"What do you want?" David demanded, glaring at the girl in front of him.
"Since when did you have powers?" Eve asked, lowering her head.
"Since when were you Atom Eve?" David shot back, causing her to look up at him with wide eyes.
"Y-you knew? Since when?" she asked in a panic.
"I'm not blind, Eve!" he frowned.
"Did you really think I wouldn't know you were Atom Eve if you didn't even bother to cover your face?" he replied bluntly.
"B-but the rest of the students weren't able to figure out my identity," she tried to argue.
"And who did you think was the cause of that?"
"Wait! Were you responsible for this?" Eve didn't get to finish her words as David interrupted her.
"Yes, when I first discovered you were Atom Eve, I used my powers to ensure that no one could recognize the faces of you or the other heroes around the world."
Eve looked at him in horror. How powerful must someone be to manipulate the minds of everyone in the world?
"Is that all? If so, I'll be taking my leave," David said, glancing at the stunned Eve before turning to leave.
"Wait!" Eve called out, stopping him.
"Now what?" he asked, irritation etched on his face.
"If you knew I was Atom Eve, why didn't you ever tell me?" she whispered.
"Because I honestly believed that one day you would tell me yourself. I thought you trusted me enough, that you truly loved me, to reveal who you were."
Eve felt as if her chest had been stabbed by those words.
"But now, I just don't care. After two years of being together, you decided to ditch me for another guy," he continued, looking completely indifferent.
"No! That's not true; I always loved you," Eve replied in a panic.
"Oh please, do you think I don't see how close you've gotten to Rex?" David chuckled mercilessly.
Hearing this, Eve lowered her head in shame.
After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her mouth to reply.
"I thought it wasn't fair to you for me to constantly disappear during important moments together whenever I was working as a hero. So, I thought it would be best for you not to be with me."
"Best for me or best for you? Do you know how much you used to mean to me?" David shot back.
"When I was at my darkest moment, you were the one who brightened my day," he continued.
"Having to live with a family that constantly abused me and made me feel worthless, seeing me as a monster, was hell. But I always felt I could keep going with you around."
"What?" Eve covered her mouth and took a step back, tears streaming down her face. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I didn't want to look weak," David replied, chuckling in self-pity.
"I-I..." Eve didn't know how to respond.
"You don't need to worry; I've finally cut ties with them, so you don't need to feel guilty because I don't need it," he interrupted.
"For once, I plan to finally live my life for myself to the fullest," he declared.
"That's a wonderful emotional speech. I hope I didn't interrupt you two," a figure suddenly appeared behind them, interrupting their conversation.
"Cecil," David narrowed his eyes, stating the man's name aloud.
"It seems like you know me; well, that makes things easier." Cecil was surprised that David recognized him but quickly composed himself.
"What do you want?" David frowned and asked impatiently.
"I want to send you an invitation," Cecil replied.
"An invitation for what?" Eve asked, looking at Cecil.
"To join the Guardians of the Globe."
"Huh! Why? Don't they already have enough members?" Eve looked confused.
"This is supposed to be a secret, but just this morning, all the Guardians of the Globe were killed by an unknown attacker. Only Omniman managed to survive."
"What!" Eve turned pale.
"Right now, we're looking for clues on the assailant. I sent Robot to investigate the scene, but we urgently need a new group of heroes to fill the void left by their disappearance. The first person I thought of was you. Just yesterday, you showcased incredible strength. I was going to wait a little longer to observe you and recruit you, but now we're running out of time," Cecil explained.
"Is it because of Omniman?"
"What are you implying?" Cecil narrowed his eyes at this.
"You really think him being the only survivor is just a coincidence?" David replied bluntly.
Listening to the tense conversation between the two, Eve looked horrified.
"What are you saying, David? Omniman is a hero."
"He's a Viltrumite," he shot back.
"What do you know about the Viltrumites?" Cecil asked, his fist clenched as he awaited an answer.
"They are an advanced race aiming to expand their empire, feared by other races across the universe for their ruthless conquests. It seems that Earth has become one of their targets."
Cecil trembled at David's explanation, while Eve looked on in complete disbelief.
"Let's say what you just said is true. Then why hasn't Omniman conquered Earth yet?"
"Because he plans to weaken Earth's defenses to ensure a smooth takeover," David explained.
"Their numbers have also dwindled to a staggering degree, leaving only a few pure-blooded Viltrumites alive. They are trying to repopulate by interbreeding with different species that are compatible with their DNA. It seems Earth is one of their many breeding grounds," he continued.
"And by the looks of it, Omniman should have finally started his takeover after confirming that Earthlings are compatible with their species."
"How do you know all this?" Cecil asked, tensing up again.
"You don't need to know how I came by this information. You can dismiss my words if you choose, but it would be wise for you to keep an eye on him. I sense you have your own doubts about him too." David ignored his reaction.
Just as Cecil was about to continue questioning him, he received an alert on his watch.
"It appears that the Flaxans have returned for another invasion. The team needs your support, Eve," Cecil informed her.
"But I..." Eve glanced at David, wanting to speak.
"It doesn't matter; there's nothing we need to talk about anymore." David closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Could you lend us your support?" Cecil asked.
"There's no need; they can handle it by themselves. As for your invitation, I'll think about it," David replied thoughtfully.
Cecil nodded as he and Eve disappeared.
'I should leave for a couple of days and cool down,' David thought after a few moments.
'It seems that the original David's memories are having a significant influence on me.'
The next moment, he opened a portal and stepped through, heading to a new universe.
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