Those with power, be it military, financial, or with users' personal want to use it. Whether it's a flaw in the human psyche or a product of power itself, I couldn't say. But the powerful want to use their power. That knowledge caused the nuclear hysteria from 'I become death destroyer of worlds' to enter every user's contemplation. If we have this power, shouldn't we use it? Why take an option off the table?

By maxing out my first A-rank Skill, I became a destroyer of worlds, and I had to deal with that fact. Though Parameter points were inflated, tens of thousands were still tens of thousands. I had been transformed into something not genuinely human by the Parameters and Skills.

How could a regular human deal with the strength to turn their hand and reduce a city to ash? Well, the answer was the same for racism, as said by Morgan Freeman. 'Don’t talk about it,’ or in my case, don’t think about it. Putting that into practice was difficult in application. By maxing out Root Of Black Dragon’s, I had become a dragon in human form. There was a measure of psychological implications to that change.

…

I felt hurt, used, and worst of all, disrespected. Linda led me through the streets as if nothing had happened. She was already waiting outside after the update. Either she had fled, or it was possible she originally posted herself outside with the users I sensed nearby to take me out. To barrow the wise words of a greater man than I, this felt like a big gay op.

My QI compacted tightly to my frame even as it threatened to lash out. A succubus girl no older than twelve pointed at me in the street. I glanced at her and barely stopped my QI from ripping her apart.

The coiling form of my spirit roiled and gathered like the unfurling of great wings. With a thought, it would cross the distance and exterminate the pointing child.

“Did you have fun? I think Lourie had been trapped in that room for centuries before you freed her. Now that little demon is a work of art.” She winked at me. “An angel of chastity must have been tight,” Linda said.

“You led me in there to die,” I said harshly, and users on the street crept forward.

For a fraction of a second, I saw the lie form and her attitude shift.

She had the gall to look shocked. “No, you strayed from my side and got lost. Then you went snooping. If you had run into literally any other succubus, you’d have been safe enough. We have papers, licenses, and rules for a reason. No succubus would take your soul without first seeing your paperwork and signing off on it. The pleasure houses are a business, and we don’t make money without repeat customers. I have half a mind to press charges for what you did to the staff.” Linda said.

It was a trap, and she was playing the victim. I could see her planting the charges on me before forcing me to sign to make all my problems go away. If she couldn’t kill me with Lourie, then she’d try to ruin me economically to force a signature. Didn’t she realize how close she was to death? Or was she one of those people who didn’t believe something wrong could ever happen to them or that consequences would stop an action? I could kill her and literally fly away.

“I have Lourie’s declaration to take my soul on video,” I said.

Her tone of voice and attitude did a 180 flipping to concern. “The update was rough on all of us. Did you level a Skill just before the update?” Linda asked.

“I maxed one out just before the update began,” I said.

She frowned. “See, that’s my point; we need rules and regulations; you could have killed someone. Was it one of the battle skills you were talking about?” Linda asked.

“Wood carving actually, I’ve taken up wand manufacturing as a hobby,” I said.

Ding!

New Skill

Lying lvl1

Type: PER +3

Rank: D

That was interesting, but why did lying increase perception? It should have been a Charisma Skill, but I didn’t have that Parameter. Did Skills adapt to the user’s Parameters? How would Perception even help with lying? Would a better awareness of my situation help? Then there was another question, could Skills still grant Parameters? Did a Skill have to be at a certain rank to impart a Parameter, or was it tied to abilities?

“That’s an interesting reaction from maxing out wood carving,” Linda said.

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“Was it, I thought it was normal to rip a building apart after gaining tens of thousands of Parameter Points?” I said. “Well, maybe you’ll witness it again one day. You seem talented in watching others advance. Is Perception one of your Parameters?” I said.

Her teeth grinding never sounded more pleasing to my ears. “I would rather experience it myself. Please tell me, what’s your secret?”

“My path is my own and closed to you. You surrendered your humanity to become a soul-hungry lust demon. Ho it up, it's what you’re built for.” I said.

“Are you saying I can’t match you? You don’t know what trials I face to get where I am or what sacrifices I had to make. Men have it easy.” Linda said.

I shook my head; she was an immortal lust demon who could live on semen of all things. Did she think I’d pity her? On the contrary, her choices led her to her path, and she’d either walk it or grow stagnant.

Now that I’d powered up, I planned to hit the event and clear some stages. My wand carving needed some work, and I could learn more about runes too. Kale deserved a date, and the girl’s scouts needed a talking to before they did something stupid like joining the Union. If they haven’t already.

My work was cut out for me. Still, I would answer this woman just for fun.

“What’s wrong? Did your wifi go down? Did your teachers only reward you with an A instead of an A+ when they gave boys Bs for the same work? Or did you miss being a teacher with all the little boys you could rape at your disposal? I know the score and the weaknesses of humanity. So save me your crocodile tears for whatever simp or cuck you convince to white knight for you.” I said.

Now, did I think all teachers were pedophiles? No, but this would yank the ground out from under her. I wanted to see if she believed in her own bullshit or if they were just words to make idiots sign with the Union.

The succubus began to screech. “I see, you’re a 4 Chan terrorist. The signs were all around me, but I chose not to see them. Well, Nazi, you should know that I.” I placed a finger against her forehead.

