A Marvel Of Reality

Mundane is a relative term and depended on the world you lived in. Having the Basic understanding of Mechanical principles should mean that I had only enough understanding to work on simplistic machines. But while that was true, the concept of a simplistic machine was vastly different in Marvel than in my previous world.

A grappling hook isn't meant to be so sleek and thin, and still work like you are spinning spider web. Well, I knew just the recipe to make a perfect grappling along with the launcher that uses a compact gas chamber for thrust and a recoil mechanism which works on motorized reel and tension control. With retractable prongs, I could disengage in a quick succession and launch back.

All of this could be built by hand, except the coil which would require some high functional tools. While I was capable of constructing a machine that could churn out something like that, I had neither capital nor the space for such an activity.

I had some suspicion when I received the 'Basic Martial Arts Training' but now I was sure of it. Despite it saying Basic, there was anything but basic to these powers. In terms of what they gave, it was absolute perfection. Like 'Basic Disguise Training' where I might not be as skilled as those with advanced techniques, but my foundations and what I could do was perfect.

Similarly, my Wing Chun was basic foundational stuff, where even an amateur knew more moves than me. Yet, I could defeat those people with ease. This was because my foundation was the absolute best it could be.

'Basic Engineering Training' was the same. I might have just the basest of knowledge and skill, but what I had perfectly covered all the bases under my scope. That's why I understood how to make a grappling hook work like Spiderman's webbing. It was another matter that I had no skill in using something like that.

It did bring to focus my need for finding a workplace. Considering that level of mechanics while good was still set at low bar, I couldn't go around rigging fusion reactors and selling them at black markets to make a quick buck. I needed a job, and eventually a business to keep the front.

For now the most pressing need was how to leverage my mechanical skills without a formal degree or recommendation and land a job. My level was that of a guy who could do easy repairs quick and efficiently. While I could handle some complex tasks, those came only in the field of repair work with machines that might seem complex but worked on simple principles.

I would need to go around the neighborhood, probably look for posts online. It was at times like these where I would be reminded of the value having connections had. With just a call, the entire network would've started looking or asking if they needed a mechanic. No such luck for me.

That would've to wait until tomorrow. Mostly because it was getting late and second because today was sunday. I hoped that whatever I found would at least give me chance for showcasing my skills, instead of refusing the moment I mentioned lack of experience.

My powers let me understand the working of a mechanical device and how to repair or construct it, despite that I had no formal education or understanding of the underlying principles at work. So I couldn't just start teaching at internet or anything.

I guess it was called basic for a reason.

The most important aspect of this power though was allowing for the creation to be possible using scrap and refuse. It might look trashy on the outside, but it would perform its due. The point is, that I could build a mini generator using scrapyard junk by turning it into an Internal Combustion Engine(ICE).

Buying of scrap might trigger some unwanted alarms for underworld organizations like Hydra or even telepaths like Xavier. It was moment like this where I cursed by fate for being poor and not having enough savings.

I decided to put the thought aside and focused on what I intended to do. If I was going out in the field and not exactly trying to be a hero or villain, then I needed a direction and set of rules to follow. Villainy was out of question for me, but my aversion to heroism was simply due to fact that most heroes never get a happy ending, and they always seemed to hold back for whatever reason. I wanted to be the guy who had the power to do whatever I wanted, but didn't wish to transform into a megalomaniac.

My focus was broken when I felt the potential tip over the threshold and reach toward the cosmos of stars. And fail. I felt my breath hitch for a second because this was the first time my potential was growing beyond the three times its base.

I took a deep breath and let it out. If my luck was good enough and I tacked one of the stronger stars, then it might just change my entire career. It still didn't change the fact that my reason for going out in the field would be to provide help if I can, but mostly to get as deep into everything as possible. I wanted to map the entire world and its foundations.

My inner child was mostly fascinated by the fact that I would get to work with the league of heroes that were mere posters in my childhood. But first of all, I needed the gear.

With my savings I could buy around 5 yards of fabric from different stores to not rouse any suspicion. I would also need thread and zippers, or fasteners also. Doing quick math, I estimated the entire thing would cost me around $500 to $600. This was not considering the labor costs, which I thankfully wouldn't need.

This entire event though would stretch my finances and I would be left with a bit over $2,500 in savings.

I had already paid the rent this month, so that was one less thing to worry about. Alright, not something I would've expected myself saying but, I needed to raid a junkyard. Not buy, but steal.

Spending the rest of the day trying to fix my appliances and seeing the extent of my abilities was well spent. I learned that I could fix almost anything, expect when I tried to look over my laptop. Instead of giving me understanding of operational mechanics, all I had was how the motors worked, where the faults in the fan were and how to fix it. It would seem anything complex and my powers basically shut down.

I tried to refine my design for the costume and thanks to my enhanced learning capacity, I was able to draw well enough. Even before I got the power, my drawing ability was just below average. I could draw good enough to make the character recognizable but lacked the sheer emotion that artists could induce. While I was still nowhere near that level, my ability had grown enough to allow for a really good drawing of my costume.

In the end, I had decided to go with X-Men style. Not full on X-Men, but I copied some base foundation. My leg wear consisted of a tight, but not too tight, black trousers with white highlights in the form of three parallel lines on both sides of my hips down to ankles.

My foot wear were going to be my sneakers which I had always saved and avoided wearing. While my upper body would be covered by a black jacket, snug and fit and with the distinct highlights of my trousers in white. They would resume the lines and grow them along my midriff then spread out to my chest and back. While the middle one would flow along my arm and make a bracer sort of icon on my wrist. The lines converging to my chest would bend and take the shape of a circle with white fill, and a circle in black smack dab in the middle.

The back would follow similar iconography as my front. Overall the costume would probably look similar to other superheroes' but with a specific blend of jacket not being as skin tight and lacking that sheen that was so iconic to the suit. With a zipper in the middle, it would another grounded aspect to my whole costume which I hoped to provide enough distinction.

For my mask I was looking for something more freestyle like a simple visor or a domino mask. This would fit the theme.

I was still long ways from starting on the costume much less ready to enter the field. For now my biggest concern was the star that was about to descend with charge four times the lower limit, I hoped that it wouldn't prove detrimental or anything.

There was still some time left and It was barely past 4 in the evening. I could shop for some of the fabric today. 4 yards of black Neoprene and one yard of white neoprene for the highlight. I decided to buy 2 yards today alongside zippers and fasteners. I would buy another 3 yards tomorrow alongside some good quality thread.

It would also double as taking a walk after confining myself to my room from morning till evening. The streets were packed to the brim as people decided to put a free day to use by doing some quality activities. I was a bit envious of all those with their friends and loved ones, but my suffering was my own doing.

In the end I brought all the things I needed from the store for $210 and even managed to get a free candy. With that my pockets were substantially lighter but this whole endeavor was contribution toward building a new identity. No more boring old James sounded like a good deal to me.

I stored the fabric beneath my bed and heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully the charge hadn't tipped over while I was in the midst of my shopping. Again, I wanted to avoid as much human contact as possible whenever my power reached the threshold. Something told me, it was not a good time to be around others.

I pulled up the news feed but found nothing on it except the death of Garrison Klum. There didn't seem to be much on that but I felt like it was just the details in the article that were lacking rather than the evidence. Still, this Klum guy was saved by Spiderman just the other day, how the heck did he die? And why was the cause not completely stated.

That would have to wait as my power reached the threshold and missed. I felt my breath hitch at the fact that power was still growing to the levels I had never seen before. Alright, I have to calm down and not get too excited, after all I had a junkyard to loot.

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Let me just say this, stealing is not so easy if you have never partaken in shady activities. My experience with that sort of thing was tied to my childhood when I tried to steal a candy from the box where mom used to keep in the cabinet. Other than that, I could proudly claim that I have been an honest and law-abiding citizen of America.

So when I wore my backpack with mask on my face, I felt nervousness creep into me. There was a strong urge to just not do it. If I got caught this could end in a very ugly manner, and everything I had tried to keep a lid on my powers would go to waste. There was saying though, 'with great risk, comes great opportunity'. Pretty sure Uncle Ben didn't quote that, or maybe he did when he younger.

I removed the mask, put it in my pocket and wore my earbuds. I hit play and felt the music calm me down, taking my focus away.

It was late at night, and even though there was distinct lack of human traffic, any occasional passing of a pedestrian made me feel self-conscious. I managed to pull through until I reached the more desolate part of the town. Roads here hardly saw the rush at night, and people avoided this place like plague. The Rivals roamed these roads.

