Marvel: Sign-In System – Starting with the Glint-Glint Fruit

News that Jiaying's daughter, Daisy, had found Afterlife quickly spread throughout the entire settlement.

Of course, part of the reason was that Skye's arrival had been impossible to ignore.

Afterlife only had a little over a hundred residents, and both the buildings and the community itself were closely packed together, so news traveled quickly.

Before long, Inhumans of every age had gathered around.

After holding Skye for a long time, Jiaying finally let her go. She wiped away her tears, though the excitement on her face had not faded.

Her reason, however, was gradually returning.

She finally asked the question that had been on her mind.

"Daisy... have your Inhuman genes already awakened?"

Skye had arrived in an astonishing fashion, flying through the air under her own power at Mach speed.

Although Jiaying came from an ancient and isolated background, her long life and extensive experience had given her a considerable education.

Afterlife might have been separated from the outside world, but it was not completely cut off from it.

Jiaying had once traveled across the world searching for her daughter and other Inhumans—during that time, she had learned enough to understand exactly what it meant for someone to fly through the air at supersonic speed using only their body.

What kind of Inhuman power did Daisy awaken? Why is she so strong? And how did she find Afterlife and learn my true name?

All of these questions needed answers.

"Yeah, Mom. My ability has already awakened—I can generate vibrations." Skye replied openly, making no secret of her power.

She remained standing in place without making any obvious movement, yet the ground around them began to tremble faintly.

The vibration was not strong, but everyone could feel it.

The surrounding Inhumans exchanged glances, while Jiaying frowned.

"Your ability is vibration generation? That's an extraordinary power... but you can fly."

Once Skye explained that her Inhuman ability was based on vibrations, Jiaying could already tell that it should not normally allow true flight.

At most, Skye should have been able to use vibrations against the ground for powerful jumps, brief aerial movement, or cushioning a fall.

But flying at Mach speed, hovering freely in midair, and controlling her own descent with such precision—

that level of aerial control could not possibly come from vibration generation alone.

"Well... it's a little complicated to explain."

Skye raised a hand and lightly scratched her chin.

Technically, she could not fly through her Inhuman ability alone.

Her flight came from combining her vibration power with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's extremely precise control over vibrations, then using Moonwalk from the Six Powers to step through the air.

Most soldiers in the three warbands could fly.

That ability was most common among the Raven Guard and the Grey Knights.

The Astartes were less suited to sustained flight—they were Terra's spearhead for frontal assaults and devastating ground combat, where few could match them.

Moonwalk still gave them aerial combat capability, so fighting in the air was not exactly a weakness.

However, they could not yet maintain long-duration flight.

That limitation would eventually disappear as their physical strength continued to improve.

The Science Department was also modifying their power armor and standard combat suits by combining technological anti-gravity systems with magical runes.

They were apparently studying Kamar-Taj's Cloak of Levitation and attempting to reproduce its functions.

The problem was that the self-aware cloak was not particularly cooperative—

it was extremely mischievous.

The Raven Guard and Grey Knights, on the other hand, could already fly.

That was because both warbands trained not only their bodies, but also possessed considerable magical skill.

Most sorcerers at Kamar-Taj could not fly.

Part of the reason was insufficient mastery—the other problem was simply that they did not have enough magical energy.

Their lack of mastery was largely tied to the strength of their souls.

Kamar-Taj possessed an extremely complete system of magic, including invisibility, energy projection, phasing through matter, longevity, illusions, flight, hypnosis, protective barriers, alchemy, telekinesis, teleportation, interdimensional portals, remote summoning, and many other techniques.

But every spell placed significant demands on mental strength and magical energy.

The more powerful the spell, the greater the requirement.

Flight might look ordinary compared with more spectacular forms of magic, but it was actually a very advanced spell.

It required a deep understanding of magic, extremely refined control over the mystic arts, and consumed an enormous amount of energy.

Among all the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, only the Ancient One could truly fly.

The other sorcerers simply could not sustain the cost.

The Ancient One's soul had reached an extraordinarily high level—high enough that she could make herself fly using sheer mental power alone, while her magic relied heavily on drawing power from beings such as Vishanti and Dormammu.

