Chapter: 206

The upgrade and modification of the nanobots went smoothly for Mark. Whether it was the application of runic symbols or the installation of new modules, he was adept at the work.

Although it was the first time he practically applied the dark runes in his equipment, Mark had accumulated enough experience studying runic technology, so he handled it with ease.

The test results of the new functionalities also confirmed that Mark's good feelings were not an illusion.

The [Energy Absorption] runes operated smoothly, and with the Arc Reactor consuming only 360,000 joules of energy per hour, the dark energy collected from the surroundings was enough to sustain the normal operation of all the nanobots' functional modules.

The efficiency of energy acquisition was truly remarkable. It's important to note that 360,000 joules per hour of power consumption may sound significant, but in reality, it's just the energy required for an LED light bulb to illuminate for one hour.

Exchanging such a small energy supply for an unimaginable energy output demonstrated the immense advantage of runic technology in energy utilization.

The performance of the other newly added runes during testing was also excellent.

[Strengthening] The magic talisman is made of carbyne materials, significantly enhancing the overall performance of the nanobots, which already possessed high strength.

One test result in particular demonstrated the power of the runes. With only a thin film composed of a single layer of nanobots, the nanosuit's defensive capabilities could easily withstand 9mm bullets fired from standard police pistols.

The [purification] magic rune and the [life release] rune, when supplied with sufficient energy can perfectly replace high-speed self-healing modules, Mark could now serve as both a meat shield and support on the battlefield, as well as carry out powerful assaults.

As for the Pym particle module, Mark only tested its capabilities for the "anima". While fantasizing about transforming into Ultraman was exhilarating, when it came to actual operation, Mark couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and ultimately didn't attempt it.

However, in designing the Pym particle functionality, Mark had learned a valuable lesson from the Wasp. To avoid shrinking himself too much and getting lost in the quantum realm, Mark strictly imposed limitations on the scale of his own size. This limitation could not be lifted except in emergency situations.

Regarding what constitutes an emergency situation—well, if the presence of himself and others couldn't prevent Thanos from snapping his fingers, then there would be no choice but to enter the quantum realm to evade that disaster. Mark would rather believe in his ability to find a way out of the quantum realm on his own than rely on a 50% chance of survival under the snap.

With the completion of the nanobots' upgrade, Mark's overall abilities received a significant boost. Especially after adding the Pym particle module, Mark could practically be considered invincible.

After all, in his previous life, he had seen many TV shows and animations derived from "Journey to the West," and Sun Wukong's versatile and effective tricks had left a deep impression on Mark.

If he couldn't defeat an opponent, he could simply shrink himself and create chaos inside their body. With this move, no monster could continue to be stubborn; they would all be subdued and surrender.

Mark planned to imitate this strategy when the time came, shrinking himself first, then suddenly growing inside—oh, it was so gory! Too bloody!

However, Mark didn't indulge in this joy for too long. Soon, he snapped back to reality from his daydreams and continued with the next research topic.

His initial choice wasn't a previous project he had studied but hit a bottleneck with. Instead, he decided to focus on the blood sample of the goddess Frigga, obtained from Asgard, as the next research target.

The main reason was that over time, the activity of the blood sample would gradually decrease. If he waited too long, the value of this hard-earned sample for research would be greatly diminished, and the research difficulty would increase significantly.

Furthermore, based on his previous experience with Thor's blood sample, Mark knew that Earth's cloning technology couldn't replicate this magically enriched blood.

Therefore, this research material was exceptionally precious—using a bit meant having less, and there would be hardly any chance to obtain it again in the future.

In the study of Frigga's blood sample, Mark focused primarily on comparing it with the data provided by Thor. Although they were mother and son, the differences between them were significant.

Firstly, although Frigga lived in Asgard, she, like Hogun from the Warriors Three, hailed from Vanaheim, one of the Nine Realms.

This could be observed from her hair color. The royal bloodline of Asgard usually possessed elegant golden hair, a characteristic also inherited by Thor.

In contrast, Frigga had brown hair, indicating that she was not originally from the Asgardian nobility. Her affection for Loki and teaching him magic might have been influenced by this fact.

Within the realm of the gods, due to their uniqueness, they had all experienced some degree of unfair treatment. This made Frigga, as an adoptive mother to Loki, unconsciously pour more maternal love into him.

Additionally, although both Frigga and Thor could harness dark energy and use magical abilities, Thor was not as versatile and balanced as Odin. Thor was more like a dedicated melee mage, while Frigga represented another extreme. Although she possessed formidable melee capabilities, her spellcasting process was more akin to that of a traditional mage, showcasing her advantages in long-range attacks.

Such significant differences sparked great research interest in Mark. After all, a mage's greatest strength lies in manipulating and controlling magical power, which was currently beyond Mark's knowledge and genetic limits.

But once Mark makes a breakthrough in his research, he can use this blood sample to induce the Extremis virus. By manipulating the newly mutated virus, he can undergo another round of transformation, perhaps gaining the innate ability to control dark energy in the same way as the Asgardians and the people of Vanaheim, freeing himself from the dependency on the Arc Reactor for energy.

...

Sharpening the knife doesn't hinder the cutting process. In order to better carry out the genetic research on Frigga, the first step is to upgrade the laboratory equipment.

The Quantum Field Generator, or as it is known in Asgard, the Soul Forge, had its working principles and technical details figured out by Mark during his research on the Aether.

