Chapter 29: Condensing Faith
May 2, 2023 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
[Faith (1033/1000)]
Acquiring one thousand Faith was faster than Colin had expected.
After handing this Wednesday's installment of the *Superman* comic to Old John, Colin returned home and looked at the numbers displayed in the text. The look in his eyes flickered slightly.
"Well then, it's time for the final step."
He took a deep breath, and as the thought surfaced in his mind, the number in the [Faith] column began to decrease.
Immediately after, the previously unstable [Black Iron Mark] on the back of Colin's hand began to coalesce. During the process, he heard some whispering. Upon listening closely, he realized it seemed to be past commentary on Hoover that had been published in The Messenger Newspaper. Seeing this, Colin's breathing couldn't help but quicken. Under his fixed gaze, the pattern solidifying on the Mark's surface started to reveal some blurry facial features.
"Please don't be Hoover, please don't be Hoover!"
Seeing this, Colin subconsciously clenched his fists, his palms began to sweat. He quickly held his breath and prayed silently in his heart.
Whether it was due to Colin's prayers taking effect or not, the whispering in his ears gradually began to be drowned out by more voices of admiration.
These voices, some loud, some soft, murmured intermittently, converging into a single phrase:
"…Is that a bird? Is that a plane? That's—Superman!"
As the voices rang out, the mark that had formed into blurry facial features began to dissipate, finally coalescing into the Shield-shaped S Mark on the back of Colin's hand.
"Phew~"
Letting out a long sigh of relief, Colin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Everything that had happened in those brief moments was more thrilling than a rollercoaster ride.
Fortunately, the final result didn't disappoint him. He looked down at the Shield-shaped S Mark formed by the [Black Iron Mark] on the back of his hand, which emanated a black, metallic luster, and an irrepressible smile spread across his lips.
"Next, let's see what the true purpose of the [Black Iron Mark] is!"
Suppressing the eager impulse in his heart, Colin closed his eyes.
The familiar green light once again enveloped his consciousness, pulling it into a continuous descent.
However, this descent was different from any other time Colin had experienced.
As his consciousness descended, countless images seemed to flash through his mind. In these images, he saw a shattering planet, a man and a woman with indistinct faces, and an infant in a spaceship falling to a farm, where he was discovered by a couple and named Clark.
These were all elements of the plot from the *Superman* comic that Colin had previously serialized in The Messenger Newspaper.
...
[Bronze Mark (1/100)]
[Faith (33/10000)]
So, it's bronze after black iron? What a cliché setting.
In the Anti-World, Colin opened his eyes and noticed that the text in his vision seemed to have changed as well.
The word [Black Iron] had been replaced by [Bronze], and even the number after the [Faith] column had changed from one thousand to ten thousand, a tenfold increase.
This rate of increase is completely unreasonable. Normally, shouldn't it just double at first, as a token gesture?
His gaze lingered on the number, a full ten thousand, next to [Faith] for a good while before Colin averted his gaze with a deadpan expression, pursing his lips and complaining silently in his heart.
If he didn't already know that this text had no other function besides displaying collection progress...
...Colin would have really wanted to have a long, hard talk with it about these unreasonable design choices.
He shook his head, forcing himself to stop looking at the text.
Colin returned his attention to the newly coalesced [Black Iron Mark] on the back of his hand. As he focused his gaze on it, words began to appear on the Shield-shaped S Mark, which had a faint, black metallic sheen.
...
[Black Iron Mark - Superman]
[Power - Super Strength (Black Iron)]
[Power Description: In his first appearance, Superman demonstrated the great power to lift an automobile over his head. As the comic's plot develops, his strength becomes greater than a locomotive, allowing him to effortlessly throw tanks and break iron chains with a single hand.]
[Power - Flight (Black Iron)]
[Power Description: Not Unlocked]
[Power - Super Durability (Black Iron)]
[Power Description: Not Unlocked]
[Power - Super-Speed (Black Iron)]
[Power Description: Not Unlocked]
"Not Unlocked?"
Looking at the series of "Not Unlocked" prompts in the [Black Iron Mark] for everything except [Super Strength], Colin couldn't help but be slightly stunned.
This was completely different from what he had originally thought.
"It seems that coalescing the Mark is just the beginning."
Looking at the description for the [Super Strength] entry, Colin quickly made a judgment.
Apparently, the reason the [Super Strength] power was unlocked was closely related to its frequent depiction in the comic, especially the part about throwing a tank, which was exactly what happened in the latest installment of the *Superman* comic.
As for the other unlocked powers, they were clearly the ones he had introduced at the beginning of the *Superman* comic but had not yet drawn in detail in a relevant storyline.
Is it because it was only a brief introduction and not actually presented to the readers in comic form, so it couldn't form a concrete impression?
"In that case, if I just have Superman push a planet in the comic, will his strength also increase to that level?"
Looking at the only unlocked power before him, such a thought surfaced in Colin's mind.
However, he quickly realized.
It probably wouldn't work. The "black iron" tag marked after each power seemed to be an indirect reminder to Colin.
Currently, all the Superman-related powers he could unlock were limited to the [Black Iron] category.
In other words, even if Colin had Superman push a planet in the comic, the final result would most likely be a waste of effort.
It would have no other effect besides leaving readers of the comic completely baffled.
"So, I can only take it one step at a time..."
This situation reminded Colin of the evolutionary process of figures in mythology, which seemed to be exactly the same as what he was currently facing.
Many mythological figures well-known to the public today are often vastly different from their original incarnations. In the course of historical development and evolution, they have either had many new myths added to them or been assimilated by other mythologies, ultimately becoming the versions seen today.
Even the domains and powers of these mythological figures have often grown more and more complex through the circulation of various stories.
However, the development of the times and the advancement of technology seem to have greatly accelerated this process. In the past, myths and legends required a long time to form through word of mouth.
Now, it has become much simpler. The existence of media such as books, newspapers, and comics has broadened the channels of dissemination.
Thinking of this, Colin couldn't help but feel a little fortunate. It was a good thing he had transmigrated to a relatively technologically advanced era, not some primitive society where people ate raw meat and drank blood.
It allowed him to use the power of the media to create a 'new god' and acquire powers.
Thank you to Wanderer of Paradise for the 100 Qidian Coin donation, A Clear Conscience for the 200 Qidian Coins, and Immortal Spirit for the 100 Qidian Coins. This new book continues to ask for all your support~
(end of chapter)