"So, what exactly are you all doing, coming to find me while I'm at school?!"
"Do you have any idea how severely this affects my daily life? You must take responsibility for this."
On the rooftop of a skyscraper, Eden looked at Eve and Rex exasperatedly and said seriously.
"Rex, I've said it many times, there's nothing between Eden and me."
Eve pressed a hand to her head, looking utterly pained, and explained weakly to Rex.
"What relationship?"
"Please, I don't even know you."
Eden pretended to be affected by Eve's superpower, as if he didn't recognize that 'Atom' Eve and school Eve were the same person.
"See?!"
Seeing this, Eve immediately shrugged at Rex, as if to say, 'I told you so'.
"Not about that."
Seeing this, Rex immediately shook his head.
"Huh?"
Eve was slightly taken aback.
"I didn't come to find you for Eve's sake."
Then, Rex was seen waving his hand at Eve, indicating that his visit to Eden had nothing to do with her, and then looked at Eden and said, "I'm just here to find you this time."
"Huh? Find me? Why?"
"Find Eden? Why?"
Eden and Eve both froze, looking at Rex and asking almost in unison.
"Robot sent me."
"As for the specific reason, how would I know?"
"Anyway, when you two finish school this afternoon, Eve, remember to bring this annoying kid back to the base with you. That's all."
Rex shrugged, as if he were innocent.
"Robot?!"
Eden frowned slightly.
If there was anyone in the Teen Team that even Eden found troublesome, it would be Robot.
That guy's intelligence was too high; it was inevitable he might figure something out.
Moreover, Robot had a deep connection with the Global Defense Agency and was highly valued by Cecil, who was the head of the Global Defense Agency, so Eden really didn't want to get involved with him.
"Starting to get a headache."
Eden's face was grim.
Half an hour later.
Reginald Vel Johnson High School.
"Hey, Eden!"
"Did the Teen Team want something from you?!"
After Eden returned to the classroom, William immediately leaned over and asked him.
"Nothing major."
"They just asked if I needed to see a therapist."
"After all, the alien invasion we experienced last week was too terrifying."
Eden casually brushed him off.
"Oh, that was indeed terrifying. I'm still having nightmares."
William's face changed drastically upon hearing this, and countless beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"So, nothing else?"
William finished speaking, then looked at Eden with a sigh and asked.
"No."
Eden shook his head. He seemed to have noticed something and asked William, "Do you have anything else?"
"I thought you had awakened your superpowers and joined the Teen Team."
William said awkwardly.
"No, I haven't."
Eden shook his head. After giving William a deep look, he asked, "So what exactly did you do after I left?"
"Well, I just promised some Teen Team fans at the school gate that I had a way to get them Teen Team merchandise, and I collected a twenty-dollar deposit from each of them."
William said awkwardly.
"I'll refund the deposits right away."
Then, William added.
"Good that you know."
Eden rolled his eyes; he had guessed William would pull a stunt like this.
After school in the afternoon.
After bidding farewell to William, Eden and Eve headed to the Teen Team's base.
"Pleased to meet you, Eden."
"I'm the leader of the Teen Team. You can call me Robot."
When Eden arrived at the Teen Team's base under Eve's superpower, a humanoid machine, entirely orange-red and whose body was connected by a special magnetic lock, greeted Eden.
"Cut the chatter. What exactly do you want with me?"
Eden couldn't be bothered with small talk with the Robot in front of him and spoke directly.
"Let's talk in private."
Robot led Eden into a private room that could isolate them from others.
"Alright."
Eden was happy to oblige; he also didn't want too many people to know his secrets.
"Well, actually, according to my research, the laser weapon that destroyed the load-bearing wall of the Parfait Shop did not come from outside, but from inside."
"Do you understand what I mean when I say that?"
Robot also had no intention of wasting words with Eden. He brought up footage of the Flaxan invasion of Earth that day, pointed to the Parfait Shop where Eden and William had taken cover, and to the wall on the left side of the Parfait Shop that had been severely damaged by the laser, and said.
"Could it be... William awakened his superpowers?"
"Oh my god, my good brother is actually a super-powered individual?!"
"So what are you looking for me for? You should be looking for William."
Eden feigned ignorance.
"..."
Eden's words almost caused Robot to crash. He had never expected someone to play dumb with him.
"First, I must state that I bear you no ill will! And thank you for your rescue that day."
"Secondly, should you have other thoughts someday, you can contact me at any time."
"I can assure you, the Teen Team will always welcome you with open arms."
Robot had already made it clear; he had guessed that Eden had awakened his superpowers.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
Eden finished speaking and left the Teen Team's base on his own.
At the same time, Eden complained internally, "If I really change my mind one day and expose that I have superpowers, then the Teen Team should already be history."
All Eden could do now was to play dumb to the end.
With his trash system constantly refreshing villains around him, it was only a matter of time before he exposed his awakened superpowers to his mother, Nolan. All he could do now was delay, for as long as possible.
Inside the Teen Team's base.
"Robot, why did you have me bring that annoying guy back? Why be so secretive?"
Rex asked Robot.
"..."
Robot remained silent.
"?"
As for Eve, she showed a thoughtful expression.
Eden returned home, took a shower, and then lay directly on his bed.
"What a hassle!"
Eden sighed, feeling troubled.
"Ding dong!"
"Villain System update complete!"
"Gladiator Arena mode has been loaded."
Just as Eden was contemplating how to deal with Robot's problem, the system's voice rang