《Demon King of Time in Marvel》 The End and the Beginning Chapter 1: The End and the Beginning Devon sprinted through the sterile corridors of the research facility, his heart hammering against his ribs. Every second counted. He had to stop them. He had to stop the experiment. He was the lead researcher of Project Cronos, an ambitious attempt to create a stable temporal bridge using quantum entanglement. He''d halted testing weeks ago, his calculations screaming of a potential micro-singularity. But the short-sighted fools on the board had overruled him, stripped him of his position, and greenlit the test. The board, in their desire to control time, had dismissed his concerns as overly cautious. He burst into the testing facility, gasping for breath. Dr. Will, his former colleague, rushed to his side. "Dr. King! What''s going on?" "No time to explain," Devon panting, pushed past him towards the monitoring room. "We have to stop it." Inside, Dr. Dai Sun, his replacement, was hunched over the monitors. "No! You have to stop the experiment! It''ll cause a singularity!" Devon yelled. Dai Sun didn''t even turn. "You''re too late, Dr. King. The test has already begun. And there are no anomalies." Just then, the alarms shrieked to life. On the main screen, the energy readings spiked, far beyond the critical threshold. Devon''s worst fears were being realized. "Evacuate everyone! I''ll try to shut it down!" he shouted, just as a shockwave ripped through the facility, slamming him against the wall. Dazed, he saw Dai Sun slumped on the floor, unconscious. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his head, Devon scrambled to the control panel and initiated the emergency shutdown. It was a desperate measure. Cutting the energy flow would cause a massive release, an explosion that would likely obliterate the facility and everything within a considerable radius. But it was preferable to a singularity. As he initiated the sequence, his gaze fell on his watch. It wasn''t just any watch. It had a miniature Ohma Zi-O figure attached, a gift from Alex. The boy had been fascinated by Devon''s work on ''time stuff'' and insisted he wear it for ''protection.'' Devon remembered the boy''s earnest face, his small hand clutching the toy as he''d said, "This will keep you safe from the time monsters, Dr. King!" A bitter irony now, considering the circumstances. He''d scoffed then, but now, staring at the miniature demon king, a strange feeling washed over him, a sense of¡­ inevitability? As if this moment, this explosion, was somehow predestined. The watch felt warm against his skin, almost vibrating, and he saw a fleeting, distorted reflection of himself in the cracked glass¡ªhis own face, but with eyes that burned with an unnatural light. A blinding white light engulfed him, followed by a searing pain, then¡­ nothing. He was dead. Along with everyone in the facility. The surrounding landscape was now a desolate crater. {Later¡­} Pain. A throbbing, insistent ache behind his eyes. Devon opened them to find himself lying in¡­ a field? His head felt like it had been hit by a hammer. He was certain he''d died. So, how¡­?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He sat up slowly, wincing at the sharp stab of pain in his head. He took in his surroundings, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar landscape. Then he noticed something¡­ deeply disturbing. He was naked. Utterly, completely naked. And¡­ younger. Much younger. He stumbled towards a small, still pool of water nearby, his reflection rippling in the gentle breeze. The image staring back was of a man in his mid-twenties, with dark hair and eyes. Impossible. He''d been in his sixties. His face was smooth, his body lean and toned, a stark contrast to the aging physique he remembered. Lead researchers didn''t reach that level of expertise in their youth. Project Cronos. It had to be. The explosion must have somehow reversed his physical age. "Clothes," he muttered. "I need clothes. And to figure out where¡­" A scream cut through the peaceful air, shattering the silence. A man, dressed in rough, animal-skin clothing and brandishing a crude spear, was charging towards him, his face contorted in a mixture of fear and aggression. The sight of a naked man appearing out of nowhere had clearly startled him. The man looked like something out of a history textbook, a figure from a long-forgotten era. Had he been thrown back in time? Not just his body, but his very being transported to a different point in history? "Hello there," Devon said, forcing a smile. "Mannu atti? Minu qab??" the man yelled, jabbing his spear forward. Right. English was not a universal language. The man''s clothing and demeanor suggested a primitive culture, a world far removed from the sterile labs and modern technology he was accustomed to. He was probably asking, "Who are you?" or "What are you doing here?" Maybe even complimenting his physique, though the look on his face suggested otherwise. "Mannu atti? Minu qab??" The man''s frown deepened, he pushed his spear forward. Definitely not compliments, and seriously, look where you are pointing that thing. Devon looked around. There were no other signs of civilization, no other people. This man was likely the only one around for miles. And he was armed. Devon needed clothes, and this man clearly wasn''t going to offer them politely. He had to assume this man was a threat. Devon sighed. Since diplomacy wasn''t an option , violence would do. After all, violence is not the question, it''s the answer. He lunged, throwing a right hook. The tribesman, completely unprepared for the naked man''s sudden aggression, barely had time to react. He instinctively thrust his spear forward. Splurch. The spear pierced Devon''s abdomen. A searing pain shot through him, and he felt the warm stickiness of blood spreading across his skin. This is it, I can''t believe I died so fast in my second chance, he thought, bracing for the inevitable. Then, the world flickered, a backward tug pulling at him. He was trapped, a silent observer as the world rewound around him. His body retracing its steps. He saw the peasants arm retract, the spear pulling back, the thrust undoing itself. The wound vanished but the phantom pain of being impaled remained. He concentrated, trying to feel the flow of time. Gradually, the world began to move again. The blood resumed flowing, and the spear remained embedded. He focused on rewinding time. The tribesman pulled back his spear, the wound on Devon''s abdomen closing as if it had never been. He restarted time. Splurch. The spear pierced him again. "Damn you, peasant!" Devon groaned. Peasant 2 - 0 Devon [Rewind] This time, Devon anticipated the spear thrust sidestepping with a practiced ease. Years of dodging overly enthusiastic grad students finally paying off. He thought wryly as he landed his punch, sending the tribesman stumbling back. The man retaliated with a wild swing, slashing Devon''s torso. "How am I getting my butt kicked by a primitive?" Devon muttered. "Good thing I can rewind this. Nobody will ever know." [Rewind] Round four. Fight!!! This time, after the punch, Devon delivered his super move, a swift kick to the groin. It was super effective. The tribesman crumpled. Devon moved to take his clothes. The tribesman, fueled by primal fear and the indignity of being stripped by a