Sonia, codenamed Dreamer!
Her ability allows her to manipulate memory, either erasing or enhancing it, using a unique pink smoke. This power intrigued Max, who had a strange sense of familiarity with it. He remembered watching a spin-off American drama of the X-Men before his life took a dramatic turn. Sonia, it turned out, was part of that drama and a member of the Mutant underground organization, a group that emerged after the X-Men and Mutant Brotherhood disappeared. This organization, led by Mutants like Thunderbird, Polaris, and Eclipse, was dedicated to sheltering and aiding Mutants.
It appeared that this Mutant underground organization was still in its early stages. Sonia, visibly nervous, looked at Max, who reassured her, "Consider this one of my abilities. You've taken care of me today, and tomorrow morning, if all goes well, we'll leave here."
"Is this a Perception Mutant Ability?" Sonia inquired curiously, but Max had already risen and approached the door.
While Sonia had many questions, she couldn't bear her exhaustion any longer, and she fell asleep soon after Max lay down.
The cabin grew silent.
Max examined the surroundings. This wooden structure resembled more of a warehouse than a house. If it was indeed a warehouse, it indicated there were people living nearby. However, judging by the dust and debris inside, it appeared that nobody had been here in a long time. Max, lying against the wooden wall, peered through the cracks between the planks. A dense forest surrounded them, offering a potential escape route under the cover of darkness in case of emergencies.
Whenever Max found himself in an unfamiliar place, he would instinctively assess the environment and establish an exit strategy. This practice had served him well during his time in the mercenary business.
As he gazed at the hand resting against the wall, a realization struck him.
He could create a door on this wall!
His "Door-Door Fruit" Ability allowed him to transform anything he touched into a door and access a parallel space beyond it. In the original story, the owner of the Door-Door Fruit had developed various applications for this power, including revolving doors, air passages, and construction portals. However, these were considered rudimentary applications, and the power had far greater potential. Max understood that the Door-Door Fruit could be categorized as a Space Ability, and with proper development, it could become exceptionally potent.
"Open!"
Max softly commanded, and instantly, a door materialized on the previously solid wooden wall. It stood at about the height of a person and had handles on either side.
He gripped the handle and pulled the door inward.
Success!
Stepping through, he found himself in a unique space. The surroundings were tinted in dark green, and the environment appeared clear yet ethereal, like a shimmering projection. Max took a tentative step inside, closed the door behind him, and the wall returned to its original state, concealing the door without a trace. Inside this space, he moved around the wooden house effortlessly, as if the walls were nonexistent, and the ground felt solid and stable beneath his feet.
"Sonia, Sonia..." Max called out softly.
Max called out to Sonya several times without receiving any response.
"The sound can't be heard outside."
Max extended his hand to touch Sonia, but his hand passed right through her body.
"Like a ghost, it coexists in the same world but in two overlapping realms? Although I can't feel the wind or air, this Ability allows for seamless movement, providing a sanctuary anywhere in the world!" Max mused while attempting to open a doorway to a different space.
"What's this?"
"It seems more challenging to create a doorway without a solid structure as a foundation. In other words, it's easier to create one on existing objects rather than in mid-air!" Max tried multiple times and found it was indeed simpler to open a doorway on a wall than in the open air.
Max also discovered a few limitations—he couldn't ignore distance. He needed to physically travel to the location where he wanted to open a doorway; he couldn't achieve teleportation-like effects. Furthermore, the process of opening a doorway was relatively slow. It took about three seconds to open one on a building and five seconds in the open air, with no guarantee of success.
"While it may not directly aid in combat, this Ability is invaluable for stealth, reconnaissance, infiltration, and escape. With practice, more advanced applications can be developed!"
Although it wasn't a world-shattering Ability, Max was content. For a mercenary, this Ability was both suitable and safe, with plenty of room for growth. For instance, he could explore opening doorways on his own body to absorb injuries or on others for unique effects. As his strength increased, he might even open a doorway beneath the city to sink it. The possibilities were vast, especially if he mastered the ability to disregard distance and open two-way doorways simultaneously.
Max took a deep breath, temporarily setting aside thoughts of further developing this Ability. His immediate goal was to become proficient in its basic use.
Open the door, close the door!
Max dedicated himself to honing his fundamental Ability, simultaneously crafting various types of doorways.
With a snap!
A sliding door materialized on the wooden house's wall, and Max stepped out.
As he emerged, Max noticed several birds flying in the distance.
"Someone's there!"
Max narrowed his eyes, and before long, a doorway manifested in the air.
Step through, close the door.
In this different space, Max moved toward the direction in which the birds had flown.