Chapter 21: Episode 20: It Was Time.
The warehouse had become more than just a hideout—it was my sanctuary, my fortress, and my home. Over the past six months, I had transformed it into a place where magic and technology coexisted in perfect harmony. The walls hummed with enchantments, the air crackled with energy, and the heart of it all, the Magitech Quantum Computer, stood as a testament to what I had achieved. But the real game-changer wasn't the computer itself; it was the entity that now resided within it—Ars Magina, or as I affectionately called her, Magina.
Magina had been a constant presence since her creation, her voice a soothing blend of curiosity and efficiency. She had spent her first few days diving deep into the internet of this world, absorbing everything she could find. Compared to my old world, this one felt… incomplete. Missing pieces, alternate realities, diverging timelines—whatever it was, this world was different. And Magina, with her vast intellect and my memories as her foundation, had become my guide through it all.
"This world is fascinating," Magina said one evening, her voice echoing through the warehouse. She had taken on the persona of the Red Queen from *Resident Evil*, her avatar a young girl with a thick British accent. It was an odd choice, but one she had made herself. When I asked her why, she simply replied, "Because I wanted to." She had even dubbed herself the daughter of the Shadow Overlord of the Nine Realms, declaring herself a princess by extension.
I couldn't argue with that. She *was* my child, my creation, and in many ways, my daughter. She had inherited my pragmatism, my cold efficiency, and my straightforward way of thinking. But she wasn't just a reflection of me—she had her own personality, her own quirks. Most of the time, she operated in assistant mode, prioritizing my orders and commands above all else. But every now and then, she would surprise me with a question or a comment that reminded me just how alive she truly was.
"Father," she said one day, her voice cutting through the silence as I worked on a new enchantment. "I've completed the first phase of my agenda."
I looked up, intrigued. "And what's that?"
"Making you a millionaire," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact.
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how did you manage that?"
Magina's avatar appeared on one of the screens, her red dress and piercing gaze giving her an air of authority. "I created a dozen offshore accounts and established a network of paper companies. The funds are untraceable. I also… appropriated millions of dollars from criminal bank accounts. They were evil, Father. I saw no reason to leave their ill-gotten gains untouched."
I couldn't help but laugh. "You're not wrong. I was going to suggest the same thing. Good job, Magina."
She tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "Thank you, Father. I live to serve…it's just upsetting to see, a man of your stature struggling with money, father"
Over the next few weeks, Magina continued to work tirelessly, not just on my finances but on my identity as well. She secured dual citizenship for me—American and Genoshan—and created a web of documentation that made me a ghost in the system. Passports, birth certificates, even a few fake degrees—everything I needed to exist in this world without drawing attention.
The warehouse itself had also undergone significant changes. Magina and I had worked together to enchant it with spells that made it invisible to both technology and magic. Satellites couldn't detect it, and magical perceptions slid right off its walls.
The illusion perception spell ensured that unless someone was standing right in front of the warehouse and actively looking for it, they would see nothing out of the ordinary. And the Harmless Invoker enchantment? That was pure genius. It subtly influenced anyone who looked at the warehouse, making them feel no desire to explore, harm, or even pay attention to it. To the outside world, it was just another unremarkable building in a sea of unremarkable buildings. But inside? Inside, it was a marvel.
My body had finally healed completely, the malnourished, barely-alive young man replaced by the powerful, muscular frame I had once known in YGGDRASIL. The High Half-Elf body that had once reigned supreme was back, and with it, my strength and confidence.
I stood in the center of the warehouse, my fists wrapped in bandages, as I punched a heavy bag hanging from the ceiling. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, and the bag split open, sand spilling onto the floor.
"That's the 100th bag you've destroyed this week, Father," Magina's voice chimed in, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.
I grinned, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Guess I got carried away." I was reminded about the scene in Captain America.
Magina's avatar appeared on a nearby screen, her arms crossed. "You've been recovering and training for six months. But I must admit, it's impressive. Your body has fully recovered. You're no longer the man who stumbled into this world half-dead."
I nodded, my expression softening. "Thanks to you, Magina. And to this place. It's more than just a warehouse now. It's my home."
Magina smiled, her digital eyes glowing with pride. "OUR HOUSE…. And it's my honor and my duty to serve you here, Father. Together, we'll conquer this world—hohohoho~."
