Chapter 47 : Muscle and Machine
New York, Queens – Alex's POV
The interface flickered again, and I leaned forward, anticipation prickling along my spine. This was it — another chance for the system to either bless me or troll me mercilessly.
[Item obtained: SRS99-S5 AM Sniper Rifle (Halo)]
I blinked, then let a slow grin spread across my face. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. This wasn't just a rifle; this was the kind of weapon that made my pulse quicken. Sleek, precise, lethal — everything an Agent 47 template would drool over. I could already feel scenarios forming in my head: stealth infiltration, long-range eliminations, the satisfying click of a perfectly timed headshot.
I picked up the holographic model, spinning it in my hands, letting my mind wander to how it would feel in reality. The scope, the weight, the balance — everything screamed respect. And control. There was a certain joy in imagining the universe bending to the pull of a trigger that I wielded perfectly.
"This… this is going to be incredible," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else. My inner strategist was already running simulations, calculating angles, trajectories, and contingencies. I could almost hear the system humming in quiet approval, like it knew exactly what I needed.
With a satisfied nod, I prepared for the next draw. The system pulsed again, a soft chime echoing in my head.
[Item obtained: Ares M-03 "Spectre" Tactical Drone (Shadowrun)]
A chuckle escaped me. Really? Perfect. This wasn't just any drone — this was Ares tech. The military megacorp from Shadowrun, stealthy, versatile, and designed to do everything I physically couldn't. Recon, support, surveillance — it was like having an extra set of eyes I could trust completely.
I could picture it now: hovering silently ahead during patrols, mapping the streets, feeding me live intel, tracking targets. With the sniper rifle and this drone, I wasn't just prepared — I was in control. I felt a thrill of anticipation, imagining the tactical advantage this combination would give me.
"This… this is going to change the game," I muttered. Not just a weapon, not just a gadget — a force multiplier. Agent 47's skills, the SRS99-S5, and now a high-end tactical drone. My approach to fieldwork just leveled up in ways I hadn't even dared to imagine.
I set it aside, letting the excitement simmer as I prepared for the next draw. The system's glow shifted again, lines of pale blue weaving in the air.
[Item obtained: Healing Potion Recipe (All Qualities) (Overlord)]
I raised an eyebrow, a slow smile forming. Overlord. Memories of Ainz Ooal Gown, empire-building, supreme power — and now a recipe straight out of that world? Unreal. If the potions worked like they did in the anime, this would patch up even catastrophic injuries. Just thinking about it made my brain race.
"Now that's a good pull," I murmured, letting the thrill sink in.
[Abilities obtained: Absolute Muscle Memory (Baki)]
I blinked. Absolute Muscle Memory… huh. The anime implications were insane. One glance, and my body could perfectly replicate any movement — martial arts, acrobatics, combat techniques, parkour… everything. No training required, just observation. My brain immediately calculated: Gwen's moves, Mary Jane's agility, combat flows — all instantly mine to mirror.
A tooltip slid into view:
[Ability Description: Absolute Muscle Memory — Instantly assimilates any movement observed. Perfect execution and permanent retention. Ideal for mastering combat techniques, physical skills, and complex maneuvers.]
I leaned back, letting the weight of it sink in. Permanent muscle memory. Every technique I observed became data, then instinct. Every motion, every reflex, every fight — integrated. I let a grin creep onto my face.
"This one… yeah, this one's going to be game-changing."
A soft chime announced the next draw.
[Item obtained: Random Ability Upgrade Ticket]
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. A ticket. Random. But the possibilities were obvious: enhance an existing ability, unlock hidden potential, maybe push something completely unexpected into overdrive.
[Item Description: Random Ability Upgrade Ticket — Allows the user to randomly improve an existing ability.]
I tapped my fingers against the desk. Strategic gamble? Sure. But even a single unexpected boost could tip the scales dramatically. Absolute Muscle Memory, healing potions, sniper proficiency… the potential for optimization was ridiculous.
"I won't know which ability gets the upgrade until I actually use it," I muttered, already spinning scenarios in my head.
The system chimed again.
[Item obtained: Bio-Evolutionary Adaptation]
I squinted. Okay… promising. From Darwinian logic to Marvel-level survival instinct. My body could adapt automatically to any physical stress, toxin, injury, or environmental hazard. Literally evolving in real-time.
[Ability Description: Bio-Evolutionary Adaptation — Automatically adapts to any physical stress or environmental threat. Ideal for survival, combat, extreme conditions, and overall endurance.]
I exhaled slowly. "Heat, cold, toxins, injuries — my body adjusts. Instinctively. Automatically. Even… with Gwen and Mary Jane." Strategic and tactical potential immediately clicked. Every mission, every fight, every unpredictable scenario — I could survive, respond, and even outpace threats beyond normal human limits.
A small, satisfied grin spread across my face. Perfect. Not flashy. Not showy. Exactly the kind of subtle edge that saves lives.
The last chime of the sequence rang, soft and melodic.
[Item obtained: Soul Link (Fate / Type-Moon)]
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Soul Link… powerful. Emotional? Sure, but the system always layered utility under every gimmick. If this mirrored Fate mechanics, it could bind vitality, senses, and energy with Gwen and Mary Jane — creating not just emotional connection, but tactical synchronization.
[Ability Description: Soul Link — Establishes a deep spiritual and emotional bond with chosen partners. Enables the exchange of vitality, emotions, and sensations. Ideal for strengthening relationships, coordinating in combat, and sharing physical and mental states.]
