Ability Revealed, Insane Progress!

(A/N: As you can probably tell, I don't exactly have a schedule for writing. However, from now I will either publish 2 shorter chapters, or 1 longer chapter. A longer chapter will be anywhere between 2.7k & 3.5k words. It looks like these long chapters may be more frequent than I thought.)

Dan walked out of the bio-scanner and turned to Angela. "I had a feeling that this would happen if I used the machine. I was planning to tell you after this session anyways."

"It was pretty obvious, you were learning everything way faster than normal. Adaptive Evolution, it seems that it hasn't been long since this power manifested itself."

Dan nodded, "you're right, it's only been 6 days, it would have probably taken a lot longer to even get in without it. I discovered that I was adapting to situations a lot faster than normal. So I thought: why not use this to my advantage? I could land almost any job or get any apprenticeship I wanted, provided that training would be given. I first noticed the evolution side of it once I discovered that I lost a little bit of weight without really doing physical exercise. My diet hadn't exactly changed either."

Angela seemed to accept this quite quickly, well, she's used to people with powers, so something like this isn't too hard to believe I guess. "Let's start your jog. I'll come with you the first times, just to help you find the right pace, after that, it's up to you to decide. I'd love to know a bit more about your powers, and what your plans are for the future regarding their usage."

Dan sighed, he'd been planning to not tell Angela too much about his powers, but that would probably be pointless at this stage. "Alright, let's go then."

They each went into a separate changing room, and got changed into sportswear. I'm surprised that any of this still fits me! Once they'd both finished getting ready, Dan followed Angela back up the stairs. The two of them exited the mansion together, and started to jog around the edges of the Estate, next to the fortified fence. They were going very slowly though, so Angela decided to break the silence.

"So, about your ability, how exactly does it work?"

Dan thought about how to answer for a bit, and decided to tell a version of the truth. I can't really tell her about the system at this stage. "Well, most of it is straightforward, I just adapt several times faster than the average human to any given situation. Also, my body won't adapt and evolve unless given some stimuli. I discovered that I could think about what I might want to achieve, something that would be possible through normal means."

"An example of this would be Superhuman strength and speed, as well as the ability to fly. I mean, most people want to be able to fly, it's an exciting concept. It's extremely gradual, but I'm very slowly starting to feel my body change to meet those requirements. On the other hand, my body will also adapt and evolve if I provide it with other stimuli like physical or mental exercise. So, if my theory is correct, that means that any exercise I do will be several times more effective than normal."

-- (POV: Angela) --

Angela listened attentively, nodding from time to time, internally though, she was shocked! Adaptive Evolution already has the potential to make someone infinitely more powerful. It's the same as having infinite potential, but to be able to give his body and mind clear goals to strive towards. That's something that goes beyond all expectations, I don't know how long I can keep this a secret. Nick Fury will inevitably discover Dan at some point in the future.

He'll only be able to keep him contained for so long though. Who's to say that Dan will continue to adapt and evolve at the same speed? There's not enough information to get an idea of how much this power than grow too, I may need to ask Tony or Reed about this. There's always Bruce Banner, but he's much harder to get a hold of these days, especially since he's tied to that pr*ck, General Ross.

Angela continued to go over the possibilities as they continued to jog, she noticed that despite how tired Dan seemed, he never seemed to consider giving up. He's probably going to end up using his powers in some way out there, I just hope that he ends up on the right path. There's a good chance that Dan has already been thinking about that, I guess it's time to ask him,

-- (POV: Dan) ---

Dan turned to Angela, and quickly realised that she was deep in thought about something, he couldn't be sure what though. She suddenly turned to him, a serious look on her face. "Dan, do you plan on joining the hero community at any point?"

So that's what she was thinking about, she wants to know my intentions, may as well tell her about them. "I intend to remain at The Front Line until I've actually reached my first goal. which is to achieve Enhanced Strength. Luckily, It'll at least be a couple of years before that happens. As much as I've always admired heroes like you, and have often aspired to become powerful myself, it's not something I'm particularly looking forward to."