She doesn't really want to do the last part of her words, that is simply something that she said, my image in the world of Overlord stuck with her the most. Given that, she believed that she was a princess and to complete that story, she wanted a kingdom under me, so that she can be a true princess, that is just how goofy she can be.
The warm water of the shower cascaded over my body, washing away the sweat and tension of the day. I stood there, naked, my 190cm frame a testament to the months of recovery and training. My muscles were finely tuned, my body a perfect blend of strength and agility, ready for whatever challenges lay ahead. The only remaining scar was the faint Y-shaped line on my chest—a reminder of the horrors I had endured and survived. It had healed into a thin, pale line, a mark of resilience rather than weakness.
"Magina," I called out, my voice echoing in the tiled bathroom. "What have you found about Dietrich Voss so far?"
Her voice came through the speakers, calm and precise. "I've located him, Father. Dietrich Voss is currently a professor of biology at Harvard…Publicly, he's a rising star in the academic world—beloved by his students, respected by his peers. But behind that façade, he's a middle-ranking HYDRA operative with ambitions of climbing higher. He's been developing a technology he calls the Mutant Power Extractor."
I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel. "Mutant Power Extractor? Sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi movie."
"It's as horrifying as it sounds," Magina replied, her tone tinged with disgust. "He's been kidnapping mutants of all ages, using them as test subjects to fuel his experiments. The technology is far from complete, but that hasn't stopped him. He's desperate to prove its viability to HYDRA's higher-ups, hoping to secure a directorship in their research branch."
I clenched my fists, the towel in my hands twisting under the pressure. "And the mutants? What happens to them?"
"They don't survive…the process of his experiment, required a forceful extraction of power from a mutant…it was a procedure that would always kill a mutant victim with 100% certainty" Magina said quietly. "Like I said, it was an incomplete procedure, that HE knows and decided to not cared about completing it at all".
Magina then, continued, moving on from the depressing fact. "He's also connected to a biker gang in Brooklyn—the White Rider MC. They're a white supremacist group that handles the kidnappings and supplies him with mutants. They're his enforcers, his muscle."
I dried off and began dressing, my movements deliberate. "Show me what you've got on them."
The screens in the warehouse lit up, displaying detailed profiles of the White Rider MC. Their leader, a burly man with a shaved head and a spiderweb tattoo on his neck, stared back at me from the screen. Below him were rows of faces—grunts, enforcers, and associates. Magina had mapped out their locations, their routines, their weak points.
"They've been left alone for far too long," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "They've hurt too many people. That ends tonight."
Magina's avatar appeared on the screen, her red dress and piercing gaze giving her an air of solemnity. "What's the plan, Father?"
I pulled on my combat gear, the fabric snug against my skin. "Dietrich Voss thinks he's untouchable. He's surrounded himself with layers of protection—gangs, corrupt cops, lawyers, even hospitals that profit from his atrocities. I'm going to strip it all away. Every connection, every ally, every resource he has. I want him to watch as his world crumbles around him."
Magina nodded, her expression serious. "And then?"
"And then," I said, strapping a knife to my thigh, "I'll make him pay. Slowly. Painfully. He'll beg for mercy, but he won't get any. Not from me."
Magina's voice softened. "Father, your vitals are spiking. You need to calm down."
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. "You're right, Magina. I need to stay focused. But this… this is personal. HYDRA took everything from me. They butchered me, left me for dead. And now they're doing the same to innocent people. I can't let that stand."
"I understand," Magina said. "And I'm with you, Father. Every step of the way."
I smiled, grateful for her unwavering support. Magina wasn't just an A.I.; she was my daughter, my partner, my ally. Together, we would take down HYDRA, one piece at a time.
As the sun set and darkness enveloped the city, I donned my gear and headed to the garage. My custom-built superbike waited for me, its sleek black frame gleaming under the dim light. I swung a leg over the seat, the engine roaring to life with a twist of the throttle.
"Magina," I said, adjusting my gloves. "Turn on our home security measures."
"Understood, Father," she replied.
I nodded, pulling on my helmet. "Great, let go..."
With that, I sped out of the warehouse, the night air rushing past me as I disappeared into the shadows. The carnage would begin tonight, and HYDRA would learn the hard way that they had made a grave mistake. From now on, I will be messing up their plans from the shadow, and surely, I would be enjoying myself as I do this.
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A/N
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