July melted into August with New York's trademark summer heat.
My routine had become well-established. Morning training with Chen or Sarah, depending on the day. Afternoons managing my investments and completing daily quests. Evenings either with Natalie or at The Grindhouse maintaining social connections.
Life was good. Almost suspiciously good.
I'd reached Level 8 through consistent daily quest completion and training, and my combat skills were now genuinely respectable. Sarah had started having me spar with her more experienced students, and I was holding my own—not winning, but not getting demolished either.
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CURRENT STATUS
Name : Alex Carter
Age : 25
Level : 8
Title : First Love
CORE ATTRIBUTES:
STR (Strength) : 42/100
AGI (Agility) : 45/100
END (Endurance) : 44/100
INT (Intelligence) : 38/100
CHA (Charisma) : 54/100
LCK (Luck) : 35/100
CHARM : 61/100
Combat Prowess : 61/100
Emotional Intelligence : 38/100
SP (System Points) : 14,892
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I'd also finally pulled the trigger on a new apartment—a two-bedroom in a safer part of Manhattan with actual security, a doorman, and enough space to not feel claustrophobic. Moving day was scheduled for next week, and Natalie had even offered to help, which felt like a big step.
Everything was progressing smoothly.
Which meant something was about to go wrong.
It was a Tuesday evening in mid-August when the peace shattered.
I was at The Grindhouse, laptop open, reviewing some investment opportunities while half-watching the news on the TV in the corner. Jade was telling me about her sister's wedding drama, and Marcus the writer was complaining about his editor's latest round of revisions.
Normal. Peaceful.
Then every phone in the coffee shop started buzzing simultaneously.
Emergency alerts. Multiple alerts.
EMERGENCY: Avoid Harlem area. Military operation in progress. Seek shelter immediately.
My stomach dropped. I pulled up news feeds on my laptop.
The headlines were already appearing:
BREAKING: Military Engagement in Harlem
REPORTS OF "MONSTER" IN MANHATTANEVACUATION ORDERS ISSUED FOR NORTHERN MANHATTAN
I clicked through to a live news feed, and my blood ran cold.
Shaky footage showed a massive green figure—the Hulk—fighting what looked like another creature, this one more gray and grotesque. They were tearing through Harlem like wrecking balls, destroying buildings, flipping cars, causing absolute chaos.
The Abomination. This was the Hulk vs. Abomination fight. The event that would bring Bruce Banner onto SHIELD's radar and eventually lead to the Avengers Initiative.
But watching it happen in real-time, seeing the destruction, the panicked civilians running... it was different from watching a movie. This was real. People were dying.
"Holy shit," Jade breathed, staring at the TV. "What are those things?"
"I don't know," someone else said, "but they're tearing up the city."
My phone rang. Natalie.
"Alex, tell me you're nowhere near Harlem," she said immediately, her voice tight with stress.
"I'm at the coffee shop. Watching the news. Are you—"
"I'm fine. I'm not in the area. But stay where you are, okay? Do not try to get closer. Do not try to help. This is a military operation and those things are extremely dangerous."
"I'm not going anywhere near there," I assured her. "Are you working this?"
"I can't talk about it. Just stay safe. Please."
"I will. You too."
"I love you."
"Love you too."
She hung up, presumably to deal with whatever SHIELD's response to this situation was.
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MAJOR EVENT IN PROGRESS
The Harlem Incident - Hulk vs. Abomination
Threat Level: Extreme (gamma-powered entities)
Current Status:
Hulk (Bruce Banner) - Engaging Abomination
Abomination (Emil Blonsky) - Hostile, destructive
Military attempting containment
SHIELD likely coordinating response
Massive civilian casualties expected
Recommended Action: Stay far away. You are NOT equipped for this level of threat.
Timeline Impact: This event will lead to increased government interest in enhanced individuals and acceleration of Avengers Initiative.
Warning: Do NOT attempt to involve yourself. This is beyond your current capabilities.
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I watched the news coverage for the next two hours, along with everyone else in the coffee shop. The footage was terrifying and mesmerizing in equal measure.
The Hulk and Abomination fought across Harlem, their battle destroying everything around them. The military fired everything they had—tanks, helicopters, missiles—and it barely seemed to slow the Abomination down. The Hulk was trying to draw him away from civilians, but the destruction was catastrophic.
