《Marvel Universe: Power Through Connection》 Chapter 1: Mutant Ability – A Charming Path ¡°Mutation is the key to evolution. It¡¯s how we evolved from single-celled organisms into the dominant species on this planet. This process is slow, often taking millions of years. But every few hundred thousand years, evolution takes a leap forward.¡± The midday sun shone brightly, casting its golden rays through the classroom windows, illuminating the students¡¯ faces. At the front of the class, a confident and captivating female teacher passionately explained the intricacies of biology. At the back, however, Norin twirled his pencil, his mind wandering as he gazed out the window, lost in thought. At that moment, he felt like he was back in high school before transmigration, dull biology classes with their uncanny ability to induce drowsiness. Back then, he could afford to nap. But not now. Because he had transmigrated! And not just anywhere, into the perilous Marvel Universe, a world filled with gods, aliens, and threats beyond imagination. Compared to his previous mundane reality, this world was a constant danger zone. A certain balance-obsessed ¡°Director of Population Control¡± was sharpening his blade, preparing for a universal-scale war. Deep within Earth¡¯s core, a colossal celestial being, Tiamut, slumbered, waiting to awaken and doom the planet. And then there was Kang the Conqueror, master of time, gazing down upon all creation across the multiverse. But for now, all of that seemed distant. What concerned Norin more was the looming war between humanity and mutants. After all, his current identity was that of a mutant! Specifically, a student at Xavier¡¯s School for Gifted Youngsters. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that just lovely,¡± Norin muttered to himself. ...... Norin sighed inwardly. "Why couldn¡¯t I get one of those cheat-like systems? Everyone knows having even a mid-tier system guarantees success." But unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have one. In this dangerous world, starting without a system or beginner¡¯s package meant he had to rely on wit and caution. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t entirely without hope. He did have a unique ability. ¡°Pay attention! Take notes and focus on the lesson!¡± The sharp voice of Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, snapped him out of his reverie. Yes, their biology teacher was none other than the X-Men¡¯s Storm, whose mutant ability allowed her to control weather. She could summon lightning, clouds, and storms at will, a truly formidable power. Norin focused his attention on the lesson, suppressing a smirk. Teachers were the same everywhere, weren¡¯t they? .... Two months had passed since Norin woke up in this world. Back then, he had been captured by Hydra for reasons he couldn¡¯t yet comprehend. Helpless and powerless, he was an ordinary man with no status or abilities. At least, until his mutant powers awakened. Like most mutants, Norin¡¯s powers were triggered by intense emotional stress. However, his powers weren¡¯t the kind to instantly break him out of captivity. His ability? He could temporarily copy another mutant¡¯s power through bodily fluid exchange¡ªlike a kiss. .... After some testing, he discovered more about his powers:
  1. The copied ability lasted for about a day but could extend with repeated exchanges.
  2. Over time, he could potentially make the copied ability permanent.
  3. His ability also allowed him to enhance others. Through intimate interaction, he could fix flaws in their powers and even boost their mutant rank.
This made his power incredibly unique and versatile. .... Through observation, Norin noticed that his abilities seemed to make him naturally irresistible. When his powers activated, his already-handsome appearance was subtly enhanced. His charm skyrocketed, exuding an almost supernatural allure that made him utterly captivating to women. Though it didn¡¯t guarantee instant love, it ensured a perfect first impression. Combined with his... exceptional stamina, he was practically a walking enigma of seduction. ¡°Is this some kind of succubus-like power?¡± he mused. With great power came great physical demands, though, and Norin was already feeling the toll. Even so, he couldn¡¯t deny the potential of his abilities. In the right hands, they could tip the scales of power in this universe. And for that, he had Hydra to thank. Chapter 2: Katie, The Simp Slayer, and The Male Nemesis Yes, the ones who captured Norin were Hydra. When they took him in for research, his mutant powers were awakened by chance. It was then that he met her¡ªViper! The blonde, green-eyed femme fatale from The Wolverine 2, Ophelia Sarkissian. In this version of the universe, a blend of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and mutant lore, Ophelia held the position of a mid-level Hydra researcher, with considerable authority. A master poisoner, a brilliant scientist, and a mutant with the ability to shed her skin and an immunity to toxins, she was not to be underestimated. From the moment they first met, Ophelia was captivated by the raw, almost magnetic aura of Norin¡¯s pheromone-charged charm. On the very day of his capture, under the guise of ¡°research,¡± she whisked him away to her private quarters, where certain indescribable activities transpired. And it was then that Norin realized the true nature of his powers. He temporarily acquired Ophelia¡¯s mutant abilities, gaining enhanced resilience and a degree of toxin immunity. For Ophelia, the experience was transformative. Not only was she utterly satisfied, but she also discovered that her own mutant powers were evolving! The realization left her exhilarated. After all, what could be better than indulging in pleasures that simultaneously strengthened her abilities? Both parties were delighted with this arrangement, quickly falling into a shameless, hedonistic rhythm of life. To avoid suspicion from Hydra¡¯s higher-ups, Ophelia kept Norin close under the pretense of studying his mutant abilities. She even upgraded his living conditions, ensuring he enjoyed luxuries far beyond what he¡¯d ever experienced, even in his previous life. For a time, Norin¡¯s life at the Hydra base was almost paradisiacal. But two weeks ago, Storm and the X-Men raided the Hydra facility. They dismantled the research division focused on the X-Gene and rescued Norin, subsequently enrolling him in the high school division of Xavier¡¯s School for Gifted Youngsters after extensive testing. Interestingly, Norin had the option of escaping with Ophelia. However, after careful consideration, he chose to remain and be "rescued" by Storm and her team.
The decision wasn¡¯t Ophelia¡¯s to make, it was entirely Norin¡¯s. His mutant ability not only enhanced and perfected the powers of his female partners but also seemed to deepen their emotional and psychological bond with him. It wasn¡¯t just physical, it reached into the very core of their being. Simply put, in the two months they spent together, Ophelia had become completely and irrevocably his, both body and soul. She had even become his secret agent within Hydra. Through her, Norin now had access to classified Hydra intelligence, information that would be impossible to obtain otherwise. This connection was a critical asset for his future plans. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Before anyone noticed, the bell signaling the end of class rang out. ¡°All right, everyone. That¡¯s it for today. If you¡¯re interested, head to the library and borrow The Once and Future King. It¡¯s a novel by the British author T.H. White that Professor Xavier highly recommends. If you take the time to read it carefully, you¡¯ll find plenty of fascinating insights within.¡± ¡°Class dismissed!¡± Ororo Munroe¡ªStorm¡ªcast a lingering glance at Norin before turning and leaving the room.
¡°Norin, are you okay? You seemed a little off today. Did you stay up too late studying last night?¡± As soon as Ororo left, Norin¡¯s desk mate, a girl with long, ash-blonde hair, leaned closer with a look of genuine concern. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, you¡¯re right. I did stay up pretty late last night,¡± Norin replied after a brief pause, deciding to go along with her suggestion since he couldn¡¯t think of a better excuse. Hearing this, the girl¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. Whether it was because her guess had been accurate or because Norin¡¯s striking good looks and overwhelming charisma had gotten to her, it wasn¡¯t clear. ¡°Well, don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Make sure to get enough rest, your health is more important,¡± she continued earnestly. ¡°Not every teacher is as understanding as Ms. Munroe. Imagine if it had been Mr. Summers, things could¡¯ve gotten a lot more complicated.¡± She hesitated for a moment before sliding her neatly written class notes in front of him. ¡°Nor, I noticed you didn¡¯t finish your notes. Why don¡¯t you borrow mine and copy them? I¡¯ve already memorized most of it anyway!¡± Norin smiled faintly and accepted the notes. ¡°Thanks, Kitty.¡± Of course, he knew she was lying. Kitty¡¯s mutant abilities weren¡¯t related to enhanced cognitive skills, so there was no way she could have memorized an entire lecture¡¯s worth of notes so quickly. Still, he appreciated her gesture. He wasn¡¯t completely clueless when it came to picking up on kindness. Yes, Norin¡¯s desk mate was none other than Kitty Pryde, a member of the high school division and a mutant known by the codename "Shadowcat." Her ability allowed her to phase through any physical object, herself or anything she touched. With further development, she could even enable consciousness to phase through time itself! In Days of Future Past, she was the key to altering the fate of mutants by reshaping the timeline. Her potential was extraordinary. But at this moment, the girl who played such a pivotal role in the original storyline, and who was far more beautiful in real life than her fictional counterpart, was utterly entranced by Norin¡¯s overwhelming charm. Unbeknownst to her, her words and actions were starting to resemble something one might call¡­ devotion. For Kitty, just receiving a gentle, thankful smile from Norin was enough to leave her brimming with happiness. Norin had only been at Xavier¡¯s School for Gifted Youngsters for two weeks, yet he had already become the most talked-about student. Nearly every female student harbored at least some level of admiration or affection for him, while the male students? Many of them despised him. ¡°He¡¯s just too handsome!¡± ¡°His charisma is off the charts!¡± His presence was so overwhelming it left the other guys struggling to breathe. If it weren¡¯t for the strict supervision of the professors and staff, it was entirely possible that some of the boys might have already banded together to confront him. Norin was certain that if any of them tried, they¡¯d first have to deal with the protective wall of female students that surrounded him. Despite all the attention and admiration, Norin didn¡¯t let it get to his head. He understood one thing very clearly: relying on others could only get you so far. True power came from within. This was why he had come to Xavier¡¯s school in the first place, to grow stronger.