I kept to the shadows with my head low. I had donned my mask back on with the help of disguise training, and turned the music off. There was a cool breeze blowing through the street and I felt a little shiver trail up my spine. It wasn't cold as much as it was the dread of getting caught. While I was confident in my ability to escape the same couldn't said if my luck turned rotten.

Picking a spot where the shadows intersected, birthing a darker than usual area. I looked around and spotting none, put my hands on the mesh framework of steel. Parkour Training helped me climb with ease and land on the other side. I could make out the rusted heaps of metal, crushed cars and old worn out radio laying just ahead.

Trying to be discreet, I flared my skills of Wing Chun mastery and moved toward the device. Opening my bag, I dumped the radio and moved forward. I had no intention of collecting trash and only wanted a handful of things that could provide utility in case I needed a specific type of help. This would help with that.

Looking through the heaps of scrap and rusted metal wasn't easy especially since my power deemed this entire junk mountain as usable. I had to focus on specific things to get a vague sense of affinity for other things. It took time but I managed to fill my backpack to the brim, without tipping of any alarm.

I took a sweeping glance at the scrapyard and thanked my luck for the fifth time that night. Leaving just the way I came was easy enough, so was the climb and landing on the road. Relief washed over me as I leaned against the net.

"You took your sweet time trying to scavenge; find yourself a diamond or something?" The voice called from the side and I almost jumped out of my skin. Someone had caught me!

There was hulking brute of a man standing near the mouth of an alley, smoking. He had afro black hair with a trimmed goatee, and wore designer sunglasses. He had that distinct look of a 90's villain who got caught smuggling. And he had seen me!

My hand shot to my mask and I heaved a sigh of relief at feeling the fabric against my face.

"You look like you seen a ghost or something." His voice was rough and with the tone of someone who was directing the scene rather than being part of it. "What? Never seen a man smoking?"

He wasn't calling police, or he already had and was just stalling me. I didn't recognize the guy but with that getup he was likely to be part of a gang. That thought put me more at ease than it should have. Well, at least that way cops wouldn't get involved.

"What do you want?" I asked, feeling a bit cautious.

"I don't know? What you got?" He was playing with me, I realized. He had seen me leave out of the junkyard with a backpack. He knew what I had, no he didn't care of what I had.

"How about this, I have a $50 here." I pulled a note from my pocket. "I give you this, and we part ways without a peep."

He seemed to consider my proposition for a moment, then threw the cigarette out of his mouth and leapt to his feet. I kept myself from flinching as he approached closer. "Ain't it a bit cheap to exchange for your life?" He asked.

I realized he had no intention of letting me quietly depart this place. Oh my god, was he the owner of this junkyard. What the heck am I supposed to do?

"You steal from my territory and then try to bribe me, you got balls of steel, boy." Shit, this place was his. What do I do?

"Listen man, I got a twenty more, and you keep the backpack also." I attempted to halt his advance as I desperately scrambled to form a plan. Did I need to run? Hit and then run? Maybe I could surprise attack him?

"Nobody messes with The Rivals." That was a mistake certainly. Wait, did he say 'The Rivals'? He WAS a gang member?!

For the briefest of moments my mind froze. I had felt apprehensive over hitting a normal civilian, and guilt at the fact that I had committed theft right in front of him. Then this guy suddenly up and says that he was the member of 'The Rivals'. That he was a criminal, not some honest to god civilian. Yup, I didn't need to think further.

"If you don't want the money, just say it." I folded the note and tucked it into my pocket. The man seemed about to say something, when suddenly I stepped in and leapt to grab him.

He was taller than me, and bulkier too. It was risky to get close to him, but thankfully I had the element of surprise and fighting skills on my side. As soon I got hold of him, my leg swung inward and right atop his calf. The blow sent him forward with a mixture of pain and surprise, and that was enough for me to hold his neck and lash out with blows on his face.

Sometimes I really hated my power, and this was one of those times as I felt the threshold cross and a burning star yanked toward me.

It was strongest power to date but I had no time to consider the implications. My hand was caught by a rough palm and I was yanked face first into what looked to be rapidly advancing fist. My martial arts training kicked in, and I buckled and brought forth my left palm to deflect it. It was distracting enough that the man managed to escape my hold.

"Fuck!" He cursed and spat bloody phlegm on the asphalt. "Who the fuck are you?"

This was getting dragged out longer than I wished for it to. I needed to do something before this devolved into a dog fight.

"Offer still stands, how about we just walk away?" I knew it was no offer. He seemed to be the type to bully others, and when opposed would lash out rather than reason.

He cranked his neck, and palmed his fist.

"I will take that as a no." I took a stance and looked around at my surroundings. Wing Chun was great at using the environment to help defend or to attack.

The man took a boxing stance and charged. He swung a blow and I had to admit that any bad luck on my part, a blow to the head, and I was a goner for sure. I dodged sideways and lashed out with a kick to the knee. The man grunted and tried to grapple me, I kicked back.

He lunged at me, while I used the base of my palm to deflect his attacks and keep backing away. At last my back hit the metal framework and the brute grinned. I braced myself for the blow and held fast as the punch arrived. With grace, I shifted the force upward, above my head and slid inward and out of the man's bulking physique. It must've been a surprise because it took moment to register and that was enough.

With the grace of a trained parkour master, I launched myself upward and grabbed the bar with which the net was welded and kicked the brute in the chin with enough force, that even if his teeth weren't broken they ought to have chipped and his gums bleeding.

The pain finally seemed to have done it as he collapsed and I took off running. I spared no glace backward even as I heard the grunts. I had much bigger concerns than a petty theft and the subsequent fight with a gang member. I was a mutant.

The power that I gained was called 'Heliokinesis', and it was the strongest power to date. It basically gave me the potential to manipulate solar energy, including its heat, luminosity, gravitational field, magnetic field, raw nuclear energy, and reaction. I didn't know if it was genetics based or fiat backed, but I was willing to bet on latter. So technically I wasn't a mutant, but I might as well be.

When I say potential though, this power didn't actually grant me anything beside the potential. It was like looking at a picture that was half completed, and needed another half to understand. In simple terms I was handed a great power, but also given the handicap of not being able to use it for anything.

It was frustrating but also reassuring in terms of what I would be capable once I got another power that was designed to handle this power.

I rushed through the desolate streets and made it back in less than half an hour. There were number of junkyards close to where I lived, but most of those would have better security installations and difficult to climb walls. Although the scrapyard I raided was of lower quality with considerable risk due to treading the grounds of gangs, it was still better in my opinion. All in all, I was just glad to have made it back home. With the amount of junk I raided, I wondered if it was worth risking my life over. It might not even fetch a 100 in market. Well, not 100 as it was; after I was done with it, I could sell it for higher price.

Not that I would. I left the heavy bag near the bed and dropped atop the mattress. At this rate, being a thief sounded more appealing than all the shit I would've to handle as a vigilante. I mean Black Cat did it. On that thought, where was she? I hadn't heard of any news of her and the Spidey since that Garrison incident. Were they involved?

I couldn't relate the death of someone with Spiderman, but Black Cat was another matter. I was more than fifty percent sure that she wouldn't hesitate to do it if it was required.

I felt my power make a connection to one of stars the same size as Self-Sustenance and Swift Learning. It was such a underwhelming ability and would've been useless without the recent addition of Heliokinesis. It was called Levitation and would allow me levitate using Heliokinesis.

I almost jumped out of the bed and forced myself to stand up. The moment of truth had arrived, I might have gotten lots of superpowers by now, but this was the only one that actually displayed the results that would leave zero doubts as to the truth of my powers.

Using Levitation was as simple as mentally calling forth the ability and feeling the weightlessness overcome me. Suddenly I was no longer touching ground but hovering at just about 2 feet in the air. This was not flying as I could feel the possibility existing outside the realm of my abilities. But this was close second, in my opinion.

I tugged at the feel and felt myself drift forward. It was slow and probably wouldn't get any faster but this was way better than what I ever got to achieve. And for ten continuous minutes I drifted along. It was only when the exhaustion settled in that I dropped back on the bed. The excitement however, didn't die down.

Today had been a real power trip. I had gotten so many abilities that I was more than ready for the field. Levitation just sealed the deal and handed me the missing piece of puzzle that I lacked previously. Why exactly couldn't I use Heliokinesis? The answer arrived with Levitation and that was, I needed a power to manage the kinesis part of the power. Heliokinesis was broad and had number of applications, but on its own it was just the potential rather than actual power. I needed an ability that could allow me utilize this potential in ways that it was meant to.

