Marvel: Emotion Farming System

Next bonus at 10k.

Toodaloo.

...

"You eat it, or I’ll shove it down your throat along with the entire tray." The intimidating words just followed so naturally that even John couldn’t believe it.

And it worked well on the waiter. He picked up the spoon with trembling hands and brought it to his mouth. Closing his eyes as if saying a prayer, he took a bite with a wince.

He looked about ready to puke. But with John’s pointed eyes on him, the waiter had to swallow the ice cream alongside his rising bile. And he had to keep eating until the last bite, because it felt like if he stopped, he would die.

’Well, I won’t really kill him.’ John studied the fear on this trembling man, but he was more focused on the aftereffect.

What had they mixed in the food to act this scared? And he got the answer pretty soon.

While he had gathered everyone’s attention with his stunt, Colleen had subdued everyone of this waiter’s accomplices in silence and was now letting Harry know of the situation.

"Everyone, look over here!" Harry shouted with a huge smile, gathering everyone’s attention. "Some jobless idiots tried to mess with my birthday party, but because of my extraordinary friends, we have caught them before they could do anything."

"All of you just enjoy the party and don’t worry about these party wreckers; I’ll handle them quickly, then we can have some alcohol and enjoy the night!" With a strong voice and a charming aura, Harry quickly restored the festive mood.

During that time, Colleen came over to John and gave him the details.

It seemed like someone had made a Fight Club in New York, and their members were trying their very own homework. As for what they did to the food here.

"They pissed in the soups and spat in other things while wheeling them out." Her brow had turned crooked in disgust.

"What about the ice cream?" He asked.

Colleen paused for a moment, giving the kneeling waiter a sharp side eye before leaning in.

"They had dumped their, um, semen in it." She whispered in his ear as he closed in. Even Colleen seemed embarrassed to speak further as the waiter tried to vomit.

"Vomit, and you will be licking it back up." John held back the urge to punch this guy through the floor; it really took all the restraint he had to not do anything further.

But he chose to tell Colleen about which of the food they had messed with so they could be removed as fast as possible.

"Thanks for that, I owe you one." She gave him a slight nod and walked away, dragging the other waiter by his foot.

’My appetite is dead.’ John sighed, cooling his head a bit.

Now that the incident was dealt with, his mind started to calm down. His tensed muscles had relaxed a bit. Only then did he remember Susan.

Was she so scared that she didn’t speak a word this entire time? Well, Hanma’s bloodlust, plus the cursed energy, was strong enough to turn the room silent even when he didn’t raise his voice. And she just happened to be standing nearby.

If the notifications were anything to go by, she still didn’t have her powers, and he didn’t feel anything from her either. So, as a university student, she must’ve been extra spooked by him.

’Wait, notifications?’ John looked at the system panel popping into his view.

[Susan Storm thinks she might have a crush on you. +10EP]

’I beg your fucking pardon?’ John blinked at the window, lost for words.

When he looked to his right, Susan’s blue eyes were looking right at him. As if she was trying to burn the scene in her memory.

For a second, John wondered if he wasn’t in Marvel but some shoujo manga.

She didn’t know what the waiters had done to the ice cream, but at this point that didn’t matter. She felt overwhelmed with the feeling of being protected with such fierceness.

Even if he was pissed at these waiters for messing with the food he wanted to eat, Susan had completely and utterly misread the situation.

"I know it’s a bit sudden, but can I... have your number?" She asked at last, her smile much brighter now. There was this ’young girl in love’ look in her eyes.

"Sure..." John gave up since explaining wouldn’t help here; he felt like he might dig himself into a deeper hole if he said anything more.

"Hey now buddy, you sure are popular." That’s when Harry slid in, with a teasing smile. "I wonder what Gwen would think about this?"

"Not much." John was sure Gwen wouldn’t mind him giving out his number.

’She wouldn’t, right?’ It was just a number after all.

"Wow, you guys are that comfortable, huh?" Harry grinned, but there was more on his mind that he wanted to discuss in private.

"Is it ok if we talk on the balcony for a bit, please?" It was almost like he was asking for permission.

"Sure." John nodded.

"Let me borrow your partner for the night for just a moment." Harry then turned to Susan with a polite smile.

"It’s... ok." Susan wanted to ask something else, but she held back and gave a small smile while stepping back.

"Don’t eat anything for now," John warned her.

"I won’t." She maintained her smile as John headed for the balcony, with Harry walking with him.

There was only one question going through her head right now.

’Who is Gwen?’

Meanwhile, John looked at the open door made of rich wood and painted glass before him. He looked at Harry, who seemed to be waiting for him to step out first.

Why was the party host acting like this with a guest?

