"Gentlemen," he began, his voice cutting through the murmurs in the room. "We are on the cusp of something revolutionary. Our work on Midnight Oil is nearly complete. If we can perfect this defensive gas, we could shift the tide of the war, especially with the Soviets eager to use it to counter the German defenses.
We've been in talks with their military, and they're eager to deploy this in Finow. Imagine the impact: the Soviets will be able to clear entire enemy lines with a single air raid."
Obadiah Stane leaned forward, his voice low and calculating as he interjected, "And what about the risks, Howard? This isn't just about defense anymore. We're talking about altering the very nature of warfare. What if it falls into the wrong hands?"
Howard smirked, his response smooth and confident. "That's the risk we take, Obadiah. This is war. There's always a risk. But this could be the game-changer we've been waiting for."
The tension in the room was palpable, but I was no longer focused on the conversation itself. My mind was elsewhere, processing the flood of knowledge I had just absorbed. Stark's understanding of military strategy, his engineering brilliance, and even his ability to seduce women. It was all locked into my mind, ready for use.
The meeting went on for hours, but for me, it was nothing more than a goldmine of knowledge.
And then, just as the meeting was winding down, Howard made a brief comment that caught my attention.
"We're moving forward with the raid. We'll strike at the German labs within the next few weeks, and we'll liberate the Midnight Oil research. This could be the key to ending the war."
The meeting concluded, and as the others filed out, I stayed behind just long enough to let the last trickle of information settle into my mind. My next steps were already forming, but for the moment, I was content to simply observe.
I stepped out of the Stark Industries facility just as the last rays of sun dipped behind the skyline. The meeting had been long, filled with enough classified chatter to make a Soviet agent weep with joy, but my mind was elsewhere—buzzing with fresh knowledge from Howard Stark's brilliant, overconfident head.
I slipped into the car I recently bought, a sleek black Buick that growled to life when I turned the key—and guided it out onto the open road. The city rolled past me in a blur of brick buildings, war propaganda posters, and the distant hum of swing jazz leaking out of diners.
Today, I was looking for somewhere where I would get a very important skill which I need to learn which would pave the way for the next Ability that I have chosen to copy.
***
Tucked between a bookstore and an old tailor's shop in Lower Manhattan was a place that didn't look like much from the outside. The hand-painted sign above the door read "Stress Reduction Yoga" in looping cursive. In 1944, yoga wasn't exactly mainstream in America, but a few places like this—quiet, holistic centers tucked away in liberal pockets of the city—had started cropping up thanks to curious veterans and bohemian thinkers.
I stepped inside. The scent of incense hit me first—something like sandalwood and lavender. Soft music played from a radio behind the front desk, and a woman in loose linen pants and a white blouse looked up from a small notebook. Her dark curls were pulled back, and there was a peacefulness in her expression that immediately told me she was the one.
"Hi there," I said with my best smile (I just learned it from Howard Stark), casual and confident. "I heard a rumor this was the place to come if you wanted to find your center. Figured I'd give it a shot."
She raised an eyebrow, amused. "We're not a boxing gym, if that's what you're looking for."
"Oh, I don't hit things unless they hit first. Name's Magnus," I said, offering a hand. "I'm looking for something calmer. I've… had a lot going on upstairs lately."
"Clara," she said, shaking my hand. "We have a guided meditation class starting in twenty minutes. You're welcome to join, if you don't mind stretching on the floor."
"Sounds like a dream," I said, flashing her a grin that almost made her blush.
The room was small and dimly lit, with worn mats laid out in a circle and half a dozen people already seated. Most of them were old men and I could bet that most of them were war veterans. They sat there—quiet, still, completely focused. I joined them, slipping into a cross-legged position and mimicking their posture. Clara took the lead, her voice calm and rhythmic as she guided the group through breathing exercises.
And right there, with my eyes closed and my body still, I activated my Copy ability.
[Copy Active]
[Skill Copied: Meditation (Lv. 6)]
It was subtle, like catching the scent of a flower on the breeze. But it was there.
I shifted my focus to the others around me. An older man across the room had clearly been doing this for years—his breathing barely disturbed the air.
[Progress... Lv. 7… 8]
I sat still, breathing deeply, using the skill as I learned it, syncing with the flow of the room. My mind, normally a maze of noise and strategy, began to quiet.
The session ended with a soft chime. People thanked Clara and began slipping out into the evening mist.
I lingered.
"That was… something," I said, walking over to her as she rolled up mats. "You've got a gift. I felt like I left my body halfway through."
Clara smiled, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Meditation does that. Most people run from stillness. You didn't."
I leaned in, just a bit. "Maybe I was hoping you'd come looking for me."
She laughed. "Smooth."
"I learned from the best."
I stayed for another session. Then another the next day. I kept my charm in check—flirted just enough to stay interesting—but never overplayed it. The real reason I was there was paying off.
With different people coming on different days I was able to copy and enhance my skill more. And after a few weeks when I walked out of Stress Reduction Yoga, the city looked sharper, the sounds clearer, the world quieter.
Meditation (Lv. 10 – Maxed)
You have achieved oneness with their spiritual essence and mind, making them able to develop a high-level consciousness over bodily processes and reduce stress and pain on the body.
Mental clarity enhanced. Skill learning speed increased. Resistance to mental influence gained.
[New Skill Unlocked under Meditation: Personal Mind Manipulation]
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