Then, finally, the Hulk got the upper hand. He strangled the Abomination with a massive chain, choking him until he lost consciousness.
The creature went limp, and the Hulk stood there for a moment, breathing hard, before leaping away into the night.
The news feeds showed the aftermath—buildings collapsed, cars crushed, fires burning. Emergency services rushing in. The devastation was immense.
"At least thirty confirmed dead," a news anchor reported grimly. "Hundreds injured. Damage estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The military is not commenting on what these creatures were or why they were fighting in a residential neighborhood."
The coffee shop was silent except for the TV.
"The world's gone crazy," someone finally said.
No one disagreed.
I stayed at The Grindhouse until the immediate danger passed and the military secured the area. Jade closed up early—nobody was in the mood for coffee after watching monsters destroy part of the city.
Walking home, the streets felt different. More people out than usual, everyone on their phones, groups gathered discussing what they'd just seen. There was fear in the air, uncertainty.
Iron Man had been one thing—a man in a suit, controlled, deliberate. But this? Monsters fighting in the streets? This was something else entirely.
My phone buzzed with a text from Natalie.
Natalie: Still at work. Going to be a long night. Are you home safe?
Alex: Just got back to my apartment. Doors locked, all clear.
Natalie: Good. This is going to get complicated. Stay alert.
Alex: What do you mean?
Natalie: Can't explain now. Just... things are going to change. Fast.
She didn't respond after that, presumably pulled back into whatever response SHIELD was coordinating.
I settled on my couch and continued monitoring news coverage. More details were emerging:
The gray creature was identified as Emil Blonsky, a soldier who'd apparently been given an experimental serum. The green one—the Hulk—was being described as a "unknown entity" by the military, though some sources were speculating it was connected to the "Hulk sighting" from a few months ago.
Bruce Banner's name wasn't public yet, but I knew it soon would be.
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross was all over the news, giving a press conference about the "incident" and assuring the public that the situation was under control.
It very clearly wasn't under control.
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WORLD STATE UPDATE
Post-Harlem Incident:
Public Awareness : Superhumans are REAL and DANGEROUS
Government Response : Increasing interest in enhanced individuals
SHIELD Activity : Significantly increased
Security Concerns : National security implications
Public Mood : Fear, uncertainty, demand for protection
Implications for you:
World is more dangerous than public realizes
More incidents likely to follow
Your combat training is wise but may be insufficient
Natalie's work will intensify
Opportunities and dangers both increasing
Note: The Avengers Initiative is definitely happening now. Prepare accordingly.
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I finally went to bed around 2 AM, but sleep was difficult. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw footage of those monsters tearing through the city. Real people had died tonight. Real families destroyed.
And this was just the beginning.
The next morning, I met Sarah for training as scheduled. I expected her to maybe cancel given the previous night's events, but she was there, professional as always.
"Saw the news," she said as I walked in. "Harlem."
"Yeah. It was... intense."
"That's one word for it." She tossed me sparring gloves. "Which is exactly why we're training today. World just proved it's more dangerous than most people thought. You want to be able to protect yourself and your people? We work harder."
She wasn't wrong.
We spent three hours doing intense scenario training—how to escape dangerous situations, how to protect someone else, how to make smart tactical decisions when everything's going wrong.
"You're never going to punch out the Hulk," Sarah said bluntly. "So don't try. Your job in a situation like that is to get yourself and anyone you care about out safely. Pride doesn't matter. Heroics don't matter. Survival matters."
"Understood."
"Good." She paused. "Though I'll say, your progress has been impressive. Most people take twice as long to get where you are now. You've got natural aptitude or you're working your ass off. Probably both."
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SKILL UPDATE
Practical Combat - Lv.3
Combat Effectiveness : +35% (passive) +50% (active mode)
CP Cost : 12 per minute (active)
New Techniques Unlocked:
Tactical Retreat (efficient evasion)
Protective Positioning (shield others)
Threat Assessment (quickly evaluate danger)
Combat Prowess: 61 → 67/100
Note: You're approaching "competent fighter" territory. Not superhuman, but capable of handling yourself against trained opponents.
