THE RECKONING: THE WORLD'S WORST SCIENTIST.

Luther felt the strange energy coursing through his body, crackling like static electricity under his skin.

He channeled it down to his feet, and before he could think, he was moving, fast.

The world around him blurred into streaks of light and color, the kind of speed he had only theorized about during the illuminate vortex experiments.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed as he zipped across the ocean's surface, his makeshift raft long abandoned.

The sensation was exhilarating but terrifying, like riding a rollercoaster without a harness.

He barely had time to marvel at his newfound speed when a shadow loomed over him.

A massive tentacle crashed into the water ahead, sending a wall of water barreling toward him.

The shockwave hurled him backward, and he tumbled uncontrollably across the churning sea.

His heart pounded as he watched the tentacle swipe at a skyscraper, slicing it clean in two.

Shattered glass and debris rained down, and the distant screams of terrified people echoed through the air.

"No, no, no!" Luther shouted, panic gripping him.

He could feel his energy slipping, like a flickering lightbulb on the verge of burnout.

Desperate, he concentrated all the power into his core, trying to regain control.

Suddenly, the world froze.

The roaring waves, the falling debris, even the giant tentacle mid-swing, all of it stopped.

The silence was deafening, and Luther stumbled, nearly falling as he tried to process what had just happened.

His breath came in shallow gasps as he looked around at the eerie stillness.

"What… what is this?" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

Peter's calm, matter-of-fact voice broke the silence. "You appear to have manipulated the flow of time by concentrating your energy. Scientifically speaking-"

"Yeah, yeah, save the lecture," Luther interrupted, his eyes wide. "You're telling me I just stopped time?"

"Precisely," Peter replied. "It seems the illuminate vortex's energy capabilities are more advanced than anticipated."

Luther swallowed hard, his heart hammering in his chest.

Slowly, he extended his arms, channeling the energy outward.

The frozen scene flickered like a glitching video, and with a sharp inhale, time resumed.

The crash of waves and the wails of the city returned in full force, snapping Luther back to reality.

"No time to freak out," he muttered, gritting his teeth.

His body felt like it was on fire, but he used the momentum to propel himself forward.

He bolted straight at the monster, his energy building with every step.

The ocean churned beneath him, but he didn't stop.

"Luther, this is reckless," Peter warned, but Luther wasn't listening.

The moment he made contact, the force of his energy erupted in a blinding explosion.

It was like a volcano had erupted underwater, sending shockwaves rippling through the ocean.

The deafening boom echoed for miles, and when the smoke and steam cleared, Luther was standing amidst the mangled remains of the monstrous creature.

The water around him was stained red with blood, and bits of charred flesh floated on the surface.

His legs wobbled as he took in the destruction, disbelief etched on his face.

"I… I did it," he muttered, staring at the ruined corpse beneath him.

Then his shock turned into elation. "Woah, Peter, did you see that? I took it out in one hit! Woah!"

"Yes, I saw," Peter replied dryly. "Congratulations on doing something right for once."

Luther laughed, a mix of exhilaration and relief.

But his victory was short-lived. He turned toward the city, and his heart sank.

The monster's attack had left a path of devastation in its wake.

Buildings were crumbled, fires burned uncontrollably, and countless lives had been uprooted.

Before he could process the full extent of the damage, a low hum filled the air.

The sound grew louder, and Luther looked up to see a fleet of futuristic flying ships descending from the sky.

Their design was sleek and alien, not as advanced as the technology from his home planet but impressive nonetheless.

The ships hovered in formation, and from them emerged figures dressed in metallic suits that gleamed under the strange sunlight.

They pointed strange, gun-like weapons at him, their movements precise and mechanical.

A voice boomed from one of the ships, amplified and authoritative. "Hands in the air! You are under arrest for the destruction of Decsus City. If you move, we will view it as a threat and terminate you immediately."

Luther sighed, raising his hands slowly. "Well, they're not happy I saved them," he muttered under his breath.

Peter scoffed. "Shocking. Truly shocking."

"This is not how I thought my day would go," Luther whispered, glancing at the armed soldiers. "Any bright ideas?"

"I'd suggest not getting vaporized," Peter replied.

"Great advice, as always."

The soldiers closed in, their weapons trained on him.

Luther couldn't help but wonder if he was about to face the consequences of yet another mess he'd made.