"Once I've lost all of this excess weight, I intend to take up Martial Arts, thought I'm not sure which one to start with!"

Angela seemed surprised by his answer, I suppose that it's a bit rare for someone to not want to be a hero. "I may change my opinion in the near future though, there is one good thing that I can think of that comes with this ability. I'm not gaining too much power too quickly, at least not yet. If I gained that kind of power in no time, I think there would be a high risk of it going to my head."

Angela's surprise was replaced by a more warm expression. "So you're afraid of being too powerful! You'll have plenty of time to get used to that power, so don't worry too much about all that. I can teach you my own style of martial arts if you want me to. I practice a martial art called Ars Unguis Tigris, in other words, Tiger Claw Arts!"

"You would really do that? I don't know what to say now. I'll think about it, and let you know once we're done with my workout!"

There were 2 minutes left until they finished jogging, so they switched to walking in order for Dan to catch his breath. It didn't take too long, it only took around 3 minutes to recover completely. It was only then that he'd forgotten to active the Medium Grade Boost. Once they'd returned to the gym, he took a look at the description for it.

______________________

[Medium Grade Boost: Evolution Speed

Duration: 1 hour

Effect: Multiplies Evolution Speed by 6!

Note: This boost only affects your Evolution Speed, so if you are doing intense physical activity, activate this boost after you have finished!]

______________________

It's a good thing that I decided to read the information. It doesn't affect my adaption speed, only my evolution speed! I guess I'll be using this after I'm done with the workout. "Dan, it's time for your workout, the bio-scanner is linked to a private app, which can only be used on your device. The QR Code will only work if it is scanned by your device."

Dan opened his QR Code scanner and scanned it, and this automatically opened the StarkApp Store, and took him to an app, which he noticed only had 8 downloads. It was called WT GYM. I heard that Tony Stark liked himself, but the fact that almost every core app and device contains his surname is just rubbing it in. Angela, Luke, and Jessica, that means that 5 others are using it. He tapped the install button, the app was only 20 MB, and it took almost no time to download and install it.

He quickly opened the app.

Registered Device: Yes

User Account: Dan Montgomery

After the information on-screen was confirmed, the app finally loaded. He'd never really used a Fitness app before, but it seemed fairly straightforward, even so, he decided to find some more information about it. System, is it possible to show information about an application? If so, please display some basic information about this app.

[Yes, it is possible to display information about anything within this Multiverse and beyond!]

______________________

The "WT GYM" app boasts a modern and user-friendly interface, offering several key navigation options:

Home: Displays a personalized fitness journey, daily workouts, progress, and motivational content.

Workout Routines: Provides various workouts with detailed explanations and video demonstrations.

Nutrition Planner: Offers dietary plans, meal recipes, calorie tracking, and barcode scanning.

Progress Tracker: Monitors fitness achievements, including graphs and goal setting.

Settings: Customizes app preferences and support options.

Community: Fosters user interaction through a fitness forum.

Support: Provides FAQs, contact information, and support resources.

The app prioritizes simplicity and functionality to enhance the fitness experience.

______________________

That's pretty easy to follow. I doubt that there's much activity in the community. There'll only be activity from the 7 other app users, and their posts would probably discourage me at this stage. Dan tapped on the Workout Routines tab, and the first thing he saw was an option called Bio-scanner Recommended Workout. He then tapped on it, and he saw a series of exercises, with video tutorials for each one. He'd never really done dumbbell-related exercises so he watched the tutorials.

Then again, I'll be able to get the movements down very easily, it's already simple on its own but I'll adapt to it even faster! Before starting the workout, he decided to get a little more information.

______________________

Start Workout: Starts your selected workout routine.

Sync: Synchronises your mobile device with the workout equipment's micro-devices, enabling exercise data transmission.

Timer: Set a custom timer for your exercises, helping you stay on track during your workout.

The "Sync" option is crucial for seamless data tracking and exercise completion recognition, ensuring an efficient and accurate workout experience.

