Chapter 013 – Like A Child

[2009 – June]

"Your powers are bullshit.", Ellie remarked with an annoyed look on her face.

Rubbing her waist, where one of the balls had hit her after she had momentarily relaxed her hold on the energy cloak, moments before she had tried to hit the button only to realise that it was enclosed in my barrier.

After I had pushed the button, I had removed the barrier again, which of course meant that Pietro had taken second place while Yukio had managed to beat Ellie to the punch and take third place, leaving Ellie with the last place.

Smiling lightly in response, I couldn't help but agree internally. Creating a superpower and using it were totally different things.

It was only moments before the challenge had started that I realised that I didn't have to be faster than the others, I simply had to make sure they couldn't push the button before me.

These goals may seem similar, but there was a great difference between them.

Simply forming a near-unbreakable barrier around the button had given me a rather easy victory, even though it was mentally taxing to keep two barriers active at the same time. And had it been three, I wouldn't have been able to do it.

I only had the mind of a normal human, so multitasking was as hard as it was for anyone else as my ability didn't give me any advantages with that.

"Thanks for the compliment, but yours isn't bad either. Quite the destructive power, Ellie.", I remarked as I pointed at the cracked and broken floor tiles.

"Yeah, but that didn't help in breaking your barrier. Is it even breakable?", she asked back, a hint of frustration in her tone.

"Well, probably. You will just have to get a few nuclear warheads to do so. If you are lucky, you may leave a few cracks.", I answered jokingly.

Honestly, I wasn't sure if my shields could ever become that strong.

Well, theoretically they could, but I had felt substantial pressure in my mind as the three of them had attacked the barrier above the button. And while I could endure that easily enough, I realised that the strength of my barriers seemed related to the strength of my mind.

Thinking about it for a moment, I understood that it was only logical.

The ability was incredibly powerful, but I was still a baseline human through and through so I couldn't completely unleash all its power.

Most Omega-level mutants needed years, even decades of training before they were able to unleash the full power of their mutation and during that time they often developed some supportive or other related minor ability.

Taking Iceman as an example, he had not been able to wield the full power of his ability at the beginning. But later on, when he gained his Organic Iceform, it had given him a significant boost in power. This power-up though didn't come from his new form, but from the fact that his new form was more attuned to his inherent power and thus allowed his original ability to display a much greater effect.

He also wasn't the only one.

A more general example was the simple fact that everyone with Superstrength had some kind of enhanced durability, like Angel Dust for example. Not because they had two mutant abilities, but simply because their body adapted to their Superstrength to allow them to wield it.

Which wasn't possible without increased durability, as they would otherwise injure themselves greatly or even kill themselves when using their power.

As they say, you can't pour hot water into a cup made of ice and expect it not to melt.

It was the same for me. With several years of training, my mind would probably adapt and evolve to allow my abilities with my shields to grow substantially. This also let me know about the limits of my Self-Creation, as it granted me only the power I specified, which was an incredibly important realization.

This made it clear that I couldn't just give myself powers like Enhanced Speed without first increasing my physical senses, or else I may as well run myself into a wall because I couldn't see where I was going.

And yet still, as a newly-awakened mutant, I had the ability to create barriers that couldn't be broken through in a short time by three of the most powerful mutants among the younger generation, which just showed how incredible Omega-level mutants were.

"Don't be too happy yet, the next challenge is all about attack power.", Ellie declared, as her competitive spirit seemed to shine through her usual indifferent attitude.

"Ah your so cute, when you're all competitive!", Yukio said, as she pounced on Ellie and manhandled the short-haired girl into a hug.

"Well, it seems I also have to give it my all. Can't really let the newbie steal my title.", Pietro remarked with a confident smirk, before he voiced out, "Computer change training room four to setting three."

Once again a female robotic voice replied: "Affirmative, training room set on mode three."

The ball launchers vanished behind the wall panels again, as did the small pillar with the button.

Instead, an all-black metal column appeared from the floor near one of the walls and on the wall right of it, a small screen appeared from behind a different panel.

"Let me guess, we all have to attack it and the screen displays a value according to the damage rating.", I said, pretty sure of my guess with Ellie's earlier words still in my mind.

"Yeah. That pillar can measure different kinds of attack power not only kinetic but also thermic, electric, and others. The highest level is 100 and the lowest is 0. I'm gonna go first, so you see what your up against.", Pietro explained further before his form turned blurry for a moment and a rumble echoed through the room right after.

"78, not bad.", Ellie said, as she saw the number displayed after Pietro's attack, though she didn't seem too bothered, which was no wonder as destructive power was kinda her forte.

"I am next!", Yukio urged, as she ran up to the column and released a shower of lightning from the palm she touched the pillar with.

Her result was 'only' 56, which was not that surprising.

Her attack power might be good, but her Electrokinesis couldn't measure up against the kinetic energy Pietro could channel through his body thanks to his speed.

Walking in front of the measuring device, a focused look appeared on Ellie's face while we watched her prepare her energy.

Volatile yellow energy poured out of her body, as she tensed her muscles, and with a short exclamation from her, an incredible force hit the pillar.

Instinctively I raised my hand and a blackish transparent barrier appeared around us, shielding us from the shockwave.

The number 81 appeared on the screen, as Yukio happily ran towards her exhausted girlfriend: "You did it, Ellie!"

A small smile of satisfaction and pride appeared on the short-haired goth girl's face, as she gave Yukio a fond look.

"That leaves only you, good-looking.", Pietro said jokingly.

"I may need a test shot, I just got this power yesterday.", I replied.

"No newbie privileges, this is not a video game after all.", came back his cold-hearted reply immediately after.

"Fine. Guess I will have to think of something.", I said quietly, as I approached the testing pillar.

Yukio helped Ellie move away from the target, while I got in position a few meters away from the column. That blast seemed to have exhausted a lot of her stamina as she seemed very drained.

Still, my focus soon returned to myself, as I thought about how to get a good score.

Destructive power obviously wasn't a strong suit of barriers, so I had to be creative.

I knew that I could probably just fling a barrier at it with high speed to get a decent score, but that wouldn't be enough to contend with the others as their powers had great offensive might.

Especially Pietro's Superspeed, he just had to be creative to display it – like I needed to be right now.

A smile formed on my lips without me knowing, it was as if a long-forgotten part of me had awakened. A part that could enjoy this little competition and the excitement it brought.

Like a child, I found myself just having fun without any worries weighing down my mind.

I felt light. I felt free.