Ch- 23 "A Marvelous Metamorphosis"

In the serene ambiance near the pond, a venerable fly, living out the 28th day of its elderly existence, buzzed and flew, wholly engrossed in its own affairs.

Slowly buzzing through the air, the elderly fly unwittingly caught the attention of a vigilant predator. Fixed in place, the predator remained motionless, patiently anticipating the fly's approach, ready to strike at just the right moment.

Inside its hunting radius, the predator, with a tongue resembling a ball of muscle, observed the fly closely. In an instant, as it closed the gap, its tongue extended like lightning, forming a swift, tiny suction cup upon contact with its unsuspecting prey.

The fly, now firmly attached to the predator's tongue, faced an inevitable fate. With a swift retracting motion, the predator drew the hapless insect into its waiting mouth. There, its powerful jaws swiftly crushed the fly before it was engulfed whole.

It became evident to all observers that the cunning predator in question was none other than a chameleon. Disguised expertly on a substantial rock by the pond, it had executed its stealthy ambush with remarkable precision.

Having just secured its meal, the chameleon momentarily lowered its guard. However, this lapse in vigilance did not go unnoticed, as a vigilant water snake in the nearby pond caught sight of the chameleon.

While the chameleon was engrossed in the act of swallowing the fly, the water snake seized the opportunity. With lightning speed, it lunged forward, swiftly coiling its sinuous body around the unsuspecting chameleon.

After minutes of relentless restraint, the chameleon's strength waned, and sensing victory, the snake embarked on a daring feat. It began to slowly engulf the entire chameleon, alive, into its voracious belly.

As the chameleon traversed the acidic chambers of the snake's stomach, a peculiar twist of fate occurred. Inside the chameleon's digestive system, the fly had already been fully digested, leaving only the chameleon's own fate to be sealed within the serpent's belly.

Within this intricate dance of predation and survival, an astonishing revelation lay hidden. The fly that had unwittingly journeyed from cell to chameleon, and ultimately to the belly of the water snake, was, in fact, the very same fly that had merged with a separated cell of our protagonist just half an hour earlier.

In the unspoken truth of the natural world, the timeless adage held firm: one being's fortune was, undeniably, another's misfortune.

***

Life, in all its enigmatic complexity, often weaves a tapestry of contradictions. At times, it transforms existence into a surreal ordeal, yet in other moments, it grants such unanticipated ease that belief itself is challenged.

Little did Swayam know that the act of merging a single cell with a fly, initially intended to divert an unknown threat, would ultimately become the unwitting savior of his very life.

***

But how did events unfold to bring about this remarkable twist of fate? To understand, let's rewind time and delve into a flashback. [<<<]

Amidst all his preparations, when Swayam had firmly resolved to immerse himself in the realms of a fictional narrative, he made a distinctive choice. The story he elected to inhabit was none other than the expansive and imaginative Marvel Cinematic Universe/Marvel Comics Universe (MCU).

The character he yearned to meet firsthand, as his journey into this fictional universe commenced, happened to be 'The Savage She-Hulk.' The reason behind this peculiar choice, intriguing as it may be, required no explanation.

One could even venture to assert that the very first fictional character who captured his heart in an affectionate way was none other than 'She-Hulk.'

She-Hulk possessed extraordinary strength and resilience, her abilities extending to incredible leaps and the capacity to engage in physical combat with some of the mightiest powerhouses the Earth had ever known.

Remarkably, in stark contrast to individuals like Bruce Banner and others who had transformed into Hulk-like entities due to Gamma radiation exposure, She-Hulk retained her intelligence while in her formidable She-Hulk form.

Now, regarding the precise point in the timeline where Swayam had chosen to integrate himself, it happened to be on the very day when Jennifer Walters, the human form of She-Hulk, was on the brink of embarking on her journey into Harvard University.

***

However, here lies the catch: immersing oneself in an immensely overpowered world, where a Supreme Being possesses omniscient knowledge about the unfolding narrative, virtually guarantees that any unexpected anomaly materializing seemingly out of thin air would undoubtedly draw immediate notice.

And indeed, that's precisely what occurred. The very moment Swayam seamlessly integrated himself into the Marvel narrative, it triggered a cataclysmic chain of events. The expansive canvas of the Marvel Universe unraveled like a hastily drawn black dot on a pristine white page being swiftly erased by an eraser, and in a blink, Swayam was obliterated from existence itself.

But, right before his vanishing act, Swayam's ears caught a mechanical [Beep!] resonating in the void.

[Beep! Existential crisis on Host detected!]

[Beep! Host incapable of taking any action! Finding alternatives to save Host's Existence!]

[Beep! Detecting a single cell under Host's unconscious layer!]

[Beep! Transferring Host's 'Self' to the single cell.]

[A.I. Chips Transferring capacity insufficient! Searching for alternatives!]

[Beep! Alternative detected! Sacrificing Host's stats and lifespan for an instant 'Self' transfer.]

[Beep! Transfer successful!]

As 'TOBA' efficiently eradicated the 'Anomaly,' all that remained was a vacant and lifeless husk, devoid of any trace of Swayam's presence.

***

And so, in that moment, Swayam met his apparent demise, or at least that's what he believed.

***

Just as the chameleon was on the brink of digesting that final, seemingly insignificant cell, an astonishing transformation took place. The cell began to divide and multiply at an unprecedented rate, materializing an atom-sized figure, strangely reminiscent of a human in shape.

Before long, the atom-sized human entity underwent a rapid growth spurt, steadily expanding until it reached the proportions of a human thumb.

However, by the time the newly formed, fist-sized human had reached this size, the chameleon had already been fully digested by the snake. Now, the snake was poised to commence the digestion process on the unexpected human presence within its stomach.

Digestion of the fist-sized human would have been the inevitable outcome if it weren't for one remarkable fact – the human continued to grow at an astonishing rate. By the time this growing entity had reached the size of a human baby, it had already exerted enough force from within to rupture the water snake's stomach, creating a startling escape route.

In the wake of this extraordinary escape, the toddler-sized human figure cautiously opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. As he realized his safety, a deep sigh of relief escaped his lips. He then settled into a state of curious observation, marveling at the astonishing rate at which he was rapidly regrowing, progressing through the stages of a human being's life.

As the now fully grown adult reached the age of 18 in what felt like the blink of an eye, he was suddenly greeted by the familiar mechanical voice of his trusty A.I. Chips.

[Beep! Transferred and Preserved Host's 'Self' successfully!]

[Due to the over-exertion of the Chip and the miraculous molecular rebirth of the Host, A.I. Chips' synchronization with the Host has reached a new level.]

[Beep! New abilities 'Infinite Growth,' 'Subatomic,' and 'Quantum Manipulation' acquired.]

[Beep! Due to coming in contact with the DNA of Chameleon and Water Snake, Host has acquired 'Rapid Digestion,' 'Camouflage,' and 'Infrared.']

***