She barely had to worry about running out of magical energy.

The Grey Knights and Raven Guard had no such limitation.

After receiving the serum and undergoing constant training, their bodies continued to strengthen while their brains improved at the same time. On top of that, they maintained one or two hours of meditation every day without fail.

Their magical progress was even faster, and with the Punch Dimension's infinite kinetic energy serving as an energy reserve, flight had already become standard.

Their only complaint was that they were not fast enough.

The current flight speed did not suit high-level combat very well, so both warbands were actively looking for ways to improve it.

Skye, however, was different.

Her magical ability was not particularly advanced, but the Tremor-Tremor Fruit combined with her Inhuman vibration power in a way that created a form of flight uniquely suited to her.

Its maximum speed was extremely high, though it was less maneuverable than magical flight.

Those details were difficult to explain.

So Skye only gave Jiaying a vague answer, saying it was an ability she had developed herself.

Jiaying showed nothing on the surface, but doubts had already begun to take root in her mind. She was no longer simply a mother. After everything she had endured, she had long since become suspicious and obsessive.

Skye's unwillingness to explain everything made Jiaying uneasy, and a seed of suspicion quietly took root in her mind.

No matter how well Jiaying concealed it, however, she could not hide it from Skye's Observation Haki.

Skye had been deeply emotional about finally meeting her mother.

But after everything Calvin and Matthew had told her, she already understood that Jiaying was not the person she had once imagined.

So while Jiaying remained guarded toward her, Skye was also quietly observing her biological mother.

Their first meeting left Skye with deeply mixed feelings.

Behind Jiaying's gentle exterior, she could sense intense resentment and a distorted madness buried underneath.

Even so, Skye did not expose it directly.

Jiaying had no idea that the emotions she thought she was hiding had already been seen through by her daughter. She suppressed her doubts and anger, then calmly began introducing everyone around them.

"This is Yasen, the oldest person here. He has a special healing ability."

"This is Gordon. Everyone enters and leaves Afterlife through him."

"This is Lincoln Campbell. He may be around your age, but he is responsible for teaching the younger Inhumans how to control their abilities."

"This is Alisha."

"This is Bolag."

There were more than a hundred people in Afterlife, yet Jiaying knew the name of every single one of them, including the children.

Skye's enhanced brain needed only one meeting and one introduction to remember each person completely.

Throughout the process, she continued studying Jiaying in secret, analyzing her behavior and deciding how she should treat her biological mother from this point onward.

What followed looked like an ordinary day.

That afternoon, Jiaying took Skye throughout Afterlife and showed her the secluded refuge she had built with her own hands.

She also told her daughter about her past, including how she had first met many of the Inhumans and the tragedies they had suffered.

On the surface, it sounded like a mother sharing old memories with her daughter—but Skye could clearly sense how strongly Jiaying was trying to guide her emotions.

She wanted Skye to sympathize with and identify with the Inhumans.

Again and again, directly or indirectly, Jiaying emphasized that Skye was no longer human—she was an Inhuman.

Someone destined to be feared and rejected by humanity.

At the same time, she kept subtly probing Skye about her past and where she had come from.

Skye understood exactly what she was doing.

The more she observed and analyzed, the heavier her heart became.

Her mother had completely fallen into hatred and become trapped within her own obsession.

Each vague answer Skye gave about her background only deepened Jiaying's unease, suspicion, and dissatisfaction.

By nightfall, Skye finally made her decision—

She would put everything on the table.

That evening, the residents of Afterlife gathered in the open center of the settlement.

A bonfire was lit, and everyone came together for a large communal dinner around the flames.

They brought out whatever food they had. The meal was simple, but the atmosphere was lively and warm.

Skye watched quietly. She knew the warmth around her was genuine—but she also knew Jiaying had deliberately created this setting.

It was still another attempt to influence her.

At an old wooden table, Jiaying sat beside Skye, while Gordon and the young white Inhuman, Lincoln, sat across from them.

The table was covered with food—roasted lamb, chicken, wild vegetables, eggs, and other simple dishes.

