Chapter 184: Ada and Robin

"As expected of Scarlet Witch," thought Daniel as he watched Wanda conjure a ball of magic in her hand. Compared to Quicksilver, Wanda was far more talented in controlling her powers. In about three days, she was able to leave the lab.

Of course, the difference in their abilities played a role. Even if Wanda couldn't control her powers, she would only damage some objects. Quicksilver, on the other hand, could hurt himself if he couldn't fully master his speed.

"Focus on controlling your abilities. Once you can fully control them, I'll introduce you to the Avengers," Daniel told them. After giving them his contact information, he left Sokovia.

To avoid attracting attention to Wanda and Pietro, Daniel didn't take them to New York. If they were exposed now, Hydra might exploit them.

Daniel was honest about getting them into the Avengers. Since the Battle of New York, the Avengers were officially part of S.H.I.E.L.D. Even the U.S. military had dropped their pursuit of the Hulk.

However, within the Avengers, there were different levels. Stark, Daniel, Thor, and Dr. Banner were listed as consultants with S.H.I.E.L.D. and were only called upon for major incidents like the Battle of New York.

The daily work was handled by Natasha, Hawkeye, Shuri, Captain America, and Agent Carter, who had the closest ties to S.H.I.E.L.D. Despite Carter claiming she wanted to enjoy a private life with Captain America, they couldn't ignore S.H.I.E.L.D.'s needs.

Of course, for regular missions, Carter and Captain America weren't needed. The most burdened were Hawkeye, Natasha, and Shuri, who held the lowest status.

"Thor, it's you. I see. Well, I don't know either. I don't even have a girlfriend. Maybe you should ask Tony," Daniel said, sighing after hanging up the phone.

"I didn't expect this to happen so soon." The call was from Thor, complaining about not seeing Jane lately. Daniel couldn't help with such personal issues.

He could advise Sif but couldn't help Thor directly.

Reality was tough. Even Thor, the Prince of Asgard, had to compromise. Thor, being exiled to Earth, soon faced a major issue—money. As a former prince, he had never worried about money.

After spending a honeymoon-like period with Jane, reality hit, leading to arguments. The main issue was whether Thor should get a job. While he could easily get money from someone like Fury, Thor had his pride and wouldn't take money without earning it.

So Thor tried working, but his jobs caused more damage than they paid. Without an Earthly education, his jobs were limited to bar work, where his temper often led to bar fights.

In just one week, he wrecked four bars and hospitalized dozens. Fury had to clean up his messes constantly.

Normally, this wouldn't concern Daniel, who hadn't paid much attention to Thor's life on Earth, just as he hadn't kept tabs on Captain America and Agent Carter.

But someone did. Fury monitored Thor closely, and after cleaning up several messes, he turned to Daniel for a solution. Daniel couldn't ignore Thor and arranged a job for him that required minimal effort but paid well.

Thor was pleased and spent his free time with Jane, but new issues arose over time, leading Thor to call and complain to Daniel.

To avoid further complaints, Daniel suggested Thor talk to Stark instead.

Daniel had previously asked Fury about the five nations' stance on Thor and Jane. Political marriages often fostered alliances, and an Earthling queen in Asgard would be beneficial. But Fury didn't see their relationship lasting due to their significant differences, especially in lifespan.

Many saw the issues between Thor and Jane but didn't mention them, leaving the couple in love unaware of the looming problems.

"It seems they'll break up soon. I didn't expect Thor to become such a recluse," Daniel thought, noting Thor's growing interest in Earth games. Fortunately, Oasis was still in beta testing.

Otherwise, Thor might ask Daniel to tweak the game for him, considering he once called and threatened a game developer over losing.

Oasis's beta hadn't caused a public stir but had garnered significant attention in certain circles. Testing could take a year or more due to the complex issues of virtual reality games, including safety concerns.

Daniel couldn't refute the reasons, which even Stark accepted. Safety issues with human consciousness and brain hypnosis were no small matters. Even in the world of Oasis, it took decades and a lack of resources for the game to gain popularity.

"Maybe I shouldn't criticize Thor for being a recluse. I'm pretty reclusive myself," Daniel realized, spending most of his time on research and training.

