Before leaving, Locke didn't forget one crucial thing—he hadn't done his daily check-in yet. That thought lingered for just a second before he acted, curiosity already sparking in his mind about what kind of ability Tony Stark might bring him.
[Ding! Has the host checked in with Tony Stark?]
"Sign in."
[Ding! Sign-in successful. Congratulations to the host for obtaining the super ability "Heart of Machinery." Reward: 100 experience points.]
A mechanical heart?
The moment the ability fused into his body, Locke's eyes sharpened as understanding flooded in. It wasn't a literal mechanical replacement for his heart, but something far more valuable—it was mastery over machinery itself. Instinct, intuition, and comprehension of engineering systems surged through him, as if he'd spent a lifetime immersed in the field.
To put it simply, this ability turned him into a mechanical prodigy, someone capable of grasping and innovating on complex systems with terrifying ease. Of course, raw talent alone wasn't enough. Machinery still required a foundation of knowledge to build upon.
But that wasn't a problem for Locke.
He already possessed a "super brain," one that stored vast reserves of physics and chemistry knowledge. With that foundation, the Heart of Machinery didn't just elevate him—it unlocked his full potential.
With a single thought, designs began forming in his mind. If he wanted to, he could construct a suit of steel armor comparable to Tony's at any moment. In fact, replicating the armor wasn't even the difficult part—the real challenge was the power core.
Yet even that obstacle barely registered as a problem.
If he wanted a reactor like Tony's arc reactor, he could build one with ease. He already had access to the final element Tony had struggled to discover, and with his abilities, he could even synthesize entirely new materials to replace or surpass it.
As the ideas continued to unfold, a far grander vision began to take shape in his thoughts. He imagined a city—one built entirely for mutants—floating above the world like a hidden empire. A massive sky-bound battleship, cloaked and untouchable, serving as its core.
That was the future he envisioned.
An academy city of his own.
But Locke quickly pushed that thought aside. It was still too far off, too ambitious for where he currently stood. Right now, he had something far more immediate to deal with.
He needed to find Dr. Ethan and bring him back.
The next day, Locke arrived in the Gumira region, accompanied by Polaris and Clarice. The three of them entered a small town, their presence immediately drawing attention.
"Wes, are we here to find someone?" Clarice asked, glancing around curiously.
Locke gave a short nod. "We're looking for a man named Dr. Ethan."
Polaris frowned slightly as she scanned the surroundings. "Do you even know where he is? Finding one person in a place like this isn't exactly easy."
"It's not," Locke admitted calmly. "But I've got a way."
Using Telepathy to locate mutants was simple—they stood out like beacons in the mental landscape. Ordinary humans, however, were another story. Their minds blurred together, indistinguishable in the vast sea of consciousness.
That made methods like Cerebro ineffective for this kind of search.
But Locke didn't need to rely on brute-force detection.
Instead, he would trace connections.
He could sift through the memories of people around Dr. Ethan, pulling fragments of information until he found what he needed. It was a tedious process, especially considering the sheer number of minds he'd have to scan.
Fortunately, his super brain made it manageable. Without it, processing that volume of information would have been nearly impossible.
The three of them moved deeper into the town.
What they saw wasn't encouraging.
The place was in ruins, buildings crumbling and streets eerily empty. The few pedestrians they did see looked gaunt and sickly, their faces hollow from hunger and exhaustion.
And the moment those people noticed them, they scattered.
Doors slammed shut. Figures disappeared into alleys. Within seconds, the streets were almost completely deserted.
Clarice blinked in confusion, watching the last person vanish from sight. "Why are they acting like that? It's like they're scared of us."
Locke's expression darkened slightly as he took in the surroundings. "War," he said simply. "This place has been through hell."
The Gumira region was being ravaged by constant conflict, and the group responsible was none other than the Ten Rings.
Unlike HYDRA, which operated more openly at times, the Ten Rings preferred to stay in the shadows. But their influence was just as widespread, if not more so.
And their ambitions were clear.
The fact that they had captured Tony Stark instead of killing him outright spoke volumes. They didn't want destruction—they wanted power. Specifically, advanced weaponry.
Looking around at the devastated town, both Polaris and Clarice felt a heaviness settle in their chests. In an age of rapid technological advancement, it was almost unbelievable that places like this still existed.
People were starving. Corpses lay abandoned on the roadside, already beginning to rot under the open sky. There wasn't even anyone left to bury them.
"Let's go," Locke said flatly, breaking the silence.
He wasn't here to fix this place.
He couldn't, even if he wanted to. And more importantly, he had no intention of involving himself in something that had nothing to do with his goals.
Polaris and Clarice exchanged glances, their expressions conflicted. But they understood. There were priorities, and this wasn't one they could afford to focus on right now.
After circling the town, Locke extended his Telepathy outward, sweeping through every mind within range.
Nothing.
No trace of Dr. Ethan.
Without hesitation, he turned toward the next town.
However, the moment they arrived, a deafening rumble shattered the air.
Explosions erupted all around them, artillery fire raining down as chaos engulfed the area.
"Watch out!" Locke snapped, his senses sharpening instantly.
He wasn't concerned about himself—conventional weapons posed no real threat to him. But Polaris and Clarice didn't share his level of resilience.
Polaris clenched her fists, her eyes scanning the destruction. "Who's doing this?"
Locke didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached out with his Telepathy, extending it beyond the town's borders.
What he found made his expression turn cold.
A large number of armed militants had surrounded the area.
And he recognized them instantly.
"The Ten Rings."
Polaris and Clarice both turned toward him, confusion flickering across their faces. "The Ten Rings?"
"It's the name of a terrorist organization," Locke said calmly.
The moment he said it, understanding dawned on them.
....
Can't wait to read ahead. Then Join my P@treon and get 60+ chapters.
Even Free members can enjoy 2+ advanced chapters FOR FREE.
Link: [email protected]/Divine_Quill
Join Right Now