The thought was exhilarating: transforming a simple golden energy into a terrifying power capable of stimulating life itself, urging the very birth of things. It felt immense.
The only hitch was that this ability, Growth of All Things, could only be controlled individually. Arthur needed to be in physical contact with the life form he was "growing" for it to activate. Without that, he could just as easily do the opposite: leave a trail of withered, dead things in his wake wherever he passed.
"It's still quite powerful," Arthur mused, satisfied. "But if I could push it to the Advanced level, it'd be a true force of nature."
Next up was Rational Thinking, a passive skill. He'd crushed a mountain of texts, ninety-nine books to be exact, yet it remained stubbornly at the Intermediate level. It was a simple power: the ability to remain calm and think clearly, no matter how extreme the situation. When the chips were down, it was the emergency brake for his mind.
"Kind of useless, but not entirely," he concluded after testing the feeling of the ability for a moment. He set it aside and moved on.
"Directly absorb cosmic energy?" Arthur's eyes widened in genuine astonishment.
This skill wasn't unfamiliar. He'd first encountered it within the "dream" world that Ego had constructed, using the vast, brain-like body of the Living Planet to study the very process. But that had been instinctive, a messy, crude function, very different from the elegant, focused power he now possessed.
To directly absorb the violent, raw energy of the cosmos? That was a game-changer. It didn't just strengthen his body; it could be turned on his enemies. With both offense and defense, this skill was explosively useful! He was already familiar with the mechanics, a gift from his time spent studying Ego's nature.
"A shame," he sighed, a pang of regret hitting him. "Skills I learn through personal experience can't be upgraded directly. Otherwise, this might already be Advanced." He quickly shook off the feeling. "As they say, human greed knows no bounds. I gained so much from Ego's 'dream,' even though it nearly caused a disaster. Blessings and misfortunes are two sides of the same coin, that's just how the world works."
Setting that aside, he turned to the next skill, Energy Control.
One gathered the energy; the other commanded it. They were perfect complements. For Arthur, there was a little overlap with his existing knowledge, but it deepened his understanding and revealed new applications he hadn't considered.
"This might be the key to enhancing my other skills," he thought, tapping his chin. "Raven God's Wings, acceleration... maybe even teleportation? Teleportation relies on spatial energy, a core form of cosmic energy. It's worth a try. I'll need to test it step by step."
And finally, the last piece: Particle Reshaping!
He'd used Particles multiple times in the "dream," and with the addition of Energy Absorption and Energy Control, his insight into them was already profound. But when he finally crushed the Particle Reshaping skill book, Arthur was stunned.
"This... this kind of skill?!"
The short version: he could use Particles, generated by converting cosmic energy, to repair his body. At first glance, it sounded like a basic healing factor.
However, at the Intermediate level, as long as his heart and brain weren't completely annihilated, he could use Particle Reshaping to directly rebuild his entire body!
"Perhaps," Arthur murmured, a profound sense of destiny settling over him, "starting today... death will only grow farther and farther away from me."
He was lost in thought for a moment. Whether it was Growth of All Things, the self-derived technique akin to the legendary Dragon-Catching Skill, or this final ability, Particle Reshaping, each one had elevated his power by an entire tier. Combined with everything else, he couldn't even guess what level his strength had reached.
"But... there's still one person who can tell me."
Arthur glanced around, wanting to casually announce, 'I'll take a quick trip, I've got something to handle,' but he hesitated. The last time he'd said those exact words, it had resulted in utter chaos. If he said it now, they might physically stop him from leaving. And how could he possibly explain? 'I'm planning a quick trip to Hell.' They'd never let him go.
He sighed helplessly. Past lessons had made him wary, and honestly, that caution was well-warranted.
Thankfully, just as he finished his review of all his gains, their spaceship finally reached Xandar!
This time, there was no sneaking in. The moment their ship approached the planet, Nova Prime and her people had locked onto their signal. The entire Supreme Command team stood there, completely bewildered, waiting for an explanation. What in the cosmos had just happened? Why had he suddenly ascended to heaven in broad daylight, and in such a spectacular, planet-wide way?!
When the spaceship landed, Arthur led his team down the ramp and offered a faint smile to the waiting Nova Prime.
"Long time no see."
Nova Prime gave him a weary look. "Perhaps our sense of time differs, but I'm fairly certain we saw each other not too long ago," she said dryly. "Please, come in. I don't mind your visits, I rather welcome them, but I'd appreciate it if, next time, you could arrive a little more quietly. You know, in a highly networked civilization, things like your... spectacular entrance tend to hit the news headlines in under an hour."
Arthur spread his hands helplessly. "That really wasn't my intention. But some things... once they start, they can't be stopped. You simply can't hold them back. And if you did try to stop them, the consequences might go beyond anything either of us could imagine."
"You mean... love?" Nova Prime asked with a trace of naïve curiosity.
Arthur sighed. "I mean... the urge to take a dump."
"...Oh my god. What am I even talking to you about right now?" Nova Prime groaned, exasperated. "For a supposed hero, you never fail to amaze me."
Arthur laughed lightly. "I can't explain the details. This matter only concerns myself. It doesn't even have much to do with my team. What I can promise you is this: whatever happens, it won't endanger Xandar... and it won't harm the friendship between us."