The early morning concluded without issue, but for Noah, a silent countdown had just begun. Today, Mark's Viltrumite DNA purity would reach its peak. He would finally awaken the abilities he had longed for, wanting to become just like Nolan, a hero.
With Mark awakening his abilities, things would only continue to go downhill from there. Nolan would betray his friends, murdering them in cold blood without a hint of mercy. Of course, Noah didn't expect Nolan to be compassionate or merciful.
In comparison to the cruel life he spent as a Viltrumite, a conqueror, twenty years was nothing. It was a miracle that Debbie managed to reach him at all.
Noah was prepared. The past years, while not sufficient, had been more than enough. Even if the system hadn't appeared a few months back, he would still have mounted meaningful resistance against the invasion.
The problem of time could have been easily solved when the Flaxans invaded, that would have been his final stage of preparation. But now, with how much power he had gained through the system, it would become an opportunity for him to sharpen himself even further.
Noah chose to show up at school today, not because of Eve but for the sake of appearances, or at least that was what he told himself. Just as he was placing books into his locker, his highly sensitive ears picked up what seemed to be an altercation between two people.
A quick glance confirmed their identities, a blonde-haired girl struggling to escape Todd's grasp. The girl was none other than Amber, Mark's soon-to-be girlfriend, at least if Noah's presence in the timeline hadn't already disrupted things.
Surprisingly, Mark was present at the scene, and just as he would have originally done, he confronted Todd. But this time, he wasn't the one on the receiving end. With Noah's persuasion, Mark was no longer a complete rookie, Noah had taught him a few things about fighting.
The altercation ended swiftly. Todd threw the first punch, but Mark quickly raised his guard. The blow was effortlessly blocked, and before Todd could react, Mark countered brutally. A few quick punches to key spots ensured Todd was properly disoriented.
Noah was clearly amused by the scene. Even with his disruption of the timeline, some things were still meant to happen, the outcome might just differ.
Just like in the original timeline, Amber was moved by Mark's courage and from Noah's brief observation, he could see feelings beginning to form in real time.
He didn't spare the scene any more attention and was just about to go about his business when Eve's voice suddenly caught his attention.
"Noah," Eve called, walking toward him with an eager smile and a flicker of something hopeful in her eyes, something that hinted she wanted more than just a casual talk.
Noah's lips curved slightly before he even realized it. "Eve," he greeted, his tone calm but softer than usual.
"Looks like someone's happy to see me," Eve teased, her smile widening.
His expression shifted almost immediately, the warmth fading from his face as if it had never been there. For a brief second, irritation flashed in his eyes. Losing control, even over something as small as a smile, was unacceptable.
"I was thinking about something before you showed up," Noah said, his voice steady again, hiding the brief crack in his composure.
Eve chuckled, tilting her head. "Still, it's rare to see you smile at all."
He gave a small shrug, his gaze distant. "Maybe you're right," he admitted. "Smiling makes it too easy for people to read you. I prefer not to give anyone that advantage."
"You've changed," Eve said, her brows furrowing slightly as she studied him.
"Oh?" Noah asked, half-amused. "How so?"
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I can't quite put my finger on it... but you're definitely not brooding as much lately."
Noah rolled his eyes with a faint smirk. "Whatever you say."
The conversation was about to close when Noah suddenly paused, Debbie's words once again echoing in his ears. For a brief second, he stole a glance at Eve.
He contemplated deeply. A part of him still despised the idea of making a move, especially when harsh times were just ahead, but another part, the one that longed for change and remembered the regrets of his past, prevailed.
Eve shifted uneasily under his gaze, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks as she looked away.
"Noah?" she asked softly, uncertain.
"Eve," he said, his tone steady, "how would you like to be my girlfriend?"
There was no hesitation, no buildup, just a simple, direct question. Noah saw no reason for drawn-out dates, empty small talk, or the slow dance most people called romance.
He liked her, and she liked him back. Their interests aligned, so the outcome seemed obvious or so he thought. Human emotions, after all, could be unpredictable.
Eve's flustered expression froze, her eyes widening in disbelief at his sudden question. "What?" she blurted out, worried she might have misheard him.
"I like you, Eve," Noah said, his tone calm and even. "If you don't mind, I'd like to give us a try... unless you don't feel the same way."
Eve's shock slowly faded as she regained her composure. She wasn't the type to fluster easily, this had only caught her off guard. After all, the last thing she expected was for the usually distant Noah to suddenly ask her out. For a moment, she had to resist the urge to pinch herself, just to be sure she wasn't dreaming.
