(Upgrades people! Upgrade! - Chapter 9)
(Next period)
What the fuck is this bitch talking about?!
{Welp, history is boring.}
How the hell did the teacher go from talking about dogs to communism?!
{I don't know buddy, but I think we're in a filler episode.}
Slumped back in my chair, I tried to wrap my head around what I was witnessing. History teachers were always one of two things, the absolute coolest person in the school or borderline insane. There was no in-between.
Mr. Archive? Yeah, he was definitely in the borderline insane category. One second, he was talking about how early humans domesticated dogs, and the next, he was passionately explaining how "authoritarian regimes weaponized loyalty."
"Dogs have always been a symbol of loyalty," Mr. Archive declared, pacing at the front of the classroom like he was delivering the speech of a lifetime. "But in societies that embrace strict governmental control, that loyalty is often manipulated for darker purposes. Take, for example, the Soviet Union's wartime canine units, dogs weren't just pets; they were tools of the state!"
Someone coughed in the back. Another kid scribbled wtf is this? in their notebook.
I blinked. "…How did we get here?"
{No clue, but at this rate, we're five minutes away from learning how parrots started the Cold War.}
The worst part? He was actually making it connect.
{This reminds me of when Vsauce does that thing where you start with "how do we dream?" and end up with "What if we licked the moon?"}
Meanwhile, Mr. Archive was still going.
"Now, you may be wondering, 'Mr. Archive, how does this relate to our test on Friday?'" He slammed his hands on the desk, his voice booming with authority. "EVERYTHING!"
A wave of exhausted groans rippled through the class.
{Bro's having the time of his life up there.}
I sighed and turned my attention to the window. It wasn't like I hated history. Actually, learning about the past could be interesting. But this? This was just shit posting with extra steps.
And, well… I had bigger questions to answer.
The books I read yesterday had opened up a massive can of worms.
This world, the human version of Equestria, was eerily similar to what I remembered from the show. But things were off.
The Journal of the Two Sisters shouldn't even exist here.
The Sirens were real. Still the same as cannon.
The Storm King was real. Not in cannon.
But Sombra? The Crystal Empire? Discord?
Nothing. Not a single mention in any history book I read.
Why?
I needed answers. I need to learn more.
"Alright, class," Mr. Archive suddenly announced, clapping his hands together. "Since some of you seem to be struggling to stay engaged-"
{Gee, I wonder why…}
"Let's mix things up! Open your books to page 147. Today, we're discussing historical myths and unsolved mysteries."
Now that got my attention.
I straightened up a little, flipping through the pages until I landed on the section. The bold header read:
"Legends and Lost History: The Truth Behind Myths."
Now this? This was interesting.
{Ooooh, lore drop incoming?}
"Throughout history," Mr. Archive continued, "many civilizations have recorded encounters with strange beings creatures that don't quite fit our understanding of the natural world. Some of these were dismissed as myths. Others? Well…" He smirked. "Let's just say not all mysteries have been solved."
{Why the hell is he smirking?}
I skimmed the page. Wendigos, sirens, trickster spirits…
Wait.
I reread the names. Wendigos. Sirens.
I read about them yesterday.
The supernatural books described two species of Wendigos. The frozen ones were horse-like, resembling the ones from the Hearth's Warming Eve stories. Sirens were more human than fish.
And now, here they were in a standard school textbook?
That wasn't just a coincidence.
{I spy with my little eye… potential side quests!}
I ignored the narrator as a new thought crept into my mind.
If Wendigos and Sirens were real, and the Journal of the Two Sisters somehow ended up in this world…
Then what about Discord?
The Spirit of Chaos wasn't mentioned at all in my history research. If Celestia and Luna had counterparts here, then did he? And if he did… where the hell was he?
I needed to know more.
{I don't need sleep, I need answers!}
I needed to figure out everything about this world and its connection to the pony world.
And the moment that thought settled in my mind-
My vision flickered.
The glowing screen that I got used to seeing materialized in front of me, its edges pulsating faintly.