In two short weeks, Norin had already familiarized himself with the school¡¯s workings and created a mental shortlist of his targets: He needed their abilities. Norin¡¯s unique power allowed him to absorb the abilities of others, but it did more than that, it enhanced and optimized them, fixing any flaws and amplifying their effectiveness. With each ability added to his repertoire, he became stronger, gradually building himself into a perfect, versatile fighter. In a world filled with danger, this was his ultimate strategy for survival. Chapter 3: Cat Cuddling and Warmth Staring at Norin¡¯s flawless features, his gentle smile, and that intangible aura of allure, Kitty Pryde did something unthinkable for a confident, Western woman, she bolted. She hastily made up an excuse and fled the classroom. Out in the hallway, Kitty leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. The blush that had spread across her cheeks slowly faded back to her usual complexion. ¡°Kitty, Kitty, why do you always falter at the crucial moment?¡± she muttered to herself in embarrassment. ¡°You¡¯re making a fool of yourself!¡± Never in her life had Kitty imagined she¡¯d find herself in such a state. Normally, she was perfectly composed and could hold conversations with anyone without breaking a sweat. But with Norin? Every encounter set her heart pounding, her breath quickening, and a wild, inexplicable urge to leap into his arms. It was crazy. Absolutely insane. Could this be¡­ love at first sight? At least she hadn¡¯t completely lost her dignity. Before running off, she had mustered the courage to kiss him. That brief moment, however fleeting, had been magical. It was an indescribable sensation, a first in her young life. Her heart was still racing as she recalled the intoxicating feeling.
And then there was that scent. ¡°He smells so good¡­¡± Kitty mused aloud. It wasn¡¯t the artificial aroma of cologne. No, it seemed to be his natural scent, faint yet irresistibly alluring. It made her head spin and stirred up an impulsive desire she couldn¡¯t control.
¡°Kitty, are you feeling okay?¡± A deep, gentle voice broke through her thoughts. Looking up, she saw Peter Rasputin¡ªknown as Colossus¡ªstanding before her. Peter was one of the school¡¯s star students. His mutant ability allowed him to transform his body into organic steel, rendering him impervious to physical damage while granting him superhuman strength. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Peter,¡± Kitty replied, shaking her head, clearly not in the mood for small talk. In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have minded chatting with Peter. He was well-liked at the school, with impressive grades and exceptional powers that frequently earned him praise from both the professors and staff. Rumor had it that Peter was already on the shortlist to become a full-fledged member of the X-Men, a dream for most students at Xavier¡¯s School. Anyone with even passable mutant abilities aspired to join the team and become a hero defending their community. But now? With Norin in the picture, every other guy seemed dull and unremarkable in comparison. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Are you sure? I saw you talking to Norin earlier¡­ Are you really okay?¡± Peter pressed gently, his concern evident. He glanced back toward the classroom, where Norin sat, deep in thought. ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with my business!¡± Kitty snapped, her voice growing sharper. ¡°Peter, you¡¯re a nice guy, really, but there are things you just wouldn¡¯t understand. Oh, I just remembered something I need to do, excuse me!¡± Before Peter could respond, Kitty turned on her heel and hurried away, leaving him standing there, bewildered.
Back in the classroom, Norin leaned back in his chair, replaying the earlier scene in his mind. To be honest, it hadn¡¯t left much of an impression on him. The kiss had been so brief it barely registered, just a soft, fleeting touch before Kitty had darted away. He¡¯d intended to have a longer conversation with her, maybe even deepen their connection. But she¡¯d bolted before he could say or do much of anything. Norin was certain he hadn¡¯t actively flirted with her, but Kitty seemed to be caught up in her own whirlwind of emotions. Her reaction had given Norin a newfound awareness of his own charm and abilities. It was absurd. ¡°Back in my old life, if I had this kind of power, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to work hard at all,¡± he mused. A tempting thought began to creep into his mind. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t need to try so hard in this world either?¡± But he quickly pushed it aside. ¡°No, no. A little effort is still necessary. At the very least, I¡¯ll need to put myself out there so strong individuals can notice me¡­ and maybe even mooch a little?¡± Shaking his head at his own absurd musings, Norin rose from his seat and strolled out of the classroom.
It was lunchtime. Unlike the schools in his past life, there was no need to sprint to the cafeteria the moment the bell rang just to secure a seat. At Xavier¡¯s School, there were far fewer students. Between the students, staff, and support personnel, there were only about a hundred people on campus. Charles Xavier¡¯s philosophy was quality over quantity, only bringing in mutants he could personally guide and mentor. Norin appreciated the relaxed pace. As he walked, he didn¡¯t bother to open doors or take the long way around obstacles. Instead, he simply phased through them, a new ability he had temporarily acquired from his earlier encounter with Kitty. This newfound power was delightful, almost addictively convenient. Why bother opening doors when you could just walk through them?
When Norin arrived at the cafeteria, he skipped the line and walked straight up to the counter. Flashing a warm, radiant smile, he said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll have some fried chicken and mashed potatoes.¡± His sunny demeanor and polite tone were like the ultimate charm spell. The cafeteria worker, an older lady with a kind face, beamed at him in return. Without hesitation, she served him the crispiest piece of fried chicken and heaped an extra-large serving of mashed potatoes onto his tray. For Norin, even a casual smile could work wonders. The cafeteria lady, using the gentlest tone she could muster, said kindly: "Young man, if you don¡¯t have enough to eat, come back to me. I¡¯ll save some for you and make sure it¡¯s nice and hot.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Norin smiled warmly, nodded, and turned to leave with his tray. He had only taken a few steps when he heard the cafeteria lady¡¯s voice behind him, this time tinged with irritation: ¡°What are you babbling about? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± Turning his head, Norin saw a mutant student standing at the counter, his face full of bewilderment and hurt. The student had merely called out softly to the lady, likely because she had been daydreaming and smiling to herself. Somehow, this small action earned him a sharp scolding, as if he had committed a grave offense. The cafeteria lady, however, ignored the boy¡¯s distress. Noticing Norin glancing her way, she instantly switched back to a kind and gentle expression, her demeanor soft and warm. As soon as Norin turned back around, her expression hardened again, and she resumed glaring at the poor student. Terrified, he quickly scurried off to another counter. Norin paid no attention to these small dramas. By now, he had grown used to the troubles caused by his overwhelming charm. Scanning the room, he didn¡¯t see the familiar figure of Kitty anywhere. Just as he was wondering where she might have gone, a petite figure caught his eye. Chapter 4: The Jealousy Incident and Cosmic Travel! ¡°Hey, Norin, come sit with me, I have a spot.¡± ¡°Norin, come here, I¡¯ve warmed your seat.¡± ¡°Senior, I can also sit with you...¡± ¡°Come to my table, I¡¯ll serve you some delicious milk...¡± ¡°Norin, last night I watched something interesting. I think we can study biology and kinetics together tonight...¡± One by one, the girls tried their best, throwing flirtatious glances, making coy gestures. If it weren¡¯t for the setting, they¡¯d probably have rushed to surround him. Norin smiled as he made his way to sit next to a black-haired girl. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Norin, and you are?¡± ¡°Ah? Me?¡± The black-haired girl was clearly not expecting Norin to sit next to her, nor did she expect him to start a conversation. After all, Norin was the campus heartthrob! He was beloved by both senior and junior girls. And here she was, just a middle schooler, someone nobody paid much attention to, yet somehow she found herself sitting with Norin? Clarice was completely unprepared for this. When Norin spoke to her, she froze for a moment, and then, under the envious gazes of the other girls, she stammered, ¡°S-senior, I¡¯m Clarice Ferguson! I¡¯m thirteen this year!¡± Clarice hadn¡¯t yet turned thirteen, but she exaggerated her age in front of Norin. ¡°Can I call you Clarice?¡± Norin smiled warmly, like the sun, lighting up Clarice¡¯s heart. ¡°Of course, senior!¡± Clarice blushed slightly and agreed, though internally, she was a bit uneasy. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Norin¡¯s enthusiasm was due to the fact that they both had yellow skin. In this country, people with yellow skin didn¡¯t have it easy. And with the added mutant stigma, life was even harder. Even though she was now at Xavier¡¯s, things hadn¡¯t changed much. While mutants weren¡¯t discriminated against here, their skin color still couldn¡¯t be changed. Clarice often found herself alone, with few friends. Norin, though, despite being yellow-skinned, was accepted by others and had a way with the girls, becoming quite popular. Clarice felt deeply envious. But now, Norin ignored the senior girls and sat with her, making her feel both nervous and secretly thrilled. Norin, who had been observing Clarice all along, quickly noticed the complex emotions flashing in her eyes. He had to admit, he¡¯d once read in novels about someone detecting the emotions in another¡¯s eyes, something subtle like three parts of this, four parts of that, and often wondered how someone could have such exaggerated emotional intelligence. But after crossing over, he realized that his ability to perceive a woman¡¯s emotions had greatly improved. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. He could only blame it on this "soft food hard eat" mutant ability. In this area, he had nearly perfected it! ¡°Are you still going to call me senior? You can just call me by my name.¡± Norin hinted, pulling Clarice¡¯s thoughts back to the present. ¡°Norin?¡± Clarice tentatively tried the new name. When Norin smiled and nodded, her heart soared. Though Norin hadn¡¯t said any comforting words, the simple change in how he addressed her made Clarice¡¯s anxieties vanish. With this, Clarice found her appetite better than usual. She ate more than usual, even picking food from Norin¡¯s plate. The other girls could hardly understand how their relationship had developed so quickly. They watched with envy, hardly able to focus on eating. They almost wished they could take Clarice¡¯s place and sit with Norin, sharing sweet moments together. But they held back. They didn¡¯t see Clarice as much of a threat, after all, she was too young. Even in America, such an age difference was off-limits. At least officially. In this era, New York state required individuals to be at least 14 years old to marry. Clarice had no advantages, at most, she shared the same skin color. Her flat physique couldn¡¯t compare to theirs. Norin surely preferred mature women, they thought. They believed Norin saw Clarice as a little sister, feeling sorry for her being alone and neglected, which was why he was so kind to her. Norin was just too caring, they thought. They cried over it! To avoid making Clarice feel even more excluded, and to comfort her, Norin¡¯s kindness only made him more desirable to them. Any girl older than 15 quickly made up a whole series of excuses in their minds to justify Norin¡¯s actions, elevating their opinion of him even more. And when the other boys tried to approach, the girls still ignored them, their eyes only on Norin. He had this unique aura around him that captivated them, making it impossible to look away. They reveled in it, always eager to be like moths to a flame, believing that even if they were only to spend one night with him, it would be worth it. Time passed quickly without them even realizing it. After Clarice finished eating, Norin invited her to show him around campus. Norin had only been at the school for two weeks and had only become familiar with the main areas. Xavier¡¯s used to be a large estate with its own gardens and lawn, and the area wasn¡¯t small. With so many buildings and attractions, touring the entire campus would take quite a bit of time. Seeing Norin¡¯s slightly apologetic smile, Clarice readily agreed. She took Norin on a tour of the campus, as she often roamed the grounds alone and knew the place well. In the warm sunlight, the two leisurely strolled, and with Norin¡¯s efforts to draw closer, their relationship deepened. At times, Clarice even called Norin ¡°Brother Lin.¡± This unique Chinese nickname had become Clarice¡¯s personal term for Norin. By the end of the afternoon, Clarice had gained a caring ¡°older brother,¡± while Norin enjoyed Clarice¡¯s growing closeness. It was a win-win. During their time together, Norin learned more about the school, including some gossip Clarice had overheard from others. Of course, he also heard about Clarice¡¯s experiences. As for Norin¡¯s own background, Clarice knew very little about it or perhaps, she simply wasn¡¯t interested. When evening came, Norin left Clarice¡¯s dormitory, leaving behind a lingering glance from her, and returned to his own dorm. Xavier¡¯s was well-organized when it came to dorm assignments. Students of a certain age had their own private rooms to encourage independence and provide personal space. Though the rooms weren¡¯t large, it was enough for Norin¡¯s needs. It also allowed him to carry out his next step in his plan. To quickly increase his power, just working at a mutant school wasn¡¯t enough. Sure, there were plenty of powerful mutants here, including the Omega-level mutant Jean Grey! If he could acquire her abilities, improve and enhance them, Norin was confident he could become a powerful figure in the Marvel universe. But even that wouldn¡¯t be enough! It was well-known that some mutants, though powerful, had weak physical constitutions! Even the mighty Phoenix Force was taken down by Wolverine¡¯s claws! Norin wanted to become a versatile fighter, and for that, he couldn¡¯t afford to specialize in one area. This meant he needed to tap into another ability. Cosmic Travel! Chapter 5: Soft Food is Delicious! This was the second ability Norin discovered, though he wasn¡¯t sure if it was a mutant power or how to improve it. According to his previous estimates, every month, he would be able to search for and travel to a new universe. This universe is not limited to parallel universes within the Marvel universe. The search is random and beyond Norin¡¯s control. However, the ability to travel back and forth is something he can control. Once the search is locked onto a target, it can be fixed. After that, he can travel between the two universes at will, without needing to wait for the next crossing point. Norin still doesn''t know how to enhance this ability, but he has one guess in mind. Perhaps the cooldown time for inter-universe travel is directly related to his own strength. With his current abilities, which aren¡¯t much stronger than an average person, he can only wait for this ability to cool down on its own. After all, the energy required for inter-universe travel must be enormous. With his current strength, even if he were to throw himself in, there wouldn''t even be a splash. The reason this ability takes so long may be to establish a stable passage between the two universes. The key to this passage is in Norin''s hands. Once the passage is opened, he can freely come and go. About a month ago, he opened a portal to another universe. That universe was the world of The Boys. A world centered on darkness, violence, and satire, where superheroes are not heroes, but rather the villains. The superheroes in that world gain their powers by injecting a substance known as Compound V. The most powerful superheroes are controlled by Vought International. Among them, the strongest are undoubtedly the Homelanders, a weakened version of Superman, and his father, Soldier Boy. With the weapons of humanity at that time, it was nearly impossible to kill them. Unless nuclear or hydrogen bombs were used. Even compared to the current Marvel universe, these individuals would still be considered incredibly powerful. This universe is different from his own. While mutants in Norin''s universe also have superpowers, they are seen as enemies to be eradicated, and they were nearly wiped out. In The Boys world, however, superhumans, especially those in the Vought-controlled "Seven," are treated as celebrities. Behind the scenes, however, nearly every member of the Seven is a villain. Though there are many superheroes in that universe, Norin knows that surviving there would be extremely difficult. The superhumans who smile at you in public might just turn around and strike you with a powerful blow. He doesn¡¯t have the body of a superhuman, one blow like that would turn his head into mush. At that time, Norin had only gained Ophilia''s abilities and wasn¡¯t fully prepared. Realizing that his chances of developing his abilities were slim, he quickly returned to the Marvel universe. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Although Ophilia was a mid-level administrator of Hydra, she didn''t have much power. She couldn''t provide much help to Norin. She could only assist with information, daily life, and weapons. Even though he had received some advanced weaponry from Hydra, those wouldn''t be much use in The Boys universe against the superhumans with enhanced physiques. This is why Norin decided to come to Xavier¡¯s School. To be honest, while Charles might be a bit of a saint, at his school, as long as you don''t stir up trouble, you can easily get through the beginner phase. And here, there¡¯s no shortage of female mutants with superpowers. Norin feels right at home here. It seems that due to his unique physical constitution, Norin has a strong mental defense, and ordinary telepathic abilities can¡¯t read his mind. This might be a benefit of his special physiology, or perhaps a small buff from his soul''s enhancement after his crossing. Because of this, as long as Professor X doesn''t go all out, it¡¯s almost impossible for him to see into Norin¡¯s mind. Generally, Professor X wouldn''t casually read someone¡¯s mind, especially if the person has a certain mental defense, as that would likely alert them. So, Norin doesn''t need to worry about his secret of crossing universes being exposed. "I wonder what kind of world this new universe will be... I hope I can gain something from it," Norin said with an eager look on his face. This time is different from the last, this time, he¡¯s better prepared, and he now has the ability of Shadowcat''s molecular mimicry, allowing him to phase through objects. Though Shadowcat¡¯s ability is not very strong yet, and he must hold his breath when passing through living or dead things (as he can''t phase through thick objects), it greatly increases Norin''s survival chances. With Ophilia''s upgraded abilities, Norin can now protect himself even in The Boys universe. However, even though he can protect himself, in this world, thanks to Ophilia¡¯s help, he was able to use Hydra''s resources to obtain some documents, allowing him to move around freely. Hydra is quite adept at such things. Their documents almost never raise suspicions. But in other universes, it¡¯s uncertain if the documents from this universe would be valid in others, at least the dates and certain other details couldn¡¯t be forged. Even though Ophilia can use Hydra¡¯s influence to create documents, who knows if policies have changed in other universes over time. He decided to wait until his strength improves further before exploring more. The world of The Boys is also quite risky. With his current strength, encountering some of those powerful superhumans could easily lead to disaster. At the very least, he would need strength comparable to Hulk''s to survive. "Still a bit tricky... maybe I¡¯ll wait until midnight and knock on Jean Grey¡¯s door?" Norin mused. "Forget it, not yet. I need to build a better relationship first. Can''t rush things, patience is key!" Norin is quite confident in his charm, but he knows that just meeting someone doesn''t guarantee they''ll be immediately attracted to him. Jean herself is an Omega-level telepath, and her body houses the Phoenix Force, the embodiment of life and mind. Even with Norin¡¯s confidence, he doubts his charm would be enough to sway her easily. Besides, he doesn¡¯t think his charm is a telepathic ability either. Shaking his head, he decided to put that thought aside and check the time on his phone. "Just as I thought, the feeling of my ability awakening is here!" ¡°It¡¯s August 19th, 8:30 PM. It¡¯s been almost 29 days, 23 hours, and 50 minutes since my last crossing.