Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs, and this is my first fanfic. English is my second language. I welcome constructive criticism, but please be kind to me.
֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍֍
??? POV
Life is strange. One moment you're celebrating landing your first job and building that dream gaming PC, the next a truck swerves to avoid hitting students crossing a closed signal and hits you instead.
At least it was almost instantaneous. I barely had time to take in the view before everything went dark and numb.
It was odd at first, not feeling anything—no left, no right, no up, no down, not even my own body. Strangely, I could see without eyes, like I was on a stellar journey... it felt like entering Star Wars' hyperspace, but far more colorful, a kaleidoscopic tunnel of vibrant hues.
I don't know how long I've been in this journey. Gradually, I lost memories of who I was and everyone I knew, but not the rest—the things I learned and experienced in my life.
It's odd that I only forgot people, as if they'd turned into shadows.
After an unknown time, I stopped thinking entirely, just watching images from the journey. Sometimes I saw worlds, space wars, people working, but it was all vague and confusing. Then, suddenly, nothing.
.....
"CoughCoughCough WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!" I bolted upright from a king-size bed in an unfamiliar, slightly messy bedroom.
There was a PC, but without the bright LEDs, an Xbox 360 next to a PS3... I don't recall ever owning both at the same time; it was always one or the other. A white TV... all my TVs were always black. Action figures of generic heroes and... Omni-Man? I didn't have his figure... yet. But where are the others?
Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, and several anime figures are missing... at least Darth Vader and Goku are still here, but others were replaced by characters I don't recognize.
'Have I been isekai'ed? Apparently to a parallel world? Maybe into a character I know... where's my cheat power? Did they forget to give me one?' I thought to myself.
So I shouted, "STATUS!!!"... nothing happened. I couldn't give up yet. "SYSTEM!!"... still nothing. "Use Beginner's Package?" Seems I'm out of luck.
"I hope I've transmigrated into an OP character or one with hidden potential." I headed to what I assumed was the bathroom and looked in the mirror to check my appearance.
In the mirror, I saw a pale young man, likely from staying indoors too much, somewhat thin but with some muscle, straight black hair down to his shoulders, light green eyes, a bit of stubble, and braces on his teeth.
Even without remembering my old face, this one felt familiar, unlike the unknown action figures. Maybe I transmigrated into another version of myself from a different dimension or universe, with a similar or identical appearance.
"Well, I don't look particularly handsome, but it's more about self-care than being truly unattractive. A haircut and the right clothes, and I'll be at least a 7.5/10... maybe even an 8/10, hehe."
Putting my appearance aside, I realized I'm not a known character... at least not one I recognize. This worries me about what my life will be like. Maybe I've transmigrated into a world that's too parallel.
Perhaps the only difference is a small detail that barely changes anything, something from the '80s, since I have a Darth Vader and Goku figure... but I also have an Omni-Man figure, which is from the 2000s.
As I pondered, a sharp pain shot through my brain. "ARGHH!!!" I screamed as memories flooded in—memories of my family, my parents, and my brother. We were on a trip when an explosion happened. They died... I was there too, but I don't remember who attacked. Omni-Man saved me!!!
They died last year when I was 16, and I became reclusive. I managed to get emancipated, and they left a decent inheritance—one that means I won't have to work my whole life if I invest wisely... but it doesn't matter much after their deaths.
It's 2010 in this world, and if it hasn't changed too much, this is the year Bitcoin was first used in a purchase. I'm confident since the market is similar, and the 2008 crisis happened, so certain events from my old world might occur.
This reminds me that Invincible started in the early 2000s, but the Guardians of the Globe haven't been killed yet. I don't know how much time is left.
Even with my new body's memories, there's nothing remarkable—just that he was somewhat intelligent, didn't study much but always got good grades. If he tried harder, he could already be in college, but losing his family... my family deeply affected his willpower. He was in a deep depression. The only thing keeping him going was gaming.
Things will be different now. It's not him anymore—it's me, Maximus Alexander Ferrari Smith... yeah, 'Blacksmith Blacksmith' are my last names, and Maximus Alexander is my first name. I like it. It's unfamiliar, but I like it. It means 'The Greatest Defender of Mankind.' It sounds powerful for someone without powers.
Unfortunately, even with great intelligence, it's not enough. I won't be a Lex Luthor, Tony Stark, or Robot.
My only hope is that I transmigrated before my power awakens. I recall tomorrow is my 17th birthday. Maybe my cheat will come tomorrow as a universe's gift?
If it's a Gamer System, I might not need to worry in the future. The Invincible world doesn't have beings like Anti-Monitor, who can destroy universes, or Thanos, who can kill half of all life with a snap.
But for a normal human like me, the Invincible universe is still high-risk... even for someone superpowered, actually. Here, people really die in big battles and don't come back... well, except for Eve, Invincible himself, and Immortal, I think. They're the only ones who truly return in the series.
Speaking of Invincible, it'd be good to help him somehow, but I don't know where he lives. I remember what his house looks like, but there are probably thousands of houses like it. The city he lives in isn't specified either, likely near Washington, D.C., or New York.
I live in Baltimore and study at Reginald VelJohnson High School... I honestly don't recall the name of Mark's school. I hope the universe put me in the same school.
How I'll tell him my metaknowledge about what's coming, I'll leave for the future. I still don't know if I'll get my power. If I don't, at least I know places to avoid trouble, like Chicago.
After this monologue, I decided to leave the house for a walk to test my physical condition and ended up running too. I didn't get tired as much as I expected. I thought after being so reclusive, I'd lose my breath quickly, but I'm not sure if, in this world of heroes, not getting tired easily is impressive. Maybe people here are stronger than normal.
Since I was a good student with grades high enough not to worry about missing a few days of school, I kept running until I couldn't anymore.
I know this can be harmful, but I planned to stay home tomorrow to see if the Mauler Twins had already invaded the White House and search for more info online.
After today's events, I showered, ate, and lay down to sleep. I overthought everything, but I don't think my situation is that bad. Worst case, I invest everything in Bitcoin and buy a tech armor from someone smarter.
I recall once when Mark was about to arrest a villain with high-tech armor, but he surrendered upon seeing Invincible. He explained he stole for his family, and after seeing his situation, Mark suggested selling the armor instead of stealing.
Well... the guy actually sold it... to a villain, PFF!!! Mark ended up getting him to work for Cecil, so at least it ended well.
.....
I woke up groggy. After a moment to adjust, I noticed a floating container in the middle of the room.
"Finally, my cheat!!!" I got excited. Even though I had plans in case it didn't happen, it did, thank goodness.
I grabbed the container quickly, afraid it might vanish. The liquid inside looked like the colorful tunnel I passed through after dying, with tiny sparkling lights like stars. I opened the lid and drank.
The liquid tasted sweet. After reaching my stomach, it spread evenly through my body, giving a warm, comforting sensation.
Then information flooded my brain automatically. I understood the power.
It was like the Meta Essence Gacha!!! I'd read stories about it and loved the power. It's several levels above a Gamer System, which would require grinding levels for ages. Some gamer stories span from childhood to adulthood, and I don't have time to grind skill levels now.
But with the Gacha, it's more unpredictable. I can't become as strong as a Viltrumite instantly, but in a few years, I might have the power to travel the multiverse.
