After his conversation with Coulson, Su Zhan left the office with a faint smile, feeling the weight of his next steps and the momentum of all he had built. The West Coast Island base was nearly ready, and his new uniform—a sleek, black suit conjured by the Aether Lantern ring—had even caught Coulson's eye. When Coulson commented on how impressive it looked, Su Zhan simply nodded and, with a thought, let the suit dissolve back into the ring. Coulson's gaze lingered on the ring, curiosity clear, but Su Zhan just smiled and waved off his questions.
"Some things, even if I told you, you would not be able to do anything about," Su Zhan said cryptically. "Just wait until the time comes. I'll welcome you then."
Coulson frowned, sensing the gravity behind Su Zhan's words. "Sounds like something big is coming?"
Su Zhan just shook his head. "You'll know when it happens. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading out."
Coulson wanted to press for more, but he knew Su Zhan well enough to realize he would not get an answer. Their relationship was more partnership than command, and Su Zhan always kept his own counsel.
Leaving Coulson's office, Su Zhan made his way to Skye's quarters. She greeted him with a bright smile, wrapping her arms around his neck as soon as he entered. He held her close, both of them enjoying the quiet comfort of simply being together after his travels. Skye had missed him, and he was grateful for the chance to reconnect, even if only for a short time.
After spending some time with Skye, Su Zhan headed down to the laboratory. Inside, he found Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz working together, hunched over a microscope and a series of glowing vials. As soon as they noticed him, they paused their work and greeted him warmly.
"Su Zhan! We heard you were back," Fitz said, pushing his glasses up his nose.
Simmons smiled, curiosity lighting her eyes. "You said you had something for me. What is it?"
Su Zhan grinned, holding his hands behind his back. "Guess."
Simmons tilted her head, thinking. "Is it a gift? Or… your blood?" She blushed slightly, recalling their earlier agreement about studying his unique physiology.
He laughed. "I never said I'd give my blood as a present. Besides, don't forget our agreement!"
Simmons' cheeks turned a deeper red. She lowered her voice. "So, what is it then?"
"Don't worry, I'm not here to tease you," Su Zhan said, finally revealing a small vial filled with a pale blue liquid. He handed it to Simmons, who examined it with scientific fascination.
"What is this?" she asked, holding it up to the light.
"It's a power agent," Su Zhan explained. "It's similar to the Extremis virus, but much safer. It's stable—no side effects. It's not as potent as Extremis, but it can grant abilities like enhanced tracking, sound manipulation, mind control, or even precognition. My own ability is to absorb powers, but this is for you. You can take it yourself or use it for research. I'd prefer you study it first, though. I have another, more advanced serum, but it's unstable. If you can figure out how to stabilize this one, maybe you can help with the other."
Simmons' eyes widened in amazement. "Really? Stability is everything in this field. Most serums and viruses are too unpredictable to use safely. If this is as stable as you say, it could be revolutionary."
Fitz leaned in, equally intrigued. "Can I help, Jemma?"
"Of course," Simmons replied, already setting up her equipment. "Thank you, Su Zhan. I'll start analyzing it right away."
Su Zhan nodded, pleased by her enthusiasm. "Take your time. Once you understand this formula, I'll let you examine the advanced version. But be careful—according to what I know, only a very specific physiology can handle the unstable one safely. For now, focus on this."
Simmons nodded, her attention already consumed by the new project. Fitz watched her with admiration, eager to assist.
Leaving the lab, Su Zhan returned to his quarters. He sat on the edge of his bed, turning the Aether Lantern ring on his finger. He could feel the ether particles swirling within, their energy immense and barely contained. With the ring as a vessel, he could absorb the ether's power much more efficiently and safely than before. Already, he could sense a small portion of the Aether's energy integrating into his body.
It was not enough to grant him new abilities yet, but he knew that with time, as he absorbed more, the ether particles would become a part of him. The most important part of this process was that once the ether was fully integrated, he could begin to absorb other Infinity Stones as well. The stones were of the same origin, and once one was stabilized within his body, the others would not reject or attack each other. This would allow him to harness their combined power without the drawbacks of something like the Infinity Gauntlet.
"This is much better than borrowing someone else's power," Su Zhan thought, a satisfied smile on his lips.
As he focused on absorbing the ether particles, a sudden notification sounded in his mind. "System upgrade complete."
He blinked, surprised. The energy from his recent accomplishments—completing three tasks, absorbing three new abilities, and integrating the ether particles—had been enough to trigger the system's next evolution. The upgrade had likely been fueled not just by his actions, but by the sheer power of the ether itself.
He wondered how long the upgrade would take but decided not to worry. For now, he continued to absorb the ether, feeling the energy flow into him, strengthening every cell.
He lost track of time, only snapping back to reality when Melinda May's voice came over the intercom. "We're preparing to land. Suit up if you're coming with us."
Su Zhan smiled, stretching as he stood. "I almost forgot to check what the new system task is," he muttered, making a mental note to do so later. For now, there was work to be done—and a world to shape.