{Chapter: 019 - Returning Home Being Little Guilty, Reasons For Loss Of Control And Powers}
Even for a moment. With your affection and your choice… it could've been one of the most beautiful, meaningful experiences of your life. And I ruined it. I stole that from you. For that, I will never forgive myself."
He signed it with the only thing he still had to give:
With love—
Aiden.
And as the ink dried and the silence returned, Aiden just sat there—head bowed, eyes heavy, heart hollow. The fire inside him dimmed. There were no more words. Just the lingering ache of what could have been… and what could never be.
After a prolonged exhale and glancing at the clock, he rose to his feet. Folding the latter, putting the pop girl's clothes back on, he rushed into the bathroom, stripping off his clothes and shoving them into the washing machine. He poured in every bit of detergent and fabric softener he had, cleansing them not once, not twice—but three times—before drying them at high speed with a blast of fire manipulation. Unsatisfied, he tossed them back in for one last run. Only when they smelled like they'd come straight from the factory did he finally move on.
He slid into the bathtub, scrubbing himself down with haste and precision. Then, stepping out, he activated the Extremis tunnel, superheating his body to the temperature of an industrial furnace—3,000°C—until his skin steamed, purging every trace of scent, sweat, of the Pop girl or the intense sex they had on his body completely.
He even gave himself a flame-bath, ensuring that no hair, fiber, or trace remained that might trigger Daisy's dangerously sharp instincts. As he already saw that women's intuition is too dangerous.
Staring into the mirror, he exhaled. The scratches and hickeys she'd left behind at the zenith of their lovemaking had long since healed.
By the time he finished, only a few minutes remained before he had to leave. Then a thought struck him. He turned to Pop Girl's clothes, reaching into the only pocket and finding nothing—no money. Frowning, he moved to her brother's belongings and rifled through the pockets, uncovering only a few crumpled 50 HKD bills.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his own wallet, counting a few thousand dollars. Splitting the amount in half, he tucked one portion neatly into her brother's wallet—leaving it slightly open, visible to any eye at glance. The remaining half he placed on the desk at the front, clearly in sight.
Just in case she refused to take his money, she'd still have access to it through her brother. Just as he did this the voice of the system sounded in his mind.
DING!
[The Copy Plane Time is Over. Initiating Return Sequence to the Marvel Universe.]
The mechanical voice of the system echoed clearly through Aiden's mind. The air around him rippled like disturbed water. Then—without a flash or dramatic burst of energy—he simply vanished.
In the blink of an eye, reality shifted.
Aiden reappeared inside a familiar environment—Daisy's car. The dark leather seat beneath him was warm from the sun. The scent of fast food wrappers and subtle traces of her perfume still lingered in the air. The driver's seat was empty. Daisy was nowhere in sight.
Outside, the world of the Marvel Universe stretched out once more in all its chaotic glory. Skyscrapers, flying planes in the distance, a muted thrum of distant helicopters—it was as if everything had resumed right where he had left off.
"So… I came back."
Aiden exhaled deeply and leaned back in the seat, resting his head on the cool window. His body still felt heavy, as though echoes of the other world clung to his bones. His hands were trembling slightly—not from fear, but from a lingering adrenaline that hadn't yet faded.
There was something else, too.
A shadow.
A stain on his mind that hadn't been there before.
He closed his eyes and addressed the only thing that could give him clarity.
"System… what happened back there?" he asked silently, his voice grave. "Why did I lose control like that? Was it because of the Evil Heart from the Path of Evil? Or was it… me? I felt something inside me take over. It whispered to me. It enjoyed what was happening."
There was a brief pause, as if the system was deliberating.
Then came the response.
[Quest Statistics: Main Quest Completed. Reward is Being Processed.]
Aiden narrowed his eyes.
"I asked you a question. Don't dodge it. What is the reward, anyway?"
[Reward: Pure Energy, currently being used to charge the system's upgrade functions. Specific values are unknown.]
"Tch. Still avoiding the important part."
[Clarification: Your recent loss of control was not caused by the Evil Heart itself. Rather, the cause lies in the excessive number of abilities you consumed within a short window of time. Though your body has evolved to handle multiple energy sources and powers, each devoured ability still requires time to assimilate and stabilize within your body. You devoured too many, too quickly. This overwhelmed the adaptation process, which led to cognitive instability and emotional distortion.]
The words hit Aiden like a splash of cold water. He blinked slowly, staring up at the car's ceiling, trying to make sense of the emotions stirring in his chest.
So it wasn't just the Evil Path.
It was him.
"So… it's like eating too much too fast," he muttered. "Even if I'm stronger, it doesn't mean I can just shove everything into my system and expect it to work."
