บท 229: Transformers - Rocket

Ivan and the others barely had a moment's rest when the sound of approaching footsteps shattered the silence. Heads snapped upwards, and they watched in stunned awe as a female alien clad in a black dress strode into the room.

Her familiar features instantly gave her away - Nebula. But without the grotesque mechanical parts marring her face, they discovered a breathtaking beauty beneath. Star-Lord, a seasoned spacefarer who'd seen countless wonders, was utterly captivated, unable to tear his gaze away.

"Dr. Ivan," Nebula said, her voice filled with fierce determination.

"Thank you for granting me a second life. This debt I will always remember. Should you ever require my aid, even if it means facing death, I will not hesitate to answer your call."

Ivan saw the unwavering resolve in Nebula's eyes, a flicker of thought crossing his mind. He quickly quieted it, however, and spoke calmly.

"Miss Nebula, I appreciate your sincerity. We made a deal, a mutually beneficial exchange. You've already held up your end, and this was merely a minor service for me."

"For you, perhaps," Nebula countered, her voice hardening.

"But for me, it means the world. As someone who has been ripped from humanity, a ghost trapped in a shell, You can't even begin to fathom the torment I've endured. Without the burning hatred for Thanos fueling my every breath, I doubt I could even hold onto my sanity."

Ivan shrugged, showing a hint of helplessness in his gesture. "Very well, if that's how you see it, then I shan't argue. If the need arises, I'll call upon you. But for now, others require my attention. Who's next?"

A voice boomed from the back of the room.

"Me! It's my turn!"

It was Rocket Raccoon, his cybernetic body a constant source of pain and frustration. Initially skeptical of Ivan's claims, witnessing Nebula's transformation erased his doubts. He was desperate to be free of the unbearable pain that had become his constant companion.

"Excellent," Ivan replied.

"The procedure remains the same. Step inside the glass chamber and leave the rest to me."

Ivan led Star-Lord and the others back to the lab. Rocket wasted no time, eagerly stepping into the cylindrical glass enclosure. Several metallic tentacles descended from above, attaching themselves to his back. A shimmering metallic fluid flowed from a tube, cascading over Rocket's form. It seemed to possess a life of its own, clinging to him like a sentient liquid.

This seemingly liquid material was a swarm of microscopic nanobots. Some formed protective armor over Rocket's surface, while others burrowed into his body. They identified and replaced any malfunctioning or useless components with optimized parts. Simultaneously, Ivan channeled a sliver of energy from the Power Stone to further enhance Rocket's physical capabilities.

Throughout the process, Rocket endured a wave of electric discomfort that pulsed through his entire being. Yet, determined to be free of the pain that had plagued him for so long, he gritted his teeth and remained silent. The tingling sensation soon faded, replaced by a profound sense of ease. It felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Alright, that's fantastic! No pain at all!" Rocket exclaimed with jubilation as the tentacles detached from his body.

"This feels incredible!"

Emerging from the chamber, Rocket marveled at the newfound freedom from the pain that had tormented him for so long. The entire procedure took less than ten minutes.

"It's a miracle! I'm cured! Finally!" Rocket exulted, jumping around in unrestrained joy.

Ivan observed Rocket's vitality with a slight smile. "Not only have I rectified your physical deficiencies," he announced, "but I also have a surprise gift. This gift has been integrated with you. You can sense it and control it directly with your brain."

"Gift?" Rocket was stunned for a moment, then thought of something. He closed his eyes, sensed it, and soon realized an abnormality. It seemed like countless small entities were sleeping in his body, even on its surface. It was as if his body was alive.

"Nanobots!" Rocket guessed immediately and tried to control them with brain waves. Sure enough, the little guys became active, and the armor-like suit on Rocket's surface softened, flowed like liquid, and quickly enveloped Rocket, forming a bodysuit.

