"My pleasure!" Blink replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement. With a swift, practiced motion, she hurled a crystal across the open space. Instantly, the air shimmered and twisted, forming a portal that rippled with pink-blue light. Without hesitation, Blink leapt through and vanished from sight. A heartbeat later, a portal opened just behind and above Su Zhan, and Blink emerged, aiming a flying kick straight down at his head.
You want to see my ability? Fine, then I want to see if your ability is good enough to recruit me! Blink thought, her heart pounding with both challenge and anticipation. She was certain Su Zhan wouldn't see her coming.
But Su Zhan didn't even turn around. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he reached up and caught Blink's ankle with a backhand, stopping her attack midair. Blink was shocked, but she reacted quickly, trying to kick him with her other foot-only to suddenly find herself weightless, pushed away by an invisible force. The strength wasn't overwhelming, so after a brief moment of floating, she adjusted her body and landed safely on the ground.
Blink didn't hesitate. She flung another crystal, vanishing in a flash and reappearing in front of Su Zhan, launching a flurry of attacks. Su Zhan, however, simply closed his eyes, his body swaying gracefully. Each time, he dodged her strikes with effortless precision.
"Not fast enough. Your attacks aren't decisive enough," Su Zhan said calmly, eyes still shut. "Even with your teleportation, if your attacks aren't fast, accurate, and ruthless, your opponent will see through your moves. For example-like this…"
Blink lunged again, but Su Zhan sidestepped and caught her fist, holding her in place.
"I can escape at any time!" Blink protested, preparing to throw another crystal and open a portal. But to her surprise, her body wouldn't respond -her hand wouldn't move, and the crystal wouldn't leave her fingers.
"No ability is invincible," Su Zhan explained, opening his eyes and releasing her from his psionic hold. "If your body is restrained, you can't use your powers. But any ability can be strengthened with training. Water can extinguish fire, but if the fire is strong enough, it overcomes the water. If you become strong enough, even my mind control won't be able to stop you."
Blink nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I understand. But… just how many abilities do you have? You're not a mutant, so what are you?"
Su Zhan smiled. "I'm just an ordinary person… with some extraordinary abilities. Your power is impressive, Blink, and with the right training, you could be more than just support-you could be the one leading the charge."
He continued, "Your portals are your greatest weapon. You can open a gateway anywhere, at any time. If you master your technique, you could split an enemy in two with a single move. And while your portals look spectacular, they're not as fast as they could be. Try throwing your crystal directly at your target and teleporting it instantly."
Blink shook her head. "I've tried. I can only open portals-I can't teleport things just by throwing the crystal."
"Don't underestimate your potential," Su Zhan encouraged. "With enough effort, there's nothing you can't achieve."
Blink's eyes shone with renewed confidence. No one had ever encouraged her like this before. She realized that with Su Zhan's guidance, she might finally unlock the full potential of her powers.
Maybe… following him isn't such a bad idea, she thought to herself.
"Let's change the scenery," Su Zhan suggested, glancing around the dusty factory. "You deserve a better place."
Blink smiled and tossed a crystal, opening a new portal. Together, they stepped through, emerging moments later in the presidential suite of a luxury hotel. The room was elegant, far removed from the abandoned places she was used to. Su Zhan immediately arranged for the suite to be officially booked, and soon, room service delivered a feast.
For Blink, this was a new experience-living openly, without fear or suspicion, and surrounded by comfort. She was determined not to let Su Zhan down. She trained her abilities diligently, again and again, striving to become stronger. Even when she failed, she pressed on, motivated by the goal they now shared.
Su Zhan's vision was clear: to become king in this world, he couldn't do it alone. A true leader needs a team-people with diverse talents and unwavering strength. Skye was his network expert, Jemma Simmons his scientific mind, and now, with Blink by his side, he had a formidable force. Only by gathering such power could he hope to achieve his ultimate goal.
A lone wolf could never rule a kingdom. But with a team like this, anything was possible. Only then can you truly achieve your goals.