burden others."

Thor's thinking was, "Since the Power Stone is here with me and allows me to use its power to protect my home, then I have the responsibility and obligation to share or directly bear this trouble."

Loki was well aware of both their thoughts. After muttering "So dramatic," he found a corner and pretended not to exist. Since you two are willing to take on this trouble, I'll just quietly watch the show.

"Are you sure it's that person named Ronan?"

"Asgard has its own intelligence sources. We have confirmed the identity of the other party."

Not only had they confirmed his identity, Asgard had also engaged in direct dialogue with the Kree. Although the Kree were war fanatics, their attitude towards Asgard was completely different from their attitude towards Xandar. The Xandarians would only protest and would not do anything crazy.

Asgard was different. If the Kree did not explain things clearly, Asgard would interpret it as all Kree declaring war on Asgard, and then they would very decisively start fighting. Even directly attacking the Kree homeworld was not something they would not do.

So the Kree Empire explicitly stated: this was Ronan's personal action, and Asgard could deal with him however they saw fit.

While Thor had gone through a lot and was no longer the war-monger he once was, it did not mean he feared war. When it was time to fight, he was more enthusiastic than anyone.

He felt that defeating the invading Kree before inheriting the throne seemed like a good way to celebrate.

"You might be disappointed, because this Kree named Ronan... his strength is just so-so."

If it were the old Thor, he might have to fight Ronan for a few rounds. But now... could Ronan even withstand one axe blow?

If Thor, out of caution, directly used the Power Stone when he struck, it would be interesting. His entire flagship and countless subordinates would probably turn to dust under Thor's single blow.

The actual situation... was actually quite similar.

After Ronan had traveled for who knows how long, finally located the Power Stone and arrived at Asgard, demanding that Asgard hand over the Orb, otherwise he would launch an attack, Thor very decisively gave the order to attack.

The Asgardian army had not even made a move yet when Ethan seized the opportunity to test the power of the newly forged Gold Cloth.

The Gemini Gold Cloth was a set Ethan had focused on crafting, as its attributes perfectly aligned with the spatial attribute he currently used the most.

Combined with the Space Stone in his hand, this set of Cloth could unleash combat power far exceeding his expectations.

The technique he had wanted to research for a long time was the Gemini's ultimate move. After a long period of training using the Reality Stone, which brought about improvements, he finally unleashed a perfect "Galaxian Explosion."

It was no longer the kind of blue planets that looked like cheap special effects. This time, the planets condensed from energy looked indistinguishable from real planets in appearance.

Not just in appearance, this state also meant that Ethan's control over energy had reached a new level. There would absolutely not be a repeat of the previous instance where energy was not controlled properly and some energy went astray. This was equivalent to the terrifying power generated by countless exploding planets, all directed at Ronan's warship.

And then... there was no "and then"...

(To be continued.)