*Bzzzzzzzt!*
"Arrrghhhhh!"
*Bzzz...*
"Peter, I think we should stop for today. You have been exposed to strong PSI-Waves for the past eight hours. Your stress levels have crossed today's mark an hour ago." Eryl instructed Peter in a worried tone as Peter panted, on his knees in a poor condition as he tried not to throw up. "You shouldn't overexert-"
"N-No! I... I must do this. O-One more time! One more!" Peter shook his head defiantly.
"Peter, I don't recommend it-"
"I can handle it. I can." Peter said resolutely as he cut Eryl off and tried to curb her worries. "My body evolves and adapts quickly physically. Putting my body through hellish training that forces my body to break and mend itself allowed me to get this stronger. It is the same mentally, though the process is significantly slow. So, to get the results I desire as soon as possible I have to overexert my brain to the point of frying it and then letting my ever-evolving physiology do the rest and improve my brain so that it can withstand the PSI-Waves. I won't die, Eryl. In the worst-case scenario, I won't be able to wake up for a week at most."
"..."
"Trust me, Eryl. I can do this."
"Alright. Please brace yourself then." Eryl said in a resigned voice as Peter smiled. "PSI-Waves discharging in three... two... one!"
*Bzzzzzzzt!*
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"
------
"Sippin' on straight chlorine, Let the vibes slide over me, This beat is a chemical, beat is a chemical."
"Should I increase the PSI-Waves output, Peter?" Eryl asked a bit hesitant as she questioned Peter who was slowly nodding to the rhythm of the beat, humming softly as he read a book called 'Secrets of Human Mind and Psionic Awakening' by Charles Xavier while he sat on the floor of an empty white room. "You are doing well at this level. Performing Telekinesis, while also sorting information you are collecting through your hive-mind network and reading a book. It's safe to say this is parallel performance at its peak."
"Mmhmm." Peter smiled as he turned a page of the book he was reading. Floating in front of him were 3 sets of a book and a pen. Peter was noting down important information he was receiving from his spiders that he had scattered around the world as an exercise. "Yeah, sure. Please do."
"Alright, once you adapt to the last level. We can proceed to the next part of your mental training that I've designed according to the data I have gathered from your progress so far." Eryl instructed as Peter nodded. She increased the level of PSI-Waves and Peter's smile strained for a moment as the books that were afloat flattered a bit. A moment later Peter's strained smile vanished as he resumed his reading while the floating books also stopped wobbling. "Next part, we will have you rewiring your brain from the inside actively to achieve the results you desire. Psychic Sheild and Total Control are your major objective for now. Once you develop your Psychic Sheild you would be immune from telepaths once you train it to its fullest extent. Total Control, aside from allowing you to bypass mental limitations and control 100 per cent of your muscles, it will also allow you to control your evolution voluntarily."
"Great." Peter smiled as he kept reading the book. "Charles would have never imagined that someone would use his knowledge and utilize it to upgrade their own brains beyond the human limitations."
"Yes, but to be fair. No one else besides you can do it. Charles himself couldn't do it as he does not have the ever-evolving physiology you do." Eryl added her two cents causing Peter to hum in agreement. "Anyways, the fourth stage of our training would be utilising all of your new abilities and applying them to actual combat. SPARTAN MARK VIII has been optimised as well conveniently. This training is going to be more gruelling than any training you have done before. Are you prepared, Peter?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Peter grinned widely for the first time as his slitted red eyes gleamed with excitement.
------
"Please do not run away from me, Master! Please-"
Ducking under a horizontal slash meant to behead him, Peter used the moment and rolled on the ground further creating distance between him and the SPARTAN bot that was screaming in its robotic voice.
"You know! I kind of regret letting Juno have full authorization to the SPARTANS!" Peter yelled as he used his newfound telekinetic powers to slow down the next attack of the bot.
"You are only regretting it now?". Eryl asked a bit dumbfounded causing Peter to grumble to himself lightly.
"Master-
"Well, I gave her the benefit of doubt but now..." Peter leaned to the left avoiding a stab. Twisting his hips he backhanded the bot in the face, knocking it back a bit. Peter quickly followed the initial attack with a quick succession of punches to the face and the neck while deflecting any attacks that came his way. "I need to disciple her a bit."
Peter kicked the bot to the side of the knee before grabbing its head and smashing it into the ground.
"Hah... As I expected..." Peter sighed as he looked at the broken bot at his feet. Peter smirked raising his hand as he grabbed the blade aimed at his neck without looking back. "These elegant-looking fighting styles, They don't suit me."
*Snap!*
Peter snapped the blade in half as he spun on his heel and elbowed the bot in the gut with a quick burst of explosive strength and speed launching it off its feet and sending it flying backwards. Peter smirked like a savage as he raised his hand. "I prefer to get as wild as I can."
Utilising his new power, Peter stopped the bot mid-air from crashing into the vault. Will a quick yanking motion Peter pulled the bot towards himself.
Ejecting his talons, Peter grinned as the bot approached him, channeling black-lightning through his hands he slashed the bot and it exploded the fire consuming Peter as well.
"Peter!" Eryl called out in alert as the smoke cleared out.
"Hmm." Peter hummed to himself as he stood there surrounded by burning scrap, entirely unscathed except for the tattered sleeves of his black skin-tight training tee. "I'm glad that I am rich. Because these metal-men are quite expensive."
"...I am glad that you are okay." Was all Eryl could say looking at the nonchalant Peter.
"Ah, me too, darling." Peter smiled as he began walking towards the exit. "Anyways, it's study time. Did you buy all the stuff that I highlighted last week?"