Well... with the Gacha, I kind of already do, but it's limited to travel tickets, accessing worlds of specific tiers for a set time.
At least that's how it worked in the fanfics I read in my past life. Maybe there are some differences.
I can manifest it however I want, so I chose to manifest it as a system screen since I'm more familiar with technology.
The main rules can be explained as follows:
- It's possible to gain people, items, and powers from all fictional works.
- There are consumables that boost powers, alter item appearances, or change character personalities. One-time use only.
- You earn 01 Gacha Point per day.
- You need 03 Gacha Points per roll.
- You can buy up to 100 Gacha Points monthly for 01 US dollar (or equivalent) per point.
- You can buy in batches of 10 rolls, spending 30 GP, guaranteeing at least one good card (better than average).
- Or you can pay double, 60 GP for 10 rolls, for something specific to the world you're in (this just limits the draw pool to the current universe, with no guarantee of getting something good or desired).
That's basically it. There are other purchase modes where you get free cards, but their tier is low. (This explanation is almost entirely copied from Meta Essence Gacha in Marvel. 😊)
This means I can get around 130 points per month, depending on the number of days.
Today is April 22, 2010, so this month I'll only get 9 daily Gacha Points since the month ends on the 30th.
Taking 100 dollars from my wallet, I wish for it to turn into Gacha Points, and the bill magically disappears from my hand.
Another 100 GPs appear in my system, totaling 101 GP.
Then I glance at the system screen.
[ <1/3> ]
[GACHA]
Gacha Points (GP): 101
General Gacha
In-setting Gacha (Invincible)]
[ <2/3> ]
[STATUS]
Name: Maximus Alexander Ferrari Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- None
In Progress:
- [Empty] [Empty]
Characters Summoned:
- None
Powers/Abilities:
- None
Items:
- None]
[ <3/3> ]
[NON-USED CARDS]
Characters:
- None
Items:
- None
Powers/Abilities:
- None
Consumables:
- None]
I can assimilate the characters I get or summon them. Since I'm still weak, it's better to assimilate all those with powers. For those without, I'll decide later.
The Gacha says they're loyal to me, but loyalty isn't submission, so they might go against my orders. For example, if I asked Superman to kill a baby, even if loyal, he wouldn't do it.
Well... if I get Superman, no way I'm not assimilating him. There's no Kryptonite in this universe. The only ways to counter Superman here are red solar radiation, magic, and susceptibility to mind control.
Magic isn't that strong in Invincible, so his only weaknesses are red solar radiation and mind control.
So I decided to spend 90 GP on the Gacha for general cards, 3 rolls of 10 cards, since at least one will be good.
Even though the Invincible universe is high-tier, it's likely one of the least dangerous in cosmic terms. There's no One Above All or Presence.
So I'm safe... for now. When I'm strong enough, I'll travel the multiverse and live various adventures.
I'll prioritize traveling to worlds without omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent beings... but I won't be too negative. A being of that level probably wouldn't care about an outsider.
"OK, Gacha, use 30 GP and roll 10 general cards." It's finally time to change my destiny.
01 - Blueprint: HEV Suit – Half-Life
"Oh~~ cool." I always liked that suit. It could be considered light power armor.
02 - Turbo – Turbo
Hmm, can I assimilate him? He's a snail, but could I gain his speed powers and be a mini-speedster? I hope so.
03 - Weakness Removal Card x03
A card that removes a weakness from a specific character. I don't know if it works on non-Gacha things. I'll have to test it later.
04 - Rein Kashiwagi – Darwin's Game
I remember her. She was very intelligent and had precognition, able to calculate what would happen, though limited if she couldn't see her surroundings... I think that's how it worked. I didn't read the whole series.
05 - King – One Punch Man
THE MAN, THE BEAST. He has no powers but incredible luck. He can face a city-destroying monster and survive, not through skill but sheer luck.
That'd be great. Maybe if I face Conquest, I'd survive for some reason. Not that I'd try something that crazy.
06 - One Ring – The Lord of the Rings
Since it's a system item, it lacks Sauron's aura and corrupting power. It can boost the user's power and stealth—magical stealth. I'm not sure if it hides heat or bypasses certain technologies.
07 - Background Customization Card x02
A card to edit the background of my summons. It might work on myself if I go to another universe.
08 - Power Boost Card x04
This boosts a specific power, both qualitatively and quantitatively. I don't know the extent, but it's significant.
09 - Water Polo Carbonated Fist – One Punch Man
ISN'T THAT THE MEME TECHNIQUE CREATED BY SAITAMA?!?! It lets me deliver super-powerful punches that seem sloppy but cause massive damage—pure power. But I need to be strong enough to throw building-destroying punches. If I try now, my arm might explode, failing to cause the destruction I want.
10 – [Esper Ability – Copy] – The Legendary Mechanic
HELL YEAH!!! This is one of the best powers I could ask for. Though called "copy," it's actually an ability theft.
It works by deconstructing and analyzing the structure of an ability in the target's body, adapting it to my biological system, and reconstructing it in me. Its real edge is dynamic optimization.
When copied, the ability isn't at its original level—it adjusts to my power level.
A simple spark-generating technique could become, in my hands, a power to incinerate a building, depending on my current strength.
But I can only copy esper abilities, not Viltrumite powers or internal energies.
It can also modify collected abilities.
In the novel, EsGod used it to create [Esper Ability - Energy Control], theorized to be one of the strongest high-risk abilities.
Maybe I can do the same without wrecking my genetic code, of course.
These gachas were good for my low level. I still have 20 cards left.
Roll the Gacha.
01 - Lucius Wagner – Lucius
Ohh~~ The possessed kid. I never played the game, but I know he has solid powers like telekinesis, invisibility, mind control, memory removal, pyrokinesis, and I think enhanced physical strength too.
His only weakness is holy power, but I can use a Weakness Removal Card.
02 - Pip-Boy 3000 Mark IV – Fallout 4
How does this work in the real world? Can I pause time to attack enemies or use the game's inventory? How does S.P.E.C.I.A.L. work?
03 - The Team – Team Fortress 2
THE WHOLE TEAM??? Well, I can't handle an entire team now. They're the 9 best mercenaries in that world. I could assimilate them, but I won't get their equipment. Engineer could probably recreate Spy's gear. Medic's equipment was self-made, and both Engineer and Medic are super intelligent. Medic can even touch souls, and I think Soldier has some immortality.
OK, I'll assimilate them. Soldier's semi-immortality alone is worth it.
04 - Jason Voorhees – Friday the 13th
He's immortal too, unless his entire body is destroyed, if I recall. He can also teleport.
05 - 1600 CYOA Store Points
I have a store? I didn't see it. Did it just unlock now that I have points?
06 - Anime World Gate - (Low-Tier)
I was expecting a Travel Ticket, but I didn't see this in the stories I read. It's permanent but can only connect to one world. I can choose the approximate time, but unlike Travel Tickets, the World Gate can link to a parallel universe, not just the main one.
I hope I don't end up in a universe with another transmigrator. Fighting someone else with a cheat wouldn't be fun.
07 - Guild Seal – Fable
Hmm, there's no Culis Gate in this world to teleport me, nor others to communicate with, unless it's the Fable 3 one with a Sanctuary in another space.