[NEW QUEST: DISCOVER THE WORLD]
Complete these missions to uncover the mysteries of this world and its hidden past. Each completed mission rewards a Silver Ticket and a unique item from another reality.
Missions & Rewards:Find a Wendigo
Objective: Locate a Wendigo.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Medallion of the School of the Wolf (The Witcher – A magical medallion that vibrates in the presence of monsters and magic.)
Find the Sirens
Objective: Track down the three Sirens.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Apollo's Lyre (Epic: The Musical – A legendary instrument that enhances musical abilities and grants divine inspiration.)
Find Discord
Objective: Find Discord's whereabouts.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Joker's Trick Deck (DC Comics – A deck of razor-sharp throwing cards disguised as harmless playing cards.)
Visit the Pony World
Objective: Travel to the pony version of Equestria.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Twilight's Friendship Journal (My Little Pony – A book filled with lessons on friendship, magic, and leadership.)
Visit Canterlot High
Objective: Visit Canterlot High.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Spider-Man's Web-Shooters (Marvel – Wrist-mounted devices that fire strong, sticky webbing.)
Find the Crystal Heart
Objective: Locate the Crystal Heart.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Crystal Heart (My Little Pony – A powerful artifact that spreads love and hope, strengthening those nearby.)
Find Sombra
Objective: Find out if King Sombra exists in this world.
Reward:Silver Ticket + Lesser Darkhold (Marvel – A weaker copy of the Darkhold, containing dark magic spells with limited corruption effects.)
100% COMPLETION REWARD (IF EVERY MISSION IS COMPLETED):
Gain the Immortal Powers of The Immortal (Invincible – TV Show)
If all missions are completed, the user will gain the enhanced physiology of The Immortal, including:
Super Strength & Durability
Regeneration (Can survive otherwise fatal injuries.)
Near-Immortality (Aging slows dramatically.)
Enhanced Reflexes & Endurance
Warning: Power activation is permanent. Once acquired, it cannot be removed or reversed.
Time Limit: 2 years from the moment the quest is accepted.
[Accept?][Reject?]
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
Then rubbed my eyes just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.
"…The Immortal's powers? From Invincible?"
{Yup. That's what it says, buddy.}
I stared at the glowing screen, my mind running through every memory I had of the poor bastard.
Let's break this down real quick:
Super strength? ✔️
Regeneration? ✔️
Near-immortality? ✔️
Enhanced reflexes? ✔️
Dying at least twice per season? ✔️✔️✔️
Bro gets smoked in every goddamn fight he's in.
This dude is called The Immortal but should really be called The Mortal
Like, yeah, he has super strength but so do half the people in that universe..
Super strength ain't shit when Omni-Man rips you in half like a piece of wet tissue paper.
{Facts. My guy really thought he could run it back TWICE.}
And let's talk about that "immortality."
Yeah, he technically can't die permanently, but that doesn't stop him from getting his ass folded every single time he decides to run the fade.
{The man respawns just to catch hands then dies…again.}
And in this world?
Future Applejack could probably suplex him into the afterlife.
Imagine me thinking I'm the new hot shit with my fancy new powers, only for Applejack to clothesline me like we're in WWE.
"Berry, why did ya go and git yerself beat like that?"
"I don't know, AJ, maybe because your earth pony strength is on some Superman-tier bullshit?!"
{Lmao, what if Pinkie just out-speeds you?}
Oh god. Pinkie.
What if her cartoon logic negates my durability? What if she just Looney Tunes me into a corner?
Suddenly, this final reward wasn't looking so good.
Sure, it's strong by normal human standards, but in the grand scheme of things?
It's mid.
Like, really fucking mid.
I wasn't gonna be flying through the sky like Superman. I wasn't gonna be breaking planets like Goku. I wasn't even gonna be speed-blitzing fools like The Flash.
Nope.
I was gonna get bodied by a cowgirl with a strong left hook.
{Damn. That's tough, my guy.}
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"…This is the dumbest overpowered power-up I've ever seen."
{And yet, you're still gonna accept it.}
"…Yeah. Probably."
