{Chapter: 192 - Unconscious}
This couldn't be happening. He had just devoured seven powerful abilities. He should be stronger than ever. He should feel invincible. Instead, he felt crippled. Weak. Powerless.
With shaking hands, he pulled the Reality Ring and put it on. With a thought a small dark green hand pulled the bottle towards him. He caught it, opened it clumsily, and drank deeply—letting the liquid soothe his burning throat.
It helped a little.
"What happened to me?" he finally asked, voice hoarse, mind reeling. "Why is nothing working?"
The system responded with its usual neutral tone:
[After the host devoured seven abilities in rapid succession, the capacity of your body was exceeded. The fusion process overloaded all systems. Integration of multiple mid-tier abilities caused a full-body crash.]
Aiden blinked. "A… crash?"
[Yes. A fail-safe was triggered. Your nervous system and metaphysical ability circuits began malfunctioning. The pressure from multiple unbalanced energies forced your body to shut down—like a circuit breaker tripping to prevent a fire.]
Aiden sat in silence, digesting the words. Then he chuckled bitterly.
"So I should be grateful I'm still breathing?"
[Affirmative. You were on the verge of complete collapse. However, your survival was ensured by your regenerative healing factor. It is not a single ability, but rather a layered fusion of multiple advanced healing traits devoured from various hosts.]
[This regenerative matrix kept your body from disintegrating under the pressure of power overload.]
Aiden nodded faintly. Of course. That's why the first power he devoured when he came to this world was Claire's Undead Immortality.
Thank goddess he did that before doing this.
But there was more.
[However, due to the magnitude of internal imbalance, the body's self-protection mechanism has temporarily locked all active abilities. You cannot access any powers until the body system finishes harmonizing and integrating the devoured abilities.]
Aiden leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. "So… until then, I'm just a regular guy covered in blood and trauma?"
[Yes. But alive.]
He groaned.
"Thanks, I guess."
"So I can't use any of my abilities right now... And when my body finishes adjusting, they'll become active again?" Aiden rubbed the bridge of his nose and exhaled a long sigh. "Well, it's not the end of the world, I guess. That just means I need to take a break for the next few days. But more importantly... What about the core of all this? How much has my devouring ability improved?"
[The initial judgment has doubled from before. Your devouring rate is now twice as fast, efficient, and powerful.]
"Double, huh? That's not bad," Aiden muttered, tapping his fingers on the nearby dresser. "Since I can't use my abilities right now, I suppose it's a good time to lay low. I've still got four or five days left before my scheduled departure from this dimension. Guess I'll wait until my next visit to extract Hiro's ability."
Though his voice tried to sound calm, there was a clear trace of disappointment. He clenched his fists slightly. The whole reason he selected this specific plane was to obtain Hiro Nakamura's unique time-manipulating power. Delaying that acquisition stung more than he wanted to admit.
[Unfortunately, I am afraid you will have to remain within this plane for a while longer than originally intended.]
Aiden groaned, his mood darkening. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
[Because your body has not yet returned to a stabilized state, you cannot travel between dimensions. Forcing a transfer would risk catastrophic failure. Therefore, you are restricted to this plane until your condition fully recovers.]
He clicked his tongue in frustration. "Wasn't the maximum time allotted for stay seven days? Are you saying you can extend that now?"
[Correct. It can be extended, but only through system energy. The residual energy generated from devouring seven abilities will allow an additional seven days of stay. If your body is still not recovered by then, more energy will be consumed to prolong your time here.]
Aiden collapsed backward onto the bed, letting out a deep sigh. "Ugh, so it's basically like a hotel room with a strict check-out policy... And I just paid extra for an extension. Great."
Still, there was a sliver of reassurance in knowing he had more time—especially with Hiro's power still up for grabs.
"Good thing I don't solely rely on my abilities in a fight," he muttered with a tired smirk. "Otherwise, I'd be like a sheep tossed into a pit of starving wolves."
He took a moment to stabilize his breathing, then wrapped the Reality Ring's energy tightly around his aching body and drifted toward the bathroom. His movements were slower than usual, more deliberate. The pain wasn't gone, but manageable. He needed a hot shower.
The steam fogged the glass panels as the water hit his skin, washing away the dried blood and exhaustion that had accumulated over the past chaotic day. Standing there under the hot stream, Aiden felt a strange mixture of vulnerability and hope. His body was healing. Slowly, but surely.
Once he finished, he dried off and dressed himself in a clean Aether suit—a sleek, adaptive outfit made from Aether practical. Lightweight, breathable, and protective to survive even a nuke. Something he had picked and learned to use in the Marvel world was just a green lantern hero outfit made of Aether Particles without its hero thing.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
There was a knock at the hotel door. Aiden walked over and opened it cautiously. Outside stood Rene, his expression as calm and composed as ever. The man looked like he'd stepped right out of a business meeting—sharp features, crisp clothes, and an aura of efficiency.
"You're back already?" Aiden raised an eyebrow.
Rene nodded. "Didn't you tell me to come by in the morning?"
Aiden blinked. "Wait... It's morning already? Has it really been an entire night?"
He glanced at the digital clock behind him. Time had slipped through his fingers like sand. What had felt like an hour in that half-conscious haze had been a full night.
Rene, always the pragmatic telepath and handler from the Company, didn't react to Aiden's confusion. "The people whose abilities were devoured are still unconscious. Should I go ahead and clean it up?"
"Yeah... Just wipe their memories and send them back. No need for complications."
Rene gave a curt nod, walked forward and disappeared into the room like a ghost.
Aiden watched him go, grateful as always for Rene's efficient detachment. Unlike some of the others from that world, Rene had no desire for chaos or power—just structure, control, and loyalty to the mission.
After the telepath left with the seven people, Aiden called down to the front desk and requested a full breakfast and a fresh change of clothes. The staff, as always, responded quickly—this hotel catered to high-class clients, after all.
As he sat at the table, picking through croissants and eggs benedict with a silver fork, he felt something shift inside his body. Not painfully this time—but subtly. A warmth spreading from his core, tingling down his limbs.
"Huh... Is it the food, or..."
He rolled his shoulders, stretched his legs, and did a few slow breathing exercises.
"My recovery seems faster than expected," he muttered with a thoughtful look. "Guess those healing abilities are working overtime."
His spirits lifted slightly. If this rate of recovery kept up, he might be back in working condition long before the seven days were up.
With a sudden gleam in his eyes, he leaned back in his chair, already thinking about what to do next. "Maybe it's time I got my women a little something. Can't just disappear for a week and come back empty-handed."
He smirked, thinking of Claire Bennet—the cheerleader who could regenerate from any wound. There was a fire in her eyes, a stubbornness he liked. Then there was Natasha—Jemma, Clarice, Daisy, Pepper, Carol, Mei, Kira, and many more in future.
Now that he had downtime, maybe he could shop around the city. Blend in. Let the dust settle from yesterday's power surge.
One thing was clear: he was far from done here.