Body Supremacy

Hector P.O.V.

Once again I appear in an alley… Okay, maybe I can control barely where I appear. Without wasting time I fly to the top of a rooftop and look around.

“It's that one…” I identify my target.

I’m thankful that I can choose the place where I can appear and simply select “First Scene”, “House of the Protagonist” or something similar. I don’t think I can suddenly appear in super secret places, but I will need to test it later.

And once again, I’m about to take what I want and move with my life… I put my “Eidolon Mask”, because I’m not about to be subtle, and jump from the rooftop while leaving my things behind. I will get them later.

I walk straight to the apartment building, covered from head to toe, and enter it without a problem… Oh, that’s a camera. Whatever…

“Let’s see… S… S… Here, Strode.” I pass my hand through the mailboxes, checking the names, before I find the one that I’m looking for.

I use my telekinesis to force it open, but I disguise it by letting my hand in contact with the lock so that it looks like I opened it. There’s only a yellow envelope that I unceremoniously open, committing a federal crime and...

“Found it…” I can’t help but smile under the mask. “The Hercules Method.” Now with this, I can achieve Physical Supremacy. Well, time to go.

And just like that, walking confidently like I own the place I get out of the building. Seriously, just act normal and like you are not doing anything suspicious and no one will find it weird.

I go back to the rooftop, grab my things, and fly away. Simple as that.

…………………………………

This world is not like the other two, where the “plot” happens in an isolated place. There are some dangerous people out there, not that I’m not confident in taking them, I have some tricks, but is better to disappear from the radar till I master the Hercules Method.

The Hercules Method… I opened the book that looked more like a normal fitness magazine and started reading the contents. Before trying to enhance myself physically using serums or other artificial means, my Genius-Mind-Under-The-Influence-of-the-NZT came up with this idea.

First, it’s better than all serums that I can acquire with my current abilities.

Second, it’s natural… Well, at least in the way that it will not do anything bad to my body. It will not affect my genetic makeup, so even if people acquire my blood they would not find anything different from any other human.

Third, finally, I have a type of immortality. Unaging at least, with a very good resistance and a decent healing factor.

Fourth, and final, it will be a good test.

The Hercules Method clearly says that every and any human can practice it. It doesn’t need any mystical inner energy training or anything, so… Maybe I don’t need to use the [World Attunement] to be capable of learning it.

Many worlds in the Omniverse are like this… Can I become a vampire if I’m bitten? Probably yes, even without using [World Attunement] in the specific world with vampires.

There’s nothing extra that I need to learn, nothing that I don’t have.

It’s a safer test than many others.

Obviously, in the future, I will still use [World Attunement] in some cases, just to be safe, in case the consequences are too big to handle. But now? It costs nothing.

“Mind, body, and Spirit, huh? Aligning it towards a specific goal… Hunger and desire for something… Focus on what you want to become… Let’s try it…” I  stay only in my boxers and start seriously practicing how the method instructs. Here in this shitty empty apartment that I invaded.

By the way, I stole the book from the Main Character of this world Luther Strode, but apparently is not even that rare. I could probably ask and receive a copy, but then I would be on the radar of the other users.

Good luck, Luther. I think I saved you from a very tragic life, but at the same time, with your potential, maybe they will not leave you alone anyway.

Not my problem.

………………………………….

Third Person P.O.V.

Gunshots and screams can be heard in a certain building, it’s night and the whole of El Salvador country sleeps…

“But crime never sleeps…” Buchi Splat Hector says in an eerily calm voice despite him smashing someone's head into the wall.

Six months have passed since he came to this world and started training using the Hercules Method, and despite being much slower than the talented Luther Strode(much slower), he confirmed it… The Hercules Method works.

It’s a sharp contrast from the skinny and lanky 16-year-old nerd Hector from the past. This adult 18-year-old Hector is tall, broad of shoulders and chest, has a v-shaped torso, and all the muscles are big and proportional. 

He still didn’t archive the “comic book hero physique” where some guys have biceps as big as a woman's torso, but he already archived something that would make people think that he is not natural and in a pump all the time. 

