Before leaving Las Vegas, Su Zhan knew he had to make proper arrangements for those he cared about. He spent the morning ensuring Jessica, Niki, and Eden would be safe in his absence. With Linderman's hypnotic control firmly in place, Su Zhan was confident that no harm would come to them, at least not until he returned. Linderman's ability to heal and even resurrect was powerful and tempting, but Su Zhan decided not to devour it just yet. If he did, Linderman's backers would simply send someone else, and Jessica and Eden could be caught in the crossfire. The power would remain here, waiting for him to claim it when the time was right.
With his affairs in order, Su Zhan turned his attention to the next step. He used his location ability to search for Hiro Nakamura. Fortunately, Hiro was still in the same timeline and space. If he had slipped away, tracking him down would have been nearly impossible.
Before departing, Su Zhan gathered Jessica, Niki, and Eden to say goodbye. Jessica was the first to approach him, her embrace strong and warm. She pressed a kiss to his lips and whispered a few soft words. Then, with a subtle shift, Niki surfaced, repeating the gesture with her own gentle affection. Eden lingered nearby, watching with a touch of envy as the twins each said their farewells. When Su Zhan finally turned to her, Eden seemed hesitant, as if she wanted to do something but could not bring herself to act. He hugged her tightly, whispering, "I'll be back soon. Don't worry about me."
Eden's voice was quiet, but her concern was clear. "You, be careful out there."
He smiled, reassuring her. "I will."
With that, Su Zhan and the Haitian stepped out onto the balcony. Eden bit her lip, hesitating for a long moment as she watched them. She had wanted to be bold, to finally do what she had always wanted before Su Zhan left, but by the time she made up her mind, he was already gone, soaring into the sky.
A small town near Las Vegas bustled with the midday rush. In a cozy restaurant, Hiro Nakamura sat alone, enjoying a simple meal. The door opened, and Su Zhan entered, his presence drawing Hiro's attention immediately. Hiro stood up, excitement and indignation mixing in his voice. "It's you! You're the villain who tried to take my power last time!"
Su Zhan could not help but smile at the childish accusation. It was not the word itself, but the earnestness with which Hiro said it that made Su Zhan almost laugh. "Are you here to devour my ability again? I won't let you succeed. I'm a hero, and I'll defeat you!" Hiro declared, squinting his eyes and preparing to activate his power.
Su Zhan shook his head, amused. "Your eyes are already small, Hiro. If you squint any harder, they'll disappear. Don't waste your energy."
At that moment, the Haitian stepped into view. Su Zhan cleared his throat and addressed the restaurant. "Everyone, if you don't want to get hurt, I suggest you leave now." With a sudden burst of flames, panic swept through the dining room, and the patrons fled in a rush, leaving only Hiro, Su Zhan, and the Haitian.
With a flick of his hand, Su Zhan pulled Hiro across the room, suspending him in midair. "Last time, I failed. This time, I'm determined to claim your power."
Su Zhan activated his devouring ability. Immediately, he felt a fierce resistance, stronger than most he had encountered. It was a struggle of wills, a slow, relentless tug-of-war. Sweat beaded on Su Zhan's brow as he focused, pouring all his concentration into the effort. Gradually, the power began to separate from Hiro, inch by inch, until finally it broke free and surged into Su Zhan's body.
Hiro collapsed to the floor, nearly in tears from the effort and the loss. Su Zhan, on the other hand, was elated. "Let's see just how strong this ability is," he said, his voice trembling with excitement.
He nodded to the Haitian, who closed the power-suppressing barrier. Su Zhan activated Hiro's power, and the world around him instantly fell silent and still. Time itself had stopped. The restaurant, the Haitian, and even Hiro were frozen in place, as if the universe had pressed a pause button. Su Zhan marveled at the sensation. The power to halt time was unlike anything he had ever experienced. With a thought, he released the ability, and the world snapped back into motion.
"The Haitian, erase his memories of his ability and spare him the pain of remembering this defeat," Su Zhan instructed. As the Haitian complied, Su Zhan vanished from the restaurant, eager to test the next aspect of his new power.
He focused, willing himself to travel through time and space. In an instant, the world blurred, and Su Zhan found himself standing in a small Texas town, a month in the past. He spotted Claire Bennet, just returning home from school. At this point in time, Claire still possessed her self-healing ability, and Su Zhan intended to update her status in the fighting field so she could regain her powers.
"Update fighting field character: Claire," Su Zhan commanded the system as he watched Claire approach.
Claire glanced at him, puzzled. There was something familiar about the Asian man standing before her, but she could not place him. She smiled politely and continued on her way, occasionally glancing back to find him still watching her with a gentle smile. His presence made her heart race, and she hurried her steps, feeling oddly flustered.
"I still like you best in the future," Su Zhan murmured softly as he watched her disappear down the street.
With the system updated, Su Zhan entered the fighting field. Now, Jessica's avatar appeared alongside the others. Eden's friendship had increased, but not yet enough to unlock her as a fighting field character. Claire's avatar glowed brightly, and after confirming the selection, she materialized before Su Zhan. Her memories of the last visit had been erased, so she was a little startled at first, but upon seeing Su Zhan, she relaxed and ran into his arms.
"How are you here? What is this place?" Claire asked, her voice full of excitement.
"Don't worry about that," Su Zhan replied gently. "Have you regained your ability?"
Claire nodded, her eyes shining. "Yes, I don't know how, but it suddenly came back."
"That's all that matters," Su Zhan said, smiling. With Claire's ability restored and his own new powers in hand, he felt ready to leave this world behind, confident that everything was finally as it should be.