Ch- 24 "The Path to Omnipotence"

In the tranquil surroundings of the Shekhawat family's household, Swayam found himself in a rather peculiar situation. Being able to rapidly grow from a single cell to a full-grown adult male was certainly a new experience for him. But, as fate would have it, another novel experience awaited him. Thankfully, the embarrassment of being spotted naked in public was averted, for the pond near which he now stood was nestled within the confines of the Shekhawat estate.

Which means all the previous incidents, whose main characters were a fly, chameleon, and the water snake, were actually happening in Swayam's backyard. However, being in the seclusion of his own property didn't automatically make him comfortable with the idea of being seen in his birthday suit, not by his parents, nor by anyone else, for that matter.

After glancing around anxiously to ensure that no prying eyes had caught a glimpse of him, Swayam hastily made a dash for his room. He reached it in an instant, grateful for the enhanced speed bestowed upon him by his genetically enhanced body. Such a gift was nothing short of heaven-sent in moments of unexpected vulnerability.

***

After changing into a fresh set of clothes and settling onto his bed, Swayam finally had the peace and quiet needed to reflect on the bizarre events that had just transpired.

Firstly, he realized, 'When I felt like I was powerful enough to thrive in any fictional world, I foolishly chose to immerse myself in one of the most perilous narratives imaginable.'

Secondly, he mused, 'In my reckless choice to integrate into the Marvel universe, I either forgot or willfully ignored the existence of cosmic entities within that fiction, beings capable of effortlessly obliterating a mere entity like me.'

Last but not least, he pondered, 'My survival can be attributed to the hasty decision of avoiding antagonizing what was most likely an omniscient being, achieved by separating a single cell and the subconscious suppression of that cell.' These thoughts swirled in his mind as he began to document the extraordinary events that had unfolded in his life.

As I contemplated the fact that my chances of survival had become nearly non-existent the moment I stepped into a perilous fictional realm, an intense shiver of terror coursed through me.

Yet, amidst the fear, another emotion welled up as I replayed the recent events in my mind: Wrath.

A burning wrath directed both inward and outward. Wrath towards myself for making perhaps the most foolish decision of my life. And wrath towards the enigmatic being who had nearly ended me, for reasons unknown.

[Beep! Unstable emotions detected! Suggesting Host to take preventive measures.]" The mechanical voice of the A.I. Chip rang in my ears, serving as a stark reminder.

I quickly grasped that these turbulent emotions were likely a result of my body's rapid growth, causing my hormones to spiral out of control and clouding my thought processes.

Determined to regain control over my emotions, I decided, "If that's the situation, then I should refrain from dwelling on anything and prioritize rest." With that thought, an overwhelming drowsiness washed over me, and I succumbed to sleep without further hesitation.

***

Possessing a genetically enhanced body presented both a curse and a blessing. A curse for those who cherished the luxury of a few extra hours of sleep, and a blessing for those who could rejuvenate fully within a mere two hours.

Swayam, our protagonist, fell into the former category. He had always preferred a solid eight hours of rest, and now, unable to sleep any longer, a deep frustration welled up within him. A part of him longed to let out a primal scream to vent his irritation.

By the time the clock struck 9:30 in the morning, Swayam had fully regained his energy. He found himself voraciously indulging in a hearty breakfast, stuffing his mouth with all sorts of delectable food items.

***

Upon consuming a meal fit for five people, Swayam had an epiphany. He realized that the more he tapped into his Healing Factor and other integrated abilities, the greater his appetite became.

Hunger, he contemplated, was an insatiable urge, driving the need to consume nutrients vital for both physical and mental well-being.

It occurred to him that hunger wasn't solely attributed to underlying health issues; various factors could trigger it. These included prolonged periods without eating, limited access to food, dietary restrictions, growth spurts, or intense physical activity.

In a sense, he realized, hunger was indeed a necessity for survival, but it also seemed to be holding him back significantly. He knew he had to address this issue.

However, before delving into any solutions, he needed to ponder how to handle the situation with his smartphone, which had been wiped clean along with his discarded body.

***

As I finished the plate of pasta, a thought struck me. "If I remember correctly, didn't Mom take a picture of me holding my phone during the birthday party?" I glanced over at my mother, who was watching me with a concerned expression.

"Son, what's going on? Why are you eating so much?" Mom's worry was evident as she couldn't contain herself any longer and began firing a series of rapid questions. "Should I call Harish, our family doctor, and ask him what's happening to you?"

"Mom, you don't have to worry," Swayam replied hastily, hoping to divert his mother's attention away from the empty plates on the dining table. "It's just that I had an intense workout, which has left me feeling quite hungry. You know, eating a lot of food helps me cope with the weakness in my body."

His mother, Sati, continued to look concerned, despite the logical explanation. "Are you absolutely sure you're not feeling anything strange happening to you?" She asked once more, seeking reassurance about her son's health.

Having filled his stomach and somewhat reassured his mother, Swayam picked up her phone and headed straight to his room.

***

Swayam entered his room and securely locked the door behind him. He settled into a chair at his study table and began scrolling through his mother's photo gallery. After a thorough search, he finally found the picture he had been looking for and carefully extracted his smartphone from the image.

He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "At least I don't have to worry about buying a new device anymore," he said to himself, relieved to have recovered his smartphone.

"Now, I'm determined to empower myself to a point where I won't have to worry about any random Omniscient Beings meddling with me and my loved ones ever again. But before embarking on that journey, I should return my mother's phone to her." As Swayam held his recovered smartphone, a burning desire to become 'The Most Overpowered Individual' across all realities and fictional realms ignited within his soul.

***

After returning his mother's phone, Swayam retreated back into his room, securely locking the door. Inside, he began his search for the most overpowered individual whose abilities he could extract and seamlessly integrate into himself.

The individual he ultimately selected for this ambitious "Extraction and Integration" endeavor was none other than "Superman Prime," with his formidable Kryptonian physiology, and, of course, devoid of any weaknesses.

***

While in the process of extracting and integrating the Kryptonian Physiology, a resounding [Beep!] echoed inside Swayam's head.

[Beep! Massive mutation detected within the Host's cellular structure.]

[Beep! Drastic changes detected in the Host's physiology.]

[Beep! Kryptonian Cells merging with Embryonic stem cell.]

[Beep! Healing Factor successfully integrated with the Kryptonian Physiology.]

[Beep! Host's race changed to ???]

[Beep! Please suggest a name for the new race.]

Swayam found himself in a moment of unforeseen transformation, facing the need to define his new identity.

***

Swayam contemplated the transformation and thought, "Seems like I am one more step closer to truly becoming an overpowered individual. As for the name of the race, I will choose it after extracting and integrating with one more thing."

***