naked madman, struggled fiercely. Devon tried a neck chop. When that predictably failed (it only worked in bad action movies), he resorted to a chokehold. Finally, the tribesman went limp. Flawless Victory. He quickly dressed in the tribesman''s rough clothing and grabbed the crudely fashioned spear. It was surprisingly well-balanced, though the chipped stone point looked more suited for butchering game than engaging in civilized combat. Though, given my current circumstances, ''civilized'' seems to be rather¡­ flexible term. He also scooped up a small, leather pouch that lay beside the unconscious man. It clinked softly, promising something other than rocks, at least. Now looking much less conspicuous, he offered a silent apology to his first victim. "I''ll repay you someday. This was a one-time thing. I swear on my mother, I''m a law-abiding citizen," he muttered, safe to say he was an orphan. In the distance, he saw a large structure, likely a city. He started walking towards it, his mind buzzing with questions. Had the explosion affected anyone else? Where was he? When was he? ------------- From a Time Traveler''s Guide to Avoiding Personal Paradoxes: "Rule #1: If you''ve just traveled through time and find yourself inexplicably younger and naked, DO NOT engage in hand-to-hand combat with primitive tribesmen. Trust us on this one. It never ends well. Unless, of course, you''re the Demon King. In that case, carry on. You''ll probably just rewind it anyway." ----------- From Lab Coat to Street Fighter Chapter 2 From Lab Coat to Street Fighter As Devon strolled towards the city walls, he ran through his mental checklist. He''d cheated death and landed himself smack-dab in what had to be ancient times. From quantum physics to¡­ well, sticks and stones. Talk about a downgrade. He needed a plan, stat. Step one: find a place to crash. Step two: gather intel. And step three, arguably the most pressing: find some food. His stomach was currently staging a full-blown protest. The city gates loomed ahead, looking more like a castle entrance than anything else. Vendors lined the approach, their stalls overflowing with fruits, veggies, and the works. He even saw some selling farm tools and rough-looking clothes. People were trading with coins ¨C the universal language of commerce, even across time, apparently. At the gates, some seriously armored guards stopped him, rattling off something in the local gibberish. Language barrier, round two. He threw his hands up in a "don''t shoot" gesture, then started miming deafness. No point in picking a fight with the local law enforcement. That''d just earn him a one-way ticket to the city dungeon. The guards exchanged confused glances. One of them waved him to the side. Another guy walked up, paid the guards a few coins, and got waved through. Ah, a toll. Makes a strange sense. Why have this grand entrance without a cover charge? Devon fished around in the pouch he''d¡­ ''borrowed'' from the tribesman and handed over a similar amount. The guard gave his spear a once-over ¨C a look that basically screamed, "That''s cute" ¨C before letting him pass. Guess my toothpick isn''t considered a weapon of mass destruction. Good to know. Inside, the city square was bustling. Merchants yelled about their wares, carts rattled across the cobblestones, and the air was thick with a million conversations he couldn''t decipher. Linguist''s worst nightmare. And mine, for obvious reasons. He''d love to find an inn, but with his communication skills currently limited to charades, that was a no-go. He had decided on a more direct approach. [Stasis] He''d decided to call his time-stopping ability "Stasis." "Za Warudo" sounded cool, but since he was frozen too, it felt a bit pretentious. He noticed a kid, maybe ten years old, zipping through the crowd, his fingers suspiciously close to people''s wallets. A mini-pickpocket. Gotta admire the hustle. So where are your friends? Devon decided to tail him. You might ask why tail him? This is a simple answer since the ''honest'' way of getting an inn was closed. He might as well learn from the experts. Clearly the kid would be working for someone and being a robin hood was always one of his dreams except the poor chap here was himself. It would be even easier with his powers: he can make quick work of them, get a place to stay and then also get food not to mention the monetary gain. He couldn''t help but wonder, as he followed the boy, was he always this morally gray. I never liked following rules because they are made by the strong to keep the weak in check. But being here, fighting for my survival I can''t help but notice, this is my true nature. I like to be the strong. To not have my fate decided by anyone but me and so I fight and do everything in my powers. After a long and boring chase, the kid finally left the main square as evening rolled around. Devon followed, trying his best impression of a shadowy ninja. The kid met up with a shady-looking dude in a dark alley, and after a quick chat, they headed towards the edge of town, disappearing into a beat-up house on the outskirts. Devon hung back, his stomach rumbling loudly. He saw smoke rising from the chimney. Bingo. Dinner time. And I''m starving. He crept towards the house, clutching his spear. A lone guard stood watch, a rusty dagger poking out from his belt. The guy spotted Devon and yelled something, going for his knife. Devon wasn''t in the mood for a long conversation. He faked a lunge to the left, then dove to the right, scooping up a handful of dirt and pebbles. He chucked them at the side of the house, making a racket.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. While the guard was distracted, Devon tackled him, sending them both sprawling. The guard scrambled up, slashing at Devon with his dagger, nicking his arm. Ow. Note to self: avoid pointy things. [Stasis] Devon''s time stopping ability, ten seconds max before a killer headache kicked in. Temporal brain freeze. Not conductive for tactical maneuvers but useful for a quick breather. The guard''s face was priceless. Devon couldn''t move, but he took a mental snapshot of the guy''s position, his grip on the dagger, everything. [Rewind] Back to square one. This time, as he tackled the guard, he made sure to pin the guy''s knife hand. A quick headbutt later, and the guard was out cold. Devon dragged him inside. Inside, two more guys were hollering, daggers drawn. Three kids huddled by a small fire, looking terrified. Definitely not a welcoming committee. Devon grabbed his spear. Deep breath. Focus. He hurled the spear at the nearest guy. Total miss. [Rewind] Back outside again. He grabbed his spear, adjusted his grip, and threw. Still missed, but not by as much. [Rewind] He saw the throw again, the spear sailing wide. Adjusted his grip. He threw again. This time, it hit, right in the shoulder. The guard yelled. Each time, he got a little better. Finally, after a few tries, the spear connected, hitting the guy in the shoulder. Not a kill shot, but enough to slow him down. Devon charged into the house. The fight was quick and messy. He used his stasis power in short bursts, creating openings, disarming the goons, trying to keep the kids out of the crossfire. He was bruised, bleeding, and his head was throbbing, but he managed to tie up the men with some rope he found lying around. The kids stared