The police arrived within minutes.
John and Sabrina slipped away before anyone could question them, weaving through alleys until they were several blocks from the destruction. John finally stopped behind the back entrance of a laundromat, breathing hard.
Sabrina wasn't doing much better.
Her hands shook uncontrollably.
"John…" she whispered, pushing hair out of her face. "I just saw you punch a monster into a streetlight. People don't do that. People can't do that."
John steadied her shoulders.
He didn't want to tell her everything. Not yet. But he couldn't leave her completely in the dark now.
"It's complicated," he said softly. "And dangerous."
She glared—fear mixed with something sharper.
"You think I don't know that?"
For the first time since he'd met her, Sabrina wasn't shy.
She was terrified, angry… and determined.
And she deserved at least a piece of the truth.
"There's something in me," John said carefully. "Something that gives me abilities. Something that… reacts to things in this world."
He left out reincarnation, the system, the points, the music.
Sabrina stared at him, breathing heavily.
"So you're like—what? A mutant? An experiment? One of those… people the news whispers about?"
John shook his head.
"No. Something different."
Before she could ask more, a rumble echoed under the pavement.
Weak—far away—but real.
Sabrina froze. "Is that—?"
"No," John said quickly. "Not here. But it's moving."
The System chimed:
[Burrower Activity Detected.]
[ETA to Next Emergence: Unknown.]
John clenched his jaw.
This thing was hunting him.
And it was learning.
Back Home
John's parents were still at work, thank God.
He slipped into his room and shut the door just as the System interface expanded in front of him like a glowing map of the city.
Red circles pulsed across several boroughs.
Not one Burrower.
Multiple.
He felt cold.
"How many are there…?"
[Unknown. They appear to be splitting.]
[User influence confirmed as catalyst.]
John cursed under his breath.
His music.
His fame.
His growing influence on this universe…
It wasn't just giving him powers.
It was triggering anomalies.
And the stronger he became—
—the stronger they became too.
New Notification
The System window flashed gold.
[Quest: Eliminate the Burrower]
[Special Condition Added: Multiple Targets Detected]
[Primary Reward: Power of Your Choice (Up to 150,000 Points)]
[Bonus Reward: Ability Evolution (1 Skill)]
John blinked.
Ability Evolution.
That meant one of his powers could be boosted into a higher tier—Haki, strength, anything.
He exhaled slowly.
This wasn't optional.
This was the start of his real path in the Marvel universe.
Sabrina Calls
His phone buzzed.
Sabrina: Are you home?
Sabrina: I can't stop thinking about what happened.
Sabrina: Please… don't shut me out.
John stared at the messages.
He wasn't used to people worrying about him.
Not in his old life.
Not even here.
For a moment, he considered telling her everything. Absolutely everything.
But then—
BOOM.
Another weak quake rattled the window.
He typed back instead:
John: I'll explain soon. I promise. Just stay inside tonight.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then finally:
Sabrina: …okay. Just be careful.
He put the phone down.
He didn't have time to fall apart.
He needed a plan.
Decision
The System expanded again.
[Suggestion: Grow Stronger Immediately.]
[Two Paths Available:]
1. Release another song to gain more points quickly.
2. Hunt the Burrower early before it evolves further.
John swallowed.
Both options were risky.
Both could get him killed.
But doing nothing wasn't an option.
He cracked his knuckles, still feeling the shockwave of his earlier punch.
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's do this."
He chose—
Both.
A new song tonight.
Training.
Preparation.
Then tomorrow…
He'd go underground.
And he'd finish this.