Chapter 31 - Uncommon Skills

After the short tour of the neighborhood I had with Gwen, we went back to my apartment.

Gwen was surprisingly understanding. She easily understood the risks I was referring to when I said I didn't want her walking around in her uniform.

Multiversal events may have been common in Marvel, but none of them went unnoticed. For the heroes, the multiverse was synonymous with problems, big problems, while for the villains, it was synonymous with opportunity. If either side discovered that I could travel between universes, I could end up being used, imprisoned, or even killed.

Before I could interact with the heroes of this Earth, I had to become strong enough to protect myself.

Theoretically, I was already at the level of an urban hero, like Jessica Jones, but even among urban heroes, there were those who were weaker and those who were stronger. I needed to become strong enough to defeat at least most of the Urban Heroes.

To do that, I needed more cards, and fortunately I had obtained some before I left Earth-65.

So that night, when Gwen went to sleep in my room and I stayed on the old sofa in the living room, I was sleep-deprived and decided to get some things done.

"System, how many cards do I have to reveal?"

[The user has 5 Mysterious Cards of Uncommon skills in his inventory. Do you want to reveal them?]

"Yes, open all five cards," I whispered to the system as I sat down on the sofa.

I had already received Unique and Rare cards, but surprisingly no Common or Uncommon ones. You could say I was lucky, but sometimes a large number of Common and Uncommon skills can make more of a difference than a single Rare skill.

So I had no idea what these cards would bring, but I was hoping for something that would help me grow.

Five cards appeared in the air in front of me, each emitting a greenish light. Then I touched the first one from left to right. The card turned and revealed.

[You have received the Uncommon Skill Card "Advanced Space Engineering"!]

"Space Engineering...?"

Well... this skill wasn't exactly what I wanted, since it wasn't directly combat-related, but I understood how valuable such a skill was.

Basically, advanced space engineering meant that I would have the knowledge and skill to understand special ships. With that, I could build and repair ships, maybe even bases or space stations. It was the kind of skill that Tony Stark, or maybe Reed Richards, would definitely use. It also meant that I could start building my own things instead of buying them from the store, but I would still have the difficulty of materials, something a billionaire like Tony Stark wouldn't have.

"With this skill, I might be able to bond with certain Marvel geniuses and earn their respect. Yeah, that's great!" I said and then remembered that Gwen was sleeping, so I whispered: "It's great..."

The first card disappeared into thin air, and then I clicked on the second card.

[You have received the Uncommon Skill Card "Precise Handling of Firearms"!]

Another interesting skill, but this time with a more practical twist. Being able to master any firearm, from pistols to sniper rifles, was something more useful. The skill brought with it an almost instinctive knowledge of how to use and modify weapons.

"Not that I like the idea of using firearms, but even Captain America used to..." I said quietly.

In the future, I could find myself facing mercenaries, armed villains, or even government agents who wouldn't hesitate to use deadly force, so having the knowledge and skill to counterattack was essential.

"Great, two useful skills... Let's see what else awaits me."

[You have received the Uncommon Skill Card "High-Level Military Strategy!".]

"Wow~" My heart skipped a beat.

The Uncommon Skill Cards turned out to be much better than I had imagined, not that the ones I'd gotten so far weren't good.

High-level Military Strategy gave me the tactical knowledge I needed to organize battles, plan ambushes, and generally think like a military leader. It put me on a much higher level than simple urban heroes who fought by instinct. This was something that would undoubtedly come in handy in the not too distant future.

The Marvel Universe was not a place where I could survive by brute force alone. It required intelligence, strategy... and now I had that in my favor.

"I already feel more confident."

[You have received the Uncommon Skill Card "Melee Combat Expertise with White Weapons".]

"Interesting... At least when it came to using knives and swords, I had the skill to fight efficiently with any type of blade. It wasn't an invincible skill, probably dozens of times inferior to any type of fencing I could get, but I think fighting styles like the Water Dance from Game of Thrones should be in the class of Rare Skill Cards."

"Okay, four skills so far. All useful in different ways. Let's see the last one."

I slowly reached out with my right hand and touched the last green card with my index finger, and as soon as I did, it turned to reveal its contents.

[You have received the Uncommon Skill Card 'Breath Control'!]

"Breath Control? What...?"

[Skill: Breath Control.

Description: Mastering breathing patterns is essential for any warrior. This skill allows the user to control their heart rate, improve their concentration, and even control the oxygen level in their blood in extreme situations.

Ranking: Uncommon.

Assimilation: Not started.]

"Ah, now this makes more sense."

It wasn't exactly explosive power or something that would impress right off the bat, but in the real world - or in this case, the world of Marvel - physical endurance and the skill to stay calm could be the difference between my survival and not.

I sighed deeply and leaned back on the couch. The five skills were stored in my inventory and I could start assimilating them, but I had to do it with a clear head.

"Well, that was productive," I whispered, leaning back and staring at the ceiling of the apartment. "I think it's time to rest now."

Ironically, it was at that moment that I sensed something was wrong with me, so I opened one eye and saw a message from the system.

[Daily Roulette has been reset.]

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