Odin's sudden arrival had interrupted Peter's thoughts, leaving him no time to properly examine what kind of talent and potential he had just obtained.
And that…
Was something fundamental.
This was the very foundation of his future.
Trading a royal heirloom-level divine weapon—along with an immense accumulation of faith energy—in exchange for the potential to reach the level of a Skyfather… it wasn't a bad deal at all.
After all, a Skyfather-tier existence stood at the very pinnacle of the universe.
But—
Potential itself had distinctions.
There were differences in compatibility… in direction.
Peter had already chosen his path.
He was walking the road of physical and mental enhancement.
If what he had gained forced him down the path of magic, then everything he had built so far would lose its value.
Leaving aside whether Kamar-Taj would even accept him—
Just switching paths alone would mean abandoning his current strengths, and investing an enormous amount of time into something entirely different.
Science and magic were fundamentally opposed.
One was rooted in materialism.
The other in mysticism.
If he had a choice—
Peter would always choose the path he understood best.
"…This… it's actually this?!"
He stood still, his consciousness sinking inward.
Feeling.
Listening.
Observing.
A deep, thunderous rumble echoed within his body.
His blood flowed like a roaring river beneath his skin.
His heart beat powerfully, pumping life through every fiber of his being.
And within that flow—
A trace of golden blood began to spread.
With every breath—
He changed.
With every breath—
He grew stronger.
"…Incredible."
Even this initial perception was enough for Peter to realize—
Everything had changed.
This feeling…
Was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Not when he was first bitten by the spider.
Not when he awakened his telekinesis.
This—
Was something deeper.
It was as if…
A shackle had been removed.
A restraint placed upon all living beings—
A limit that bound evolution itself—
Had been broken.
"So this… is what it feels like to remove the limiter."
Peter inhaled deeply.
Every cell in his body seemed to be rejoicing.
Alive.
Awakened.
Unbound.
What he had obtained—
Was not a bloodline.
Not some flashy mutation.
Not an innate divine physique.
It was—
A key.
The Genetic Lock.
In the world of One Punch Man, it had another name—
Limiter.
All living beings had limits.
No matter what species—
No matter what form—
Growth had a ceiling.
Take a human, for example.
You start by lifting 100 kilograms.
You train every day.
Consume protein.
Push your body to its limits.
Gradually—
You improve.
100 becomes 200.
200 becomes 300.
Your strength increases rapidly.
But no matter how hard you train—
No matter what methods you use—
There will come a day…
When you stop improving.
Maybe that number is 450.
Maybe 500.
But once you reach it—
That's it.
No matter how much effort you put in—
You won't surpass it.
Because that—
Is your limit.
Your bones.
Your muscles.
Your cells.
They can only sustain so much.
Unless your bones become harder than alloys—
Weight will crush you.
Unless your muscle fibers surpass steel—
Force will tear them apart.
Unless your body abandons biological energy systems—
Even your nutrition won't sustain you.
That—
Is the Genetic Lock.
Genes determine everything.
Humans can refine technique endlessly—
But not strength.
Not without limit.
And this wasn't exclusive to humans.
Even beings like Thor…
Even Odin…
Were bound by limits.
You couldn't expect a motorcycle engine to power a supercar beyond its designed speed.
You couldn't expect a horse to carry an elephant and still outrun it.
When Peter was bitten by the spider—
His genes had already changed.
Enhanced.
Augmented.
He had surpassed human limits.
But now—
This was different.
The lock…
Was gone.
Not just human limits—
He could surpass the limits of all biological life in the universe.
…
"…At worst, I could end up like Saitama."
Peter let out a small laugh.
"But even Saitama might not be able to beat Ancient One or Odin."
"His strength hasn't reached a true absolute—he can break rules in his world, but here… maybe not."
Still—
That didn't matter.
Not now.
Because what he had gained—
Was possibility.
Infinite growth.
The very concept alone…
Was exhilarating.
"Two things humans can never resist," Peter muttered to himself.
"The desire to grow stronger… and the instinct to reproduce."
He smirked slightly.
"Looks like I'm doing pretty well on both fronts."
A distant sonic boom echoed through the sky.
With the Bifrost gone, the heavens had finally returned to calm.
And someone—
Who had been lost in the storm for quite some time—
Had finally found his way back.
Peter looked up.
At the red-and-gold figure rapidly approaching.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Asgard just took a huge loss this time…"
"Now the question is…"
"Will Loki still go crawling to Thanos?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Either way…"
"I should pay S.H.I.E.L.D. a visit."
The Infinity Stones…
"…are much safer in my hands."
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T/N:
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