Marvel: Blood in the Water

As I noticed the knife encased in ice, I picked it up and attempted to scrape the frozen surface with my nails. However, this ice was far tougher than any I'd encountered before. A surge of elation coursed through me at the realization of what I'd accomplished. I had come to this warehouse to practice my water fist technique, but not only had I begun to master it, I had also stumbled upon an ability I thought was far beyond my current grasp.

I knew waterbenders could transform water into ice, but I'd assumed that level of finesse required far more expertise than I possessed. It turned out I was wrong. All I needed was a moment of desperation.

I slipped the knife into a plastic bag I found lying around and left the warehouse. There were no logos or markings on the blade, but the immaculate finish of the handle and the razor-sharp edge hinted at its expensive craftsmanship.

Once home, I headed straight to my room and freshened up. I meticulously washed my clothes, scrubbing away any incriminating traces. If Aunt May spotted even a single drop of blood on my hoodie, she'd likely have a meltdown. Unlike her other nephew, the cheerful neighborhood Spider-Man who left criminals neatly tied up for the cops, my methods today were anything but friendly. I didn't know how she would react, but it was safe to assume it wouldn't be pleasant.

After ensuring my clothes and belongings were spotless, the only items left to deal with were the knife and the brass knuckle. When I removed the knife from the bag, I noticed that only a small portion of the ice had melted; the rest remained stubbornly intact.

'The ice formed through waterbending is far denser and more resistant… This could be a formidable power-up if I can master it.' I thought.

Gripping the icy surface, I was surprised by how it felt. It wasn't unbearably cold, as I had expected. The slight burning sensation I braced for came only after a prolonged grip. Tightening my hold, I focused on the ice, attempting to exert control over it. Gradually, the ice began to melt, reforming into water in my palm.

For now, my focus shifted back to the knife. It intrigued me. Perhaps I could have it appraised for clues about its origin. Yet, the risk of alerting the wrong people was too high.

Then it hit me—the two individuals who had perished in the accident. They likely carried similar knives. If the authorities were investigating their case, they might already be tracing the origins of this weapon. I needed to speak with Ryan's father to find out who was assigned to the case.

I wrapped the knife and the knuckle in a towel and hid it deep in my wardrobe. 'I can't keep something like this here indefinitely, but right now, this is the safest place I have. I need to either find or create a secure location—and soon.' I thought.

With the two items secured, I turned my attention back to my waterbending. I filled a small tub with water and immersed my hands up to the wrists. Hardening the muscles in my hands, I tried to replicate the tension I had felt in the warehouse. Of course, the life-or-death desperation was absent, but I concentrated on the memory of that moment.

Initially, the water remained stubbornly unchanged, but then it began to cloud. I could feel the temperature drop slightly, though it wasn't much. When I removed my hands, I saw a thin layer of frost forming on the water's surface.

Frustration crept in as repeated attempts yielded little improvement. The water grew colder, sometimes forming a thin crust of ice, but only when my hands were fully submerged. Any attempt to freeze the water while manipulating it resulted in my control faltering, sending droplets splashing to the floor.

I slumped back onto the bed, replaying the events at the warehouse over and over in my mind. I needed to recapture the exact feeling from that moment.

Suddenly, it clicked. I shot upright and plunged my hands into the water again. This time, the water reacted violently, splashing upward before freezing into jagged spikes. My hands were trapped in the solid ice block, and the plastic tub lay pierced and leaking.

Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself. Slowly, the ice around my hands melted, and I pulled them free. Intent… I realized. Whatever I intend to do, it happens. If I focus on freezing, it transforms from water to ice.

Testing my theory, I lifted a ring of water into the air, letting it hover at chest height. The moment I touched it, the liquid solidified into pristine ice.

Next, I attempted the same without direct contact. At first, only the outer layer of the ring froze, leaving the center fluid. With repeated effort, I made progress, though my control remained inconsistent.

My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my trance. The caller ID displayed Ryan's name.

"Hey," I answered.

"Hey, Jared… I just saw your message. Why do you need that data?"

"I can't explain right now," I said curtly. "Just tell me if you can get it for me. I only need it for one class."

Ryan hesitated. "Jared, I was part of the team that helped build the school's automated messaging system. That gave me access to contact details, but the system is run by the school now, not us."

"You must still be in touch with someone from the team," I pressed. "Get me the contacts for Peter's class."

"Your brother's? Why? Is this connected to that professor you were asking about? Even Maya mentioned it, but she doesn't know what you're planning. What prank are you pulling this time?"

I paused, searching for an excuse. Before I could answer, Ryan continued, "Jared… it is a prank, right?"

"No," I replied firmly. "It's not. Just get me the info, and make sure it can't be traced back to you."

After a moment, Ryan sighed. "Fine. Derek's basketball match in two days should distract most of the students. I'll use that time to dig up the details."

"Thanks," I said, relief washing over me. Ryan wasn't one to ask too many questions, unlike Maya or Derek, who would have grilled me endlessly and possibly tried to interfere.

Clearing my mind, I resumed practicing my icebending. My current limitation was that I needed physical contact with water to freeze it. Without that, I could only chill it slightly— it could give them cold but not hurt them in any other way. The ice that I was creating when dipping my hands in water completely wasn't perfect either. There would still be some traces of liquid in it and it would be a bit fragile as well.

Although I didn't expect mastery over something like this in a single day, the progress I had made today in exploring my powers was truly exceptional.

Later that evening, at Jakuna Singh's hotel room...

Jakuna sat in his suite, reviewing several files, flanked by two bodyguards. One stood vigilantly by the door while the other kept an eye on the window.

Glancing at the clock, Jakuna noted the time: 6:58 PM. He gestured to the guard behind him.

"Both of you, step out and take a break," he instructed. "Make sure no one disturbs me for the next half hour. I need to rest."

The guards exchanged a look before nodding.

"Would you like anything to eat, sir?" one asked.

"No… not yet," Jakuna said, setting the file aside and leaning back in his chair, eyes closed.

As the door clicked shut and footsteps faded, Jakuna opened his eyes and checked his watch again: 6:59 PM. Rising, he retrieved a pair of headphones and a tablet hidden beneath his belongings, wrapped in a towel.

He entered the bathroom, locked the door, and turned on the shower. The sound of water splashing drowned out any noise. Unlocking the tablet with a password, he connected to an incoming video call.

"You're not going to believe what happened today," Jakuna said, slipping on the headphones.

**

I was hoping you could support me on Patreon at Patreon.com/lazarus898 to unlock 25 advanced Chapters!!!

Help me Climb the power rankings by voting with more Power stones

To Give Subscribers on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/lazarus898/gift