"It's really loud today..."
In the darkness, Adam's voice was slightly hoarse, but he received no response.
Feeling bored, he tried to move his stiff joints again, and suddenly heard the rattling sound of chains being pulled around him.
The heavy, cold chains limited Adam's movements to a very small range, preventing him from even removing his helmet to see what was happening outside.
Adam was wearing a special, fully enclosed helmet made of metal alloy, with only six ventilation holes and a feeding port. The eye and ear areas were sealed, which negatively affected his hearing and vision.
He muttered, trying to breathe deeply: "Why am I here?"
A moment of silence followed Adam's words, then he cursed: "Wasn't I in my room? So why am I now in this cell and completely shackled?"
A heavy silence followed his words; no one answered his desperate questions. But suddenly, as if his cry had stirred something deep within him, something began to form in his consciousness. It wasn't a sound, but a strange interface.
Ding! The Countless Worlds System is now activated...
Hearing the sudden voice in his mind, Adam was stunned.
What is the Countless Worlds System? Isn't that something that only exists in novels? Why am I experiencing it?
System activation at ninety-nine percent, ninety-nine point nine percent, ninety-nine point nine percent...
Although Adam didn't know exactly what was happening, he continued to wait. After about 114 seconds, he heard a startup sound resembling a machine.
"Congratulations, Host, on connecting to the Countless Worlds System."
The system had a cold, masculine voice, quite similar to his own, but devoid of any emotion, as if its words were cast into a void.
Adam trembled within his restraints. The voice was very clear, not from the outside, but directly from inside his head, easily bypassing the metal insulation of the helmet.
"Wha... what is this?" he muttered, his voice a mix of astonishment and doubt.
"The system grants you the ability to travel between multiple worlds with the aim of transcendence. The host can stay in a specific world and develop their powers. When they wish to travel to another world, the system will fulfill their desire."
Then the voice continued:
"Worlds are divided into four threat classifications:
[World Classification System - Threat Levels]
[Level 1: Low - Stable environment, laws compatible with humans, limited danger.]
[Level 2: Medium - Volatile environment, laws may be hostile, apparent danger requiring caution.]
[Level 3: High - Hostile environment, strange or lethal laws, constant danger to life.]
[Level 4: Lethal - Environment uninhabitable for the current host. Death is 99.9% probable upon arrival. Entry is strongly not recommended.]
Adam fell silent, a new chill replacing the heat of excitement he was about to unleash. The danger wasn't just threats within the world; the world itself could be a lethal weapon.
"Why are you telling me this now?" he asked, his voice quieter, sharper.
"Primary function: Ensure the host's survival. Survival is the foundation for developing powers and traveling," the cold voice answered without hesitation. "Providing complete risk information is part of the survival protocol. Random travel is prohibited."
"So how do I choose? How do I know where to go?"
"Scanning available worlds near the host's current frequency range," the system announced. "Worlds are nominated based on the compatibility of the host's current powers with the target world's laws."
But before Adam could fully grasp what was happening, memories began flooding his mind. They were like visions of multiple worlds and strange laws clashing in his head, as if his memory was filled with details about numerous worlds he knew from novels and movies.
"I... I can choose based on what I know," Adam whispered, a shiver of power running through him as he recalled the worlds he knew. His vision accelerated.
Suddenly, as if the system had read his thoughts, another answer came:
"The host can choose worlds based on their experience and memory. You can travel to the worlds you know."
"Demon Slayer world... One Piece world... Megamind world... Attack on Titan world..."
[World Classification - Risk and Compatibility Assessment]
Demon Slayer World: Level 2 - Medium. Description: A world full of demons that tear humans apart. Requires superhuman strength to survive.
One Piece World: Level 3 - High. Description: A world of adventure full of pirates and marines, open seas, and hidden treasures. Requires a mix of intelligence and strength.
Megamind World: Level 2 - Medium. Description: A world relying on intelligence, technology, and physical strength. Few threats as long as you don't get hit by any attacks.
