"A cosmic storm is expected to pass near Earth's orbit in the coming weeks. A scientific team will launch a spacecraft to study the phenomenon…"
Noah watched the news quietly.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
So it's starting…
If that storm was what he thought it was, then this wasn't just a scientific mission.
It was the beginning of something much bigger.
A new wave of heroes.
Fantastic Four, he thought.
And just like that—
The next chapter of this world was lining itself up.
"No way I'm missing that," Noah murmured.
He released the weight in his hand.
The massive steel pillar slammed into the ground with a thunderous crash, sending a ripple of air through the room.
Then—
He raised one hand behind his back.
Another pillar, weighing several thousand tons, came crashing down—
And stopped.
Dead.
Held in place by nothing but his palm.
It trembled violently, unable to push any further.
"Shut it down!" Smith barked immediately.
"Now!"
The operators moved fast, cutting power to the machines.
The facility had grown far beyond what two people could manage, so Noah had brought in additional staff through Fisk.
Well-paid.
Well-compensated.
And very carefully controlled.
Every one of them had signed strict confidentiality agreements—one year minimum, no outside contact, full on-site living.
And just to be clear—
Noah had personally explained the consequences of breaking that agreement.
In a calm, almost friendly tone.
No one had objected.
As the machines powered down, Noah removed the thick cables attached to his body and stepped off the platform.
His gaze flicked briefly to his internal readout.
Name: Noah Vale
Lifespan: 18 / 2,000,000
Strength: 3.8 (+0.4)
→ Single-arm output: ~2,500 tons | Speed: Mach 4
Endurance: 3.9 (+0.4)
→ Energy generation rate steadily increasing | Stored energy: equivalent of centuries
Mental Processing: 3.8 (+0.3)
Charisma: 1.4+
Unassigned Points: Minimal
Noah exhaled slowly.
My strength's climbing too fast.
He'd already adjusted his training.
Less focus on raw power.
More emphasis on control—precision, awareness, mental processing.
He'd even redirected most of his improvements into that side.
Trying to keep everything balanced.
But it wasn't working.
His strength kept growing anyway.
Relentlessly.
Like compound interest.
Even on days when he did nothing—
It still increased.
A few hundred kilograms at a time.
Every single day.
If he hadn't deliberately suppressed it, he knew exactly what would happen.
It would spiral out of control.
He rolled his shoulders, muscles shifting with a faint metallic tension beneath the skin.
Smith handed him a fresh set of clothes.
"You've earned a break," Noah said, patting his shoulder. "Take tomorrow off. You've been grinding with me for over a month."
Smith blinked.
"…We're not training tomorrow?"
"Nope," Noah said. "Book launch."
He smirked slightly.
"Fisk's been pushing it nonstop. Apparently, half the city's showing up."
Smith laughed.
"Celebrities, huh? They've got no idea who they're sharing a room with."
"Mr. Vale…"
Rogue stepped forward, a little hesitant.
Her left hand stayed behind her back.
Her right hand extended—
Holding two movie tickets.
"If you're free tomorrow night… would you want to go see a movie?"
She looked nervous.
Genuine.
Noah took the tickets, glancing at them.
"Inception?"
He made a face.
"Already saw it."
Rogue's expression dropped instantly.
"But—" Noah added, "if we pick something else, I'm in."
Her eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yeah," he said casually. "Let's go with Flipped instead."
He reached out and ruffled her hair lightly.
The effect was immediate.
Rogue froze.
Her emotions spiked—
And her control slipped.
Energy began draining from Noah again.
"Sorry—!" she said quickly, forcing herself to stabilize. "I lost control."
Before she could pull away—
Noah gently cupped her face.
She stiffened, heart racing.
He was too close.
Way too close.
Her breathing hitched.
And her ability—
Slipped again.
Completely.
"No problem," Noah said with an easy smile. "I can handle it."
He let go and stepped back.
Rogue lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.
Noah turned away, stretching slightly.
Then—
He crouched.
His body phased out of reality.
Inside his personal space—
The dimensions had expanded.
Now a full six meters in every direction.
He planted his foot against the invisible boundary—
And kicked.
The recoil launched him forward like a bullet.
He reappeared in the real world mid-motion—
Breaking the sound barrier instantly.
A shockwave rippled outward—
But the ground beneath him remained untouched.
Perfect control.
This was how he traveled now.
Using his own dimensional space as a launch platform.
A private runway.
That night—
In a luxury penthouse—
Tony Stark rolled off the bed, running a hand through his hair.
From nearby, a calm voice spoke.
"Sir, you've received an invitation from Value Line Corporation. Miss Potts would like to know if you'll be attending."
Tony paused.
"…A book launch?"