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*****
"That's it!"
Feny nodded. As far as he could recall, the concept of the 'Railgun' was really that straightforward. Unfortunately, he lacked electromagnetic powers himself, so he couldn't personally test the theory.
Lincoln's expression stiffened. If Feny hadn't looked so dead serious, he would have suspected the man was playing a massive practical joke on him.
"Actually, I was a medical student before I came here," Lincoln said, his face contorted in a conflicted grimace. "So, I'm not exactly an expert on the principles of electromagnetic induction."
"I see."
A flash of disappointment crossed Feny's face. He was a language major, so he wasn't exactly a scientist either. Still, he didn't let it dampen his spirits. He patted Lincoln on the shoulder and offered an encouraging smile. "You should look into it when you have some free time. The move is called the 'Railgun,' and it's incredibly powerful!"
Lincoln looked stunned and couldn't help but ask, "Can someone really do what you described?"
Though he claimed not to know much about induction, he wasn't completely ignorant. From what he did know, what Feny suggested sounded physically impossible. If one were to actually launch a coin that way, the recoil alone would likely shatter the user's entire arm—and 'incredibly powerful' seemed like a massive understatement for the resulting destruction.
"Of course," Feny replied, glancing at the skeptical Lincoln. Since Gold Selection could exist in this world, why shouldn't a Railgun?
"In that case... could you introduce—"
"No."
Feny cut him off before the request was even finished. While the Railgun was very real, it didn't exactly exist in the Marvel Universe. Introducing them was a literal impossibility.
Lincoln looked a bit embarrassed by the blunt rejection, but he didn't push. Deep down, however, he began to wonder if he should actually research the possibility once he got back.
A week passed by quickly.
During this time, Feny and Skye stayed in 'Afterlife,' taking in the stunning scenery. Gordon and Jiaying appeared to be functioning perfectly under their new mental adjustments.
In that week, Jiaying officially stepped down as leader, transferring her authority to others. She even had Gordon bring Cal Johnson to the village for a true, long-overdue family reunion.
Feny didn't participate in the family gathering, but judging by the radiant smile on Skye's face afterward, the meeting had been everything she hoped for.
Later, with Cal's consent, Feny used Gold Selection to carefully excise the memories of the horrific torture Jiaying had suffered at Whitehall's hands.
With Skye's parents finally settled, Feny felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders. Now, there was only the matter of cleaning up Whitehall's faction of Hydra to bring this entire ordeal to a perfect close.
Because her memories had been wiped, Jiaying was not included in the revenge plot. Feny was also wary of exposing her to anything that might trigger a traumatic relapse and break the Scepter's influence.
As for Skye, Cal Johnson didn't want his kind-hearted daughter involved in such a dark business. He repeatedly requested that Feny leave her out of it.
Feny agreed without much hesitation. He didn't want Skye there either; given her sense of justice, she might have even tried to stop Cal from taking his revenge.
Inside the Hydra base, Feny and Cal Johnson stood before a chair where Daniel Whitehall sat bound and immobile.
Revenge is a hollow dish if the victim is a mindless puppet, so Feny had specifically deactivated the Scepter's control over the old Nazi.
"I didn't expect it to end like this for me," Whitehall remarked, looking between Feny and Cal. He let out a dry, philosophical sigh. "But before I die, could you tell me... what exactly is the Obelisk?"
Seeing the genuine, scholarly curiosity in the dying man's eyes, Feny decided not to let him die in ignorance. "It's extraterrestrial. Long ago, aliens used humans for experiments. That device helps the descendants of those subjects awaken the special powers hidden in their DNA."
"I see!"
Whitehall nodded, seemingly satisfied. He then looked at Cal Johnson, who was trembling with suppressed rage beside Feny. "Do it," Whitehall said flatly.
With his enemy finally within reach, Cal's fury was a raging inferno. If it weren't for the immense gratitude he felt toward Feny, he wouldn't have waited this long.
"You want a quick death? Not a chance," Cal snarled, his eyes fixed on Whitehall with predatory intensity. "I'm going to make sure you feel every bit of the agony we endured!"
Watching the madness flicker in Cal's eyes, Feny frowned slightly. However, he didn't intervene. He couldn't truly fathom the depth of Cal's suffering, and therefore felt he had no right to judge the man's methods. He had promised Whitehall to Cal; what happened next was Cal's business.
Feny silently exited the room. Soon, the muffled sounds of Cal's manic laughter and Whitehall's agonized screams began to filter through the door.
It took a full half-hour before Cal emerged, drenched in blood, looking like a literal demon.
"Thank you."
Cal Johnson breathed the words to Feny, who was still standing guard. Having found his wife and daughter and finally ended his tormentor, he felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in decades.
"It's alright," Feny said. Though Cal looked terrifying, the dark, brooding shadow that usually occupied his gaze had vanished, replaced by a strange clarity.
"Can I ask you for one more favor?" Cal said suddenly.
"Hmm?" Feny blinked. "What is it?"
"Can you... can you wipe these memories too?"
The satisfaction of revenge had been fleeting, replaced quickly by a hollow emptiness. Cal had decided he wanted everything related to Whitehall purged from his mind. For the future, he wanted only to live a quiet, peaceful life with his family. He wanted the hatred to simply disappear.
"Are you sure?"
Feny was surprised. He hadn't expected such a request, but looking at the situation, he realized it might indeed be the best possible outcome.
"Yes," Cal nodded firmly.
"Alright."
Feny agreed. After Cal had washed up and changed his clothes, Feny used Gold Selection to erase the traumatic memories. It wasn't a difficult task—just a few precise commands manifested through his magic.
Without the weight of Whitehall or his past sins, Cal Johnson transformed. He became sunny, humble, and polite—a complete 180-degree turn from the brooding, manic man he had been.
Skye's parents were safe. Whitehall was dead. But Feny still had one lingering headache: the massive base and the fifty or sixty Hydra agents still inside.
"Do I really have to hit them with a 'Burst Magic'?"
Feny wavered. He didn't consider himself a traditional superhero, but he had never wanted to be a cold-blooded killer. Because of the way his system granted experience, he held a deep respect for life; he feared that if he started killing indiscriminately, he would eventually become indifferent to existence itself. To him, execution was the worst possible choice.
(End of Chapter)