He is not Batman, more like Nightwing.

Not that he wants to archive an exaggerated hero build. The users of the Hercules Method had a very broad range of body types… Mind Over Matter, after all… The user slowly becomes the ideal version of themselves that they visualize in their mind, in their dreams…

Hector never wanted to be a Hulk, this physique that he calls “Between a normal Spider-Man and Miguel O’Hara” is good enough for him now.

He is even more handsome too, the flaws of his face disappearing, becoming sharper. Funny how didn’t notice it because he rarely goes in public…

Back to the present, Hector right now is practicing…

Bang Bang Bang

…by killing criminals.

Without using his telekinesis he is going south on the map and eliminating gangs and other criminal organizations. The bullets fly to him, but he can see the trajectory clearly, moving faster than what is humanly possible, Hector weaves around the room and arrives where the two last gang members are standing. He crouches down…

Swish Crack

And removes their legs with a horizontal chop.

“Aaaaaah!!” “Aaaaaag!” The two criminals shout in pain in despair, but Hector stands up with impassive eyes.

This training is not only about acquiring combat experience, it’s a training of his mindset. Murder is a part of the Hercules Method too… A good way to progress fast, but Hector does not plan to give in to this murderous tendencies.

He will control it. He is getting used to the gore and killing because he knows that it’s inevitable on his path. He is not a good person, even in his little notebook there are written plans on how to kill certain characters and acquire their powers and items.

“Damn, you all are bitches, you fucking burritos bandits.” Hector says in a low voice while watching the last criminals trash and scream in pain on the ground. “You all acted all tough against those powerless old people… Where is your toughness now, huh? Goku would be disappointed…” He ‘tsks’ then he blinks like he remembered something “Ah yes, I’m not in Mexico anymore…”

He went all the way from the United States to El Salvador, in his path he left a trail of criminals corpses, and destruction.

During his stay in Mexico, he started using slurs to provoke the gang members, he feels like he is back in an Xbox lobby. He didn’t mean it, but people are dumb enough to get angry over words, so obviously he will use them to trash talk back.

“Heh~ Fuck it. I’m an Omniversal Traveler. I can’t be canceled.” He chuckles to himself and then smashes the last gang members' heads. Killing them mercilessly.

Once he bitchslapped an annoying woman that spat on him, he does not care about Political Correctness anymore. That is true freedom. No laws or morals can hold him back.

He calmly steps on the puddles of blood covering the floor, without worries ebcause he knows that he killed everyone in the building. He also has senses that are sharp enough to hear anyone moving in the building so he knows that he is alone.

He doesn’t even look at the money and drugs lying around, but he takes some ammo to his pistols and rifles. Nowadays he uses his hands more as a weapon, but he learned that a gun pointed to their face is easier to understand than threatening people with supernatural abilities.

After leaving the building he walks calmly, this place's reputation is not good so even if the neighbors heard gunshots they would not do anything and just stay holed up in their homes, too afraid of doing anything.

Hector is not acting like a hero or anything, he is just using those criminals to train his mentality, it would be better to start by killing people who deserve it.

He crouches down and jumps on a wall, before bouncing to another and another till he reaches a rooftop. All of this without telekinesis, only with his incredible physical prowess.

On the rooftop, he removes his mask “Six months, and I think I’m on the same level that Luther Strode archived in two weeks.” He looks at his clenching hand. “I”m really average.” He says without resentment or any negative feelings.

That is something that he accepted very early, it’s already a blessing that the Hercules Method worked, if not the trip would have been a waste, so he is okay with not being talented.

“I have time…” He repeats the mantra that he keeps in the back of his mind. A reminder to never rush and to never let jealousy cloud his judgment. 

Jealousy and any other petty emotion, like vanity. He is bigger than that, he is destined to be bigger than that.

The greatest user of the Hercules Method is 10 thousand years old. So he really gained at least some centuries even in this lower level where he stays.

“This next six months… Let’s just travel.” He made a pause on his studies in those last months, only training and traveling.