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After training, I stopped by The Grindhouse. The place was busier than usual—apparently crisis makes people want coffee and community.
Jade looked exhausted. "Been here since six AM. Everyone wants to talk about last night. I've heard seventeen different conspiracy theories so far."
"What's the most creative one?"
"Tie between 'government super-soldier experiment gone wrong' and 'aliens preparing for invasion.'" She poured my usual order. "Though honestly, after watching those things fight, I'm not sure the aliens theory is that crazy."
"Fair point."
I took my coffee to my usual spot and opened my laptop. The news was dominated by Harlem coverage—damage assessments, casualty reports, political responses.
Congress was already calling for hearings. Defense contractors were seeing their stock prices spike. Security companies were getting calls from panicked citizens wanting protection.
And buried in the business section: Stark Industries announces new "security technology division."
Tony was pivoting. Using the fear from Harlem to position himself as the solution. Smart, even if it was a bit opportunistic.
My phone buzzed. Natalie.
Natalie: Finally home. Can I come over? I need to see you.
Alex: Of course. I'm at the coffee shop but I can head back now.
Natalie: Meet you there in 20.
I packed up and headed to my apartment. Natalie arrived exactly twenty minutes later, looking exhausted. She was still in her work clothes—dark pants, professional top—but her hair was slightly messy and there were dark circles under her eyes.
She didn't say anything, just wrapped her arms around me and held on tight.
"Long night?" I asked softly.
"You have no idea."
I held her for a long moment, then guided her to the couch. "Want to talk about it?"
"Can't. Most of it's classified." She leaned against me, closing her eyes. "But it was bad, Alex. Really bad. The official casualty count is thirty-two dead, but it could have been so much worse. If the Hulk hadn't stopped that thing..."
"But he did."
"Yeah. He did." She was quiet for a moment. "The world's changing. Faster than anyone expected. Iron Man was just the beginning. Now we have gamma-powered monsters fighting in the streets. And there's more coming. Things I can't talk about, things that are going to make all of this seem small."
I stroked her hair gently. "You're scared."
"I'm terrified. Not for me—I'm trained for this. But for you. For normal people who are just trying to live their lives while the world goes crazy around them."
"I'm training," I reminded her. "I can handle myself better now."
"Against normal threats, maybe. But those things last night..." She shook her head. "Promise me you'll be smart. If something like that happens again, you run. You don't try to help, you don't try to be a hero, you just run."
"I promise I won't do anything stupid."
"That's not quite the same thing."
"It's the best I can offer. I'm not going to lie and say I'd abandon someone who needed help if I could do something."
She pulled back to look at me, frustrated and fond in equal measure. "You're going to give me gray hair before I'm thirty."
"You'd look distinguished with gray hair."
"Shut up." But she was smiling, just slightly. "I'm serious though. Please be careful. I can't..." Her voice cracked. "I can't lose you."
"You won't. I'm stubborn, remember? And lucky." I pulled her close again. "Besides, I have too much to live for. Got a girlfriend I'm crazy about, a new apartment to move into, investments to manage. Death would be really inconvenient right now."
That got a tired laugh out of her. "Only you would describe death as 'inconvenient.'"
"I'm a man of unique perspectives."
We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other while the world processed the events of the previous night. Eventually, Natalie fell asleep against me, exhaustion finally winning out.
I let her rest, my mind churning through implications.
Harlem was done. Next would be Thor arriving in New Mexico—that was still months away, probably next spring. But the Avengers Initiative was definitely in motion now. Fury would be working on bringing the team together. Coulson would be busy recruiting.
And me? I was dating someone who was almost certainly deeply involved in all of it.
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RELATIONSHIP UPDATE
Natalie Rushman
Trust Level : 82 → 88/100
Progress Notes:
She's opening up about her fears (major vulnerability)
Letting you see her exhausted and stressed (no masks)
Trusts you enough to fall asleep around you
Deeply worried about your safety
Balancing her feelings with her work responsibilities
Mood: Exhausted but comforted by your presence
Note: Trust is approaching maximum. She's almost at the point where she might tell you who she really is. Be patient. Let her come to that decision on her own.
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Natalie woke up about an hour later, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to fall asleep on you."