Rocket thought for a moment raised his forelimbs, and sharp claws grew from his fingertips after the nanobots changed for a while. This wasn't the end. A cloud of silver liquid continuously transformed into various cold weapons in his hand—swords, spears, halberds, everything. Scimitar and dagger appeared one after another.

"That's just the simplest way to use it. If you want, you can go further. For example, like this!" Ivan clapped his hands, and a three-dimensional image of a spaceship appeared before Rocket.

When Star-Lord saw the spaceship, he exclaimed, "That's my spaceship! What are you using it for?"

"Don't be stingy. I'm just using your spaceship's image as a sample demonstration. It's not real. Your spaceship is still in the warehouse and well-preserved."

The image began to change. A cloud of silver liquid fell on the spaceship, penetrating its interior. The spaceship began to transform. The nanobots quickly disassembled and reassembled parts of the spacecraft. A mechanical arm appeared, followed by the torso, head, and thighs. After a few minutes, the spacecraft turned into a robot over ten meters high, resembling Rocket.

Star-Lord and the others were speechless, shocked by the spaceship's transformation in the video. Ivan also looked a bit nostalgic, full of memories.

When Ivan arrived, he had always regretted the absence of Transformers. Given the existence of Iron Man, Superman, Harry Potter, gods, and demons, he thought Transformers should exist too. But after investigating many places, including the Hoover Dam and Egyptian pyramids, he found no trace of Transformers. He confirmed that there were no Transformers in this world.

This realization left Ivan feeling lost for a long time. He had cherished childhood memories of Transformers and wanted to interact with his idol, Optimus Prime. But now, he saw no chance of that happening. However, Ivan didn't give up altogether. Since there were no Transformers, he decided to create them himself. The robot form of the spaceship was Ivan's final result.

"This type of transformable robot, I call it Transformers. After transformation, the nanobots fully integrate with you, allowing you to control it entirely with brain waves. While others might struggle to control such a large robot due to the strain of the nervous system, you are different. During your mechanical transformation, your brain evolved, enabling you to sense other creatures' brain waves. This is why you understand Groot."

"Your nerves also strengthened, making them as tough as steel, significantly enhancing your resilience. So, you can directly connect your nerves to the Transformer, making controlling it as simple as moving your body.

"The nanobots' disassembly and reorganization abilities let you transform machinery at will. For a weapon enthusiast like you, it's a perfect match. How do you like this gift?"

"I love it! It feels like it was made for me. Thank you so much, Dr. Ivan! Let me know if you have any enemies in the future. I'll use Transformers to obliterate them." Rocket Raccoon was overjoyed. The gift was perfect for him, and he couldn't wait to find a spaceship to transform and test the power of Transformers.

"As long as you like it!" Ivan waved his hand, making the three-dimensional image disappear. Then he said, "Next!"

"Let me come!" Star-Lord cried out, unable to hold back after seeing Rocket and Nebula gain powerful abilities.

Unexpectedly, Ivan gave Star-Lord a heavy blow, refusing without hesitation: "No, you have to be the last one."

"Why? You promised to help me unlock the power within me. Don't you want to keep your word?" Star-Lord almost yelled. "I played a major role in getting the Orb!"

"Shut up. I keep my promises. But your situation is special. Stimulating the divine power within you requires a lot of energy and time. If I start with you, the others will have to wait, possibly for days. So you'll go last."

Gamora, Nebula, and Rocket, who heard Ivan's words, exchanged glances. They realized the significance of Ivan's statement. Providing vast power for a long time and mentioning divine power indicated Star-Lord's uniqueness. Was there something extraordinary about him?

"Oh, I see. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Let others go first. I don't want to make everyone wait for me."

Considering the complexity, Star-Lord smiled sheepishly and stepped aside, believing his father was an ancient god.

"Good to know. By the way, Drax will go second to last. Though easier than Star-Lord, it still needs to be simplified. I need to optimize the energy circuit in his body. So next, Groot and Gamora, you two decide who goes first."

Groot and Gamora exchanged a look, and finally, Groot stepped forward and said, "I am Groot!"