Leon woke with a calm smile, his mind replaying his recent interaction with Raven. The memory of her hesitant smiles and fleeting confidence made his own grin widen. Their conversation had been more than successful—he had grown closer to her, subtly easing her insecurities, giving her a glimmer of self-assurance she hadn't allowed herself before.
"Status," he muttered to himself.
The system responded almost immediately:
[Host: Leon]
[Age: 16]
[Physique: 512 (Around 32 Tons)]
[Mental Power: 156]
[Abilities: Adaptation (Omega), Kryptonian Bloodline (Level 1), Light Fruit (Level 1 - Intermediate)]
[Skills: X-Ray Vision (Intermediate), Freeze Breath (Intermediate), Super Hearing (Intermediate), Flight (Intermediate), Heat Vision (Intermediate), Bio Field (Max)]
[Desire Points: 12,000]
[Existence Points: 0]
Leon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "System, how do I use Desire Points?"
A soft chime rang.
[Ding! Click on the skill or ability you want to upgrade, and the system will display the points required.]
Leon's gaze flickered across the panel. There were so many options—heat vision, flight, Light Fruit—but he had to prioritize. Carefully, he selected three skills in succession:
[Light Fruit (Intermediate) — (Advance)]
Points Needed: 6,000 Desire Points
[Flight (Intermediate) — (Advance)]
Points Needed: 3,000 Desire Points
[Heat Vision (Intermediate) — (Advance)]
Points Needed: 4,000 Desire Points
He paused. Flight wasn't urgent for now. Instead, he committed to Light Fruit and Heat Vision. The moment he confirmed, a surge of memories flooded him—innumerable possibilities and techniques with Light Fruit, each glowing with potential. His eyes stung slightly, then sharpened as he felt an unprecedented strength coursing through his pupils.
Light Fruit (Advance): A logia-type Devil Fruit from the One Piece universe. Grants the ability to become, control, and transform into light itself. Concentrated light beams can pierce bodies, structures, and even reinforced defenses, detonating on impact with explosive force.
Heat Vision (Advance): The power to project focused thermal energy from the eyes. Originating from the DC universe, these beams now reach temperatures of 5,000°C, capable of melting, burning, or vaporizing any target.
"Ha… now that feels better," Leon exhaled, letting the surge of power settle.
Even his secondary abilities received an unexpected boost. X-ray vision now penetrated up to 200 meters effortlessly, allowing him to see through walls and floors with ease. Super hearing had sharpened as well—he could hear Charles, Erik, and Moira conversing in their office as if he were standing beside them.
"We must take this to the grave. Act as if none of it ever happened," one voice carried.
"Whatever William Stryker and his mutant squad are up to, it has nothing to do with us. We were never involved!" another countered.
"What about Bradley?"
"Wipe his memory and send him away. As far as we're concerned, he was never here."
"If Stryker sends people after him again?"
"Then he must have a reason. Charles, we shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs. At most, we can send Bradley somewhere safe and let him live quietly. That's all."
Charles, Erik, and Moira's debate stretched endlessly, until finally, they agreed: erase Bradley's memories of meeting Erik and being brought here, then quietly relocate him. Any evidence would be erased to ensure Stryker couldn't trace them.
---
Training Room
Leon stepped into the training room, the sunlight spilling through tall windows and glinting off the polished floor. He flexed his fingers, threads of light wrapping around his arms like living conduits of energy. Gathering them, he formed miniature beams at his fingertips, each pulse vibrating with raw potential. It felt natural, as if he had always wielded it.
He brought his hands together and extended them slowly, shaping a blade of pure light. With a flick of his wrists, it shot toward a training crate, detonating in a spectacular shower of sparks. He smiled, feeling the elegant precision of his creation.
Maybe I can recreate Yasakani no Magatama, he thought. I've already mastered Kick at the Speed of Light and Sword of Light.
Crossing his hands, he fired twin streams of mini light beams, watching them spiral and collide midair in a dazzling display. "Ohho! First try, and it worked. Nice."
Heat Vision followed instinctively. Molten beams lanced from his eyes, searing the air as trails of brilliant heat scorched the room.
BAAAAAAAM! The crate disintegrated instantly. Leon stepped back, heart racing.
"Damn… that was powerful." Any target caught in those beams would melt immediately.
Pushing further, he combined both abilities. Light blades fired from his hands, while twin heat beams from his eyes intersected in midair, creating a cascading explosion of energy. The room shook slightly under the force, walls reflecting a kaleidoscope of heat and light.
For the next two hours, Leon experimented, pushing limits, testing precision, and crafting new techniques.
---
Ohio – Amusement Park
The amusement park, once alive with laughter and chaos, lay cordoned off. Police tape stretched across entrances, officers stationed at every corner. Overhead, the whup-whup-whup of rotor blades signaled the descent of a military helicopter.
William Stryker stepped off, sunglasses shielding his eyes, a clipboard in hand. A young man with twin swords approached, clearly annoyed at Stryker's tardiness.
"Sir, did the chopper need refueling? You're thirty minutes late. Even if you're the boss—"
"Shut up, Wade! One day I'll sew your mouth shut!" Stryker snapped. "Has the scene been secured?"
"Yes, sir. Small town—nobody defies a military order. Witnesses saw two out-of-towners searching for Bradley last night. Fought in the dark, couldn't see much. Oh, and Victor… his head was—"
Stryker's glare silenced Wade instantly. Wade, loyal and lethal, never seemed to stop talking—an annoying yet invaluable operative.
"Anything else?" Stryker pressed.
"The two strangers were clearly targeting Bradley."
Stryker frowned, unease settling in. Something about this didn't feel right.
---
CIA Base – Shaded Pathway
Leon and Charles walked casually beneath the trees, though the seriousness of their conversation belied their relaxed pace.
"Leon, Bradley's memories have been erased. Moira will relocate him discreetly tonight. None of us can speak of this, to anyone," Charles said.
"Crystal," Leon replied, his tone steady.
"Recruitment is on hold. Someone saw you and Erik at the amusement park. Don't worry—we've erased most of the evidence. Stay put, and there'll be no trouble."
Charles waved and left to meet Moira and Erik. Leon returned the wave, watching them disappear.
"Avoiding Stryker… honestly, I'm not afraid of him. Not worth the hassle," Leon muttered, shrugging. The CIA's corridors had never been his playground, but with his recent upgrades, he felt ready. Wandering now might invite missions, but he held back. Stirring the pot for no reason was not his style.
Instead, he walked slowly, letting the weight of his new power settle. With abilities sharpened, stats boosted, and new techniques at his disposal, Leon knew something monumental was approaching—perhaps within the very walls of this base. Why chase opportunity… when it might just come knocking?
To be continued...
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