"Wait, what? I get thrown into dangerous dimensions because of you?"
Axel burst into laughter and patted Doctor Fate's shoulder.
"Do you really think you ended up in all those strange places because you said that? No, you gave me an idea. You reminded me exactly how to deal with you."
Doctor Fate rolled his eyes and stopped arguing with Axel's teasing. Instead, he turned toward his younger self.
Seeing the fear and disbelief in his younger counterpart's eyes, the older Doctor Fate shook his head with a faint smile.
"Do not look so shocked. Everything you are seeing is real. Back then, I believed only in science. Now, I believe in magic and the powers beyond human understanding. But our greatest flaw has always been the same.
When we believe in something, we believe in it completely. We do not leave room for anything else.
In the end, it was never science or magic that we trusted. We trusted ourselves too much.
We are arrogant, and that is dangerous."
The younger Doctor Fate stared at him in disbelief before finally speaking.
"That child needs treatment."
"Does she really?"
The older Doctor Fate looked toward Gwen, who was still lying on the examination platform.
"Look at her condition. Her body temperature has already reached fifty-two degrees. A normal human body could never survive this. Cells would begin failing long before reaching that point.
Yet she is still alive, and this is not even her limit.
Today, Gwen's temperature will rise to seventy-four degrees. A level no ordinary human could ever endure."
After saying this, Doctor Fate released his younger self and nodded toward Lex and Jarvis.
He then casually walked toward the cabinet, poured himself a drink, and watched the situation unfold.
The younger Doctor Fate stared at him in disbelief.
"Give me one too. If I cannot understand what happened today, I might as well be drunk while trying."
The older Doctor Fate smiled.
"That is exactly the kind of thing we would say. Come on. Before we carry even more responsibility, have a drink."
He poured his younger self a glass, which was quickly emptied.
Afterward, the older Doctor Fate returned beside Axel and observed Gwen's transformation.
Seeing this, Lex looked toward Axel.
"Axel, how did you do that? You can bring people from different timelines here?
If that is possible, could you bring my future self back?"
Axel glanced at him.
"You want to meet your future self?"
Lex immediately shook his head.
"No. I was only curious whether it was possible.
I do not want to see my future. Whether I succeed or make mistakes, I want to experience those moments myself.
Without unexpected events, life loses its meaning."
Lex looked toward his own work and continued.
"My family's company has already reached a level where we can compete with old powers like Wayne Enterprises. I am already close to achieving everything I once wanted.
But that success has also taken away some of the excitement.
If I could simply look into the future and avoid every mistake, then even greater achievements would feel empty.
Humans need uncertainty. Without it, we become machines.
If I wanted to calculate every outcome, I could simply upload my consciousness like Doctor Zola attempted.
But I choose to remain human.
Emotion and uncertainty are proof that we are alive."
The two Doctors Fate said nothing more and continued watching Gwen.
The situation was impossible, yet Gwen's condition continued improving as her temperature increased.
When her body temperature passed sixty degrees, her cells began adapting rapidly. It was not ordinary growth, but a controlled biological transformation.
The observation equipment recorded every change, providing Lex with valuable information for his own research.
Meanwhile, the younger Doctor Fate could only drink in silence, trying to accept everything happening before him.
Eventually, he opened his tired eyes.
"Her vital signs are stable. Is this process almost finished?"
The older Doctor Fate tapped his head.
"Do not worry. She is almost awake.
Come sit over here. If she wakes up and sees everyone staring at her, she will panic."
The younger Doctor Fate sighed and followed him.
Lex returned to his workstation, continuing his nanotechnology research.
After several more minutes, Gwen's temperature finally reached its peak before rapidly falling.
Her body changed dramatically. She became taller, and her appearance matured from that of a young child into a girl around twelve or thirteen years old.
After the transformation stabilized, her temperature returned close to normal.
A few minutes later, Gwen slowly opened her eyes.
"Huh?"
She rubbed her head in confusion.
When she realized she was in an unfamiliar place, she immediately panicked.
"Where am I?"
She jumped up and struck the glass cover above her.
The impact left her dizzy.
"What happened?"
She instinctively grabbed the walls with her hands and feet, clinging to the glass like a spider.
"Axel! How did I get here? Why are you here too?
Wasn't I visiting an exhibition?
Wait...
The spider. I was bitten by a spider!"
Gwen suddenly remembered everything.
Then she noticed something strange.
She was the one hanging upside down.
After letting go, she flipped through the air and landed smoothly.
"Something is wrong with me."
She looked at her hands and tapped the glass.
"What happened? Wasn't I poisoned?
That spider must have been dangerous. I should never have listened to Peter and gone to that exhibition.
Peter owes me a McDonald's."
Axel waved his hand.
"Jarvis, open the chamber."
The glass cover slowly opened.
Gwen took a deep breath and jumped down.
However, the moment she pushed off, her body launched forward at incredible speed.
Axel reacted immediately, catching her by the back of her neck and placing her safely on the ground.
Gwen shook her head.
"That was strange."
She looked amazed by her own abilities.
Nearby, Peter stared in shock.
"After being bitten by a spider, someone can become this powerful?
Why was it not me?"
Jarvis looked at him.
"No one can guarantee that a mutation will have a positive result. Attempting to replicate Gwen's situation could kill you."
Peter quickly waved his hands.
"I was only joking."
He walked toward Gwen and touched her arm.
"It feels normal. How did your strength increase so much?"
"I do not know either," Gwen replied. "I was bitten, passed out, woke up here, and suddenly everything changed."
She placed an arm around Peter's shoulder.
Jarvis immediately realized something was wrong.
"Stop!"
But he was too late.
Gwen accidentally tightened her grip.
Crack.
Peter screamed.
Gwen's expression changed instantly.
"I did not mean to!"
She released him in panic.
Peter collapsed, and Jarvis rushed forward to catch him.
After scanning him, Jarvis reported:
"Seven fractured ribs, damaged shoulder blade, and a fractured collarbone.
Gwen's strength is comparable to heavy industrial machinery. A careless movement could seriously injure an adult, let alone a child."
"Then help him!"
Lex rushed over.
"Doctor Fate, can you treat him?"
The younger Doctor Fate frowned.
"I am a neurologist, not a surgeon. He needs a hospital immediately."
Axel, however, laughed.
"Hahaha, it is fine. He will recover.
Send him to the hospital."
Jarvis immediately carried Peter away.
Watching him leave, Doctor Fate shook his head.
"My future self, I need to arrange emergency treatment. I cannot spend time discussing magic while a child is injured."
The older Doctor Fate nodded.
"You are right. Go."
The younger Doctor Fate left quickly.
Afterward, Gwen looked at her hands and started crying.
"I hurt Peter."
Axel picked her up and lightly messed up her hair.
"It is fine. Children recover quickly. What matters is learning control.
I will find someone who can teach you how to use these abilities."
"But I caused trouble."
Axel smiled.
"Compared to what could happen, this is nothing."
He glanced at Doctor Fate, then looked downward.
A few seconds later, Axel grinned.
"You are really ruthless. That was your own younger self."
Doctor Fate answered calmly.
"He was driving drunk. The result was his own responsibility."
A portal opened, and Doctor Fate disappeared.
At that moment, on the streets near Wayne Tower, a Ferrari crashed directly into a Rolls-Royce driven by Happy.
The consequences of Doctor Fate's lesson had arrived.
=≠=
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