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Feny gave Helen Cho a brief introduction to Shuri, though he carefully avoided revealing the true extent of Wakanda's technological advancement. Afterward, he went to visit Wanda and Pietro, who were staying in a residence near the laboratory.
The research on the Mind Scepter had only just begun, and they were a long way off from actual human trials, so there was no need for the twins to remain cooped up in the lab.
"How are things going on this side?" Feny asked when he found Wanda. She was currently curled up with a book, studying intently.
"The language barrier... communication is so difficult!" Wanda replied in stumbling, broken Korean.
Feny blinked in surprise, then responded fluently in the same tongue: "Then you'll just have to practice more!"
Back when he was learning to translate the spells of Kamar-Taj, he hadn't just studied Sanskrit; he had dabbled in almost every major language on Earth. Wanda had only been at it for a short while, so she could only vaguely grasp that Feny was encouraging her.
After a quick word of thanks, she asked, "Did you come here for something specific?"
"No, just checking in on you two," Feny shook his head.
"When will we get the abilities you talked about?" Wanda asked, looking up. Though life here was comfortable, she was eager to obtain her powers and return to her home country, Sokovia.
In truth, after they had met Tony, Stark had immediately looked into the situation in Sokovia and had Pepper send people to improve conditions there. Unfortunately, the Stark name was held in utter contempt there—especially since Feny had recently caused a stir in the region, leaving Tony to take the blame once again. Consequently, very little had changed.
"Once the lab produces results," Feny answered calmly. "I've brought in someone else to help. It should be soon."
Wanda looked back down at her book. Feny never restricted their movement in or out of the lab, but since most of the staff were Korean, she was teaching herself the language so she could track their progress personally.
Feny didn't linger. After resting briefly, he traveled to his usual training spot in the Himalayas to practice his skills.
His eighth extraction was complete, and while Zafkiel was incredibly powerful, its reliance on "time value" meant he couldn't use it recklessly without a steady supply of harvested time. Therefore, to increase his combat strength, he had to focus on strengthening his existing kit.
Sitting cross-legged in the snow, the silver-white armor of Incursio shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow under the moonlight. Feny looked down at the plating, his expression turning serious as he pondered a discovery.
During his fight with Killian, he had noticed something. Because of the stress surrounding the extraction process, he had been in a foul mood and had gone "Full Output" with his Total Concentration Breathing to teach Killian a lesson. At that moment, he felt Incursio undergo a strange, subtle change under the pressure of the breathing technique. Looking back, a similar sensation had occurred when he was pummeling Loki.
Incursio was Feny's third skill, and it was the one he used most frequently in battle. To date, it had evolved several times: developing Cryo Resistance during a breakthrough, Physical Resistance after fighting the Hulk, and Energy Resistance through sparring with sorcerers.
These evolutions were vital to his growth. At least half of his current strength could be attributed to Incursio's adaptability. Realizing the armor was reacting again, he wanted to solve the mystery immediately.
Taking a deep breath, Feny calmed his mind. He used Golden Glister (Ars Magna) to pull the surrounding oxygen toward him and activated his breathing technique to its limit.
Inhale!
The oxygen molecules, freshly gathered in the freezing mountain air, were drawn into his lungs in one massive gulp. Red blood cells worked overtime, surging through his veins to deliver the payload to every corner of his body.
The Breathing Styles originated from Demon Slayer, described by the system as a technique for humans to fight "Demons." While these weren't the literal demons Feny had once imagined, the technique remained unique. Feny had originally thought the "power" of the breathing was just concentrated energy, but he was starting to realize it was more than that.
When using Total Concentration Breathing, Feny felt a sensation like warm, scorching sunlight—an energy he usually funneled into his Explosion Magic to boost its lethality. Now, however, he realized Incursio had an even better affinity for this energy.
Maintaining his state, Feny watched in amazement as Incursio absorbed the power. Beneath the silver plates, a dull red glow began to pulse. It reminded him of the Extremis Virus, but unlike Killian's jagged heat, this glow felt like a contained fire, trying to seep through the seams of the armor.
Feny continued to breathe, focusing entirely on infusing Incursio with what he dubbed "Sun Energy."
Voom!
Suddenly, a bright red flicker of flame licked out from the armor's surface, vivid against the night sky. Before Feny could react, the tiny flame acted like a puppy bursting out of a kennel; it raced across his body, instantly igniting his entire form. He was turned into a living torch.
Startled, Feny jumped to his feet. His breathing pattern faltered, and the flames immediately dimmed, dissipating into the thin air.
Feny stood frozen, staring at his hands. The armor had returned to its silver-white state, and there wasn't a single scorch mark on his clothes or skin. It felt like an illusion, but the melted patch of snow at his feet told a different story.
"What was that?"
He was bewildered. Taking a few more deep breaths to steady his heart, he reactivated the breathing technique. Having done it once, the second time was faster. As soon as the Sun Energy flooded into Incursio, the armor turned red-hot, and the flames erupted again.
Feny's breath hitched for a second, but being mentally prepared this time, he maintained his rhythm. Looking at the crimson-gold flames dancing across his body, he realized he felt no pain—not even a hint of uncomfortable heat.
After experimenting for a while, he concluded that this was a specific property of his breathing technique resonating with the organic material of the armor. He had never thought to pump the Sun Energy directly into Incursio before; it was only because some energy had leaked during his anger that he had noticed the synergy.
"Great. I guess I'm getting another nickname," Feny thought, watching himself burn. "Flame Knight? The Crimson Knight?"
The flames surrounding him weren't ordinary; they were a brilliant, golden-red hue—terrifying, yet strikingly beautiful.
(End of Chapter)