14] Welcome back!

(Shin POV, a forest in the other world)

Shin- "So, it's not hot enough?" He quickly answers.

Zero- "Yeah, I can't get anything hotter... Maybe if there's a volcano, but that may be too hot to handle safely." I deadpan at him.

Shin- "Talking about safety while literally standing in fire..." I sigh and shake my head.

I then use [Elemental Control] to increase the heat of the flames, and I see him starting to sweat.

Zero- "What? Why is it getting hotter?"

Shin- "It's all me, tell me. Is it hot enough?" Suddenly a huge wicked grin appears on his face.

Zero- "No, go about double the heat. We'll see from there." I pause momentarily. Is he sane in the head? Whatever, I'll do it.

I double the current temperature, and I see his skin start to get more red.

Over the next few hours, he has me increase the temperature. Sometimes it's too much heat, but he just has me heal him and does it again. His willpower impresses me.

It's almost midnight, and I don't want to possibly be stuck in this world.

Shin- "I'm going home, if the portal is still open tomorrow, I'll come by."

He stops me from leaving.

Zero- "Hey wait, I've got a present for you. You bought all of this amazing stuff for me, and I'd feel bad without compensating you." He snaps his fingers, and a couple of his guards appear holding a few boxes.

"I spent about as much money as you did, just to get these. 100 Potions, and 20 Mid-Potions. Don't worry, I secretly tested one on you to see if it would work, and it does." I rear my head back slightly in shock.

Shin- "You tested it on me? Whatever, thank you for the gifts." I put them on my bed through the portal.

Zero- "No, I should really be thanking you. You got me so much stuff, I'm going to give Squad 12 a field day." I smile, waving goodbye.

Shin- "No problem, I'll be leaving now. See you whenever the time comes!" I then step through the portal, careful not to trip on the boxes on my bed.

Zero- "Next time we see each other, you better have that problem of your fixed!" Problem? My violent one? Or the girl one?

Shin- "Which one?" I call out, seeking his guidance.

Zero- "All of them, idiot. I can't have a flawed brother, it'll look bad to my followers!" I chuckle, and he responds with a sly smile.

I know that he's joking, so I don't pay much mind to his insults or his arrogance. The boxes of potions have found a home in my closet, because where else am I going to put 6 boxes of glass?

I cover the portal, and lay down on my bed. Today was exhausting, but definitely worth it. I only lost a couple thousand dollars, got fantastic training, and a bunch of miracle healing liquid.

I wonder if we could find a way to reproduce these, then maybe I could have an honest business as a front.

I know of someone who may actually be able to do this, her name is Cass. She is currently in a research group, but is being abused. She's incredibly smart, but still working as an intern.

People are bullying her for her low standing, although they would regret it later. She becomes someone known as 'The Chemist' and she makes potions from monsters. She then becomes rich quickly, but only has herself to rely on.

Somewhere down the line, one of her most trusted members steals all of her recipes and sells them. Causing her to go bankrupt.

She then would get into shady situations, blah blah blah. Eventually she becomes a crime boss essentially, but that happens many years down the line.

As she is right now, she's just a hyper intelligent intern without funding or support. I can give her both of those, AND something to research. She's basically guaranteed to be on my side, I just need to wait until near the end of the Devastation Arc.

I'll contemplate all of this tomorrow, I'm going to sleep.

***

The next morning I wake up, and notice that the portal is gone.

Shin- "Good thing we said our goodbyes, we probably aren't going to see each other for a while." I get up and check the closet to see if it was a dream.

"Alright~ It was real!" I shut the closet door, heading into the kitchen to start my day. After making and eating breakfast, I decide that it's time to get a gun. 

I never know when someone with Aura nullifying abilities will appear, especially since I'm a new addition to the timeline. I mean, I can basically nullify any Aura directed at me. But that just proves that someone out there could probably have an AoE Aura canceling Flair.

"I should have gotten a sword from Zero's world, it would have been a lot less weird..." Now that I have training in both blades and guns, it's logical to use them in certain situations. I should at least have them on me in case something happens.

