NOVEL NEXT Chapter 81: Setting the Stage.
Chapter 81: Setting the Stage.
Mr. Park was the first to approach. His movements stiff and mechanical. As if he were forcing himself forward against his better judgement.
Indeed, I could read that his own [Predator’s Instincts] was blaring like a series of alarms ringing in concert. Much like those found on cities near newly opened Rifts,
Mr. Park was, for lack of a better word, terrified beyond all comprehension. His eyes going back and forth between my frame and the spot where the enforcers had been moments prior. Yet he knew it was up to him to do this. To check on me, now that I had become so apparently comfortable with twisting and compelling intelligent beings that were not gnomes.
All the while, his eyes darted around to Slab and Monique. His fellow council members that seemed suspiciously fine with these new developments.
‘How long have they known about these changes?’ He thought to himself. ‘Or were they just as surprised as we were? Have they simply been made to feel comfortable with this new behaviour?’
He was trying to use Enhancer abilities like [Enhanced Concentration] to steer his mind away from his true worries. Attempting to hide his surface thoughts from me, Slab and Monique.
It more or less worked for them. Though, obviously not for me.
He cleared his throat upon reaching me. His voice coming in clearly so that it carried over the Warehouse. No doubt intending to make our conversation as public as possible. Either to forewarn the others of my current mental state or to alleviate their worries.
“That was ill-advised.” He spoke. In a surprisingly even tone.
“We already had an agreement with Mr. Orphan Maker. The collection of already-known ability combinations would be valuable to us.”
I shrugged. Or, at least, I tried to. My body refusing to carry out the motion at first.
When I exerted more of my will, the action came across as stiff and forced.
Giving Mr. Park and all the others in attendance goosebumps. Their eyes taking in motions that were somehow less than human. Making me appear uncanny in their perceptions. Like a hyper-realistic animatronic that came just shy of normal human behaviour.
‘Well, it isn’t an ideal start, but at least none of them have run away yet.’
I made sure to focus on my body language then. Seeking to actively supress whatever mechanisms kept my features locked in a passive state.
‘It shouldn’t be too hard, in the long run. The Drake was always very expressive, after all. Though he was thousands of years old and actively trying to manipulate me. Who knows how much effort he put into that charade?’
“That is not currently an issue.” I told him. My voice coming out as naturally as I could have hoped for.
“I have… explored their memories, as well as some of our futures. With more accuracy than before. There is little that Orphan Maker knew, that I currently don’t. I’ll update the ability boards soon. That and I’ll buy some journals from Peachy so that I can make copies for us to keep around after the Tutorial ends.”
Mr. Park hesitated, but nodded in the end.
“I see. That is, fortunate. I take it that this new mission you gave them will bring more benefits?”
I forced out an amused chuckle. One that came out more naturally.
“Come now Mr. Park. I shouldn’t have to tell you that. You heard me loud and clear. Several species will come into contact with humanity at large in the coming months. It stands to reason that not all of them will be overly friendly. Normally, this would be a tough time of transition and subjugation for newcomers to the Labyrinth. A time where the strongest dimensions get to keep their sovereignty, while all others become colonies for older, more established species. You’ll forgive me if I don’t wish for that to happen to human worlds. These… precautions, will go a long way towards preventing that.”
He nodded again.
“I take it that we won’t have to worry about such invasions then?”
I barked out a laugh in just the right time. Coming across as a normal human in the way my reaction played out.
“Not at all! In fact, the worst is yet to come. Its just that we won’t have to deal with all the nibblers.”
“Nibblers?” He asked, confused.
“Yes. The vast majority of the invaders will be nibblers. Small, uncoordinated pirates taking nibbles here and there with the hope of grabbing a few morsels amidst the carnage. Think of it like a feeding frenzy, where species like the gnomes act like sharks and other, lesser groups act like scavengers and bottom feeders. Taking scraps where they might be found. By letting these guys know what I can do, and what fate awaits them if I happen to catch them, we’ll be ridding ourselves of most of the smaller factions. In fact, we might even obtain some valuable alliances once we’re thrown out into the greater Labyrinth.”