Attack on Titan World: Level 3 - High. Description: A world filled with giant Titans that devour humans. A world full of unpredictable dangers.
"Host, the worlds have been classified according to security assessment and compatibility with current powers. Choose carefully."
"Megamind world..." Adam whispered to himself, closing his eyes for a moment of silence. He knew this world wasn't perfect, but if there was a chance to exploit Megamind, it was here.
Metro Man's genes, that unimaginable power, would be my way to boost my strength across multiple worlds. Now, all I have to do is integrate them with my body, and in an instant, my power will leap.
"Metro Man's genes... that's what I need here," he said quietly, finally choosing the world he would start in.
"World Megamind selected."
[Destination confirmed: Metro City (Megamind World)]
[Re-evaluated Threat Level: 2 (Medium) -> 1 (Low) after recent analysis of current events.]
[Reason: Titan's recent defeat, Metro Man's retirement, city stabilized under Megamind's rule as a hero.]
[Warning: Technological environment is very advanced. The current helmet and restraints may attract unwanted attention.]
[Preparing for transfer...]
"Wait!" Adam whispered urgently, "The helmet! The chains! I can't go there like this!"
And also, damn it, I want to travel to the time period when everyone thought Metro Man was dead. Only this way can I trick Megamind and get Metro Man's genes.
Complete silence, then the system responded with its usual coldness, but with a hint of... curiosity? Perhaps that was Adam's imagination.
[Complex request received: Determining precise temporal coordinates.]
[Scanning Metro City timeline...]
[Time point identified: Immediately after Metro Man's fake "death," during the period of power vacuum and Megamind's confusion.]
[Adjusted Threat Level: 2 (Medium). Megamind is in a psychologically vulnerable state, susceptible to manipulation, but still dangerous.]
[Warning: Precise temporal adjustment consumes more energy. Loss of consciousness upon arrival will be deeper. Health: May be slightly affected (nausea, dizziness).] [Approve new parameters? (Yes/No)]
"Yes! Do it!" Adam had no choice. This was the only opportunity.
[Approval registered. Redirecting temporal coordinates...]
[Activating liberation and temporal crossing protocol.]
Power surged within Adam again, but this time it felt as if his very being was being pulled not just through space, but through the fabric of time itself. The dizziness that overwhelmed him was more intense.
Bang!
The helmet split and the chains turned to dust. But this time, the gateway opening before him flickered rapidly, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
From outside the door, Adam heard the sound of sirens and distant screaming... prison sirens, and the sound of a crowd in panicked mourning.
Adam jumped towards the gateway.
[Immediate transfer...]
In a dark alley next to the Metro City Museum of Art, right beside the statue of Metro Man, Adam fell unconscious onto a pile of garbage. Around him, the city was in mourning. Signs with Metro Man's picture, flowers, and bouquets of black balloons.
Nearby, inside City Hall, Roxanne stood stammering before a sad crowd, trying to deliver a eulogy while her mind raced to understand how the invincible hero could have died, and what she would do now with what had suddenly become... a city without a hero.
Megamind was standing behind a balcony. He was watching Roxanne, who was wearing a white suit, squirm at the microphone, trying to sound confident while her eyes sparkled with frustrated excitement.
"Citizens... people of... Metro City..." she began in a gentle voice "Today we lost... a bright light... a beacon of hope... a man who was... well, he was very strong!"
The confused crowd fell silent. Even Megamind's features took on a miserable look.
In that dark alley, Adam woke to the sound of the broken speech blaring from speakers throughout the city. His head was still spinning, screaming in protest from the exhaustion. He sighed with difficulty, leaning against the cold wall.
"I succeeded," he whispered to himself, his voice hoarse from the effort. He looked around. The flowers, the black balloons, the hero's statue... everything was perfect. More than perfect.
"He could fly so fast... Light! And his eyes... shot heat rays! And he had... muscles! Lots of muscles!"