Still, as they stepped onto the balcony and felt the languid wind of New York, carrying the car exhaust and angry screams rising at the main gate of the club, John found this much more peaceful than the loudness of the hall.

And John could sense the presence of a mob beyond the green trees and reception building bathed in night, with the earlier trained security keeping the violent people in check.

"It’s something similar to Fight Club from that online novel. Crazy, isn’t it?" Harry leaned on the marble handrail with a sigh. "They have been causing a ruckus for a while outside, since the party is being covered by quite a few magazines and news channels since my father will be coming."

"He has been in the news a lot these few days." He chuckled, taking out a cigarette pack. "Want one?"

"I don’t smoke." As John said that.

Harry, who looked about ready to light his own cigarette, placed it back in the box and pocketed the thing.

John, however, focused on the matter at hand. He had been following Norman’s public appearances since he wanted to see how much this guy had changed. So far, he hadn’t been able to tell any key differences from TV appearances or interviews.

Part of the reason he came here today was to see Norman in person. It was just a precautionary visit after seeing the system notifications.

"Thank you for catching them early, also..." Harry turned to him at last after thinking for a while, slightly bowing his head. "I am really sorry."

"That wasn’t a big deal." Now the host was apologizing, so John could only shrug.

"No, it wasn’t just about what happened today." Harry rubbed the back of his head with a deep sigh. "When Flash tried to attack you that day at ESU, that sort of happened because of me."

The day Harry visited ESU, he came with his friends from Columbia University and was even able to rope in Susan Storm, who seemed interested in the other elite University.

And Flash just happened to take a liking to her. He was asking for her number, and seeing her uncomfortable, Harry jokingly made a bet with him. If Flash could scare someone walking by the field, he’d give him Susan’s number.

Harry was planning to give Flash a fake number, since he didn’t have Susan’s number himself. But he had forgotten how cocky Flash had gotten after getting into ESU, even if it was on a Sports Scholarship.

"You were passing by with Peter that day, and I honestly didn’t think Flash would go for it like that." Harry pinched the bridge of his nose; if John wasn’t as capable as he was, only god knew what could’ve happened. "You did handle him, but I really felt like I should apologize for causing the mess."

"You could’ve kept it hidden; I wouldn’t have known." John didn’t care much about it even now, because the incident ended on that day itself. He had zero interest in the intricacies or motives of someone that couldn’t even meet his eyes.

"Well, that is true. But good things have been happening to me lately, and I don’t want my past actions to come bite me in the ass." Harry looked at him with an almost self-deprecating smile.

"I had little control of my own life, but my status made others listen to me. I felt like I was at the top of the world in high school; even until recently I was so happy being like this." He looked at the night full of stars with a heavy heart. "But because of that, I even made those who thought of me as friends suffer."

Peter liked MJ; he confessed that to Harry once. But Harry had also liked MJ. So even if he was supportive on the surface, he started to slightly push Flash into bullying Peter. It was the first time he had learned that his words held that much power.

’But that one stupid action made life hell for Peter.’ Harry was shocked to learn that Flash had followed through with the bullying even in university because it had become a reflex for him; hitting Peter was almost like breathing to him.

Part of Harry’s sudden visit to ESU was because Gwen had told him about Flash still messing with Peter, but that turned into a whole new fiasco with John.

If Harry held the power called money and connections, John held a power that was more primal and destructive in nature. Something he thought Flash had, but now, Flash couldn’t even scratch the surface.

Even now, it took all his courage to confess his involvement. But thinking of how his father changed, he had to follow in his example. It was never too late to change, never too late to fix one’s mistakes.

’If only Peter came today...’ Harry wanted to apologize to Peter, but he stated some random excuse and cancelled last minute. Gwen also didn’t come for unknown reasons.

Still, he wanted to apologize properly, and he would find them later and do it in person. That’s why he steeled his resolve and approached the most dangerous one first.

"So, about th—!" Harry’s words died in his throat when he looked at John.

His eyes had become sharper, and there was this burning aura rising around him like a blaze. Cold sweat poured down Harry’s face as John leaned on the railing.

’Does he want to hit me? I mean, it is understandable.’ Remembering what happened to Flash with just one elbow, he gulped at the rising fear.

It wouldn’t be ideal to celebrate his birthday with a broken nose, but he took a deep breath and clenched his jaw.

’If that is what it takes to be forgiven, I suppose it’s ok.’ He closed his eyes, hoping to pass out so he didn’t feel the pain immediately.

However, even after Harry braced himself and closed his eyes, the hit never came. Instead, John only asked a question.

"Is this part of your security detail?"

When he opened his eyes, a man in fully blacked-out SWAT gear and a gas mask dangled in front of him. John was holding an unconscious grown man by the scruff of his neck like it was a child.

...

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