The only regret was not having the opportunity to dismantle it and observe its internal structure, so Mark was unsure about which runic symbols were used in the Soul Forge and how they were combined for optimal results.

However, this didn't hinder Mark from manufacturing a Quantum Field Generator. With sufficient supplies of Uru metal, Mark was confident in using alternative technologies to complete his makeshift version.

The key to the alternative technology lay in the Pym particles. As the key to accessing the quantum realm, they were the perfect choice for the Quantum Field Generator. Of course, given Mark's level of research in quantum physics, he didn't have any better options.

By manipulating molecular micro-movements through Pym particles, the resulting effect easily transfers energy at the molecular level. Then, by setting up an energy sensing field to capture the fluctuations of this energy release, and displaying the obtained information through holographic projection, a brand new version of the Soul Forge was completed.

With the assistance of the Quantum Field Generator, Mark made great progress in his research on Frigga's blood sample. Compared to traditional methods of genetic testing and analysis, the Quantum Field Generator provided more detailed and confidential information to Mark.

With this information as the core, Mark could quickly select the data he needed from the vast resources of visualized information, focus on key points, streamline the entire research process, and maximize computational efficiency.

...

After a series of complex and rigorous analyses and deductions, Mark finally discovered the secret behind the extraordinary individual strength of these advanced civilizations. He also found a new path that would allow him to continuously grow stronger.

In fact, it might not be accurate to say that he was finding ways to become stronger. The true essence of Mark's research conclusion lay in the elevation of the life level, while becoming stronger was merely a natural result or an additional aspect after the elevation of life level.

Whether through scientific means or magical means, or as Thor said, these two were essentially the same concept. Generation after generation of intelligent beings from different races devoted themselves to research, all with the ultimate goal of advancing their civilization and elevating their own life level.

This elevation of life level, based on Mark's current knowledge and understanding, could be divided into three evolutionary directions.

The first direction was the research path Mark had been exploring all along. By continuously developing the brain, he would eventually free his intellect from the limitations of the physical body, becoming a quantum life form entirely dependent on the information world.

The advantage of this existence was that the life level would increase along with the enhancement of the information network one existed in. The larger the amount of information possessed, the stronger the abilities acquired.

It was akin to Baymax only being able to rely on the server cluster provided by Mark when within the company's intranet. However, once connected to the internet, entering a broader information network, Baymax could leverage the computational power of all internet-connected devices, an unlimited augmentation of its own capabilities. This represented the self-upgrades gained through the enhancement of the information network.

Of course, the information network didn't solely refer to the internet. Magical networks constructed by Kamar-Taj on Earth, the dark energy network existing between the cosmos—any existence capable of carrying information could be called an information network.

However, as the network level increased, the form of information transmission would also differ. Entering a new network required analyzing new rules and protocols. Just like how analog networks and fiber optic networks needed hardware for signal conversion to establish connectivity, not to mention the difficulty of transitioning from the internet to the magical network.

The greatest advantage of a quantum lifeform was that as long as the entire information network couldn't be completely destroyed, the concept of lifespan limits didn't apply to quantum life. It was a form of life capable of achieving immortality regardless of life level. This was the most appealing aspect for Mark.

The second method of elevating the life level was through the enhancement of the physical body, as seen in the races such as Asgardians and the people of Vanaheim who had unlocked their genetic potential. By continuously absorbing dark energy from the universe, they strengthened themselves, achieving an elevation in life level through accumulation. Each elevation not only granted more powerful abilities but also extended their lifespan, surpassing limits.

If the way of a quantum lifeform granted eternal life to the soul, then this method allowed the physical body to attain immortality.

Compared to a quantum lifeform that needed to continuously elevate its life level to become stronger, the method of enhancing the physical body had an immediate effect. Even without an elevation in life level, continuous improvement in strength was still possible.

The disadvantage, however, was that if breakthroughs and enhancements couldn't be achieved before reaching the limits of lifespan, even possessing immense power couldn't prevent the ravages of time.

As for the third method, it involved progressing simultaneously on both paths. It utilized one's physical body as a carrier for the information network, integrating the advantages of both aspects, compensating for each other's disadvantages, and achieving the most perfect form of life.

Choosing this path seemed to have no apparent drawbacks and was the optimal choice among the three options.

However, it should be noted that whether it was the soul or the physical body, focusing all one's energy on one path to achieve advancement and elevation in life level wasn't a simple task.

Moreover, how could one split their attention and pursue the simultaneous development of both paths? The final result might very well be that neither path could be fully achieved, with the soul's advancement being too slow and the physical body approaching its limits, resulting in a fruitless acceptance of the judgment of time.

But for Mark, although he didn't choose the perfect path of pursuing both aspects simultaneously, since this opportunity was now before him, he felt somewhat unwilling to not give it a try.

After careful consideration, Mark decided to prioritize the path of evolving into a quantum lifeform. However, this was a long-term plan. In order to have enough time to complete the process of elevating his life level, he had to pass the test of Thanos, the Director of the Department of Population Control.

If he were to die under that snap in the future, what would be the point of evolution and immortality? Therefore, in the short term, Mark had to focus on enhancing his own abilities as much as possible to face the challenges of life and death in the future. As a result, the path of unlocking genetic potential and continuously enhancing the physical body had to be incorporated into the plan...

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