at him, wide-eyed. The oldest, a girl, maybe twelve, stood in front of the younger two, like a tiny, brave bodyguard. Devon grabbed a pot from the fire and dished out four servings of stew ¨C one for each of the kids, and one for himself. It was clearly meant for four, and those guys probably weren''t planning on sharing. He shoved the bowls towards the kids. He took a bite of the stew. Bland. Needs some serious seasoning. Gotta find the ancient equivalent of a spice rack. He knew what it was like to be in the kids'' shoes. Survival''s a dirty game. He couldn''t fix everything, but he could at least make sure they had a decent meal. The girl took a tentative bite, then nodded to the others. They dug in, clearly starving. Devon ate slowly, thinking about his next move. The language barrier meant finding a normal job was out. Guess I''ll have to get creative. Maybe I''ll find someone to stea¡­ borrow some wealth. Robbing a robber is just good financial planning, ok. After dinner, Devon found some rags and made makeshift beds for the kids in one corner, claiming the opposite corner for himself. Any lethal injury and rewind will act by itself. He wasn''t worried about them or the tied-up goons. As Devon lay on his makeshift bed, his mind raced. He needed to assess the situation objectively. He was stranded in an unknown time and place, with limited resources and a language barrier. Returning to his own time was a complex problem with no readily apparent solution. He had no one waiting for him back home. He''d been a solitary figure, his life revolving around his work. I might miss the occasional internet access, though. And the washrooms were so reliable. Truly, we only miss something when it is gone. He had a new life now, a blank canvas. He could use his scientific knowledge, his analytical mind, to navigate this new world. Perhaps I''ll invent the printing press a few centuries early. Or maybe just focus on perfecting the spork. That''s a truly underappreciated invention. He closed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. Might as well make the most of it. First order of business: figure out a way to earn money. And then learn their language. Then, maybe, find a way to get back to my time. Or at least a decent meal with actual spices. _________________________________________ "Devon''s Online Search History (If He Had Internet)" * "How to build a time machine with ancient technology" * "Best spices to use in ancient times" * "How to go to the bathroom if you were in ancient times." * "Is it ethical to use your knowledge of the future to get rich in the past?" * "Why does my head hurt when I rewind time too much?" * "Craigslist: Time Traveler seeking roommate" * "How to know which time period I am in?" * "How common is getting powers after a life threatening experience?" _________________________________________ Glimpse of the Eternals Chapter 3: Glimpse of the Eternals As Devon woke up, he noticed that the kids were already gone. He went outside to look at his prisoners ¨C they had rolled themselves some distance away, but he didn''t care about them either way. He made his way back to the city square. He was going to buy some equipment. As Devon was browsing through some bows and arrows, the little girl from yesterday found him. Devon noticed but continued his shopping. He picked up a bow and gestured to the shopkeeper that he would like to buy this bow, a quiver, and 20 arrows. The girl, understanding him, started to bargain with the shopkeeper, then took her own pouch and paid for it. Isn''t she a clever little devil, Devon muttered to himself. Her intentions were simple: a mutually beneficial arrangement. The girl was smart enough to see that Devon was better than the adults she originally worked for, so while she helped him communicate, he would provide her protection. Devon understood her intention and accepted this mutually beneficial relationship because he desperately needed a way to communicate. Afterward, with her help, he sold the two extra daggers and bought a small shield. They made their way to the city''s entrance, Devon needing to rent a small house, preferably near the forest. He had seen some houses there; surely someone could rent him one. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. Running through the fields towards them were monstrous figures, their bodies contorted, tentacles of hair lashing out. They looked like something out of a Japanese adult anime. Devon even saw one flying.a The monsters slaughtered any humans they saw, it was a scene of massacre. Panic erupted as people scattered, fleeing towards the city gates. Devon, grabbing Lily''s hand, joined the line. He might have powers now, but he wasn''t invincible, and he certainly wasn''t a hero. Survival would come first. For a split second, he considered using [Rewind], just to get a head start, but 30 seconds would not be enough. As they ran, a group of ten people, dressed in unfamiliar attire, emerged from the city. What happened next left Devon speechless. One of them, a man, soared into the air, unleashing a beam of energy from his eyes that incinerated a nearby Deviant. Another, a woman with flowing blonde hair, moved with agility, her spear flashing as she dispatched the creatures with brutal efficiency. "What in the¡­?" Devon muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Is that¡­a cheap copy of Superman? And is that a blonde Wonder Woman?" He even saw a man who simply punched the ground, creating a shockwave that sent several Deviants flying. And that woman¡­ she seemed to be healing the injured with a touch. "That is just a knock-off hulk who punches. This couldn''t be the original timeline. I call bullshit. Time travel I can understand. But what is this? Superheroes. Monsters. What''s next, a megazord?" Suddenly, Devon felt himself being lifted off the ground. He looked up to see a woman, her face a mask of concentration, carrying him effortlessly through the air. He had been transported inside the city, just as the gates were closing. He looked back to see what he assumed was a female version of Flash, her speed a blur as she moved through the panicked crowd. Clearly, these people were experienced in fighting these monsters. So, he left the area and started walking back to the city square. After some time, when everything had calmed down and the city gates reopened, he noticed that while people were afraid, they were not overly alarmed. It seemed like they were used to such scenes. It meant that monster sightings were actually normal. He had a lot of questions but decided to deal with that later, and focus on his current objective. Afterwards, they went and rented a small house near the periphery of the forest. Devon had decided to call the little girl Lily. As they familiarise themselves with their new home, Devon had already decided his next course of action: gather money and learn this new language with Lily''s help. Also find a safer place for them. Being around heroes was surefire way to get yourself killed. He would hunt from morning to evening and learn the language at night, while Lily would manage the household chores. Lily''s POV Life has been hard recently. Well, it was always hard, but the adults nowadays were asking for more money. I wanted to stay here, but it looked like I would not have a choice in this regard. Orlando''s voice, rough and demanding, echoed through the cramped room. "More tonight, girls. The clients are getting impatient." Lily huddled closer to the other children, her stomach twisting. She knew what "clients" meant. It was always the same. The older girls would disappear for a few nights, returning with vacant eyes and trembling hands. Lily had overheard whispers ¨C words like "sold" and "price." She knew her time was coming.