So instead of doing things in a half-baked way, he will keep his studies aside for now and travel to experience the good and bad of the world.

“I should start talking with normal people more… I’m starting to only see people as bags of flesh and blood.” Training the Hercules Method and walking waist-deep in the bad of humanity has its downsides. The reason he looks so apathetic now.

But he knows to not generalize because it’s stupid and to keep an open mind about the good and the evil of people.

“It's too early to become a nihilist boring guy.”

……………………………..

Hector P.O.V.

I finally reached South America.

Before the cooldown of my ability ends, I have some months to explore the southernmost part of Latin America. I spent too much time in Mexico, but it can’t be helped, I stayed in the same place for months till I got the hang of the Hercules Method.

And I have to say… This body is incredible.

Now in this hideout, I put a knee on the ground and my other leg goes behind me till the sole of my foot touches my neck. Look at this flexibility! Damn, it’s simply too good to have a healthy body!

Fat acceptance people are dumb. Well, I saw some chubby people who are super healthy too… Like that breakdancing hermano. Pfft, hahaha!

Aah~ Travelling is nice, you experience all sorts of things.

I stop stretching and start doing push-ups only with my thumbs, and when I say only with my thumbs, I mean it… I’m standing vertically from the ground while doing push-ups.

It’s like those training in anime… How cool is that?

After doing a 100, I pushed myself off the ground with my thumbs and spun in the air before landing perfectly.

“Huuf Really great… And to think that this is still the lower part of the food chain in the Omniverse.” With my mind, I can feel the blood flowing through my body perfectly, the muscles contracting, I have control over almost everything.

I walk to an old couch that was lying around here in this abandoned apartment, it was dusty but after a harsh shake with telekinesis, it became almost new. I sit on the couch and make some food float to me.

One of the “downsides” of becoming an Absolute Unit is how much I need to eat. I was already one of those skinny guys who eat a lot and never get fat, but now I eat as much as 5 hungry construction workers.

I think that is the process, I can’t create mass from nothing after all.

But it’s said that after a certain level, I will become self-sustaining with the Hercules Method. So I will only need to eat if I want to recover energy. Like a very efficient battery.

“I’m progressing faster than I expected… The power to travel the Omniverse is truly OP. “ While I’m eating I make my notebook with plans for the future float in front of me. 

In truth, there are a lot of ways to achieve god-like powers in one jump, but they are dangerous and not fun. 

“The MCU is not that dangerous…” I say as I flip through the pages, passing through a detailed plan on how to acquire everything there “A little more and I can jump there…Learn on the Kamar-Taj, get some technology, vibranium…” It sounds like a good idea, I can also test how much the movies are connected. 

The timeline is too big too, so I can move away before Thanos becomes a problem.

The MCU is a world where I can stay more than a year, but before going there, I should use [World Attunement] several more times, to increase my talent.

“Two more jumps before I go to a more dangerous world with a Power System, I need to make it count…” I say that but I already have everything figured out. My next years at least…

……………………………………..

Third Person P.O.V.

Hector continued his path south. He flew, but less and less, he started enjoying walking on the ground and enjoying the scenery. When there’s something to enjoy of course, if not he would fly to a better location and walk from there. He also enjoyed the bird's view of nature.

The only human on this planet that can fly, only him right now can imagine how good it is to look down on everything between the clouds without any external help.

Right now, Hector is taking a ride in the back of a truck on the roads of Peru. He talks normally and with a smile with locals, in Spanish. It’s not as a big change as with his body, but his mind got better too.

Not even near the level of the NZT, but his mind is a little sharper and his memory is clearer. His awareness is much better too… That’s how he noticed the bullet traveling to him.

No, not a bullet… He takes a papaya from one of the boxes he helped carry earlier, as a payment for the ride, and blocks the tranquilizer dart aimed to his neck.

“...” His eyes narrow seeing that.

He immediately understood that it was not a simple enemy. To aim so accurately between those mounts and trees and to use a tranquilizer(maybe even poison)... His enemy knows him! It knows of his abilities! At least his physical abilities.