¡± ¡°Maybe not perfectly accurate, but it does show one thing, the cooldown time has shortened. Perhaps it¡¯s related to my physical changes? This is still unconfirmed, and I¡¯ll need more experiments to prove it.¡± When it comes to developing his abilities, Norin is very serious. He carefully notes the numbers in his mind, repeating them several times to ensure he remembers them before returning to his focus. Taking a deep breath, Norin first checks that no one is outside and then locks the door securely. He then mentally reviews the eighteen precautions he made for his next crossing. Opening a nearby locked cabinet, he grabs his backpack and begins to check his gear. A compact Loloch 19-style handgun with three magazines. A bulletproof vest. A satellite phone. Headphones and emergency medical supplies. These are all S.H.I.E.L.D. agent gear, delivered to him by ordinary people via express delivery, sent by Ophilia. Xavier''s School doesn''t check such packages, so Norin can obtain items that would be impossible to buy in the outside world. One thing must be mentioned. Norin has no money in this country, he relies entirely on Ophilia for his living expenses. She even gave him a card and a Chevrolet that was probably bought using embezzled funds, providing him with a lavish lifestyle. According to Ophilia, she¡¯d rather suffer herself than let Norin suffer. Though he doesn¡¯t need any of this at school, he can¡¯t deny it¡ªliving off someone else¡¯s generosity feels pretty good! After confirming everything is in order, Norin activates his ability, and his entire body vanishes from the room. ... Chapter 12: The Feeling of a Heartbeat "Any suggestions...?" Norin pondered. This was a question he had considered, but there wasn''t a great solution at hand. Kara had been on Earth for too short a time. Even though he came out early, it wouldn¡¯t be long enough for her to be exposed to the Sun. Zod was a general from Krypton, and even without the yellow Sun''s radiation, his power was definitely on par with the likes of Doomsday. Compared to Doomsday, Zod could probably go toe-to-toe with the original Doomsday, after all, that''s who he was. To have a secure victory over Zod, they would need Henry''s powers, but Henry had been soaking in the Sun for over thirty years! Only then could he maintain the upper hand in battle and snap his neck. With Kara now, she would be the one to have her neck snapped. The power gap wasn¡¯t something that could be bridged just by soaking up sunlight for a couple of days. Moreover, this was dealing with armored Zod. Once Zod¡¯s Kryptonian battle armor was damaged and exposed to the Sun, his power would increase, making victory even harder! As for another possible victory method¡ªKryptonite. However, it could only be extracted after the World Engine was destroyed. The World Engine was even harder to deal with than Zod. Trying to solve the World Engine first and then deal with Zod? That was wishful thinking. And even if they defeated the World Engine and Zod, what about the next big boss? This wasn¡¯t the Justice League''s world, but they would still face enemies like Doomsday, Darkseid, or even the Despero. The enemies kept getting stronger, but the Earth''s strength hadn¡¯t increased much. Without the thirty-year accumulation Henry had, Kara, who was still new and not much stronger than a typical Kryptonian, wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat many enemies. In the end, it would all lead to destruction! Though it might not help, Norin shared his thoughts anyway. After hearing this, both of them furrowed their brows. "So, even if we save Kara, we still can''t pose any threat to Zod?" "Then why are you asking me to help? Maybe we should just sit at home and wait for the world to end." Bruce, now older, had clearly become more irritable than when he was younger. But, to be fair, anyone in his position would be in a bad mood too. "Not necessarily." "I have two more ideas." "Since soaking up the Sun on Earth doesn''t quickly give us the power to defeat Zod, we could go closer to the Sun, where our power would increase much faster." "Then we could fight in space, and there might be a tiny glimmer of hope." "A glimmer? What about the other method?" Bruce clearly wasn''t impressed with that possibility. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "The other method..." At this point, Norin glanced at Kara, his expression somewhat hesitant. Kara and Bruce were both puzzled. Was there something else he wasn''t saying? At this point, was there any reason to hide anything? What could be more difficult than saving the world and defeating Zod? "Is there anything you need me to do? As long as I can defeat Zod, just tell me, I¡¯ll do it!" Kara''s face was resolute, a look of determination on her face. In her eyes, Zod must die. The sin of killing the last son of Krypton was enough to make him die a thousand times over. Hearing Kara say this, Norin didn¡¯t hold back and fully explained his abilities to them. "In fact, my power isn¡¯t heat vision and vibrational sense; it¡¯s..." "..." As Norin revealed his true abilities, both Bruce and Kara were stunned. Could such an exaggerated power really exist? By doing that, he could copy and enhance others'' genes and abilities. Was he joking? But looking at Norin¡¯s serious expression, unless he was some kind of psychological mastermind like the Joker, there was no way he could be lying. As for Kara, she was already feeling embarrassed about her earlier guarantee. This... this was too unexpected. Although... if it were him... maybe it wouldn''t be so bad? No! What am I thinking? Kara Zor-El! You¡¯re Kryptonian, not Earthling! Can you even have children? Wait, no! What am I even thinking? This is the first time we¡¯ve met, how could I trust him so easily? And to skip past getting to know each other so... Such forward-thinking... is way too ahead of its time. Even in the open-minded U.S., this rarely happens. But beauty equals justice. Norin¡¯s presence, constantly radiating an aura of hormones, made Kara¡¯s initial attraction naturally rise above average, making them friends after just a few words. But going straight to this? "Wait! So the reason you did that earlier was to gain Kara¡¯s powers..." Bruce suddenly understood Norin''s earlier reckless behavior. Norin nodded, his eyes gathering energy, and in the next moment, two beams of heat vision pierced through the walls. Bruce wanted to say something but stopped himself. He was about to ask Norin if he had intentionally come to this universe to save Kara and the world just to obtain Kryptonian powers. But after thinking it through, what difference would it make to ask? At least for now, Norin was on their side, fighting the enemy. Moreover, as long as Kara was here, Norin would always stand by them. Bruce wasn¡¯t an idiot and wouldn¡¯t obsess over Norin''s real motives. He wouldn¡¯t even bring it up. If Norin wasn¡¯t lying, then this method might just be their last hope. In the future, with the enemies this universe would face, Norin was probably the only one who could handle them. The old Batman, the underdeveloped Supergirl, the eternally immature Flash, the football-playing Cyborg, the likely non-existent Aquaman still in sperm form, and Wonder Woman, who hadn¡¯t even shown her face... Yeah, it¡¯s hopeless. If this world was going to survive, it would have to rely on Norin. This was Bruce¡¯s conclusion after listening to Norin¡¯s explanation. Kara, witnessing this, fell deep into thought. If... if this really could defeat Zod... Kara took a few deep breaths and looked at Norin¡¯s face. Alright, she felt herself falling deeper. Earthlings could be this handsome. This was so unfair! She thought about the first person she saw when she woke up: Norin, with his perfect, flawless eyes and that warm, heartwarming smile, which left a deep impression on her. Her heart began to beat faster. Was that... the Earthling¡¯s version of a heartbeat? Kara didn¡¯t really understand these things. She didn¡¯t even understand Earth languages at first. But when she absorbed the Sun¡¯s rays, she awakened super hearing and could hear the voices of countless humans from afar. Her highly developed brain quickly understood and mastered those languages. Many things she didn¡¯t understand yet, and thus couldn''t comprehend what it meant to feel her heart race. Limited human understanding made it hard for her to control her reason. A heartbeat equals love. Love equals... the possibility of that. Kara understood now! Chapter 6: One Home is About to Blow, and Another Might Too? "Good morning, Jack!" "Good morning, Mike! How was your experience last night?" "Tch, that girl was crazy! If it weren''t for the special drugs Wayne Enterprises developed before, I wouldn''t have been able to handle her. Maybe you should give it a try." "Really? Now I¡¯m definitely curious to see if she¡¯s as wild as you say..." The sky above Gotham was rarely clear. On the bustling streets, everyone wore a smile, basking in happiness. Honestly, this looked nothing like the Gotham Norin remembered, where supervillains roamed freely and the gangs were more powerful than the police. It felt like two entirely different worlds. It was as though this was a different city, merely sharing the same name¡ªGotham. But the frequent