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Today was also supposed to be such a day: steal from people, give it to the gang, then make some food and sleep. Repeat this again and again. I had already decided to run away and had already made plans on how I was going to do it. I had started saving some money, hidden from Orlando''s goons. It was then that HE happened. He arrived like lightning in a clear sky. We were cooking food while two goons were chatting about today''s haul, and another one was outside guarding the house. Suddenly, a guy was inside the house, and he used his wooden stick (It''s a spear¡­really) to smack the head of one of the sitting goons. Afraid, we huddled together, not understanding what was happening. The guy then went ahead to knock the other one out, tied them up, took their belongings, and left them outside. In all my life, I had never seen someone take out three people so fast. He must surely be after money if he left them alive. But then he proceeded to take our food. The three of us only had one bowl before but it looked like we would be sleeping hungry if we slept at all. But what happened next? He gave each of us a bowl. We have never eaten a full meal but that day we did. He then made us a bed and went to sleep himself. Is this guy an idiot? Does he not fear one of us killing him in his sleep or worse one of the goons from outside being free and killing him. I understood by the way he relaxed he wasn''t afraid if something like this did occur he was confident in his ability to stay safe. I envied him to be able to do what he does. To be free and not care about your enemy even when you are sleeping in their turf, surrounded by them. I decided that I will be one day like him and that starts with following him. He could surely easily take care of me and the little trouble with Orlando. I slept while my other companion, too afraid, decided to leave. As dawn broke, I went to get my hidden stash of money and came back quickly, but the guy was gone. Making my way to the city square and browsing some stores, I finally saw him again. Thank the heavens he hadn''t left. But why would he take care of me? Trying to think of something, I followed him to the city square. As I saw him try to buy a bow without talking, the idea hit me: maybe he was a traveller or a mute. This was my chance. I made my way to the shopkeeper and bought what he needed on his behalf, using my money. Thankfully, he understood my intention and let me follow him. Afterward, at the entrance, they saw a deviant attack, but the guy was surprised. Looks like he saw them for the first time. He took me to the periphery of the forest and gestured for a house. Looks like the equipment he bought was to hunt, and he needed a nearby house. Was he a hunter? Or a mercenary? After getting a house, life had become easier for me. All he wanted from me was that I teach him our language but I also decided to help with the house chores. And just like that time passed, turning days into weeks. I have gotten used to the fact that Devon would be away from morning to evening hunting. So, I either cleaned the house or went outside to play. In a new place where hardly anyone knew me, I was easily able to make friends. At night, I would teach Devon our language. While not fluent in it, he had already started to grasp it, understanding nearly all of it but speaking only broken words. I had learned from him that he had named me ''Lily'', which was a flower. While not my real name, I have decided to go with it because I had already left my earlier identity. Truthfully, I was quite afraid that now that Devon had learned our language, he might abandon me. I had to show that I was useful but he hadn''t said anything, so I did not bring the topic up. Devon, true to his words, would be busy either hunting or making strange ''devices'' he called them. He had made a ''water filter'' using sand and charcoal claiming that the river water shouldn''t be directly consumed. A ''soap'' , which she really liked and that dreaded thing, the ''toothbrush'' he called it. Today was also supposed to be a normal day. After Devon left to hunt, I went to the city square to buy some fruits and vegetables when I met a friend from my thieving days. I learned that after their incident, Orlando''s group had tightened their security and bought better weapons. They even increased a normal group size from three to five, and deserters were swiftly dealt with. My friend had come to warn me that if I were to be seen by any from the gang, I would be captured. Learning about this, I decided to leave immediately. My friend wanted to help me and told me about a hidden passage out of town. I, cautious as ever, have my own plans. I hitched a ride in a merchant''s cart and was cleanly escorted out of the city, taking detours to confuse any followers. But as it turned out, I was already being followed by a man who recognized me. Trying to capture me, the man followed me till I reached a secluded spot. I was already alerted by my friend, and soon found out that I was being followed. To throw the trail off, I ran towards the forest. The man quickly followed me, not ready to lose sight of me, bringing me back would certainly guarantee a reward. I was still a child being unable to outrun an adult man and was swiftly caught. But before anything could happen, a swift kick to the man''s head had him knocked out. The assailant was none other than Devon King, her benefactor. I quickly made her way to him and hugged his leg. I was very afraid of what might have happened should I had been caught. Devon later told me that I wasn''t home by my usual time, so he went out in search of me trying to find me. Devon, understanding my situation, comforted me by petting my back. As we reached our home I was still shaking from the encounter. I suggested we draw on the wall, it always helped me calm down and it was easier for Devon to learn new words. He agreed and we spent the rest of the evening sketching simple pictures and practicing words. As we grew closer, I thought this might be what family must feel like, and drifted off to sleep. _________________________________________ Lily''s "Things I''ve Learned from Devon" List: * * Big sticks are good for hitting bad guys. * * Stew tastes better with¡­ something. (Must investigate spice situation.) * * Water from the river is scary. Water from Devon''s weird box is safe. * * Toothbrushes are¡­ weird. But my teeth feel cleaner. * * Devon is strong and fast. But he can''t throw a stick very well. (He''s getting better, though.) * * He calls me Lily. I like it. * * Maybe¡­ maybe this is what having a family is like. _________________________________________ Ohma Day Chapter 4: Ohma Day Devon was currently in the city square browsing for some items he needed. He was sure that Olander''s gang was looking for him and Lily, and so he had to bring his plans to speed and get themselves a place in the inner district. It