(Alex, at the end of your workout you seemed lost in your thoughts for 2 hours.)
(2 hours? No, it was way longer than that) he replied mentally as he swung through NEW YORK city with his black webs.
(The master projected my mind into the astral world; I saw things that make us look like amateurs in the realm of the strange, I even felt like I left this world behind!)
Flashback
"Are you ready?"
"Yes! Go ahead, Yaona."
"What happened to my title of master?"
"Haha, I can handle the rest on my own. The only title you'll have in the future is Alex's wife!"
"Well, you're really bold. Come back when you have enough power. Now go take a trip into the cosmos!"
With an annoyed expression, the Ancient One slapped Alex with her palm, projecting his spirit upward.
First came Earth's orbit, then the solar system, then the galaxy.
After a while, matter and colors lost all meaning.
But Alex never stopped smiling.
His spirit body stopped in different places and times, seeing and interacting with many beings—most of them female.
Only the strongest or most sensitive could perceive him.
Some almost killed him, if he hadn't used his bullshit no jutsu.
Alex no longer knew how long he had traveled.
Until he found himself in the void.
Behind him floated a huge sphere that represented his multiverse.
Horns, wings, scales, and a black tail grew on him, while golden and purple mystical lines appeared. His spiritual body instinctively reacted to protect him in this emptiness.
He felt a connection here, as if other parts of him were scattered across this vast void, where luminous spheres shone everywhere.
The one behind him was the largest.
The connections came from the other spheres.
By focusing on the closest link, an image formed:
He was fighting a huge troll wielding a mace of magical ice.
It felt like an amnesiac regaining a memory.
("Who am I!?")
Then Alex's mind was sucked into his world and returned to square one—but not in his body.
Savage Land
When he regained consciousness, the sky was sunny and blue. Standing up, Alex saw a gigantic tower.
All around, lush vegetation stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the distance lay a dormant volcanic mountain.
("A tower? And a jungle?")
Alex wondered why he was here, but nothing could shock him after his astral journey.
Like his other half from another world, he explored the place.
He stopped at the base of the tower, inside a vast circular hall.
(Imagine: like Tyr's temple in GOD OF WAR, but with way more portals.)
In the center stood a massive leafless tree.
Alex guessed the tower was built around this magical tree.
Yes, magical!
Ley lines ran through it in every direction.
Approaching, he noticed a sort of magical control panel at the core of the trunk, inscribed with symbols unknown to human languages.
Yet he could understand them.
("The Al-FORCE!?")
Looking further, he found a familiar symbol: ☯️
Out of curiosity, he placed his hand on it.
To his surprise, the black-and-white symbol glowed, golden energy shining on the white side, dark purple on the black side.
Then…
…
("Then!?") asked the symbiote.
("Nothing! I came back to my body.") Alex summarized his long spiritual journey, which had only lasted 2 hours here.
("Incredible! As your master says, the longer the spiritual journey, the greater your magical potential.")
("That's not wrong… but let's stop talking about magic and go have some fun, Venna!")
("Venna?")
("Yes! Between us… until you remember your real name.")
("Alex! That's so sweet of you to give me a name.")
Alex felt Venna's skin around his face form lips, kissing him everywhere.
Then Venna had a bold idea.
("Alex, take off your clothes. With me, you can wear anything, and I can adapt to your size changes.")
("Huh? But I'm outside, swinging around… besides, I can do that with magic too.")
Despite his protest, he used his new ability tower inventory to undress himself.
As soon as he did, a sticky tongue wrapped around his cock and balls.
("Oh shit!… Calm down!")
("Why not? Your mind is strong enough to focus on two things at once.") she purred.
So Alex split his consciousness in two: one part to work quietly, the other to enjoy his companion's oral talents.
He had a simple plan: control the underworld and gangs with Venna's help, a former pharmaceutical scientist.
They created a substance that infected people and subtly shifted their allegiance. Alex wasn't a monster: the substance had a positive side—it healed and strengthened bodies.
Could he actually make such a substance?
Of course—yes! With Venna, the dream of any scientist.
She could analyze, merge, synthesize, and more.
And Alex added magical elements.
The substance was named AL-DREAM. Undetectable, colorless, odorless.
It could exist in three states: liquid, solid, gas.
For Alex, science and magic complemented each other.
The substance was like a controllable virus. A small part of his consciousness would manage it, deciding whether or not to infect a person, or avoid difficult individuals.
He even planned to make the world better by infecting drugs!
As said, the substance healed and strengthened. But if you were human trash… daddy Venom would come for you.
But how did Alex invent such a thing in less than a day?
Simple: his connection to the world tree in the mysterious tower. By touching the symbol, knowledge of this substance had been granted to him.
Alex didn't care why or how.
He felt the tree had given him a startup gift. But next time, he'd certainly have to give something in return.