They made it back to the bunker just before dusk.
Colossus led the way with the Arc Reactor hoisted on one shoulder. The half-meter-tall silver-white alloy device looked like a toy on him.
The group entered through a newly discovered elevator entrance, which meant no more sliding down through the photo booth like it was a carnival ride.
In the power distribution room, Peter and Beast worked together to lift the Arc Reactor and align it with the circular energy slot at the center of the console.
Click.
The mechanical lock engaged, crisp and precise. Blue light erupted from the core and rippled outward.
A deep hum followed, and every instrument panel and electronic device in the base flickered to life. The sound of machinery stirred from every direction.
[Energy System: Connected]
[Output Capacity: 87%]
[Current Status: Operational]
[Remaining Charge: 100%]
[Estimated Runtime: 365 days]
The entire bunker shuddered.
"Easy, everyone!" Peter shouted. "The full system's just booting up!"
A low, rolling thunder vibrated through the walls.
The dim emergency lights cut out. Main power took over, high-output fixtures igniting one after another until the bunker blazed bright as noon.
Then came the locks. A cascade of sharp metallic clacks echoed from every direction as sealed doors, shut for God knew how long, popped open one after another.
[Armory] [Medical bay] [Laboratory] [Communications center] [Training room]...
Veyric stood in the middle of the command center and watched this massive underground fortress wake up around him.
Like some sleeping iron titan finally opening its eyes.
"Holy..." Peter's jaw dropped.
Colossus let out a low whistle. "That sly old fox Fury."
This was Nick Fury's final card, the contingency he'd built for the end of the world.
Now it belonged to them.
[Ding!]
[Team base fully established.]
[All teammates' affinity +10.]
System notifications flooded Veyric's vision.
[Spider-Man's affinity: 90 → 100. Bond level: Lv. 0 (Stranger) → Lv. 1 (Companion).]
[Venom's affinity: 90 → 100. Bond level: Lv. 0 (Stranger) → Lv. 1 (Companion).]
[Blade's affinity: 90 → 100. Bond level: Lv. 0 (Stranger) → Lv. 1 (Companion).]
[Beast's affinity: 80 → 90.]
[Colossus's affinity: 50 → 60.]
[Black Widow's affinity: 60 → 70.]
[Congratulations, Host! Bond rewards ×3 unlocked! Deposited in your storage. Open at any time.]
Veyric's pulse spiked.
Three bond rewards at once? Add the three experience points from healing heroes, and he was looking at a serious windfall.
While he stood there running the numbers, the others had already scattered to explore.
Beast was the most excited by far.
"Veyric!" He spun around and seized Veyric by the shoulders, eyes burning with the kind of fervor only a scientist could muster. "A full biological research suite! I'm analyzing your blood right now!"
Black Widow walked over. She'd changed into a fresh tactical suit from the storage room, though the sizing wasn't quite right. The zipper only made it halfway up, leaving a deep V of exposed skin.
"If we can weaponize his blood into some kind of antidote, we won't need Veyric on the front line every time."
"Like blood grenades?" Peter added.
Veyric already knew the answer. The system had been clear: his blood lost its potency one second after leaving his body. In theory, it couldn't be processed into anything.
But he kept that to himself. Explaining a dimension-breaking system wasn't exactly easy, even by Marvel standards.
And besides... what if? What if the research turned up something unexpected, some clue that deepened his understanding of the system itself?
Science questions deserved scientific answers. Let the scientist do his thing.
"Go ahead. Draw what you need."
Beast moved with practiced efficiency. Two vials, fifty milliliters total, clean and quick.
"Alright, Veyric, go rest." He was already lost in his work, waving a dismissive hand without looking up. "I'll tell you the moment I have results."
Veyric stepped out of the lab. Black Widow was leaning against the corridor wall, waiting. They fell into step together, heading toward the living quarters.
Just before the door, she spoke.