Mr. Park nodded again. His nerves calming somewhat.
“So, I take it we can do something about the larger factions as well?”
I forced a shrug. Getting the timing just right.
“That depends on the faction. I’ve been in contact with one Banerid fellow in the Novice Tutorial instance. He’s a Foxxan and their species is rather monolithic. He’s already let his governing body know about me, so there is little chance of them coming for us. They tend to be conflict-averse if there is any chance of their target fighting back. On the other hand, the gnomes have no such scruples. Periwig already gave speeches and made boasts that he and his house would plunder us for all we were worth. If he failed to attack us, he would lose face. For him and his ilk, that would be the worst possible outcome, as it would signal to all the other gnomes that they were weak and ripe for plucking. It would actually be preferable for him to send legions of his minions out to die, if his rivals also sent their forces at the same time. If they all get massacred, then he cannot be said to be weak.”
Mr. Park blinked in surprise.
“Wait, do you mean Periwig from the video?”
“The very same.” I confirmed.
“And he’s coming for our worlds?”
“He is.”
“Is he strong?”
I gave him a re-assuring smile.
“Not stronger than me.”
I explained some more aspect of my visions after that. Going on and on until I had mellowed out the tempers flaring around the Warehouse.
Then, I made my way over to the ability boards as promised.
Beginning the process of updating them with the usual combinations found within the Labyrinth, as well as the most common training methods that had been proven to be effective.
At the same time, I went over some of my new abilities.
[Solomon’s Limited Omniscience X]
Grants the User the power to detect thoughts, emotions and sensory information within the User’s current dimensional space. User creates a persistent mental approximation of the current dimension without a maximum range.
Perceives future scenarios within line of sight at will and at a rate of +1 seconds per ability level.
Passively anchors User in reality and pierces Psionic Illusions as well as Psionic Stealth abilities.
Passively reveals Status information of targets within detection range.
Passively increases Psy regeneration of User and allies within line of sight at a rate of + 100 % per every 5 current ability levels.
Passively increases Experience gain of User and allies within line of sight at a rate of +50% per every 10 current ability levels.
Forewarns User and selected targets within line of sight of the most probable future scenarios as well as their causes at a rate of 2000 Psy per second. Visions may take on the perspectives of targets in the past, present, or future.
Provides Enlightenment opportunities for living beings and objects within line of sight at the cost of 50, 000 Psy per second. Targets may benefit from usage at a rate of 1 instance per 15 ability levels per year.
Enlightenment bonuses scale with selected Target’s inherent talents, User’s inherent talents, length of exposure, and current ability level.
This ability cannot be overcharged with Psy.
Accuracy and Clarity of predictions scale with current ability level.
[Solomon’s Inexorable Prescence X]
Passively protects The User and their allies from being detected or attacked via Telepath abilities below Tier IX within a radius of 1 kilometre per current ability level.
Actively disrupts non-Telepath abilities within a radius of 100 metres per current ability level at the cost of 250 Psy per second. This effect scales with current ability level.
View memories of targets using [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives at the cost of 2, 500 Psy per 10 months of stored memories. Share memories between friendly targets and yourself via [Team Tactics] or derivatives at the cost of 2, 500 Psy per 5 months of stored memories. Total time per use scales at a rate of +20 % per ability level. Total cost per use scale at a rate of -15% per every 5 ability levels. There is no limit to the number of concurrently affected targets.
Experience and edit the memories of a target within your senses or targets whose memories have been previously viewed at the cost of 75 ,000 Psy per 5 months of memory. Accuracy and efficiency scales with current ability level at a rate of + 20% per ability level. Subjugated or willing targets may have their memories edited at no cost. The User’s memories may be experienced and edited at no cost.
Targets exposed to the User’s presence may be passively subjected to psionic assaults that impair coordination while drastically raising body temperature. Afflicted targets will be compelled to flee from the area of effect unless they manage to resist the initial assault. This effect scales with current ability level.
