Third-Person POV:
After calming his racing heart, Alex Ryven turned his head toward the hospital window. The night had already fallen outside. The sky was black, moonless, with only faint city lights flickering in the distance.
He let out a soft sigh, then lay back on his bed, eyes tracing the cracks in the ceiling. His thoughts churned—about the dream, the void, and the entity that called itself Will—the so-called "ROB."
Most of all, his mind kept circling back to the power that had been given to him.
The Omnitrix.
Still unsure if it was truly real, Alex whispered cautiously, "Status."
Instantly, a faint chime echoed in the air. A glowing blue screen materialized in front of him, floating like a hologram. Strange symbols shimmered around the corners, rotating slowly. Then, clean text began to appear in the center.
---
[STATUS]
Name: Alex Ryven (a.k.a. Max Crown)
Affiliation: Heir of Ryven Industries
Race: Human (Meta-Reincarnated)
Powers:
Telekinesis
Empathy
The Omnitrix
Assimilation: 0%
(+1% every 2 months)
---
Omnitrix: Limitations & Functions
1. Starter Aliens:
Begin with the original 10 aliens. Unlock 1 random alien every 2% assimilation.
2. DNA Scanning & Custom Aliens:
Scan and store DNA. You may fuse one or more DNAs to create new aliens.
Custom Alien Slots: 5 by default.
Gain +1 slot for every 10% assimilation.
3. Transformation Time Limit:
Max Duration: 10 minutes per transformation.
Cooldown: 1 second equals 1 minute of recharge.
Bonus: +15 minutes of max duration for every 1% assimilation.
4. Special Ability (Gift from WILL_BUZZ):
Extract alien powers and bestow them on any female of your choice.
Condition: Her favorability toward you must be above 85%.
---
Alex stared at the floating text, his mind absorbing each detail like a sponge.
He took a deep breath. His thoughts shifted rapidly—strategies forming, possibilities expanding. His mind, already sharpened by two lifetimes, went into overdrive.
At first glance, there were limitations—but they weren't drawbacks. If anything, they were... manageable. Even the 10-minute transformation window wasn't a real issue. A 10-second recharge—equaling 10 minutes of power—meant downtime was almost negligible. And soon, that 10-minute limit would increase to 25 minutes in just two months, while the recharge stayed the same.
And then there was Grey Matter—one of the starter aliens. A genius intellect in a tiny body. With access to that form, Alex realized he didn't even need to rely on brute force. He could build—devices, suits, AI, tech serums, enhancements. His human form alone could become a threat beyond imagination.
A grin crept across his face.
This power… this system—it's more than just strength. It's a foundation. A legacy waiting to be built.
The temptation to test the Omnitrix surged inside him, but he suppressed it. He was still in a hospital. Cameras, nurses, and unpredictable consequences made it a bad time to experiment. Even his meta-abilities—Telekinesis and Empathy—were best left unused for now.
He took one last glance at the glowing status screen, then softly dismissed it. The screen faded, and the room returned to stillness.
He closed his eyes.
Sleep didn't come instantly, but eventually, his breathing steadied.
- - -
Alex's POV
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a woman standing with her back to me. She was dressed in a white uniform, likely a nurse, and was adjusting the settings on a monitoring machine beside the bed.
Even without seeing her face, I could tell she was beautiful. Her posture, the graceful curve of her neck, the way her form moved in sync with the soft rhythm of her breath—it all felt almost too polished, too cinematic to be real. She looked to be around 28 or 30, slender with an hourglass figure and a quiet elegance that made her presence magnetic.
"She's definitely trouble," I thought to myself with a grin. The good kind.
Not the type of woman to fall head over heels for, sure—but the kind you wouldn't mind being around just for the view. I let out a quiet chuckle at my own thoughts, and that was enough to catch her attention.
She turned slowly, a bit surprised, but recovered quickly with a soft, radiant smile. Her eyes were bright, curious, and framed by gentle lashes.
"Oh, you're awake," she said warmly. "How are you feeling?"
I smiled, letting the charm slip into my voice as I met her gaze.
"This might just be the most beautiful morning of my life."
Her smile widened, a sparkle of amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Well," she said, chuckling lightly, "aren't you full of sweet lines already? I've heard flattery can be a sign of a quick recovery."
I raised an eyebrow. "Only when there's someone worth recovering for."
She laughed, shaking her head. "Smooth talker, aren't you? I bet you use that line on every nurse you see."
I grinned. "Only the ones that stop time just by walking into a room."