______________________

Cardio Warm-up

Duration: 10 minutes

Full-Body Resistance Training

Reps: 10 (3 sets)

Equipment: Dumbbells (5 kg each)

Exercises:

Bench Press

Dumbbell Rows

Leg Press

Bicep Curls

Tricep Extensions

Cool-down & Stretching

Duration: 5 minutes

So that's what the Sync button is for, I knew that it would be some form of synchronisation but I didn't know what it was for. That's extremely handy, and it removes the need for me to tick off exercises, which saves time. Dan then tapped the Stark Workout button, and set a timer for 1 hour. He then began the exercises, starting with the dumbbell exercises, working his way through them. After each set, he'd take a 30-second break, as recommended.

After finishing with them, he moved on to the leg press, setting the weight to 70 kg, as recommended by Angela as she oversaw his exercise. She was there, encouraging him the entire time, and it's a good thing she was. It was only the first circuit, and he already found it to be tiring, but he kept pushing. Strength training will be 8x more effective anyways, 3 sets of each exercise will be the equivalent of 24 sets instead. These breaks are amazing too, normally, I would've only just about managed the first round of the circuit without my fast recovery.

Dan quickly took out his bottle of water from his bag, and took several sips before putting it down. He then began the second circuit, and that one passed by relatively quickly. It was the same for the third and final circuit, he then spent 5 minutes doing his stretches. Only after finishing his stretches, and getting his breath back, did he activate the Evolution Speed Boost.

He felt a warm sensation pass through his body, but other than that he didn't feel any major changes, not at first. It was only after a couple of minutes that he started to feel some small changes happening. Normally, I'd have to wait for the micro-tears to heal, and for my muscles to strengthen. I'd normally have to wait a couple of days, but with the fast evolution, and the speed boost, that will only take an hour or a little more to take place.

Well, the boost runs out after an hour, but most of the changes will be done after that anyways. Dan could feel his muscle-ache coming and fading very quickly right now, it was a weird sensation. Angela walked over and stared at him, "So it's started, has it? I can see it, it's a small change but I can see it clearly. You're slowly starting to form stronger muscles, and lose some weight along with that."

Dan nodded at her evaluation, "that's right! Sometimes though, I've felt it speed up a lot for a short period of time. This is one of those times."

-- (POV: Angela) --

Watching Dan's evolution happen right in front of my eyes is incredible, this isn't something I've ever seen to begin with! If this process will speed up over time, it may not even be a few years before he reaches the level of superhumans like me. He could be the next Captain America for all I know, then again, he doesn't seem like the patriotic type. That may change at any time though! I can't wait to see how far he goes, both here and back at The Front Line!

It's a good thing that this seems to be some innate ability, and not an X-Gene that's taken much longer to manifest. I know a lot of people aside from those from Shield who'd want to get their hands on him. I've heard rumours of there being a mutant who can detect the presence of other mutants.

-- (POV: Dan) --

Angela seemed to be impressed, the serious look had also returned to her face, as well as a mixture of emotions it seemed. It must be weird to see these changes happening from the outside. Oh yeah, I'll definitely have to tell Andrei once I get back, he'll notice the changes immediately! "You've done extremely well Dan, as expected! I had a hunch that this would be one of Vicky's better ideas. Most of her ideas are good, but this one may just be one of her best ones!"

Dan rubbed the back of his head, he felt a little embarrassed, but that quickly changed to gratitude. "Thank you, Angela! Thanks to you, I can greatly speed up my adaption and evolution."

Angela seemed a little embarrassed too, "it's nothing, really! It's the least I can do as your mentor. It looks like you'll be in shape for the Hero Management Division in no time! This was a great first session, I guess you'll be coming back tomorrow evening too?"

"If that's alright with you. I can exercise everyday, and I'll be able to increase the intensity fairly quickly too! If there's one thing I do need though, then it's a driving license. I don't want to rely on you or a taxi every time I want to get somewhere after all!"