At this moment, Hector’s spatial awareness is good enough to identify from where the shot comes from. Without waiting for the truck to stop, he jumps out of it with some words in Spanish.

“Gracias, amigos.” He only grabs his oversized bags and stays on the lonely road. This part is the most deserted of the road. He understands where they come from.

‘I could fly, but that would reveal my abilities before I have a clear image of my enemies…’ He is too cautious to let one escape with the information.

Now he stays in place, he needs to be crazy to enter the forest. He will not give an inch of advantage. His trump card, telekinesis, is much better used when he can see the target. Yes, he trained to have some sort of “tactile telekinesis” but is not reliable.

‘I can die here…Focus and take it seriously, Hector.’ He also understands that the people here are brutal. But they are also prideful… ‘They will show up.’

“You made me sweat a lot tracking you down.” A voice with a thick accent says and Hector turns to see a middle-aged man walking from the woods.

His appearance screams redneck. With a green squared shirt, a huge beard, and a tummy that would make Hector question if he really is a user of the Hercules Method.

But Hector knows better… This seemingly normal dude, who is carrying a rifle like it is his main weapon is a strong and old bastard that is tasked to capture rogue Hercules Method users.

“The Binder…” Hector says

“Oh, you know me? Now that is a dammed surprise.” The Binder's eyes widen

Hector only says that to throw him off the game a little. Those hunter-type characters always like to have everything under control.

“I know enough…” Hector shrugs

“So you know why I’m here?”

“I don’t think I caused enough trouble…”

The Binder is responsible for hunting and capturing Hercules Method users who grow too big in their boots. The ones that cause a lot of trouble and risk them being exposed. After all, a nuke and other modern weapons can still kill them.

“Really? And all those people that you killed?” The Binder comments “Your kill count is one of the highests in your time frame… I mean, at least in the modern age. Some really old people really fought wars, ya know?” He says casually.

The two talk like they are acquaintances. This comes from their confidence, the two think that they will win in the end. They also didn’t hate each other, it’s just that their interest doesn’t align. They are mature enough to not rage or scream at each other.

“But they are such dispersed cases…” Hector argues with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, yeah… Good work on that. You are more mature than most when they get all high in their new strength.” The Binder nods “Ya know, I just need ya to come with me… For a crash course. To learn the ropes and all that.”

“Hm, I will have to refuse.” Hector answers politely “Putting my trust in murderers doesn’t look like a good idea.”

“Don’t say like that…” The Binder sighs almost sadly, but is an act “We are all the same. Contact with your peers can do some good to you.”

Now that made Hector laugh ”My… peers? Pfft… No one in this world is my equal.” As he says that he raises his chin, slightly looking down on The Binder. The arrogance that he keeps very hidden and controlled appears on his face.

He is not wrong, but to The Binder, he is just a greenhorn brat.

“Ah kid, you have a lot to learn.”

“On that, I agree… But you are not qualified to be my teacher.”

No words are needed to say anymore. The two want different things and none will back down, so fists will take the discussion table from now on.

Considering that the Binder is holding a rifle, Hector is the one who chooses to close the distance. Yes, he knows that is almost foolish to do that, and that he is walking into a trap… Because of his inexperience, it’s obvious that the Binder is stronger physically.

But so what? He is not afraid of getting hurt, even when he knows that injuries here are really grave. He is not afraid of losing either. He is cautious, not a coward.

He will fight and learn from this experience.

As fast as Hector is now, the Binder is faster and has the range advantage. Hector still is halfway to reaching him and the Binder already raised his rifle and started shooting.

Instead of trying to dodge these shots, Hector decides to block using his wallet. No dart would bypass it, and if the Binder changes to real bullets… it would not kill him anyway.

But his worries are unfounded. Hector blocks three more darts before he is into the Binder, with a horizontal chop he bitchslaps the gun away, breaking it in the process, and goes for a punch.

Thwack

But the punch was easily caught by the Binder. Hector’s average talent is not fast enough to catch up with those guys…

“Like I said… A lot to learn…”

Blam Blam Blam 

As the Binder starts speaking cockily, Hector pulls a pistol from his waist and blasts the Binder's elbow. He didn’t try to shoot at his body or his face because whatever the Binder decided to do, he would end up released from the iron grip.