If Levitation existed then surely that power would also. Once I got my hands on that, I might not be a Omega-Level mutant off the bat, but I would definitely get listed as Alpha-Level Mutant.

Using Levitation was easy but it seemed to have taken something out of me. I wasn't exactly feeling hungry or anything, but more like having spent the reserves I didn't know existed. Since Heliokinesis focused on solar radiation and it was night time, I wondered if that was what I was missing.

Since I wouldn't be getting any answers for the time being, I decided to go to sleep. Tomorrow would be a lot better than today. A whole new world awaited me.

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I woke up feeling more refreshed than ever. Lack of hunger should've made me feel something, but I didn't want to get into the whole can of worms that was my power messing with my physiology and psychology. The new day heralded another wave of powers that was sure to follow. But today my main focus was mostly on building some utility tools that would prove useful in the field.

With the junk I collected yesterday, I already had some ideas on where to invest. First thing I did after cleaning up was to sort the components. I need a radio scanner to intercept any police transmission, and I also need a Low-Frequency Signal jammer. Probably a surveillance camera and a grappling gun that could use the break cords used in cars as the cable. It might not be good enough for frequent usage but it only needed to get me out of the pinch. I could also do with a first aid kit.

Once I had finished sorting, I started tearing into the devices. With just the screw driver and a knife, I probably didn't have enough tools to build something like what I wanted. Thankfully I had superpower that let me mash compatible parts and force them to work. And I been picky with my choosing back at the junkyard, probably why I got caught in the first place.

With insulation tape and copper wire, I managed to jury rig a radio transponder that would allow me to pick apart radio signals. I used the rest of the components along with few of the others I had salvaged and fixed myself a Signal jammer. It looked a badly welded pen with copper wiring at the top, but it worked and that was that mattered.

My focus at last shifted to the grappling gun. Unlike the wrist mounted sleek version with retractable prongs I dreamed of, this would be a lot less basic and more focused on pulling me up, rather than act as makeshift webbing. I probably wouldn't need it, what with my Levitation and all, but it never hurt to have extra.

I stretched my muscles and went to work. Somehow, time seemed to have passed in a blur, and when I woke up from the induced state I was looking at a toy gun made of plastic, wrapping in duct-tape and looked every bit unreliable. I knew though, that it would work, my powers granting insight into its mechanical operation.

As I took a glance at my clock, I realized that it was already 11 in the morning and that I had missed the gym. The realization filled me with exhaustion more than regret. Somehow even the idea of gym tired me out.

What's done is done, I thought and decided to do some shopping and buy the rest of the materials I needed for my costume.

Thanks to working on creating utility tools, my understanding of creating anything had gone up and I could now better focus on what part to stress and what to keep loose. It might not provide much helping in sewing but every bit counted.

I went to the shop and brought the rest of materials, which ended up costing me little more than $380. I was spending money like water and soon I would need to address that problem, also.

I felt my reach grow beyond the threshold and secure one of the smaller powers. While my charge was exhausted the knowledge of the powers descended on me.

The power was called 'Advanced Marksmanship Training' and I could tell even without the obvious hint in the name that it was related, in fact built upon the 'Basic Marksmanship Training'.

With just Basic level in Marksmanship, I was a skilled marksman. That was of course by normal human standards. Advanced Marksmanship Training took that and dialed it up to eleven. Now I was able to predict movements, launch multiple projectiles, and quickly reload. Before my skill level was still human, but with this I was at superhuman level. Still short of reaching the level of Hawkeye, but that guy was beyond superhuman realm of accuracy.

This was huge, I was getting more powerful than I could account for. I wasn't a Reality Warper, but this was only marginally better than being one. I needed to account for the arrival of more powers in the future without actively relying on them.

When I arrived back at home, I started to work on the design part of the costume. Instead of using the materials I had just bought, I used some of my old clothes as practice material and started the repair process. I did finish repairing the clothes and even with my still developing skills the Basic Disguise Training actually seemed to lend a hand. Thanks to that the clothes came out looking better for the wear. I might put them to use soon.

Working on my costume was something I decided to not partake in daylight. Even if there wasn't a metaphorical eye looking over me, I still had reservations over being caught. It was less likely that a telepath or superhero with X-Ray vision would fly overhead or near my apartment in the dead of the night. This was sill New York, so the chances of that happening were low but never zero.

For now, I had more pressing issues to resolve. I needed to get a job.

My old job barely paid enough to keep me off starvation or being homeless, but now I had more expenses. I might be able to leverage my Engineering skills in the future, but that would've to wait until I was more assured of my security and the concealment of my identity. I wasn't going to reveal my skills to the open world, that would just be the recipe for disaster. Instead I could facilitate some black-market deals for something like a grappling gun.

Before leaving I checked over any new job posts, there were a ton, and not a single one that was possible for me to indulge in. I sighed, and left the apartment.

As the world opened up, most of my thoughts just fell away. Instead of worrying about the future, I looked at the present and found myself woefully incompetent. I had gained a lot of powers, and they were powers that some heroes or even villains built their entire careers over. And I was not using a single one of them up to their full potential.

Aside from Basic Disguise Training which was more of a situational circumstance than a personal one, the rest could've allowed me to work and progress better. I was still leaning toward the idea of adventuring and going with the flow ideology, but the more I looked at myself and the world and the more I realized just how idiotic I was being. Comic book worlds might look cartoonish from the outside, but there some pretty serious problem here, darker on the scale of morality than most had ever experience with.

With just Basic Marksmanship Training, I had some good training with projectile weapons. The reason why I considered the ability as almost useless was because I wasn't going to be facing normal humans, but superhumans with reaction and powers that bordered on craziness.

Self-Sustenance was like one of those minor powers that worked in the background, but essentially compounded with the others to keep you functioning.

Martial Arts Training gave me enough leverage that I wouldn't have to enter the field without the ability to fight. I had enough skill that I could probably rival the likes of Daredevil when he started. Of course, I wouldn't be his match today.

With Swift Learning, I had gained a power that will eventually make me both wise and creative. Combined with Basic Engineering Training I could turn my power driven skills into one of knowledge driven skill.

Heliokinesis was something that I wouldn't be able to use for anytime soon. While Levitation, since I hadn't checked the full limit would only act as an emergency surprise or run away power.

Advanced Marksmanship Training suddenly turned me from reasonably skilled into combat arts into insanely skilled one. With just that power I could handle most of the low level characters with enough preparations and gear. And what was I doing with it? Or with any of them? Just casually tasting pieces of them without raising them to full potential.

This was going to continue being a problem in the future, as I wouldn't suddenly stop getting powers. I understood that certain matters were just beyond your scope or ability to handle. This was one of those situations. But still, I hoped to managed as well as possible.

I might've realized my blunder a bit late, but it was better than going out in the field half-assed and arrogant. I might've even ended up looking like a clown. I was still not sold out on the whole hero thing, but I wanted act as a part-time vigilante and keep watch over this neighborhood. Most of all, I wanted to meet other heroes and see what they were up to.

It was along these trail of thoughts that I realized that I had made another mistake. I had in my narrow-mindedness speculated that I would suddenly stumble upon an open post in a garage or something and that they would listen to my story without telling me to 'fuck off'.

My focus briefly shifted to the new power I had just gotten. It was called 'Resistance' and basically granted me resistance to my attribute type. In simple terms it reduced the harm that my attribute could inflict on me. That was concerning as I hadn't even thought of that beforehand. But once more proved useless as I couldn't use my attribute yet.

I sighed as I rubbed my forehead. Getting a job wasn't going to be that difficult as it would've before I got all these powers. But it still didn't change the fact that I was looking for a job by just hoping to stumble upon some open shop looking for employees. I mean, I might but that was more laid-back nature than I was comfortable with.

But the real reason for my internal debate was once more my powers. With what I was capable of, earning money was a minor inconvenience than the headache a job would cause. All it would require would be either doing some morally questionable activities or disclosing my identity. I wasn't particularly against the thought of underground dealership, but my reserved nature was against the thought of acting in such capacity without some serious abilities to back me.

Once more I found myself treading my way back home. Long activity of remaining in one state and then suddenly dumped with powers that seemed to be on steroids was less than an ideal scenario for a person like me. Don't get me wrong, I was every bit as excited as I expressed, but the implications of having lived another life and in a world where your current reality and life were mere depictions of fantasies was what hit me the hardest. I had tried to avoid thinking about that as much as possible by usually focusing on my powers, but now I could see the effect of something like that in action.