Skill Activated: Enfeeble

She stumbled before collapsing. I knew two things from that moment: Linda used words like magic spells to get results, and shit was about to go down.

Out of the crowd, a man clad in white armor burst onto the scene. He caught the succubus before she hit the ground. I let her back off with her. Behind the armored man, several others dressed in plate mail stepped up.

“You, sir, have broken the law of the land and placed your hands on the undersecretary to Chairman Weiss. By my right as a judge, I try you now unionless dog for the high crime or.” I pointed the finger at the knight and unleashed a blue beam of QI.

Ding!

New Skill

Death Ray lvl1

Type: QI +5

Rank: B

Effect: The user can fire a beam of concentrated QI at long distances.

A barrier flashed over the armor and held for half a second before shattering. My beam shot forward and pierced through the armor. The beam exited the knight’s back before I dissipated the attack. I watched the man fall to his knees as blood poured from the wound. Fortunately for him, I missed the heart as was intended. Starting a war against the Union wasn’t my intention; neither was killing any of them. But if they wanted me to play a role, then I’d play it.

Ding!

Spiritual Manipulation lvl15

Type: QI +60

Rank: C

Effect – The user manipulates their QI to perform complicated feats.

I laughed at them. “Let me paraphrase my favorite podcaster. Laws that can’t be enforced might as well be letters to Santa Claus. You are weak, and I’m done pretending like any of you matter. I’m not fucking any of you, you don’t pay me, and you’re not my children, so either get out of my way or get the same treatment as your friend. But remember, you can’t be replaced. Once all of you are gone, the Union will be no more.” I said.

Unfortunately, their spirit hadn’t broken. “We don’t make deals with terrorists.” I blasted the speaker on the spot. His barrier didn’t stop my beam for even a second.

Ding!

New Skill

Death Ray lvl3

Type: QI +15

Rank: B

“You don’t get it, and I understand why. It took me a little while, too, and you all seem pretty young. So let me spell this out in a way you might understand.” I stared at the white nights and the gunslingers who slipped in between to crowd. “Let me paraphrase from a game character this time. Might controls everything, and without it, your laws don’t matter; you can ban gravity for all I care, but I’m not one of you, and if you screech at me, I’ll put you down.” I said.

Smit, the same asshole who pointed his gun at Kale didn’t have it now. Did they really disarm in the city? That was precious. Honestly, I was tempted to just kill them all here and now. Maybe I should make it a point to kill other users where I found them. Would that be my national policy no users unless they were family, friends, or wives? It would send the message for them to leave me the hell alone with their old-world bullshit.

“Do you know what you look like from my end?” Smit said. The people in the crowd backed away from the man.

“I’m sure you’ll tell me anyway. You seem like the boomer type.” I said.

“Funny, you look like some crazy fuck who can’t handle their own power. Someone calls you out for what you are, and you drop them. Then when the rightful agents of the law come to see what happened, you attack. That’s how you look, and you should feel ashamed.” Smit said.

“You pointed your gun at my waifu, a defenseless civilian with no connection to the old world. I had planned to kill you if I ever saw you again anyway.” I said.

The old man shook his head. “I don’t believe you’re a killer. No, not with those eyes. While you’re flashy, none of us are dead yet. You’ve been careful to use nondeadly methods. Just turn yourself in, and we’ll give you a fair trial. The use of nondeadly skills on others while you might come out with a steep fine you won’t face any jail time. Of course, if you are strapped for cash, you can always sign up with us and work off your fines.” Smit said.

I turned my head to the side. So, he was another charisma user with a high lying skill. I was getting better at sensing the minute tells user liars possessed.

“Jail time, community service, and a forced sign up due to fines; wow, you are predictable. Was it all an act? You used the pleasure house to soften me up and then a freak out on the street to force me to use a skill to calm her down. You were waiting for this opportunity.” Finally, everything was starting to make sense.

At first, she planned to use the incident at the pleasure house but then decided to freak out when I said I had a video.

I glanced down at the succubus. While Linda was beautiful, all I saw when I looked at her was a manipulator. Her planning and charisma were insidious things. But, more than likely, Kale and the girls were already hostages.

My words came back to bite me. Might controlled everything, and without might, I controlled nothing. Whether I allowed them to capture, punish me, or I fought, it was my decision. Still, if I didn’t put my mind to work soon, my strength wouldn’t matter.

I spread out my awareness and looked for Kale and the others. After the update, my senses had no trouble spreading across the city. Linda had led me in the opposite direction of where they were being kept. There wasn’t much time, but I knew what had to be done.

Skill Activated: Spectral Hands Of Asura

Every user in sight met their end pummeled into bloody bits of meat. By keeping them from participating in events, the Union had severely stunted their growth. For me, it was easy to rip through low-level skills and rip them apart. These untested users were weak, barely above human levels.

Once they were dead, I focused my attention back on Linda, or instead where she had been. The Secretary had escaped in a split second. I’d been distracted. I compartmentalized that nugget of information for later. There was something much more important that needed my attention.

I concentrated on my QI and felt it gather around me. Then, with the force of my will, I had lift-off. My body went from grounded to above the city’s buildings in moments. I wanted to be where my waifu and the girl scouts were, and my power obliged, throwing me hurtling towards their location.