Chapter (4) The Casual Midnight

Despite the system's initial assurance of a quick process, more than 20 minutes have passed and Darius still hasn't fully integrated Novachrono's power.

"How much longer do I have to wait? What if May wakes up and freaks out because she doesn't find me beside her... Although she's a grown woman, but still, I have to sort this out soon, Hell ...This system is really not a reliable..."

Darius thinks, his eyes fixed on the progress bar. Meanwhile, various spell notifications keep interrupting his thoughts, each accompanied by the persistent ding of alerts.

[Processing; 56%~~~57....]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Anastasis, it would help the host reverse time within a limited area to heal injuries and restore objects.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Stasis Grigora, it would help the host freeze opponents in time, rendering them immobile.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Stasis Kairos, it would help the host freeze time on a larger scale, affecting a wider area and more targets.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Coffin, it would help the host encapsulate the target in a sphere of rapidly aging time, effectively sealing them away.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Requiem, it would help the host manipulate time to increase the speed of the host's attacks.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Time Domination, it would help the host perceive and react to events at an accelerated rate.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Time Regression Magic, it would help the host reverse time for a specific object or person, restoring them to a previous state.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Stasis Laevateinn, it would help the host freeze time in a localized area, immobilizing opponents.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Stasis Luce Infinita, it would help the host create a massive area of effect where time is accelerated, aging objects and weakening opponents.]

[Congratulations to the host for mastering the spell Chrono Stasis Paralysis, it would help the host temporarily paralyze opponents by freezing them in time.]

Precisely at this moment, he feels as if an unknown vast knowledge is invading his soul and mind.

His entire body feels the mana; from head to toe, he experiences a strong sensation and urge to be righteous.

He feels scared; never before in his life has he thought that one day his heart would feel pity for others.

But the power is so strong that he ignores this sensation.

Of course, he doesn't trust the system, but he doesn't want a normal life either and Now that he has taken the place of Uncle Ben, he feels the need to be extra vigilant.

He looks at the man with long hair in the cell, holding his dignity and mocking him, although the dignity in his hand is quite small, not as big as rumors tell about black men.

Understandably, he isn't angry because, after all, his ancestors have enslaved these punks for more than 250 years.

At this moment, he notices subtle cracks in the golden necklace around their necks and cuffs on their hands.

"Look at it. Wanna suck my dick, you bastard? I heard one of your nobel slut had  brought my brother for pleasure."

"This motherfucker must be homo, I guess he wants to use our bodies."another one says.

"Sorry, gentlemen, it's a new era, 1995, and I'm a kind man, so all of you are going to be free soon," Darius, ignoring them, speaks to appear more majestic.

He puts his hand behind his back, and his eyes grow colder.

Darius gazes curiously at their neck, where the "Nigger Restrainer," a golden neckband, tightly encircles their life force.

Crafted from a rare African metal called "derro," discovered by Darius's ancestor in the early 1700s, the 'Nigger Restrainer' is a specialized restraint designed to neutralize mutant powers.

When worn, it absorbs and suppresses the energy emitted by mutants, rendering their abilities dormant.

In a historic incident, a cocky, half-Asian, African man dared to attack an Inferno member using unconventional means.

However, he didn't stop there and killed every single person he laid his eyes upon, causing chaos throughout the dungeon.

Suddenly, in the chaos, he was accidentally touched by the metallic whip, made of derro, which at that moment was wielded by Darius's great-grandfather's old man.

And so the cocky man was fainted, his powers nullified, revealing to the Inferno family a newfound ability to tame the untamed.

[Ding! Integration process: 100% complete.]

__________

Midnight, New York

At this late hour, most of the city's denizens are nestled in the embrace of slumber, unaware of the spectacle unfolding above.

In a not-so-quiet neighborhood, nestled between towering buildings, a lone figure stumbles out of a bar, his senses dulled by alcohol.

As he looks up at the sky, his bleary eyes widen in disbelief.

"What... What the hell is that?"

His slurred words echo through the deserted street, drawing the attention of a few passersby who have yet to seek refuge in the arms of sleep.

A group of teenagers, out past curfew and searching for adventure, stop in their tracks as they catch sight of a giant book without a cover.

