So, I decided to go to Berlin, Germany, and then head to England, U.K., right after. Hopefully, it will be around 9:30 p.m. when I'll set off for the Amazon Rainforest. With a plan in place, I'll teleport back home after each visit to avoid raising any suspicions from my family.
Glancing at the digital map for the next treasure chest location, I closed my eyes, focusing my will on teleporting there. In an instant, I vanished from my room, reappearing in Berlin, Germany, in what seemed to be a quiet, empty train station. After confirming I was alone, I made my way to the exit, mentally mapping out the next steps to locate the treasure. Realizing it was already evening, I decided against sightseeing and focused on the mission. The chest I was after had originally been discovered by the boss of one of Berlin's most notorious gangs, adding an extra layer of danger to the task.
I soon reached an area crowded with parked motorcycles, facing a graffiti-covered, three-story building where gang members loitered, smoking and joking. To avoid confrontation, I activated my abilities, subtly hypnotizing them so I became invisible in their eyes. Skirting the edge of the building, I found a narrow walkway that led around to the backyard, but my destination lay further ahead. Following the path alongside a small river that ran behind the building, I continued for several feet until I noticed something partially hidden beneath a pile of trash along the riverbank.
With a sense of anticipation, I moved the garbage aside to reveal a small chest, still intact. The moment my fingers brushed its surface, it began to glow, the lid swinging open to reveal a vial of silvery-gray liquid inside. Without hesitation, I uncorked the vial and drank, finding the taste surprisingly pleasant. Almost immediately, I was overwhelmed by an intense awareness, feeling the weight of the Earth pressing on space, and beyond that, the gravity of every planet in our solar system. I could sense the massive forces required to bend space and create the pull of gravity, understanding with clarity the precise weight of each celestial object.
This newfound perception was part of my latest bloodline power. I realized that I now held the ability to manipulate mass, allowing me to increase or decrease the weight of any object I wished. I could make an object so light it floated beyond Earth's pull or so dense that it created its own gravitational force. Around me, a biosphere formed, extending mere micrometers from my skin, but with a thought, I sensed I could expand it to encompass not just Earth but the entire solar system. The power to compress matter into singularities and create black holes was now at my fingertips, a realization that stunned me. With my chaos and space bloodline knowledge, I fully understood the terrifying implications of black holes, and knowing that I could birth one at will was exhilarating yet daunting.
I now felt impervious to the gravitational forces of any celestial body, giving me the freedom to fly, unhindered, and with the combined control of space and gravity I can fly at speeds faster than light itself. Yet I sensed that traveling faster than even a quarter of the speed of light would risk catastrophic damage to Earth if I did so. The incredible powers I had gathered made me feel almost otherworldly, and the anticipation of discovering what else I could do fueled an excitement that left me eager for the next adventure. There were still more powers to unlock, and I couldn't wait to experience each and every one.
I teleported back home, realizing that only about 30 minutes had passed since I first left. Arriving in my room, I went outside to see what was going on. My sister had finished her homework and was now watching cartoons, while my mom was busy preparing dinner. As I entered the living room, my mom noticed me and said, "Are you hungry? In about 30 minutes, dinner will be ready, so don't snack on anything, okay?" I nodded and glanced at my sister, completely absorbed in her show. I then headed back to my room, still thinking about my next destination and hoping to wrap things up before dinner.
Checking Angela's map, I found the location of the next treasure chest: London, England, U.K. The moment I willed it, I teleported, arriving within a nanosecond in an alley near the Big Ben clock tower. It was already getting late, and the tower was closed to the public. Without hesitation, I used my powers to make myself invisible to everyone within a ten-mile radius and quickly flew up to the clock tower. Once inside, in a dusty, hidden corner of the clockwork, I spotted a small chest. When I touched it, a broken vial appeared and disappeared in a flickering loop. Realizing it involved time manipulation, I timed my movements, grabbing the vial when it reappeared.
Opening the vial, I drank its contents, and instantly, everything around me froze. The city was bathed in silence, with birds hanging still in mid-air. Experimenting with my newfound control over time, I focused on a bird perched on a windowsill. Willing time forward, I watched it age, decay, and decompose in mere seconds. Reversing the process, the bird returned to normal as if nothing had happened. After taking a moment to appreciate this power, I resumed time throughout the city.
Deciding to return home since it had only been about 20 minutes since my mom said dinner would be ready, I teleported back. As soon as I arrived, I heard footsteps, followed by a knock on my door. My little sister entered, beaming. "Big Brother, were you listening to music? Mom called you, but you didn't answer, so she told me to tell you dinner's ready. Wash your hands and come down, okay?"
Seeing her pout, I smiled and replied, "Alright, Jenny. Go ahead, I'll be down after I wash up." She nodded, grinning, and dashed out, calling down to our mom that I was on my way. Taking the cue, I headed to the bathroom, washed my hands, and joined the family at the dinner table. I couldn't fully enjoy the meal, though, knowing I had unfinished business. After chatting briefly, I excused myself and returned to my room, locking the door behind me.
The next location on the digital map was Winchester, England. Teleporting there, I found myself on the outskirts of the city, near a lake. Checking the map, I confirmed that the Divine sword was submerged somewhere in the lake. Walking to the lake's edge, I noticed families and fishermen with lanterns, enjoying the evening. Scanning the lakebed, I saw a faint glow emanating from a stone in the depths—a sword, embedded in the rock like a relic. Excited, I froze time in the surrounding area to avoid attention and dove into the lake.
