Caldon City was a fairly big place, lively and packed with people from all walks of life. It was mostly known for its huge, high profile auctions that drew in wealthy bidders from all over, as well as the movies that were produced there. The streets were busy almost every hour of the day, and the city seemed to never really sleep.
Now we focus on a small apartment located right in the very middle of Caldon City.
Inside one of the rooms, Dante Vergara sat on his bed with the television mounted on the wall in front of him. The screen was tuned to the news channel, but his eyes weren't on it. His gaze was vacant, his mind drifting somewhere far away as if he were lost in thought. For several long seconds, he just stared into space, his expression blank. Then, slowly, clarity returned to his eyes, and his breathing became more steady.
"Woah… it seems I've been… reborn?" His voice was quiet at first, almost like he was trying to convince himself. He said it because it truly felt like he had always been in this body, but until now, he had not been in control. He could remember everything, every detail of the life this body had lived before his mind had taken over.
His name was Dante Vergara. He was eighteen years old, with short brown hair and deep red eyes. He lived in this apartment with his older brother, Roman Vergara, and Roman's girlfriend.
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Dante also worked at a small café that his brother owned. It wasn't much, but it was steady work.
Now, however, things had changed. Since he had been reborn in this world and finally gained control over the body, something else had come with it, a power. He could feel it there, resting deep in his mind, waiting for him to call on it. It was as if the knowledge of how it worked had been placed directly into his head.
The ability allowed him to analyze and manipulate the DNA within his own body or another person's body. By doing this, he could upgrade it to unlock hidden, latent superhuman abilities. The result of the upgrade was always random, but it was influenced by the target's personality traits and their physical condition, meaning that each ability was uniquely suited to the person receiving it.
There was a limit, though. Each individual could only have a certain number of powers applied to them. Most people could only handle one before their bodies reached their limit. However, there were rare cases where a person could withstand and receive more than one.
"That's pretty overpowered if you think about it…" Dante muttered, his eyes shifting toward the television, which was still playing in the background.
The anchor's voice carried through the room. "Hello, citizens of Caldon City. Today I have some shocking news from Gotham City, yet again!"
When Dante heard that, one of his eyebrows arched slightly. "Gotham… hmm. I've been reincarnated into the DC universe? This is going to be interesting, I can say that for sure…" He reached for the remote and switched the television off.
Then, closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to sink deeper into himself, exploring the strange new energy within him. Not long after, a screen appeared clearly in his mind.
(Name: Dante Vergara)
(power slots: 0/5)
(Powers: None)
"Five power slots? I guess I'm special if the normal person only gets one," Dante said quietly, his lips curling into a faint smirk.
Without hesitation, he let a golden energy spread through his body, upgrading his DNA to the absolute maximum so he could unlock all five slots at once. Warmth flooded his muscles, his bones felt denser, and every fiber of his being seemed to strengthen. Around a minute later, the transformation was complete. Dante, who had once been of average height and build, now stood at six foot three, his frame packed with lean, powerful muscle.
He glanced down at his arm, flexing slowly. His bicep tightened like cables winding under his skin. "Damn, super powers sure are handy," he said with a short laugh before pulling up his stats once again.
(Name: Dante Vergara)
(power slots: 5/5)
(Powers: Super Strength, Super Flight, Super Durability, Pyrokinesis, Lava Manipulation)
"Ahh… I see where the personality part came in. I do have a tiny bit of anger issues," Dante admitted as he noticed the fire based powers on the list.
With a sigh, he swung his legs off the bed. "Sadly, I have to get out of this comfortable bed," he muttered before standing up and walking toward the door.
As he stepped out of his room, a voice greeted him. "Ahh, there's the lazy man himself." the man on the couch called out. He had short blonde hair and bright yellow eyes, and he turned his head toward Dante as soon as he heard the door open.
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"Roman? Don't you have to run the café today?" Dante asked as he walked into the living room.
