The next day started with breakfast for me. Which was a bit disappointing, since Lena and I had already eaten the meal Erina had prepared and now everything seemed a bit bland. My sister tried to find out who made it, but never got anywhere. So she sulked at me on the way to the university, though she wished me luck before we split up.
All the acceptable bloodlines that could make me stronger right now are either expensive or have the unpleasant consequence of changing my appearance. The Atlanteans were stronger than humans... but they were stronger in the water, while on land they were weaker and there was no point in taking them. There was a pedigree of demons, but I do not want to become a demon... certainly not in this world. Suddenly one of the mages will come and immediately send me to hell, it is better not to risk it.
That's why it's better to finish university and interview professors, write my thesis, and so on, and after I've dealt with Lex, I'll be able to think about more.
Today is the first of the new month and I can buy a hundred Gachi points again, and I've already checked the price and it's two dollars instead of one. Still a small amount of money, but as time goes on, the value may get bigger and bigger. During the breaks between chatting with professors, I looked into the Chat.
Hermione Granger: I don't know what to do!
Hermione Granger: I talked to Professor McGonagall, but she said I have an overdeveloped fantasy and need to sleep! Even Ron and Harry didn't believe me, even though they tried to pretend they didn't!
Shinoa Hiragi: Your problems are easily solved, especially if you're starting to look like that at fifteen... even though you didn't send a picture of yourself, I still know you're pretty. I guess in real life you've already had your time...
Hermione Granger: I'm not laughing right now! You-know-who's coming back, under the guise of Professor Groom there's actually going to be a dark wizard, and no one believes me! Oh, and you didn't send any pictures of yourself either!
Anthony (Admin): Don't be so nervous Hermie, it's a version of a parallel world to you and it doesn't have to be that way. How much was the Memory Copy like reality?
Hermione Granger: Well, from what I saw...almost everything was just as I remembered. But, of course, many details are missing, but the most important things are exactly the same.Shinoa Hiragi: Administrator-kun is being so informal with Hermione-chan... umm, is there something behind that?
Anthony (Administrator): What kind of thoughts you have for a girl of fifteen... well, in your world it can't be any other way. Didn't they give you a loud guy in the squad yet?
Shinoa Hiragi: Squad? A loud guy?
Anthony (Administrator): Exactly. You're trying to contain your demon right now, why did you decide to participate in the Chat more actively?
Shinoa Hiragi: Administrator-kun knows a lot, he probably knows the colour of my panties too...
Anthony (Admin): Somehow I didn't think about the underwear of a fifteen year old girl, you never answered the question.
Shinoa Hiragi: Curiosity aroused.
Anthony (Administrator): So you don't want to know about your future?
Shinoa Hiragi: Even if I die, I don't think anyone will care. So I don't really care.
Anthony (Administrator): I'll care.
Anthony (Admin): Okay I have to go now. Hermione don't do anything reckless, I'll be free in a couple of hours and we can talk in more detail. You're a smart girl and should realise that sometimes the best solution is to sit back and be quiet.
Tearing myself away from the screen, I went back to the professor's classroom. Close to three o'clock in the afternoon I was free and went to pick up Lena, who was waiting near the university exit.
«How was your credit? - I asked her, not paying attention to the pretty brunette literally staring at me... a very familiar brunette.
«Hello, you're Anthony Luthor, and you're Lena Luthor, brother and sister of the infamous Lex Luthor. - said the brunette, tactlessly asking us a question to our faces. She was holding a tape recorder.
«Um, excuse me Miss..." a slightly flustered Lena tried to say something, and not in a good way.
«We are tired of studying Miss Journalist, could you please not disturb us? - I asked with a tired smile.
«I'm Lois Lane, Daily Planet. I understand, but could you answer just one question? When was the last time you saw your big brother? Is it true that he left you?
«That was two questions. - I said, glancing down at my sister. - Lex and I haven't seen each other in a while, he's got his life and we've got ours. - I said honestly.
«Don't you want to..." she stopped as she noticed a tall guy, a little taller than me, a little over six feet tall and obviously well muscled, holding on awkwardly to his glasses. - You're such a retard Smallville, I already asked all the questions.
«Oh, I'm sorry," he apologised. - You...
«They are Luthor's relatives. - She nodded, rolling her eyes at her partner's embarrassment.
«'We've answered your questions, so we'll be on our way. - I said and stood behind my sister and rolled her pram towards the underground.
«Hey, it'll wait...damn. Clark, you're as usual..." I heard the last of it. I, myself, felt weird. Realising that this kind of awkward-looking guy can take tank shells at point-blank range and not scratch himself makes me tense, even though I know he's kind of a positive human... alien.
In a way, I understand Bruce's concern that such a huge force in the hands of one man was dangerous... he changed his viewpoint a bit over time, but he still had a weapon against the Kryptonians, and especially against Clark. Clark could vaporise me with a glance, even with a sneeze. And I'm well aware that I can't do anything about it, we're just on completely different levels.
That's when Stark's skills and knowledge made themselves felt. The Mark XLIV suit, i.e. the Hulkbuster, might give me a slight chance... but I doubt that without the same Vibranium I'd be able to do anything against a less-than-serious superman.
Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark (A) (20%)
I already know how to build this suit and know its capabilities, and I also know roughly what Clark's capabilities are, so I realise that the suit won't help... unless I have kryptonite. But there's more than one superman here, and Wonder Woman can probably handle the armour too, especially with an Eighth Metal sword. And then there are magical beings like Black Adam, or even Red Lanterns... or gods....
«Are you okay? - I asked my sister, who was still silent.
«I'm fine. - she said, obviously lying.
«Sister I know when you're lying... like now. I'm sorry I had to meet with the press.
«No, don't apologise... it's just unpleasant to be asked about him. It's hard to call us family with that attitude. - I heard a heavy sigh from the girl.
«Keep your head up. Do you want me to try to order something from that "wonder chef"? Like sweets.
«Can you do that? - The girl turned her head sharply and met my smirk. - To-o-nee!
«I can, I can! Most likely... if this cook responds. But I promise I'll try my best.
«Hmm, okay. - she gave me a proud look, but she couldn't quite hide her smile.Once inside the flat, I kissed my sister on the forehead and quickly headed towards my room under Lena's own indignant shouting.
«I see you're having fun. - I heard Cortana's voice and her avatar appeared on the table above the holoprojector...the second one. Tony's knowledge and the AI's detailed explanation of how to build a similar holocron had piqued my interest in invention, so it wasn't too hard to make a copy. Even if it was slightly inferior to the original holoprojector.
«Not without that. How's your progress with learning about the current economy?
«I've already looked into it and analysed LexCorp's assets so I know how much work we have to do. Not too much for me. - I distinctly heard a hint of pride in the AI's words.
«I didn't doubt it, you're an AI from the future. Especially we found out that your personality imprint was copied from a human. - he spoke as he opened the Gacha. Cortana didn't have any restrictions on the information she could give out, so she looked deeper into her databases and found out that she was a copy of a woman's personality... well, there's a long story there, but with Cortana here now, there's no point in talking about it much.
«And it was a blow to me. Almost as much as your brother finding out that his brother was graduating from university. - came through the Avatar's voice.
«Don't exaggerate. Your personality matrix is based on a human, so your morals and attitudes are human plus or minus, and I've already checked the programme I've written... or rather part of it, and it's a masterpiece. - I confessed. Even with 20% of Stark's knowledge and skills I didn't understand much, but it's a matter of time.
I pulled two hundred dollars out of my wallet and chose the option to pay for a hundred Gacha Points. The money disappeared and the points appeared in "status".
Name: Anthony Joseph Luthor
Race: Human
Title: Brother of the villain, "Genius".
Total Power: 10-B (The strength of a normal human being capable of at most lifting twice his weight).
Assimilated Characters:
Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark (A) (20%)
Abilities:»
Gacha Points: 103
The next time I can get a hundred points won't be until a month from now, so this is the last chance to get something good anytime soon.
«Well, if you say so... - I heard Cortana's voice and the projection of her avatar disappeared.
Apparently she had a lot to think about. As I did, however, I started ten simultaneous scrolls on the Gacha window that appeared.
Giant's Rotten Tooth (D).
Teleport of Destiny (A)
Albedo (B)
Shampoo (E)
Batarang (D)
Weakness Deliverance Card (C)
Bus Wheel (E)
A4 Sheet (E)
Fairy Dust (C)
Scissors (E)
Once again I was lucky enough to get an A rank item, but upon reading the description I was somewhat... not that disappointed, more like confused. "Teleport of Destiny" literally did what it has in its name. When activated, this card teleports me somewhere within the planet where I will meet my fate, whatever that means. And I wasn't going to use it at the moment, too dangerous for me.
But the Rank B Item, Albedo, did not disappoint me. This card had a young looking blond guy with bright blue eyes drawn on it.
This is a character card from a game I'm familiar with, Genshin Impact. He's quite a strong personality and most importantly, he's a genius at alchemy. As far as I remember he is able to do a lot of things, including controlling Geo, that is, the element of earth with the help of the "Eye of God", a special artefact given to him by the Archon, consider him a god. He can use magic perfectly, including elemental energy and various spells. But again, the most important is Alchemy. This is an ancient art that can be used to manipulate the physical properties and fundamental principles of matter... including the ability to create full life.
Albedo also had quite a bit of combat experience, which would also be of great use to me. So I didn't hesitate to choose to assimilate the character and immediately felt some changes.
Albedo (B) (1%)
«What a... strange feeling. - I uttered. I immediately felt that even that one per cent made my body a lot stronger than it was before. However, as far as I remember he is an artificially created human, and a more perfect creation than even the dragons of that world... as far as I remember, anyway. That one per cent gave me instant knowledge of alchemy. Picking up a pencil from the table, I began to follow the memory I had received and... the pencil crumbled into a handful of something resembling ashes.
«Tony, what did you just do? - I heard the AI's voice.
«Transformed the pencil into... into something. I guess I still don't know enough," I exhaled. It doesn't work with living things, because they have aura and soul. Just then, as if in my periphery, I felt... felt something malleable, something waiting for my command to move and change. Earth.
«How I wish I had full sensors to analyse and other sensors. Was it magic?
«Something like that. I'll tell you when I understand more myself. - I answered Cortana, still enjoying the sensation. But I need to remember to contact Hermione.
***
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