"Whoa, dude, you seeing this?" exclaims one of them, his voice tinged with awe.

"It's gotta be some kind of prank, right?" suggests another, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

"Nah, man, this ain't no prank. This is... something else," whispers the first teenager, his voice barely above a whisper.

At the same time...

In a nearby police precinct, officers scramble to make sense of the influx of calls flooding their dispatch center.

At this moment, George has night duty, which he doesn't like. As a loving father, he hates leaving his daughter alone at home, but duty is duty after all.

"Dispatch, this is Officer George Stacy. What's the situation?"

"Officer George, we've got reports coming in from all over the city about some kind of... giant book in the sky."

"A giant book? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious, sir. It's... it's unlike anything I've ever seen before."

Officer George's brow furrows in disbelief as he relays the information to his colleagues.

"Alright, listen up, everyone. We've got reports of a... giant book in the sky. I want units dispatched to every location ASAP. Let's get eyes on this thing and figure out what the hell is going on."

_______

Meanwhile....

Deep within the Himalayas, in one of the sacred halls of Kamar-Taj, the absence of a roof allows the moon's gentle light to pass without obstruction.

Beams of moonlight suddenly lands on the bald head of the woman draped in vibrant yellow and orange robes, causing the room to shimmer with silver light.

Although she resides in Nepal, it's evident from her eyes that she hails from the Dragon Kingdom, where yellow pigs dwell.

"An anomaly has occurred," she mutters, her eyes reflecting a mix of dismay and bewilderment, yet also a sense of reverence.

"I'm unable to see anything in the future," she remarks, her nonexistent brows furrowing with deep concern for the world.

She is none other than the Sorcerer supreme, guardian of the Earth, 'The Ancient One'.

With a click, the green locket around her neck opens, revealing an eye-like structure which peeks and interferes with other people's lives.

Cautiously, she looks back at the event that occurred in the past, and strangely, she can see the past but not the future.

After a while, she states,

"Darius Inferno is still alive; it must be something related to him."

Yes, according to the future she has glimpsed, this person had died at the hands of Kingpin because he didn't obey him.

Most importantly, on a cold night in December last year, he had slept with Kingpin's wife, and by now, Kingpin should have already exacted his revenge with ruthless determination, slaughtering his entire clan.

But unfortunately that didn't happen.

___________

Inferno Estate,

[Congratulations on attaining the power of Julius Novachrono. May righteousness be your constant companion until the end. Work relentlessly towards this cause and secure your rightful place in heaven.]

[Ding! The first system task is now available]

[Importance of redemption: Clear the name of your forefathers by emancipating the mutant slaves from the past. Remember, everyone  makes mistakes, but as humans, you must sometimes pay the price for your sins. As a righteous host, it's crucial to acknowledge your wrongdoings and take steps to rectify them.

Rewards: Halo of Righteousness.

Effects: Favorability among righteous people worldwide, aiding the host in making a positive first impression]

"Forget it, system. I'm not interested in heaven. But tell me, do you have the power to take back my abilities or not, in case you think there is a better host than me?" Curiously, Darius asked,

Although he feels that a villain system would have been better, but now he can't help it.

[Absolutely not. I and the host are soul companions. Betraying the host means destroying oneself. Besides, once something is given, the system doesn't have the power to retrieve it back, and both the system and the power belong to the host.]

"So, in any case, you won't be able to steal my power back," Darius asks to confirm.

[Yes, host, we are bound by soul. Besides, I also helped you gain some fame, as your grimoire is still hanging in the skies of New York. Hehe]

{°...°}

Hearing the words of this brainless machine, he feels a sinking sensation. He had intended to keep a low profile, avoiding any trouble. Now that his secret is out, the situation has become dire.

Despite being as strong as the Wizard King was in black clover, his powers are not yet at the level where he can boast in the vast universe of Marvel.

"I'm doomed," Darius mutters,

but it's only for a second. With a determined heart, he channels his mana and speaks.

"Chrono Anastasis."

With that, suddenly, the four mutants who were cursing him drop to the floor of the iron cage they are locked in, their eyes wide open and lifeless.

He reverses the growth of their hearts. Although their bodies appear adult, their hearts have stopped beating, successfully sending them into the embrace of death.