John continued to experiment with the crystals.

An interesting reaction happened when he boiled them. It turned from white to black and the steam became quite thick. Almost like smoke... Filling up the entire house.

John didn't know this at the time. But he was filling his home with concentrated 'aura'.

With every breath he took. He felt a cool sensation circulate through his body. It wasn't uncomfortable at all.

His mom also benefited.

Name: Johnathan Time

Age: 19

Strength: 2.4

Dexterity: 3

Constitution:11

Perception:3

Energy:10

Skills: ["Lvl3 Iron Finger", "Lvl3 Iron Skin", "Lvl4 Fitness"]

John felt a surprisingly large increase in strength. Especially in such a short amount of time.

He sat down and began to try to cultivate like how he did in the cultivation world.

He tried to unblock the meridians.

But he couldn't feel them. He lacked spiritual roots. He lacked a body sense.

The path forward was cut off.

"It seems I'll have to do something entirely new."

He would need to walk a different path this time. So he began to think about how to progress.

"Let's see... a god is minimum rank 7. Their body is made of laws. If I can kill a god..."

John shook his head.

Killing a god right now was an insane task.

He was already struggling with mutants. He would have no chance fighting a rank 7. Not to mention it wasn't like he had devouring type abilities to take the laws from the corpse. There was also the problem of the law not manifesting due to the god respawning.

"But... how should I increase my power?"

"Advanced technology is currently off the table."

He then thought about the crystals, and an idea began to form in his mind. But his mom came to talk to him. She told him how she felt like her health had improved.

Unfortunately. Even though the house was reinforced. It wasn't air tight. Some of the aura leaked outside drawing the attention of the mutants.

They might not be able to break through the reinforced door now. But with the ever increasing strength... it was only a matter of time.

John had experienced many power systems. He tried to construct a source in his sea of consciousness. But it became a mere normal visualization technique.

"Hmm... that isn't working."

He tossed all of the crystals into a pot and began to boil them. He then meditated and attempted to cultivate.

He could feel his attributes improving. But he wasn't satisfied with such a small increase in power.

"There has to be some sort of loophole here. My formations aren't working. My previous cultivation techniques are doing nothing. I can't use mental magic. I also lack spiritual roots and a body sense."

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Despite this problem. John wasn't frustrated.

"Fine! I'll simply create my own cultivation..."

"But this place isn't safe."

The concentrated aura had attracted an army of mutants. The door was shaking.

"Mom. It isn't safe here. Let's use my window to escape."

"Okay..."

John reached his hands into the boiling water and pulled out the black crystals that had been drained of aura.

He put them into his storage space.

He then went to his room and jumped outside of his window. His mom followed along as well. The mutants were busy trying to break into the house. So the road was pretty safe at the moment.

John for some reason could hear gunshots going off.

He saw a tank going down the road and the army were marching around. They all had their heads down avoiding looking at the sky.

"Shit..."

He didn't know what the motive of the army was. But he wasn't wearing his disguise at the moment. He didn't wish for his identity be found out. If he was questioned or detained. He might reveal that he is 'Destinatus'.

He was thinking perhaps it was time to abandon this identity. But he stopped that thought. Having an identity is useful in most cases.

John may seem unkillable. But if people knew the mechanics behind his abilities. If they somehow guarded all of his waypoints.

He would be in a miserable state.

He told his mom to go with the military as he ran off.

They didn't pay any attention to him as everyone was in a state of panic or madness. Perhaps he had looked at the sky and had mutated and gone insane.

Once he was out of sight. A white suit appeared on him with a mask as well.

He was once again acting as 'Destinatus'.

He created a waypoint in an alleyway and walked out of it.

He found a group of mutants.

He pulled out a gun and began to shoot them. They were becoming less human. Shots that didn't destroy their brain had no effect. It was if they had become deathless.

His shooting attracted the attention of them and he was swarmed.

(You have died! Do you wish to respawn? Y/N)

He respawned and went on a rampage using his guns. Pretty soon the area was cleared out.

He deeply regretted not buying grenades. As those could be useful.

He took out the tools he had stolen from a hospital and began to extract the crystals from the heads of these mutants.

Soon he had around 50.

John could feel the aura around him outside.

"It seems the world is becoming saturated with this new type of energy. If you master this energy you can master the world."

John was stretching his imagination to figure out how to control this energy.

But he couldn't think of anything at this time.

'I'm sure they'll come in handy soon."

He walked into a small convenience store. As he walked in, a crowd of people with trash bags rushed past him.

He saw some police officers on the ground that had been trampled to death.

"I see... people are stealing. I suppose the money I have is worthless. If I want something. I'll just have to steal it."

Firstly. John wanted to find a bunker. Hopefully a big one that was prepared to withstand missiles. People that had prepared for the end of the world.

If he could join such a community. That would be ideal.

John was surprised to see the store completely empty. People really had gone insane.

John never realized how lucky he was to have a special soul initially. He was used to evolving his powers to stretch them and become overpowered.

But his system was more strict.

It wasn't like he could upgrade it...

Perhaps it would've been possible if he had added that feature in his concept form. But he hadn't.

Maybe later, when he connected to his concept. He could modify it then. But his body wouldn't be able to withstand such a connection right now.

John walked outside and saw someone driving...

"A car!"

There were obviously abandoned cars all around. But he was lucky to run into someone driving. Especially since this wasn't a highway.

With a car... John could get out of the city and have an easier time finding a bunker.

Without any hesitation he jumped in front of the car trying to get the person to stop. But the person didn't and John was sent flying.

(You have died! Do you wish to respawn? Y/N)

The engine was surprisingly damaged from hitting John as it was going quite fast and the person didn't slow down.

The airbag was triggered and the car stopped shortly afterwards.

"Was that Destinatus?"

The person recognized John from the news.

John respawned on the spot in the same place and stood up.

He then spoke:

"Why didn't you stop?"

"Holy shit! You're that guy!"

They then pulled out a gun and shot at John.

John probably could've dodged these bullets by calculating their path. But he really didn't suspect for this person to shoot him for no reason.

He was shot in both legs and collapsed to the ground.

The person kept their distance and spoke:

"Not going to self destruct?"

John smiled.

"You don't have much time left."

"What do you mean?"

"Those mutants are attracted to loud noises. Your vehicle is wrecked and I'm immortal. Good luck!"

John then blew up.

The person looked at the remains and looked around at the mutants surrounding them.

"Well...fuck."