"Don't apologize. You clearly needed it."
She checked her phone, groaned at whatever messages she saw, then put it away. "I should go. Need to actually sleep in a bed, maybe shower, pretend to be human again."
"Want me to walk you home?"
"It's the middle of the day and I'm a trained professional."
"So that's a no?"
She smiled. "That's an 'I appreciate the offer but I'll be fine.' Save your chivalry for when I actually need it."
"Fair enough."
At the door, she kissed me—slow, deep, grateful. "Thank you. For being here. For being you."
"Anytime, Nat. That's what I'm here for."
After she left, I stood in my apartment for a moment, processing everything. The world was getting more dangerous. Natalie was getting more stressed. And I was... what? Training in combat, investing money, dating a spy?
I needed to be more proactive. Not reckless, but prepared.
I pulled up the system shop, looking at options I'd been ignoring.
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SYSTEM SHOP - RECOMMENDED ITEMS
Given recent events, the following items may be useful:
Enhanced First Aid Kit - 1,500 SP Medical supplies beyond normal capabilities. Can treat serious injuries that would normally require hospitalization.
Danger Sense Enhancement - 3,000 SP Permanent upgrade to awareness. Instinctively sense incoming threats.
Emergency Escape Kit - 2,500 SP Various tools for extraction from dangerous situations. Includes smoke bombs, lock picks, emergency beacon.
Combat Armor (Concealed) - 5,000 SP Lightweight armor that can be worn under normal clothes. Stops small arms fire, reduces impact damage.
Current SP: 14,892
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I thought about it carefully. The armor was tempting but expensive and might be overkill. The first aid kit was practical. Danger Sense could save my life.
I made my purchases:
Enhanced First Aid Kit (1,500 SP)
Danger Sense Enhancement (3,000 SP)
Emergency Escape Kit (2,500 SP)
Total: 7,000 SP Remaining: 7,892 SP
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PURCHASES COMPLETE
Items added to inventory.
Danger Sense Enhancement installing...
Warning: This upgrade will cause mild discomfort as your neural pathways adjust. Process will complete over the next 24 hours.
New Ability Acquired:
[Enhanced Danger Sense]
Type : Passive (always active) Effect : Instinctive awareness of threats 360-degree perception of danger Early warning system (3-5 seconds advance notice) Scales with LCK and INT stats
Description: You'll know when something's wrong before it happens. Trust your gut—it's now connected to advanced threat detection.
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I felt a strange tingling at the base of my skull as the upgrade took effect. Not painful, just... odd. Like a new sense slowly coming online.
The Emergency Escape Kit and First Aid Kit materialized in my inventory, ready to be pulled out whenever needed.
I was more prepared now. Not invincible, not superhuman, but better equipped for a dangerous world.
The next few days were relatively calm—at least by recent standards. The Harlem incident dominated news coverage, but the immediate crisis was over. Life slowly returned to some semblance of normal, even if everyone was a bit more nervous than before.
I continued my training, completed daily quests, and prepared for my apartment move. Natalie helped me pack on her day off, which mostly consisted of her making fun of how many books I owned and questioning why I had three different coffee makers.
"I like coffee," I defended. "And different brewing methods produce different flavors."
"You're a coffee snob."
"Says the woman who orders drinks at The Grindhouse that require a paragraph to describe."
"Touché."
Moving day went smoothly. My new apartment was a significant upgrade—actual bedroom separate from the living space, modern kitchen, good security, and a view that didn't face a brick wall.
Natalie stood in the middle of the empty living room, hands on her hips. "This is nice. Very adult."
"I am an adult."
"Debatable." She smiled. "But seriously, this is great. You'll be safer here, and you have space to actually live instead of just exist."
That night, we christened the new apartment by ordering too much Chinese food and watching bad action movies on my laptop since I hadn't bought a TV yet.
"This one's not even trying to be realistic," Natalie complained as the hero jumped between helicopters. "That's not how physics works."
"It's a movie. Let it be fun."
"I can't. It's painful." But she was smiling, relaxed in a way she rarely was lately.
Moments like this—normal, peaceful, just two people enjoying each other's company—felt precious. The world was getting crazier, but we had this. Our little bubble of normalcy.
I intended to protect it for as long as possible.