Celestial Forge in Marvel

Arriving back at his base, Alex headed to the warehouse and retrieved the Nth metal ingots, approximately 100 pieces, securing them properly. Afterward, he took one ingot and pulled out what appeared to be a mobile phone but was actually his PDA and scanner, customized by his perk to resemble a smartphone. Activating the scanner, he waited as the process took about five minutes to complete. Once finished, he reviewed the results. It seemed that, with his current capabilities, he could utilize this metal with the fabricator.

"Now, I just need to design a proper nano-armor to build," he thought, knowing the task would require significant time and effort.

After wrapping up his work with the Nth metal for the day, he used his newly acquired perk to estimate how long it would take to replicate the material. The answer shocked him. It would take only a few months of research. The scanner had created an incredibly detailed blueprint, and with his comic knowledge of the metal, the process was far more feasible than he had initially expected.

With everything settled for the day, he finally reached his bed and fell asleep within seconds.

In the following weeks, Alex meticulously designed his new suit and its various functions while the Forge rolled several more times. The armor would be composed entirely of nanobots the smallest he could create each coated with Nth metal and crafted from materials resistant to most forms of manipulation. Instead of relying on common elements, he engineered several unique alloys, integrating Nth metal into every component.

The suit would have the ability to fly using anti-gravity technology, powered by fuel cells, which he had an almost infinite supply of and could replace at any time. Additionally, through his advanced knowledge and research, he replicated Nth metal's unique energy type that could disrupt magic. This energy could be fired in blasts or radiated outward, functioning similarly to Iron Man's repulsors while also countering mystical threats.

Beyond his armor, Alex devised a method to fortify his home. While he could generate a magic-negating force field as he had originally planned, he instead designed a special type of paint infused with Nth metal. By coating his base with it and amplifying its effect using the base's generator's energy, he ensured that the structure had a passive anti-magic property similar to raw Nth metal.

With every preparation complete and the AI designed to assist in controlling the armor successfully finished, it was finally time to create the suit he would wear during his missions outside the base perhaps even inside if his paranoia grew stronger. The armor would require around 20 ingots of Nth metal, meaning he could not afford to mass-produce suits like Iron Man or Batman. However, thanks to the nanobots, it would be easily upgradeable.

Standing before a specially designed fabricator, Alex pressed a button on his PDA, initiating the fabrication process. The next two hours felt like the longest of his life. Despite his trust in the Forge, he couldn't help but feel nervous handling such a rare and valuable material.

Finally, his battlesuit was complete. It had the appearance of solid gold, its surface smooth and devoid of any decorations. Alex deliberately avoided adding identifiable markings, knowing that even the smallest detail could be used to profile or track him. Other than its humanoid shape, the suit had no external indicators of its advanced functions all of its features remained hidden, only activating when necessary.

Alex stepped closer to the armor and placed his hand on it. At his touch, the suit instantly reacted, flowing over his body like liquid, resembling a symbiote. Once fully equipped, he activated his customization perk, altering the armor's appearance to match his regular clothes. Feeling a bit safer, he let out a sigh of relief at last, he had a way to fight mages. Even if he couldn't win, he could at least escape unless he encountered some ancient monster.

With the battlesuit complete, he finally decided to check the results of his negotiations with General Ross. Since he had already programmed the blueprints into the factory's black-boxed database, he hadn't been too concerned about the matter. The Watcher had not notified him of anything noteworthy, so he had put it off until now.

It appeared that the military wanted all of his products. However, Alex had been slightly late the military had already allocated most of its budget, so they could only place a smaller order than initially expected. Of course, "small" was relative; while limited compared to the scale of the U.S. military, it was still a substantial purchase.

Additionally, General Ross was not the only one interested. The necessary licenses for further experimentation had been approved, and his assistant had successfully assembled the research team he requested. They were now ready to begin clinical trials for the prosthetics, a process that would take at least a month. Once completed, he could finally start selling the tested product to the military.

After answering any questions his assistant had sent him, issuing new orders, and remotely transferring the blueprints for the augmentations to the factory, Alex headed back to begin the process of recreating Nth metal. At the same time, he started designing stealth spaceships that would be constructed from Nth metal though, for now, they would remain mere blueprints until he successfully replicated the material.

Additionally, he instructed his AI to scan for valuable metals such as Vibranium or Adamantium. Once their locations were identified, he could take his new battlesuit and retrieve them, whether through negotiation or force.

As he headed back to his lab, the familiar hum of the Celestial Forge suddenly stirred once more, its pulse of energy resonating through Alex.

[Dao of Alchemy (Renegade Immortal) (200CP)

Alchemy is the art and science of using spiritual materials and reagents to create miraculous pills and concoctions with an incredible range of effects. From pills that can heal grievous wounds or cure horrific diseases to poisons so terrifyingly potent that just a single breath can melt the flesh from your bones. Elixirs that induce states of enlightenment or restoratives that can drastically improve your cultivation, help you break through bottlenecks or just simply refill your reserves of spiritual energy when you are low.

For the less talented, alchemical creations can represent their only hopes to break through to the higher stages of cultivation, be it the Foundation Establishing Pill, the miraculous medicines that can allow for the creation of nascent souls or even stranger things.