One of the most fantastic, and almost supernatural, abilities given by the Hercules Method is something called “Accelerated Probability”. Derived from the super-enhanced senses, a user of the method is able to predict the future actions of people easily. The user can see all possible actions that are possible to be performed in the next seconds, maybe longer.

A battle between two users happens, at the same time in real life and a the same time virtually, in their minds. It’s really something that aligns body and mind…

The two are seeing each other possible actions. Hector saw the Binder dodging the possible bullets aimed at his head with a simple head tilt and saw him ignoring the bullets aimed at his torso and punching in in the face and breaking his jaw.

So he aimed to the elbow… The Binder saw that too and was willing to let go of Hector’s arm to avoid the bullets, but not without a good hook from his other arm connecting with Hector’s body.

Luckily for him, Hector moved his body a little and blocked the attack with his other arm. But ended up with a dislocated shoulder, fractures on his humerus, and other minor words where blood was spilled.

Now Hector allowed himself to be thrown out and made some distance. He already took the Binder rifle, so he could calm down and be a little more careful.

But the Binder will not be giving him the chance of either thinking or fleeing. Despite his seemingly out-of-shape body, the Binder is fast and with a powerful kick on the ground, dashes at Hector, appearing on his face almost instantly.

“!!” Hector’s eyes widen and raises his guard. Only one arm… The other is still hurt and he was not given time to put it back in place.

He gives a quick kick in the overall direction of the Binder, being careful because one of the possible actions of his opponents is grabbing his foot and twisting his ankle. This kick is more to use the Binder as a platform and jump back.

But even so, the Binder will not let himself be used that easily. He punched his kick, knowing that he was stronger, and easily broke his foot.

The only sign of pain that Hector shows is a grunt and a change of expression. He was never an expressive person, and he always had a good resistance to pain, but even he could feel all the small bones of his foot breaking and couldn’t help but wince.

Still in the air, Hector puts his shoulder back in place before landing on the ground with only one foot.

He didn’t take his eyes off his opponent who continued pressing on him mercilessly.

“Alright then, come.” He squares up and decides to give as much as he can to make this guy suffer too. A telekinetic command discreetly sends his bags to a hidden place between the trees… he knows that this will take some time.

Bam Thwack

A punch hits Hector square in the chest but he returns with a punch of his own, directly on his enemy's throat.

“You have balls kid.”

“Only… two…” Despite wheezing in pain, Hector still kept joking.

What succeeds next it’s a very bloody and slightly unilateral fight.

The binder grabs Hector by his neck and travels through the woods while carrying him at high speeds, Hector was fast enough to see it coming, but not fast enough to dodge… So he did the next best thing and put his forearm between his neck and the Binder's big and meaty hands to not allow his enemy to twist his neck that easily.

As a counterattack, he uses two fingers to stab the Binder in the eye. Hector is not fighting by any rules. This is a life-or-death battle… Rules? Sportsmanship? Chivalry? Respect? Honor? What are those things? Something that you probably write on someone’s tombstone, Hector guesses. Not on his tho.

Because he is not planning on dying here.

As promised he gives back as much as he can. With each attack that breaks his bones, he makes sure to deliver one that cuts the Binder’s flesh.

He eats attack after attack, giving up on defending, and only trying to minimize the damage by dodging a little. Instead, he starts to counterattack with more ferocity. His eyes become red and with black sclera, a sign of a change of emotion in the Hercules Method’s users, he is filled with bloodlust now.

His previous hesitation and cautiousness about not getting too hurt are thrown out the window. He stopped caring about not losing a limb or some organs… he just wants to kill the opponent in front of him.

The forest around them could very well be a theater stage, made of cardboard. The two fighters are not above grabbing trees and rocks to throw at their opponents. Hector is not above throwing sand in the eyes of the Binder either.

He fights with everything he has, using everything he has… Well, almost everything. His trump card still waits on his sleeve. 

