"According to Mr. Fantastic's detailed explanation," Nathan murmured while reviewing the complex data before him, "the energy the Invisible Woman manipulates is called psychic power."
This wasn't telepathy or mind control—it was something far more refined.
"She uses psychic energy to generate unique psychic fields," he continued, scrolling through diagrams and schematics. "These fields can vary in density and strength, shifting from rigid barriers to soft cushions based on how she manipulates them."
The data fascinated Nathan. The capability to create invisible constructs out of pure mental force was a power that reminded him of the Green Lanterns in the DC universe. Discs, domes, clamps, slides, spheres, darts, shields—each formed by sheer willpower. It wasn't just defensive. These fields could be turned into formidable offensive weapons, such as massive invisible hammers or focused projectiles the size of marbles, each delivering immense force.
Nathan absorbed every detail.
Thanks to Mr. Fantastic's meticulous records, his replication process was progressing at a lightning pace.
---
Hours passed. Nathan finally completed the integration of this new power.
He lay within a specialized chamber outfitted with serum injectors and stabilizing systems. As the device hummed to life, serums and neural enhancers surged into his veins.
Buzz!
A jolt of energy coursed through his body.
Nathan's eyes widened.
He didn't feel pain—instead, he felt clarity, his mind expanded beyond its usual thresholds. His enhanced perception pierced the air around him, detecting wavelengths of light, electromagnetic pulses, even the soft shimmer of cosmic rays trickling through space-time.
He wasn't just seeing the world—he was sensing its structure.
His awareness dug deeper, stretching into the sub-layers of reality, like invisible tendrils slipping into creases and folds of the spatial fabric.
And there it was—a pulse, a strange energy flowing like liquid between space's seams. It was psychic power, just as described.
With a mere thought, Nathan conjured his first psychic field. A transparent shield flickered into existence before him. He reached out to touch it.
Soft—like cotton.
He concentrated again.
Instantly, it solidified, the same area now impenetrably hard.
Another thought.
The field expanded and enveloped him completely, forming a protective layer over his entire body.
Then, Nathan's body slowly rose from the ground.
He was flying.
He floated, controlled, steady—his mind guiding the fields beneath him like invisible thrusters.
Within minutes, he zoomed across the room, gliding effortlessly without collision, speeding faster and faster.
Then, pausing mid-air, he looked into a nearby mirror.
He smiled.
"I've finally mastered flight," he said with satisfaction. "This alone makes me nearly untouchable. Many heroes can't even compete with this mobility."
"And in a city like this, flying is simply convenient."
He descended and landed smoothly.
"There's more," he reminded himself. "According to Mr. Fantastic, constructing fields consumes mental energy. But over time, as you rest after each depletion, your mental strength grows stronger."
That was key.
It gave Nathan a reliable method to build up his mental power, which he desperately needed to counteract the negative side effects of the demonic force lurking within him.
"If I strengthen my mind enough… I won't need those machines to suppress the demonic energy."
He turned toward the mirror again.
"If I can surround my brain with a psychic field, I can reinforce it against mental intrusion or psychic attacks."
Given his already unyielding willpower, this new mental armor made him even more resilient.
Nathan clenched his fists.
"I'll be immune to manipulation… eventually."
---
Now it was time to test invisibility.
He closed his eyes and focused on the photons moving around him. With his heightened senses, he could feel the light.
Another thought.
The light around his body bent, wrapping itself unnaturally.
His reflection vanished.
Nathan waved his hand.
Nothing appeared in the mirror.
"Excellent," he whispered. "Combine this with sound suppression, and I'm a phantom. A true ghost."
He floated again—completely silent, completely invisible.
He smiled again.
Then, he conjured another psychic field next to a nearby device, shaped it around it, and bent the light around it.
The machine vanished from view.
Not satisfied, Nathan fine-tuned the manipulation, bending light only on the surface. The outer shell disappeared, revealing its intricate circuitry and processors.
"I can control this down to individual layers," he said with awe. "This is just the beginning."
He released the field.
His body reappeared.
---
"It's complete," Nathan said to himself. "Time to head to the Life Foundation. Time to understand the symbiotes."
He had one goal now—to find a way to harness a symbiote without losing control.
---
In another chamber, the Invisible Woman stirred.
The anesthesia wore off—exactly as Nathan planned.
She slowly sat up. Her pain was gone. Her body, nearly shredded from battle, was now almost fully healed. She glanced at the oral trauma remedy on the side of the table.
She gasped, "I… I feel completely fine."
Nathan walked in, composed and unreadable as ever. Despite the mask and the clinical uniform, the Invisible Woman instantly recognized him.
"You saved me," she said, awe in her voice. "And healed me. Thank you. That Rhino monster… he nearly killed me."
Nathan simply nodded.
"It was nothing."
Inwardly, he added, I healed you and copied your powers. We're even.
"You're free to go," he said firmly.
The Invisible Woman hesitated. "Is there… anything I can do to repay you?"
Nathan shook his head. "No need. Really. You should leave before your teammates start worrying."
She looked at him, almost disappointed. Very few people ever turned away from her like this, especially not men.
But he didn't flinch. His eyes—calm, dark, and deep—remained focused.
She smiled softly. "You're right. I'll go. But… if you ever need me, call me."
She wrote her number on a scrap of paper and handed it to him.
"How should I leave?" she asked.
Nathan handed her a black enclosed helmet. "This will block your vision and hearing."
She immediately understood.
He was protecting the location of his lab.
She nodded respectfully and wore the helmet.
Darkness. Silence. Then—motion.
A moment later, the helmet was removed.
She was standing on the rooftop of a skyscraper. Nathan was gone.
"He disappeared…" she whispered. "He helped me remove the helmet and vanished right after."
She shook her head.
"That man is a mystery."
She took out her phone and contacted her lab.
Then, she got into a car, eyes still distant, her mind replaying the moment his eyes met hers.
---
Back at the laboratory, Human Torch ran up the moment she stepped inside.
"Sis! Are you okay? Any pain? Headache? Concussion?"
She gently pushed his panicked face away.
"Honestly, I think something's wrong with all of us," she said.
Mr. Fantastic approached.
He recounted everything that happened in the lab, including the strange hacker and the missing data.
"So… was it the mysterious man who saved you?"
She nodded. "Yes. He did."
"He saved me, healed me, and asked for nothing. Then he kicked me out."
"A bit blunt, but… honestly, he's a good person."
Mr. Fantastic frowned. "I just don't understand why he came here."
"You think this was planned?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. The trafficker said he didn't know him. And that man took his weapon."
"But still, it's suspicious he came to our lab."
"Could he be after our tech?" she asked.
"No. Nothing's missing."
"Except…" he added slowly, "I think he erased his tracks. Tampered with our system. Whoever he is, his hacking is world-class."
Her eyes narrowed. "What was on those systems?"
"The coordinates. To that world."
Silence fell between them.
"That incredibly dangerous world?" she whispered. "The one filled with monsters?"
"If that's what he's after, he's in serious danger."
"I have to warn him!"
Mr. Fantastic asked, "Do you know where he is?"
She sighed. "No…"
"I'll have to wait for him to show up again."
---
Meanwhile, Nathan soared through the skies toward the Life Foundation.
He didn't fly the entire way—his mental strength wasn't limitless yet. So he ran through alleys, jumped rooftops, and flew when necessary.
And soon, in the distance, the looming structure of the Life Foundation came into view.
Nathan's eyes narrowed in anticipation.
"Symbiote," he said. "I'm coming for you."
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