"Can Mutants truly walk openly in the sunlight?"
Recently, the stir Adrian caused in the underground world had already spread to every corner. A lot of Mutants hiding their identities had noticed this suddenly rising figure.
Initially, when a bounty was placed on Adrian, most people didn't care.
After all, in the underground world, there were at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, Mutants with bounties on their heads. Even Magneto and Professor X had been at the top of the bounty list for ages, yet who dared to mess with them?
But this time, the direct conflict between the Catholic Church and the vampires seriously shocked everyone. It was said that even the notorious The Hand was involved, but it ultimately ended with Adrian's overwhelming victory.
Even more surprisingly, the Pope of the Catholic Church publicly addressed higher-ups of various countries for Adrian, declaring him to be the church's divine messenger and future Pope. If he were to meet with misfortune, these countries would face the wrath of hundreds of millions of Catholic believers worldwide.
After providing plenty of public display, the Pope then quietly conveyed the news that Adrian could regrow limbs and extend lifespans to some influential figures who needed it. Under the dual pressure of threats and incentives, Adrian's existence was actually tacitly accepted by various countries.
This was the first time in history that a Mutant had formally entered the high-level global power game. This change gave countless Mutants hope—the hope of living openly in the sunlight.
It also planted a seed in their hearts: when they reached a dead end, maybe the Catholic Church would be a good refuge.
And this was exactly what Adrian wanted...
Inside a quiet church, Adrian stood alone before a solemn cross.
The book in his hand occasionally flickered with strange light—seven-colored radiance and dim black light alternated, like two completely different forces were wrestling with each other.
"As expected of a page from the Darkhold..."
"This level of power is truly incredible. In terms of status alone, that Chthon is probably above Apollo, someone comparable to the ancient creator gods, possessing universe-level combat power."
Adrian muttered, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.
His mental power continuously analyzed the mysteries contained within the Darkhold page—the deeper he dug, the more shocked he became.
This wasn't a power he could easily touch at his current stage, which was why he'd always been wary of directly interacting with this page.
The Darkhold had the power to mess with hearts. Anyone who practiced the black magic recorded within would unknowingly become a follower of Chthon, eventually being devoured by him and becoming his puppet in the real dimension. Even just one page caused Adrian's mind to occasionally feel disoriented.
He clearly remembered that Wanda, on the Sacred Timeline, still suffered erosion from the Darkhold even after her Scarlet power awakened, possessing Skyfather-level combat power. Doctor Strange, hailed as the strongest Sorcerer Supreme, also evolved into the eerie Dark Strange form because of the Darkhold. All this forced Adrian to be extra cautious.
"Ding~"
Just as he was fully focused on analyzing the Darkhold, his phone suddenly rang, interrupting his contemplation.
"You rascal, you've been making quite a stir lately." Logan's hoarse voice came through the receiver.
"The plan's going pretty smoothly."
"And you?"
Adrian smiled faintly.
"Not so smoothly."
"Nobody believes a rough old man like me."
Logan's tone was a bit down.
"It's alright. After this incident, more Mutants should be willing to believe you."
"Our goal isn't something that can be achieved overnight—it requires patience."
Adrian reassured him.
He wasn't surprised. After all, Logan's consistent impression was that of a hothead—who would easily believe a hothead's words? Unless that hothead could provide convincing enough evidence.
"Where are you now? Give me your coordinates."
"The matter of helping you break through your limits, which I mentioned before, is doable now."
Adrian continued.
Both of them were currently in the United States, which was a good opportunity to meet.
Once Adrian returned to the Catholic Church, he'd become the focus of attention, every word and action scrutinized. According to the Pope's arrangements, Adrian needed to make appearances regularly to consolidate his position and couldn't leave the Vatican for too long.
But now, with the ability of Elemental Control, Adrian could temporarily escape public view.
After getting the coordinates from Logan, Adrian hung up the phone.
"I hope my hypothesis is correct." He took a deep breath, and an elemental cloak instantly covered his entire body, causing him to vanish into thin air from the church.
If anyone could have seen Adrian's figure, they would've been shocked to see a stream of light shoot up from the church, cutting across the sky at incredible speed and rushing toward the distance.
Their agreed meeting place wasn't far. At Adrian's current speed, it'd only take a few minutes to cover hundreds of miles—his speed had already reached three times the speed of sound.
Even though he'd just re-entered the initial stage of Cosmo Sixth Sense, with the boost of Elemental Control, Adrian's combat power was actually several points stronger than at the same period in his previous life.
A few minutes later, Adrian appeared before Logan, his elemental cloak slowly fading.
"Incredible..."
"You crossed nearly four hundred miles in less than ten minutes."
Logan looked at the suddenly appearing Adrian, his eyes filled with shock.
He still clearly remembered Adrian's state when they'd parted a few months ago—it was a world of difference from now.
"Otherwise, how could we achieve our goals?"
"Let's begin. My current identity is pretty sensitive—I can't be away for too long."
Adrian smiled.
He didn't waste time and got straight to the point.
"Alright!" Logan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged on the ground. He followed Adrian's instructions, trying his best to calm his excited mind.
Adrian also slightly closed his eyes, and the power of Cosmo began to burn. The stars within his soul started to revolve, and he once again saw that brilliant light of Cosmo.
"Buzz!"
Under Adrian's conscious manipulation, a seed shimmering with starlight slowly separated.
"The Seed of Cosmo... it actually worked!" Adrian himself felt a little surprised, not expecting the process of separating the Seed of Cosmo to be this smooth.
When he opened his eyes, a speck of light containing the mysteries of the universe's stars was pulsating in his palm.
He gently pushed it, and the speck of light merged into Logan's forehead, perfectly fusing with him. The entire process was silent, causing no ripples.
Seeing no unusual reaction from Logan, Adrian thought for a moment, then reached out and placed his hand on Logan's shoulder.
"Crash... the earth churned..."
A brown symbol was imprinted on Logan's body.
"That's it," Adrian said.
Logan opened his eyes upon hearing this, feeling the changes within his body.
"I've given you two types of power."
"One is the power of Cosmo, as mentioned before. This power requires your physical body to reach its peak, then merge with your soul, and ignite your own potential to awaken."
"The second is my Elemental Control blessing. With my enhancement, you can master and use the power of the earth element. It's for your self-defense and also a demonstration when recruiting members."
"As for the specific effects, you'll have to develop them yourself."
Adrian explained.
Adrian's words were crystal clear, and Logan immediately understood his intention.
"I get it." Logan replied. He could already clearly sense the brown elements swirling in the air, an experience he'd never had before.
He hadn't expected Adrian to have reached this level where he could even share his own Mutant abilities with others.
This was definitely a huge advantage.
"My work here in the U.S. is done," Adrian said, glancing toward the distant horizon. "I need to head back to the Vatican. The Pope's been waiting, and my identity makes it difficult to stay away for too long."
"Understood," Logan nodded. "I'll keep working on the recruitment. With these new abilities, it should be easier to convince people."
"Good. Contact me if you need anything." Adrian's elemental cloak began to shimmer around him, preparing for departure.
"Safe travels," Logan said with a slight grin. "Try not to cause too much trouble on the way back."
Adrian smirked. "No promises."