I leaned back, letting it sink in. Battlefield synergy. Personal connection. Recovery, anticipation, coordination — a perfect mesh of tactical and emotional advantage. My grin widened.
"This… this is going to change everything. On the field, off the field, and everything in between."
I let the floating windows fade into the background, a quiet calm settling over me. But my mind refused to rest. Strategies, simulations, first-use plans — they ran nonstop. Each new item, ability, and ticket wasn't just a tool; it was a blueprint. The system hadn't just rewarded me. It had prepared me.
And I had to make sure I didn't waste a single piece of it.
I stared at the last pull, my heart beating a little faster than usual. Inventory full, abilities stacked, templates stored… and now, the real test.
I reached out to the holographic panel and selected Absolute Muscle Memory. A series of floating commands appeared, clear and direct:
[Assimilate Ability:Absolute Muscle Memory]
[Confirm?]
I flexed my hands experimentally. Movements I'd never consciously practiced unfolded effortlessly—dodges, pivots, strikes, acrobatics—all perfect, all instinctive. Complex combinations I had only seen in videos or observed from Gwen's combat style imprinted themselves immediately, my body executing them flawlessly.
"Wow…" I exhaled, half-amused, half-awed. The precision, the speed, the fluidity—it was like my body had learned centuries of training in mere seconds.
I began running through sequences, testing limits, combining techniques I'd never tried before. The system had done its job; I was now a living archive of perfect movements. Every motion was ready, every instinct primed.
A slow grin spread across my face. Absolute Muscle Memory wasn't just a skill—it was a tool to turn observation into immediate action, to make every training, every lesson, every fight I had witnessed a permanent part of me.
I leaned back, savoring the feeling. First ability integrated. Absolute Muscle Memory… check. Now, it was time to see what the others could do.
The holographic panel flickered softly, almost approvingly. The next pull awaited, and I was ready.
I reached out to the holographic panel again and selected Bio-Evolutionary Adaptation. The familiar commands appeared, precise and direct:
[Assimilate Ability: Bio-Evolutionary Adaptation]
[Confirm?]
A subtle warmth spread through my body as the system integrated the ability. My muscles tensed, then relaxed, my nerves and reflexes shifting in quiet precision. It wasn't like Absolute Muscle Memory — there was no instant mastery, no surge of motion. This was deeper. Slower. Adaptive. A living process aligning itself with me, cell by cell.
I could feel the change spreading — subtle, but undeniable. My pulse steadied, each breath falling into perfect rhythm. Every small movement felt calculated, balanced, efficient. My body wasn't just stronger; it was... optimizing. Refining. Becoming something that responded to the world rather than resisted it.
A faint awareness stirred beneath the surface — like ripples in still water. Energy, pressure, something alive beneath perception. I couldn't name it, couldn't trace it, but I could feel it moving through me, quiet and deliberate. It wasn't power. It was evolution — and it was rewriting the way I felt everything.
I took a careful step. The air felt different — heavier, more defined. My senses tracked every shift, every subtle vibration in the space around me. Instinctively, I adjusted my stance, correcting balance without thought. A calm clarity filled my mind, almost unnerving in its precision.
No rush of excitement. No awe. Just... focus.
I tested a few scenarios in my head — falling from height, exposure to toxins, extreme cold. My body reacted before I finished the thought, simulating the necessary adaptations with mechanical ease. The efficiency was absolute. Emotion had no place in it.
I exhaled slowly.
Bio-Evolutionary Adaptation… complete.
The system's glow lingered at the edge of my vision, waiting for the next command. I didn't hesitate. Emotion had already been replaced by intent — deliberate, steady, unshaken.
I reached out and selected the next ability.
[Assimilate Ability: Soul Link]
[Confirm?]
The command appeared, crisp and clear. I confirmed without a word.
A faint pulse resonated through my chest, quiet and distant. The connection took shape slowly, threading through my mind and beyond it. For an instant, I felt the echo of Gwen — her warmth, her motion — and then Mary Jane, bright and alive, both signatures distinct and familiar.
But the emotions that should have followed — the rush, the relief, the ache of attachment — didn't rise like before. What filled me instead was a stillness, analytical and steady. I registered every sensation, every shared heartbeat, every fragment of emotion, but it all passed through me cleanly. Controlled.
It wasn't detachment. It was understanding without interference. Connection without turbulence.
I tested the bond, syncing breath and motion, adjusting posture as Gwen would in combat. The resonance aligned instantly, seamless and exact. It wasn't warmth that drove it — it was precision. Mutual instinct, perfectly mapped.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
Functional. Effective. Complete.
Soul Link integrated. System synergy stable.
The panel pulsed once more. I didn't wait this time. Movement felt unnecessary, emotion irrelevant. Purpose was enough.
[Assimilate Template: Agent 47]
[Confirm?]
The moment I accepted, a sharp clarity cut through my mind. Thought patterns aligned, focus condensed. My awareness extended outward, calculating vectors, threats, probabilities. Every muscle, every breath, every glance fell into order — efficient, deliberate, silent.
Agent 47 wasn't a template. He was precision incarnate — logic given form.
As the integration reached sixty percent, I felt the world narrow into a single point of balance. Movements slowed, but decisions accelerated. The dissonance between emotion and instinct was gone — there was only direction, analysis, adaptation.
I leaned back, expression calm, heartbeat steady.
Everything was aligning — perfectly.