Targets exposed to the User’s presence may be passively subjected to psionic cognitive hazards, wherein targets will become enraptured and enamoured with the User. Affected targets will have the User’s presence seared into their minds, to the point where memories of the User will overpower their natural memories. This may result in addictive tendencies stemming from the pleasure of being exposed to the User’s presence. Affected friendly targets will experience a +1 to all ability levels within the User’s presence. Affected enemy targets will experience a -1 to all ability levels within the User’s presence. These bonuses are tripled for Intruders within the User’s presence.
Targets exposed to the User’s presence may experience withdrawal symptoms if not constantly exposed to the User’s presence. Withdrawal symptoms will decrease the affected target’s total Psy by – 10% until the affected target overcomes their addiction.
These abilities cannot be overcharged with Psy.
If groaning was still something my body did on its own, then I would surely have been groaning non-stop as I went over the changes.
‘Sweet merciful Buddha. I keep trying to do good and I keep ending up with evil powers.’
[Limited Omniscience] wasn’t that bad on a first read. Yet the descriptions put something I already knew into words.
There was no maximum range. Only the constraints that it needed to be within the current dimension.
Meaning nothing and no one back home could possibly escape me. I would know everything everyone thought at all times.
Which was strange, in a way.
I had become so befuddled back there in Hong Kong. When exposed to such a comparatively small population. But I had no such issues when my ability evolved into the tenth Tier. Taking it all in was, natural. As easy as breathing.
‘Which only makes it that much scarier. How many personal secrets will I become privy to before they start to change me? Where will I draw the line when it comes to privacy? Or intervention for that matter? Should I simply stand aside as someone has a mental-health crisis in the future? What about moments where people are planning a crime, but haven’t actually committed it? Am I going to start sending them warnings in the dead of night? Am I going to act before a crime is actually committed? What about people who are depressed or suffering from addiction? I’ve already sort of manipulated the latter, back when I was, um, fixing, the issues I found back home, but can I keep doing it going forward? I mean, I don’t feel bad about it. But some people may draw the line where I don’t. I did sort of mess with people with gambling addictions too, and a few people may argue that what I did sort of goes against their free will. What would happen if someone wanted to live like that? Should I go by my own notions of right and wrong, or should I respect their wishes? Could I even respect self-destructive wishes? How would that fit in with the world I want to create?’
I thought my body was about to sigh, but alas, I had to force it in the end. Which only made the motion more exasperating.
Then I thought back to the things I had done back home. Questioning how my actions had changed the world forever.
I mean, yes. What I told grandpa was undoubtably true. It would be a much, much better place now. Objectively speaking, people would have more resources at their disposal, with less crime and less corruption and no misery merchants or extortionists around to harass hard working people.
What’s more, monsters would no longer be a problem, now that so many more people were Espers.
And yet…
‘I can’t keep my mind away from that aspect of my presence. The fact that it brings so much bliss. Such a powerful compelling effect. Yes, it will entice people to committing themselves to doing good deeds, but can that really be called heroism? If they do it not for their own sense of justice, but for the sake of pleasing me and themselves by basking in my presence? Would one of the new Shifters I created be a hero by healing the sick and wounded in hospitals, if they did not do it for the right reasons? Would a patient even care? Would the new Espers I created even care?’
It was a problem that I had no ready solution for.
If it indeed was a problem.
Certain people didn’t think so.
“Hey Dusty.” I called out, as she made her way over.
“Hey Sully.” She answered. Her eyes glued to the board as she explored Enhancer abilities that she might be able to obtain in the future.
“[Battle Focus] sounds nice.” She began. “The combination of [Enhanced concentration], [Sudden concentration] and [Enhanced Processing] sounds simple enough. Sounds strong too.”
“Most Enhancers in the Labyrinth seem to think its among the best Enhancer abilities one can get. Especially since it is comparatively easy to form. Even at Tier 1.”
She whistled. Though her mind wasn’t really focused on the prospect of getting that little trick for herself.
“I’m sorry.” I began out the blue.
“What for?”
“For not saying anything. For ignoring the issue.”
She nodded wordlessly.
“Care to explain further?”
I forced myself to sigh.