"Ada, you're here," Daniel said, smiling as Ada appeared. He could tell she was the real Ada without using Observation Haki, her presence unmistakable.

"What's wrong?" Daniel noticed Ada's tired and angry expression.

Ada said nothing, heading straight for the bath. After washing up, she returned in a red robe.

"It's nothing. It's been handled," Ada said after a moment of silence, then explained what had happened to her.

Much like the numerous cloned Alices in Resident Evil, someone had cloned Ada extensively—not through cellular replication but via genetic modification using bioweapons. These clones, like the fake Ada, were created by modifying young women.

The mastermind was Derek Simmons, a member of the Simmons family. Unable to get the real Ada, he created his own. But the fake Ada's love for Simmons turned into twisted hatred upon discovering her altered appearance. She began plotting to kill both Simmons and the real Ada to become the true Ada.

However, Ada thwarted her plan, and the fake Ada died, taking Simmons down with her.

Daniel listened quietly, saying nothing.

This incident didn't just affect Simmons but also heavily impacted his family. One of their major bases was destroyed due to the fake Ada's plan.

"Rest well. I have a surprise for you tomorrow," Daniel said, noticing Ada's poor mood. He decided to wait until she was calmer to show her the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

That night, they slept together without any intimacy, simply lying side by side.

"What surprise?" Ada asked the next morning, her usual demeanor returning, suggesting that yesterday's incident had affected her deeply.

"This," Daniel said, revealing a strange-looking fruit.

"This is a very special item," Daniel explained before Ada could ask, detailing the powers of a Devil Fruit.

"You mean this is a Devil Fruit?" Ada was shocked. Gaining superpowers by eating a fruit sounded fantastical.

"Yes, it's the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit," Daniel said, describing its powers.

"Such a powerful item should be yours," Ada said after a moment, looking at the fruit on the table.

"Don't worry about me. Devil Fruits have their weaknesses, and many top fighters don't rely on them," Daniel reassured her.

Devil Fruits had various weaknesses beyond Haki and Seastone. Each Logia fruit had specific counters. The Sand-Sand Fruit was weak to water, and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to rubber.

Even Akainu's Magma-Magma Fruit had water as a counter, though his power level made this irrelevant as he could evaporate water before it reached him.

Similarly, if Crocodile had fully mastered his fruit, he wouldn't have been defeated by Luffy's simple water trick. Sand can absorb water if there's enough of it.

Despite Logia fruits being the most powerful, they had the most counters, unlike Zoan and Paramecia types.

"Alright then, I won't hold back," Ada decided after a moment, preparing to eat the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

Its weaknesses were outweighed by its strengths—elemental intangibility, lightning speed, and levitation, all extremely useful to Ada.

"Wait a moment," Daniel said, stopping her. "Devil Fruits taste awful. One bite is enough to gain the powers, but most users eat the whole thing. It's up to you."

Devil Fruits were peculiar. There were unverified stories, like Ace finding the Flame-Flame Fruit with a companion and both taking a bite to see who got the power. Ace won.

"Got it," Ada said, then began eating the fruit. Its taste made her grimace, but she persisted until it was gone.

Crackle.

The fruit's power manifested quickly, with electricity sparking between Ada's fingers.

"The power of a Devil Fruit depends on the user. To become stronger, you'll need to visit that world."

"Such a fascinating world—I definitely want to see it. By the way, did you meet any interesting women there?" Ada asked, her tone light.

Daniel scratched his head, feeling awkward under her steady gaze. Sighing inwardly, he said, "Actually, I brought someone back. I meant to introduce you."

"You brought her here?" Ada's calm voice and expression made Daniel uneasy, sensing something amiss.

"She's had a tough life. She couldn't even sleep well in that world, so I brought her here," Daniel explained, recounting Robin's tragic backstory.

As Daniel shared Robin's story, the atmosphere changed, and he felt relieved.

"Where is she now?"

"She's traveling since there's no Navy hunting her here. I'll contact her," Daniel said, picking up the phone to call Robin.

"I want you to meet someone. Find a discreet location," he said. Even if Robin was in the pyramid, he could bring her back instantly.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter