It had been a week since Lucien cleared the C-rank dungeon, and life had settled into a comfortable routine. He'd been getting fighting lessons from Natasha every few days, learning proper combat techniques to complement his raw strength.
Black Widow was a demanding teacher, focusing on precision and efficiency over brute force.
"Your power is impressive," she'd told him during their last session, "but technique will keep you alive when power isn't enough."
Meanwhile, Daniel, Anna, Laura, and Illyana had started studying various subjects online. None of them had any plans for college—traditional education seemed pointless after everything they'd been through. Instead, they studied what interested them.
Anna had buried herself in psychology books, devouring everything from basic behavioral theory to advanced trauma recovery techniques. "I want to understand how minds work," she'd explained when Lucien asked. "Especially broken ones."
Daniel didn't need to study much in the traditional sense. Instead, he spent his time creating intricate blueprints and diagrams, practicing with his abilities.
Laura had shrugged off the idea of formal education entirely, though she'd asked Lucien repeatedly to take her on any missions that came up.
"I'm ready," she'd insisted just yesterday. "I can fight. You know I can."
Lucien had said okay, but deep down, he wasn't sure. Laura was skilled and deadly, but she was also still healing from years of programming and trauma.
Illyana had also dismissed the idea of school with typical bratty indifference, though Lucien suspected there were deeper reasons she didn't want to discuss.
One major development during the week was that the X-Men had finally agreed to help SHIELD with various situations. As part of the arrangement, younger mutant students from the mansion were enrolled in Midtown High under a special integration program.
SHIELD had offered the same opportunity to Lucien's group, but they'd all refused for their own reasons. Lucien didn't see the point in pretending to be a normal teenager, and the others had their own motivations for staying independent.
Now, Lucien found himself walking out of another alley, this time after clearing a D-rank dungeon. With his current strength, the lower-ranked dungeons had become almost trivially easy. The creatures inside barely provided a challenge anymore.
But that was fine. He wasn't doing this for the challenge—he was preparing.
The Job Change Quest had appeared after clearing the C-rank dungeon, and its description was clear: a special dungeon location would appear after ten days. Seven days had passed, leaving only three more.
He'd been putting the majority of his stat points into Mana, knowing what the job change would mean for him. He would officially become a necromancer—or more specifically, the Shadow Monarch. And to raise his army of shadows, he would need substantial magical reserves.
The thought sent a thrill of anticipation through him. Soon, he wouldn't be fighting alone anymore.
Lucien walked quietly down the street, his black t-shirt and cargo pants helping him blend into the evening shadows. The city felt different at this hour—more alive in some ways, with people heading home from work or out for dinner.
He spotted a hot dog stand on the corner and decided to grab a quick bite. The vendor, an older man with graying hair, handed him a fully loaded dog with a smile.
"First time I've seen you around here," the man said conversationally.
"Just passing through," Lucien replied, taking a bite. The hot dog was surprisingly good—perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of mustard and onions.
His phone rang as he was finishing the hot dog. Anna's name appeared on the screen.
"Hey," he answered.
"We're ready for dinner," Anna's voice came through clearly. "Where are you?"
Lucien looked around, spotting a street sign. "I'm at the intersection of Fifth and Morrison. Corner with the hot dog stand."
"Perfect, we're heading there now. See you in a few minutes."
"Sounds good," Lucien said, but as he was talking, someone bumped into him from behind.
The impact should have sent a normal person stumbling, but the man who'd hit him didn't even sway. Lucien turned around, ready to apologize, but stopped when he got a good look at the stranger.
The man was wearing a hoodie that obscured most of his face, but what Lucien could see reminded him strongly of Logan. The build, the way he carried himself, even the subtle tension in his shoulders—it all screamed danger and experience.
More importantly, Lucien could tell the man was strong. Really strong.
"No worries," the stranger said, his voice carrying a slight gravelly quality. He kept moving without looking back, disappearing into the crowd with practiced ease.
Lucien watched him go, his enhanced senses picking up something familiar about the man's scent. But before he could place it, Anna and the others appeared, and the moment was forgotten.
"Ready for some real food?" Daniel asked, grinning as they approached. "I found this place online that supposedly has the best Italian food in the city."
"As long as it's not more hot dogs," Laura said, eyeing Lucien's snack with mild disapproval.
"Hey, this was actually pretty good," Lucien defended, tossing the wrapper in a nearby trash can.
They spent the next few hours at a small Italian restaurant that lived up to Daniel's research. The food was excellent, the atmosphere was relaxed, and for a while, they all felt like normal teenagers having a normal night out.
After dinner, they wandered through the city with no particular destination in mind. The night was pleasant, with a cool breeze cutting through the urban heat, and none of them were in any hurry to get home.
They were walking past a residential area when Illyana suddenly stopped, her head turning sharply to the left.
"Illyana?" Anna asked, noticing her friend's sudden alertness.
Illyana stared intensely at what appeared to be an ordinary house, but her expression suggested she was seeing something the rest of them couldn't.
"There's something going on," she said quietly, her usual playful demeanor completely absent. "Two or three streets behind that house, in the same direction. I can sense it."
"Sense what?" Lucien asked, immediately shifting into a more alert stance.
"Energy signatures. A lot of them. And they don't feel... natural."
Illyana looked directly at Lucien, her expression serious.
Lucien nodded, "You guys should go home. I'll check it out."
"Be careful," she added, her voice carrying an edge that made everyone pay attention. "It could be dangerous. I'm sensing a lot of hostile energy signatures."
Lucien wanted to ask how she could sense energy signatures at all—that was a significant ability she'd never mentioned before. Honestly, she had never mentioned her ability. But this wasn't the time for questions.
Laura stepped forward. "Do you need help?"
"No," Lucien replied firmly. "You're the only other fighter here, so stay with them and make sure they get home safely."
Laura looked like she wanted to argue, but she nodded reluctantly. "Just... don't die, okay?"
"Wasn't planning on it," Lucien said with a slight smile.
He headed in the direction Illyana had indicated, his senses on high alert. As he got closer, he could hear the sounds of battle—shouting, explosions, and the crash of something heavy hitting pavement.
Two streets over, he found the source of the disturbance.
Stone constructs filled the street—massive humanoid figures easily eight feet tall, their bodies made of what looked like carved granite. They had no faces to speak of, just a V-shaped groove where eyes might be, giving them an unsettling appearance.
Fighting against them were several people in robes and cloaks, clearly sorcerers of some kind. They were casting spells, creating barriers of orange energy, and hurling bolts of force at the stone giants.
The sorcerers were calling the constructs 'The Mindless Ones' and something about a being named Dormammu.
But for every construct they destroyed, two more seemed to emerge from a swirling portal that hung in the air like a wound in reality.
The sorcerers were being overwhelmed.
Lucien didn't hesitate. Whatever these stone constructs were, they didn't belong on Earth. And since he was here, that made it his problem.
He launched himself into the battle, his enhanced speed carrying him directly into the center of the conflict.
Time to crash this party.
.....
POWER STONE GOAL: 700 ( 1 Extra Chapter)
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