{Chapter: 145 - Mysterious Company And Departure}
Stepping out of the softly lit restaurant and into the cool night air of Star City, Aiden's lips curled into a subtle smile. The kind of smile that wasn't meant for anyone else—just something personal, something thoughtful.
He hadn't planned for the dinner to turn into anything meaningful. Initially, he saw it as a casual gesture. After all, Laurel Lance was a character he already knew—at least on paper. But seeing her today, hearing her voice tremble slightly when she spoke about justice, feeling the raw weight of pain behind her polished exterior… it complicated things.
He had thought he wouldn't feel anything.
But she's still single? That part genuinely caught him off guard.
Laurel Lance—elegant, intelligent, commanding. A sharp mind with a sharper tongue when needed. She wore her grief like armor, and behind that was a heart that hadn't given up—despite all that life had thrown at her.
In another world, she would've moved on.
In this one, she was still searching—still clinging to hope. Especially when it came to her sister.
Sara.
That name alone was enough to shake Laurel's steely resolve. And Aiden had casually dropped a hint that Sara might still be alive. A whisper of truth wrapped in shadows. He hadn't given her everything—just enough to torment her with possibility.
And it worked.
[Ding! The second generation of Black Canary: Laurel Lance, Friendship has increase by 50%]
The system's chime broke his thoughts, and his eyes blinked with mild surprise.
"Fifty percent?" Aiden muttered under his breath, hands slipping into the pockets of his black coat. "Guess I really got through to her."
He hadn't expected it to spike so quickly. Then again, he had saved her life, delivered evidence that might finally put a dent in the criminal underworld—and, most painfully of all, given her a reason to believe her long-lost sister was still alive.
That kind of emotional storm… would leave a mark.
Still, he reminded himself, it wasn't about her. Not entirely.
He had a goal to reach. And it involved Oliver Queen.
If he could raise his friendship level just five percent more, he'd clear the Main Quest completely. The Side Quest was done now that Somers was being put down. But for the Main Quest—to truly "protect Star City" and earn the system's recognition—he had to walk beside the man who symbolized that fight: the Green Arrow.
And now… they were partners.
But plans, as they often do, fell behind fate's own schedule.
Aiden had barely stepped back into the secret base when the system lit up again.
[Ding! Oliver Queen: Friendship increased by 5%. Main Quest Complete.]
Laurel could bring Somers to justice, it seems this was the reason why his Friendship had increased.
Main and Side Quest are finished.
It seems Aiden's progress again.
He paused mid-step, raising his brows with a smirk of disbelief.
"That fast?" he said aloud, chuckling. "Guess Oliver found out what I handed Laurel."
It made sense. Oliver Queen was many things—a vigilante, a soldier, a man who'd clawed his way back from hell—but above all else, he believed in the idea of justice. Messy. Broken. But justice nonetheless.
And Aiden had helped bring that idea one step closer.
That alone was enough to earn his respect.
---
The next few days moved with an unexpected rhythm—less tension, more learning.
During the day, Aiden trained alongside Oliver in the secret base. During the night, he immersed himself in his own private ritual, absorbing Aether.
It was a life balanced between fire and silence. Steel and spirit.
Oliver, who had once been alone in his crusade, had begun to open up. Slowly. Quietly.
At first, Aiden struggled. Despite his supernatural gifts, he had little actual hand-to-hand experience. On day one, he fought Oliver without using any of his abilities. Just fists and instinct.
And he got wrecked.
Oliver didn't hold back—not because he was cruel, but because he respected potential. And Aiden had potential in spades. On day two, he held his ground. On the third day, Aiden won—twice.
"You're like a damn sponge," Oliver said after one particularly intense sparring session, rubbing the back of his neck with a towel. "You absorb everything. Techniques, movements, tactics. It's insane."
Aiden panted slightly, but there was a grin on his face.
"Not insane. Efficient."
Oliver chuckled, something rare. "You're still lacking experience. The kind you get when your enemy pulls a gun and you're five seconds from death. But… you're getting there."
They sat in silence for a moment. Mutual respect doesn't need words—it simply breathes.
And then Aiden said it.
"I'm leaving."
Oliver's head turned sharply. "Now?"
Aiden nodded. "I've done what I came to do. The city's a little safer, your enemy list is a little shorter, and I got what I needed."
Oliver crossed his arms, disappointment flickering in his eyes.
"In a few days, you've helped me take down a trafficking ring, trained like a soldier, and uncovered layers of corruption I've been chasing for months," Oliver said. "You could've stayed."
"You didn't ask," Aiden replied with a wry smirk.
Oliver looked away for a moment, thoughtful. Then nodded.
"I don't ask for help often," he admitted. "Too many secrets. Too many regrets. But… if you ever come back to Star City, you'll always have a place here."
That meant something. From Oliver, it meant a lot.
Aiden extended his hand, and Oliver shook it firmly.
"No goodbyes?" Oliver asked.
"Just a 'see you later,'" Aiden replied.
"I've got some other matters to deal with," Aiden said, adjusting the cuff of his black coat, his voice relaxed but unwavering. "I'll let you handle things here in Star City for now."
