Peter was startled when a familiar figure grabbed him and pulled him aside. The figure knelt next to Uncle Ben and fed the unconscious man a small green object that had a strong, earthy scent.
"Snap.""Crunch.""Gulp."
The figure worked diligently, trying to revive Ben. Peter hesitated for a moment but eventually found the courage to approach.
"w... who are you?" Peter choked on his words as he walked unsteadily toward the man and his father.
William sighed, noticing the flush of blood returning to his father's cheeks. He turned to meet Peter's eyes, who remained stunned by the situation.
"Peter, William, is that you? What... what are you?"
William raised a hand. "We can talk about this later. First things first."
He turned back to his father, who was slowly regaining consciousness.
"Doo doo, doo doo!"The sound of approaching emergency vehicles pulled Peter from his daze.
Peter waved down the ambulance and rushed to help Ben into the back of the vehicle. He looked back to see what was happening with William, but—
"Peter, he's gone. But when?"
Peter glanced around, confused, before the ambulance doors closed and sped off toward the nearest hospital.
Will stood at the corner of an alley, watching it all unfold. He thought, We can talk later, but first, I need to figure out what's going on with my body. The memories of the past few hours were still fresh in his mind.
I turned into an ape, but I wasn't massive like the Saiyans in Dragon Ball!
It was possible that the transmigration had altered his Saiyan biology to fit more with the universal rules. He had no way of knowing for sure, and for all he knew, he might not even be a true Saiyan.
His thoughts returned to the system.
System AI:User has unlocked Ki cultivation.System AI:User has forcefully unlocked Ikari transformation. Ikari form has detrimental effects on the mental state of the user.System AI:User has completed hidden quest - Light of the Moon. Rewards dispensed.
A flash of light temporarily blinded William before he saw what was in his hands.
The cube in his left hand nearly made him lose his balance. Will looked down and saw a block that he assumed was metal, though he couldn't tell exactly what kind.
He checked the system messages.
System AI:User has gained one block of Katchin.
"That stuff is supposed to be pretty tough, right?" William muttered.
His attention shifted to the other item, which left him astonished. A small, yet remarkably beautiful staff!
It can't be... can it?
With reverence, Will began to polish the surface of the staff before checking the system for confirmation.
System AI:User has gained one Power Pole.
William couldn't help but tremble with excitement. Madness flickered in his eyes, and anyone who saw him might've been scared.
"I can't believe it's the Power Pole! I've been obsessed with this thing since I first saw the anime!"
He took a deep breath to calm himself.
"I can't carry around a block of metal, so I'll leave it in the system space for now."
He waved his hand over the Katchin block, and it dematerialized before rematerializing in the system space on the landmass where William had previously taken his test.
"That's going to be useful, but I'm curious about its limits."
Will waited for the emergency vehicles to clear before making his way back toward his house in Queens, New York.
I should probably let Mom know Dad will be alright.
He jogged at a brisk pace, wishing he had a phone.
Will sighed.
Not long after, he arrived home to find his mom sitting on the couch, worried sick. Her eyes went wide when she saw him, and she rushed to him, tears streaming down her face.
She was so relieved, and with none of her boys home, her emotions poured out. Will found himself crying as well, his thoughts focused on one thing: I'll protect my family at all costs.
After they calmed down, Will explained the highlights of the night, notably glossing over the whole "ape" situation.
When she heard that her husband had been shot by a carjacker, her eyes went wide. Before Will could react, she grabbed the car keys and headed for the door.
May poked her head back in, asking, "Which hospital? Is it Queens Hospital Center or Mount Sinai?"
Will, momentarily exasperated, told her what he knew.
"The QHC, Mom!"
They rushed to the car and sped off toward the hospital.
When they arrived, it was chaos. Nurses were drenched in sweat, doing their best to manage the incoming patients. As expected, they were understaffed.
May and Will squeezed through to the receptionist and asked about Ben's room.
"Receptionist: Are you friends, family, or other?"
"May and Will (together): Family."
They shared a brief look, and Aunt May couldn't help but chuckle.
The receptionist nodded and began typing.
Click-click-click...
"Receptionist: His room is 34C, on the third floor."
May thanked the receptionist, and the two rushed upstairs.
As they neared Ben's room, May anxiously grabbed Will's hand, squeezing it tight. She was terrified, and rightfully so. After all, this was all she knew.
Will thought, I think she knows what I'm feeling.
They entered the room to find Uncle Ben chatting with the nurse, sharing embarrassing stories about Peter's childhood, and even had pictures!
Peter noticed them first and gave Will and May a pleading look.
"Peter: Oh hey, if it isn't my brother and lovely Aunt May."
He was clearly trying to change the subject.
It worked.
The nurse nodded at May and quickly left, allowing the family to spend time together.
May nearly teleported into Ben's arms, breaking into a quiet sob. The room fell into a heavy silence.
"May: I was so worried. William told me everything."
Ben gave a thoughtful look, his gaze shifting to his adopted son, a light almost imperceptible in his eyes.
"Ben: Peter told me what happened on his end, but I'd like to hear your version, William."
He stared into William's eyes with a knowing look, making William gulp.
Does he know...?
Before he could respond, a doctor entered with paperwork in hand. He scanned the room before focusing on Ben.
"Doctor: We've run the tests, scanned you from head to toe, and you're in top shape. We didn't even find an entry or exit wound!"
The family exchanged glances.
"Ben: What do you mean, doctor?"
Ben looked at the doctor's name tag.
"Doctor: Strange. Steven Strange. But please, call me Doctor Strange."
Ben nodded in acknowledgment.
"Doctor Strange: What I'm saying is... you, sir, are a miracle."
The room fell silent.