08 - Batman's Utility Belt – DC
Fuck, this has all of Batman's gadgets. Gacha items are unlimited, and I'll finally know what a 'tery' is.
09 - Convenience Store CYOA
I have CYOA Store points and now a store, but it's just a convenience store. I wanted a superpower store.
10 - Nano Machine – Nano Machine
The tenth is always a tier above. This ensures a perfect body since the Nano Machine will modify it. I'm sure I can now build the HEV Suit.
OK, now for the final rolls.
01 - Specific Gacha Mode
This is great. Paying double to specify cards—only characters, items, skills, consumables, or new mechanics.
Getting 10 characters or mechanics at once.
02 – Authentic Shaolin School Book - Shaolin Soccer
HAHAHA~~ From a great Chinese comedy movie. It's more versatile than Saitama's.
03 – Package: Frank Horrigan – Fallout 2
NOW WE'RE TALKING. A full package with all his equipment and Fallout power armor. He has 10 in all S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats.
He can one-hit-kill Deathclaws.
04 - Universal ID Card
Interesting. This gives me a basic identity in any universe, nothing fancy, just a normal person's life.
05 - Semi-Useful Powers CYOA
This seems more interesting. Semi-useful powers were made for a powerless world. In a superhero world, they can be useful in specific situations or with certain powers.
06 - Holy Man Moral Cultivation Code - Cultivation Chat Group
If I'm not mistaken, this is a Ruism meditation technique to calm the heart and mind by writing a specific poem in full.
It might help with character assimilation. I can write their stories to boost assimilation.
07 - Voice of All Things – One Piece
Maybe I can use Power Boost Cards to turn it into Allspeak. I know I can use Voice of All Things on animals with some intelligence and important inanimate
objects. Otherwise, it's not that useful.
But I could train to speak with everything, though there's no guarantee.
08 - Power Boost Card x05
I love these cards. The more, the better.
09 - Goblin Slayer - Goblin Slayer
I didn't get Batman, but I got someone prepared. Assimilating him for his techniques and willpower is great, and there's one more thing...
[Fateless: the ability to defy the roll of dice of the Gods]
This ability on his card will pair well with King's.
10 - Hakase Shinonome – Nichijou
Ohh~~ She's a super-intelligent kid who built a robot that acts and feels human.
She also made a device to let animals speak.
Truly the best card. She might be as smart as or smarter than Rudy.
Time to power up. I'll start by using the power cards and assimilating weaker characters.
[ <2/4> ]
[STATUS]
Name: Maximus Alexander Ferrari Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- None
In Progress:
- [King - 38%] [Turbo – 23%]
Characters Summoned:
- None
Powers/Abilities:
- Esper Ability - Copy (The Legendary Mechanic)
- Voice of All Things (One Piece)
Items:
- None]
I started assimilating King and Turbo.
King for super luck and charisma—he's seriously charismatic, with an intimidating stare (scared look) and his King Engine (his heart beating rapidly from fear or anxiety).
Turbo for speed. That's enough for now.
Since they're weak characters, assimilation started relatively high. Turbo started lower, probably because he's a different species.
I doubt he's stronger than King... but thinking about it, Turbo broke fences with his speed despite being a snail. When running, he becomes more durable.
I also decided to use some item cards to test them.
Starting with the [Nano Machine] card description.
[Nano Machine: Nano Machine can utilize and adapt to multiple energy forms, including Regular Qi, Demonic Qi, Solar and Lunar Energy, and Yokai Energy. Its functions include self-healing, scanning, zooming, separating information, correcting and transferring data directly to the brain, emergency defenses, multiple vision modes, virtual avatar creation, stimulating energy and parts like saliva glands and growth plates, adjusting muscles, bones, qi pathways, voice manipulation, and more.]
I'm not sure about the energies, but it should help with [Copy].
Using the card, a voice echoes in my head.
"[SERIAL NUMBER]"
"[000-0000-0000]"
"[SKY CORPORATION]"
"[7TH GENERATION NANO MACHINE, STARTING ACTIVATION]"
I heard a mechanized voice in my head.
"Hello, Nano."
"[HELLO, MASTER]"
"Do you have a procedure to improve my body by removing impurities?"
"[YES, MASTER. WOULD YOU LIKE TO START NOW?]"
"Wait a moment for me to prepare."
I went to the bathroom and got into the bathtub naked.
"You can start now—Ah, I remembered, knock me out during the process."
I didn't want to be like protagonists who suffer needlessly for forgetting to be clear.
"[YES, MASTER]"
I blacked out instantly and woke up the next moment, like it was instantaneous.
"Nano, how long was I out?"
"[APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES, MASTER]"
Wow, I looked at my body, covered in smelly black gunk. I felt weak, so I took a shower to refresh.
It was truly invigorating.
"Nano, what changes were made?"
"[MANY, MASTER, BUT TO SIMPLIFY: ENHANCED CELLULAR STRUCTURE, REGENERATED TELOMERES, REMOVED SENESCENT CELLS, BALANCED NEUROTRANSMITTERS, OPTIMIZED SYNAPTIC PATHWAYS, ENHANCED VISION AND HEARING, STRENGTHENED IMMUNITY, REGULATED HORMONES, ELIMINATED TOXIC LOAD, STABILIZED BODY PH, REGENERATED TISSUES, ADAPTABLE BONE DENSITY, RESTRUCTURED MUSCLE FIBERS, EFFICIENT LYMPHATIC CIRCULATION, NEUTRALIZED DORMANT MICROORGANISMS, CONTROLLED IMPULSES, REDUCED ENERGY NEEDS, NEUTRALIZED BODY ODORS, ADJUSTABLE ADRENALINE FLOW, BRAIN IN CONSTANT ALERT STATE, TREATED MICRO-DAMAGE, BLOCKED EXTERNAL AGENT EFFECTS]"
"Wow, I already feel better. Nano, are you aware of my situation?"
"[YES, MASTER. I'M AWARE OF THE GACHA AND YOUR PAST LIFE. IT'S FASCINATING DATA. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A BEING DIES, BUT I'M CERTAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU WAS EXTRAORDINARY AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT HAPPENS TO EVERYONE]"
"Yeah, probably not everyone gets isekai'ed... anyway, Nano, can you connect to the internet without being detected?"
"[YES, MASTER. IT WILL BE DONE IMMEDIATELY]"
While Nano connected, I used the cards: Authentic Shaolin School Book, Blueprint: HEV Suit, Holy Man Moral Cultivation Code, and Water Polo Carbonated Fist.
"[I'M CONNECTED, MASTER]"
"OK, Nano, before we continue, change your voice to a non-robotic one." The robotic voice was getting annoying.
"[Do you prefer this voice, Master?]"
She spoke in a softer, feminine voice.
"Oh, I like this one. Now analyze these techniques and the blueprint and organize a method to build it. Also, search for scientific info from this world to expand your database."
"[Yes, Master]"
With that, I got out of the bathtub and looked in the mirror. DAMN, I'm hot now. Looking down at my Maximus Jr., I was impressed—it's about 20 cm now, not like yesterday.
From Nano's data, I'm 7 cm taller, from 1.75 m to 1.82 m... people will notice. I thought about slouching for a while and blaming hormones later, but I have no friends at school.