Skye ate at an unhurried pace, occasionally speaking with Jiaying.

Once everyone had eaten enough, Jiaying pulled Skye toward the bonfire to dance with the younger children and adults as they sang old songs.

Skye laughed openly.

For a while, she genuinely allowed herself to become part of the cheerful atmosphere that had been arranged around her.

After everyone grew tired from dancing, they returned to the long tables and began drinking.

People occasionally came over to speak with Skye. The younger children seemed especially fond of her, gathering around and excitedly asking their new older sister about the outside world.

Skye truly liked the atmosphere.

Through Observation Haki, she could clearly sense that the Inhumans here were kind.

There was little malice, little obsession, and little ambition among them.

Every one of them trusted and admired Jiaying, yet none of them knew about the madness hidden deep within the leader they loved.

Sensing the moment was right, Jiaying spoke again.

Her tone was casual, but every word was carefully chosen to draw Skye closer to her.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?"

"But every person here has a painful past shaped by persecution. Humans couldn't accept them. They called them monsters and outsiders. They insulted them, beat them, and rejected them."

"After what happened to me, I realized there were many more Inhumans suffering in the same way. I brought them all to Afterlife because I wanted them to leave their past behind and begin a new life here."

"But how long can this place remain peaceful? Daisy, if you were able to find us, then sooner or later others will too. The world is vast—yet there is nowhere for us to belong."

There was no hatred in Jiaying's voice.

Only calmness and quiet resignation.

Many of the nearby Inhumans heard her words, and complicated expressions appeared on their faces as the lively atmosphere gradually faded.

Skye noticed several children clinging to the older Inhumans, while others had gathered around her.

Looking down, she met pairs of innocent eyes filled with quiet fear.

She slowly raised her gaze toward the bonfire.

The flames flickered, casting shifting light and shadow across her face.

Then she spoke.

Her voice was soft, yet Jiaying and the older Inhumans heard every word clearly.

"Mom, I'm very happy that I found you. For as long as I can remember, I lived in an orphanage before eventually being adopted. When I was young, I started learning computer technology because I wanted to uncover the truth about my past and find both of you."

"That was why I eventually ended up living on the streets. Back then, I understood nothing—I knew nothing about the darkness in the world or the greed people were capable of."

"Then, almost a year ago, I met two people. They led me onto a path I could never have imagined. They showed me that darkness, and they showed me the hidden side of this world."

"And through them, I met the Emperor—the person I respect above all others, yet also someone filled with mercy."

Her voice remained gentle, and everyone listened patiently—including Jiaying.

But the moment the word "Emperor" left Skye's lips, Jiaying and Gordon's expressions changed.

Disbelief spread across both their faces.

Most of the Inhumans in Afterlife had never left the settlement or experienced the outside world. Naturally, they had no idea how drastically the world beyond the mountains had changed in less than two years.

They didn't understand what the title "Emperor" truly meant.

Jiaying and Gordon did.

Gordon frequently left Afterlife to search for Inhumans who had already awakened—or those who had yet to awaken—and Jiaying learned about the outside world through his reports.

She had even gone out herself to investigate.

Neither of them had ever imagined that Skye was from Terra.

How was that possible?

And yet, it explained every question Jiaying had been carrying.

Why could Skye, whose Inhuman ability was supposedly limited to generating vibrations, fly at Mach speed?

Why had Gordon sensed danger and fear while Skye was still far from Afterlife—and why had he been frozen in place, unable to move or use his power?

Why had Skye been able to locate Afterlife so precisely?

The answer was simple—

Skye was from Terra.

Jiaying barely needed to think about it before she began guessing Skye's role. She had to be either a Raven warrior or one of the Grey Knights.

Skye continued speaking, gently stroking the head of the little girl leaning against her.

"From the very beginning, you've been trying to influence me, directly and indirectly, hoping I would come to hate humanity."

"I understand why. After everything you went through, any hatred you feel is understandable."

"I hate people like that too—but humanity is complicated. There are evil people, and there are also kind and innocent people."

"Whitehall—no, Werner Reinhardt—has been captured. Dad is torturing him right now."

...