"You burned through a lot today. Get some real sleep." A brief pause. "When I went to the storage room for clothes, I grabbed two sets for you too. They're on your bed." Another pause, shorter this time. "That shirt you lent me... it's filthy now, and there's a hole in it. I'll find a way to return it."
She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and gave him that signature half-smile.
"And... thanks for saving me today."
She turned and disappeared into her room before he could respond. The door clicked shut behind her.
Veyric stood there for a second, then shook his head with a quiet laugh.
Back in his room, door closed, he dropped onto the bed.
"God... finally a second to breathe."
He fished out a few chocolate bars and fed them to Venom, keeping a couple for himself.
Then he leaned back against the headboard and pulled up the system panel.
The pale blue interface unfolded.
[Intelligence: Lv. 1 (Unremarkable)]
[Strength: Lv. 2 (Vigorous)]
[Speed: Lv. 2 (Fleet-Footed)]
[Durability: LV.2 (Built to Last)]
[Energy: LV.1 (Flatlined)]
[Fighting: LV.1 (All Flash, No Substance)]
[Available EXP: 3]
[Note: Upgrading any attribute from Lv. 1 to Lv. 2 costs 1 experience point. Lv. 2 to Lv. 3 costs 2.]
His eyes swept across the panel.
Today's fights had made his weaknesses painfully obvious. Against Black Widow, he hadn't lasted a single exchange.
Sure, raw physical stats played a part, but the real gap was fighting experience. His brain was too slow, and his fists didn't know where to go.
In a real fight, fighting skill matters more than anything. Even if I can't win, I should at least be able to dodge and block without getting demolished.
No hesitation. He spent one experience point on Fighting.
[Ding! Upgrade successful.]
[Fighting: Lv. 1 (All Flash, No Substance) → Lv. 2 (Novice)]
Warmth flooded through his limbs, and his muscle memory rewrote itself.
Every detail from the day's battles crystallized in his mind. The rhythm of Black Widow's strikes. The trajectory of Beast's lunges. The gaps in Colossus's raw-power approach. All of it sharpened, clarified, and fused into instinct.
He clenched his fists and threw a few punches at the air.
Coordination, reaction time... night and day compared to seconds ago.
"Nice." A satisfied breath. He flexed his fingers.
He switched to the Hero Bond page. Three unopened bond rewards sat waiting.
Spider-Man's first. Let's see what we're working with.
He willed it open.
[--- Spider-Man Bond Reward (Lv. 1) ---]
[Experience ×1 received.]
[Spider-Man Talent Half-Price Voucher ×1 received.]
[New Spider-Man talent unlocked: Web-Shooting.]
[Price: 20 experience points.]
[Description: Gain Spider-Man's web-shooting ability. Fire high-strength organic webbing from the wrists for combat, restraint, or high-speed traversal.]
His eyes went wide.
Web-Shooting.
This was Spider-Man's bread and butter. The reason Peter Parker could swing between New York's skyscrapers like they were monkey bars. And now it was sitting in his shop.
Twenty experience points was steep. Obscenely steep, given that his grand total since arriving in this world amounted to a handful. But Veyric didn't blink at the price.
It was worth every point.
And besides...
His gaze drifted to the half-price voucher, and a grin tugged at his lips.
The voucher wasn't locked to any specific talent. Meaning Web-Shooting qualified.
Twenty points, halved.
Ten.
And Spider-Sense, unlocked earlier at a base price of ten? That dropped to five.
The more expensive the purchase, the bigger the savings.
The math kept getting better the longer he thought about it, and excitement buzzed through him.
But what thrilled him even more was the logic behind the whole system.
The signal was unmistakable.
More heroes cured meant more talents to unlock. Deeper bonds meant richer rewards, more experience, more vouchers. Who knew what higher-tier bond rewards might contain?
Put another way, Veyric had just figured out how this system was meant to be played.
Save more people. Make more friends. Build more bonds.
Every hero he healed wasn't just a teammate. They were a walking treasure chest.
"Alright," he murmured, eyes bright. "Let's crack the other two open."
---
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