People will only notice me now. I'll cut my hair, and if asked how I got so good-looking, I'll say I always was, but my hair covered my face—a truth.
For height, I'll say I used to slouch—also true—and now improved my posture. I'm really a genius now, hehe.
I left the bathroom and put on a black running outfit from my brother.
His clothes are fine for now, but I'll need new ones since, per Nano, I'll grow more.
I asked Nano to plan my route. I tested Turbo's powers in a large, isolated area where only satellites might see me, but I think the GDA has better things to do.
Preparing, I ran, testing my enhanced body. I ran more than yesterday without feeling tired.
I'm ready to use Turbo's power. If my theory's right, I'll be faster than Turbo, a snail who ran as fast as a racecar.
As a bigger, faster human, I should be a respectable speedster.
"TURBO MODE!!!" With that shout, a blue light coursed through my body, and I shot forward with a sonic boom, much faster than a car. I crashed into a forest at that speed, unable to see anything.
One moment I was running, the next in a crater stretching a few kilometers.
'Damn, I got too excited with this turbo mode and caused a mess.' With that thought, I activated [Turbo] again, but used only part of the power.
At racecar speed, I fled the crime scene.
'Maybe the GDA's satellites caught something. I hope their high-res ones were aimed elsewhere.'
After a few minutes running through the forest with Nano's help, I reached a barber for a haircut.
While my hair was being cut, I thought about what happened.
I came out unharmed. Turbo, a snail, broke a fence with his speed. If physics applied, he'd be crushed, not to mention air resistance, friction heat, and biological limits.
All that was ignored, thankfully, or I'd have died crashing into trees after getting my cheat.
Lesson learned. I said that about protagonists in the bathtub and then acted like an 'average protagonist,' getting carried away by newfound power.
After saying goodbye to the barber, I went to the mall to buy food, new clothes, and a toolkit.
I also checked the assimilation progress.
[ <2/4> ]
[STATUS]
Name: Maximus Alexander Ferrari Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- None
In Progress:
- [King - 81%] [Turbo – 56%]
Characters Summoned:
- None
Powers/Abilities:
- Esper Ability - Copy (The Legendary Mechanic)
- Voice of All Things (One Piece)
Items:
- Nano Machine (Nano Machine)
- Blueprint: HEV Suit (Half-Life)
- Authentic Shaolin School Book (Shaolin Soccer)
- Water Polo Carbonated Fist (One Punch Man)
- Holy Man Moral Cultivation Code (Cultivation Chat Group)]
Just living a normal life is enough to boost King's assimilation... OK, when I get home, I'll play Call of Duty and mog all those kids HAHAHA.
I'll run more to assimilate Turbo... maybe I should crawl like a snail? That's kind of humiliating, but I'll try at home.
.....
3rd Person POV
In a room full of people working at computers, with multiple monitoring screens.
"I hope you called me for something important, Donald," said Cecil, an old white man in a suit with balding white hair and a scar near his mouth on the right side of his face.
"Sir, we just received sensor data of a humanoid object traveling at Mach 7 near Baltimore," said Donald, a man with light brown hair, wearing a suit and glasses that hid his eyes.
"Humanoid object?" Scarface questioned.
"Yes, sir. We don't know if it's human, alien, or robot."
"Do we have footage?"
"Yes, sir." The man nodded to an employee to show the video.
Despite zooming and enhancing, the image was still unclear, unable to distinguish what it was or if it wore tech gear.
Suddenly, the object shot off in a supersonic blue streak, destroying a few kilometers of forest.
"Can we identify where it came from?"
"No, sir. It escaped through the forest, and the satellite quality wasn't enough to identify it."
"Keep me updated on significant developments."
"Yes, sir."
'Whatever it is, it's potentially dangerous but hasn't caused more destruction. Maybe just someone who just awakened a speedster power... time will tell if it's good or bad.' With that thought, the old man left the monitoring room.
.....
Max POV
Apparently, using [Turbo] makes me more durable, as I hit the ground and trees at 8,685 km/h, seven times the speed of sound, and came out unscathed.
When I use the ability, physics seems to not apply to me, but only when I use it. Maybe in the future, I can turn sharply at sonic speeds like the Flash.
The first time, my reflexes couldn't keep up with my speed.
But when I used [Turbo] to run from the crater, they started adapting, though I still can't run at sonic speeds without issues.
Getting home with my purchases, I decided it was time to test un-summoned items.
I took the One Ring card and summoned it.
It felt amazing to hold this fantasy object. Even without Sauron's corrupting aura, it's fascinating.
Wearing it, I feel more powerful, and Nano confirms a buff to my physical and ethereal capacities.
Ethereal capacities are likely mana and soul. Nano can detect them, but I don't have mana yet. It only strengthened my soul, and maybe some undetectable capacity.
I can also choose to become invisible. I don't know how magical invisibility works—maybe advanced scanners can detect me.
Next, Pip-Boy 3000 Mark IV.
It shows my body's status, a map, inventory menu, item properties, data menu, radio frequencies, and a Geiger counter.
It doesn't show my S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats or perks.
I activated V.A.T.S. mode, and the world slowed as info about a small cockroach appeared in front of me.
'Cool! This mechanic works like in the game, so the inventory should too.'
As I thought, opening the inventory paused the world completely. Looking away resumed it, even with the inventory open.
I could store anything from a fork to a rifle, limited only by the weight I can carry and the object's size. I can't store a car, for example.
I stored some analyzed Gacha items in the Pip-Boy's inventory.
Next, Guild Seal.
It's a small emblem with the Heroes' Guild logo. With a glow, it took me to a large room with a table in the center.
It was the Sanctuary from Fable 3. I'll use it as my secret room.
With a thought, I can create more rooms of any size with some customization.
I'll work on expanding it later.
Next, Batman's Utility Belt.
It has various gadgets, not just electronic ones.
Besides aquatic creature repellent (shark repellent), antidotes, and toxins, it has a Kryptonite ring.
THERE'S A 9TH METAL BATARANG TOO!!! That's a find.
Hmm, a foldable sword that looks like a lightsaber, lollipops, Flash's high-calorie energy bars... I just found lubricant... condoms too... and gags.
That was weird, but the guy is prepared.
Lastly, out of curiosity... I found a Bat-tery. It powers Batman's suit. As a Gacha item, it's an unlimited battery, not very powerful but unlimited.
Sadly, he didn't leave a Lantern Corps ring in it.
Next and final item, Universal ID Card.
As the name says, I can use it in any universe, but it's a basic identity. I might try upgrading it later.
[ <2/4> ]
[STATUS]
Name: Maximus Alexander Ferrari Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- None
In Progress:
- [King - 87%] [Turbo – 59%]
Characters Summoned:
- None
Powers/Abilities:
- Copy
- Voice of All Things
Items:
Nano Machine (Nano Machine)
Pip-Boy 3000 Mark IV (Fallout 4)
One Ring (The Lord of the Rings)
Guild Seal (Fable)
Universal ID Card
Batman's Utility Belt (DC)
Inventory (Pip-Boy) [-]:
Blueprint: HEV Suit (Half-Life)
Authentic Shaolin School Book (Shaolin Soccer)
Water Polo Carbonated Fist (One Punch Man)
Holy Man Moral Cultivation Code (Cultivation Chat Group)]
Now I just need to assimilate the characters and check the CYOA Store.
