The sound of the gun hitting the floor echoed like thunder in the overwhelming silence on the terrace.
Megamind no longer saw Adam as an intruder, but as an intriguing enigma. His sinister smile, not devoid of curiosity, widened.
"A hero of my own making..."
he whispered again, as if savoring the taste of the words. His blazing blue eyes scanned Adam from head to toe with an appreciation that was more technical than human.
"The idea... is pathetically naive. But the execution... yes, the execution is everything."
He suddenly turned with astonishing speed, standing to his full height, which seemed even taller now without his helmet.
"But first, let's deal with your current appearance. You look like... city trash. Literally."
He pointed his thumb towards the pile of trash in the alley below where Adam had woken up.
"It's unbecoming of a potential partner in reshaping this city's destiny."
Adam, still suffering from the dizziness and nausea of temporal displacement, tried to sound confident. "Partner? I never offered—"
Megamind grinned widely, cutting Adam off before he could finish his sentence. He raised his finger in a theatrical gesture, his voice deep and manipulative:
"Ah ah ah, don't interrupt me, future hero! You don't yet realize what it means to have caught my eye.
You no longer have a choice, my dear Adam. You are here now, and that alone is proof that fate chose you… or perhaps *I* did."
He approached with slow, deliberate steps, then leaned forward until his strange blue face was almost touching Adam's.
His eyes shone with a childish curiosity mixed with genius madness.
"Do you know the difference between a hero and an ordinary man?" Megamind asked, circling him as if inspecting a broken machine.
"It's not the heart, nor the intention… It's the appearance, then the power, then the story woven around you."
He stopped abruptly, then clapped his hands enthusiastically: "Yes! The story! Look at you, a man who came to me from a filthy alley, in strange clothes. This… this is perfect raw material for a tragic hero!"
He raised his hands high, as if delivering a speech to a non-existent audience, then looked back at Adam with glowing eyes: "I will make you a hero… not as you wish, but as I need.
You will stand before the entire city as a new symbol, a symbol forged by my genius."
He fell silent for a moment, then added in a quieter voice laced with challenge: "But before you become a hero... you must prove you're worth the investment."
He spun around with lightning speed towards his chaotic worktable and grabbed a small, pen-like device. "First test: Survival!"
Before Adam could react, Megamind aimed the device at him and pressed a button. A faint buzzing sound was heard, and Adam felt a slight sting on his neck like a mosquito bite.
"What was that?" Adam asked, touching his neck as a slight dizziness intensified.
"Just a tiny blood sample!" Megamind replied smiling, placing the device on the analysis table. "I need to know exactly what I'm dealing with. Genes, enzymes, stamina... all the boring details."
Screens around them began displaying complex data and animated graphs. Megamind suddenly paused at a magnified image of Adam's blood cells.
"Interesting... very!" he whispered, moving closer to the screen. "There's something strange in your cellular structure. It's like... an unfamiliar energy."
He looked at Adam with greater scrutiny: "Where are you *really* from? Because you're definitely not from Metro City."
Adam realized that revealing the truth could be dangerous, but denying it might seem even more suspicious.
"Let's just say I'm... a traveler from a faraway place. A place your tools cannot measure."
Megamind chuckled softly: "Mysterious! I like that. Mystery adds depth to the story."
Megamind turned nimbly, placing his hands behind his back like a great thinker before a painting.
But his voice, when it came out, was charged with an unstoppable, enthusiastic energy:
"Mystery! Yes… yes! The audience loves mystery. A hero with no clear past, a hero from beyond comprehension.
Oh, this will make them all wonder: Who is he? Where did he come from? What is the secret of his power?"
He approached Adam again, staring at him with exaggerated focus as if trying to read his thoughts directly.
"But… mystery alone is not enough. You need a spectacle. A hero without a show is like music without rhythm."
He suddenly reached for a side shelf and pulled out a strange circular device that looked like a bomb but was covered in colored lights.
"This!" he said proudly, holding it high. "The Heroic Situation Generator Mark VII! … I'm still working on the name."
He tossed the device into the air and pressed a small button on his wrist. A blue light exploded around the terrace, and suddenly massive holograms of Metro City engulfed in chaos formed.
Overturned cars, shaking towers, and the sound of a screaming crowd.