I mean, let's be real. Even if The Immortal is kinda trash on a multiversal scale, it's still a hell of a lot better than being a normal dude.
And let's not forget, he at least lives long enough to try again.
I shook my head, finally refocusing.
The powers were just a bonus. The real goal here was figuring out what the hell was going on with this world.
And to do that?
I needed to start completing these quests
I exhaled, shaking my head before looking back at the other rewards.
Alright, let's see what we're working with here.
Medallion of the School of the Wolf (The Witcher):
A magical medallion that vibrates in the presence of monsters and magic.
Verdict: Super useful. I'd finally have a way to detect supernatural threats before they pop out of nowhere. Plus, it looks badass.
Apollo's Lyre (Epic: The Musical):
A legendary instrument that enhances musical abilities and grants divine inspiration.
Verdict: Kinda niche, but hey, I can at least flex on people at karaoke night.
{ You might also need it in the battle of the bands.}
Joker's Trick Deck (DC Comics):
A deck of cards that can be used for sleight-of-hand tricks… or as razor-sharp projectiles.
Verdict: Now this is cool. Who doesn't want weaponized playing cards? I'd be on some Gambit-type shit.
Twilight's Friendship Journal (MLP):
A book filled with lessons on friendship, magic, and leadership.
Verdict: …I mean, not gonna lie, this might actually be helpful. If I'm gonna be stuck in a world where friendship is literally a power source, I might as well study the mechanics behind it.
Spider-Man's Web-Shooters (Marvel):
A pair of wrist-mounted devices capable of firing strong, sticky webbing.
Verdict: This alone makes the whole list worth it. Who wouldn't want to swing around like Spider-Man?!
Crystal Heart (MLP):
A powerful artifact that spreads love and hope, strengthening those nearby.
Verdict: This is basically a passive buff machine. Free stat boosts just by existing near it? Yes, please.
And then…
I saw it.
Lesser Darkhold (Marvel):
A weaker copy of the Darkhold that contains basic dark magic spells but lacks its full corruption and reality-warping abilities.
I froze.
…Oh.
Oh, this was dangerous.
Because even a "weaker" copy of the Darkhold was still the Darkhold.
Verdict:
This was either the best reward on the list… or the worst mistake I could ever make.
You See, in Marvel, the Darkhold was the book of forbidden knowledge/book of the damned. The kind of thing that corrupts anyone who so much as looks at it for too long. It has spells capable of rewriting reality itself.
Sure, this was the "Lesser" version, but even a dumbed-down Darkhold was still dark magic on steroids.
And what exactly did "basic dark magic spells" mean?
Are we talking "summon a shadow clone" type shit? Or "sacrifice a goat and permanently alter the timeline" type shit?
{Buddy, if you get this thing, you better not start acting like every edgy anime protagonist.}
Dude, I already wear too much black for my own good. If I start talking in cryptic riddles, just kill me.
{Deal.}
Honestly?
As dangerous as it was, I wanted it.
Not to use it recklessly, but because it could answer a lot of questions and become powerful.
If dark magic exists in this world, maybe it could even help me find Discord.
I tapped "Accept," a notification appeared:
Quest Accepted: Discover the World
Time Limit: 2 years
I smiled
{Wait, is the Immortal basically Captain America that can fly and heal better?}
…Maybe?..Probably not…no
(2 Hours later)
{Lunch time!}
Yep, best part of the school day.
Lunch was right after fourth period, and let me tell you nothing, and I mean nothing, hits harder than finally getting to sit down and eat after suffering through hours of teacher talking for hours.
Today's school lunch?
Pizza.
For the second day in a row.
Yep, the education system in this world was just as broken as my old one.
{Hey, be grateful! Some places don't even get pizza.}
Yeah, because they serve actual food.
Not that it mattered to me. I never ate school lunch if I could help it.
Instead, I pulled out my own bento box, a neatly packed meal made by one of our family's chefs. Salmon, rice, veggies. Simple. Healthy. Edible.