I'll do it tomorrow. I've done a lot today; it's time to rest.
.....
[ <2/4> ]
[Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- King
In Progress:
- [Empty] [Turbo – 87%]]
Finally, my first assimilated character. After showering before bed last night, I practiced King's stare in the mirror. That probably helped.
I looked at the wall calendar.
It's been two days since I went to school, three with today, Friday.
There were some school messages on my phone. I gave the excuse of being sick.
Since I have good grades, I won't get in much trouble. I'll try to assimilate at least half the characters this weekend.
[Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- King
In Progress:
- [Goblin Slayer - 17%] [Turbo - 87%]]
I don't have goblins to kill to boost assimilation, but I can train his skills.
I set up a training course in my backyard with targets and obstacles.
Starting the course, I used a bit of [Turbo] to finish assimilating.
I did this all morning, completing Turbo.
[Character Assimilation
Fully Assimilated:
- King
- Turbo
In Progress:
- [Goblin Slayer - 36%] [Lucius Wagner – 09%]]
It was the lowest assimilation start, being my first supernatural character.
I used a Weakness Removal Card to remove his holy power weakness.
'I'll do the same course, using telekinesis too.'
I trained until night, with Nano keeping my body healthy, occasionally eating a protein bar from the Bat-Belt to keep going.
[In Progress:
- [Goblin Slayer - 74%] [Lucius Wagner – 48%]]
I trained like a machine, using all of Lucius's abilities except mind control.
I thought about stopping to sleep, but after Nano enhanced my body, I don't tire easily. With minimal rest and protein bars, I recover fully from physical training.
I took some naps while Nano controlled my body to continue, recovering mental fatigue.
I can probably keep going for days.
By midnight, I had assimilated Goblin Slayer and started on Jason.
Continuing until morning.
[In Progress:
- [Jason Voorhees - 54%] [Lucius Wagner – 94%]]
'Almost done with Lucius. I'll go out and test his mind control powers.' I showered and left the house.
I felt weird thinking about controlling innocent people, so I controlled animals I saw while walking.
It's strange walking in this familiar yet unfamiliar city I never saw in my past life.
It got me thinking about my odd situation in a different world based on a superhero comic.
'Jason could teleport in the game.' I entered an alley, checked for people, and teleported to the end instantly.
'It really works! I won't test immortality for obvious reasons, but I'm almost sure I have it.'
While thinking about what else to do, I heard shouting as I left the alley.
It was Elephant destroying a restaurant.
'It'd be good to train with him, but I don't want my identity revealed to the public. There's also the GDA, but they're not like Nick Fury or Amanda Waller, so it's not a big issue if they know who I am.'
Back in the alley, I grabbed a black outfit and mask from my Bat-Belt.
.....
3rd Person POV
"WHY LOVE ONE BUT EAT THE OTHER?!?! IF I CAN SURVIVE ON A PLANT-ONLY DIET, SO CAN YOU-"
Before he finished, a blue-streaked blur hit him, knocking him out of the establishment into a nearly empty parking lot.
"WHAT? WHO DID THAT?!?!"
The blur stopped a few meters away. It was a man in a completely black, generic outfit and mask with white eyes like Batman's.
"WAS IT YOU?!?! BLACK MAN!!!"
"The correct term is African-Descendant Man, if it's not too much trouble."
"LET'S SEE IF YOU'LL JOKE WITH A CRUSHED FACE!!!" He charged at the speedster, trying to punch him.
The speedster dodged quickly and delivered a punch to Elephant's chin, sending him upward.
As he fell, he suddenly dropped faster than normal, unnaturally, and hit the ground hard.
"Well, I'm still waiting. A good professional should keep their promises."
"I'LL GET YOU, JUST DON'T DODGE!!!"
"Then hit me."
A balanced exchange of punches began—the speedster hit, and Elephant took the blows.
The commotion drew civilians who filmed it.
"Who is he?"
"No idea, looks like a new hero. His outfit is pretty generic."
"He's a speedster. Does he know Red Rush?"
"Just because he's a speedster doesn't mean he knows them all."
"It's cool to see a new hero debut."
After a while, Elephant fell unconscious.
The crowd cheered.
The man in black looked at them, gave a small wave, and vanished, leaving a blue streak.
"Damn, we didn't get to ask his name."
"We'll have to wait for next time."
"I wonder if he'll change the outfit? No offense, but an all-black suit is pretty lazy."
"Hope so. I'll upload his fight video online. It'll probably go viral."
.....
Moments later, far away, in a Pentagon monitoring room.
"Sir, we have new footage of the mysterious speedster who destroyed those trees."
"Great, Donald. Do we have his identity?"
"No, sir. He seems to have appeared out of nowhere."
"What do you mean?"
Donald pressed some buttons and showed a video.
In it, the man in black appeared near the area from nowhere, making camera triangulation impossible.
"I thought he was just a speedster, but now he teleports?"
"He could've been invisible before, sir, or so fast we couldn't see him, though he'd need a way to disable the blue streak."
"That's still concerning, Donald. Anything else?"
"Yes, sir."
He showed the fight between the mysterious speedster and Elephant.
Property damage was minimal, only the parking lot pavement was harmed.
The speedster clearly tried to minimize damage, circling Elephant and landing precise punches on weak points.
"That's impressive. The kid has potential. Did we track his route after the fight?"
"No, sir. He ran to an empty area and vanished again."
"Hmm, keep me informed. He could be an ally in the future."
"Yes, sir."
.....
Max POV
'Finally, a real fight. I was actively using Lucius's telekinesis and mind control to boost my punches, control my speed, and disorient the opponent. I thought about staying to talk to the crowd, but I don't have a proper suit or hero name.'
I considered Max Might, inspired by Max Steel and All Might, also part of my name.
If there's an Atom Eve, there can be a Max Might.
After the battle, Lucius was fully assimilated, so I started the next.
[In Progress:
- [Jason Voorhees - 81%] [The Team - 12%]]
The Team gives me various skills. I'll focus on engineering and medicine to remove my braces and build the HEV Suit. I won't match the original's power since I don't know where to buy rare minerals, and I'd burn through my inheritance.
I stopped by a junkyard and an abandoned industrial area to gather materials and tech parts.
I summoned my Pip-Boy from home to store things in its inventory. Gacha items can be summoned regardless of distance.
I left it at home since walking around with a bulky old terminal on my wrist would draw attention.
I could have stored the Pip-Boy in my guild emblem too, but I ended up forgetting about it.
With Nano's help, I cataloged materials easily, and I remembered something.
'I haven't checked the Semi-Useful Powers CYOA Store.'
[ <4/4> ]
[CYOA STORE OPTIONS]
CYOA Store Points (CSP): 1600
Convenience Store CYOA
Semi-Useful Powers CYOA]
After looking, I found some interesting powers.