I would never deny the fact that I was a coward to myself. Running away from problems and situations I couldn't handle defined my whole life. It's why I left the college rather than struggle like thousand others. When I was suddenly encumbered with the memories and given an easy way out, I had jumped in like a junkie being thrown a drug.

It didn't change the fact that damage was done, but only to the extent that was easily manageable. All I needed was sometime to think things through without worrying about the constraints of money and life of a superhero.

At home, I dropped down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. It looked a bit dirtier than I last remembered. I should clean that up; in fact, I should clean my whole apartment. But first, a cup of coffee would wonders to my brain, even if there was no hunger or thirst to back that feeling.

Doing such a mundane activity let me ground my brain and thoughts into reality. I realized that I was still James, still living in that stubby apartment, and still drinking that cheap coffee. I might have powers but they were additions to me, to give me wings to fly, rather than act as the defining force of my existence. Yeah, I might be a superhuman, but I was still James.

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Thanks to the self-reflecting moment I had, I had sometime to think things through. I still wanted to get a job, but I would hold onto that thought for the moment till I sorted through the mess of how my superhero life would unfold. I didn't want to split my attention to juggle more than one task and then end up failing in all of them.

That's why I was currently in the middle of my serious sewing session. It was night-time and moonlight shone on the floor and the table I worked. I was using thread and needle to stitch the pieces together in a complex display of skill and focus. Each knot was small and barely visible beneath the fabric.

The most difficult part of the costume design was to sew those white lines all across. I was already at this for two hours and I had barely finished one leg. At this rate, both costumes would take a week to be prepared. I would need to be patient, so I continued with my work with diligence.

Unfortunately, my self sustaining powers only provide the equivalent of food, and not sleep. Once it was around 1 a.m, I stowed away the costume and pushed my tired body on the bed. In moments I was off to wonderland.

I slept till late in the morning and only woke up when I felt the rays of sunlight boring down on my leg. The curtains were slightly drawn, so the light had streamed directly inside. And once more I missed my gym. I could still go, but there was a lack of accountability, that obligation usually associated with a certain time-frame. Once past that, you felt more free to act however you wanted.

I laid on the bed for more than 15 minutes, blankly staring at the floor. There was sense of lethargy that I hadn't felt in a long while. I pushed myself off the bed and yawned.

Struggling till the bathroom, I refreshed and took a bath. I wanted to collapse back on the bed, but there was still work to do. Like buying some small knives. Using my Advanced Marksmanship Training with them would be a waste, but a bow was an expensive equipment and tended to draw attention. I could make do with knives for now.

Once more I left to shop for the products and afterwards decided to test out my skills. As expected I was capable of firing multiple projectiles at once and hitting bullseye with each one. I could intuitively understand the distance, power and angle required for a specific shot.

My power expanded with the addition of 'Clothing Manoeuverability' which basically allowed to me move without any decrease in flexibility as long as what I wore counted ordinary clothing. The effect was immediate and I could feel the freedom of moment even with the clothes I wore. This power would do wonders when I was in costume. It would save my skin from chafing and probably even reduced the chance of tearing the seams.

On a broader perspective, this small addition especially one as mundane as this shouldn't be worth much attention. But I realized that this smaller power had provided me with more comfort than others had. It was a minor thing of note, but not inconsequential.

I decided to hit up the local news. There were a lot of minor incidents recorded and more often than not you could see a superhero save the day. Spiderman was back in his neighborhood and Black Cat was nowhere to be found, probably left for wherever she deemed cozy. If I had anything to say, they were probably back to dating once more.

I smiled at the thought and scrolled to other matters. After the death of Garrison Klum, his brother seemed to have disappeared. There was a story there, no doubt.

X-Men seemed quiet as usual, and Avengers all over the place. If I was going operate in the neighborhood, it would help to know which of the heroes I might run into. I needed to actively avoid Telepaths, but I wouldn't shy from interacting if it came to it. I sincerely hoped my power had a solution to that problem.

There wasn't much traffic around the Columbia University. I knew Power Man was active in this area, as one of the leaders of Heroes For Hire. Iron Fist usually accompanied the guy. They were good alternative for my career, but I would rather not associate myself with them. For one, the scope of my powers was something that would never let me lay low for long, and for other I couldn't see myself working with two grown up men who had more troubles at home than on the street.

There were some small time heroes and villains also, like Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, Stiletto among others. They weren't much of a threat to me, but it didn't hurt to know of them. My knowledge once more proved to be inefficient as I barely recognized a few from my past life. I simply couldn't rely on my knowledge anymore. Even if I knew some lore, and characters, the lack of proper understanding would certainly screw me over if I tried to rely on it.

Compared to others, I think my costume would do wonders. With other equipment I was more than ready for the field. Now, if only I could finish it before long. I left the notebook on the desk and decided to do stretch my muscles a little.

Even with my skill-set, the lack of a good physique was proving to be a detrimental aspect. Without improved stamina, I could barely perform my martial arts, and even parkour tired me out. My only option was to prepare myself as much possible and hope for the best.

On that note, I needed to do something I had been putting off till now. Heliokinesis was a great power, but it seemed to require additional control aspects that were probably divided among other powers. Levitation was one such aspect and it leveraged this attribute to allow me hover in the air. I still hadn't tested the limits height-wise, but this time I was more concerned about the time constraints.

From my previous experiments, I could at most stay floating for about 10 minutes when it was dark. But what about in daylight? There was solar-energy everywhere, so?

Using my powers was as simple as doing an action similar to lifting a hand. You didn't even need to properly think or form a thought. Your body would automatically answer to a specific need. And just like that I was up in the air.

The not-flight made me a bit queasy, as if my center of balance was all over the place. I wondered how it must feel to actually fly? It would certainly be lot worse, and yet also exciting. I tried to lift myself upward. It was rather easy to do so. But I hit the ceiling and couldn't move further. That would've have to wait until I was outside.

I tried to drift and move all over. The limited space proved a bit of a nuisance but I was able to determine my speed as being faster than yesterday. I was just barely faster than normal walking speed. Just like I had suspected my abilities where a bit enhanced during daylight, or I was weak at night. Whatever, the point was being a daylight hero seemed more advantageous to me.

I let myself float off the ground for about half an hour before I started getting tiered. It wasn't like mental tiredness or physical exhaustion, but more like running out of limited reserves. I wondered what that meant.

Testing my limits helped draw a mapping of my own abilities. I might be better than the likes of Iron Fist and Power Man in the long run, but as it is, I would loose even against them. They weren't threats in terms of their nature and my own confidence in my abilities. But when it came to real combat, I wouldn't stand a chance.

I took a look at my kitchenette and sighed. There was still some stock present and most of it would probably go bad in about a few days. I didn't feel any hunger, but also couldn't return the goods back. Between the two, it was better to eat the rest before it goes bad.

It was attempt at distraction as I didn't wish to become impatient. I was already at a better starting point than many and that had to count for something.

Another star secured and suddenly I knew combat. 'Basic Combat Training' gave me the equivalent of a street fighters experience. It paled in comparison to Wing Chun, but every bit compounded and gave me another perspective. With this, I wasn't necessarily a better fighter. That is, if being fighter only counted as throwing punches. I was a better combatant overall. I understood my opponent better than before.

It was a small addition to my already growing set of powers, and yet I had barely made a dent in the cluster of stars. There was so much potential, that it would be a waste to die without at least getting one of those burning powers of supernova. Yeah, I was just going to be a hero for fun and adventure.

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Hero for fun and adventure sounds easy on paper, and then when you finally find yourself in such a situation, you would wonder what the exit plan was?

Having lived in Manhattan for over a year and half was enough for me map out most streets. I even knew which building belonged to which group of heroes. Despite that, my knowledge on some of the covet alleys was lacking in comparison. Being out in the field fighting the crime was good and all, but being able to run away when needed was also of paramount importance. Now problem was, running was very different from getting away, for that you needed to disappear.

So, Tuesday afternoon suddenly found me roaming the streets. I went through most covet spots, driveways behind the buildings where they kept the trash and even abandoned buildings in need of repair work. Swift Learning might not help in retention of it all, but it helped to remember certain signs and associations they carried.

It was during one such endeavor that I stumbled upon the scene unfolding before me. The man wore the reptilian suit of blue color with yellow acting as the middle in the form of scales. It was surely supposed to come out as a snake suit of some sorts, though I couldn't be sure. Alongside him was someone I recognized just from the attire and that face. Sabertooth.