The two dragged a fight to a nearby, and shallow, river. Hector by some miracle ended up on top and tried to drown the Binder in the water, forcing his weight on him while holding his neck.

But the Binder doesn’t look affected. Who knows for how long a user of the Hercules Method can hold their breath? Maybe for hours, even days… They’re almost perfect humans.

“Such bullshit..” Hector breathes out after being thrown away by the unaffected Binder.

After a small moment of reprieve, the two start again fighting on this very river, their knees submerged. The river is a canvas, their blood the ink, and their firsts the brushes…

In no time, the river becomes red a little below their location, like a scene of hell tainting the purity of nature.

At this point, the Binder is not that nonchalant anymore. Hector's blows started hurting him more and more… The adrenaline takes him to another level. The attacks are so strong that when a punch lands on the other body, the water is forced out by the impact.

They know how devasting these attacks are. Rocks are like paper mache. If their bodies are not tough too, mingled parts of flesh would fly together with the water and blood.

At some point they reach a certain stalemate, with roars they advance at each other, interlocking hands while trying to force the other back. Roaring, they struggle to push the other, arms trembling and bulging with veins.

“I have to say… Your mentality is really in the right place…” The Binder compliments “When your body catches up with your mind and finally clicks, you will fly.” He talks like a senior instructing a junior.

His words make Hector show a mysterious smile, his teeth marred with blood.

“You… have no idea!” He chuckles and finally reveals his trump card.

“Ugh… ?!?” The Binder's face reveals great surprise when Hector seemingly receives a boost of strength, slowly pushing him down. It simply doesn’t make sense how Hector suddenly overpowered him… The Binder was forced to his knees.

For the first, he is on the back foot. The Binder looks up to see Hector looming over him, eyes red and with black sclera, intimidating despiting looking all beaten up.

“Wha-”

“Shh~ Shh~” Hector is not a villain, so he will not monologue about his powers and how he won. Despite his desire to do it one day, just for the fun of doing it. “Just die… Murder is part of us humans, right?” Hector's face is swollen and a little torn, but despite that, he smiles broadly.

The pressure on the Binder increases, he is already kneeling on the ground, his bones trembling, cracking…

Hector is slow with the Hercules Method, but he had a pleasant surprise… Training the Hercules Method increased his output of Telekinesis, his raw power increasing significantly despite never lifting heavy objects to train.

Now, his telekinesis disguised as physical strength is pressing down on the Binder. It's a ridiculous display of gore… The way Binder’s body slowly flattens like a pancake, his skin becoming tomato red, his features distorting… Buchi And he explodes just like a tomato.

His eyes and internal organs burst from his orifices, his bones became powder, and this strong man… the apex human that was the Binder was reduced to nothing more than a smear on the ground that was quickly washed away by the river.

Like nature wants to erase his existence.

“...” Hector stares at his work in silence… he won. “I’m no battlemaniac, but damn! That felt good!” He laughs freely, enjoying the moment.

The adrenaline of the battle, the relief of surviving, the triumph of winning, the rewards of his hard work...

That’s what he wants, experience those sorts of things, experience everything the Omniverse has to offer… from simple things like watching the scenery to extreme things like a life-and-death battle.

He is no hero or villain, no man or monster… He simply thinks that sticking to a side of the Moral line will make him lose half the fun.

And he wants to enjoy everything!

……………………………………

To those unfamiliar with the Hercules Method (Luther Strode)

The Hercules Method is a technique that allows you to increase and control your physical capabilities by concentrating the mind, body and spirit at one point. Only a few people with natural talent are able to successfully use the Hercules method, although there is potential in everyone. The level of growth also depends on a person’s talent. (taken from the wiki)

The power of the users varies greatly, but the strongest users can hit the ground and spread shockwaves like waves in solid rock.

But they still can’t tank big explosions and modern military weapons.

Something between Spider-man and Luke Cake, but less durable than Luke Cage but with a small healing factor and unaging.

There are some obscure abilities that appear to be hidden in humans, like hypnotism(amplified charisma) and limited precognition(accelerated probability).