mentions of Wayne Enterprises made it clear to him: This was Gotham, the Gotham from the DC universe, home to Bruce Wayne! Here, there were mad scientists collecting human materials, street thugs of all races, black mages studying dark magic, schizophrenic criminals, and ruthless supervillain gangs who kill without a second thought. Gotham, though not large, was packed with countless dark organizations, big and small. If this was really the Gotham he remembered, then most of the people he was seeing right now were probably not "good people." Norin felt as though his luck had been completely used up the moment he crossed over. First, the Black Cloak world that seemed bright on the surface but was actually dark underneath; now, the lightless Gotham City. And let''s not even mention the ever-dangerous Marvel world. From Marvel''s New York to DC''s Gotham... Tsk, one home might explode at any time, and the other might blow up too. It was truly fate, wasn¡¯t it? Norin shook his head. He¡¯d been here for an hour now and had gathered some information, confirming that this was indeed the DC universe. In the newspaper, he even saw mention of Arkham Asylum. Yes, that Arkham. The place that had produced all kinds of "talented" individuals like the honest businessman Penguin, the inquisitive Riddler, the environmentalist Poison Ivy, the model husband Mr. Freeze, as well as Two-Face, Scarecrow, Bane, and more. Of course, it also housed the most terrifying of them all, the Joker. "Ugh, with no doctorate or anything, am I really going to make it out of here alive? Maybe I should just head back to the Black Cloak world instead," Norin muttered, gazing up at the sunny sky, deep in thought. "Hey, handsome, are you lost?" A blonde girl, dressed seductively with a good figure and decent looks, called out to him enthusiastically from nearby. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "No worries, I''m just a little lost on the road of life," Norin waved at her, appreciating how warm and friendly Gotham''s citizens seemed to be. As he waved, some fine powder, carried by the breeze, entered the girl''s system as she took a breath. She had no idea, and by the time the effects took hold, she had already fallen into a fantasy of her own. "God bless, today must be her lucky day! Just a few steps out the door and she runs into a super handsome guy!" Oh, she could already picture the envy in her classmates'' eyes when she walked into school with him. Tonight would surely be unforgettable... As the girl daydreamed, her gaze suddenly became vacant. Norin led her aside, beginning to ask for more information. This was one of the mental drugs provided by Ophelia, capable of briefly controlling someone''s consciousness, inducing a hypnotic effect. Currently, it only worked on ordinary people; those with strong willpower or extraordinary physical constitutions were immune to its effects. If supported by scientific methods and used long-term on a specific target, it could evolve into a complete brainwashing technique. Thanks to prolonged exposure, Norin had developed immunity to Ophelia''s toxins. Additionally, after some time, Ophelia''s genetics had improved and some of the mutation-related physical traits, like her tongue, had been altered. The abilities to resist toxins and shed skin had also been enhanced. Norin had even acquired a few new abilities. One of them was thermal perception, which allowed him to sense infrared heat and generate a thermal image of his surroundings. This ability helped him assess situations without being noticed, even in complex environments. He could move easily in the dark, and his sensitivity to temperature changes was so precise he could detect shifts as small as a fraction of a degree Celsius. Another new ability was vibration perception, which heightened his ability to sense vibrations from the ground or walls. He could pinpoint the direction, distance, and weight of any moving object around him, and estimate their size and number. These two abilities greatly enhanced both Norin and Ophelia''s ability to survive and fight. In addition, Norin''s reaction speed had been dramatically improved. According to Ophelia''s data, their reaction time was several times faster than that of ordinary humans. Even elite, specially trained soldiers couldn''t compare. Even without much training, Norin could use his enhanced reflexes to easily take down a larger, stronger Hydra soldier who had undergone professional training. Ophelia, having undergone systematic training herself, became terrifyingly powerful with this enhancement. According to her, she could easily subdue more than ten S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and even face off against top-tier agents like Black Widow. Though, based on intel, Black Widow had reportedly been injected with the Super Soldier Serum, making a confrontation difficult to predict. ¡­. Several minutes later, Norin found himself on another street, but his expression was oddly conflicted. He seemed to have ended up in the wrong place. This was DC, but not the DC he remembered. In this universe, there were no Superman, no Flash, and no Aquaman. The concept of superheroes was limited to fiction, with no reality to speak of. There had been no alien invasions of Earth, and demons and gods were merely myths. While there were some urban legends in the city, none had been verified¡ªmuch like in his previous life. Gotham did have Batman, but he had become a legend, no longer active for quite some time. People speculated that Batman had either retired or died. Nowadays, people can only watch old Batman footage on DVDs. Bruce Wayne existed, but he hadn''t been seen at any public events in the past few months. As for the terrifying supervillains, Norin hadn''t received many answers from the kind citizen he had spoken to; they seemed to have disappeared. Thanks to Wayne Enterprises'' efforts, Gotham has become one of the most developed cities in the country, with its citizens consistently ranking highest in happiness. The city boasted comprehensive medical, educational, transportation, and social welfare facilities. At first glance, Gotham had truly transformed into a peaceful, ideal city. All the famous villains had vanished. Humans remained Earth''s dominant species, and there were no signs of extraterrestrials. It could be summed up in two words: Safe. But the more Norin thought about it, the more unsettling it became. He instinctively glanced at a TV on a supermarket sign nearby. The slogan on the screen read: "Welcome tourists to the safest city, Gotham, in 2013!" 2013? It seemed like... The problem was much bigger than he had thought! Chapter 7: A Universe Doomed for Destruction? Norin couldn''t help but recall the movie he had watched just before crossing over. In that movie, there was a parallel universe that seemed eerily similar to the one he now found himself in. If this was indeed the same universe, it would be as disastrous as someone joining the German army in 1944, moving to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, and pledging allegiance to the commander in 1949. No, it might even be worse! At least in the former examples, the individuals had a chance to survive. But in this universe, survival was all but impossible! To confirm his suspicions, Norin glanced toward a certain direction. According to the enthusiastic girl he had met earlier, Wayne Manor was in that direction. He flagged down a taxi and, after the driver gave him a few curious glances, made his way to Wayne Manor. When he arrived, the place looked different than he had imagined. Wayne Manor, though still largely intact, appeared somewhat dilapidated. The surrounding area was eerily quiet, with no one in sight. If someone had told Norin this was a haunted house, he would have believed it. As he walked, he carefully listened to the vibrations in the environment. The sound of ants marching, the rustling of caterpillars crawling, but... there was no sound of footsteps. Within a radius of several dozen meters, there was no one around except for him. A few steps more, and he reached the wrought-iron gates surrounding the manor. Norin pressed the doorbell a few times. No response from inside. Seeing this, Norin''s suspicion only grew stronger. Without hesitation, he scaled the gate and entered the manor grounds. He walked deeper, and soon enough, he detected a slight vibration. It was faint, but he was certain: someone was inside the building! If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, it was Bruce Wayne¡ªBatman himself! This universe, it seemed, was likely the same one from The Flash, where Barry Allen''s interference in the past led to a timeline destined to be destroyed and rebooted. In this universe, Bruce Wayne was already in his late 60s or early 70s. Decades ago, he had defeated the Joker, Penguin, and other notorious villains, cleaning up Gotham''s dark underworld. Over time, using his immense wealth, he had transformed Gotham from the most corrupt city into the safest city in the world! But in this universe, certain familiar heroes never emerged. Wonder Woman never appeared. Arthur Curry¡¯s father never met Queen Atlanna of Atlantis, and instead, Arthur grew up with a chubby wife and a dog named Arthur. Barry Allen was never struck by lightning, so he never gained the Speed Force, nor did he become the fastest man alive. And, tragically, he never lost his parents, growing up in a peaceful family. Victor Stone was still playing football at Gotham University, without the accident that would turn him into Cyborg. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As for Superman¡ªClark Kent had never arrived on Earth. Only Kara Zor-El, Clark''s cousin, had crash-landed on Earth, likely being held in some facility within the Soviet Union for study. If Norin remembered correctly, 2013 was the year General Zod would invade Earth. Although Kara Zor-El, the true "Superman" of this universe, possessed the Kryptonian Life Code, she was never given the opportunity to bask in Earth''s sun. Her ship was locked away upon arrival, and it wasn''t until much later, after The Flash rescued her, that she could even feel the warmth of the sun. But by then, she was facing Zod and other world-ending threats, far beyond her abilities. She would die at Zod¡¯s hands. Batman would also fall in that battle. Meanwhile, Barry Allen and the alternate universe version of The Flash would spend decades traveling back in time, attempting to save Kara and Batman, kill Zod, and destroy the World Engine to save Earth. But ultimately, this universe would be destroyed. The Flash, having tried for years, would age, never succeeding in saving everyone. Finally, the true Flash would return to the past, rewinding time to reset the universe, essentially destroying it and starting anew. If this truly was the doomed universe, Norin knew he was in serious trouble! The immediate priority was to confirm his theory. If this really is the universe, then solving this problem is a must. After all... This world has Supergirl Kara Zor-El! The perfect combination of beauty and strength in Supergirl! She is the true protagonist of the DC universe! With the limitless potential of the Kryptonian bloodline! If Norin could gain her powers, then returning to the Marvel universe would be a breeze¡ªhe could just lie back, bask in the sun, and become invincible. However, considering his own limitations, he needed to ensure Kara Zor-El survived for long enough. He would need to continually improve her genes, perhaps even copying them until they became a permanent ability for himself. But before that, this world couldn¡¯t be destroyed. At least, Kara Zor-El couldn¡¯t die. As Norin walked, he continued to think about his next steps. Before he realized it, he had already reached the gates of the manor. The white mansion had an overgrown perimeter, with ivy-like plants crawling up the walls. The whole place looked abandoned, as if it had been left to decay for years, devoid of life. Clearly, the owner of the manor had not bothered to maintain it for a long time. Perhaps Bruce Wayne was enjoying his retirement and didn''t welcome visitors. Despite this, as Norin stood right at the doorstep, Bruce Wayne made no move to ¡°greet¡± him. There were no warning signs either. Norin certainly didn¡¯t believe Bruce hadn¡¯t noticed his presence. After all, Bruce Wayne was still Batman, even in this doomed universe. Even in his old age, Bruce was still the untouchable billionaire with a dark past. This universe''s Batman had driven away the darkness from Gotham, clearing the streets of villains, and brought light back to the city. In fact, his accomplishments had surpassed 99% of Batmans across other universes! It was like the Chinese national football team winning the World Cup or the national table tennis team finishing last¡ªalmost a paradoxical level of achievement! Bruce¡¯s vigilance may have lowered due to his age, but Norin was certain that Bruce was hiding in a room somewhere, monitoring his every move. Bruce was confident. He didn¡¯t believe Norin posed any real threat. In fact, he might have even let him in just to pass the time. ¡°Not coming out yet?¡± Norin muttered, looking up at the security camera above the door. Still, no response. So, Norin decided to go ahead and push the door open. The door wasn¡¯t even locked. From what he knew of Bruce, he probably thought no one would dare approach Wayne Manor. It was also possible that Bruce had done this on purpose. Once inside, Norin didn¡¯t wander aimlessly. He immediately activated his infrared thermal imaging to record the temperature variations of the house in his mind. Soon enough, the corner of Norin''s mouth curled up slightly. ¡°Found you!¡± With the help of his vibration sense, he made his way toward a specific direction. He passed the still-lit fireplace in the hall, and then approached a door. He paused for a brief moment. The infrared thermal imaging revealed the room¡¯s details. A pot on the stove, still heating. A chair with residual warmth. And a lamp that had recently been turned off. Then, Norin saw him¡ªBruce Wayne. He was inside the room, crouched by a storage cabinet. It was clear that Bruce had been preparing lunch when he noticed an intruder, and in a hurry, had hidden in the cabinet to observe. The scattered slippers on the floor were proof of this. Seeing this, Norin casually pushed the door open. A quick glance around, and his gaze fixed on the storage cabinet. ¡°Come out, Bruce Wayne. I don¡¯t have a weapon in my hand.¡± Chapter 8: The Capital that Shocked Bruce "I know you''re in that storage cabinet. A storage cabinet can''t block my eyes." Bruce still made no move. But Norin could "see" Bruce¡¯s hand tightly gripping the cabinet door, seemingly ready to open it at any moment. Norin didn¡¯t notice any weapons on Bruce¡¯s person. He trusted his eyes. So, Norin wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Instead, he moved to one side, lifted the lid off the pot that was starting to boil, letting steam rise. He placed the noodles inside, stirred them to prevent them from clumping together. Then, he pulled out a tall wooden stool, sat down, and spoke casually to himself. "Bruce Wayne, the mysterious Batman of Gotham. I mean you no harm." "Let me introduce myself simply. I¡¯m not from your universe. I come from a different parallel universe and possess some superpowers. Hmm, I think you understand what superpowers are... It¡¯s exactly what you think." "If you don¡¯t believe me, you can look me up online later. It won¡¯t be hard for you." "Maybe you still won¡¯t believe me, but I know some things about your universe, especially what will happen in the next year. Your universe will be destroyed due to an accident." "You heard me right!" "Not just Gotham, but Earth, and the entire universe will be destroyed after a period of time." "If you believe me, you can come out now." "If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll leave in one minute!" "I won¡¯t interfere with the miserable future of your universe anymore." After speaking, Norin glanced at the clock on the wall and started counting down. Norin wasn¡¯t sure if Bruce would believe him. He knew Bruce¡¯s personality very well. Bruce Wayne was a naturally suspicious person. He had a lot in common with Tony Stark. Whether it was their enemies or allies, neither of them fully trusted anyone. They would always research others'' weaknesses behind the scenes and create backup plans. Just in case anyone betrayed humanity, they would be ready to respond. Even Superman had his contingency plan. For someone like that, it was almost impossible to earn their trust upon first meeting. Even if he appeared very sincere. Norin wasn¡¯t lying, not at all. He even mentioned things from other universes openly. However, there was still a chance Bruce would believe part of it. If Bruce came out, Norin would be able to discover Kara Zor-El the moment she arrived on Earth and take her out. He would also be able to prepare multiple strategies to deal with Zod. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Once Norin replicated Supergirl¡¯s powers permanently, everything would be fine. If Bruce didn¡¯t come out, Norin wouldn¡¯t abandon this world completely. He could seek out other computer experts, use some tricks to make them work for him. Either with money, poison, or even mind-control drugs. Though this would involve risks. Most computer experts didn¡¯t have the technology and devices to hack into the Russian networks. Only someone like Bruce, with immense wealth and his own satellites, could monitor the world at any time. Compared to defeating Zod, without Bruce¡¯s help, Norin would probably focus on extracting Kara Zor-El¡¯s genes and blood to see if he could research something useful. Though if it were just blood or something similar, it would be less valuable to Norin. However, Kryptonian blood was priceless everywhere. Currently, Norin couldn¡¯t bring people across universes, and the portal could only allow him to travel alone. So, taking Kara to Marvel to avoid the Flash¡¯s meddling was impossible. As time passed, with the last three seconds of the countdown ticking away... The storage cabinet creaked open, and an elderly Bruce, wearing a gray coat, long hair down to his shoulders, and a messy beard, jumped to the floor. He glanced at the boiling water and the noodles, then looked at Norin. "Are you hungry?" "No, thank you!" "......" A few minutes later, the elderly Bruce had prepared the noodles and tasted them. It seemed like they were pretty good. "So, what you''re saying is that in the near future, some fool who tries to reverse time and change the past will come to our universe, mess everything up, and then walk away, causing the universe to be reset, or rather, destroyed?" "That''s quite a story. I think it would make it to the latest sci-fi magazine. Perhaps a lot of people would like it. With some luck, it might get picked up by some rich fool who¡¯d invest heavily to turn it into a sci-fi blockbuster. Let''s call it The Flash." "However, I won¡¯t be investing. The story is far too flimsy, too much of a joke. As a superhero of the universe, he should be mature enough, but instead, he goes and changes history on his own, leading the universe into an unknown and uncontrollable fate. In the end, he has to go back in time to reset it." "And he still doesn¡¯t learn, continuing to change the known history!" "Is the Flash the fool, or is the scriptwriter the fool?" "It¡¯s clearly a losing deal. I don¡¯t think any fool would do such a thing." Bruce looked at Norin, paused, and then spoke again. "Seems like there are fools after all... Unbelievable!" "Is this how they define superheroes? An immature superhero? Even if he needs to grow, the cost of that growth is too high! He¡¯s laying the groundwork for growth in dozens of universes... Has his head gone bad?" "What''s the point of his character development? Who''s got so much money to just waste it? Looks like he''s richer than I am..." Bruce continued eating his noodles without responding, but then said, ¡°To be honest, if what you¡¯re saying is true, I¡¯d definitely have to think about what to do next. I don¡¯t want some fool running wild in my universe. He can run off whenever he likes, but our universe can¡¯t just run away!¡± ¡°Alright, tell me what you want me to do?¡± ¡°But just know this: if you¡¯re lying to me, you¡¯ll find out just how dangerous the Dark Knight really is.