I know exactly what to do, I'll send my little thug group to rob a weapon's store. They haven't been getting much action, aside from babysitting Shadow Flame... Oh... I forgot he existed. Well, I guess I can use him for an experiment with my monster core.

***

I make my way to the abandoned warehouse that has gotten serious upgrades, I wouldn't mind living here. 

Aerin greets me first, she seems surprised that I came by.

Aerin- "Hollow! I didn't know you would come over, I would have cleaned a little if I had known." I hold up my hand, signaling for her to stop.

Shin- "No need, I have a small job for you guys. You get to keep any money you make, the only things I want are the weapons."

Aerin- "Weapons?" I nod.

Shin- "See, there have been recent developments that have changed a lot for me. I am now in need of weaponry, and I figured you guys were bored."

Aerin seems excited, as it's her first real job from me.

Aerin- "So, where are we attacking?" I didn't really think of that... Hmm...

Shin- "I'll text you the locations on your phone."

Aerin- "Got it! I'll be sure to tell the boys when they get back."

Shin- "I'll be with the hero, I have some things to test." I walk to a hidden room, back far away from anywhere people would hang around. The door opens into a dark room, totally devoid of light.

I flick on a light, and see the limbless hero.

"Hello! It's been a while hasn't it? I've been busy, but I've got something for you~" He looks up at me, his eyes lifeless.

"Aren't you excited? You may be able to get your freedom, as well as your arms and legs back!" But only if it goes well...

SF- "R-really?" He asks, very weakly. A shred of hope has appeared in his eyes. I immediately cover an oncoming smile, knowing that it was coming.

Shin- "The only requirement is your undying loyalty, and listening to my every command." He doesn't hesitate.

SF- "I'll do anything! I'll serve you for the rest of my life! But please, just let me go outside..." He seems distressed, it's only been a few weeks... What happened to him to make him like this? The complete darkness, loneliness, lack of food and water? Maybe it's the occasional torture I did, or possibly the lack of sleep as well...

I shrug my shoulders at my previous thoughts.

Shin- "Perfect. Now I'll give you this crystal, it can give you immense power." I got all I could from absorbing the Aura left inside it. I'm almost certain that it's been purified, but I'm not sure. Hence, why I wanted to test it on this loser.

I had to extract this crystal out of Hikari's solar plexus area, but that's not where it probably should have been. I think the reason Hikari maintained her human form was because it wasn't put in correctly.

Now that it's purified it should only amplify one's physique and Flair, while only modifying their appearance to be better.

I form a shadow into an extremely sharp scalpel... Wait, why do I need a sword? I can just make one! I'm an idiot...

I 'carefully' shoved the crystal into his stomach area, to the same point where all his Aura originates from. All of a sudden, he starts bleeding from every pore.

SF- "AAAAAAAHHHHH!" His skin starts moving as if it were a hundred rats inside his flesh.

After a few hours of metamorphizing, he lays in a pool of his own blood unconscious. He now has each of his limbs reformed, and they are very well defined. His hair is now silver, and his appearance shot up a level or two.

He wakes up a few minutes later, looking very confused.

SF- "W-what happened?" A smile forms on my face.

Shin- "Welcome back, how do you like your new form?" He gives himself a once-over.

SF- "I feel so different, and my hair is a different color... My arms and legs are so... Powerful."

Shin- "That's good. I'm glad, do you remember your name?" He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

SF- "I... Have been reborn, so please give me a name fitting of my transformation! Master!" I am taken aback by his sudden proclamation.

Shin- "Use your Flair real quick, it will also probably change." White flames erupt from his body.

"Now you look like Johnny freaking Storm, but white... Hmm... I wish I knew multiple languages like Zero... Uh... Wait! I got it! Shiro Blaze"

Blaze- "My name is now Shiro Blaze? I like it! Thank you Master!"

Shin- "You're fine, no need to call me Master. Just call me Hollow for now, okay Blaze?" He nods, and I immediately head home. I have to force Blaze to stay here, but I finally escaped.

I open the front door with a tired expression, and Hikari immediately runs up to me.

Hikari- "Welcome back!" She looks up at me, beaming.