As I approached the sword, a deep hum resonated through the air, each step I took amplifying the vibrations around me. Reaching out, I wrapped my hand around the hilt, and instantly, a brilliant glow erupted, casting an ethereal light across the water. With a firm pull, the sword released itself from the stone, which disintegrated to dust in my grip. I tucked the remnants into my pocket dimension before resurfacing, time resuming as I emerged from the lake.
The moment I held the sword, I could feel its power coursing through me. My strength surged by an incredible ten percent—not an ordinary boost but one that amplified my already immense power to staggering levels. For an average human, this increase would make them nearly a hundred times stronger and faster, almost superhuman.
I also felt a subtle but potent energy form around me, like a protective aura that shielded against attacks, especially dark magic and demonic influences. While I wasn't particularly worried about its defensive limits, I couldn't help but consider the kind of power others might gain from their own treasures. Each relic scattered across the world could carry unimaginable abilities, and the scale of what people would soon wield started to dawn on me.
Realizing I needed to return home briefly, I teleported back. Sensing my family in the living room, I decided to avoid disturbing them, hoping no one would notice my brief absence. Now, I prepared for what would be my final stop for the day: the Amazon Rainforest. Since it shared the same time zone, it was just about 5:45 p.m. there.
Following Angela's digital map, I teleported and found myself in the densest patch of trees I'd ever seen. Despite the equatorial daylight, the canopy blocked out nearly all light, casting the area in shadows. Thankfully, with the powers I'd acquired, I could see in the dark as clearly as day. Moving forward, I used my body's natural durability and protective biosphere to shield myself from any harm as I navigated the underbrush. Finally, I arrived at the marked location, finding a lone tree encircled by a stream, its waters teeming with lurking piranhas. The tree was isolated, with branches stretching toward the sky like a hidden sentinel. I simply flew across the stream to avoid the piranhas.
Perched on a thick branch about 15 feet up, I spotted a small chest nestled among the foliage. I landed gently on the branch, touched the chest, and it glowed before opening. Inside was a vial containing a small green seed. As I opened the vial, a sweet, floral scent drifted up. I swallowed the seed and immediately felt drowsy. Without realizing, the branches around me formed a cocoon, enveloping me as I drifted into a deep sleep.
I awoke to the feeling of a strong breeze, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself inside a green, wooden bubble high in the air. Tearing it open, I emerged and saw that the tree had grown immensely, towering thousands of feet into the sky. I marveled at its height and sensed a deep connection with it. I could feel vitality coursing through me, a life energy that seemed limitless, eternal. My very essence felt intertwined with this giant tree, as if my powers had nourished it to this incredible size.
Realizing an hour had passed, I looked at the sky one last time, feeling a sense of wonder and newfound strength. Then, with a single thought, I teleported back home.
As soon as I arrived home, I walked down to the living room and sat next to my little sister on the sofa. She had finished watching her cartoons and was now tapping away on my mom's tablet, deeply focused on her game. My mom, on the other hand, was watching the news with a look of concern on her face. I ruffled my sister's hair, and she gave me a playful scowl.
"Stop it, brother! Don't do that when I'm playing; it distracts me, okay?"
"Okay, Jenny, no problem," I laughed, giving her a quick pat on the head before turning my attention to the news. My mom glanced over at me and sighed.
"Glad you're done with your homework. Something strange has been happening around the world. They're supposed to tell us more after these commercials," she said.
"That's interesting. Now I'm curious to find out what's really going on," I replied, leaning in to watch. We waited as the last commercial ended, and soon the screen showed the WXPI Channel 9 news logo before fading to the news anchors, who looked tense.
The female anchor, Dorothy McClain, started speaking first, her tone somber and dramatic. "Welcome back to Pennsylvania's WXPI Channel 9 News. I'm Dorothy McClain, and with me is Jeremy Sanders. Tonight, we bring you a series of unprecedented, mysterious events that have scientists and governments around the globe deeply concerned. These occurrences have defied all known scientific understanding and have left experts scrambling for explanations."
Dorothy paused for a moment, glancing down at her notes before continuing. "Our first report takes us to Cairo, Egypt, where, at approximately 5:55 p.m. local time, or 10:55 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, a massive blast occurred in the heart of a densely populated slum area. The explosion destroyed numerous buildings and left streets in ruins. Experts have estimated that the force of the blast was equivalent to about 1,000 tons of TNT, capable of leveling entire city blocks."
She took a breath, her voice filled with a mix of horror and intrigue. "What's particularly baffling, however, is the origin of the explosion. The blast's impact radius was approximately 0.6 miles, nearly a kilometer, but as the shockwave expanded outward, it seemed to grow in intensity rather than dissipate. Military forces in Cairo have now quarantined the area, and their top scientists are investigating the site to determine how such a blast could have originated within a populated area. This is an unprecedented phenomenon that defies conventional understanding of explosives and energy distribution."
A cold sweat prickled down my spine. That blast on the news, there was no doubt in my mind that it was my doing. Just a careless swing of my arm to test out my newfound strength, and I'd unintentionally caused who knows how much destruction. Swallowing hard, I forced myself to stay calm, listening intently as the news anchors speculated about the blast's origin. My heart pounded, and I could only hope, desperately, that no one would trace it back to me.