Oliver Queen—still in partial vigilante gear, the quiver slung across his back—tilted his head in grudging acceptance. The faintest smirk touched the corner of his lips. "Well, alright. But don't expect me to make this a habit."
Aiden chuckled. "Didn't peg you for the sentimental type."
"I'm not," Oliver replied flatly, then narrowed his eyes. "Just don't let your plans get too far ahead without telling me. Trust's earned in inches, not miles."
"Duly noted, Robin Hood."
With a nod between equals, they parted ways.
Once out of Star City, Aiden found a secluded alley deep in the industrial zone. A pair of pigeons fluttered away as he looked to the sky, then faded into thin air without a sound—leaving the Arrowverse behind.
He did not erase the Green Lantern plane and choose a new plane.
The main reason was because he didn't know what plane to choose but wasn't in a rush for the time being. It's not too late until there is a need. What's more, Emma Frost and Magneto are like a tiger watching their prey. He left for too long and was worried if something would happen.
No portals, no dramatic flashes of light—just quiet disappearance, like a breath being drawn in reverse.
---
Back in the Marvel World, the scent of metal and clean linen greeted Aiden as he reappeared in his room at the base. Dim lighting cast shadows across the walls, flickering from a half-shut laptop screen.
He exhaled slowly, savoring the feeling of familiarity. This world moved differently—grittier and grander at the same time. And here, he had something Star City lacked: true ambition.
"System," he said aloud, flexing his fingers. "What about the quest rewards?"
[It's great!]
He paced the room, thoughtful. "If I don't enter another plane right away, what happens to the timeline?"
[Each plane has its own cooldown and refresh cycle. Timer begins the moment you leave. The time you leave the plane is when the refresh start]
"That's good," he murmured. "Means I'm not losing time anywhere… and I can keep my options open."
He strode to the door, opened it, and made his way down the corridor into the base's open space. The steel floors echoed under his boots as he stepped into the operations center. At the terminal was Blink—Clarice Ferguson—her signature magenta hair pulled back into a lazy ponytail, a few strands hanging loose to frame her cheekbones.
She was in her usual uniform: snug, dark bodysuit with violet trim and a half-zipped jacket that teased the line of her collarbone. Her legs were propped up on a desk, one boot dangling lazily. The moment she saw Aiden, her face lit up with a slow, knowing grin.
"Well, well…" she purred. "Look who decided to come back. Thought maybe you ran off to some alternate universe for good."
Aiden smirked. "Would you miss me if I did?"
Blink arched a brow. "Maybe. I mean, who else's gonna mysteriously vanish for days and not leave a single note? You're like the world version of a bad boyfriend."
He laughed. "Guilty. Did you miss me, Clarice?"
She stood up, sauntering toward him with exaggerated grace, hips swaying just enough to be noticed. "Maybe a little. Base felt… quieter without you. Less chaos. Less charm." She leaned against the console and crossed her arms. "Speaking of which—while you were off doing whatever you do, something came up."
"Oh?" Aiden tilted his head.
"Pepper called. She said the base construction project might be better off in more… professional hands." She drew a slow circle in the air with her finger. "There's a company called Damage Control. You've heard of them, right? Government contracts, SHIELD ties, Stark funding... they're basically the cleanup crew when gods and monsters wreck cities."
Aiden nodded. "Yeah. The ones who fixed up New York after the Chitauri invasion."
"Bingo. They specialize in rebuilding after superhuman battles. Pepper thinks if we hand over the project to them, we could finish construction in… oh, I don't know, a month?"
"A month?" Aiden's brows rose. "That's fast. Suspiciously fast."
Clarice took a step closer, her tone dropping just a little. "Fast enough that you might actually be able to keep a promise or two around here." Her eyes glinted. "Want me to set up a meeting with Pepper's contact?"
"Yeah. Make it happen," Aiden replied, though his focus lingered more on the spark in her eyes than the conversation.
She tapped a few buttons on the holographic console, pretending to focus. As saw him staring at her.
"You're more fun to watch when you're teasing."
"Oh? Watching me, are you?" Clarice looked over her shoulder, voice silkier now. "That's dangerous, boss. Some women might take that as an invitation."
Aiden leaned just slightly closer, close enough to smell the faint trace of violet-scented perfume on her skin. "Maybe I'm hoping they do."
For a second, the air between them pulsed with something unsaid—like a magnet humming before it snaps.
But Clarice stepped forward suddenly and twirled once, stretching her arms overhead in mock innocence. "Too bad I'm the type that likes making you wait. Builds character."
Aiden chuckled. "Cruel."
"Only a little," she winked, then added more seriously, "I'll go talk to Pepper. You should rest."
As she turned to leave, her fingers trailed a little longer on his arm than needed. "Oh, and boss…"
"Yeah?"
"When this base is finished… maybe we should break in the training room together." Her tone was playful, but laced with unmistakable intent.
He grinned. "You mean spar?"
Clarice paused, grinned back. "Eventually."
Then she walked off, her boots clicking lightly against the steel floor, humming a little tune to herself.
Aiden watched her go, eyes narrowing with amusement and thought. The base was growing. Allies were forming. And somewhere out there, Magneto and Emma Frost were still watching, waiting, plotting.
But for the moment, he allowed himself another small, indulgence:
*****
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