¡± Hearing that, Norin smiled slightly. ¡°I need you to keep an eye on Russia, especially the Siberian region. If I¡¯m not mistaken, there¡¯s a spacecraft, one from outer space, that¡¯s either already fallen or is about to fall.¡± ¡°If you find it, I need to know the exact location immediately, and I¡¯ll need you to take me there.¡± ¡°A Kryptonian superhuman? I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the look in her eyes when she fires laser beams or freezes everything in her path.¡± Bruce nodded in agreement. He finished his noodles in a few more bites, then threw the bowl into the sink. "Let¡¯s go then, let¡¯s go find this invulnerable super girl." Norin looked around the messy room and shrugged, not saying anything. It was clear that Alfred, the butler in this universe, had long since passed away. It seemed that after Alfred¡¯s death, Bruce hadn¡¯t found a replacement. After all, not just anyone could earn the trust that Alfred had from Bruce. Since he couldn''t be sure of anyone¡¯s loyalty, it was better to be alone in the manor. This was Batman... Chapter 9: Bruces Trust, Supergirls Movements Following Bruce into the backyard¡¯s small woods, they came upon an uncovered well. The lid was rusted and coated with a layer of dust. "Give me a hand, old man¡¯s getting weak." Bruce brushed off the dust and turned to Norin. Norin didn¡¯t buy Bruce¡¯s act. After all, no matter how old Batman got, he was still Batman. He¡¯d seen him take down plenty of mercenaries in The Flash and even swap places with a Kryptonian. Stepping forward, Norin joined Bruce, and together they lifted the well lid, creaking as it came off with effort. ¡°By the way, it seems your eyes have some kind of special ability? You should go ahead; you know, old eyes don¡¯t work as well anymore.¡± Bruce held onto the well¡¯s edge, breathing heavily as he spoke. His appearance suggested that opening a well lid had really taken a toll on him. Had Norin not known he was still the tough-as-ever Batman, he might¡¯ve been fooled. It was clear that Bruce was probing his abilities, trying to lower his guard. However, Norin wasn¡¯t planning on hiding anything. Gaining Bruce¡¯s trust was already hard enough; any deception would ruin the possibility of a successful collaboration. In addition to being Batman and a master of money, Bruce¡¯s intelligence was also staggering. He had mastered fields like microexpression, psychology, and criminology, so reading people was no challenge for him. With his frequent dealings with criminals, Bruce could easily detect lies by analyzing voice tone, heartbeat, and microexpressions. Norin, just an ordinary person with newly acquired powers and no special training, didn¡¯t think he could lie his way through things with someone like Bruce. Doing so would only spoil an already fragile partnership. Not answering was also an option. But there was no need to hide the truth. Norin led the way, climbing the iron ladder to the bottom of the well as he casually explained his ability to sense heat. ¡°You can perceive the temperature differences around you and present them in your mind with precision? Nice ability. No wonder you could pinpoint my location in a crowded room.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re more suited to guarding Gotham than I was. The night is your domain!¡± Bruce, hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but compliment him. He had suspected that Norin might have tricked him into coming out with words alone. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. But in the last three seconds, Bruce had decided to show up himself. This was a matter of universal safety, and he wouldn¡¯t take a gamble on it. Most importantly, he could tell from Norin¡¯s tone that he wasn¡¯t lying. If that was true, then either Norin was mentally unstable, a psychological expert, or he was telling the truth. It was ridiculous, but Bruce was still willing to listen. Now, with Norin¡¯s honest response, Bruce started to trust him a little. But it was still only a little! He needed more evidence to verify this. ¡°The Dark Knight, huh? You¡¯re the one suited for that role, no matter the universe.¡± Norin said this with sincerity. After all, the Dark Knight wasn¡¯t an easy role to take on, and he had no intention of becoming that type of hero. He was very much fond of his life. Everything he was doing now was for personal growth. ¡°You¡¯ve been to many worlds?¡± Bruce caught the underlying implication. ¡°Let¡¯s just say so.¡± Norin didn¡¯t elaborate further, leading Bruce into the Batcave. The facilities here, though unused for a while, weren¡¯t outdated. Wayne Enterprises¡¯ technology was still highly reliable. And Bruce had his own private satellite, which could bypass other nations¡¯ surveillance systems and monitor the entire world. ¡°Sit for now. I¡¯ll handle things shortly.¡± Bruce wiped off a chair next to him, gesturing for Norin to sit down, while he moved to the computer and began performing a series of dazzling operations. Norin took one look and quickly decided to give up. Now this was a professional. Even though he had studied coding before, Norin knew his typing speed and proficiency were no match for Bruce¡¯s. Compared to Bruce, he was an amateur. And most of what was on the screen was beyond his comprehension. There was no point in staring. Instead, Norin wandered around the Batcave, marveling at the legendary place. Meanwhile, Bruce noticed Norin wandering off and didn¡¯t stop him. He skillfully opened another window, pulling up footage of Norin from the manor¡¯s security cameras, feeding it into a database and tagging it with the name ¡°Norin¡± to search for relevant information. To ensure accuracy, Bruce cross-checked with global-level databases for similar images. He also gained access to Gotham¡¯s full surveillance data. After several minutes, Bruce¡¯s furrowed brows relaxed. He had matched and eliminated hundreds of similar images. Finally, the information he found about Norin was completely wrong. The most recent monitoring data on Norin was from earlier that morning. It was from an alley in Gotham. Before that, there was no record of him in this world at all. Now that Bruce had a clearer idea, he shut the search interface and focused on finding any information about alien spacecraft in Siberia or Russia. Though Bruce had the tech, obtaining information from another superpower was never easy. It took him half an hour before he found what he needed in an obscure report. ¡°Asteroid impact... alien life on the ship¡­¡± ¡°Siberia¡­ mercenaries¡­¡± ¡°I found it!¡± By now, Norin had already come up behind Bruce and was staring at the familiar images on the screen. He felt a mix of excitement and melancholy. Excited because he was about to meet Supergirl, Kara, and gain Superman¡¯s powers, ensuring his safety in the early stages. Melancholy because Supergirl had already arrived on Earth. Was it too early for The Flash to show up? Perhaps somewhere in Central City, Barry Allen had already met this universe''s Barry Allen? Time was running out! Chapter 10: A Passionate Kiss, Superman’s Powers In Siberia, snow and wind had long dominated the land, and even sitting in the Batwing, the icy cold felt like a blade cutting through the air. ¡°Activate hover mode¡­ eject seat open.¡± Honestly, the sensation of a rapid descent wasn¡¯t pleasant. Norin had never undergone any descent training. On the plane, Bruce had gone over a few key points, but Norin was still a bit anxious. Fortunately, with the molecular mimicry ability he had obtained from Mirage Cat, he didn¡¯t need to worry about crashing in a messy heap. So, in what felt like a more intense version of bungee jumping, he safely deployed his parachute and landed without issue, though not in the most graceful way. After trekking a distance, the two arrived at the outskirts of the mercenaries'' secret base. ¡°So, what now? Do we just storm in and rescue this ¡®Supergirl¡¯ you mentioned?¡± Bruce surveyed the base before turning to Norin. ¡°Though you have infrared heat vision and vibration detection to avoid patrols, this base doesn¡¯t have many good entry points.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re lacking some body armor; their gear isn¡¯t exactly made of sticks.¡± ¡°No need. Just follow me and don¡¯t resist. Hold your breath!¡± Norin moved closer to Bruce. In an instant, Bruce¡¯s muscles tensed up, and Norin grabbed his wrist, slamming him into the wall. ¡°Are you crazy? What¡¯s this¡­¡± Bruce tried to say more but was stunned as Norin¡¯s body passed through the wall as if diving into water. Bruce quickly realized what was happening and shut his mouth, holding his breath. Swish¡ª A strange sensation filled his body. The moment they crashed into the wall, Bruce felt as though he and the wall¡¯s material had merged into one, indistinguishable from each other. It was a feeling more extraordinary than swimming in water. They continued on, walking through the wall. ¡°This is molecular mimicry ability. As the name implies, it allows me to pass through almost any material.¡± Norin seemed to sense Bruce''s doubts as he scanned the surroundings, explaining casually. "Is it possible to instantly morph the molecules that make up your body into the same molecular structure as the material you''re passing through? And to carry other objects with you while you do it? Truly a remarkable ability! What if the material you''re passing through is entirely made of atoms? Or what if we create a non-material structure, could that still allow us to pass through?" Bruce''s eyes flickered, though it was unclear what he was thinking. Next, with the blueprints he had hacked from the base, Bruce guided them both through the facility, easily bypassing all guards. Bruce was left in awe of Norin''s molecular morphing ability. Passing through walls and the ground, it was an ability beyond comprehension. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. It truly expanded Bruce¡¯s understanding. However, with his mental fortitude, he managed to remain composed. Despite his mask fully concealing his expressions, he was still silently processing. When they arrived at the place where Supergirl Kara was held, Bruce instinctively pulled out a password-cracking device. It was clearly made of some unknown metal. It might even be Kryptonian in origin. He wondered if Norin¡¯s ability could penetrate it. Without hesitation, Norin stepped forward and got to work. Despite not knowing the structure of the material, Phantom Cat¡¯s molecular morphing didn¡¯t require any knowledge of the object¡¯s composition. Discussing physics in front of a mutant? That was a joke! Without incident, Norin successfully led Bruce through the wall. What greeted them was a short-haired girl dressed in a thin, flimsy garment, appearing weak and fragile. "Is this the Supergirl you mentioned? Can she even emit light from her eyes?" Bruce doubted that this weak girl could be of any help. She looked like someone Bruce could easily overpower. "You''ll see once we get out of here," Norin responded. Then, to Bruce¡¯s surprise, Norin took advantage of Kara¡¯s weakened state and kissed her, on the lips! A deep, passionate kiss! "..." Bruce fell silent, wondering if he had placed too much trust in Norin. He had gone through all this effort to cross the ocean and ended up helping Norin play the rogue? Kara, still too weak to wake up, had no idea her first kiss was taken while she slept. After pulling away, Norin even made a sound, as if savoring the moment. Bruce continued to remain silent. "Alright, we should get going. I¡¯ll explain later," Norin said. He didn¡¯t explain his actions immediately; instead, he was eager to get out and bask in the sunlight. Time was short. He had no time to focus on flirting with Kara, nor did he have time for explanations. The priority now was to enhance his strength to the level of Superman, like Henry did after absorbing decades of solar energy, before Zod''s arrival. Because even with the Flash¡¯s help to defeat countless Kryptonians, they would struggle against Zod, especially when they also had to destroy two world engines. After all, even Henry, who had absorbed decades of sunlight, found it difficult to destroy the world engine. Seeing Norin''s urgency, Bruce understood that the real mission was pressing. By now, he had all but come to believe Norin¡¯s end-of-world prophecy. It was time to return and finalize their battle plans. On the way back, they continued without drawing any attention. Norin¡¯s molecular morphing ability was at its peak for stealth. Without prior preparation, who could anticipate an enemy who could pass through walls and the ground? Even if they saw it, they would simply chalk it up to an illusion. With Norin carrying Kara, the two made their way smoothly to the outside world. As they emerged into the daylight, Kara¡¯s eyes fluttered open! At the same time, Norin felt the sun''s energy pouring into his body. It was as if his body, like a thirsty woman trapped in a deep, desolate chamber for decades, hungered for that energy. His cells rushed to absorb it, constantly growing stronger. Twice as strong! Three times! Four times!... Ten times! The rate of increase was beyond human comprehension. In just a few breaths, his strength was as vast as the ocean. Every move seemed to have the power to shatter the ground beneath him. "This is the Superman power I¡¯ve always dreamed of!!" Before Norin could get lost in his newfound power, Kara, having absorbed enough energy to recover, regained consciousness. Upon meeting Norin¡¯s gaze, she froze for a moment. He¡¯s so handsome! There¡¯s actually someone this handsome in the world? Kara''s heart skipped a beat. Just that one glance, and she was already smitten. However, being the Supergirl she was, she forced herself to look away and tried to escape Norin¡¯s grip, attempting to jump down. But she soon realized that Norin''s hands were far too strong and firm! Sensing Kara¡¯s movement, Norin came to his senses and gently released her. "Who are you?" "You can call me Norin. Kara Zor-El, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you!" Norin¡¯s smile was like the rising sun, dispelling all the coldness, and Kara couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized. Chapter 11: Karas Trust A few hours later, Norin and the others returned to Gotham. Along the way, Norin explained to Kara everything that was about to happen in the future. When she heard that General Zod from Krypton planned to destroy Earth and transform it into a planet suitable for Kryptonians, Kara¡¯s expression remained unchanged. To her, Earth was just a foreign planet. And after arriving on Earth, she had been captured by mercenaries. So, she didn¡¯t have a positive opinion of Earth¡¯s inhabitants. She didn¡¯t see much reason to stay on Earth and fight for humanity. Compared to that, she was more concerned with finding her missing cousin, Kal-El. He was Krypton¡¯s last hope. Her responsibility was also to protect Kal, and on Krypton, where hierarchy was strictly enforced, higher orders were almost impossible to defy. At Wayne Manor, Kara stared out at the sun high in the sky. After a brief silence, she said, ¡°This has nothing to do with me.¡± Bruce looked at Norin when he heard this, his eyes seeming to ask, Is this the ally you brought? Are you sure they¡¯re useful? "What if I told you that Zod killed Kal-El?" Norin, watching Kara¡¯s back, dropped the bombshell. Kara immediately turned around, her face a mask of disbelief. "Impossible! How could Zod kill Kal?" "It¡¯s true," Norin continued. "Zod needs the Codex of Life within you. You know what that is¡ªonly with it can Zod recreate all Kryptonians and revive Krypton on Earth." "You think a baby can have the Codex of Life?" Bruce interjected. "Or do you think Zod, with his nature, would patiently raise Kal and then ask him to hand over a Codex that doesn¡¯t even exist?" Kara fell silent, considering Zod¡¯s personality. Zod was a Kryptonian general, wielding the most powerful military force, second only to the Council of Elders. His personality was ruthless and merciless. If someone stood in the way of his plan, especially the revival of Krypton, Zod would show no mercy, even if it was one of his own people. It was inevitable. It was a character trait ingrained in him from the moment he was born. "The Codex of Life? What¡¯s that?" Bruce asked, hearing about the key that had brought Zod to Earth. "The Codex of Life is Kryptonian genetic material. With it, you can use Kryptonian technology to breed Kryptonians anew," Norin explained succinctly. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "By the way, the Kryptonian race has abandoned natural birth. All their life forms are genetically engineered, except for Kal-El." "He¡¯s a naturally born Kryptonian, with unlimited potential!" Norin finished. "So, if we get the Codex of Life, Earth can avoid being invaded by Zod?" Bruce asked, already thinking of how to solve the problem as simply as possible. "Strictly speaking, yes, but it''s too late now," Norin shook his head. "When Jor-El sent Kara and Kal-El to Earth, Earth''s fate was sealed." "Zod will likely have already picked up the signal from their pod, and he''s probably on his way here." "Even if we were to send Kara away from Earth now, it wouldn¡¯t change anything." "Why? The universe is so vast, there must be many planets like Earth. They don¡¯t need to transform Earth into a new Krypton," Bruce said, confused. "Because of this!" Norin pointed to the sun. "Krypton¡¯s original star system had a red sun, but Earth¡¯s system has a yellow sun." "Under a yellow sun, Kryptonians gain tenfold, even a hundredfold, power boosts! And this increase is nearly unlimited." "Kryptonians already possess the physical strength to crush almost all of Earth''s technology, and with the enhancement from the yellow sun, in time, every one of them could become god-like!" "Does that temptation sound enticing enough?" Bruce, upon hearing this, turned to Kara. No wonder she had been so weak when captured, but once outside, she seemed full of energy, incredibly strong, and could even fly. This power boost was more than just a hundredfold. And this was only after being outside for a short time. What if she spent a century or even a thousand years under the yellow sun? Who would be able to challenge Kryptonians then? It was possible that they could conquer the universe. Putting himself in Zod¡¯s shoes, Bruce realized that if he knew that the sun of Earth could give him such a huge power boost, and that Earth was the only known life-bearing planet, with the least difficulty in transforming, and its native inhabitants were so weak¡­ He definitely wouldn''t let Earth go. "The Kryptonian race must not be allowed to grow!" Bruce silently repeated these words in his mind. Such a monstrous species should have perished along with their home planet. If they were allowed to continue existing, even if they didn¡¯t occupy Earth, but instead another planet, they would eventually become a threat not only to Earth, but to the entire universe. "Is everything you said true?" Kara, who had been lost in thought earlier, asked again, her voice filled with disbelief. "How do you know all this? Do you have a way of predicting the future? Or perhaps the future you spoke of is false?" "You¡¯ll know whether it¡¯s true or not once two people named Barry Allen show up." "According to the timeline, this is the year that Zod arrives. We don¡¯t have much time left." Norin spoke seriously. "Alright! I¡¯ll join you to fight against Zod! I need to confront him personally and get answers about Kal-El!" Looking into Norin¡¯s sincere and untainted eyes, Kara chose to trust him, at least for now. Such a handsome guy, he wouldn¡¯t lie to her, right? This was the advantage of Norin¡¯s special aura, a boost to his likability. Even Kara, the Supergirl, was affected by it during their first meeting. Her trust in him quickly grew, making her more willing to believe. If it had been Barry, gaining Kara''s trust would likely have cost him his life. Words alone would never have been enough to make Kara side with him. The difference was clear. Comparing it to Bruce... Norin was sure that Bruce was probably already researching his abilities, even considering how to restrain him. "Back to the main point, do you have any suggestions for dealing with Zod?" Bruce asked, his gaze focused on Norin. According to Norin, the universe they had originally come from had already been destroyed. Clearly, their chances of defeating Zod by themselves were zero. The only hope they had was Norin. Norin''s arrival would be the only lifeline for this universe.