- Semi-Useful Powers CYOA -
- Whenever you purchase anything from a store, you get a 20% discount – 400
- You generate Wi-Fi (10GB/s) (Range: 12ft/3.6m) – 180
- Any animal you look in the eyes, you tame (One per day) – 160
- For every milk jug you drink, your bones become 5% denser (Stacks) – 120
- You always win a coin flip (No matter what) – 200
- You know the exact distance between you and anything you see (Stars, trees, walls, etc.) – 80
- Every time you crack an egg, you gain 1% critical hit rate (Resets daily) – 160
- Have perfect balance – 80
- Your backpack never weighs more than 5kg, regardless of contents – 160
CYOA Store Points (CSP): 60
Now my Pip-Boy never weighs over 5kg, making it an infinite inventory.
Sadly, I can't wear it around since it'd look like a clunky old terminal. If I could make it look like a watch, that'd be great.
'Gacha, can I modify the appearance of gained items?'
Information appeared in my mind.
[The user cannot alter item appearances unless they gain that mechanic from the Gacha.]
So I'll leave it to luck. When I build the HEV Suit, wearing the Pip-Boy won't look so out of place.
I need to store eggs and drink lots of milk.
Nano connected to my Wi-Fi, a secure network not tied to any real location, also acting as a VPN. I can choose a map location to appear connected from.
I returned home in the afternoon, heading to the garage to use as my lab.
'I'm not interested in Engineer's turrets. I want to build the HEV Suit and Medi Gun first and study how to miniaturize the gun.'
The HEV Suit comes with a helmet, which makes sense. In the first game, in Xen, dead scientists wore HEV Suits with helmets.
So I started building.
.....
At midnight, there I was, wearing a blue HEV Suit, a weaker version due to lacking rare materials.
[In Progress:
- [Jason Voorhees - 94%] [The Team - 46%]]
I made progress on miniaturizing the Medi Gun, but it's not enough to integrate into my new suit.
The suit runs on Bat-Teries HAHAHA.
The Team wasn't just brains—it's time for some action too.
.....
The sun was rising, and I finished my patrol. I stopped several nighttime crimes, from bank robberies to surprise sex makers.
This is my second consecutive day without sleep, living off Flash's high-calorie protein bars.
I took micro-naps while fighting crime. Jason is assimilated, leaving Frank Horrigan and Hakase Shinonome.
I'll summon Rein Kashiwagi for help. I mainly want her [Laplace Function] power, which I can use [Copy] to acquire.
But using it now would steal her power, so I need to study how to use [Copy] to truly copy, not steal.
Theoretically, EsGod could do this and even grant powers to subordinates, but as a lone villain, he never trained his power for that. Esper Abilities can evolve with enough knowledge.
Today is Sunday. Tomorrow, I return to school—I can't be absent too long.
It's time to use the Anime Gate card. I'll go to a power-filled world to train. I don't know if time there passes simultaneously or if my world pauses.
Using the Guild Seal, I teleported to the Sanctuary and decided to open a new room.
It'll be my Gate Room for all portals I receive.
With the Anime World Gate card, I thought, 'Open a portal to the world of Boku no Hero Academia.'
The card vanished, and a gate appeared on the room's wall.
I can only choose the approximate time and world. The rest is random.
It's like picking a moment in the Marvel Universe but landing in the Zombie Universe.
'Unlike Invincible, in Boku no Hero, 80% of the population has powers. It's perfect for farming powers.'
'Good thing it's considered a high-low-tier world.'
I stepped through the portal to another world.
.....
Mustafu, Shizuoka, Japan
A gate suddenly appeared in a forest.
A man in a blue and black suit stepped out.
'It was dawn where I came from, but it's night here. I arrived a year before the characters enter UA.'
Nano connected to this world's internet, and I can still use my world's.
The other world didn't pause, but I can slow or stop its time.
'This'll give me time to study [Copy].' I decided to pause my original world's time for now.
Sadly, the Gacha counts days based on the original world, so I can't stay here and wait for it to recharge.
But I can train here and gather quirk info from Dr. Kyudai Garaki, maybe even steal All for One.
I looked at the gate in the forest.
'I can't leave it unprotected.'
I entered the Sanctuary's Gate Room.
The gate I came through was gone, but the room was the same. I placed the gate in the same spot and returned to the world, heading to Mustafu, the nearest city.
'Since it's night, I'll farm quirks from villains I find.'
I teleported to a rooftop and ran, searching for crimes.
'I'll probably be wanted as a vigilante, but I'll make it harder for them to find me.'
I decided to run invisibly and only appear to fight.
.....
3rd Person POV
"HELPPP!!!" A woman screamed, running from two bandits in an alley.
"We won't hurt you if you listen to us," one of the bandits chasing her replied.
"YOU THINK I'LL BELIEVE YOU?!?!"
"What happened to trust between people?"
"YOU'RE BANDITS!!!"
"Lady, professionals have standards. We're not just random thugs who decided to rob someone. We've been in this business a long time."
"Yeah, we only kill occasionally now," the other man added.
"WHAT? HEEELP!!!"
As she screamed, a black blur with a blue streak fell from the sky between them.
"Hello, folks. Is there a damsel in distress in this fine place?" said the man in a full blue and black armor.
"A hero? Damn, this just got tricky."
"A HERO!!! PLEASE SAVE ME, KICK THEIR ASSES!"
The man raised his fists in a boxing stance, sparks of electricity crackling from his hands.
The man beside him began radiating heat, steam rising from his body.
"Let's finish this quick before he calls for backup."
"Call for backup? I don't need backup to take down F-class villains like you."
After this exchange, the man ran at high speed, instantly reaching the villains and landing a punch to each stomach, sending them flying down the alley.
The bandits fell unconscious.
Max POV
'One punch? I barely used my strength. Frank Horrigan is a monster.'
[In Progress:
- [Frank Horrigan - 28%] [The Team - 91%]]
"Thank you for saving me, hero," the woman said gratefully.
"No problem. Helping innocents is my job."
"What's your name? Sorry, I don't recall seeing you among this month's new heroes."
"Ah, I'm not a registered hero. I'm a vigilante. Call me... Max... Might." I realized in Boku no Hero this name sounds like a generic fanboy's.
"PFF SERIOUSLY?!?! I've never seen a vigilante in person. Can we take a photo?" She ignored the name issue and snapped a picture.
"You should get a hero license soon to avoid arrest."
"I'll try. Also, don't walk through dark alleys at night."
"Sorry... I wanted a shortcut to get home earlier. I won't do it again," she said, embarrassed.
"Some learn by making mistakes. Now go, they're waking up."
"OH, OKAY, BYE, STAY SAFE!!!" She left.
The bandits were still out. I lied to get her to leave.
'Now I have my first volunteers. With Nano and Medic's knowledge, I'll find a way to improve [Copy].'
I took them to the Sanctuary, opening an Experiment Room.
Inducing comas, I used [Copy] on the electric man, touching his arm. I felt his quirk, controlled by his brain.
'That's why power-stealing characters touch people's heads.'
Per Nano, extracting via hand takes about 15 seconds; via head, it's nearly instant.
Probably because they're small-time bandits, and I'm levels above them.
I hooked them to machines I built. As I extract their quirks, these devices monitor their cells, sending data to Nano and me.
I started extracting both quirks simultaneously via hands for more cell monitoring time.
When I was almost done, I released their hands.
Interrupting [Copy] cancels the extraction, so I'll repeat this until I have enough data.
Their quirks aren't bad. The electric quirk stores and releases electricity, but the user can't use much or risks frying themselves.