They were both looking out the busted window while I peered from the side of alley. My face was covered by a mask, worn in the same way as last night but practically unrecognizable. Basic Disguise Training was one of those barely mentioned powers as they worked their magic from the background all the time.

My attention however was on the woman who was slithering away, already near the next alley through which she disappeared. I had just witnessed a disastrous fight ending in the favor of villains, unless Sabertooth was suddenly playing hero, which I highly doubted. There was no doubt in my mind however, that the escaping woman was injured and in need of help.

I took a long fleeting glance at the two men, waiting if one of them would give chase. They didn't, thankfully. I dashed away from my position following the path the woman disappeared through. She was easy to find as she lay collapsed on the floor of an alley.

She wore that dogi uniform often seen being worn by japanese martial artists. It matched the color of her hair, burning red. She also carried a white sheathed katana. Who exactly she was I had no idea.

"Hey, are you alright?" I cautiously approached the prone woman. She stirred and looked at me, then backing away she drew her katana. I could tell that my mask set her off.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to help." I held up my hands as an act of assurance and honesty. I didn't think it would make much of a difference, but I was trying.

She looked around and mostly behind me. "You are alone?" She asked.

I nodded and spread my hands. "And unarmed."

"I don't need help." She stated and made to stand up. I tried to move forward to help, but earned myself a hard stare.

"Just want to help, is all." I clarified. "You seem injured, and I saw you jumping out the window. I'm not with them."

Judging by her attire and the fact that she somehow ended up in an altercation with Sabertooth and snake guy and escaped, I would give it decent odds that she could probably solo me even with all my skills. Part of that would be because I truly was unarmed and lacked preparations.

"I Can manage, thank you." She was back on her feet, but holding onto her left abdomen with a strained expression. I could see a smear of blood coating her hand. She wasn't bleeding excessively, probably a scratch from a claw. I recalled Sabertooth and connected the dots.

"I know, you can. But never hurts to accept a bit of help." Did I sound too cheesy or desperate with that line? I hope not. "If you're in a hurry, my help might just make the difference."

I could almost see the war play out between her changing expression. The truth was, I hoped that this type of interaction would've played at a better time. Like when I was a proper hero with a suit on. But this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"I need to get to someone."

The lady with red hair didn't tell me her name and I never asked. Mostly due to the fact that she would be asking me in return and I wouldn't know how to answer. As she showed me the way, I helped her walk the road and keep awake. She kept on slipping between the state of semi-consciousness. I tried to keep her awake.

At last we found ourselves near an opulent private estate. I wondered if she lived here, but then I recalled her words and decided not to jump to any conclusion.

She knocked on the door and we waited for painful long five minutes. During that time, I felt my powers fail to make connection to one of the smaller stars.

My attention was soon caught by the door opening to reveal a man dressed in dojo clothing. It was an ensemble of bright red worn by a blond haired man with a muscular physique which he wasn't afraid to show. He also wore an amulet of some of sort on his neck.

His gaze flickered from my masked face to the lady's and instantly changed from one of caution to worry. "Oh dear, are you alright?"

I let him take her from me as the woman turned into limp noodles. Clearly she trusted whoever this man was.

"Misty needs help." She weakly blurted out. That name sounded a bit familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint the cause.

"Let's get inside first." The blonde man led her weak form inside what turned out to be a gym. This was unlike the one I registered at. The equipment was clean and new, the area was spacious and there were japanese-style mats which if I recalled correctly were called tatami.

This was a private gym of a rich guy. But who the heck was that?

"Where's he?" The lady asked. My focus shifted back to the bulking dude who was in the process of laying her on the mat.

"He's not here, but I will give him a call." He turned to me and pointed his finger at the wall. "Can you fetch that kit?"

I nodded and moved to take the first aid off the wall. I could hear the man ask her in his hushed voice about me. The lack of information was clearly putting them on edge, yet they hadn't moved to any drastic measures.

I handed him the box and watched as the lady removed her hand from the wound. Ok, I might have been underestimating the injury a bit, because that didn't look like a scratch to me at all. More like her flesh was scooped with a sharp pointed claw. It wasn't deep, but the lack of active bleeding was confusing the heck out of me.

Not to them though. I watched the guy expertly apply medicine to the lady. His phone was lying on the side, when it wasn't before. He had probably just called someone, probably the guy she was asking about.

Once he was done, he turned to me. "Alright, now that that's dealt with, who are you?"

Once again I found myself assessing the man standing before me. He looked to be baseline human, a skilled one no doubt judging by his attire. I may or may not match his skills, but I sure as hell wouldn't match his strength. If it came to blows, I would've no choice but to flee.

"Just a guy, who helped a lady in need." I replied.

"Yeah, I don't believe that. You're telling me that you just happened to pass by when she was in need of help?"

"Lots of people need help in New York. I don't think it's as rare as you make it out to be."

"What? You're a hero or something?" He raised a brow at me.

Best to play the stereotype. "Something like that."

The answer caused his eyes to narrow and he looked me up and down. He was probably trying to make connection between the guy standing before him and what a hero is supposed to look like.

Our conversation was broken when I heard the sound of footsteps and turned just in time to see the man himself walk in. Iron Fist was here.

He rushed straight to the lady and checked over her wound. Then he asked the questions which seemed to stress him out. Throughout it all, I just watched and finally realized why the Misty name felt familiar. Misty Knight. The lover of Daniel Rand, or as he should be called right now Iron Fist.

He turned to me and repeated the same question as the blond guy. Thankfully I didn't have to answer much.

"You did a good job, but I think you should leave now."

I wish I had more confidence so that I could show him a bird, because I really wanted to. "I can help, you know."

"This is serious business kid, go home."

Understandable, but I didn't risk my debut just to face refusal.

"I can fight." I insisted.

"So can Bob, but he's not coming with us." Iron Fist closed the distance to stand before me. "It can get lethal in there. And besides, you are a hero just by virtue of helping someone."

Soothing my ego, are we? Well, technically he wasn't wrong. Sabertooth was a dangerous foe, and there was that other guy also. Not to mention how many more they would've indoors. He wasn't kidding by saying it could lethal. Even earlier I had a heard a few gunshots, that was what attracted me in the first place.

Damn, can't believe I made such a dumb decision. Well, not exactly bad, but still. I sighed and nodded.

"So, do you have a name or something I could use to call you?" The man asked.

My disguise was good enough to fool most peoples eyes, and I wasn't a particularly popular guy even on the street where I lived. I doubt most of the other tenants would recognize me, much less this guy who was practically a stranger.

I shook my head. "Don't have one, yet."

"Alright." Danny nodded. "Well, you could stay here for the time being if you want. We can discuss more later."

He probably wanted to lecture me on how this was a stupid thing to do and all. I did look young, I mean I was young. Even in my past life, my age barely eclipsed 26. Despite that I knew the look he was giving me.

"That's alright." I said. "I was just leaving, anyway."

The man nodded in understanding.

"Thanks for the help." The lady voiced.

And that's when I felt my power make connection. The power was called 'Peak Human Memory Capacity'. It had just handed me a watered down version of edict memory. With it, I could now relive memories. It wasn't perfect and worked only on the memories that I did recall. But what it allowed me was incredible. The task of remembering all those alleys and roads suddenly became so much easier.

More than anything however, this showed synergy with 'Swift Learning'. With the two, I could play out a specific memory again and again and imprint the process in my head. Given enough time, I could in theory copy most of the mundane moves.

"Everything alright?" Blond guy, Bob, asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Goodbye."

And with that I left the place. Instead of going straight back to my home, I took a convoluted path and changed my disguise. After about ten minutes, I took off the mask and casually walked back home. I had taken extra precaution, but if someone was persistent enough then I couldn't have done anything about them in the first place.

The moment I entered, I felt exhausted. The events of today were strenuous in terms of interacting with others. I probably sucked at making a proper conversion, even if I had the perfect opportunity.

That aside, I still couldn't believe I just talked to a comic book character, a superhero no less. I mean, every being in this Multiverse was a comic book character, but the heroes and villains were different.

I knew Iron Fist because of him being one of most skilled combatant in this verse. There were also a number of comic books on him, and even a few tv shows. From my research into the character I had stumbled upon Misty Knight. I was fairly certain that Misty wasn't her first name.

