Through the long, winding road connecting Civer City and Nuwesca City, a sleek black car with tinted windows burst through at breakneck speeds. Green flames cloaked underneath the car’s hood gave rise to engines brimming with endless power, allowing the once originally mediocre car to move at speeds comparable to high-end sports cars.
As Braun drove with one hand on the steering wheel and one hand holding his phone, he occasionally switched glances between the road and his screen, gathering info about the new city he’d be staying at.
Pretty decent city overall as far as I can tell. Braun scrolled through the random website he was currently checking.
“It’s pretty much just a slightly different version of Civer City, just with a slightly denser population,” Braun murmured.
Closing his phone, he grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and began to assess his current objectives.
First of all, superpowers. Although I have special powers of my own, it’s obviously of a different source compared to the one Christopher wielded. It’s more… erroneous? Hmm, that’s not the right word. It’s a bit more otherworldly, yes, otherworldly.
What do I even call this power? A power that could somehow cause my body to rapidly evolve and adapt, allow external objects to change and transcend… What power is this?
“What’s an apt name…” Braun murmured; his eyes, unbeknownst to himself, slowly turning a shade of green.
“Zenithral Power… Or Zenithal Power?” Braun hummed. “Nah, Zenithral Power sounds a bit more correct.”
“A power that threads on the domains of zenith… how fitting.” Braun smiled.
Having given his mysterious power a fitting name, Braun continued to think and plan for his future.
I gotta need to gain powers myself, considering that’s one of the fastest paths I possibly have of reaching Christopher’s level and dealing with whatever godlike ability he wields.
However, to do so, I gotta have a place to live and an identity to use. He gazed at his reflection on the car’s side mirror. Reflecting back at him was a face vaguely reminiscent of his past appearance, yet he appeared more mature, as if he had aged a couple of years and reached the prime of his life.
Although I look the part, that still ain’t gonna help me get my papers. The first big roadblock is getting an actual identity, with all those IDs, government shenanigans, and watchamacallits.
Braun helplessly smiled upon pondering this question.
And I don’t know how the fuck I’ll do that.
He sighed, slowing down the car to give himself time to think before he arrived at the city.
Next up—what does the existence of superpowers being real entail? Does its existence confirm that there are organizations hidden from the rest of the world controlling superpowers? Is this a sign that the apocalypse is coming? Why is there still no groundbreaking news of superpowers being real even though a few hours have already passed since the meteor shower?
God, what a fucking headache. If there really is some shadowy organization out there that controls the regulations of superpowers, hiding it from the public eye for some unknown reason, then it would just be another roadblock for my potential plans in the far future.
How would I even attempt world domination if I am fighting against a whole planetary-level organization all alone?
Do I build my own group? Or do it completely solo?
Braun clicked his tongue and took a deep breath.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much now. You’re still a puny ant without any superpowers. You gotta chill.
Give or take, I’ll probably reach nuclear-level strength in ten years, probably through superpowers, or maybe with science. It shouldn’t be too hard considering, theoretically, I can ‘out-genius’ the likes of Einstein or Oppenheimer in a couple of months or years as long as I keep feeding myself like a pig.
Damn, I really do have a lot of options now. Braun sighed in disbelief over his own potential. He laughed as he realized just how arrogant-sounding he was, but it was really was just like that, he really does have the capability to outsmart all of those geniuses as long as he kept growing, and most importantly, eating.
He was, in the very sense of the word, a genius. Nay, he was a monster waiting to be created!
Just that, the amount of food I have to eat will probably require a lot of money… Braun slumped his shoulders as he returned to reality.
I also have to get a job, huh? He squinted his eyes, coming to a realization.
Wait… I don’t need a job! Braun stopped the car as his thoughts raced, causing the wheels to screech, leaving deep, dark marks on the ground.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“I don’t need a job…” he murmured to himself, repeating his realization.
He was a genius. A monster with talent on par with the likes of Christopher. Any skill he set his mind on could be mastered in mere days, perhaps even hours if his brain kept evolving.
Skills like coding, music, art, martial arts, and dancing—they were all things he could easily learn!
He exhaled a breath of disbelief and calmed himself down.
Things were beginning to grow clearer and clearer for him. The possibilities given to him by this strange power, it was endless.
Pushing his foot on the pedal of the car, it continued to drive at breakneck speeds.
I’ll deal with that later… for now, I need to arrive at Nuwesca City and devise a way to get myself a brand-new identity.
…
Nuwesca City, 10 am.
Inside one of the numerous coffee stores in Nuwesca City, a man with pale white skin, and thick, messy black hair stored money in the counter’s register. He wore a simple white shirt, beige-colored pants, and a pair of matching colored dark brown apron and hat.
He had a decent-looking face, with a relatively muscular body hidden underneath his oversized clothes. If one looked closely, they’ll notice his well-trained forearms and traps, revealing signs of his built frame.
As he heard the door’s chime ring, he looked up and met eye-to-eye with an undeniably handsome man, with pale white skin, messy black hair, and a clean-shaven face. He wore a baggy gray hoodie and black pants, but his thick neck and veiny hands revealed signs that the man behind the counter didn’t miss.