The logic made sense, though it still unsettled him. The devouring urge was seductive, primal. He remembered the rush—the high—of consuming powers, the way energy danced through his veins like lightning. But now he understood that it came with consequences.
Dangerous ones.
[Correct. Based on current system metrics, your body is capable of safely devouring three high-level abilities in quick succession. Anything beyond that, within a condensed timeframe, risks overflow and temporary personality destabilization.]
Aiden leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He stared at his palms, flexing his fingers slowly.
"And my devour ability? Did it break? Or get sealed?"
[The Devour Function remains intact. However, it is currently on cooldown until the full adaptation cycle concludes. Once your body finishes processing the consumed powers and purging excess residual energy, it will function normally again. It remains the same with all the abilities and when it's over they will work just fine.]
Aiden breathed a sigh of relief.
"So I'm not crippled. Just… temporarily full." He smirked faintly. "Good to know I didn't permanently screw myself up."
Still, a bitter aftertaste lingered in his mind. He remembered the way he had looked into Pop Girl's eyes. The terror. The helplessness. And worst of all—his own desire.
He hadn't just been out of control. He had wanted to dominate her.
That wasn't just an energy overflow.
That was him, exposed raw under the influence of power.
He shook his head, trying to clear the intrusive thought.
"System, all those abilities I devoured… the energy should be huge, right? Combined with the quest reward, is it enough to upgrade you?"
[Negative. Current accumulated energy is The energy for upgrade is not quite sufficient. Upgrade is incomplete.]
"…Seriously? I swallowed enough abilities to make most mutants implode, and it's still not enough?" Aiden muttered, slapping the car's dashboard lightly. "Damn. At this rate, I'll have to hunt down half the superpowered population just to push you past 100%."
[That is one potential solution.]
"Wasn't being literal."
He let out another breath and opened the car door. The air outside hit him with a wave of heat and city noise. His mind was still heavy, but his thoughts were clearer now.
He stood beside the car and looked around. The sun was already beginning to dip low, casting long shadows across the street. People passed by—normal people. Laughing, talking, living.
He envied them, if only for a moment.
"I need to be more careful," he murmured. "The next time I lose control, I might not stop myself…"
He looked down at his reflection in the car's window—half his face in light, the other in shadow.
How long before the shadow took over completely?
Just as Aiden was drifting in the haze of his thoughts, a soft, melodious voice pulled him back to reality.
"You're back?" Daisy's voice carried the hint of a pout, sweet and slightly breathless as she opened the door with a swift tug. She stood there, hands on her hips, lips pursed, eyes searching his face. "Where did you go while I was sleeping? You just disappeared! I called you so many times, and it felt like you vanished into thin air. You didn't even leave a note..."
Aiden turned toward her, a boyish grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Her presence always had a way of making the world fade into softness.
"You were still sleeping like an angel when I woke up," he said, his voice gentle, almost teasing. "I didn't want to disturb you. There was this place I read about—some restaurant with rave reviews online. It sounded promising, so I thought I'd check it out before dragging you across the city. But turns out… not all five stars are worth the drive." He chuckled. "And my phone must've had a bad signal. I'll double-check, but... yeah, guilty as charged."
Daisy crossed her arms, her brows knitting in a mock frown, but the relief in her eyes betrayed how much she'd been worrying. "I don't care if the restaurant was a five-star heaven or a roadside disaster," she said, her voice softening. "I just care about who I'm sitting across from. I don't need fancy meals—I need you. You have no idea how many awful thoughts ran through my head when I couldn't reach you."
Aiden's heart melted. He stepped forward and gently cupped her cheek. "I'm sorry, baby," he murmured. "I really didn't mean to make you worry. Next time, I'll wake you with kisses, leave a dozen notes, and send a carrier pigeon if I have to."
She giggled, leaning into his touch. "You better. I might just chain you to the bed next time."
"Kinky." Aiden smirked. "But tempting."
Daisy rolled her eyes with a playful laugh. "You're impossible."
He leaned in, brushing his lips just above hers, his voice a low whisper. "But you love me anyway."
"Mmhmm… tragically, madly, completely."
He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. "Well, now that my mission has failed and I've returned empty-stomached and starving, may I have the absolute honor of dining with the most beautiful woman on the planet?"
"Only if you let me feed you with my own hands," she teased, pulling him inside. "But you're washing the dishes."
"Fair trade. Just promise me dessert's you."
She grinned devilishly. "We'll see if you're a good boy during dinner."
Their laughter echoed through the room as the door closed behind them—warm, playful, and full of the kind of intimacy that only two hearts truly entangled could share.