You are an incredibly talented alchemist with an intuitive grasp of the process of pillmaking as well as the way ingredients may interact, allowing you to make leaps in the process of refinement, or even creation of new recipes, that would require years of hard study for others. This kind of talent allows you to easily analyse and recreate pills with a short period of examination.

Talent isn't everything though. A senior with decades of experience will always do better than a pill genius on their first time. You have the equivalent of a good decade or two of practical experience with alchemy under your belt as well as a wealth of theoretical knowledge. If a reagent or pill has existed on Suzaku or in myth, then it's likely you know of it and the ways that it can be used or otherwise nurtured if it is not yet ready. This knowledge will update itself to include similar disciplines in future jumps.]

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When he thought his luck had run out, he struck gold once again. With alchemy alone, his options had already expanded, but when combined with the perks granted by the Forge, the possibilities became truly limitless. He could already envision using military support to break into the medical market curing diseases and helping people, all while making a fortune. After all, he was still a capitalist, not a saint.

This new perk came with a set of basic recipes and knowledge about the necessary ingredients. Since this world wasn't a cultivation-based one, most of these medicines wouldn't work miracles, but some were still incredibly useful. The healing pill, for instance, could accelerate the recovery of internal injuries, while the cream version was ideal for treating external wounds. Both had immense value for civilians and the military, and best of all, Alex wouldn't have any competition at least for now.

He also considered developing a weight-loss pill that would convert body fat into energy, slightly strengthening the user in the process though the effect would be barely noticeable. The pill would burn one kilogram of fat per dose and could be taken once a day. To prevent abuse, he would ensure that once the body reached a healthy weight, the pill would stop working. It was bound to be a massive success, but it would require FDA approval. Unfortunately, Alex had already used up his favor with the military, so if he wanted their support in fast-tracking approval, he'd need to offer something they couldn't refuse or find another way to gain influence.

Still, there was no point in worrying about that just yet. Among the basic recipes, he discovered one for body enhancement a medicinal bath that was surprisingly effective and suitable for daily use. However, before he could begin experimenting with alchemy, he needed raw materials, particularly seeds, to maintain full control over the supply. With Alterra's technology, he could accelerate their growth, and thanks to the hidden bases he had instructed his AI to construct using autonomous robots in hidden locations underwater, he could easily dedicate a few to automated farming.

He sent his assistant a request for the necessary materials, then designed an automated farm and instructed his AI to construct it inside one of the nearby bases. With that handled, he considered other potential applications of his new perk. He could attempt to analyze various serums and replicate their effects in pill form. While the success rate remained uncertain, gathering samples would be beneficial.

Perhaps he could ask General Ross for a small sample of the original Super Soldier Serum or something similar. However, earning that level of trust would take significantly more time and effort than he had currently invested.

Augmentation Trials

With all preparations complete, Nexus began its first trial of various augmentations. The initial focus was on prosthetics, which had been downgraded for civilian use, as the first applicants were older veterans for whom the more advanced augmentation versions would be unnecessary.

Additionally, each patient underwent a surgical procedure to implant a device capable of converting digested food into energy. This innovation ensured that their prosthetics remained powered at all times, eliminating the need for manual charging and enhancing overall convenience.

After the invited surgeons familiarized themselves with the procedure using dummies and cadavers, they began the first-ever live surgery. The operation was completed without complications, and the patient was transferred to a monitored recovery room where his vitals were closely observed.

Once the patient showed signs of waking up, a scientist and a doctor entered the room to conduct further tests, ensuring the augmentation functioned as intended and that no adverse effects had occurred. The data gathered from these trials would serve as the foundation for future enhancements and widespread implementation.

Encouraged by the success of the civilian trials, Nexus moved forward with military-grade augmentations. These tests were conducted within a secure military facility under the supervision of General Ross. With the civilian prototypes yielding flawless results, he agreed to trial the combat models on the condition that all testing took place within his jurisdiction.

It took two weeks for the soldiers to acclimate to their new enhancements and apply them effectively in combat simulations. The results exceeded expectations. Enhanced strength, endurance, and reaction times placed them leagues ahead of their unaugmented counterparts. The military was impressed.

Negotiations regarding pricing and potential mass production had already begun. Alex instructed his assistant to lower the price as much as possible in exchange for the military's goodwill and a list of loyal retired soldiers who could undergo augmentation and serve as his personal security force.

Just as he finalized his thoughts, Alex felt it the familiar hum of the Celestial Forge stirring once more. A pulse of energy resonated through him, signaling another gift from the Forge.

[The Holy Grail (Iron sky) (300CP)

Well now. This is a cup weighing 84 ounces, an endless source of the wonder chemical known as Vril. Vril is a chemical that is behind all of the Vrilian technology in this world, providing unlimited energy, immortality, regeneration and incredibly heightened physical abilities.

With a direct drink from this vessel you would be instantly cured of all ailments, and your physical strength is raised to such heights that you can kill a T-Rex with one hit. Plugged in as a power source, which is as simple as dipping wires in it, the grail provides an unlimited amount of any and all energies you might care to ask of it. Even chocolates made of it are enough to reverse decades of aging and fix any diseases plaguing the body. You also get an unlimited supply of these chocolates.]

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