She was a lover of Daniel Rand, and a police officer. I didn't much about her except that she lost her arm in some accident and had to replace it with a cybernetic prosthetic. This sounded like one of those white knight romantic tales where the guy saved the princess from the clutches of evil. It was more complex than that, no doubt, but the underlying meaning was easy to draw upon.

I decided to put the encounter to rest and started to work on my costume. It was still daylight, but honestly I wasn't feeling very patient after the Iron hero treated me like a kid. He wasn't wrong, but I was more excited than angry at what awaited me.

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I worked on my costume through the rest of the evening and then half the night. It was only around 2 in the morning that I decided to sleep. The lack of rest would probably eat up another day of my gym, but at this point I was coming to realization that plans never survived the actual encounter.

My powers were growing steadily, but they would take time before I even started to empty out a category. I wasn't being impatient but I felt myself being spread thin. The powers I was getting were all over the place. Not specialized at all.

Costume work was coming along well. I had completed the pants and they looked pretty good. They were sung but when I wore them they lacked that uncomfortable feeling usually accompanied by something that tight. Rest would've to wait till tomorrow. For now, I needed some sleep.

My morning began as usual but this time with prepared breakfast. Eggs would probably last some time, but I wanted to finish as much of the wet stock as possible. There wasn't much, only enough to last a day or two. I took a seat and sipped on my coffee. There was something about Self-Sustenance where in it provided just the balanced diet to keep me functioning at peak performance possible. That meant an actual dose of caffeine, or its alternative. So, while I had felt no need imbibe another cup, it felt like scratching an old itch.

Testing out the 'Peak Human Memory Capacity' was an experience that felt exhilarating. It was like actually reliving the moments. More than anything however it was the fact that I could put the memories on fast forward and see them from first person perspective like I was in a game or something.

I tested the power on my last day memories. I considered the stance that Iron Fist had shown when I met him. The fact that the man didn't question me much should've come of as absurd, but the truth was it wasn't that hard to come across a wannabe hero every tuesday. The only thing that bugged me was that he wasn't that concerned over the fact that I was at his residence. Either he wasn't as cautious, or I was taking the whole secret identity too seriously.

That wasn't the case with the likes of Spiderman. Of that I was sure. So maybe it differed between the heroes. I would bet that more people knew who Iron Fist was than who Spiderman was. Or was it just a comic thing?

I focused on the path that I wandered through yesterday. There were surprising amount of alleys with suspicious looking buildings, that looked to be tailor made for shady activities. Take the smuggling depot Sabertooth was at, because I was almost sure that it was a place they smuggled goods at.

It was early in the afternoon and I was sitting in my apartment being as unproductive as possible. Time to change that.

Since most of the rundown buildings were empty, I intended to find a good spot that could act as my training ground. The problem with the apartment was that it was too small. Not just in terms of surface area, but overall volume. The ceiling was too short to properly test the limitations of my Levitation.

Before I left though, I braced myself as the potential reached its threshold.

I had magic. I didn't before, but now I did. The power was called 'Weak Capabilities' and basically granted me small internal reserves of magical energy that I can use in conjunction with my magic. Only, I had no magic.

Once more, I was granted a half-assed power that seemed to depend on other powers to work. I sighed, but felt the prospects endearing. This was magic, like real magic. And I would be drawing from myself, not some weird obscure dark dimension that came with associated drawbacks.

I put the thought aside and changed into a nondescript ensemble. Leaving my apartment I trudged through the streets and discreetly slipped in the shadows. The back alleys were deserted usually, unless you had the misfortune to running into a junkie or a gang member, or both.

I found an abandoned site with singed walls and soot covered ceiling. There was a fire breakout here, but I didn't recall when. It might've happened a long time ago, probably before I moved here. That wasn't rare at all, there was a ton of infrastructure lying broken in New York. Most of the city was being run by the giants like Stark Industries, Frost Internationals or even covert organizations like Hydra, The Hand, etc.

The building was spacious enough, but the floor was covered in enough detritus that it would be a chore to clean. Thankfully, I had not come here to learn to clean more efficiently.

Activating my Levitation, I started to float upward. The speed of my ascent was painstakingly slow, but in this case it actually helped with retaining balance despite the rising altitude. Levitation didn't actually have any side-effects or anything, but my perspective was still jumbled. If I wanted to use the ability for more than showmanship, I had to learn to incorporate it into my limited set of moves.

Swift Learning came in handy in situations like these. Where it would take me hours, I was done learning in minutes and with that I touched the ceiling. I was about more than 15 feet in the air, and I could tell instinctively that I could rise higher.

This would mean crossing some of the walls wouldn't be that difficult at all. Only slow, but slow was better than nothing. I dropped to the ground and when I was about 5 feet above, I let go of the ability and landed with a thud. I immediately regretted doing that, as it kicked up a ton of dust and I was forced to taste the sandy texture in my mouth. Truly, my suffering began from me.

Now that was done, I started with some rapid speed moments of martial arts. Basic Combat and Basic Martial Arts didn't create a conflict in my fighting style. If anything, it was easier to incorporate the two and enhance my own style. It would seem that most of my powers shared a synergy with one another which would reduce the chance of any conflict from arising. It was the same that my skills would never rust, and I would always perform anything to the peak of that ability.

A minor effect that backed all of my abilities, but a particularly useful one. For the better of the day, I spent going thorough routines. Testing the limits of my skills and all. When I was feeling tired, deciding to be a bit more bold I left for another abandoned spot. This one was in a more deserted locality, but the spot itself was a bit open. I used the knowledge and skills of disguising to hide away my build and all and tested the full extent of my levitation.

I was in the air, at about 20 feet or so off the ground. I could no longer move up. And I was also feeling a little tired. It was a little risky, but I could make out the taller buildings from where I hovered in the air. Deciding to not test my luck, I flew down.

For a brief moment, I basked in the feeling of having actually flown. There was a reason why Levitation had me so excited the first time. It might lack the sheer usefulness and versatility of my other abilities, but it was cool as heck. And more than anything, a true-blue superpower.

Once the rush was over, I bolted through the narrow pathways and disappeared into the crowd. It wasn't exactly nighttime and there was a distinct possibility someone might've seen me. But more than that, I was in rush to get home. It was about time I started my work on the jacket.

It took me around an hour of walking and a considerably tired body to get to my apartment. By the end, I was feeling the weight of my exertion and feeling regret at those 100 dollars I wasted on gym. I could've brought a knife with those.

Sighing, I drew the curtains and kept a dim source of light lit on the stand. It was enough for me to start my work on the costume.

From the outside, the costume looked to be well-made. Not spectacular or anything, but better than throwing together rags and hoping for the best. But if someone were to look close and had a keen eye for fashion, they would notice the distinct improvements in my craft overtime. I wasn't necessarily bad at sewing, but I was getting even better as the time went on. No doubt, Swift Learning was facilitating my rapid development in terms of design work.

This was better for me. The second costume wasn't as much a priority as this one, but knowing it would end up better than this certainly filled me with giddiness. Much like the previous time, most of the night was spend on the craft work and even then, I was still left with a zipper and some fasteners. I wanted to continue, but sleep was weighing heavily on me and the possibility of ruining a good work was enough for me tuck it away for later improvements.

Before I drifted off into sleep, I felt my power initiate another connection.

In the next instant sleep was gone and I was looking at a book, that I knew was a spellbook, resting on my hand. I was flabbergasted by the manifestation of my power. More than that, even without reading the book I had some understanding of the most basic principles.

The power was called 'Alchemy' and gave me the method of crafting spells in the form of magical stones, consumables and potions. I could craft potions. Real witch style potions.

The only problem was I didn't know what to craft.

Before when I had gotten Weak Capabilities, I hadn't truly understood that power. Alchemy provided the context that I was lacking. Weak Capabilities granted me the magical equivalent of potential and internal magical reserves. It was like being in the middle of desert and handed a can of fuel to go home. That would never work.

Then I had gotten Alchemy. With Weak Capabilities, I had intuitive understanding of basic principles of Alchemy as if I had a month's worth of training. To continue with the previous analogy you were just handed the principle of how a vehicle is supposed to work, and how the fuel must be used to keep it running.

Even with these two however, I was lacking a third component. I had no idea how to build one, or the materials. In Alchemy terms, I could buy materials from the market, like some herbs, certain minerals or metals, and even essential oils. What I lacked was that blueprint. A spell.

The realization took a moment to settle, but I only felt a little frustrated at the fact that I would've to craft potions and magical amulets to perform any spell.