"Yes, I bought all tomes and scrolls you had listed. Frank is leading the convoy. He said he'll be at the HQ in an hour or so." Eryl replied.
"Well, that's awesome. It's sooner than I thought it would be here."
"It's on time because it's Frank. If it was Wade in his stead, the convoy getting blown to the smithereens would be the least of our worries." Eryl deadpanned as Peter chuckled.
"Haha, let the guy be Eryl. Anyways, Let's head straight to the HQ then."
"Got it. Preparing, ground bridge."
------
"Peter, I think you need to take a break now." MJ said sternly as she walked into his new study room which thankfully wasn't a mess as a whole.
The bookshelf was neatly arranged according, categorised according to its contents. Through there was literature from various languages and fields, the majority of them was overwhelming magic related. Arance history, magic and its application, witchcraft, modern utilisation of mystic arts, ancient and forgotten, forbidden spells and so the list went on.
Opposite the nearly arranged bookshelf and the spotless floor, the walls of the study were thickly covered by paper containing strange signs, sigils and runes MJ couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Magic Circles drawn elegantly were, stuck in the wall as well as above his study table as Peter read, yet again a thick suspicious-looking black tome.
"... scan this page as well and highlight this particular area. This refers to the diffusion of mana, once the mana pool of the user is sabotaged or contaminated. Ordinary sabotage may lead to the user simply losing his ability to use magic or in the worst-case scenario using magic with a damaged core might end up draining the user of its life force. But if the mana core is contaminated the original mana would defuse and it would lead to the accumulation of dark mana or any similar energy." Peter scratched his cheek as he instructed Eryl. "Ahem... anyway hey, MJ! Oh, is that my coffee?
"You weren't listening were you?" MJ asked as she shook her head as she entered the room and took a seat in Peter's lap. Handing the cup to Peter, she leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "Also, yes. Your coffee."
"Haha, thanks, babe." Peter took a sip of the coffee before kissing MJ's cheek softly making her smile as she leaned into his chest. "I heard you quite well but I cannot just rest now. I have never been so fascinated by something MJ. This is a whole new world to me. A simple word, Magic and yet there are so many different interpretations of it, so many different versions and power systems built around the same type of energy and the strangest part of it is that none of them is inaccurate. All the magic power systems I came across, all work, quite effectively if I might add. They are not a hoax, all have different paths and all yield different results. It's fascinating trying to understand it all."
"...you know. When you first brought this up to us. I'm not gonna lie. I thought you had gone crazy-"
"Ouch."
"Then, you gave us a quick demonstration and well, I'm glad I didn't pass out this time." MJ smiled sheepishly as Peter grinned. "We all accepted it, with all kinds of superheroes and supervillains around, magic being real doesn't seem like a big deal now. Then, I began to think, my boyfriend is already so powerful right now, I can't imagine just how scary he would be once he starts pulling rabbit out of his hat."
"Hahaha!" Peter laughed heartily as MJ giggled. "That was a good one, bae. But you know, I'm still the same for my ladies and my buddies. Even if I become an outlandish existence I would still be the same, Peter to you."
"I know, I know."
"Then you should know something else too. In this universe, we reside in. Even if I had the best tools, the best set of powers you could imagine, there will always be someone who could strong-arm me into the dirt." Peter said as MJ hummed into his chest.
"It just seems outrageous just thinking about it. The more I think about it, the more powerless and insignificant I begin to feel." MJ muttered softly to Peter as he looked down at her peaceful face. "I know, that I have you and you'll do everything you can to protect me. To protect everybody, but I still fear that... I can't even say it."
"I know, how it feels like. That's why I'm doing this. I am preparing myself, in case any one of those outrageous existence looked down at us and tried to lay an arm on my family." Peter looked into MJ's eyes as he displayed his conviction to her. "I swear to God, be it anyone, I'll fucking cut it off and make them eat it."
"..." MJ looked into Peter's eyes and leaned in to kiss him. They both shared a quiet, passionate kiss as they let the silence convey their feelings for each other. Pulling back, MJ caressed Peter's cheek as she smiled. "You sound really scary and a lot crazy when you say stuff like that. But, I am glad to be your lover because I know you will do it for my sake, for our sake."
"Yes, I will. I'll do it again and again. A hundred times over to keep you all safe."
"I love you, Peter."
"And I love you more, Mary Jane."
------
Alternative Titles :
- Exp Up!
- Prof 'Spider' X
- 'Till I Collapse
------
Yo, so... I'm a bit down today.
I lost my job due to a fight with my superior and I'm jobless rn. So, I didn't have the motivation to write this chapter but somehow I managed.
This is basically a training montage and the next chapter will be similar. Let me know what more powers you would like. Also, keep it tame, y'all. You all have some wild ideas and it's hard to integrate that into the story but I'm doing the most I can from your comments. Also, since you all voted. No suppression seals on Peter. Instead, he will use them as universal handcuffs.
Also, I recently picked up a Korean Manhwa called Nano Machine. The premise is that a weak prince is on the verge of being assassinated and is then saved by a mysterious stranger claiming to be his descendant from the future. After saving the price, the strange injects the MC with nano machine. And the rest of the story is about MC's quest to power using the abilities of the Nano Machine.
I loved every second of it. It was a really pleasant reading experience so far and I've got so many ideas from it and I definitely recommend it to you. The MC isn't a loser, nor a retard, nor a simp, but a brutal, ruthless avenger. Also, antagonist and supporting characters feel very real. It's really well written. I definitely recommend it to you all.
'Nano Machine' by Hanjungwolya and Geumgangbulgoe
Anyways, I'll see you in the next one. Bye.
PS: Modern western comic writers should learn from the east instead of being butt-hurt and jealous about it.