"I... I do," she said softly, hesitation lingering in her voice.
A faint, genuine smile curved across Noah's face. "So, what do you say? Will you be my girl?" he asked, gently taking her hand in his.
Eve's uncertainty melted almost instantly. A smile tugged at her lips as she nodded, eyes glimmering with relief and joy. However unexpected and sudden it was, she'd always wanted this. She'd waited more than two years.
"Yes."
At home, Noah crashed into his bed exhausted, training was exhausting as it had always been. Even though progress had begun to dip sharply recently, he still pushed, training rigorously. It took most of his energy, but he was slowly starting to get used to it.
"Dinner's ready," Noah muttered, his nose picking up the aroma wafting through the air. Before going downstairs, he opened the system interface.
————————
[Name: Noah Silver]
[Age: 17]
[Gender: Male]
[Height: 185 cm / 6'1"]
──────────────
[Abilities]
— Cold Breath Lv.1
→ Status: Awakened | 50% XP to Lv.2
— Flight Lv.2
→ Status: Novice | 97% XP to Lv.3
— Parallel Processing Lv.3
→ Status: Proficient | 97% XP to Lv.4
— Frequency Manipulation Lv.3
→ Status: Proficient | 14% XP to Lv.4
— Astral Projection Lv.3
→ Status: Proficient | 99% XP to Lv.4
— Extrasensory Perception Lv.4
→ Status: Adept | 67% XP to Lv.5
— Bioluminescence Lv.4
→ Status: Adept | 89% XP to Lv.5
— Hypermotility Lv.5
→ Status: Expert | 27% XP to Lv.6
— Telekinesis Lv.6
→ Status: Master | 5% XP to Lv.7
— Genius Intellect Lv.6
→ Status: Master | 97% XP to Lv.7
──────────────
[System Functions]
— Ability Synthesis-Fusion
— Ability Upgrade
— Auto-Train (5/5)
— Mission
──────────────
[System Data]
— Daily Ability Refresh: 4h 37m
— Ability Points: 1475
————————
Noah smiled in satisfaction. The past two weeks hadn't been especially generous, he'd only gained two abilities worth keeping, but even that was enough to please him. Each new power brought him closer to what he envisioned for himself.
His gaze lingered on the shimmering icons before tapping the Auto Train function. The display expanded instantly.
———————
— Auto Train — Lv.4
— Lv.4 (1/1) 2XP/1H
— Lv.3 (2/2) 4XP/1H
— Lv.2 (3/3) 8XP/1H
— Lv.1 (4/4) 16XP/1H
———————
Noah nodded approvingly before dismissing the interface. He stretched slightly, ready to head downstairs for dinner, when his phone buzzed against the desk, drawing his attention.
"Eve?" he muttered, glancing at the caller ID. His frown quickly melted into a grin.
He answered almost instantly. "Hey," he said, his tone effortlessly calm, carrying that quiet warmth that always seemed to put people at ease.
"Hey," Eve replied, a soft giggle escaping her. "Didn't think you'd pick up that fast."
"Why would you think that?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow even though she couldn't see it.
"I don't know," she teased. "It just seems like something you'd do."
Noah shook his head with a faint smirk. "You must think so little of me."
Eve brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling despite herself. "You can't blame me. That's the impression you give."
"How do you see me in your head?" Noah asked, curiosity lacing his tone.
Eve paused, pretending to think, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Hmm… apart from the constant brooding, you definitely give off emotionally unavailable vibes."
"Well, I can't blame you…" Noah began, a faint chuckle escaping him.
"Eve!" a thick voice called from the background, unmistakably her dad's.
Eve's tone shifted slightly. "Uh, how about we talk later? I've got dinner."
Noah nodded. "Yeah, me too. Talk to you later," he said before ending the call.
For a moment, he just sat there in silence, phone still in hand. The emotions swirling in his chest felt strange, foreign yet somehow, they left him smiling more than usual.
At dinner, Noah was the first to sit down, soon joined by Mark, who wore a strange grin that hadn't left his face all evening. A moment later, Nolan appeared in a blur, taking his seat as if nothing unusual had happened.
"So, Mark, how was your day?" Debbie asked casually, setting the roasted chicken on the table, the scent of herbs and butter filling the room.
Mark leaned back slightly, grin widening. "It was… interesting."
Debbie smiled, giving Nolan a quick glance. "Oh? What happened?"
"I awakened my powers."