"Yes, one blade for absorption, one for release. Not only will the magic not be weakened, but the two will complement each other and multiply their power!" Elliott Randolph said, his eyes shining with excitement. As a blacksmith, he might have left his old profession behind, but the prospect of forging such a unique weapon clearly thrilled him.
"You're sure you can do it?" Su Zhan asked, studying Randolph's expression.
Randolph nodded, his tone turning calm and measured. "I'd say I have at least a seventy percent chance of success. It's been a long time since I last forged weapons, so I'll need to make preparations."
Su Zhan smiled, clapping Randolph on the shoulder. "I'll leave everything to you. Let me know when you're ready. And don't worry—I'm not concerned about you running away. Even if you tried, there's nowhere you could go that I couldn't find you."
Randolph laughed, a hint of relief in his voice. "If I wanted to run, I would have done it long ago. But I like my life here on Earth. I don't want to go back to Asgard. If you help me stay hidden, I'll do everything I can to forge your twin blades."
Su Zhan's voice softened. "You have my word. Even if Asgard comes looking for you, I won't let them take you away. Not just Asgard—no one will touch you."
Randolph's gratitude was genuine. For years, he had lived quietly, always looking over his shoulder, worried that his past would catch up with him. Now, with Su Zhan's promise, he finally felt a sense of peace. He would not blame Su Zhan for seeking him out and asking for his help; in fact, he was grateful for the opportunity to put his skills to use once again.
After leaving his contact information with Randolph, Su Zhan left the villa, confident that the Asgardian would begin work on the twin blades as soon as possible. The idea of one blade that absorbed fear and another that released it was intriguing, and he found himself genuinely excited to see what kind of power the finished weapons would possess.
He had originally planned to absorb the fear crystal himself, but if it could be put to better use in the forging of the twin blades, then so be it. After all, any fear energy absorbed would ultimately be under his control. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he stood to gain from this spur-of-the-moment decision. Not only had he gained Natasha's trust and affection, but he was also about to acquire a pair of superweapons. He was in an excellent mood.
Soaring slowly through the night sky, Su Zhan enjoyed the beauty of the world below, his mind turning to the next steps in his plan. He was not worried about the larger picture; his strategy was simple—make his name known, expand his influence, and build his power base. But on a personal level, he was starting to reflect on his own abilities.
He mentally tallied his strengths: the Extremis virus, fire manipulation, flame powers, precognition, tracking, telepathy, and mind control—so many abilities, both internal and external. Thanks to the Aether and the Green Lantern ring, he was extremely powerful, at least on the surface.
But he knew there were limits. Many of his abilities were flashy but not always practical, and his main means of attack still relied on fire-based powers. As for external equipment, the Aether and the ring—the so-called Aether Lantern—were his greatest assets. The Casket of Ancient Winters was off-limits for now; using it would draw Odin's attention, and Su Zhan was not ready to make an enemy of Asgard's king. The gravity particles in the ring remained dormant, and even if they were activated, they would only add another ability to his arsenal. The twin fear blades would be a game changer, but they were not yet complete.
In truth, his combat power was impressive, but his fighting skills were still lacking. Against weaker foes, he could win easily. Against stronger opponents, he risked being overwhelmed. He knew he needed to develop his abilities further and refine his techniques.
He also considered his options for the future. He could open a new parallel world or erase an old one and start fresh—ideally choosing a DC universe with a similar timeline and background for maximum synergy. These two worlds could be used to great effect if managed well.
Lost in thought, Su Zhan was suddenly jolted from his musings by a strange sensation. Something was rapidly approaching from the distance. He turned his head just in time to feel a powerful gust of wind slam into him, sending him tumbling through the air.
"Someone's attacking me!" Su Zhan realized, his blood surging from the impact. He was not injured—the energy shield from the Aether Lantern ring had protected him—but the suddenness of the attack had caught him off guard. He quickly stabilized himself and scanned the area.
A tornado was tearing across the sky, moving with unnatural speed and precision. At its center, Su Zhan spotted a figure: a man whose upper body was visible, while his lower half merged seamlessly with the swirling winds. It was clear that the tornado was not a natural phenomenon—this was the work of a mutant.
Su Zhan's eyes narrowed as he recognized the attacker. "Whirlwind," he muttered. The mutant villain, known for his ability to generate and control tornadoes, was a recurring foe of both Spider-Man and Ant-Man—a tricky opponent, to say the least.
He wondered briefly how Whirlwind had found him. The villain was usually a lone wolf, though he had sometimes worked with others. Regardless of the reason, Su Zhan had no intention of letting this attack go unanswered.
He shot forward, breaking the sound barrier as he closed the distance. With a wave of his hand, a massive green palm materialized in the air and swept toward the tornado. Whirlwind reacted instantly, accelerating the winds to evade the attack and darting away at high speed.
But Su Zhan was ready. He conjured several streams of flame, sending them arcing through the air to cut off Whirlwind's escape. The mutant tried to extinguish the fire with his winds, but instead of dying down, the flames only grew fiercer, feeding off the oxygen.
Realizing brute force would not work, Whirlwind changed tactics, using his winds to blow the flames aside. He managed to clear a path, but as he prepared to counterattack, a gigantic green fist appeared out of nowhere, slamming into him with bone-jarring force.
Whirlwind screamed as he was sent flying, spiraling out of control. Su Zhan did not let up. The giant fist elongated, transforming into a glowing rope that shot after the mutant, wrapping around him and yanking him back.
"Let's see you escape this time," Su Zhan said coldly, tightening his grip.
He hovered in the air, holding Whirlwind captive, his mind already racing with questions. Why had Whirlwind attacked him? Who had sent him? But those answers could wait. For now, Su Zhan was determined to show that anyone who dared to cross him would pay the price.
And as the night deepened, the world below, oblivious to the battle raging in the sky, Su Zhan felt more certain than ever that his legend was just beginning.