"You've got to be kidding me," Theo muttered as he scanned the panel. Although he had realized the situation was real, the draw he'd obtained was anything but anchored to reality.
[Reward: Ancient Human Reconstruction Card (Apex Variant)]
Type: Biological Origin / Infinite Growth
Rank: Mythic
Description: The ultimate biological vessel. A primal human genome designed to assimilate, adapt, and optimize without restriction.
Core Abilities:
Uncapped Biological Growth (Mind & Body)
Function: Removes the biological "limiters" that restrict human potential. Training provides constant, compounding improvements to Strength, Speed, and Durability, as well as Intelligence and Processing Speed.
Absolute Reactive Adaptation
Function: The body operates like a biological adaptation engine. Upon exposure to any offensive or environmental stimulus (Physical, Mental, or Spiritual), the physiology begins analyzing the phenomenon. It forces a mutation to nullify, resist, or counter the specific threat. Once adapted, that specific form of damage or effect is rendered ineffective against the user.
Selective Genetic Assimilation
Function: Allows the user to absorb the DNA of other species through blood, injection, or consumption. The system automatically merges beneficial traits (like Immortality or Hardened Skin) into the user's base genome while filtering out all weaknesses (like allergies to Sunlight or Silver).
Power Source Adaptation
Function: Grants the ability to obtain supernatural powers by consuming the genetic material of a user. The body biologically evolves the necessary internal organs or energy pathways (Magic Circuits, Core, etc.) required to wield that specific power type.
Instant Physical Mastery
Function: Grants photographic muscle memory. If the user observes a physical technique or skill once, the body instantly records and replicates the movement perfectly. No practice is required to master a physical action.
'Oh,' Theo thought, his mind shutting down momentarily before booting back up. 'Oh, this is... this is fucking absurd.'
He stood up and began pacing the length of the balcony, his hands tightly clenched as he processed the information.
'So, to recap: I'm killed, reborn into another version of myself, move to a small town to take ownership of my grandmother's home and business, and now I have a System and the powers to become Saitama and Mahoraga's love child?'
He chuckled lightly, a sound that quickly escalated into a full-blown laugh. He was fortunate that the streets had emptied out quite a bit; the only sign of life in the immediate vicinity was the oddly popular diner down the road.
Deciding it would be counterproductive to deal with this new crisis in public view, Theo moved inside and sank onto the couch. The panel had remained continuously present in the corner of his eye, like a silent friend waiting for him to speak.
'Uh, System, if I do use this card, what does it entail for me exactly? Will I change physically, mentally, or emotionally? Do I need to go into the basement to transform? I've read enough books to know something like this will probably make me scream in pain.'
Theo knew he wasn't underestimating the possibilities. He'd watched anime where people acquired powers, only for the process to force them into hibernation for months, or cause their bodies to break down while they screamed for hours on end. He wasn't afraid—no, at this point, due to the rollercoaster of a day he'd experienced, he was apprehensive at best.
[The process is assisted by the 'System'. Lie on your bed and you will be forced into a state of slumber whilst the reforging is occurring. You are required to train and forge yourself through effort to gain supernatural levels of power. The draw you have obtained merely allows you the freedom to become untethered from the limitations of humanity.]
Theo mulled over the words carefully as he climbed the steps to his new bedroom. He wasn't opposed to the thought of becoming something 'more'. Obviously, he would be a new type of human—or more accurately, what humans once were. Yet, he was curious as to how he could apply this newfound evolution in a seemingly ordinary world.
Sitting on the bed, he entertained one last notion.
'At least I can stop being this scrawny version of myself eventually. Less work, sure, but I hate being this unfit. Okay, seeing as you're going to disappear on me after I use the card, thanks for your help, System Voice.'
Laying back on the bed, Theo closed his eyes as he felt the excitement of the new possibilities he'd been granted in this new life wash over him. Lost in his thoughts, he slowly fell into a quiet sleep.
Morning arrived swiftly, and with it, Theo's consciousness returned from the land of slumber. His eyes fluttered open as sunlight filtered through the window above his bed. With a quiet yawn, he sat up, only to pause mid-motion.
An influx of memories returned as he recalled the events of the previous day, the sheer absurdity crashing down on him in a tidal wave of awe and confusion.
Jolting out of bed, Theo patted down his body in concern, checking if he had gained any odd mutations from the evolution. Fortunately, his worries were unfounded, though he did feel an unbridled, astronomical level of energy humming within him.
"So weird," he muttered, his eyes glancing over his new home once again.
