I checked my height again. Yeah. I wasn't imagining it. I'm six feet now. Five days ago, when I first took over this body, it was around 5'8.
I wonder if I'll grow even taller. The version of Parker I'm absorbing was only around 5'6. Damian did grow taller as an adult, but I don't remember if he ever reached Bruce's height. Both his father and grandfather were over six feet but genes don't follow rules just because you expect them to.
Looking at the toned chest in the mirror, I flexed a little.
It wouldn't be weird to admire it, right? It's mine after all.
Templates are seriously broken. Five days and I've already changed this much. Makes me want more.
[Points: 16]
Enough for five cards.
Should I save them?
…Nah. I really don't have the patience.
I like chess and all that calculated stuff, but I'm not allergic to luck either.
Let's go.
The points dropped to zero and the cards appeared like before. I didn't use world mode this time. I wanted variety.
Gacha, gacha, gacha… give me Superman.
1. Raven Darkhölme (Marvel)
2. Cozen Shard Power (Worm)
3. Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul)
4. Character Assimilation Slot
5. D.A. Sinclair (Image Comics)
Three character cards?
It seems SYSTEM have finally recognised who the master is and knows how to please me.
I was going to check them one by one, but the Character Assimilation Slot gained my attention first. I think I know what it is, and that's why I have to confirm it immediately.
And yes, it's exactly what I thought. I can now assimilate three templates simultaneously. It's also clear now that I can unlock functions related to the system itself through gacha. Initially, I was wondering if I'd be able to unlock more slots later. Otherwise I'd just keep stacking templates with no way to process them. Two slots really weren't enough. In fact, even three isn't but you live with what you have.
I finally focused on the character cards, starting with the only female one. Who would've thought my first female template would be Mystique?
It's good to know I can get cards from the world I'm currently in through normal mode too. No strict rule about spending six points for that.
She's one of my favorite shapeshifters. The moment I thought about her abilities, a few unnecessary fantasies tried to sneak into my head. I shut those down immediately.
She's one of the best spies out there. Skill wise, she shouldn't be below Natasha.
Depending on the universe, her powers go far beyond just changing physical appearance. I remember that in some versions her abilities were upgraded, and she could even copy powers when transforming into someone. Sometimes she was shown turning into animals, even liquefying herself.
Let's wait and see which version this is and how experienced this Mystique is. Even an early version who can only alter her physical appearance is more than good enough.
Then there's the protagonist of Tokyo Ghoul. The anime really went downhill as it progressed.
If I assimilate him… does that mean I have to get used to cannibalism?
I'm not exactly against it. There are plenty of people in this world who are nothing but dead weight. If their greatest contribution ends up being my nutrition, so be it for my greater good.
But the real question is whether it's worth absorbing him.
And the answer is yes.
In the future, I might pull something else. A powerful vampire that survives only on blood. Some Ben 10 alien like a Cerebrocrustacean or an Evolved Sonorosian. Who knows what they eat? Or how much they'd change me?
Better to get used to absorbing different species now and see how much they mess with me before I'm forced into it.
Finally the third character card, a scientist from image comic. He's a good pull. Peter is a genius in science, and Damian has vast knowledge, but neither of them is a dedicated scientist. They might miss factors in certain situations that only someone deeply rooted in the field would consider. Sinclair, being fully immersed in that field, would likely have more specialized knowledge than them, since they're both busy with a dozen different things at once.
After staring at the three cards for a while and then glancing at the Bucky template, I finally made a decision.
Raven goes into the new slot.
There's a real chance the Professor could sense me now. That thought lingered for a second. But I can't keep slowing myself down just because I'm scared of being noticed. If I'm going to grow, I'll attract attention sooner or later.
Better to face it now than hesitate forever.
Let's just hope this world's Professor X believes in consent and ethics as much as the stories claim, some of them.
The moment I placed her into the slot, the percentage jumped.
In Progress:
[Peter Parker — 31%]
[Damian Wayne — 21%]
[Raven Darkhölme — 17%]
Instant 17%.
That's fast.
Must be because some of her knowledge and skills overlap with other templates.
Peter's still progressing quicker than Damian. Makes sense. Peter started as a regular kid. Smart, sure but normal. Damian was shaped from birth.
I glanced back at the mirror.
And then it happened.
My skin shifted first. Slowly, steadily, like ink spreading under glass. It turned blue. My hair lightened, then deepened into red. My facial structure subtly adjusted.
I stared and yellow eyes stared back at me.
…Okay.
That looks cool.
Especially the yellow eyes.
Not going to lie, if someone pulled off a cosplay this perfect, I'd probably hand over my entire savings in last life.
I took a breath and focused again.
The blue faded. My skin sagged and hair gets white. Now I was the house butler.
Once more.
This time I was Peter Parker.
I tilted my head and said quietly, "Hello, I'm your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."
The voice matched too.
Then I shifted back to myself and let the blue fade completely before turning my attention to the last card.
The super power from worm.