Angela nodded, "that'll be no problem, I'll ask Vicky to arrange it, you'll be able to take your theory test in the next couple of days. It won't take long to find you an instructor either."

Dan opened his mouth in astonishment, and Angela laughed at this. "You probably didn't expect that it would be that easy, I'll even ask Tony to arrange a car for you. Not a fancy one, I know that you'll probably not want to stand out too much. It'll still be outfitted with the latest in Stark Industries tech though."

Dan felt as though his jaw might hit the floor, this was all so much for him to take in. All I did was voice my concern, and now I'm getting the VIP treatment! I guess that's what happens when you have connections with people like Tony Stark. After discussing plans for the next session, Angela drove Dan back to his apartment complex, his mind was in a whirl, and Angela had to snap him out of it once they arrived. They agreed that she'd pick him up at 5 PM the next day, and then said their goodbyes.

Dan had thanked her profusely, but she'd just told him not to worry about it before driving off. As he got back to his apartment, he saw Andrei waiting outside. "Ah, Andrei, I was at the gym, funny story, Angela is my personal trainer!"

Andrei smirked once he heard this, "I had a feeling that you were with her, wait a second, have you lost weight? What the hell did you do to lose it that fast?"

I knew he'd notice something different, but that's just insane! "About that, I really need to tell you about something Andrei, preferably inside my apartment. I'm sure the others would love to hear about it, but I'm not ready to tell them!"

Andrei's expression turned serious, and he quickly nodded. Dan unlocked his apartment and they both entered, Andrei quietly closing the door behind him. He then spoke in a more hushed voice, "so, what's going on Dan?"

Dan sighed, he decided to just tell Andrei the straight truth, apart from the system. "Andrei, I'm a powered person! My ability is Adaptive Evolution!"

Andrei opened his mouth, but then closed it again, and he began to pace around the apartment for a bit. He seemed to calm down after that. "I knew something seemed different, it felt like you'd changed a couple of days ago, but I didn't want to pry. I knew that you'd tell me in your own time, but of all the things on the list, that one wasn't remotely close to being on it! Adaption & Evolution, yes, losing weight that fast would fall under that. Is that a little muscle I see forming on your arms? DID I JUST SEE ANOTHER ONE FORM?"

His last question sounded like more of a mix between a whisper and a shout. Dan groaned, "yeah, sometimes it speeds up a lot, and the workout was pretty tough. You're accepting this a lot faster than I thought you would!"

Andrei laughed at this. "Dan, we live in a world where superhumans and mutants do something crazy every other day. It's not too hard to accept that my best friend can adapt and evolve much faster than the average human!"

That's... a very good point! "That does make sense, well, now you know. I may be one of the heroes in the near future, don't give me that look, I'm serious. It may be less than 3 years before I reach the level of Captain America!"

Andrei had seemed a little sceptical at the idea of his friend becoming a hero, but then Dan's last sentence seemed to make him reconsider. "That's... I don't even know what to say!"

"Well Andrei, you know what we promised. If one of us becomes a hero at some point, there will be no hero worship, got that?"

Andrei slapped him on the back, "of course, no hero worship between friends! I will be there to cheer for you though, I wonder what your hero name will end up being."

Dan winced at that, "yeah, I'm not at all ready to start thinking about hero names. Then again, the media is pretty good at that, I'll leave it to them!"

The two friends continued to discuss Dan's possible hero life late into the night. Once thing was for certain though, Dan's life was changing in ways that he could have never imagined. This was only the beginning though, he knew that the biggest changes were yet to come! Once Andrei left his apartment, Dan turned his system notifications back on, he decided to only look at his stats for now, he was too tired to think about skills.

______________________

Stats:

Vigour: 30

Sapience: 31

Deftness: 19

Constitution: 19

Luck: 35

______________________

That seems about right, it can only go up from here! Dan sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day. It was already the weekend, and Dan was already looking forward to it, there was something addictive about seeing those numbers go up! 

Chapter done! I hope that you all enjoy it. A little delayed, I know, but it's done now.