“I… I was reading your mind and I kept going back to how you wanted to show me off. I thought that was all there was between us, despite what you said when I awoke after my drunken episode. I didn’t account for what feelings might be developing, because you weren’t thinking about them. I could blame that on the low Tier of [Sense Thoughts] or on the ring blocking some of your thoughts, but I won’t. In hindsight, I was very immature. I should have had a proper talk with you after you said you wanted to get to know me better. I should have explored what that meant for you and compared it to what it meant for me.”
She nodded again.
“I guess I’m sorry too. I did focus on Glossy and my own grudges and ambitions. Even after I said I wouldn’t. I…”
She paused.
“I honestly don’t know if what I felt back then could be called love. Truth be told, I don’t know if I would go that far even now. I definitely want to show you off to my dad and my clan and I am looking forward to saying that you and I are paired up, but I still don’t know if what we have is what you consider to be love. It’s not really needed where I come from, you see. Slab didn’t love the French girls he married. Just like how my dad didn’t really love my mom all that much when she was alive. At least, not to the extent that Prudence and Olga describe romance. In my home, you just get together with someone if the opportunity presents itself and if its right for the community. This knot in my stomach, this jealousy… I don’t know where it came from and I don’t know why it hurts this much. It really shouldn’t. It isn’t what I know.”
I looked at her. Really looked.
Noting how… small she seemed. Despite being so big and mighty.
“I don’t know either.” I admitted. “I’ve only ever been in love once before and that didn’t end well. I… I don’t think what I feel for you is anything close to that. I think you’re very attractive and I respect you as a person. Your strength and determination. Your will and convictions. Your resolve to do what needs to be done so that the most people can survive, even when you don’t like them. I think it really speaks to your character and I envy how much you believe in the good you’re doing. I… I keep questioning myself, when you keep marching forward. But I still don’t think that’s the kind of stupid, blinding love that I’m familiar with. These feelings don’t overpower me in the same way. They don’t consume me in that same manner.”
Dusty flinched.
“That said, I do have a lot of stuff going on right now. I can see futures where we develop something like that. It isn’t easy and it won’t come quickly, but we could make it work. I see, I see ways it could come about and ways in which it wouldn’t. It, sort of takes the mystique away from it all. Love is supposed to be thrilling and mysterious. You always want to meet up and be with your other half because you feel like anything could happen when you’re with them. You feel as if there’s this whole other side to life you never knew about when you’re with them. I don’t know if I’ll ever know that feeling again. I know we could make it work, if we wanted to. I know we could be happy, but I’m afraid that it’s just me taking advantage of you at that point. Since I know what to say to get the results that I want. Since I can’t really be resisted if I wanted to make myself seem attractive. Both physically and psychologically. I don’t know how to put it.”
I forced myself to sigh.
“It feels as though I can get any end result in want where it comes to romance, since I can douse people in my presence and take any shape I want. It is as though there is no Sully anymore. Only the supreme being all my Intruders keep going on about. I don’t know if that thing is even capable of love.”
“Well, that’s stupid.” Dusty snapped. “And I think you’re being stupid by bringing that up. Of course you’re still Sully. If you weren’t you would have dominated everyone here the second you got back.”
“That’s not…”
“Yes, it is. It would be the logical thing to do, as it would make sure you have a base of followers ready to spread out and fight back gnomes in other dimensions. Since you can only inhabit one dimension at a time, this would cover one of your few remaining weaknesses. But you didn’t do that. You didn’t even dominate most of the enforcers. Moving forward, you didn’t even have to worry about the gnomes at all. You could have created a paradise of excess and hedonism for yourself without any effort without breaking a sweat. But the thought didn’t even cross your mind. And that’s because you’re still you. Someone who cares. Really, genuinely cares.”
She bit her lip.
“That makes you awesome. In my view. It isn’t easy to choose the hard way forward, when the easy way is that close at hand. It isn’t easy to turn down absolute power.”
I nodded. Forcing my neck to make the motions.
“I see. Thank you for that.”
We stood in silence for a few more minutes.
Until I read a particular thought in her mind and reached out.
To hold her hand.