In the silence of the "Rust Graveyard," Zen prepared for his breakthrough. To absorb the Nerve, he needed to turn his body from a "solid" into a "conduit."
He poured Spiritual Cooling Oil over his bare, metallic skin and coated himself in Black Granite Powder. Then, he ignited his internal Fire Root to its absolute limit.
"Smelt," he hissed.
His body became an oven. The granite powder melted into his pores, reinforcing his cellular walls. He felt his nerves being seared and replaced with conductive filaments. It was a torture he endured with a terrifying, meditative calm. When he emerged, he was no longer bronze; he was a dull, matte grey—the color of an asteroid.
He was now a Peak Star-Grade entity. He was ready to swallow the Nerve.