I opened the spellbook to find the introduction on the first page. I desperately wanted to read through the entire book, but my eyes were starting to get heavy. Sleep deprivation was a serious cause when it came to decision making.

I stowed the book away, alongside the costume and moved beneath the sheets. The window was closed, so I lacked the benefit of a cool breeze. The sleep took me in moments, still.

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The first thought that went through my head right after waking up was: it had been exactly a week since I gained my powers.

The day started as usual, but my excitement was bursting through the roof. I washed in haste, changed my clothes with speed I never knew I was capable of and prepared a cup of coffee within a few minutes. Somehow the brew tasted even better than yesterday.

When I took my seat on the bed with book in my hand, I wondered for a brief moment why exactly did I get a book instead of the knowledge being directly dumped into my brain. I wasn't against this new approach but my powers seemed to follow a strict format in how they were presented and granted.

I opened the first page and started reading.

Alchemy at its core delved into the idea of transformation. It stressed on the intrinsic qualities of the material world and expressed the potential for growth through the ideas of transformation. If we thought back to the classical definition, then alchemy was the method with which we could turn base materials like lead or copper into silver or gold. There was also the possibility of finding cure to all diseases and increasing lifespan.

Although it remained true to its intent of transformation, there was a broad foundation of subjects that it could be applied to. It wasn't just limited to changing the the molecular structure or atomic configuration of protons and electrons, but in creation of existing effects and magics of nature that one would find perplexing.

The type I was handed was a general one. Instead of being fixed to a particular school or principle, I could use it in conjunction with anything. Using alchemy I could give shape to any material, effect or thought by manifesting it in the shape of a stone or a magical liquid that was known as potion.

There wasn't much I could do at the moment, due to the limitations of not having that guide or spell. If I could get my hands of Sorcerer Supreme's collection, it might be possible. But I didn't want to do something that was both idiotic and irrelevant. I could end up with a spell the moment I stole from the Doctor, that is if I could steal in the first place.

I wasn't in any pressing need at the moment. I wasn't particularly powerful by any means but what I had was enough to pull me through at the beginning.

The rest of book basically explained the principles of the magic. There was also explanation on most common practices and uses of that magic. I managed to read the thing in its entirety in about two hours.

It was all basic level stuff, and with my existing understanding and support of Swift Learning, I pulled through the rest quickly enough. Thanks to that, I now had to buy a cauldron, some materials like sulfur, mercury and salt. I didn't know exactly which ones I would need without understanding the magic in question, but there were some materials that were universal in application.

And there was no way in hell, I was buying all of that and bringing it here. Even if I somehow managed to buy all that, the mere prospect of watching someone carrying that sort of thing would raise alarm bells. Not to mention the fumes that would be produced or any chance of accident that could set this entire building on fire. Yeah, I wasn't touching that stuff until I found a safe spot.

The lack of actual usage also acted to bar me from indulging in needless spending. With that I put the book away and braced myself for another connection.

I wasn't immortal or anything, far from that in fact. I would just age slowly. The power was called 'Increased Lifespan', and added a hundred years to my natural lifespan. That wasn't the most interesting thing though, it was the fact that it would reduce my rate of aging in proportion to my increased my lifespan. I would still age, just slowly.

It was another power that would work in the background so I put it out of my mind instantly.

Another day spent in my house, I looked at clock to find it time at 3 p.m. I sighed and decided to finish the zipper now. When I went out tonight, it would be in my costume as a hero. A different class of hero, who would fit in more with the likes of Black Cat or White Queen, but a hero nonetheless.

I felt excitement course through me.

The work on my costume took less than half an hour. I stowed it away and began to work on my last and most important piece.

Using a costume to conceal your identity is easy, as long as you equip your mask. Without mask, it's close to impossible unless you are superman. I didn't have a power to facilitate that, so I needed a mask. Given the theme of my costume, a full-on face mask would probably come out as awkward. Instead, I was leaning more toward a visor, which would've given me a more sleek futuristic look, or a domino mask which actually worked against people you weren't familiar with.

The choice was easy to make and I ended up purchasing a cheap mask alongside the fabric. The mask served the purpose of acting as my template which I used to draw an outline on the leftover fabrics. I was creating a custom mask, yes.

The process was, but it turned out using polyester is not ideal in creating something that is meant to be hard and malleable like plastic. In the end, it came out looking good, but lacking practicality. Without strings to secure it to my face, it would probably slip right off. Not very superhero looking.

The only benefit that I could derive from the whole venture was the look that it would gave when worn alongside my full costume. That reminded me, I also needed to comb my hair a bit. In disguising yourself every bit mattered. It was a good thing that I know how to disguise myself really well.

The time before my eventual debut was spent trying to go over everything I knew, but decided to make sure. I doubted the heroes actually went through all this hassle. They were more victims of circumstances that took reigns of their own fate. Or they were thrust with a power they had no idea what to do with, and following the direction of someone they thought as a virtuous being.

I was unlike them. I was getting into this with the knowledge and purpose. I had prepared my costume before I even brawled out on the streets. It wouldn't be wrong to say that I was an artificial hero compared to more of the organic ones.

The thought didn't bother me, and honestly there were probably heroes who debuted to worse things than being a hero for fun. Now that I think about it, do I sound like Saitama when saying that? Probably.

My first night out would be to roam the neighborhood and try not to peek into the private life of others. The neighborhood like this one for a hero patrol seemed more tailor made for someone like Spiderman. I doubted other hero teams usually went on patrols. They seemed more like the guys who would wait for the bad guys to come knocking.

New York was a busy city. Even in the dead of night, there was traffic to be found. It wouldn't be wrong to say that moving at night was only marginally better than moving at dawn.

Wearing the costume and looking myself in the mirror was giving me last minute jitters. If I say so myself, I didn't look half-bad. But it's one thing to think of yourself as ok, and other to actually present in the public. There was something about wearing a costume in public that made me feel embarrassed. In retrospect, I was acting like a comic character so that wasn't a wrong feeling to have.

I took off my costume, put it in my backpack alongside my mask and shoes. I left my apartment and made my way through the streets to the spot I had spent the day training in yesterday. I wasn't spiderman and neither was I confident that people wouldn't catch me jumping out of the window.

It was nearing sunset and the a cool breeze was blowing. The building was near the Park Avenue, so it took me around twenty minutes to walk there. I spotted the entrance but did a perimeter checkup. Once I was sure, the place was safe, I entered from one of the busted windows.

Much like yesterday, the place look like a trash dump. If I wanted to change my clothes, I needed to find a better spot than this soot covered floor. I found a good enough place on the upper floor.

A room that should've been bedroom or something similar lacked the broken and burnt wood panels. There was still a ton of dust, but at it was at least manageable. Most of all, there was a place where I keep my backpack hidden for the process of wandering.

A whole in the wall easily covered by a wedge or a plank. It was in the bottom corner and easily hidden.

I took a moment to go through the process of checking all over the place. Then I took a deep breath and rested by backpack on the floor. It would be a chore to clean it, but I had a more pressing matter.

One of smaller stars connected and I felt the knowledge and experience wash over me. 'Advanced Combat Training' was unlike 'Advanced Marksmanship Training'. It made me a good fighter, better than an average one but lacked that supernatural grace and accuracy that the later granted me. Instead what it did grant me was the ability to incorporate the superhuman abilities and traits. If I counted in terms of combat potential, what traits di I posses? I had Advanced Marksmanship Training, Basic Martial Artist Training, and now Advanced Combat Training.

Just the marksmanship training gave me near superhuman accuracy and spatial awareness. With martial arts, I would probably perform better than many martial artist heroes in terms of pure skill. I might not match their sheer raw power, strength or reflexes, but in terms of skill, I was very close to the likes of Daredevil or even Captain America.

I grinned, remembering the pure fighting skills employed by Black Widow and Hawkeye. With just that, they could fight alien beings even if they were the weakest in the entire team. But I could do even better. Guess what counted as a superhuman ability that I possessed, aside from the direct combat assistants?

Yeah, this would be more fun than I thought.

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As I stepped out on the road, my first thought was: I should leave. Once again, wearing actual costume made me remember those cosplayers from my past life. I never thought I would one day be following on their footsteps.

The truth was, I was a bit afraid of public reactions to my appearance more than if the news reached the likes of Charles Xavier or Baron Strucker. I might not have been as socially active after what happened three years ago, but I was still influenced by the opinions of public. Knowing that infuriated me more.

I took a deep breath to remind myself, I was not James here. I was a superhuman with powers that eclipsed human capacity. I could do better than this.

