The door creaked softly as he pushed it open. Inside, Tasha slept soundly, curled up under her blankets, her breathing slow and even. Jayden paused for a moment, admiring her. She looked so small, so peaceful—so unlike the fierce little firecracker she was when awake.
Carefully, he lowered Jessica onto her bed, peeling her arms from around his neck. She mumbled something incoherent, her lashes fluttering as she fought sleep. Jayden pulled the covers over her, tucking her in with a gentleness that surprised even him.
He turned to leave—only to feel a small hand clutch his sleeve. Turning his head back, he saw Jessica holding him, her eyes flickering slightly.
"You’re my Superman..." she whispered, her voice thick with sleep. Then, softer, barely audible: "I love you."
Jayden froze. His chest tightened, his breath catching in his throat. For a long moment, he just stared at her—her tousled hair, her parted lips, the way her fingers still clung to him even in unconsciousness.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
"I love you too," he murmured, bending to press a kiss to her forehead.
Her grip loosened, her hand slipping back onto the bed as she finally surrendered to sleep. Jayden lingered for just a second longer before stepping back, closing the door behind him with a barely audible click.
Back in his own room, he moved mechanically—washing his face, changing into sleep clothes, collapsing onto his bed. But as he lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, the smile never left his face.
For the first time in a long time, the world felt... right.
And with that thought, he closed his eyes, and let sleep take him.
The morning sun painted Jayden’s room in streaks of molten gold as consciousness slowly returned. He blinked against the light, his body still humming with the residual energy from last night’s rooftop sprint across the city. The memory of Jessica’s weight against his back, her laughter ringing in his ears as they soared between buildings, brought an unconscious smile to his face.
Within minutes, he was dressed and out the door, the crisp morning air filling his lungs as he began his jog through the empty streets. His enhanced physique made the five miles feel like a leisurely stroll, his breathing never once becoming labored.
At the park, he found a massive boulder near the hiking trail - easily 500kg. With a grunt, he lifted it overhead effortlessly, holding it for several seconds before setting it down gently. The tree climbing took barely thirty seconds, his claws extending just enough to find purchase in the bark as he scaled the ancient oak with spider-like grace.
And when he jumped down, he heard a ding.
[Daily Quest Complete]
[+10 exp received]
[+10 Stat points received]
He sighed in satisfaction, and once again decided to keep the stat points. He’d once again been piling the points up, storing them for future battles.
As he walked home, the crisp morning air carried the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby café. His stomach growled, reminding him breakfast was overdue. But then—
Something caught his eye.
A massive holographic poster flickered to life on the side of a sleek, chrome-plated building:
"ASTRAL RIDER EX- LIMITED EDITION"
The image showed a hoverbike unlike anything Jayden had ever seen. Its obsidian frame seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, with neon-blue energy veins pulsing along its aerodynamic body. It hovered mid-air, wheel-less, suspended by some unseen force.
Jayden stopped dead in his tracks. He was mesmerised with the frame and structure of the bike. Having been a power bike enthusiast since childhood, he was instantly drawn to the automobile.
Jayden’s feet carried him into the bike shop before he’d consciously decided to move. The bell chimed as he pushed through the glass doors. The interior smelled of polished metal and synthetic oil, the walls lined with gleaming bike parts and holographic displays of actual bikes.
A middle-aged man with grease-stained hands looked up from behind the counter.
"Morning." he said. "Do you need something?"
Jayden’s eyes were still scanning the shop, taking in the engineering marvels. "Not really. I’m just browsing," he said absently, fingers trailing along the frame of a mid-range sport model.
The man—Rick, according to his nametag, leaned against the counter. "You like bikes, kid?"
Jayden nodded. "Yeah, loved them since i was a child. My mum says my dad did too." he chuckled.
Rick smiled. "That’s interesting. Most kids your age would rather ride in hovercars or flight ships."
Jayden shrugged. "Well, I’m not most kids. Besides, i think bikes are cool. When I was seven, i made my first engine from vintage scraps." he said smugly.
Rick’s eyebrows shot up. "Wow. That’s impressive, kid. Do you plan on going into automobiles?"
Jayden shook his head. "No. It’s just one of my many kinks."
Rick chuckled. "I see."
And for the next ten minutes, they traded words - Jayden surprising the mechanic with his technical knowledge on automobiles, Rick sharing his experience working with multiple automobile companies.
Finally, Jayden gestured to the poster outside.
"The Astral Rider. You got one in stock?"
Rick’s grin turned knowing. He reached under the counter and pulled out a sleek, fingerless glove encased in glass. "You’re looking at it right now."
Jayden raised a brow. "Um.. I was talking about the bike."
"Oh, this is the bike." Rick’s smile widened as he carefully removed the glove and slipped it onto his hand. A small button on the wrist lit up blue. "Watch this."
He stepped into an open area of the shop and extended his arm. A beam of holographic light shot from the glove’s palm, materializing into... a handlebar.
Jayden’s breath caught in his throat as the projection expanded, forming a second handle, then control panels, then an entire bike frame - an exact replica of the poster’s design. But it didn’t stop there.
Rick grabbed the holographic handle.
And it solidified.
Black metal rippled outward from his grip, transforming the projection into something tangible. Something real. The bike’s hum filled the shop as it hovered, now fully physical.
Jayden’s eyes bulged. "What the hell..?"
Rick chuckled, running a hand along the now-solid frame. "The glove projects the bike’s energy matrix, then converts it to matter on demand."
Jayden strode towards the bike, he reached out, fingers brushing the cold metal. It felt completely real. "How?" he asked in awe.
"Believe me, I’m still trying to figure that out myself," Rick admitted. "It’s a kind of advanced automobile that makes use of both holographic and spatial technology. It was originally developed in Zeta, but it’s now available on other planets. Though it’s still rare here on Alpha because..." He paused dramatically. "It costs basically an arm and a leg. Super expensive."
Jayden couldn’t tear his eyes away from the machine. "How expensive?"
Rick sighed. "850,000 credits."