had already been a month since he started living with the little girl, and if he was to be honest, she had grown on him. He even gave her some cooking lessons which ended with her burning some fishes one time and the whole house another. He bartered for some dried meat, the merchant mentioning something about ''the tenth year of King Hammurabi''s reign.'' Great, Devon muttered. As if I paid attention in history class. In other news, either the world forgot about it later, or he was in some special world because monsters exist and they are called deviants. They like to kill human beings very much like a certain anime which had titans devouring humans. Fighting them was the job of the superheroes, as Devon called them, ten superpowered peoples who passed their time with humans trying to guide them. He had been near them to learn more about them, and he was truly shocked. There was this superspeed user Makkari who used sign language, he was pretty sure sign language did not originate this early, and that guy Phastos who used technology as power or something. They would clearly become friends in a different life.Then there were the other members Ikaris who was a cheap superman copy, and Devon believed in him more than superman, not in a good way though. He believed in his name that the guy was definitely up for a visit to the sun. There was the alchemist lady Sersi, the punch guy Gilgamesh, blonde wonder woman Thena, that mind control guy, the Indian guy who was transmigrated from yu yu hakusho, the tomboy teenage girl who used illusion and that lady who had a healer class. Did he mention that they were aliens? He didn''t, well they were aliens. How did he know you ask? Because they had zero calms to move their spaceship and parked it wherever it pleased them. He had even found it near his house one day, someone really needed to fine them with traffic tickets. It was not surprising though because Devon himself was an orphan and even back in his original time, he was used to spending some time in the orphanage taking care of children. Lily reminded him of Alex, another child from the orphanage who acted all mature but was a child at heart. It was the same kid who gave him his Kamen Rider keychain, he truly hoped that the kids back home were living comfortably. Back to the present, after some browsing, he started moving towards the slum near a secluded alleyway. "Come out. Hiding no fun." Said Devon. Appearing from behind him were seven burly men with swords and daggers tipped with some sort of liquid. One of them, the leader Olander himself, stepped up and spoke "It''s good that you came on your own. Now we sex you up." Olander threatened with his grunt voice. Hmm, his translating could use some work. While he had learned the language using a lot of rewind, truly temporal powers are a cheat, there were some small kinks here and there. Olander and his gang were confident in winning because they were outnumbering him seven to one, not to mention Olander had already requested for his friends to come here just in case. Their weapons were coated with poison just one cut and Devon would be done for, or so they thought. There was no way he would be coming out of this unharmed and so they charged. As we all know, there was no way a normal person could defeat someone with a superpower not unless they had an EX ranked passive skill named ''Plot Armor'' or the guy just had a shitty superpower in general. There was also the off chance that the author was on some serious stuff but let us not go there. While outnumbering your opponent might work, seven was not too much for someone who could spam retries. What followed next was a spamming of [Rewind], [Stasis] and a lot of moves that were banned from competitive play like ''thousand years of deaths'' in the end of which only Devon was left standing.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "You have failed this city." Devon said in the deepest voice he could muster and went batman on them. Not killing them but breaking enough bones that the hospital bills will kill them financially. He went to Orlando stepping on his chest making him gasp for air. "Listen. Leave us alone. I understand you want make example just fabricate a lie or this happens again." Just as Devon was leaving another thug came running with ¡­guards. What the hell Orlando? You asked help from the police; you are a gangster act like one, dammit. Devon knew that no explaining was going to help him get out of this situation. He had just taken out seven men and had zero scars to show for it, his case wouldn''t hold in modern times, forget ancient times. He would definitely be spending his sweet time in the dungeon, so he chose to run away. He could bet that he at least had a three-star wanted level now, so he chose to quietly leave the city. As he reached the entrance he could hear some noises from the other end of the fields opposite to the direction of his house. Must be those aliens fighting a deviant. Good thing it''s far away but I should seriously see to getting a safer place to live in. Now that I might not be able to return to the city, going to another city might be better. Devon''s new world was filled with danger and while he had superpowers, he was little more than a normal guy. Hunting all these times gave him a great build but he wasn''t superstrong or anything, so he kept himself away from such monsters. As he reached his house a feeling of dread overcame him. Something was terribly wrong. There was a deafening silence in the area, and he hurried to his house. As he approached , he heard Lily scream. Opening the door a horrifying scene awaited him. A deviant which had a humanoid body was holding Lily''s body by her neck lifeless. Devon immediately used [Rewind] to its limit and started running towards his house. Opening the door, he threw a dagger at the deviant and moved towards Lily. The deviant, taken aback by the sudden attack, was slow to react but soon attacked both Devon and Lily by elongating an arm like tentacle and sweeping them both. Devon used [Stasis] to decide how to dodge but what happened next left him shocked to his core. The deviant was moving ever so slowly but still moving in his stopped time. This should not have been possible, he had tried many things to confirm that he was truly stopping time not stretching a nanosecond or something like flash time, yet here was a literal moving exception. Looking at Lily who was still not moving he decided to again use [Rewind] to its limits. As he opened the door to his house he was again surprised. Rather than him attacking it was the deviant who was attacking him now. Devon swiftly dodged and created some distance. He remembers. Not only can he move in stopped time he remembers what happened before rewind. Is there no way to save Lily? Is she doomed to live such a short life not even able to enjoy it like the rest? A cry escaped through Devon''s throat. His trembling hands clenched in a fist. He had never felt so powerless, helpless to do anything. He felt rage consume him, he wanted nothing more than to make this monster cry in pain, to suffer what its victim would have gone through. For, you see, Devon only ever used his powers in self-defence, even while hunting it was for his self-preservation. He was not a hero, a man who protected the weak, he was just a man who wanted to survive. But