Chapter 3 - Paragon Novas

David moved his hand toward the belt that he was wearing. This was no ordinary belt; it functioned as an interdimensional storage space. As he touched it, four metal spheres emerged, floating before him until he grabbed them all.

"I'm going to play by your rules, Father. But first, let me take a few safety precautions. I don't want your place getting destroyed."

"From what? Your power?" Augustin was laughing like he heard the funniest joke ever.

David ignored him as he threw the metal spheres to four different corners. As soon as they rolled to a stop, an energy field materialized, large enough to contain the battle between Agustin and David.

David signaled Elis to take Aric out of the energy field. It was safer that way. Aric watched everything closely, missing nothing.

He had long wanted to see the prowess of Agustin, known as Paragon Nova. Such an opportunity was rare. However, at this moment, he was more interested in watching his father, David, in action.

What made David, considered the smartest human on Earth, confident enough to face Agustin? Elis used her powers to create a gust of wind under her feet, propelling herself and Aric swiftly out of the energy field David had just created.

Elis expertly maneuvered and in the blink of an eye, they were outside the energy field. She held Aric tightly but still allowed him to keep watching.

"Today, you'll see just how strong your Dad is, Aric," Elis said with a smile.

Inside the energy field, Agustin sneered. "You think your silly gadgets can withstand my power?"

David smiled back. "Power isn't everything, Father. Today, I'll prove it. But..."

"But what? You want to negotiate now?"

"If you lose, never belittle Aric again."

"Fine! Let me open your eyes. Without awakening his power, your son will only be a burden to humanity!" Agustin shouted.

He charged at David, his extraordinary strength enabling him to amplify his muscles' capabilities greatly. Every inch of his body was a weapon.

His hand clenched into a fist. From its size and appearance alone, one could gauge the destructive force it held.

He swung his punch with full force. Agustin's action made David flinch slightly. Agustin was relentless, not caring if his power might harm David, his son.

'So, the image of our family is more important than I am, Father,' David said inwardly, full of sadness.

But this time, David was determined. He would not hide his strength any longer. David clenched his hand into a fist as well. A robotic beetle moved from his sleeve to his clenched hand.

Instantly, the robotic beetle transformed, covering David's entire right arm, turning it into a robotic limb. David met Agustin's punch without a hint of fear.

BANG!

A deafening boom echoed. Both men halted in their tracks, neither having the upper hand. Thanks to the energy field, the sound and impact did not harm Aric at all. It seemed the field was designed to protect him.

"Wow..." Aric whispered, awestruck.

He had only seen recordings of his grandfather, Agustin's battles, knowing him as Paragon Nova. He thought Agustin was the only strong one in the family.

Well, except for the potential in his brother Ryan and cousin Melinda, who were believed to be on the right path to becoming Paragon Novas.

Now, for the first time, he witnessed his father's combat abilities. What was more impressive was that David wasn't fazed by Agustin's power.

Agustin's super strength had helped him rise socially and become a Paragon Nova. David, in contrast, possessed power in the form of intellect.

"How long can your toys last? Can they take another hit?" Agustin taunted.

David just smiled. "Go ahead, Father. Test them. Today, I'll show you that strength isn't everything."

Another robotic beetle moved to his back, covering his torso and turning it robotic. As for David's hand, from a fist, it now transformed into a claw, gripping Agustin's fist. David then lifted Agustin with one hand, effortlessly swinging his muscular frame aside.

Who would have thought such a swing could send Agustin flying toward the edge of the energy field? The field caught Aric's attention too. It remained unaffected by the battle's impact, clearly built to protect him.

"Dad is incredible," Aric murmured.

Agustin slowly rose. "Impressive! I never expected you to hide such abilities."

His words were accompanied by a deep, yet joyful laugh. What father wouldn't be proud of his child's achievements? He had always believed David's powers were ordinary.

Today, his eyes and mind were opened. Intelligence could indeed be a formidable weapon, far more dangerous than mere strength or any other power.

"How much of your strength are you using now?" Agustin asked, a combat addict at heart, eager for David to use his full power against him.

"Around 10%," David replied, smiling.

David, too, was impressed by what he had accomplished. He had long wanted to test the full extent of the technology he had developed. Who knew it could match Agustin's strength?

Agustin's smile widened. 'Only 10%? Should I push him to show 100% of his power?' 

His combat frenzy peaked, anticipating the satisfaction of a full-power fight.

"I understand what you're thinking, Father. But I have to decline. There's a good chance you might..." David paused, his expression deadly serious, eyes piercing Agustin before continuing, "...die."

For some reason, Agustin felt a chill. Cold sweat formed on his forehead. It had been a long time since he felt this sensation, especially from someone he least expected.

He and others had always assumed David's power only made him a 'brain' in any organization. They never imagined David could possess combat strength comparable to a Paragon Nova.

If this became public knowledge, it could be both an advantage and a disadvantage for Valoria. The advantage was having another individual on par with Paragon Novas. The disadvantage was that other territories, republics, and kingdoms would likely unite to attack Valoria. They couldn't allow any one country to become too powerful.

"Remember your promise, Father?" David's tone was cold, unlike his usual self.

Agustin was momentarily taken aback by David's tone and question. Regret was evident on his face for underestimating David and belittling Aric.

Perhaps Aric, like David, hadn't yet awakened his power but had potential beyond human comprehension. Earth wasn't what it used to be. Agustin couldn't judge everything by outdated views.

"Alright. I won't belittle Aric again. I never expected you to hide your true capabilities and strength," Agustin replied.

"With your power, you can certainly make Aric 'something,' right?" Agustin probed, his tone testing.

Aric, only seven at the time, didn't understand what his grandfather meant.

"Don't worry, Father. He's my son. He's my responsibility."

David snapped his fingers. In an instant, his robotic hand and torso transformed back into robotic beetles and returned to his belt.

"One more thing. I hope you keep what happened today a secret. You know I don't like the media attention," David said, walking away from Agustin.

He moved his hand, and the energy field generated by the magnetic spheres vanished. The spheres flew back to him.

David took Aric from Elis's arms, holding her hand as they walked away from Agustin.

Since then, Aric hadn't seen his father and grandfather speak like they used to. Perhaps David was still hurt by what Agustin had done.

David stopped attending large family gatherings, providing no excuses. Only Aric's other family members came, and Agustin never inquired about his son.

'It's been 11 years, and I'm still like this. No signs of my powers awakening,' Aric thought.

Aric was sitting atop Rumera Hill, gazing at the sky. It was his daily view after running 15 kilometers from home to the hill.

He lay on the ground, using his arms as a pillow, lost in thought.

'If I had a choice of powers, what would I want? Powers like Ryan's? But that would be like Grandpa. Powers like Dad's? I'm not smart enough to use them like him.'

Aric smiled, imagining having powers like his father's. With his current intellect, it seemed impossible to do what his father did.

As he was lost in thought, he noticed a bright light in the sky. At first, he thought it was just a usual passing phenomenon. But soon, he realized the light was growing larger and approaching his location. It looked like a giant rock.

"Don't say—" Before he could finish, his legs moved on their own, trying to run away. His guess was right. The object was indeed headed toward him!