I don't even remember this character. Cozen, was it? Let's read the description.
[Cozen could create pocket dimensions. However, she could place these 'caches' in fixed locations, rather than simply keeping them on her person. Furthermore, she was not necessarily limited to inanimate objects as she could also store people in them. Lastly caches placed within roughly 25 feet of each other could form a 'network' where objects could be taken from or an individual could be brought to after a delay. In practice, this operated as a form of slow teleportation.]
…So basically a low-budget Infinity Castle.
Speaking of that, the plot really was forced with a power like that Muzan loosing was stupid in that low tier world.
Tch tch.
I want to test it right now, but it's getting late for school. No time to experiment properly. I'll check it after I get back.
I stretched my shoulders and rolled my neck. Time for shower. I'm sweating after the workout. Not tired though. That's the interesting part. My physical limit is clearly increasing and that's without even unlocking Spider-Man's actual superpowers yet. And I have a feeling those are coming soon.
*****************
Midtown High School
"Harry, are you ignoring us?"
That didn't sound like a question. More like an accusation. I sighed and looked up.
The whole gang was there, Flash, Seymour, Brian, Jason, Sally, Liz, Charles, and Mary Jane.
I glanced around the cafeteria. A lot of people were staring at our table. Of course they were. Flash's group doesn't exactly blend in.
"Why don't you all take a seat?" I said. Some were already taking seats. The others dragged chairs from nearby tables and joined in.
Once everyone settled and the noise died down a bit, I spoke,"Do you guys remember the Goblin's last attack?"
"I saw him fighting Spider-Man on the Bugle," Jason said, leaning back in his chair. "So what does that have to do with you?"
I didn't answer right away. I just let my eyes move across the table.
Only Liz looked like she knew where this was going, well her father is owner of Allan Chemical so she shouldn't be ignorant of the incident. The others were just confused. When she noticed me looking at her, she cleared her throat softly.
"It was a summit," she said. "A meeting between some of the biggest industries in the country. A lot of major people were there. The Goblin attacked during it… and killed several of them."
A low "Ooooo" spread across the table.
"But what does that have to do with you?" Brian asked.
"Many of them were shareholders of Oscorp," I said. "Some people are even speculating he had a personal vendetta against us." That made them shift a little.
"Is your life in danger?" MJ asked, more serious now.
"I'm safe," I replied. "Like I said, it's speculation. He killed executives from other companies too. It could just be coincidence."
I paused for a second.
"But I've been thinking… what if it's not? What if he was targeting Oscorp on purpose? And what if one day that includes me?"
I shook my head lightly.
"Forget him for a moment. That's not the main point."
They were all quiet now.
"You've noticed it too, right? The number of supervillains is increasing."
Everyone nodded. Even Flash didn't joke this time.
"Usually, the only ones who can stop them are superheroes. A normal person can't do much against someone with super strength, crazy tech suit, or some weird power." I leaned back slightly, Batman, Robin, Rorschach and various other character flashed in my mind.
"And when they fight? People get hurt. Sometimes killed. Villains take hostages. They don't care who's in the way."
I looked at them one by one.
"So imagine this. You're walking down the street. Just a normal day. And suddenly a villain shows up." I didn't wait for them to answer.
"The smartest thing to do is run. Immediately. Don't look back. Don't record. Don't stand there like an idiot."
Flash frowned a little.
"But most people don't." I tapped the table. "They freeze. They stare. They take out their phones. They hesitate. And that's not what I want happening to me. That's why I had been working out."
"You!"
"Harry Osborn?"
"Working out?"
"Are you ill?"
"Where's the real Harry?"
Ignoring their shocked expressions, I said calmly, "I had been doing it for the last few months, but that Goblin attack made me more serious. That's why instead of wasting my time roaming the streets, I'm busy with working out and studies."
"Studies?"
"Well, I'm thinking not only about how to avoid danger but also what to do in case something actually happens. Maybe my father gets caught in a Goblin attack or some other situation. Although our relationship isn't great, he is still paying for my life. Without him, what am I?"
I answered my own question with a small shrug.
"The answer is simple. Nothing. I can't earn a single dollar right now, and that's not the position I want to be in if one day he can't pay for me anymore."
I shrugged a little. "At the end of the day we all have to earn money ourselves to live. So I'm trying to figure out what I'm actually good at and get better at it, so I can earn money by selling my skills in case I don't inherit Oscorp. In fact, even if I do inherit it, I still need to understand how everything actually works. Contracts, departments, deals… there are a lot of things involved, and I have to be able to handle all of that to make sure the business doesn't end up in a loss."
The group went silent for a moment before Liz finally spoke.
"You seems more mature Harry."
"Well, I'm not as smart as my father, so the best thing I can do is start taking things seriously early on so I don't get crushed by the workload in the future. It's better if you guys start taking things seriously too. The world is changing too fast. If you don't upgrade yourself, you can't blame others for leaving you behind."
*****************
Ways to Kill / Stop Wolverine(Logan) or other with similar healing factor