With a thought, the System panel appeared once more deep within his eyes as he scanned the information. Everything looked exactly the same, but the Ancient Human Card had disappeared from the 'Rewards' section and was now listed under his name. It obviously stated that the merge and evolution were complete.
He didn't feel different, aside from his energy levels being absurdly high.
Walking to the bathroom, he stood in front of the mirror as he finally glanced at himself for the first time. Sure, the memories were enough, and he looked close enough to his original self, but since falling asleep and waking up, there were some glaring changes.
His height had increased from 5'9" to a comfortable 6'2". The sudden height made him look thinner than he should be, but Theo was aware he could now probably pack on muscle like he was on steroids.
His blue eyes were still the same color, though they had an extra dimension to them, as if they held the quality of the sky within. His dark black hair was still the same, but the sheen and texture were different, along with how it lightly curled with length.
Apart from those noticeable changes, his face felt more angular, and he noted that he could easily pass for a male model, if only he wasn't so gangly looking now.
After a quick shower and change—which Theo noted required him to invest in some newer clothes, as his height increase made his previously loose clothing feel shorter on his body—he stepped out of the bathroom and left the upstairs apartment. He needed food, and the fridge was empty.
Stepping out of the store, Theo sighed in happiness as he felt the remnants of the rainy night disappear, sunlight breaking through the clouds at a higher frequency. With a slight hop in his step, he moved away from the store; his destination was the diner he'd spied upon the previous night.
It took less than a minute of walking at a leisurely pace before he stood outside the diner. It looked like any diner you'd find driving on a highway late at night, so with a quick push of his hand, he entered the shop.
"Welcome!" a chipper waitress said as she walked up to him. "Eating in, or takeaway?"
"Ah, I'll grab some food to eat in, thanks."
She directed him to a booth in the corner, where he could see the entire diner from his position.
"Here's the menu. Can I get you started with any drinks?"
"Just a coffee please, and make it strong."
She merely nodded before leaving Theo to his own thoughts. He had chosen a coffee not because of need, but because of habit. Staring at the menu, he couldn't help but frown lightly before schooling his features. It was nothing to write home about, just standard food.
'Must be the lack of dining options making this place so popular. To be honest, I only saw that pizza joint, grocery store, and Chinese takeout place.'
With a shake of his head, Theo read through the menu and decided on his choices as the waitress—Cora, as he noted from her nametag—came back with his coffee.
"Here you go, made sure we had another pot made. Have you decided what you're having?"
"I'll grab the 'Big Breakfast', but can I also get an extra serving of bacon, eggs, sausage, and hash browns?" he asked sheepishly. For reasons he hadn't explored yet, since becoming an Ancient Human, his stomach felt quite literally like a black hole.
Cora merely smiled and noted it all down on her pad. "That's a big order, for sure. You must have had a tiring morning."
"Not really, just stupidly hungry. I'll need the energy for the rest of the day, though." Theo laughed; the thoughts of cleaning up the bookstore, basement, and apartment were not what he wanted to truly do.
Cora seemed friendly enough, looking genuinely curious about his plans, and Theo wasn't one to shy away from conversation—especially if this was going to be his home for a while.
"My grandmother owned 'The Common Ground', and since she passed the ownership over to me, I've moved here to take care of it."
"Oh no, Sylvia passed?" Cora said with a slightly shocked face. "My condolences, she was so kind to everyone. You must be her grandson, Theo, right? She spoke about you often."
Theo was dumbstruck by that but felt a level of warmth inside his heart. The merger of memories and experiences made him feel the warmth of his grandmother's kindness in his life.
After a few minutes of back and forth, in which Cora had brought his order and left him to enjoy his meal—which was surprisingly delicious—he was brought into another conversation, this time by a man that seemed oddly familiar.
"You're Sylvia's grandson?" he asked, his large, thick mustache slightly stained with coffee. Theo looked at the man, realizing he was the officer from the night prior that he'd spied from the balcony.
"Yes, sir. You knew her?"
The man nodded before reaching forward and extending his hand. Theo grasped it and shook.
"Charlie Swan. Your grandma was one of the good sort, pretty much became everyone's grandmother until she moved out of town. Didn't mean to overhear, but you're looking after the bookshop now?"
Theo paused momentarily; the name sounded familiar. Maybe his grandmother had mentioned the man before? She did share plenty of stories, but for some reason, the name eluded him in the moment.
"Theodore, but most people call me Theo. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Swan. You're right, I just came into town yesterday, so I'm still trying to figure out what to do, if I'm being honest."
