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"Finally... it's done."
Nolan hadn't left the lab for days, standing watch as Shou-Lao's Chi was continuously extracted under a stabilized magnetic field.
Now, he observed Danny's chest the iconic dragon mark had all but faded, leaving behind only a faint outline of wings scorched into his skin.
"This idiot was controlling power this vast?" scoffed Black Sky, her voice carrying the shocked tone of the Beast inside her.
Only now did the Beast realize what kind of force the Iron Fist truly wielded. All this time, he'd dismissed Danny as nothing more than a martial arts zealot with a glowing fist.
He hadn't expected K'un-Lun's so-called Immortal Weapon to house a force that rivaled divine power.
"No. He wasn't controlling it," Nolan corrected. "He was being assisted."
In the source material he'd read, Nolan remembered many had tried to steal the Iron Fist's power, and most had failed. Not because the power was inaccessible, but because they couldn't control it.
The truth became clear now.
Those faint wing-shaped burn marks? Likely a safety lock implanted by Shou-Lao itself—a metaphysical regulator.
The Chi inside Danny's body was like a dam's reservoir. He was merely the valve. Without a properly sized outlet, the overflowing power would burst through and destroy the vessel.
That's why most hosts either imploded or went mad.
But with enough control or the right tech,. You could bypass the damage.
"Which means… strong magnetic regulation is the key," Nolan muttered.
Shou-Lao's Chi wasn't absorbed into the body it overlaid it. Like a reactive energy source, not intrinsic fuel. He could create a wearable field device perhaps even a portable version of the magnetic ring he used on demonic energy.
The challenge, however, was figuring out if Chi had to flow through Danny's original neural circuit to function, or if any pattern could be programmed for amplification.
"Connors," Nolan called, "I need new test subjects."
He paused.
"Preferably HYDRA's super-soldiers."
—
Two days later.
Nolan massaged his temples as he studied the effects of demonic energy on enhanced humans. Three HYDRA super-soldiers had been captured—each one rare and dangerous.
Originally meant for testing the Jessica serum, Nolan had reassigned them to this latest phase. He figured they'd survive either way.
The first subject stood in a reinforced observation chamber. On his finger: a custom-built Demon Ring loaded with a dose of demonic energy.
Once unlocked via fingerprint scan, the ring's internal magnetic field would disengage, flooding the subject's body with demonic energy.
"One dosage unit equals one 'Magna-Surge,'" Nolan noted aloud.
It was his new term—a measurement scale for mystic energy manipulation.
The base unit? The first extraction of demonic power from Black Sky.
Two Magna-Surges were enough to drive a super-soldier into insanity. One? Probably enough to shatter the mind of an average person.
Nolan had been siphoning energy from Black Sky constantly—enough to nearly drive the Beast into isolation. The creature had never imagined someone could scientifically weaponize demonic power.
The more Nolan extracted, the weaker the Beast's connection to Black Sky became. Its hold was slipping.
"Let's make a deal," the Beast offered in desperation. "Physical augmentation is the most basic application. With my knowledge—rituals, sigils, esoteric geometry—you could become unstoppable!"
Nolan gave him a bored glance and ignored him.
'You don't barter with devils.'
Not when you know exactly how they lie.
The Beast gritted its teeth. "You'll regret this…"
It wasn't used to talking to a human without discovering a flaw—some desire, some ego, something to exploit.
But Nolan had none of that. He didn't lust for shortcuts. He didn't wish to skip steps. And without a weak spot…
The Beast had nothing.
In the lab, the first test subject began violently convulsing. The demonic energy had reached his brain—untethered.
"Too unstable," Nolan noted.
For the remaining two subjects, he applied custom-built magnetic collars, designed to suppress demonic energy from reaching the cerebral cortex.
As he activated their rings, the energy surged through their bodies—but stopped short of the brain. Their muscles twitched, their eyes dilated, but they didn't fall into madness.
Just raw power. Amplification. Controlled enhancement.
"Success," Nolan said, watching the energy curve ripple across their bodies. "The collar's field regulation works."
Each collar could be adjusted dialed precisely above one Magna-Surge. At that level, the energy couldn't breach the brainstem.
Which meant…
He could mass-produce Demon Soldiers.
Nolan stretched, pleased. This wasn't just about demonic energy anymore. Any external force that altered physiology Chi, radiation, or even mutant genes could be field-regulated like this.
He waved to his assistant. "Shut off the ring on the first test subject."
But the man didn't calm down.
"Still mad?"
Nolan frowned. "Irreversible neurological decay…?"
The corruption couldn't be undone once the demonic energy touched the brain. That made the first exposure point the most critical threshold.
"Tell Norman to dissect subject one. Upload the brain scans to the database."
"On it," the assistant said, wheeling the man out.
"I can't believe you actually did it…" the Beast murmured. "You created a system… without magic… that can weaponize demonic energy."
He sounded broken.
Nolan turned, pulling out a device—his latest prototype: the Demonic Transformation Unit.
"No. I created a method anyone can use."
He looked at the Beast, coolly.
"Just because you haven't seen it… doesn't mean it's impossible."
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