now, someone he cared about was dead, his only friend, the little girl who had helped him, the only one in this strange world he had a connection to. It was all my fault. If I had been stronger, faster, I might have been able to save her. This rage, this anger, this overwhelming sense of loss, it was fueling his powers. So when the weak willed Devon finally decided to do something with every inch of his being, his powers responded. They no longer were trying to stop time or rewind for Devon to save himself from harm but effectively bending space time to his will. Their nature had shifted from that of ''Survive'' to ''Dominate''. His powers- no, he had awakened. The transformation began as a humongous clock indentation appeared on the ground with strange glyphs for gear, and lava began to fill in the crevices, glowing with intense heat. Golden bands began to swirl around him as the ancient katakana flew out of the clock face, merging with him, as the molten rocks and lava flowed over him forming a gleaming suit, the katakana forming onto him, and completing his transformation. A voice booming in the void- THE BLESSING HOUR! THE ULTIMATE, SUPREME, UNPARALLELED! THE ALL POWERFUL-KING! OHMA ZI-O !! _________________________________________ Lily''s Latest Drawing -: (A drawing of a stick figure (Devon) holding a spork and smiling. Next to him is a smaller stick figure (Lily) holding his hand. In the background, there''s a crudely drawn house with a tree next to it.) This is Devon. He''s my friend. He''s my family. We live in a house by the forest. We''re happy. _________________________________________ The King of Time Chapter 5: The King of Time Standing tall was the imposing figure of Ohma Zi-O, an aura of sheer magnificence emanating from him. His presence, like an unrelenting force, seemed to bend the very fabric of reality to his whims. The armor, a masterpiece of gold and black, gleamed in the dim light, covering every inch of his body. His attire, as intimidating as his presence, spoke of a power unleashed. Everything about him exuded a majestical aura of strength and terror ¨C this was a living embodiment of power and dominance. "Rejoice, monster," Ohma declared, his voice resonating with an otherworldly power. "You shall feel my wrath." The Deviant, not truly understanding the situation that just unfolded, attacked using its sharp claws, aiming for Ohma Zi-O''s torso. In response to the monster''s assault, Ohma¡­ did nothing. As the claws moved to cut Ohma, rather than feeling the soft flesh and blood, the Deviant encountered an impenetrable barrier, like striking against adamantium. Looking at its opponent, it couldn''t even see a scratch marring the flawless surface of the armor. Ohma Zi-O grasped the Deviant''s head with an iron grip, effortlessly lifting it off its legs. The Deviant thrashed wildly, its claws raking against the armor, but it was all for naught. With a chilling display of strength, Ohma slammed the Deviant''s head into the ground with earth-shattering force. *BOOM* The impact was deafening, the ground trembling beneath the force of the blow. A crater formed where the Deviant''s head had impacted, and the monster let out a pained howl, its body convulsing. Ohma, unfazed, lifted the creature again and hurled it towards the forest with a force that sent trees splintering. As Ohma observed the Deviant, it began to regenerate from its injuries, a testament to its monstrous resilience. Slowly but surely, it began to mend, its wounds closing at an alarming rate. The Deviant shrugged off the debris and lunged towards Ohma Zi-O, a feral growl escaping its throat. "Regeneration? It will only extend your suffering," Ohma remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. With a swift movement, Ohma caught the Deviant''s punch, his left hand encasing the creature''s fist in an iron grip. He applied pressure, the Deviant''s bones crunching under the immense force. With his right hand, he seized the Deviant''s other arm and, with a sickening twist, tore it from its body. The creature''s roars turned into whimpers as it writhed in agony, its two remaining limbs useless. Terror, a primal emotion, gripped the Deviant. It had never known fear before, but now, facing this unstoppable force, it understood the true meaning of terror. Desperate, it turned and fled, limping towards the nearby mountain. "Running will not save you," Ohma declared, his voice cold and menacing. "Nothing will anymore. It''s time I put an end to your existence." Hour of Demise Ohma began to glow with an eerie dark golden light, golden clock hands appearing beneath his feet. Leaping into the air, he readied himself for the finishing blow, assuming a stance of power, his body poised for the attack. [Overlord''s Decimation] Channeling his power into his legs, Ohma unleashed a devastating flying side kick. The impact was catastrophic. A shockwave, born from the sheer force of the blow, obliterated the Deviant, sending dust and debris flying into the air. When the dust settled, nothing remained. The creature had been utterly annihilated, reduced to dust and scattered debris. Back at the house, Devon, or rather, Ohma Zi-O, tried to rewind the time with his newfound powers to resurrect the child. His powers had amplified, he could now rewind the world, unaffected by the temporal currents. He was no longer a mere passenger in this time stream; he was the conductor. The world backtracked, but he could move freely, an observer in his own time. Yet, his efforts were futile. He couldn''t rewind the events surrounding Lily''s death. The temporal energy recoiled, a sharp pain shooting through his head. It was as if the moment was erased, as if time itself had lost its power. The crystal in his hand pulsed, a faint hum resonating from it. Could it be connected? A white, crystalline object materialized in his palm, shimmering with an otherworldly light. After obliterating the Deviant, this object had appeared, seemingly running away from him. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He examined it closely, intrigued by its strange properties. It pulsed with an eerie energy, radiating an aura of immense power. Looking around the now dilapidated house, he saw Lily''s body lying lifeless. He decided to properly bury her and pay his respects to the little girl. After some time, he buried Lily''s body under a nearby tree, carving on the tree; ''In loving memory of Lily, a little angel whose light will shine forever.'' He placed the last stone on Lily''s grave, a heavy silence settling over the clearing. The fight, the transformation, Lily''s death¡­ it all felt surreal, like a nightmare he couldn''t wake up from. He looked at his hands, still faintly glowing with residual temporal energy. This power¡­ it was both a blessing and a curse. He had gained incredible strength, but at what cost? He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them with a newfound resolve. He would honor Lily''s memory. He would find those responsible for her death and make them pay. He turned and walked away from the grave, a long journey ahead of him. Devon, already had a clue. Deviants were supposed to be mindless beasts, but whatever this object was had changed that. It had corrupted them, imbued them with a terrifying intelligence and resistance to time. He needed to find the source of these objects, the entity behind this corruption, and eliminate it. He did not know where he might find the other, but he had an inkling that collecting them might give him the clue to what it was. Presently though, he could feel something calling out to him, something from far away. As a scientist Devon was naturally curious and decided to seek it out while also seeing the limitations of his new powers. As he started walking towards a long journey, Devon thought about what had happened today. Lily had been killed by a Deviant on whom his powers had no effect. And through that rage, that overwhelming grief, he had transformed into the legendary Kamen Rider Ohma Zi-O. He knew about most of the Kamen Riders as they were little Alex''s favorite show to watch, and he particularly favored Ohma Zi-O. Devon remembered that Ohma Zi-O was the Demon King of Time, the last Rider and had the powers of all the Riders which included some gods, one guy whose kick could destroy the earth among others. In short, the guy was OP with thrice the O''s. While the original might be a multiversal level being, Devon was definitely not. At least not yet. The transformation into Ohma Zi-O had granted him incredible power, a taste of the true potential that lay within him. The slick, black and gold armor, the raw power, the ability to manipulate time itself ¨C it was intoxicating. Devon, did not know how he could access the full extent of his powers, but he did notice that they were linked to his will, to his emotions. His rage, his grief, his desire for vengeance ¨C these emotions had fueled his transformation. So, he decided to embrace this power, to hone it, to become the ultimate expression of his will. He would become the Demon King of Time. The irony was not lost on him. Wait a second. My name wasn''t the reason that I got the powers of the Demon King of Time, did it? Nah, it couldn''t be, nope, definitely wasn''t. Convincing himself, Devon undid the transformation and continued onwards reaching the entrance of the city. He was going to buy a horse and continue towards the thing calling for him. It would be a long journey as it wasn''t likely that he could hitch a ride in an alien spaceship ¡­. Or could he? Far away, on the other side of the plains, a different group was also dealing with the aftermath of the Deviant attack. {Eternal''s POV} The Eternals were currently enroute to our protagonist''s former home after finding that a Deviant had appeared there. It was already dark till they reached there destination. They had been busy fighting some Deviants that showed up near the city when there was another signal from the opposite side. They had decided to clean up before heading to the other area as there was only supposed to be one Deviant there and not many people lived near there. Before them was a field of broken trees and scorched earth, clearly the aftermath of a fierce battle. Sersi''s gaze swept the area, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a faint, claw mark on the ground. "The Deviant here was strange, it was too powerful. These claw marks don''t look normal" analyzed Sersi. Ikaris, the fake superman, knelt beside a large crater. He ran his fingers through the dust, his expression grim, "The force needed to create such a crater would be huge. Such impressive power. But what was it fighting?" Such a powerful Deviant would even take them some hard efforts to subdue yet there was no sign of the Deviant or whoever it fought, not even the body could be found. Sprite, the illusionist, chipped in "It must have been a very hard-fought battle especially if the Deviant was this abnormal but I didn''t know that there was someone who had the ability to fight them beside us on earth." Ajak, the leader and healer of the party, replied "I agree that even I don''t know who could have fought the Deviant, but I don''t think it was a hard battle" The others, intrigued by Ajak''s reply, looked at where she was looking. Their eyes narrowed at the scene, as before them lay a huge mountain. But what drew their gaze wasn''t the majestic mountain that had stood the test of times but the immense, circular hole that pierced straight through the mountain. _________________________________________ The Prophecy of the Eternal Clock (Etched on a monolith found in a forgotten temple, translated by a scholar who has since vanished without a trace) "When the celestial clockwork falters, and the balance between order and chaos teeters on the precipice, a figure of immense power shall emerge from the temporal currents. He shall be adorned with the symbols of time''s dominion, and his presence shall command the very fabric of reality. He is the harbinger of change, the master of moments, the King of Time. His name shall be spoken in hushed whispers, for he is both savior and destroyer. He is¡­ Ohma Zi-O." Fracture in Time Chapter 6 A Fracture in Time The sun was shining brilliantly when the merchant caravan Devon was travelling with came to a stop. What happened to riding a horse into the sunset? Well Devon quickly realized that his horse-riding skills were not even F grade, making him leave that idea and continue his journey with a caravan travelling in the same direction. The reason for their stop in the middle of the plains was because they were seeing a horde of deviants coming towards them. While very hard to kill with a primitive weapon, humans weren''t totally defenceless against the beasts. As the people and guards took to their weapons, Devon contemplated the use of [Stasis] to quickly deal with the situation. But before he could act, he saw a spaceship on its way towards them in the horizon. Devon swiftly abandoned any action and waited for the eternals to act. His prayers were answered when the eternals jumped from their ship and started smashing the deviants. Seeing it as his chance Devon quickly used [Stasis], transformed into Ohma ZI-O and went directly towards their ship. Time was a wondrous thing. Within [Stasis], all forces were suspended¡ªexcept for him. So, he literally stepped on air and up to the spaceship with full intentions of steal- borrowing it to reach his destination early. He glanced at the Eternal''s ship, a sleek alien design that screamed ''advanced technology''. He looked at the distant mountain from where he could feel the call, even transformed, it would take weeks of walking or¡­ he could hitch a ride on this convenient space taxi. If only I had unlocked Ohma Zi-O''s powers of space manipulation, teleportation or even portal creation I would not need to walk so much. After entering the spaceship Ohma soon realized that he did not know how to pilot it, it wasn''t like there was a book labelled flying a ''Spacecraft 101'' just sitting there. So, he did the most logical thing, he went out and kidnap-... borrowed the help of an eternal. Thanks to being in [Stasis] none of them could resist him so he took the one he thought was the most useless, the guy that could mind control. Now one might wonder why he was doing all this when he had all the time to spend walking there and the answer would be because he preferred simpler things in life. Also the call was getting stronger, if the eternals hadn''t appeared he would have continued his slow journey. Inside the spaceship, Ohma stopped his [Stasis] after throwing the caught eternal inside. Talk about shitty spaceship security. The eternal