Abilities Ethics

More than dealing with classes, Arthur was surviving the constant female attention. Everywhere he looked, there was at least one girl watching him. Whenever he wanted to talk, three faces were already close enough to chat.

Fortunately, Nora had other classes that prevented her from being glued to him like glue. That gave him more space to process his consultation with Professor Synapsis.

«Finally, I know what I have and how it works... well, sort of.»

He already had an idea of how his powers worked, giving him some leeway and even allowing him to perceive things he hadn't noticed before. He observed how, from a distance, the girls were showing the symptoms of his power, as well as their intensity.

Another thing he noticed was that not all of them reacted the same way. While some limited themselves to a simple greeting, others, more daring, approached him seeking physical contact. He didn't know the real reasons, but he suspected it was the reason why the redhead became his girlfriend.

«What would the variant be? What is it about Nora that makes her more susceptible to my Quirk?..... unless that's it »

If anything made Nova stand out, it was her enormous power, being the most powerful student in the school.

«Could it be that my power varies depending on the victim's level? Heavens, Synapsis is right, there are too many things I don't know about this madness.»

It was clear that she had to keep a low profile to avoid attracting attention. So she tried to concentrate on her classes and forget the recent changes in her life.

"Self-control must be a priority for each of you. Your enhanced abilities give you the opportunity to perform feats beyond human limits, but it also carries an undeniable risk..."

She had her Abilities Ethics class with Professor Synapsis next. Many girls disliked the class, finding it reminiscent of a lecture. Walking with a firm posture, the professor monitored each student with a cold gaze aided by her enhanced glasses; her usual lab coat barely moved with each step.

Meanwhile, Arthur sat at the back of the room, avoiding female proximity as much as possible.

“...power comes with privileges, but one must never neglect its responsibilities. Moderation is necessary, and the imperative limits—what they can and cannot do—will be the question that defines them for the rest of their lives...”

The last 24 hours had made those words weigh even more heavily on Arthur. How could he use that power prudently, and when? Because of them, he ended up sleeping with a girl who never gave him the time of day. Did that count as abuse?

“…heroism and villainy are often seen as polar opposites when in reality they are more closely related than many believe. Both originate in how they use their gifts and build their paths based on their decisions; the only difference lies in the final result…”

For a moment, Synapsis’s gaze lingered on young Adams, who felt a knot in his stomach. He had a feeling her words were directed at him, like an encrypted message in plain sight.

And she couldn’t have been more right. Regardless of the power he possesses, his future depends on how he chooses to use it.

He was grateful to be at the back of the room; otherwise, they would have noticed the blush on his cheeks and how numb his lips felt.

“...Selfishness deepens moral depravity, leading the individual to justify increasingly unpleasant actions until they reach a point where they are incapable of discerning right from wrong…”

The Professor’s mechanical gait brought her within a few yards of the nerd. For a brief second, the boy thought he saw a faint smile on Synapsis’s face as she glanced at him. Confused, he quickly looked at her again; this time, the cold expression was on her face.

«Could she… could it be that my power is affecting her… no, I don’t think so… come on, Arthur, stress is making you imagine things that aren’t there.»

Those thoughts sounded more like an attempt to calm himself than a certainty; after all, he knew perfectly well the extent of his powers. Deep down, he prayed that the Professor’s enormous intellect would find a way to neutralize his Gift before it ended up affecting her as well.

«She’s my only hope, » was the last thing that crossed his mind as he left the classroom.