MTL NOVEL Chapter 48: Chapter 48
"…Thank you," Ashborn said, though he wasn't entirely sure how to react. Apparently, the quiet ones weren't to be trusted—they had secret personalities just waiting to explode.
"I ask you out on a date," Wonder Woman declared. Ember's fists clenched, her glare intensifying. Ashborn barely registered it—his mind was still catching up.
A date? With Wonder Woman? Why on earth would he say no to that?
"Wonder Woman." Superman's voice was firm as he shot her a look.
Wonder Woman hesitated, then blinked as if snapping back to reality. With a quiet sigh, she sheathed her sword and sat down, her gaze lowering to the floor.
Ashborn frowned, glancing around, trying to make sense of what had just happened. One second, she was holding him at swordpoint, the next, she was asking him out, and now she looked… embarrassed? Before he could dwell on it, Ember grabbed his hand.
"We should leave," she said, her tone sharp. Ashborn didn't resist. He wasn't about to sit around and let this turn into some weird spectacle at his expense. And as you could see, he had incredible self-control, choosing to leave when the battle wasn't worth it.
"We can find another place to stay," Ember said with a smirk, throwing a pointed look at Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman's fists clenched, but before she could react, Ember teleported away, taking Ashborn with her—destination unknown.
Of course, the League immediately moved to track them. Meanwhile, Superman's gaze lingered on Wonder Woman.
Why had he called out to her earlier? Because he had to remind her—Ashborn wasn't fully trusted. It wasn't smart to get involved with someone who could very well become their enemy tomorrow.
Wonder Woman understood that… but still. Ashborn was just too handsome. If Superman were gay, he'd get it.
But thanks to Ashborn's charm being naturally suppressed, its strongest effect was on those already attracted to his gender. Hell, be around him long enough, and you might start questioning things yourself.
From the moment Wonder Woman laid eyes on Ashborn, she was shocked. His beauty was something even the goddess of beauty would envy. But at first, it was just that—she admired his looks, nothing more.
That changed the moment he started talking. When Ashborn spoke, everyone listened. His presence was impossible to ignore.
Still, for the longest time, she had assumed he and Ember were a thing. That was, until Ashborn casually mentioned that he had never been in a relationship—because he genuinely believed he was too ugly.
And at that moment… she just couldn't help herself.
Men and women weren't so different. How would a man react if she heard that a woman she liked had never been in a relationship because she thought she was ugly? He'd immediately try to shower her with compliments, reassuring her that she was beautiful.
Wonder Woman had done the exact same thing. What she hadn't expected was Ember's reaction.
But she didn't care. So what if she had a love rival? She was willing to fight for Ashborn—give it everything she had.
That was… until she remembered that Ashborn might one day become their enemy. Still, it was impressive how quickly she managed to snap herself back to reality.
"So, where do you plan for us to stay?" Ashborn asked with a blank expression as he followed Ember. He couldn't help but notice that their destination looked familiar… was that the White House? The gates swung open on their own, and the guards bowed slightly in greeting. It seemed Ember's mind control was in full effect.
"I'm going to take the easy route," Ember replied, casting a peculiar glance at Ashborn. "Also, shouldn't you start resting? You're bound to attract trouble."
"What do you mean?" Ashborn asked, genuinely confused.
"You don't feel it?" Ember asked, her expression growing more serious. "The Primordial Void of this omniverse—slowly trying to pinpoint you within the light we're in?"
Ashborn paused, then focused. The moment he did, his face paled. He felt it—an all-seeing eye scouring creation, searching for him. He quickly pulled his senses back, heart pounding. If he lingered for even a moment longer, it might help the darkness find him.
[New Mission: Get Ready]
Objective: You destroyed the Heroes Plot Armor by suddenly appearing. The darkness will come at the light with its full might. Prepare yourself.
Reward: [Extreme Recovery]
Punishment: [You Will Not Be Ready to Face It]
Time Limit: 10 years.
[Hint: You would need more than a billion years to fully recover your strength. It would be wise to gain allies within the light to combat the darkness. Once the system deems you minimally prepared, the quest will be marked as complete.]
[Hint 2: The Justice League across the multiverse, and even higher-dimensional beings, could be invaluable allies—shadow or not.
Hint 3: You can ignore the mission, as in one year you can return to Marvel.]
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[New Mission: I'm Now Your Leader]
Objective: Convince the world's leaders—without using mind control—to make you the leader of the Justice League.
Reward: [Training Dimension], [???]
Punishment: [None]
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'Fuck this shit.' Ashborn groaned internally. 'Can't I heal in peace? I thought this was supposed to be a vacation or something. Fuck… fuck.'
His eyes lingered on the previous quest reward—[Extreme Recovery]. It looked too good to pass up. But did he really want to bother with this world?
'Well… the system is pointing me toward a way to survive. I guess it's time to charm my way into the world leaders' hearts.' Sighing, he glanced at Ember. "Remove the mind control on the president."
She raised an eyebrow but did as he asked.
"W-what's going on?" the dark-skinned man asked, standing up in alarm. His instincts kicked in immediately—something was off. He turned, reaching to call for security, but before he could, the door swung open.
He froze as Ashborn and Ember stepped inside.
"We mean you no harm," Ashborn said calmly. "In fact, I'm here to show you a vision of the future."
A future he had just glimpsed—one that didn't have to happen. Now, he intended to share that wisdom with the President of the United States.
"A vision of what?" he asked, his voice wary. Before he could process an answer, the world around him shifted.
He was no longer in his office. His breath caught as he looked around, disoriented—until his eyes landed on two hands reaching for each other.
His heart paused. On instinct knew this scene. One hand radiated darkness. The other is light. The eternal struggle. Heroes and villains, locked in an endless cycle of good and evil.
It was why no matter what happened, villains who should have died always returned—and why the same was true for heroes. The battles waged on Earth were nothing more than reflections of the greater war between the Darkness and the Light.
But then—his heart skipped a few beats. The darkness was winning. Slowly, it swallowed the hand of light, creeping over it like an unstoppable tide.
For a fleeting moment, he saw an illusion of the multiverse—of Superman, Wonder Woman, and every hero falling before their enemies. Some perished, others met fates far worse.
And in the end… the light was gone. Snuffed out. Never to be seen again.
The President collapsed into his seat, his body rigid with horror. He had just witnessed the end of creation itself.
His gaze snapped to Ashborn, who stood calmly beside him. Before he could even form a question, Ashborn spoke.
"As you saw, the battles here on Earth are merely reflections of the greater war taking place beyond." Ashborn's voice was calm, steady. "If enough of these reflections show that we are winning… then it means the Light is pushing back the Darkness."
The President's eyes went blank for a moment as the realization sank in. Then, slowly, he stood.
Ashborn met his gaze. "I want to lead the Justice League—because with my skill set, creation wins."
The President hesitated, doubt flickering in his expression. "How can I trust anything you just showed me?"
"Because what you're feeling right now is real," Ashborn said, his voice steady. "We all originated from that Light—you know that instinctively. I didn't have to tell you. Everything you saw, everything you felt, came from something deep inside you. Your core is shaking in fear because it knows the truth."
The President had no response. Because… it was true. At least, that's what he felt.
Ashborn took a step closer. "I could warp reality. I could force my way into leading the Justice League. But that would go against my goal—to save existence, not dominate it." He extended his hand. "Put your faith in me."
The President hesitated for only a second before gripping Ashborn's hand, shaking it firmly.
Of course, Ashborn's charm had already taken effect. Even in its suppressed state, mortals found it nearly impossible to resist his words. Hell, given enough time, he probably wouldn't have needed the vision at all.