The heat quirk is temperature control within the body, limited by what the body can handle.
After minutes of repeating, I saw the bandits wince in pain.
Letting them rest, I decided to use some cards.
Taking a Power Booster Card, I used 5x on [Copy].
Then I used a Weakness Removal Card on [Copy], as it shared All for One's weakness of damaging the user's genetic code with too many powers.
'Now let's test this upgrade.'
Extracting their powers again via hands, I felt it go faster.
From 15 seconds, it dropped to 2 seconds.
'Now I'll try actually copying their powers instead of stealing.'
The experiment began. I felt I could do it, but it'd take 10 seconds, and the bandits writhed in pain.
'I don't feel much aversion to torture. Must be the assimilations and Nano keeping me steady.'
"Don't worry, your suffering is for a greater good... my good, HAHAHA."
OK, I stopped. That joke was a bit heavy.
I plan to copy Momo's quirk to create infinite materials, possibly even Australium.
I couldn't fully build the Medi Gun or Engineer's teleporter—they need Australium for some components.
'I'll train until I can copy quirks without harming the original owner.' I can already copy while they sleep, but not without detection.
.....
After some time, I copied quirks without torturing the user. The bandits were still in comas. I used mind control to rewrite their deep memories.
Even in a coma, they could develop trauma, so I fixed that. In this world, some can detect lies, so I need to avoid risks until I can bypass that power.
'I reduced their lifespan a lot by repeatedly canceling extractions at the last second.' Their genetic code was heavily damaged, leaving them a few years.
Leaving the Sanctuary, I left them in the alley and called the police.
'OK, next stop, Yaoyorozu's Mansion.'
.....
'One hour until dawn, enough time to copy Momo's quirk and get out of the mansion.' I thought in front of the mansion's gates. 'Now Spy's skills come into play.' I teleported inside while invisible.
'I don't know the mansion's layout, but I can sense people's minds.' Only one person was sleeping alone—likely her.
There were several armed night guards in the mansion.
I sneaked to her room. There were guards at the door, but I didn't need it.
I teleported inside. I don't recall the last time I entered a woman's room... well, in this life, it's the first
It was a large room with a pleasant sweet smell. I spotted a girl in pajamas sleeping on a charming king-size bed.
'Time for my reward.' I used light mind control to keep her asleep while copying her quirk.
It took 20 seconds. After finishing, I finally looked at her.
'Hmm? Why does she (and her chest) look bigger than in the anime? Isn't she a teenager? I'm sure I arrived a year before they enter UA.' Confused, I asked Nano.
Information flooded my brain. In this world, hero schools are colleges, not high schools.
Regular high school is normal education now. UA and other hero schools are colleges.
The characters are older now, which makes more sense for UA to be a college than a high school.
It was probably a high school because of the Shounen genre.
'Maybe I should attend college here? Haha. Mark dropped college in Invincible because being a dentist or doctor didn't make sense as a superhero, but it's different here.'
As I left, I heard a commotion outside.
'Was I discovered? I was so careful, how could this happen?'
Without panicking, I went to see what was happening.
.....
"FIRE!!!" bang-bangbang-bang
A shootout was happening.
It seemed they were trying to reach Momo's room, likely a kidnapping.
I doubt they'd succeed. Even if they reached her room, the guards outside were ex-pro heroes.
But these weak guards couldn't stop the invaders alone.
'Since I'm here, I might as well farm some goodwill with the Yaoyorozus.'
While invisible, I quickly left the mansion, only to return running as Max Might.
It'd be weird to appear inside the mansion suddenly, and I'd rather they not know I can teleport or go invisible yet.
I won't keep my multiple powers hidden forever, but the longer, the better.
.....
"Urgh!"
"That's the last one, let's finish this job!" A large man covered in exposed muscle layers said.
"Right, we need to be quick and escape before the police arrive."
Muscular gave a maniacal grin. "If the police show up, no problem. I'll crush everyone in my way."
Pistols barely harmed him, nor did most weak quirks, thanks to his muscle layers, so he was confident he could fight anyone.
"Really?!?!" Someone shouted from afar behind them.
When Muscular turned, the man was already in front of him.
"Try crushing this!!!" The man, running at high speed, jumped, delivering a dropkick to Muscular's stomach.
"ARGH!!!"
The villain flew into a wall.
"WHO ARE YOU?!?!"
"WHERE'D THIS GUY COME FROM?!?!"
"WHAT YOU SAID DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!!!"
The bandits with him shouted.
There were nine, excluding Muscular.
"No need to make sense, just look like it does!"
"Enough of this nonsense, GET HIM!"
Before they could rush me, I ran to them.
I planned to finish them quickly and fight Muscular, who was only knocked back by my dropkick and is currently stunned.
But that won't last.
"ARGH!!!"x3
I quickly knocked out three bandits, making the rest more alert.
Sadly for them, even alert, they weren't fast enough to fight me.
"ARGH!!!"x2
In under 4 seconds, five bandits were down. The remaining four scattered, running.
When Muscular recovered, all his companions were out.
"Hey, man," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Hope your recovery went well. I don't want you complaining I caught you off guard." I took a fighting stance. "Ready for a beating?"
Muscular's eyes turned red with rage.
"You worm, don't get cocky just because you caught me off guard. I'll enjoy skinning you alive, hearing your pleas until you're a bloody paste!!!"
"Can you be less like a Chinese novel NPC villain? Honestly, I expected you to be more threatening."
Charging at me, Muscular, with his muscle armor, threw a massive punch.
This time, I didn't run but used the Shaolin techniques from the book.
The punch landed on my stomach, sending me a few meters back, but I stayed in the same stance.
I took no damage from a punch of that magnitude using this technique.
"Now it's my turn!"
Before he noticed, I was in front of him, landing a punch on his stomach with a bit of Water Polo Carbonated Fist.
His entire flesh armor exploded in a bloody shower.
'Truly, even as a meme technique by Saitama, it's a high-level destructive power.'
Muscular fell, severely injured.
'I'd better treat him before he dies. Heroes here are strongly against killing high-threat villains with extensive murder records.'
I quickly used a medical kit from the utility belt to prevent his death.
'Even if he lives, it won't be with his quirk.'
I genetically destroyed and stole his quirk.
Even if they notice his quirk was stolen, it'll take time. He'll likely spend long vacations in Tartarus before that.
"Stop right there!!" I heard a voice behind me.
Turning, I saw several guards pointing guns at me.
They arrived fast. The battle lasted less than 2 minutes.
"No need to worry, guys. The villains are already down." I pointed at the bandits.
The guards lowered their weapons slightly and looked.
"And who are you?"
"I'm a passing hero who was watching these guys. I didn't know what they were up to, but with black clothes and hoods on a rainless night in a group, they were highly suspicious, and that led me here."
With that explanation, they lowered their guard.
"Thank you, hero, for your service." The guards bowed.
"What's your name? I don't recall seeing you in the news. Are you a rookie?"
"Call me Max Might. I don't show up much, so it's unlikely you'd know me, but I haven't been defeated by any villain yet." I said this proudly until I heard sirens.
"The police are coming to arrest the villains. They'll probably ask you to explain what happened, sir."
