Anna had just finished absorbing the powers of the last dungeon creature. This had been a D-rank dungeon, and the session had gone better than either of them had expected.
Name: Anna Marie
Strength: 72(+21)
Health: 78(+20)
Agility: 76(+20)
Perception: 71(+20)
Mana: 0
Her stats had risen significantly and were now sitting comfortably in the fifties and sixties. Those were her permanent gains, and with the temporary boosts from her absorption ability, she was currently reaching into the seventies.
"That was incredible," Anna said, flexing her fingers and feeling the residual energy flowing through her body. "I feel stronger compared to before. Sad that a part of it is going to fade away."
Today's session had been particularly great because she was slowly gaining control over her ability.
For the first time since her powers had manifested, she was able to control whether or not she wanted to absorb someone's abilities through touch. It was like having a mental switch that she could flip on and off.
It seemed like her power had never been a fault or malfunction at all, but rather a mental block that was slowly dissipating with practice and confidence.
It wasn't perfect yet.
Sometimes she still found herself absorbing powers even when she didn't want to, especially when she was startled or emotional, like a bit too excited or even scared. But the progress was undeniable.
"Don't worry," Lucien said, watching her examine her hands with wonder. "You'll soon be able to pull it off completely. It's just a matter of time and practice."
Anna smiled at him, and there was something different in her expression now - hope mixed with confidence. "I never thought I'd be able to control it."
"Yet here you are," Lucien replied firmly. "And, soon, you will be able to fully control it."
The walk back to the apartment was comfortable, with Anna chattering excitedly about the techniques she wanted to try next and how much stronger she felt. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Lucien found himself smiling as he listened to her plans.
By the time they reached the apartment building, it was already 10 PM. The lobby was quiet, and the elevator ride up was peaceful.
"I'm exhausted," Anna said as they entered the apartment. "I think I'm going to crash early tonight."
"Good idea," Lucien agreed. "You've earned the rest."
Anna gave him a quick hug before heading to her room. "Thanks for tonight. And for everything."
After Anna disappeared into her room, Lucien found himself standing in the living room feeling wide awake. Sleep felt like the last thing on his mind.
Jeff was curled up in his favorite spot on the couch, making soft sleeping sounds. Illyana and Laura were presumably in their rooms for the night. Daniel hadn't been home for the past two days; he was engaged deeply in his work. The apartment was quiet and peaceful.
But Lucien felt restless. Maybe it was just one of those nights when his mind refused to settle down. Either way, he decided a walk might help clear his head.
He grabbed his jacket and quietly slipped out of the apartment, making sure not to wake anyone. The night air was cool against his face as he stepped outside, and he chose a random direction to wander.
The streets weren't completely empty - this was New York, after all - but they were significantly quieter than during the day. A few people walked past, most looking like they were heading home from late shifts or night classes.
Lucien had been walking for about fifteen minutes when his senses picked up something wrong. From the other side of the street, carried on the wind, came the sound of people screaming and running.
His head snapped in that direction, and he could see the distant figures of people fleeing from something. Without hesitation, he spotted a small alley that connected the two streets and took off at a sprint.
Within seconds, he had crossed the distance and emerged onto the other street to find chaos unfolding before him.
There were humanoid creatures scattered throughout the area, and they were unlike anything Lucien had seen.
These beings were bigger than average humans, with hunched backs and muscular builds. Their skin was pale and grayish, giving them an unhealthy, almost sickly appearance.
Their faces were broad with coarse features - small, deep-set dark eyes, flattened noses, and prominent brows. Most were bald or had sparse, stringy hair. They wore simple rags that looked more like prison uniforms than actual clothing.
What made them truly disturbing was their posture and behavior. They moved with a stooped, slouched stance, but their actions were violent and destructive. They were thrashing cars, ripping apart street fixtures, and generally causing mayhem.
People were running in every direction, screaming as they tried to escape the rampage. The creatures seemed to be attacking randomly, without any clear purpose beyond destruction.
Lucien activated his ability to see their status information, and the results were immediately clear.
Name: Alpha Primitive 374
Strength: 51
Health: 52
Agility: 55
Perception: 51
Mana: 0
They all had stats in the fifties - stronger than normal humans but nowhere near his level.
What was interesting was their names: Alpha Primitive No. 377, Alpha Primitive No. 423, and so on. Just random numbers, as if they were manufactured rather than born.
They were extremely weak compared to him, so dealing with them wouldn't be a problem. But before he could move into action, something caught his attention.
A woman had fallen during the panic and was now lying on the ground, frozen with terror. One of the Alpha Primitives had noticed her and was approaching with clear hostile intent.
The creature bent down and grabbed a nearby car with both hands, lifting the entire vehicle above its head with surprising ease. The woman looked up at the approaching danger, her eyes wide with the knowledge that she was about to die.
The Alpha Primitive raised the car higher, preparing to slam it down on the helpless woman.
In the next moment, the car came crashing down with tremendous force, sending up a massive wave of dust and debris from the impact point.
But just as the dust began to settle, the Alpha Primitive that had thrown the car went flying backwards through the air.
As the dust cleared completely, it became obvious what had happened. Lucien stood where the woman had been lying, having moved faster than the eye could follow to intercept the attack.
The woman was still on the ground, but she was alive and unharmed. She had covered her face with her hands during the attack, not wanting to see the car crushing her to death. But when the expected pain never came, confusion replaced terror.
Slowly, she moved her hands away from her face and looked up to see Lucien standing over her protectively.
"Are you alright?" Lucien asked, extending a hand to help her up.
"Y-Yes," she stammered, still trying to process what had just happened. She accepted his help and got to her feet on shaky legs.
"Good. Now get out of here," Lucien said firmly but not unkindly.
Tears began forming in her eyes as the reality of her near-death experience hit her. "Thank you," she said with emotion before turning and running away as fast as her legs could carry her.
Lucien smiled slightly as he watched her flee to safety. Saving lives would never make him regret his choices, no matter how complicated his moral compass had become.
Once the woman was safely away, Lucien turned his attention to the real problem. The Alpha Primitives had noticed the destruction of their companion and were now focusing their attention on him.
There were around two dozen of them scattered throughout the street, and they looked mindless and honestly quite dumb. They moved without coordination or strategy, more like wild animals than intelligent beings.
"They went for the kill," Lucien muttered to himself, his expression hardening. "It would be fair to kill them, wouldn't it?"
These creatures had been trying to murder innocent people, which put them firmly in the category of targets he had no moral qualms about eliminating.
But before Lucien could begin what would have been a one-sided slaughter, he detected something new.
Someone was flying through the air above them, moving with purpose and speed.
Lucien looked up to see a figure he recognized- Black Bolt, the king of the Inhumans.
Without any warning or announcement, Black Bolt's antenna-like crown began to glow, and a focused laser beam shot out toward the Alpha Primitives below.
But instead of targeting the creatures directly for elimination, the beam moved in a deliberate circular pattern around them. The laser carved a perfect circle in the asphalt, effectively corralling the Alpha Primitives like cattle being rounded up on a farm.
The Alpha Primitives, who had been mindlessly aggressive just moments before, suddenly looked terrified. They huddled together in the center of the circle.
Their violent rampage came to an immediate halt as fear replaced their destructive instincts.
They were behaving like their owner had returned, and Lucien had a feeling that the Inhumans were related to them.
Well, he would find that out soon enough.
.....
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