"You keep that up, and I might have to check if you've suffered a concussion after all," she said, biting her lip to hide another smile.
I leaned slightly toward her, eyes narrowing playfully.
"Go ahead. But if you check my heart rate, I'll warn you—it tends to spike around beautiful women."
She folded her arms, feigning seriousness.
"You know, I'm technically supposed to report any suspicious spikes in vitals."
"Guilty as charged," I said with a wink.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the blush that crept onto her cheeks. "You're impossible," she muttered, but her tone was light.
"Impossible to ignore, I hope."
She gave me a sideways look, then finally turned to adjust the IV beside the bed. "Alright, Mr. Heartbreaker, calm down. You're still under observation."
Before I continuied forward, she gave me one last smile and said, "Doctor will be in shortly. Try not to charm him too, will you?" and then left the room with a soft click of the door.
I stared at the door for a moment, then smirked to myself.
I like her already.
After some time, the door opened again. Another woman entered the room, accompanied by the same nurse from earlier. I glanced at the nurse—Natalie Quinn—with a small smile, then turned my gaze toward the new woman in a white coat. She looked professional and graceful, likely a doctor. Beautiful, too, but not quite on the same level as Natalie.
She approached with a kind smile and extended her hand. I took it while sitting up on the bed.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Sarah Kart," she said warmly. "I've been assigned as your personal doctor by your mother. And this is Natalie Quinn, my assistant—and your personal nurse. She'll be taking care of you until you've fully recovered."
I nodded, then turned to Natalie with a soft grin, extending my hand.
"I'm Alexander Ryven. I'll be in your care."
She smiled and took my hand gently, saying nothing, but her gaze held something calm and sincere.
Dr. Kart then shifted her tone, taking out her clipboard. "Now, about your condition…"
She began explaining in detail: a bullet had grazed my skull, and I'd been unconscious for a week. I had briefly awakened yesterday but passed out again due to severe pain. After a full checkup, they found the cause—my brain had been overloaded with information. It's a rare but known phenomenon. Head trauma combined with sudden sensory overload can spike neural activity, triggering intense headaches.
"In your case," she said, "the effect was more severe than usual, so we'll need to keep you under observation for another two days before discharge. Nothing alarming, but caution is necessary."
I simply nodded. There wasn't much to say.
"Well then," she concluded. "Get some rest after your medication. I'll check in again tomorrow."
She offered a polite smile and left. The door clicked shut behind her.
Now, only Natalie and I remained in the room.
"So," I said with a playful smile, "you're my personal nurse? That means you'll be here with me every day?"
She chuckled lightly. "Not every moment, but yes. It's my responsibility to care for you during the day. At night, the hospital staff will take over while I go home."
"Oh?" I tilted my head. "So, do you live with your family? I know it's a bit personal, but... are you married?"
I gave an awkward laugh at the end, unsure if I had crossed a line. But she didn't seem offended. She simply chuckled.
"You don't need to be so awkward, Mr. Ryven," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, I'm not married. Still young, still figuring life out. I'm 26. And I live alone. My parents don't live in New York."
There was a brief pause. Then she looked at me curiously.
"So... do you have a girlfriend?"
I froze.
Laura.
Her face, her voice, the memories—they came rushing back like a tidal wave. From college to now, she had been everything to me. My anchor. My light. My purpose. But now, I didn't even know where she was—or if she was safe.
I looked into Natalie's eyes, my smile gone.
"Yes," I said quietly. "I have a girlfriend. I just... don't know where she is."
Natalie's expression faltered. The smile on her lips faded for a moment, replaced by something else—disappointment, maybe? But she masked it quickly.
"Oh," she said gently. "What happened to her? You look... really down about it."
I lowered my gaze, eyes fixed on the sheets.
"It's... complicated."
She didn't press further. Just nodded, understanding lingering in her silence. She went about her duties—checking the IV, adjusting the monitor, making a few notes on her tablet.
Eventually, she finished and turned toward the door.
"Well... take care, Mr. Ryven," she said with her usual professional tone. But there was a subtle distance in her voice—an unconscious space forming between us.
She walked out, leaving me alone once more.
I stared at the ceiling for a long while, the soft beeping of machines the only sound in the room. My thoughts drifted toward Laura—toward everything I had lost, and everything I still needed to do.
I have to find her... No matter what it takes.
The Omnitrix, my powers, my second chance—they all meant nothing if I couldn't protect the one person who mattered most.
With a slow exhale, I turned on my side and closed my eyes.
The path ahead would be long... and unforgiving.
But I had already died once.
Now, I was ready to live with purpose.