Chapter 7: Sharpened Blades and New Beginnings
Alex materialized in the chaotic sprawl of Dust II, the CS:GO simulation's arid map buzzing with gunfire and tension. His counter-terrorist gear felt heavy, the M4A1 carbine solid in his hands, but his Assassin's Creed instincts screamed for stealth over firepower. The system's rules were clear: Win matches to earn rewards. Each victory scales in difficulty and value. Survive to maximize gains. With his 100% brain utilization from the Limitless sim kicking in, his mind was a whirlwind of strategy—sightlines calculated, enemy patterns predicted, every sound amplified by his heightened senses.
He lurked in shadows, favoring a combat knife over the arsenal of guns at his disposal. A quick slice to a terrorist's throat from behind a crate, a silent takedown in a dark tunnel his Assassin's Creed training made him a ghost. But when stealth failed, he adapted, wielding an array of firearms: the precision of a Desert Eagle, the spray of an AK-47, the rapid bursts of a P90. Each match grew harder—enemies sharper, traps deadlier. Alex's brain processed it all, weaving parkour agility with tactical shooting, dodging grenades while landing headshots. He racked up 34 wins, each one a testament to his growing prowess, until a sniper's bullet caught him in the 35th match, a brutal headshot through a smoke cloud.
[Simulation Complete: CS:GO - Counter-Terrorist Ops - Level 1]
[Wins: 34/35]
[Rewards: Advanced Firearms Knowledge (All Types), Advanced Shooting Skills (Precision and Reflexes), Falchion Doppler Black Pearl Knife (Materialized), Butterfly Knife - Slaughter (Materialized)]
[Simulation Anchored: CS:GO - Revisit Cost: 2 Credits]
[Mental Strain Applied: Mild Fatigue (Temporary)]
Alex snapped back to his room in the Stark-Wayne estate, a faint ache in his temples but his body thrumming with new instincts. He felt the weight of two knives materialize on his desk: a sleek Falchion Doppler, its black pearl finish glinting like obsidian, and a Butterfly Knife in the Slaughter pattern, its red-and-silver design hypnotic. He picked up the Falchion, testing its grip—light, sturdy, material alien yet balanced. The Butterfly flipped effortlessly in his hand, his 100% brain making tricks second nature. Spinning, twirling, he mastered their weight in minutes, Assassin's Creed finesse blending with CS:GO's combat flow.
His mind raced, replaying the Limitless sim. Killing Eddie Morra had completed the plot, netting massive rewards. Does that mean killing main characters is the key? he wondered. Need to test it. The NZ-48 recipe burned in his thoughts a side-effect-free variant could revolutionize his family's legacy, maybe even outshine Tony's arc reactors or Bruce's gadgets.
The NZ-48 recipe burned in his mind, a side-effect-free formula that could change everything. Over the next week, Alex locked himself in the estate's lab, his 100% brain utilization turning complex chemistry into child's play. He synthesized three variants: a diluted version (1-hour effect, once daily), an advanced version (12-hour effect for select allies), and a perfected version (24-hour effect, reserved for family). Test batches confirmed safety—rhesus monkeys showed heightened cognition, no crashes. He was ready.
The following Sunday, Alex called a family summit in the estate's conference room, a sleek space where Stark tech met Wayne elegance. Elias and Helena flew in from a Tokyo deal, their faces etched with corporate fatigue. Tony swaggered in, fresh from a Mark 3 test flight, his arc reactor glowing faintly under his shirt. Bruce arrived last, his playboy smile masking Batman's intensity; Alfred followed with a tray of tea, ever the steady hand. Pepper, clipboard in hand, gave Alex a curious look, her sisterly warmth tinged with suspicion.
"I'm starting a company," Alex announced, standing at the head of the table. "Genesis. It's not Stark Industries or Wayne Enterprises—it's mine. And it's built on this." He slid a sleek tablet across, displaying NZ-48 data: cognitive enhancement metrics, safety profiles, projected market impacts. "This is NZ-48, a drug that unlocks 100% of your brain. Diluted version for the public—one hour of hyper-focus, once a day. Advanced version for key players—twelve hours of clarity. Perfected version for us, family—effects last a day."
Jaws dropped. Tony leaned forward, scanning the data with a whistle. "Kid, this is Nobel-level. You cracked this?" Elias's eyes narrowed, pride warring with SHIELD-honed caution. "This could destabilize industries, Alex. Governments will want it." Helena, ever the strategist, nodded slowly. "It's revolutionary, but dangerous. We'll have to watch for others." Bruce said nothing, his poker face unreadable, but Alex sensed his approval—a faint nod, Batman calculating the drug's potential against Gotham's chaos. Pepper gasped, "Alex, you're fourteen. How…?" Alfred, pouring tea, murmured, "Master Alex always was precocious."
Alex grinned, Limitless cognition weaving his pitch. "We control the supply. Diluted for mass market—think students, surgeons. Advanced for allies like SHIELD, maybe select heroes. Perfected for us, to stay ahead. No side effects, fully tested." He didn't mention the system or simulations, letting them assume his genius was Stark-Wayne DNA amplified.
Tony clapped him on the back. "I'm in, kid. Let's build a lab for this." Bruce spoke at last: "Use it to protect, not control." Elias and Helena exchanged looks, their secret about the frozen parents weighing heavier. They agreed to fund Genesis, but Helena added, "We'll need to watch for others." Alex nodded, unaware of the Court of Owls' Hydra ties or other looming shadows.
As the family dispersed, Alex twirled the Butterfly Knife, mind racing. Genesis was born, but the multiverse wasn't done with him. Two credits remained, and CS:GO's anchor tempted a return for more wins, more rewards. Or perhaps Inazuma Eleven for agility, or Pink Panther for stealth. Whatever came next, he was ready to carve his place in this chaotic world.