NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Settling In and Scouting –(REMAKE)
Chapter 4: Settling In and Scouting –(REMAKE)
The next year was a masterclass in patience, subtle manipulation, and trying very hard not to look like a complete weirdo. Adam had reached System Level 2, had a couple of questionable-yet-useful skills, and a burgeoning bank account. Now came the hard part: waiting. Waiting for 2014. Waiting for the particle accelerator to go boom. Waiting for Barry Allen to get struck by lightning and turn into the fastest man alive.
" Seriously, this is like being stuck in the prequel to the prequel of a show you really like, and all the exciting bits are still years away. I mean, I love a good slow burn, but this is ridiculous. My 'binge-watching' reflexes are twitching."
He focused on building his life. He upgraded from his cramped, pizza-scented apartment to a slightly less cramped, less pizza-scented apartment. He found a legitimate-ish remote job doing data entry, which was mind-numbingly boring but provided a steady income without requiring too much human interaction. He didn't want to get too entangled with anyone yet, not before the meta-human fireworks started.
His "Urban Navigation" skill was proving incredibly useful. He could walk through Central City, instinctively knowing the quickest routes, the quietest alleys, the best places to grab a decent cup of coffee. He used this to his advantage, not for anything nefarious, but for observation.
He started a routine. A morning jog (which mostly involved brisk walking and a lot of huffing) that took him past the Central City Police Department. He'd catch glimpses of Joe West, looking perpetually tired but fiercely dedicated. He'd occasionally see a lanky, red-haired CSI assistant named Barry Allen, always rushing, always late, looking like he'd forgotten his morning coffee and his sense of time.
" There he is. The future Fastest Man Alive. Right now, he's just the Fastest Man Late. Oh, Barry, you have no idea what's coming. Spoilers: it involves a lot of running and a terrifying amount of bad decision-making regarding the timeline."
He also made discreet trips past S.T.A.R. Labs, observing the comings and goings. He'd see a stern-looking Dr. Harrison Wells (or rather, the man who wasn't Harrison Wells but really, really wanted to be). He'd spot a perpetually stressed Caitlin Snow and a perpetually excited Cisco Ramon. They were all just… people right now. Unaware of the cosmic destiny waiting to smack them in the face with a lightning bolt.
" Look at them, so innocent. So unaware they're about to become the world's most accident-prone scientific crack team. I almost feel bad for them. Almost. Because, let's be honest, watching this unfold is going to be hilarious."
His financial accumulation strategy involved a mixture of careful investments based on future knowledge (small, untraceable ones, nothing that would send alarm bells ringing) and a surprising knack for finding forgotten cash. He'd "discover" a forgotten twenty-dollar bill on a park bench, a lost wallet with a hundred dollars, or a winning lottery ticket someone had carelessly discarded. He wasn't stealing, not really. More like… redistributing wealth from the cosmically oblivious. He now had a comfortable cushion of $10,000.
" Who knew being a semi-immortal, meta-knowledge-infused financial scavenger could be so lucrative? It's not exactly 'Ocean's Eleven,' but it gets the job done. And no one's getting hurt. Except maybe the occasional pigeon."
He also needed more deaths for System Level 3. Ten deaths total. He was at 5/5 for Level 2, meaning he needed 5 more. He wasn't going to get them from aliens anymore, so he had to diversify. He opted for minor, almost comical "accidents" that wouldn't raise any eyebrows.
A particularly aggressive squirrel that "attacked" him during a walk in the park.
[SYSTEM ALERT: DEATH DETECTED. CAUSE: MINOR ANIMAL AGGRESSION.] [LIVES REMAINING: 0/2 (Current Life Activated)] [DEATHS ACHIEVED: 6/10 (Next System Level: Level 3)] [SKILL ACQUISITION: 'MINOR ANIMAL PACIFICATION' HAS BEEN UNLOCKED!] [DESCRIPTION: A subtle aura that slightly calms small, non-predatory animals, reducing their aggression.]
" Oh, for crying out loud. Another animal skill? I'm going to be the Dr. Dolittle of the Arrowverse. Maybe I can communicate with Gorilla Grodd later. That would be… interesting."
An accidental slip on a patch of ice in winter, resulting in a dramatic but harmless tumble.
[SYSTEM ALERT: DEATH DETECTED. CAUSE: MINOR SLIP AND FALL.] [LIVES REMAINING: 0/2 (Current Life Activated)] [DEATHS ACHIEVED: 7/10 (Next System Level: Level 3)] [SKILL ACQUISITION: 'IMPROVED SURFACE TRACTION' HAS BEEN UNLOCKED!] [DESCRIPTION: Enhances grip and balance on slippery or uneven surfaces.]
" Great. Now I can navigate a freshly waxed floor like a ninja. My life is truly fulfilling."
He was slowly, almost imperceptibly, becoming more resilient, more aware. His senses were sharpening, his body subtly adapting. The Immortal System was quietly working its magic, preparing him for the madness that was coming. He felt a weird kinship with the unwitting heroes-to-be, watching them live their normal lives, knowing their fates were about to intersect with his own in the most bizarre ways imaginable. He even started a small, anonymous blog about urban legends and weird occurrences, subtly laying the groundwork for his future "expertise" in the unexplained.
" Just call me the pre-meta-human information highway. I'm basically a human Wikipedia for everything about to go wrong in Central City. And nobody even knows it."
He was ready. Or as ready as he could be for a world about to be filled with super-powered criminals, time travel shenanigans, and probably a few too many leather costumes. He had his money, his skills, and his increasingly sarcastic internal monologue. The stage was set. Now, he just had to wait for the curtain call.