"System upgrade complete. Instance mission unlocked…"
The voice came out of nowhere—mechanical, clear, echoing directly inside Su Zhan's head.
Half-asleep, he thought Skye was talking in her sleep. But a second later, he realized the voice wasn't hers. It was the System.
"Wait, what? System upgrade? When did that happen? And what the hell is an 'instance mission'?"
He blinked awake, turning his head to see Skye curled peacefully beside him. Careful not to wake her, he reached out mentally toward the voice.
"When did you upgrade?"
"When you absorbed new powers," the System replied. "Every time you devour or integrate a new ability, part of the energy is converted into fuel for my evolution."
"So… the Extremis Virus and Johnny's flame ability powered your upgrade? Great. But that energy—does it weaken my absorbed powers?"
"Negative. The upgrade energy is generated independently."
"Good," Su Zhan exhaled. "Now, about this 'instance mission' thing—explain."
"Instance missions are isolated dimensional zones designed to accelerate your power growth. You may select the target world—each instance operates as a self-contained universe. You are free to act as you please within it to strengthen yourself. Completing missions inside an instance grants rewards and additional upgrade energy, unlocking new System features."
Su Zhan blinked. Then grinned. "You mean… a place where I can go all out without worrying about breaking the real world? That's basically cheat mode!"
His mind started racing. "Okay, questions. How long can I stay inside? Can I bring stuff or people back? Can I revisit a world later, or jump to another?"
"Current System Level: Basic.
Maximum duration: 12 hours.
No items or beings can be extracted.
Instance resets every 30 days.
You may revisit a previously entered instance, or open a new one, but only one may exist at a time.
Higher System levels expand these parameters."
"So if I level you up, I can stay longer, take stuff out, maybe even re-enter old worlds? Sounds good. Oh—and if I absorb abilities inside an instance, does that still generate upgrade energy?"
"Confirmed."
"Perfect."
Su Zhan's eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light.
The plan came together instantly: choose a world filled with powerful abilities, devour as much as possible, and use the energy to push both himself and the System to higher levels.
But time was limited—12 hours per run, once every 30 days. He'd need to make it count.
So the question was—where should he go first?
He began cycling through every film and universe he could remember. Mutants, aliens, telepaths… too many options. But for a first mission, he needed something manageable—plenty of powers, no gods or cosmic threats.
Then it hit him.
"Push."
The 2009 film—also known as Heroes in some circles. A world filled with people gifted with psychic and physical powers.
"Perfect."
He remembered the plot: a telekinetic named Nick, whose father had been turned into a weapon by a secret organization. After his father's death, Nick sought revenge, teaming up with Cassie—a girl who could see the future—and a ragtag crew of other powered individuals. Telekinesis, precognition, sonic manipulation, memory erasure, tracking through objects… the works.
And the best part? Every ability in that universe was biological—absorbable.
"Lots of powers to harvest," Su Zhan mused. "Plenty of System fuel. Shame I can't bring out that super-serum from the movie, but whatever."
He grinned wider. "And the movie's set in Hong Kong. Guess that means I'll feel right at home."
Time was ticking. The first instance would define his growth curve. He needed to go all in.
"System," he said silently. "If I abandon an instance later and revisit it after an upgrade—does the timeline reset, or pick up where I left off?"
"Continuity maintained. You may resume from your previous state."
"And I'm physically transported there, not just mentally, right?"
"Affirmative. Both body and consciousness transfer. Warning: death within an instance results in permanent termination."
"Got it."
He looked down at Skye again. Peaceful. Warm. Real.
"I'll be back before breakfast," he whispered.
Then, in his mind:
"System—select Push as target world. Enter now."
"Instance locked: [Push Universe]. Initiating transfer…"
The air shimmered.
A heartbeat later, the world exploded into color and sound.
Su Zhan blinked against the bright daylight, finding himself standing in the middle of a bustling Hong Kong street. Neon signs. Taxi horns. Crowds moving around him as if his sudden appearance were completely normal.
He couldn't help but smile. "So this is the instance world, huh? Looks... real enough."
"Welcome to the [Push Universe].
Mission objective: Acquire at least three distinct abilities.
Faction Selection: Justice or Evil."
"Faction?" Su Zhan repeated.
"Your alignment. Hero or villain.
Note: True kings are forged in darkness.
Evil faction offers enhanced rewards and accelerated growth."
He raised a brow. "You're literally tempting me to the dark side, huh?"
"Affirmative."
He laughed. "Fine then. Let's see what 'evil' can do."
"Alignment selected: Evil.
Trait unlocked: Heart of Darkness – active until exit."
A ripple of energy pulsed through him—cold, thrilling, electric.
His lips curved upward, but the smile wasn't the same as before.
It was sharper. Meaner.
"Alright then…" he murmured, his voice carrying a faint, dangerous edge.
"Let's see how much power this world has to offer."