{Look at you, bringing the main character energy with that box. Meanwhile, the guy next to you is eating ketchup on bread.}
"Yo, Berry! Over here!"
I glanced up to see my usual lunch table. Wallflower, Derpy, and Bulk Biceps were waving me over.
Or, well, Wallflower didn't wave. She just kinda… nodded in my direction. Classic Wallflower behavior.
I made my way over and plopped down into my usual seat.
"Wow, Berry, you eat like royalty," Derpy said, staring at my bento with wide, curious eyes. "That looks so good."
"Rich kid perks," I replied with a shrug, picking up a piece of salmon.
"YEAH, PROTEIN!" Bulk Biceps suddenly shouted, pointing at my food.
I jumped slightly. "…Bulk, my guy, it's fish."
"STILL PROTEIN."
You know what? Fair enough.
Before I could take a bite, I noticed someone else standing awkwardly beside our table, tray in hand.
Flash Sentry.
He looked a little unsure of himself, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He was new, after all. Probably hadn't found a solid friend group yet.
After a brief hesitation, he nodded toward the empty seat. "Hey, uh… mind if I sit here?"
Wallflower blinked. "…Why?"
Flash rubbed the back of his neck. "Didn't really have anyone else to sit with."
Derpy smiled. "Of course you can sit with us!"
Wallflower didn't look thrilled about it, but she also didn't say no. Bulk, meanwhile, just flexed his bicep in what I assumed was approval. Can't really read the guy.
I gestured at the seat. "Go for it, dude."
Flash smiled in relief before sliding into the chair. He looked down at my food and blinked. "…Man, I should've packed my own lunch."
I snorted. "Yeah, school pizza isn't exactly five-star dining."
He sighed. "It's not even one-star dining."
We all laughed, and just like that,Flash was officially a member of our small group.
As we ate, conversations bounced around the table, mostly random school gossip and whatever nonsense Bulk and Derpy had going on.
Wallflower, as usual, didn't say much, but she seemed at least a little more relaxed now that we had a full table.
And me?
I couldn't help but think-
This wasn't so bad.
I was about to eat when something or rather, someone caught my eye across the cafeteria.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were sitting at a nearby table, deep in conversation.
Applejack, with her hat tipped back and arms crossed, looked like she was laying down some serious wisdom or about to threaten someone's tractor. Rainbow Dash was animated as ever, basically vibrating with energy, probably reenacting a moment where she almost scored a goal but "totally would've made it if her shoe wasn't untied." And Fluttershy…
Fluttershy glanced our way.
For a brief second, her eyes met mine.
She smiled.
It wasn't much, just a soft, shy curve of her lips. But it hit me like a well-placed crit.
My heart did that annoying flutter thing. Again.
I quickly looked back down at my bento, trying to act like I didn't notice. But even out the corner of my eye, I could still see her turn back to her friends, her soft voice lost in the chatter of the cafeteria.
{Buddy. You're cooked.}
"Shut it," I muttered to my imaginary narrator, stabbing a piece of broccoli harder than necessary.
Wallflower tilted her head. "Did you say something?"
"Nope. Just… thinking."
{Thinking about someone with pink hair, soft eyes, and a team full of cute Pokémon.}
"Still not talking to you."
______________________________________________________________________________
Writer here:
Sorry for the random cut off just need to do some work this whole week until next thursday I don't have a free day sooo…yea
Oh yea wanted to mention there will be rewrite coming eventually. I will come later on like 5-7 chapters since I do agree the beginning of the story even now is kinda little mixed so yea. I will rewrite and iron out some parts and remove/add new parts. For example chapter 2 and 3 new content will be added.
The mc will not be perfect at everything, he is an artist though and a musician will stay but him programming? Yea no..it might stay but only low level like enough to program minecraft or undertale but that's it. The MC will get new traits and I will try to add more jokes in the early chapters too like in this chapter. The story will probably not go 18+ unless I learn to write sexual scenes which I am really bad at. I can barely write as you can see.
Anyway, I hope you guys have a good week!
P.S: This season finale of invincible was incredible 10/10