named Druig quickly got back on his feet and got in a fighting pose, eyeing Ohma warily. He tried to use his knock off version of the Jedi mind trick - really? Is this all you can do? Like throwing a rubber wall at concrete that didn''t work at all. "Seize your futile effort to struggle. I want you to escort me to a location after which you are free." Ohma wasn''t going to waste time on useless chatter considering the other eternals might notice the anomaly. Druig, knowing he had to stall for time, replied, "I am not taking you anywhere. Who the hell are you?" "That was not a request it was an order." Ohma punched Druig in his gut making the eternal drop to his knees. "I won''t help you. Do whatever you want, but I won''t be cooperating." These dumb heroes and their boners for self-sacrifice is really annoying. Fine then, I didn''t want to do this but the hard way it is. Using [Stasis] Ohma moved and secured another two victims, a human and another eternal, Phastos the tech guy but he was currently knocked out. "If you don''t, I will kill both of them" "You damn monster" Druig''s jaw tightened. He hated this. He hated being forced, hated being powerless. But he couldn''t risk Phastos or the human. With a frustrated sigh, he started up the ship. Seeing their ship suddenly leaving them the eternals decided to send makkari, the speedster, after the ship as she would be able to relay to them about its location while they continue exterminating the deviants here.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The sun was already on the verge of setting when the ship reached the place from where Ohma was sensing the disruption. It was a dark cave on a mountainside. The atmosphere was eerily quiet like the calm before the storm. "Now wasn''t this easy. You could have saved yourself some trouble if you had agreed initially. No matter, let us hope never to meet again" Ohma departed from the ship heading straight into the cave. Eternal''s POV The spaceship was gone from their location, along with Phastos and Druig. What was more concerning though, was that no one had seen them disappearing. Makkari, the lady speedster of the group, had reached the area near the cave and relayed the location of the ship back to her group. After dealing with the deviant attack, the eternals regrouped at the ship''s current location, finding Phastos unconscious. "Phastos will wake up soon. He''s just unconscious. So, Druig mind filling us in on the situation?" Ajax, the healing leader lady asked. "It was very abrupt. One second I was with you guys fighting the deviants the next I was inside the ship with him." "Him?"asked Gilgamesh. "Tall guy in black and gold armor, asked to be led here. I initially refused but he suddenly materialized Phastos and a human then proceeded to threaten me. He went inside the cave." "I am assuming you were not able to mind control him." Ikaris said. "Yes. We should find him and make him pay" "And how exactly are we going to do that? We basically know nothing about the guy. He might be the one who killed that previous deviant so a peaceful approach may be possible seeing that our goals are the same" Sersi reasoned. "Or we go force him to tell us who he is and also make him pay for what he did." replied the illusionist. "Let us first see him and we can decide our approach later." Ajax said. Phastos soon woke up and all the eternals gathered up to enter the cave. Back with Ohma Zi-O As soon as he arrived inside the cave, an anomaly came to his attention. The cave was filled with temporal energy, making the time inside the cave behave in an erratic manner. Ohma saw a portion of the cave growing mushrooms which grew old rapidly. On another was a firefly just suspended in the air. Clearly, time had stopped in this area. Okay, this is weird, even from my perspective, he thought. He had spent years studying the intricacies of time, theoretical physics, and temporal mechanics back in his original world. Most of it was just equations and thought experiments, but now he was literally swimming in the stuff. Talk about on-the-job training. Let''s see what I can learn from this temporal distortion while I fix it. While Ohma was busy fixing the distortion inside the cave, he started poking around the residual temporal energy clinging to the walls. It wasn''t just random static; there were patterns, subtle vibrations, like echoes of past events. Each event leaves a unique signature on the fabric of time. He focused his will, trying to isolate the specific signature of the Deviant''s emergence. It was like trying to find a specific song on a radio station filled with static, but after a moment of intense concentration, he found it¡ªa sharp spike in temporal energy, followed by a ripple of distortion. Using his newfound understanding ¨C and a healthy dose of instinct ¨C he reached out with his temporal energy, not just to observe, but to manipulate. He visualized the moment the rift opened, the Deviant clawing its way through, and began to shape the surrounding temporal energy to recreate the scene. The air shimmered, and a three-dimensional image began to solidify in the center of the cave. It was like a holographic projection, almost tangible. This wasn''t just a passive observation; this was an Echo of Time, a recreation of the past using the very energy of time itself. The image showed the Deviant emerging from a crack in space, its form contorted and monstrous. He could walk around the image, examining it from different angles. He could even "zoom in," focusing on specific details like the texture of its skin or the way its claws tore at the fabric of reality. Talk about high-def. So it didn''t even belong to this timeline. Just my luck. He thought as he noticed the background of the image to be a place he had never seen before. So it''s an alien invader. Or an extradimensional one. Whatever it is, it has to pay. He tried finding where the monster originally came from by manipulating the energy, trying to trace the origin of the temporal rift, but had no luck. The energy dissipated, leaving him alone in the cave. Back to square one. He needed to understand how these temporal rifts were opening and how to stop them.So he shifted his attention to observe the current timeline. A spherical golden ball like thread took shape observing which he felt something. Even after the repairs, why do I have this nagging feeling? After some more scrutinizing, he was able to find what was troubling him and that ''it'' was the timeline itself. It wasn''t a smooth flowing river, but a fractured mess, with rupture where events were erased or gaping holes where entire sections were missing. This timeline was seriously messed up. Not a smooth flow, more like a broken clock. Ticking, then skipping a few seconds, then ticking again. Gave him a headache just looking at it. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the cave. The Eternals had arrived.. _________________________________________ Druig''s Attempts at Mind Control - Epic Fail Edition * Druig: (Focuses intently on Ohma Zi-O) You¡­ will tell me¡­ where you are taking me¡­ * Ohma Zi-O: (Stares blankly) * Druig: (Tries harder) You¡­ will¡­ obey¡­ my¡­ commands¡­ * Ohma Zi-O: (Yawns) * Druig: (Sweating) You¡­ will¡­ make me a sandwich! * Ohma Zi-O: (Pats his stomach) Actually, I am a little hungry. _________________________________________