"Actually, I have to go. I just remembered something important."
"But, sir—"
Before he finished, I turned into a blue streak and ran off.
'No way I'm staying here. I don't mind being a vigilante, but I won't wait for the police to check I'm not a registered hero right in front of me.'
With this event, I'll be considered a vigilante by tomorrow, but that won't stop me from collecting the best quirks in this world... and saving Eri.
.....
'Ahh, the sunrise is always beautiful, no matter the world.' I was strolling through the city without my HEV Suit.
Civilian technology here is more advanced than in Invincible.
Of course, only civilian tech—not the private or intergalactic stuff.
But many new technological and genetic theories are different, especially the genetic ones.
I've already tasked Nano with building a database of this new information.
Using [Creation], I crafted some minerals and finally managed to produce some Australium, though without its fantastical properties.
Even if I can't fully recreate it, it's still a solid metal.
Worst case, I'll use a few Power Booster Cards to create it completely.
While walking, I started noticing something about the people.
'Everyone here seems so attractive; it's probably related to Quirks.'
Even those with stranger appearances had an exotic beauty.
'It'll take a while to locate Eri. The Quirk-destroying drug might be nearly complete by now.'
I know their Yakuza group is called Shie Hassaikai, and they operate roughly around Sir Nighteye's area.
I enjoyed my free time; news about me as a vigilante is already spreading, and the HEV Suit has become popular.
In a world where most heroes wear latex, a technological armor like mine is a real eye-catcher.
There's some online chatter about my name—apparently, several heroes have 'Might' in their names, and it's become a meme.
I walked along the artificial riverbanks, just taking in the view, when a girl in a school uniform bumped into me.
"AHH!"
'What a cliché moment.'
I decided to fall while holding her, using my body to shield her from getting hurt.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" I finally looked at her.
She was a cute girl with short, messy green hair, slim with almost no muscle, wearing a sailor uniform, her face slightly flushed.
'Midoriya?!?!' I was stunned—the main character had become a girl.
"I-I'm okay, t-thank you for protecting me." She stammered a bit, maybe she's one of those so-called femcels. I never believed they actually existed… well, she's from an anime, so I'm not sure if it counts.
"No problem, but could you get off me now? I don't want to stay on the ground too long."
"Oh, s-sorry." She quickly got up and looked around.
"Oh no! My notes!!" She hurriedly started picking up her scattered notes from the ground.
I decided to help, grabbing a few as well.
'These are her notes on heroes and Quirks from the story.'
"You research Quirks? Cool, I sometimes like analyzing them too." I struck up a conversation; it'd be good to befriend this world's protagonist.
"Really? I've loved cataloging heroes' Quirks since I was a kid. It's fun learning more about the heroes I admire, and it'll help when I become a heroine someday."
"Sounds like you're pretty smart and have a sharp, analytical mind."
Her face turned red, and she looked away, avoiding eye contact.
"R-really? Thanks, but it's just a hobby."
"Want to talk more about Quirks? I like learning about them because of mine."
"Really? What's yours?" she asked, excited.
"I can copy other Quirks through physical contact."
"Wow, I've never heard of a Quirk like that! It opens so many possibilities. You could become…" She suddenly got a serious, thoughtful look, her thumb near her mouth. "That has so many implications. What's the limit on how many Quirks you can copy? How many can you use at once? Is the copied Quirk as strong as the original? Murmur murmur murmur…"
'I guess I'll have to wait a bit.'
.....
After a while, Midoriya snapped back to reality.
"Sorry, I got lost in thought, but your Quirk is amazing!"
"Thanks. Speaking of Quirks, what's yours?" At that question, she froze for a moment, then looked sad and embarrassed.
"Well… actually… I don't have a Quirk."
"Oh, and you still want to be a hero?"
"Yes." She sounded deflated, as if she might cry.
'Maybe she thinks I'll mock her.'
"That's awesome! I've never met someone so determined to chase their dreams, wanting to be a hero despite being Quirkless. That must've been a tough journey!"
Looking at me in disbelief, she asked, "Really? Can someone Quirkless like me… become a hero?"
"Of course! You just have to work hard and train a lot."
"But… even with training, how can I measure up to real heroes? They train hard too. How could I catch up without a Quirk?" she asked skeptically.
With a small smile, I jumped high and landed on the tip of a pole.
"I did that without using a Quirk, just techniques."
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Can I learn those techniques?!?!"
"Sure, and not just that one."
Suddenly, I threw a normal punch in the air using Saitama's technique, sending a strong gust of wind forward.
"Whoa! Teach me, teach me, please!"
"No problem. Even without a Quirk, you'll be a hero no worse than Endeavor."
As we talked, an elderly man came out of his house yelling.
"What are you kids doing standing on that pole and using your Quirks to make noise?! I called the police, you vandals!!"
"We'd better go—oh, I didn't ask your name." I jumped down from the pole and stood in front of her.
"It's Midoriya, Izumi Midoriya. And yours?"
I took her hand and started running with her.
"Ah!" Her face flushed.
"I'm Maximus Alexander, but you can call me Max. Let's get out of here, Midoriya-chan, before we get arrested for disturbing the peace, haha."
"Y-yes, let's go." She kept looking at our joined hands, her face now as red as a tomato.
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Hey, folks, this is my first fanfic. You can tell it's heavily inspired by Meta Essence Gacha in Marvel (wonder why?). I'll add some different elements, though. There'll still be Travel Tickets, but also permanent travel methods like the World Gate, as seen. This fic won't be as serious as Evans'. It'll eventually have a harem, to be clear. I know some find harems unacceptable, so I'm stating it upfront. Also, I copied some things from Meta Essence Gacha in Marvel since it's my inspiration. Some cards from there will appear (not my fault Darth Vader is awesome), but some Gacha mechanics might change, like "CYOA Options" now being "CYOA Store Options" because I didn't want to abbreviate "CYOA Points (CP)" to "CYOA Store Points (CSP)." I also prepared several future characters I can't introduce too early to avoid being too overpowered, like Grand Master Luke Skywalker from Legends, what he could've been before Disney ruined him. I think I might be a bit autistic with a hyperfocus on gacha, as I made 4 documents and am researching characters and their abilities to write without getting lost. Whether I am or not, I've never seen a psychologist, so I'm not for now.
The MC won't be a dark, edgy character acting like nothing matters but his will. He won't kill recklessly but won't let those who cause massive harm (or hurt those he cares about) go unpunished.
I'm not sure if my character interactions were good. Let me know what you think. Maybe I'll write another fanfic to practice character dialogue. I feel a bit schizophrenic writing conversations, HAHAHA, but I guess it's like that the first time.
I wrote a lot of explanations because I'm not sure how many know the Gacha rules. Some parts might've been tedious, and I'll try to improve.
Lastly, send ideas for Characters, Items, Perks and Mechanics (for Gacha), Powers/Abilities/Skills, Consumables, Worlds (for Travel Tickets), more Semi-Useful Powers, etc.
After writing so much, I forgot I'll do a genderswap (e.g., a parallel universe where a character was always a different gender) for some characters. Before skipping this fic for being anti-genderswap, check these images.
Lastly 2x, thanks for reading this far and give me some crystals for writing so much. (Everyone gets a free crystal daily, for those who don't know.)