Megamind pointed towards the illusory chaos: "Look! Every hero needs an epic entrance scene.
Imagine it, Adam: You descend from the sky amidst the destruction, people scream, and then… boom! You save them all with a single blow. The audience will fall in love with you!"
Adam, watching the elaborate light show, felt a strange sensation creeping into him. It wasn't just admiration for Megamind's skill; it was a feeling that this "power" might be his beginning towards ascension.
He clenched his fist and said slowly: "If I am to be your hero... you must prove this isn't just a theatrical performance. Give me *real* power."
Megamind stopped moving for a moment, then smiled a wide grin, his bright white teeth gleaming under the lights.
"Oooh, my mysterious friend… you know, you just gave me the best opening line for our shared story?"
He then reached for a metallic capsule behind the table, opening it to reveal a dark black suit adorned with glowing blue lines, resembling a mix between armor and space gear.
"Let's make the power first… and then, we'll make the hero."
Megamind reached out towards the glowing suit, his eyes shining with a strange paternal pride.
"This... is not just a suit. This is a technological masterpiece! A self-defense system, strength enhancer, equipped with a small power generator... and of course, a built-in display screen for headlines!"
He skillfully unfolded the suit in the air, revealing its back with complex power circuits. "But more importantly..."
he said, pressing a hidden button on the collar, "...it's designed to act as a conduit. It will help your body gradually absorb the power doses I'll inject you with."
He looked at Adam challengingly.
"It's not complete yet... but it's a start. It will feel like you're drinking lightning!"
He grabbed Adam's arm with astonishing speed.
"Second test: Endurance!" Before Adam could object, Megamind injected a glowing blue substance into his arm through a small opening in the suit.
Adam bent over in pain, feeling as if fire was coursing through his veins. "What... what are you doing?!"
he screamed as his muscles stretched and contracted involuntarily.
"Giving you a dose of 'Metro Man genes'!" Megamind answered, watching Adam's reactions with fascination.
"Your body is rejecting it now... that's normal. But the suit will help it stabilize."
Monitoring screens around them began emitting red alarms. "Fascinating! Your cellular resistance is higher than expected! This means you can tolerate larger doses!"
Adam fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Suddenly, he began to feel a strange wave of energy spreading through his body.
He slowly raised his hand and saw small electric sparks emanating from his fingers.
Adam stared in disbelief at the sparks shooting from his fingers, then raised his head, his voice strained with pain and anger:
"What the hell! There was no mention of any of this in the original work! Wasn't it just a simple needle?!"
What in heaven's name is happening? Is this system messing with me? Or is this world... not similar to the original work?
Cold sweat poured from his forehead, his breath quickened, but his eyes remained fixed on Megamind, who seemed either unaware of Adam's internal struggle or perhaps enjoying it.
But suddenly, he felt something strange happening. The pain began to transform into a sensation of flowing energy.
The electric sparks around his fingers stabilized, as if his body was adapting to the new power.
Megamind watched in amazement. "Astonishing! Your adaptation rate... it's unnatural!"
The pain he had felt began to shift into an overwhelming sensation of energy. The electric sparks around his fingers suddenly stabilized, then transformed into a soft golden glow pulsing in harmony with his heartbeat.
He felt as if a river of flowing power was filling every cell of his being.
Megamind watched in awe, his eyes widening in surprise. "Astonishing! He's not just adapting... he's evolving the power!
That strange energy within him is merging perfectly with the Metro Man genes!"
Adam raised his hand before his eyes, amazed by the golden glow surrounding it.
This wasn't what he had expected at all. It wasn't Metro Man's traditional power, but something different... something new.
"What... what have you done to me?" Adam whispered, his voice steadier now.
Megamind grinned widely, dancing a little with joy. "I gave you a gift! But it became something unique! Metro Man's power with a special touch of your strange energy!"
He grabbed a scanning device and began moving around Adam rapidly. "Super strength, durability, speed... you've acquired them! But there's something more! It's... more elegant! More powerful!"
Adam fell to his knees again, not from pain this time, but from the weight of the immense power suddenly flowing through his body. His breathing became deep and slow.
"Ah ah, not so fast, future hero!" Megamind said, dancing around him excitedly. "Even the strongest heroes need time to get used to their powers!"
