Ch. 58: A World Full of Aliens.

Jon had always been a master of masks, a chameleon shifting his colors to blend into the background of his family's expectations. He was the dutiful and protective cousin, and the loyal friend.

Ayla, sweet, innocent Ayla, looked up to him with such unadulterated admiration that it made his heart ache. She saw him as a hero. She didn't know the whole truth, the burden he carried, the secrets he kept. And he didn't want to shatter that image, didn't want to see the light in her eyes dim with disappointment.

So, he chose to use the "Memory Charm" spell on her. It was a decision that weighed heavily on him, a decision that was both a blessing and a curse. But it was a decision he made nonetheless, for her sake, for his own.

Chris, on the other hand, was a different story. Chris had seen too much, knew too much. His memory was a liability, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Jon couldn't afford to take that risk. So, he found an opportunity, a moment of vulnerability, and he erased Chris's memory. It was a necessary evil, a sacrifice for the greater good.

The Book of Sins, the Darkhold, was another matter entirely. Jon had placed it directly in the system's storage, out of sight, out of mind. He didn't dare to learn anything from it, didn't dare to delve into its dark depths. He knew the dangers it held, the corruption it could cause. He had seen it in "WandaVision", had seen how Agatha had been twisted and warped by its influence.

He didn't want that for himself, didn't want to lose himself to the darkness. So, he kept the book locked away, kept its secrets hidden. But the knowledge of its existence, the knowledge of its power, was a constant presence in his mind, a constant temptation.

***

The days that followed were a welcome respite for Jon. He found solace in the mundane, the routine, the ordinary. He busied himself in his Repair Shop, losing himself in the rhythm of his work, the satisfaction of a job well done. It was a distraction, a way to keep his mind off the Darkhold, off the secrets it carried, off the burdens he bore.

And then, one day, while he was elbow-deep in the guts of a malfunctioning tool, he heard it. The system's warning echoed in his head, a clarion call that sent a jolt of adrenaline coursing through his veins.

[Ding! The door to the multiverse travel has been opened, the countdown begins, three, two...]

"Finally!" Jon exclaimed, his heart pounding in his chest. He had been waiting for this moment, had been yearning for it with every fiber of his being. And now, it was finally here.

[One!]

[Zero!]

As the countdown reached its end, Jon felt a door open in his mind, a doorway to infinity. His consciousness was enveloped by the light inside, a brilliant, blinding light that filled his senses, that filled his being.

He could feel the pull of the universes, could feel their energy, their power. It was a sensation he had once experienced, a sensation that was both exhilarating and terrifying. But Jon was not afraid. He was ready. He was eager.

With a deep breath, he stepped through the door, his body dissolving into particles of light, his consciousness merging with the cosmos.

***

New York, Manhattan, 2001.

When Jon opened his eyes, he was greeted by the familiar sight of skyscrapers reaching for the heavens, of streets bustling with life, of a city that never slept. He was standing in the heart of Manhattan, New York, his home. But it was not the New York he knew, not the New York he had left behind. It was a New York of another world, a New York of another universe.

[The current universe: Men in Black!]

The system's voice echoed in his head, confirming his suspicions. He was in the universe of the Men in Black, a universe where aliens walked among humans, where the extraordinary was ordinary, where the impossible was possible.

[Given period: 45 days]

The clock was ticking, the countdown had begun. He had forty-five days to complete his missions, forty-five days to navigate this new world, forty-five days to make a difference.

[The main mission has been started: Judgment of Serleena Xath. After completing the mission, you will get 1500 penalty points (current progress is 0/1)]

[The main mission has been started: Judgment of Boris The Animal. After completing the mission, you will get 1800 penalty points (current progress is 0/1)]

The main missions were daunting, to say the least. Serleena Xath and Boris The Animal were formidable adversaries, dangerous and unpredictable. But Jon was not deterred. He was the Ghost Rider, after all.

[The side task has been started: judge at least five interstellar criminals. After completing the task, you will get 1000 penalty points. For each additional interstellar criminal you judge, you will get an additional 50 penalty points (the current progress is 0/5)]

[The side mission has been started: Explore the Men in Black headquarters, complete the mission, and obtain 800 penalty points (current progress is 0/100)]

[The side mission has been started: Protect the Men in Black headquarters from the attack of Serleena Xath. After completing the mission, you will get 600 penalty points (the current progress is 1/0)]

The side missions were no less challenging, requiring him to judge interstellar criminals, explore the Men in Black headquarters, to protect it from Serleena Xath's attack. But Jon was ready. He was prepared. He was determined.

(A/N: The Men in Black headquarters = MIB HQ)

[Legendary mission: Judgment of a thousand sinful souls in all the worlds, current progress is (58/1000)]

The legendary mission loomed over him, a constant reminder of the enormity of his task, of the weight of his responsibility. But Jon was not daunted. He was a hero, after all, and heroes did not shy away from their duties.

[Note: After the completion of the main mission, you will be sent back to the main world. If you do not complete the task within the specified time limit, you will also be sent back to the main world, and all gains obtained in that world will be erased]

"It's actually in Men in Black universe!" Jon thought to himself, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "New York in this world seems to be more unstable than New York in the Marvel Universe. There are aliens everywhere!"

The bustling streets of Manhattan were a symphony of life, a cacophony of sounds and sights that were both familiar and alien to Jon. As he navigated through the crowd, his senses were on high alert, his instincts honed to a razor's edge. And then, he felt it. A ripple in the fabric of normality, a disturbance in the force of humanity. A man, or rather, something that was not quite a man, brushed past him, his sins radiating off him like a beacon in the night.

Jon's eyes narrowed as he studied the man, his gaze piercing through the layers of deception, of disguise. The man was fat, his skin sagging, his gait awkward. But it was not his physical appearance that caught Jon's attention. It was the sense of disharmony that clung to him, the sense of otherness that permeated his being.

"That's...an alien?" Jon thought to himself, his mind racing. He knew that in this universe, aliens lived among humans, hidden in plain sight, their true identities concealed behind a façade of normality. But this man, this alien, was different. His sins were too deep, too profound, his sins too grave. He was not just an alien. He was an interstellar criminal.

With a sigh, Jon followed the man, his steps silent, his presence unnoticed. He trailed him through the streets of Manhattan, his gaze never leaving his target. His destination was a Chinese restaurant, a place that seemed ordinary, mundane. But Jon knew better. He knew that appearances could be deceiving, that beneath the veneer of normality, secrets lurked.

As he entered the restaurant, he was greeted by the owner, a man named Wu. But there was something off about Wu, something unnatural. His movements were stiff, his expressions forced. And then, it hit him. Wu was an alien too, an alien who sold alien fish to unsuspecting humans, an alien who was a criminal in his own right.

Jon's gaze shifted to the kitchen, where the fat man had disappeared. He was an employee here, a part of this illicit operation. But was he a criminal? Was selling alien fish a crime? Jon wasn't sure. But he knew one thing. It was wrong. It was immoral. And he was going to put a stop to it.

With a swift movement, Jon pulled off Wu's apron, revealing his true form. The diners gasped in shock, their meals forgotten, their conversations silenced. Wu was not a man. He was a monster, a creature of another planet.

"Everyone, look! The man is alien, not a human being! Be careful!" Jon shouted, his voice echoing through the restaurant. The diners scrambled to their feet, their faces pale, their eyes wide with fear.

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