Chapter 12: Frameworks and Foundations
Alex sat quietly at his desk, swirling the last drops of his coffee. The cup, one of his earliest summoned items, still amazed him with its ability to brew a unique flavor morning and evening. This time it had produced a creamy vanilla-roasted blend. Bliss lay near the window, her ears perked up, watching the street below with a peaceful aura emanating from her small body.
The cube—his Mindcube of Clarity—rotated gently inside his mindspace. He mentally twisted it once, feeling a fresh wave of alertness pulse through him. With nothing pressing on his schedule, Alex leaned back. The hero dispatch world had finally calmed. Many private companies, fearing exposure and loss of government contracts, had stopped staging fake emergencies. The genuine emergencies were being handled better than ever.
Agent Yurei had arrived earlier and delivered the good news: "Dispatchers all over are reporting fewer incidents. You've helped shift the entire system. Take the day off."
Alex appreciated it, but rest wasn't on his agenda. He wanted to check on his recruits.
---
He started with Kian. The young man, still bruised from the last mission, was seated alone in the gym, throwing rapid punches at a reinforced dummy. His gauntlet flickered slightly with energy after each strike.
"Kian," Alex called gently. "You're pushing yourself too hard."
"I messed up last time," Kian muttered, sweat pouring off his face.
Alex approached calmly, placing a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder. "You didn't fail. You're still learning. Everyone gets overwhelmed in the field their first few times. What matters is what you do next."
Kian looked down, but nodded silently.
"You've got potential. And you're not alone. We're a team."
---
He next went to Leena's gardening space. The verdant room was warm, filled with blooming flowers, climbing vines, and softly glowing crystals. Alex found Leena bent forward, hands buried in soil, her tank top revealing a bit too much as she worked. He immediately turned around, coughing.
"Oh no!" Leena shrieked and scrambled to cover herself. "I didn't know anyone was coming!"
"It's okay," Alex said over his shoulder. "Just came to let you know—today's your day off."
She tied up her shirt, cheeks red. "Thanks. I'll just… finish up here."
Alex smiled and moved on.
---
He found Toru in his workshop, humming happily while trying to merge a flashlight and a compact mirror. "See, I was thinking of a portable spotlight with reflection assist," he explained.
Alex grinned. "No day off for you?"
"Creation is rest," Toru said, not looking up. "I like building things."
"I figured," Alex said. "Carry on."
---
Back in his office, Alex stared at his imitation core. "It's got potential," he murmured. "But energy's still a limitation."
He focused, summoning a new item: a glowing AA battery, humming softly with infinite energy regeneration. He attempted to merge it with the core—nothing happened. He tried again. Still no effect.
"Am I not able to? I was able to merge the items with the heros. Is there some limitations?," he whispered.
He took the items to Toru. "Can you merge these?"
Toru eyed the battery and the imitation core. He tried it "Nope. Core's power level is beyond what I can handle mentally. Sorry, boss."
Alex returned, thinking deeply. "I can't merge items with items… unless…"
He focused and summoned a new item: a brown table with a 3-by-3 glowing blue grid. The Merge Table. Item Description:
[Merge Table
Function: Allows safe combination of two compatible items.
Limits: Cannot be used consecutively more than twice per day without mental fatigue.
Rarity: Epic]
He placed the battery and the imitation core on the table and mentally activated it.
Blue light surged.
Alex's head spun. He collapsed.
---
Bliss rushed to him, her aura surrounding his body. Calm. Healing. Warmth.
A few minutes later, Alex opened his eyes. He had fainted from mental overuse. But in front of him lay a new item.
[Enhanced Imitation Core
Function: Can absorb and replicate one item's power.
Duration: 12 hours.
Cooldown: 3 hours.
Notes: Mimics structural integrity, size, and core function.]
"This'll be the main item," he whispered. "Piece by piece…"
---
Later, Yurei peeked into the room. She found Alex asleep on his couch, Bliss curled beside him. She gave a soft chuckle, closed the door, and left.
---
Far away, in a hidden location, the Boss received intel.
"He summoned a new hero," the spy said. "And his recruits returned home safely."
The Boss looked at the report. "Continue observation. What about the rogue items?"
The lab assistant answered nervously, "We… we don't have any active project like that, sir. None of ours are unaccounted for."
"So someone else is letting out sentient weapons," the Boss muttered. "Trying to stir chaos… or encroach on my territory."
He turned his gaze to a giant vat, inside which floated a creature.
Codename: CR1S1S
DNA composition: Human, Snake, Alligator, Cuttlefish, Eel.
Status: Almost ready for field testing.
"Let's see if your summoner can handle a real crisis," he whispered.
---
Alex awoke, sipping the cold remains of his morning brew. He walked to the window and gazed at the moon, softly glowing in the night sky.
"I wonder what comes next," he whispered, the Mindcube of Clarity rotating silently in his thoughts.
Alex found himself gazing out his office window, mind still unsettled. He reached out with his thoughts—and Zipline stepped through the portal. The neon-blue shimmer faded behind her as she looked at him,She asked," where is the emergency?". Alex calmed her down. Alex asked for her story. She sat down,her usual energy replaced by something quieter.
"I was a B-rank hero back in my world," she began, voice low. "People loved me. I loved that they did. Cameras, fans, adoration—I soaked it all in. But one mission changed everything. A building was collapsing. I pushed another hero aside just to be the one in the spotlight… but I wasn't strong enough. I had the speed, not the strength. I watched it fall. I heard them scream. I survived, but they didn't."
She looked away, her voice cracking. "I blamed myself. I... I couldn't live with it. So I didn't. And after that… it was just darkness. Cold. Silent. I thought that was it for me."
Her eyes glistened as she met his gaze. "Then I heard you. Your voice. Your fear. Your desperation. And I came. Not for redemption… but maybe for something close."
Alex stepped forward slowly, his voice warm and quiet. "You're not that person anymore. You came because you wanted to make a difference. And you already have. You saved lives here. That matters."
Zipline swallowed hard, nodding. "Thank you, Alex. That… means more than you know."
Before stepping back into the portal, she gave him a grateful look. A flicker of peace crossed her face.
When she vanished, Alex stood in silence, staring at the empty space where she'd been. He exhaled deeply and whispered, "You're not alone anymore."
[End of Chapter 12]