Vincent Hall stood up, feeling refreshed.
He glanced at the clock. Still plenty of time before school.
He stepped into the shower, letting the cold water cascade over him. His mind, however, was focused on the System interface.
"System, tally up last night's harvest. Desire Points and Wealth."
[Calculating...]
[Total Desire Points gained last night: 3,280,000.]
[Wealth Points converted from loot: 34,000,000.]
His stock portfolio wasn't included. The System only counted realized gains or liquid assets. Or, if he chose the monthly settlement option, it would appraise his net worth. But Vincent preferred the liquidity.
[Mission Complete: The Will of Vengeance.]
[Objective: Burn the Triad out of Hell's Kitchen. Avenge your parents.]
[Result: Total Annihilation.]
[Reward: Blue Blind Box.]
[Rolling Mission Complete.]
[Calculation: Blue Box + Blue Box = Cyan Box. Critical Multiplier +200% applied.]
[Final Reward: Red Blind Box.]
"Only Red?" Vincent felt a pang of disappointment.
[System Query: Do you wish to continue Rolling the Mission? Next Tier: Red Mission (High Danger).]
Vincent hesitated. He wanted to push his luck.
But he knew last night's rampage had drawn too much heat. SHIELD, the FBI, Kingpin... they were all watching.
"Greed kills," Vincent reminded himself. "I have enough points now to convert into solid power. Once the Stark stock pays off, I'll have the resources to tackle higher-tier missions. Then I can aim for Gold or Black Tier rewards."
Black Tier meant "Despair" for his enemies. Or death for him if he failed.
"Open the Red Blind Box," Vincent commanded firmly.
[Mission Chain Ended. Opening Red Blind Box...]
A blinding crimson light filled his vision.
[Congratulations. You have obtained: Hydro-Kinesis (Water Control Magic). Source: Mera (DC Universe).]
[Level: Proficient.]
Vincent sighed. "I wanted a physical enhancement. Like the Super Soldier Serum."
But as the knowledge settled in, his disappointment faded.
Mera's hydro-kinesis wasn't just splashing water. It was the ability to manipulate water density, create hard-water constructs, and drain moisture. It was the perfect complement to his Ice-Ice Fruit.
Ice requires water. With this, he could control the battlefield completely.
[System Query: Learn Hydro-Kinesis?]
"Learn."
[Integration Complete. Hydro-Kinesis: Proficient.]
Instantly, a new energy coursed through his veins. It felt fluid, adaptable. He looked at the shower spray.
With a thought, the water droplets paused in mid-air. They swirled around him, avoiding his skin, dancing to his will. It felt as natural as breathing.
He checked his stats.
[User Profile: Vincent Hall]
Wealth: 517,750,000Desire Points: 5,620,000Abilities:Ice-Ice Fruit (Mastery - Stage 1) [+]Psychic Immunity (Passive) [+]Hydro-Kinesis (Proficient) [+]Skills:Baji-Mizong Art (Transcendence) [+]
The "[+]" symbol indicated he could break the limits using Desire Points.
However, he hesitated on the Ice-Ice Fruit. Breaking through to "Awakening" (Stage 2) would likely trigger a cataclysmic environmental shift. If he accidentally froze Manhattan, he'd be Public Enemy No. 1 globally.
He needed to leave Earth for that. Or find a dimension where collateral damage didn't matter.
"System, upgrade Hydro-Kinesis to Mastery."
[Cost: 30,000,000 Wealth Points. Confirm?]
Thirty million?
Vincent grinned. The higher the cost, the stronger the power. Mera's base power was just the start. At Mastery level, this would be formidable.
"Confirm."
[Deducting 30,000,000 Wealth. Hydro-Kinesis upgraded to: Mastery.]
Whoosh.
His internal mana pool expanded tenfold. He could feel the blood flowing in his own veins. He could sense the humidity in the air across the entire building.
At "Mastery," the casting time was zero. It was instant, thought-based manipulation.
[Updated Profile]
Wealth: 487,750,000Desire Points: 5,620,000Abilities:Ice-Ice Fruit (Mastery) [+]Hydro-Kinesis (Mastery) [+]Next Breakpoint:Hydro-Kinesis Awakening: 5,000,000 Desire Points.Psychic Immunity Limit Break: 3,000,000 Desire Points.Martial Arts Limit Break: 3,000,000 Desire Points.
Vincent frowned.
"I worked all night, terrified a city, and I'm still poor in points."
Five million points for a Limit Break. He barely had enough for one.
"Forget it. Time for school."
Gwen Stacy was probably waiting. He wondered if the spider-bite symptoms had kicked in yet. Would she hide it from him?
Vincent smiled, stepping out of the dry shower.
"Let's see what the new Spider-Woman is up to."