Bursting out of the gang's dungeon, Aurelius Viremont quickly scanned his surroundings. Using the original owner's memories, he confirmed his suspicions: he was indeed in the heart of Hell's Kitchen.
Once he pinpointed his location, Aurelius Viremont took off in a specific direction.
His identity as a mutant had been exposed the moment he awakened. Now, he was a wanted man. Not only would the authorities be hunting him, but the gang he had just decimated wouldn't let this slide either. Before killing the leader, Aurelius Viremont had learned they were underlings of Kingpin—the "Underground Emperor" of New York. A man like Fisk would never overlook someone who crippled his business and slaughtered his men.
Faced with the threat of being hunted by both the law and the underworld, increasing his power was his absolute priority.
Because of the continuous use of "Limitless" and the two consecutive casts of "Course Technique Lapse: Blue," the energy in his body was nearly depleted. If a pursuit team caught him now, he wouldn't have the strength to fight back.
Rounding a corner, Aurelius Viremont's eyes lit up as a large transformer came into view. He let out a sigh of relief. Electricity was the most accessible energy source he could think of—his lifeline to surviving this early stage.
With the precise control granted by the Six Eyes, Aurelius Viremont activated his Energy Absorption. He began to draw the current from the transformer, carefully pacing the intake to match his body's current limit.
[Energy Points +1]
[Energy Points +1]
[Energy Absorption XP +1]
Watching the points climb and feeling the familiar warmth fill his veins, Aurelius Viremont allowed himself a satisfied smile. Once his reserves were nearly full, he began to practice his techniques.
The abilities granted by the system started at Level 1; they required constant use to evolve. While his "Blue" was powerful, it was currently far from the world-shaking force wielded by Satoru Gojo. However, with the system, Aurelius Viremont knew that if he leveled his skills high enough, he could eventually surpass the original template itself.
Analyzing his arsenal, the Six Eyes provided utility rather than raw power. Energy Absorption would likely be his fastest-leveling skill through constant use. Limitless was unique; leveling it would primarily reduce its massive energy drain until it reached a breakthrough stage.
That left Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue. Currently, the skill was a bit of a "glass cannon"—powerful against ordinary humans but slow and small. Against other mutants or superhumans, it would be too easy to dodge.
With the aid of the Six Eyes, Aurelius Viremont began condensing a blue singularity the size of a ping-pong ball, meticulously controlling its movement through the air.
[Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue XP +1]
[Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue XP +1]
Level 1 skills leveled up quickly. Hidden away in the transformer room, Aurelius Viremont spent three hours absorbing power and refining his control. Finally, the system chimed.
[Congratulations! Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue has leveled up!]
[Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue Lv.2 (1/300)]
The moment it was upgraded, a flood of new insights entered his mind. Though the description remained similar, Aurelius Viremont could feel the difference—the speed, stability, and sheer gravitational pull had shifted to an entirely different league.
He was just about to test the new output when he heard the sharp click of a firearm being cocked behind him.
"Hey, kid. Hand over everything you've got, or I'll let this gun do the talking!"
Through the Six Eyes, Aurelius Viremont had sensed the man approaching long ago. He had already activated his Limitless barrier. He turned around slowly to see a middle-aged, scruffy man pointing a handgun at him—a classic New York mugging.
The man had been looking to get lucky today, and he thought he'd found the perfect mark. But as he got a closer look at Aurelius Viremont's face, his eyes widened. He licked his lips with a greasy, lewd smile.
"Actually, I changed my mind. Give me the money, then turn around and lean against that wall. I'm gonna have some fun with you."
The disgusting comment instantly killed Aurelius Viremont's patience. He had intended to use the man as a test subject for his new Level 2 skill; now, he just wanted to erase him from existence.
Just as Aurelius Viremont raised his hand to cast "Blue," a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
A slender, agile figure clad in a black-and-white skin-tight suit and a hood swung in on a web. She delivered a powerful kick that sent the mugger flying. Before he could hit the ground, several webs snared him, pinning him firmly to a nearby lamppost.
The hooded girl clung to the side of a building, her body positioned effortlessly as she looked down at Aurelius Viremont.
"Are you okay, sir? Don't worry about thanking me. I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman!"
Spider-Woman?
Aurelius Viremont recognized her immediately. Gwen Stacy? Why was the Spider-hero Gwen instead of Peter Parker? Was this not the MCU, but some version of the Spider-Gwen universe?
While Aurelius Viremont was lost in thought, Gwen grew concerned. She saw the tattered clothes and the countless scars covering his skin. Though most of the wounds looked closed, the sheer volume of them was gruesome.
"Sir, you're hurt. Do you need me to get you to a hospital?"
Aurelius Viremont had always liked Gwen's character—brave, strong, and compassionate. He shook his head. "No, I'm fine."
"But—"
Gwen started to protest, but her Spider-Sense suddenly screamed!
Danger!
She instinctively lunged to grab Aurelius Viremont and pull him to safety. But as she swung away, her eyes widened in confusion. She hadn't been able to grab him! Her hand had stopped inches from his shoulder, as if an invisible wall was pushing her away.
What?!
Before she could process the failure, the sound of exploding bricks and collapsing timber filled the alley.
"Oh no!"
A massive, reptilian form—the Lizard—crashed through the transformer room, obliterating everything in its path. Gwen's heart sank. She didn't think the young man could have survived such a direct hit. Because of her moment of confusion, an innocent person had just been crushed... or so she thought.