Adam slowly raised his hand, contemplating the golden glow surrounding it. With every heartbeat, he felt a new wave of energy spreading through his body.
He tried to stand, but his legs gave way beneath him as if they were made of jelly.
"Fascinating! Wonderful!" Megamind shouted, taking readings from his screens. "Your body is adapting at an astonishing rate! It's... it's as if you were designed for this power!"
Adam tried to push himself up by pressing his hand against the ground, but instead, his hand created a deep crack in the concrete terrace floor.
"Uh oh! That's too much!" Megamind laughed. "I'll have to deduct the repair costs from your first hero's salary!"
After several attempts, Adam finally managed to stand, but he was trembling as if carrying a mountain on his shoulders.
Every simple movement felt like it required a tremendous effort to control.
Adam, staggering to his feet with difficulty, raised his eyes to Megamind, trying to steady his voice despite the tremors running through his body: "I need... a place... far away."
Megamind stopped dancing, raising his eyebrows curiously. "Far away? Why in heaven's name do you need isolation now? We've just begun!"
Adam sighed deeply, feeling as if every word required a Herculean effort. "This power... I can't control it here. I'll destroy everything... and attract attention."
He pointed his trembling hand towards the deep crack in the floor. "You want a hero... not a catastrophe."
A glimmer of understanding passed through Megamind's eyes. "Oh! I see! You want to train away from prying eyes, alone to adapt."
Adam climbed into the vehicle Megamind had prepared, a small capsule-like craft designed for fast and stealthy land travel.
The door closed behind him, leaving Megamind standing on the terrace waving enthusiastically.
"Just one week!" Megamind shouted. "Then back for the grand show!"
The vehicle sped off silently, gliding through secret tunnels beneath Metro City, moving away from the lights and noise.
After about half an hour, Adam found himself in a deserted valley hundreds of miles from the city.
The place was barren, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with the clear sky as the only witness.
The first few days were hell.
The new power was like an unstoppable raging river. Every attempt to control it ended in catastrophe—shattered mountains, vanished patches of earth, deep craters in the ground.
Adam spent hours meditating, trying to understand the energy he had acquired.
"Metro Man's power..." he whispered to himself while sitting in a specific posture on a mountaintop.
"It's magnificent... even though it's not even a quarter of his strength."
By the fifth day, he began to see improvement. He learned how to channel the energy instead of suppressing it.
How to shape it instead of releasing it randomly. He discovered he could fly smoothly.
On the seventh night, Adam stood under the twinkling stars in the deserted valley. He raised his palms confidently and said: "This is truly fun."
His feet slowly lifted off the ground, dust swirling in small vortices beneath his feet, then he suddenly shot into the sky.
The air slapped his face, his hair flew wildly, but he laughed a light laugh from the heart. "I... am flying."
He soared over the mountains, leaving behind a golden thread of light like a meteor piercing the sky.
Every movement was easier than the last, and every heartbeat added a new layer of strength to his body.
He landed on a towering mountain peak, the dust slowly dissipating around him, his eyes staring towards the distant horizon where the lights of Metro City gleamed in the darkness.
The wind whipped through his hair as he contemplated the distant lights of Metro City.
The golden glow around his body dimmed to a faint pulse in harmony with his breathing.
"I got what I wanted..." he whispered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation. "Metro Man's power, or at least a version of it."
He looked at his hands, where the golden energy danced between his fingers with absolute fluidity.
"But this world... this city... Do I belong here?"
He remembered the voice of the initial system, that cold voice that promised him endless worlds.
"Megamind fulfilled his promise to me. But what about his own promise?"
He walked to the edge of the mountain, letting his feet lift off the ground once more. "Do I stay here to satisfy Megamind's desire to create a hero? Or do I move on?"
He closed his eyes, imagining the worlds he could visit. Worlds that might grant him greater powers, broader knowledge, true ascension.
"Perhaps... not yet." He opened his eyes, resolved. "I need more time. Time to master this power first."
He looked towards Metro City one last time, then rose higher into the sky, leaving behind a trail of golden light as he headed towards the city, to a place where he could decide his fate with complete clarity.
"I'll stay... for a while only."