Her sharp voice, despite trying to show dignity, was on the verge of breaking down. The crowd began to fidget.
Adam realized time was running out. Roxanne wasn't handling the pressure. Megamind was having an identity crisis, making him unpredictable. The opportunity was ripe now, while everyone was in shock.
Instead of waiting for Megamind, Adam decided to take the initiative. He pushed himself away from the wall, ignoring the dizziness that still haunted him, and slipped out of the alley. He knew Megamind must be hiding nearby, watching this meltdown.
He remembered that Megamind always preferred to observe from a nearby but secluded spot. He looked around, scanning the rooftops and high windows near City Hall.
Then he saw a small balcony partially hidden by a giant mourning banner, on a neighboring building. A glimpse of a faint blue light reflected from there – screen light.
"There," he whispered to himself.
He slipped through the mourning crowds, avoiding eye contact, heading towards the building. The back door was locked, but a ground-floor window was broken. He squeezed through it with difficulty, enveloped by the darkness inside the abandoned building.
He climbed the stairs slowly, each step sounding like thunder in the silence. He reached the top floor and found a door leading to the balcony. It was slightly ajar.
He looked through the gap. And there he was! Megamind, sitting on a folding chair, hunched over a portable screen showing the stammering Roxanne. He was wearing a black mourning suit, but without the helmet, making his anxious expressions clearly visible. He was whispering to himself, pressing his palm to his forehead.
"No, no, no... This is all wrong... Why did I say 'muscles'? This isn't a eulogy, it's a laundry list!"
Adam sighed deeply. He had to take the risk. He pushed the door gently.
The door's creak made Megamind jump from his seat. He spun his chair around quickly, grabbing a gun-like device from the floor. "Who's there?!" he hissed sharply, startled. "Come out! This is my private spot!"
Adam stepped into the faint light, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to hurt you," he said, his voice calm despite his tension. "I'm here because you... need to have a conversation."
Megamind didn't lower his gun. "A conversation? Now? Who are you? One of Metro Man's fans? Came to mourn?"
"No," Adam smiled weakly. "I came because I know that 'Metro Man' isn't dead."
A heavy silence fell. The gun in Megamind's hand trembled slightly. His eyes widened. "That's... that's nonsense! Everyone saw! The explosion! The burnt hair!"
"All of that was staged," Adam advanced step by step, cautiously. "You know that. Deep down, you know that. That's why you're here, hiding, and not down there." He pointed towards the screen where Roxanne was desperately trying to explain "muscle power."
"You don't want to be here," Adam continued, his voice growing more confident. "You want to be in your workshop. Thinking. Inventing. Building something amazing, not... this." He gestured disdainfully towards the mourning scene.
Megamind looked at the screen, then at Adam, then at the gun in his hand. His expression oscillated between anger, curiosity, and deep suspicion.
"Who are you really?" he asked, his voice lower this time. "How do you know these things?"
"I am someone who knows that true geniuses don't play roles," Adam replied. "They create their own rules of the game. And you... you're stuck in someone else's role. The role of the mourner. The role of the fake hero."
He pointed towards the shattered statue below. "This is not your legacy. Your legacy isn't tears, it's excitement! Challenge! Creative chaos!"
Megamind's eyes began to gleam. Adam's words were touching something deep within him, something he had been fighting since his enemy's "death."
"But... what do I do?" he whispered, as if talking to himself. "The game is over. The opponent is gone."
"The game isn't over," Adam said. "It has only changed. Why are you waiting for a hero's return?" He moved closer, looking directly into Megamind's eyes. "Why don't you create a new hero? One of your own making. One that can give this city... a completely new story."
Megamind finally dropped the gun. The device fell to the floor with a soft thud. "A hero... of my own making?" he said, the idea beginning to settle in his head. Then he smiled. A smile that was wicked and full of possibilities.
"You... are interesting," he said. "Very strange. But interesting."