Charlie looked at Theo and nodded. "Mind if I sit with you?"
"Please, come join me."
Theo was taken aback by how friendly the man seemed, but he chalked it up to the words previously mentioned. The man probably was a friend of his grandmother and wanted to have a chat.
Charlie was a gruff-looking man, but he seemed to have a level of kindness in his eyes. Sure, he had seemed awkward the night prior from the minute of spying Theo did, but it could have been because he was talking to his daughter. Lots of fathers were always toeing the line when it came to their daughters.
The two sat in somewhat awkward, but amicable silence, until Charlie spoke again.
"Are you looking for someone to work in your store? My daughter just moved back into town, and she mentioned wanting to find a job."
"Well, probably not until I've got the place up and running. I'm a bit over my head about it all, but I'm hoping it should be open in the coming week or two. How old is your daughter?"
Charlie nodded in satisfaction; it wasn't a denial, but it wasn't acceptance. Theo noted that Charlie seemed to be trying to help his daughter out, probably in some newfound desperation to bridge the gap between the two of them.
"Bella. She's sixteen. Just got her a car, so she wants to find a way to pay for gas and books, or whatever girls her age want. Speaking of, aren't you a little young to be running a store on your own?"
Snorting, Theo drank some of his coffee and answered. "I'm turning nineteen in less than a month. I should be off at college right now, but I'm here instead."
Charlie awkwardly scratched his cheek at the answer. Though he seemed somewhat outgoing, it occurred to Theo that the man wasn't the best in social situations—probably had something to do with them being almost strangers.
"Look, Mr. Swan—Charlie. Can I give you a piece of advice as someone around your daughter's age?"
Charlie subtly nodded.
"Don't make the decision for Bella. Instead, let her know that I might be looking for someone to work in the store in the afternoons and on some weekends, and if she wants the job, she can come and ask. The only thing someone our age wants is independence. Even if the thought of helping her comes from a kind place, it's better to give her the option to choose."
Theo wondered why he was giving advice to a man in his forties, but it was sort of nice to see someone trying to build a relationship with their child.
Charlie mulled over the words for a minute before sagging and sighing slightly. "Sorry kid, I didn't mean to interrupt your breakfast. But you're right, I should probably let her figure some stuff out on her own."
Theo waved away the awkwardness as he finished off his three plates of food, though he was stunned for a moment at how much he'd truly eaten.
"No problem. Seriously, it's nice seeing someone try and help out their kid. Where did Bella move from? Forks is a bit dreary."
Chuckling at the mention of the town, Charlie spoke. "From Phoenix. Bit of a change for her, from the heat to the cold, but she's a tough kid. She'll be fine."
Theo's hand paused as he reached for his cup.
'Phoenix to Forks. Chief Swan. Charlie Swan. Mustache. Bella Swan...' His eyes widened as the pieces began fitting together. 'Oh no.'
Fortunately, Charlie was too invested in his meal to notice Theo's pupils go pin-straight in shock.
'This is Twilight, isn't it? Of course it is! Why would I become some alternate version of myself, with a System and obviously broken powers, if I wasn't placed into a world where they could be used? Fuck, fuck, fuck! Vampires, shapeshifters, the Italian mob version of vampire gangsters!'
Quickly finishing off his coffee, Theo turned to Charlie and spoke.
"Sorry for leaving so quickly, but I've got a whole load of things I need to plan before I can reopen the store. It was nice meeting you, Charlie. Tell Bella she should stop by in a couple of days if she wants to talk about a job."
Slapping some money on the table, Theo quickly but subtly exited the diner and made a beeline back to his sanctuary. Moving faster than he was aware of, he essentially tore through the store and up the stairs, entering his apartment with a sigh.
"Fucking... fucker!" he said as he paced around the living room. "Of course this is that place. Of course I was sent here."
After a few more minutes of pacing the floor, creating his own indent on the wood, Theo crashed onto the couch with theatrical flair.
'Okay, revised plans,' he thought. 'I need to abuse being an Ancient Human. That means training myself to the point of mental and physical anguish every single day, all alongside bringing the store back to its prime. Restock the books, talk to the suppliers again, get everything cleaned up.'
Grabbing a spare piece of paper, Theo moved to the table and began writing out a training plan for himself. He was going to break down, adapt, evolve, and repeat the cycle forever.
**********
Hey all, here's another one. Please let me know your thoughts, comment and let me know your thoughts! Show some love to my story as well!