He smiled and greeted the customer, “Hello sir, how can I help you?”
The handsome man grinned upon hearing the customary greeting and approached the counter with quick steps. Along the way, he gave a cursory look at the inside of the store.
The shop had a beige-brown-themed color scheme, with dark brown tables and beige-colored chairs. The walls were light brown with patterns colored dark brown. Plenty of natural light came in from the large, clear windows, complementing the aesthetic of the store.
Arriving at the counter, he took a quick peek at the barista’s nametag and asked, “Lucas?”
“Yes, I’m Lucas,” he responded accordingly, flashing his nametag. “And who might you be, sir?”
“Just call me Bob, Bob Iceberg.” Bob introduced himself.
“Bob?” Lucas was inwardly surprised by the name, and thought to himself, You look more like an Arthur or some handsome-sounding name, not an average Bob.
“I know, it sounds lame, but you can’t deny Iceberg as a family name is cool,” Bob jested with a knowing smile.
Lucas chuckled and agreed, “Yeah, can’t deny that.”
Then, pointing at Bob’s chest, he complemented with a smile, “Nice physique by the way.”
“Oh,” Bob seemed surprised by the sudden complemented but took it with grace. “You too.”
“How long have you been going to the gym?” Lucas asked.
“Hmm, about five years or so now,” Bob guessed. “You?”
“Three years.” Lucas grabbed his pen and paper. “Started around my second year in college.”
“Oh, damn. I started mine in my last year of high school. Really helped to reinvent my image back in college.” Bob recalled.
“You became the popular guy?” Lucas wore a knowing grin.
“Heh, what can I say?” Bob shrugged their shoulders. Then, as he laughed, he added, “I’m just kidding, there really weren’t a lot of girls when you study engineering.”
“Engineering?” Lucas wore a surprised look. “That’s surprising.”
“What about you?” Bob inquired.
“History,” Lucas responded with a smile.
“Ooh,” Bob whistled. “You plan on becoming a professor?”
“What an accurate guess,” Lucas smirked. “But yes.”
“You give off a scholarly vibe. If you grew out your beard, you’d probably exude the wise aura of an ancient philosopher or historian,” commented Bob.
“I get that a lot, honestly.” Lucas laughed. Then, as he coughed, he finally asked, “Anywho, what can I get for your order, sir?”
Bob smiled, giving out a random order.
Lucas… That’s a nice name. Bob thought as he sat on his seat, his eyes constantly drifting to the barista behind the counter.
…
Deep into the night, inside Nuwesca City, towering buildings and streetlights lit up the nightlife of the city, giving the place a lively atmosphere even in the chilly darkness. Numerous people walked around with warm layers of clothing, protecting them from the cold as they meandered their way through the complex streets of the city.
Lucas, now wearing a puffy black jacket on top of a plain white shirt and beige-colored pants, sipped on a cup of warm, bittersweet coffee as he headed his way home. He subconsciously patted the back of his pants and felt his wallet and keys in the right place, secretly heaving a sigh of relief that his belongings didn’t slip out as he walked.
Gathering his thoughts, he mumbled as he approached a distant apartment complex many stories high with walls painted a simple dark gray, “Sigh, it’s a lot harder to get a job as a teacher than I originally thought, especially with this degree.”
Slightly regretting his decision to study history, he dismissed his thoughts of regret and reassured himself, No, you picked what you were passionate about. You just have to wait for your turn and things will eventually turn out alright.
Pumping himself up and drinking the last bit of his coffee, he went on a short jog and threw his cup into a nearby garbage can along the way.
Arriving at the tall, dark gray building, he entered the apartment complex’s lobby and entered the elevator. He waited as other people entered the elevator alongside him, with the inside getting slightly crowded and preventing him from getting a clear look at everyone inside the elevator.
As the crowd grew, a tall man entered the elevator wearing a baggy gray hoodie and black pants, with the hood covering his face in shadows.
Lucas didn’t give much attention to the man who entered the elevator as more came in before the elevator was finally full. As the doors closed shut and the elevator began to move up, Lucas checked the time on his phone and grinned.
Finally, the next episode of Fortune Stealer is about to be released tonight! Lucas felt excited at the prospects of his favorite show releasing its latest episode. Recalling the cliffhanger the last episode left on, his mind bubbled with racing thoughts as he theorized where the show could possibly go next.
As his mind wandered, the elevator finally arrived at his floor and he got out along with a few others, one of which being the tall man wearing the baggy gray hoodie and black pants. Not noticing the man follow him from behind, Lucas inserted his key into his room’s entrance and pushed the door open.
He hastily entered his living room but didn’t forget to lock the door behind him with a loud click. Turning on the television and changing into a comfier set of clothes, he swiftly heated up a prepped meal in his microwave before sitting down on the sofa, his eyes fixated on the screen as a familiar song played in his ears.
This was it. The new episode was finally about to drop and he was about to have one of the best nights possible.
As the loud music blared, he didn’t notice the doorknob of the door in the shadowy corner of the room begin to twist and turn, and with a barely audible click, a sliver of light peeked into the dark living room of Lucas’ apartment, with a pair of glowing green eyes observing him silently.