Roman stood up from the couch. "You're right… but you're also wrong. I only had to go check and make sure everything was running smoothly. And did you have some kind of super growth spurt overnight, or what?" His gaze ran up and down Dante's now taller and far more muscular frame.
"Uhh, yeah, something like that," Dante replied, brushing the question aside. "Anyway, I'm going for a walk outside. I'll be back later."
Roman's brows lifted slightly. "You're going outside and it's not for work? That's rare. Alright, just be careful. There's been a lot of crime lately, and the police are barely doing their job." He turned to head toward his own room.
"Oh, and Roman," Dante called over his shoulder, pausing in the doorway, "where's Rosa at?"
"She went to her sister's house. She should be back soon," Roman said before disappearing into his room.
Dante nodded faintly, then stepped outside, pulling the door closed behind him.
"First things first… I need some money. I'm broke," Dante muttered to himself while walking down the street. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, and his gaze wandered from shop windows to passing cars.
"But how would I even do that? Starting a business? Nah… that's way too tiresome," he added, shaking his head. Without paying attention, he turned the next corner, not even glancing at where he was going.
"Hey, big boy. Put your hands up slowly, without making any sudden movements," a rough voice called out from directly in front of him.
The words snapped Dante out of his thoughts, irritation flashing across his face. "Who are you? The police?" he asked with a scoff, his eyes narrowing.
The man in front of him, dressed in a dirty hoodie and jeans, lifted a pistol and aimed it straight at Dante's head. "I'm not joking with you, dude. Put your hands up!"
Dante sighed, his shoulders dropping. "You're really getting on my nerves right no-"
Before he could finish, the sharp crack of a gunshot rang out. The bullet slammed into Dante's forehead, making his head jerk slightly to the side. A faint scratch formed where the round had hit his skin.
For a long moment, Dante stood there completely silent, his expression unreadable.
"W-what the hell?" the robber stammered. His hands began to shake so violently that the barrel of the gun wobbled in the air.
"Die…" Dante's voice was low and cold.
Almost immediately, the air around the man began to shimmer, heat waves distorting everything between them. The robber's hoodie began to smolder, and then his entire body erupted into flames. His screams filled the alley, bouncing off the brick walls.
Before he could collapse, Dante summoned a massive fireball, about the size of a basketball, and hurled it forward. The searing heat slammed into the man, engulfing him completely. Within seconds, the screaming stopped, and nothing remained but a small pile of gray ash.
"Phew…" Dante exhaled, letting the fire in his hands fade away. He scanned the alley, his eyes darting to every corner. He searched for cameras or witnesses. Luckily, there were none.
Without wasting another second, he turned and walked out of the alley, blending back into the crowd on the sidewalk. He made his way home quickly, his mind replaying the scene over and over.
When he arrived at the apartment, he slipped inside quietly and went straight to his room. Closing the door, he leaned against it for a moment and whispered to himself, "Phew… it wasn't me. It was him. He shot me first… so he deserved it." He kept repeating it under his breath, reassuring himself until the tension in his chest eased. A few minutes later, he felt calmer.
"Haahh… I need a suit or something," Dante muttered, lifting his hands and studying the faint heat still radiating from his skin.
A knock at the door broke his thoughts. "Come in," he called, leaning back against the headboard of his bed.
The door opened, and Rosa, Roman's girlfriend, stepped inside. She had long black hair and striking amber eyes, her expression relaxed. "Hey, Dante. Me and Roman are going on a date tonight, so just hold the house down for us, please?"
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"Yeah, yeah. Do whatever. I'll be right here… I think," Dante replied lazily, waving her off with one hand.
"Alright. And if you get hungry, don't cook anything. I left you something in the fridge… I don't want you burning down the house," Rosa teased as she stepped back and began closing the door.
"Ha ha, very funny," Dante called out sarcastically through the door.
All he heard in response was her light giggling fading down the hallway.
"I'll get her back for that," Dante said with a small, almost amused smile tugging at his lips.