It was starting to darken, but the city was so brightly lit. I walked through the alleys, before levitating to the rooftop from where I decided to jump using the combination of my multiple powers for various factors. Thanks to Advanced Combat Training, I was able to apply the insight of precision, accuracy, and usage of required force in all my moments.

Jumping from one building to another allowed me an excellent vintage point to lookout from. I wasn't spiderman, so taller buildings were off the list, not that I could climb them as easily and as quickly as he does.

Wandering around the neighborhood, I managed to look at the world from another perspective. There was something about looking at everything from above. It was like everything was transparent, that you could make sense of the world around you. It felt like being a god overlooking the city that housed countless secrets and they were all laid bare before you.

Not to that extent, but the feeling was similar. Watching people mile below, unaware of my existence filled me with emotions that I had no words to describe. The best I could say is, freedom.

It was among this sea of people a red haired woman wearing yellow dogi uniform with a katana slung to her back was marching with purpose. Following close behind was a black women with afro hair wearing a blue top and jeans. I instantly recognized the woman from both list of active heroes I had prepared and the character from my past life. Misty Knight. With a cybernetic arm.

Unlike yesterday, I had more information on the red haired japanese women. She was an associate of Misty, and her name was Colleen Wing.

I hesitated a bit, before biting the bullet and following the two as they wandered into one of the alleys. Calculating the exact force and angle took barely a second, and I plunged downward.

My landing must've startled the two as they seemed on guard. Colleen held her still sheathed katana before her, while Misty had cocked her fist backward.

"Hi, remember me?" I smiled, and pointed at myself.

There was a look of confusion that passed quickly as realization settled in. Colleen took a sweeping glance of my costume from top to bottom that made more uncomfortable than it should've.

"It's you!" She cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Who's he Colleen?" Misty asked from the side.

I still wasn't sure if this was a good idea, or good time. They clearly seemed in a hurry when I was watching, so me delaying could be bad.

"I was in the neighborhood." I said. "Actually, I saw you running around in a hurry and thought if you needed some help?"

Colleen frowned and seemed to take half a step back. My brain instantly reminded me why this might not have been a good idea. I had met this woman twice, in a row. Did it come off as me stalking her? Probably, and I would bet she might've thought the same judging by her reaction.

"He's the guy who helped me yesterday." She replied to her friend, then turned to me. "Do you work for anyone?"

That question was weirdly put. I almost asked for clarification when I realized what she might be asking about.

"No." I shook my head. "This is the first time I have actually wandered around here."

"Oh." She nodded, then sank into a deep thought. I wonder what she was thinking about. Misty looked a bit impatient at the whole exchange and whispered something into her ear. Colleen looked at her, nodded and then looked at me. "Do you know about Power Man?"

I knew who Power Man was. She was talking about Luke Cage, and even without my past life knowledge, the guy was famous around the locality that even I had heard of him.

Luke Cage, the Power Man, another wannabe experiment from a variation of Super Soldier Serum. The guy who was once a part of the Rivals, and wrongfully convicted as drug dealer. There was a lot that could be said about the man, but most of his adventures were alongside Daniel Rand.

"I have heard about him." I nodded.

"He's been missing since this morning." Colleen explained. "If you want to help, help us by asking around the neighborhood."

Potential reached past the threshold and continued growing, another failure. Instead my focus was on the fact that Power Man had gone missing.

"How?" I asked.

Misty look at Colleen and then at me. "There was a bank robbery at Northeast bank this morning. Iron Fist and Power Man were hired as protectors, but they managed to knock Iron Fist out with anesthetic gas. When he woke up, Luke was gone."

A bank robbery. Those weren't new, but the disappearance of a superhuman from such a situation meant that it was more than just a simple robbery.

"Could he have been kidnapped?" At my question the two shared a look.

Colleen sighed. "We don't know for sure, but it's possible."

"Then why are you running around the neighborhood? Do you think he could be here?"

"Listen kid, we got no time for this, alright." Misty groused. "Do you want to help or not?"

I took a breath. Clearly, they weren't thinking things through. "I do want to help. Its just the situation seems kinda fishy. I mean Luke Cage is kidnapped in a bank robbery, what are the chances of that happening?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I am saying, it could be ruse." I continued with my explanation. "Maybe the bank robbery was meant to draw out the duo, and kidnap Power Man. In that case, maybe their employer was involved?"

Colleen raised a brow. "That's sound analysis, but it won't hold together before the whole story. There have been a number of robberies over the past few days. And Power Man and Iron Fist were hired by the Board of Directors themselves. Are you telling me, that they intended to kidnap Luke?"

Multiple robberies. Gas. Kidnapping. Alright, this sounded like a villain plot meant to draw out the hero to hurt or capture them. It didn't seem likely with all the evidence, especially if it was Luke, an ex-convict.

"I am just giving my insight." I stated. "It's entirely possible that I am wrong. But, like I said, kidnapping someone isn't a whim or on-the-fly decision, especially when it involves a brute like Power Man. Clearly, someone intended for them to be there and had prepared the gas beforehand. Someone who had grudge or wanted to harm Luke."

"So, we are wasting our time looking in the wrong direction?" The redhead asked. I didn't nod, but my shrug was enough of an answer.

Colleen looked at Misty, who then moved toward the mouth of the alley and took out her phone. She dialed and put the speaker near her ear.

"Hey." She voiced. "No luck. That's bad, but hey, is it possible that we are overlooking something? Like what if, someone intended to kidnap Luke and this was all a part of their plan? The bank robberies and all. Yeah. Un-hu. We are coming."

Misty walked back and tucked away her phone in her pocket. "He's asking for us to come back."

I stiffened slightly as the two women directed their gaze at me. This was one different from before, more intense, curios and mildly suspicious.

"We didn't catch your name, i'm afraid?" The afro haired woman asked.

I smiled a bit stiffly. "Aevitas. My name's Aevitas."

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Power gained this chapter -

- Heliokinesis [400 PP] — This power focuses on manipulating solar energy including its heat, luminosity, gravitational field, magnetic field, raw nuclear energy, and reaction.

- Levitation [200 PP] — You can use your Attribute Type to float off the ground.

- Advanced Marksmanship Training [100 PP] (Requires Basic Marksmanship Training) — Through this training, you can judge extremely long distances amazingly accurately, gauging the strength needed to launch a projectile, in order to calculate the most precise angle for targeting an opponent and predicting where to be in order to avoid return fire by the enemy.

You are able to launch multiple arrows from a bow with one shot, reload your weapons rapidly and efficiently, even with heavy mechanisms like the crossbow.

- Resistance [100 PP] — You are able to reduce the harm done to you by your Attribute Type.

- Clothing Manoeuvrability [100 PP] — You are able to move in any ordinary clothing without any decrease in flexibility or manoeuvrability as if you were wearing thin, perfectly fitting gymnastics attire.

- Basic Combat Training [100 PP] — You have learned and understand the important aspects of fighting, how to throw a punch and the best way to take one.

Using this training you should be able to defeat any untrained and unarmed opponent in most circumstances.

- Peak Human Memory Capacity [200 PP] — You have the ability to relive memories, whether it be a certain memory or a certain kind of memory.

These memories may play out over time at regular speed, be fast forwarded or experienced simultaneously all at once.

- Weak Capabilities [100 PP] — You have little internal magical reserves and will understand the most basic principles of your selected magic as if you had a month's worth of training.

- Alchemy [100 PP] — An alchemist utilizes ingredients and materials to craft magical, stones, consumables and oil's often referred to as "potions" which replicate the spell that was used as a base.

The effect of a "potion" could be temporary or permanent depending on the ingredients and spell used as a base for the resource.

When removed from its container the "Potion's" spell will target what the "potion" comes into contact with if consumed the spell will only affect the drinker but when applied to an object or shattered on the floor the spell will affect everything it comes into contact with.

- Increased Lifespan [100 PP] — Your "natural" lifespan is increased by a hundred years, reducing your rate of aging to an appropriate rate.

- Advanced Combat Training [100 PP] (Requires Basic Combat Training) — You have gained the knowledge used in general combat helping you to perform combat maneuvers with more proficiency than the average person.

Through this training you would be able to incorporate most other training you have such as dance, cleaning or martial arts into both your offensive and defensive combat.

Using only this training you should be able to defeat a few untrained but armed opponents or a dozen unarmed opponents without much difficulty.

If you possess any supernatural abilities this training should be able to automatically incorporate and utilize those abilities to either enhance your combat performance or to improve your utility options in combat.