Noah eyed the Punisher—Frank Castle—who had just invited him to join forces. But Noah had no intention of accepting the offer.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Noah replied bluntly.
Sure, he could take on petty criminals or the occasional bank robber, but the whole "vampire" situation? That was on a whole other level of risk. He wasn't exactly eager to tangle with the supernatural, especially with his current powers still developing. To him, getting caught up with vampires was more trouble than it was worth.
Seeing that Noah wasn't interested, Frank didn't press. He knew when to walk away. Besides, after their recent clash, he'd already had his pride dented enough for one day. But as he turned to leave, Noah stopped him.
"Wait—how come you're handling vampires, Frank? Isn't this usually Blade's territory?"
Frank's expression shifted, grim but steady. "Blade's been out of contact since the day before yesterday. It's looking like he's...gone."
With that, Frank left Noah standing there, contemplating this unexpected twist. So Blade, the vampire hunter himself, was missing? This was unsettling news.
"Do vampires really exist, Noah?" Peter asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
"You've seen mutants," Noah replied with a shrug. "Vampires? They're just another kind of threat hiding in the shadows. Honestly, most of them wouldn't stand a chance against you now, with your new powers."
Even as he tried to reassure Peter, Noah couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. He hadn't expected to end up dealing with plotlines from Blade's world while just trying to mind his own business. But he knew this wasn't the original Marvel universe—things had changed here, mixing characters and timelines from all over the multiverse. With vampires, Spider-Man, mutants, and Iron Man all existing in the same space, who knew what could happen next?
In his own way, Noah was preparing for the unknown. He picked up a heavy steel rod and tossed it to Peter. "Just like yesterday. Keep the rhythm but up your power by 20%."
Peter raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Following Noah's instructions, he increased his strength and resumed their sparring. The gym echoed with the sounds of metal striking like muffled thunder, causing some passersby below to glance up, wondering what kind of renovations were taking place.
This session ended sooner than the last one. After about twenty-five minutes, Peter had to pause to catch his breath, hands shaking from the effort. But Noah noticed his friend had seemed distracted the entire time.
"What's on your mind, Peter?" Noah asked, watching him closely.
Peter hesitated, then confessed, "It's what Frank said. Now that we have these abilities...shouldn't we use them? To help people, like those superheroes do?"
For a long moment, Noah simply stared at him, saying nothing. The silence stretched, and Peter started to squirm under his friend's gaze, worried he'd said something wrong.
Finally, Noah broke the silence. "Let's get back to training. You can think about superhero dreams later."
Peter let out a sigh of relief and resumed the exercise. Still, Noah knew that Peter's thoughts had already set him on a familiar, dangerous path. Even with Uncle Ben still alive, Peter was already craving the heroic life.
Noah, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated. Maybe he was paying Peter too well for the part-time gig. With his financial situation so stable, Peter seemed more interested in "higher callings." And Noah wasn't about to let Peter get himself hurt over some superhero ideals—at least not yet.
He'd recently invested a good chunk of cash into getting a custom-made stamping machine for his latest project, a move that had already stretched his budget. The machine, however, was a week or two away from delivery, which meant he still needed to make the most out of Peter's labor while he could.
So, without missing a beat, Noah turned to Peter, trying to reason with him. "Look, Peter, I'm not stopping you from following your dreams or whatever. But think it through. There's no pay, no benefits for heroes. And your uncle and aunt depend on you, don't they?"
Peter bit his lip, the excitement in his eyes dimming. He knew his family had been overjoyed when he brought home his first paycheck from Noah, and the thought of jeopardizing their stability made him hesitate.
"You're making good money now, Peter. I don't want to keep you from doing what you want, but you have a commitment here, at least for this first month," Noah said.
Peter nodded slowly, weighing his options. "You're right, Noah. I'll focus on my work. And… I'll figure the rest out as I go."
Relieved, Noah allowed himself a small smile. Sure, maybe his persuasion methods were a bit unconventional, but they worked. In the future, once his factory was up and running, Peter could be freed up to chase all the vampires or criminals he wanted. Until then, Noah needed his "high-value employee" firmly grounded.
In reality, Noah was already plotting his next move. Once the stamping machine arrived and his production started, he'd automate his operation. The machine wouldn't need emotional support or pep talks. It would be reliable, efficient, and—unlike Peter—never tempted by superhero fantasies.
In the meantime, Peter was back to training, blissfully unaware of Noah's hidden agenda. As he continued to train Noah, he felt nothing but gratitude for his friend's "guidance." In Peter's eyes, Noah was looking out for him, helping him find balance in his life.
Noah, on the other hand, was still figuring out how to keep Peter on the payroll just long enough to get his operations off the ground. And though he wasn't ready to admit it to himself, he knew he couldn't entirely ignore the idea of heroics. This world, with its chaotic mix of multiverse elements, was forcing him into a role he'd never planned for. No matter how much he resisted, things were bound to get even more complicated from here.
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Hmm, views and collections along with stones dropped significantly... Welp, gotta keep going.
So, this is my first time doing this. I hope you guys can help me improve by providing your feedback. Some stones would be nice. (づ ◕_◕ )づ