NOVEL NEXT Chapter 336 – Jason Rants
Gregor laughs, “You travellers just have the benefit of coming from somewhere that is temporally out of sync in your favor. Now if I understand things right what Jason there has to offer you would be like someone coming to NeoRealm before the power systems were figured out.
“On the other hand, it also sounds like some of you have the benefit of a longer lifespan. I’m going to assume a normal human life of about 80 to 110 years? Anyway, some of you already double that through wealth and politics. What Jason isn’t offering is free life extensions. You make it sound so simple and it might seem like it since every one of you travellers gain the ability to cultivate power here.
“Why would you assume everyone would be able to just sit down and extend their lives a couple hundred years? You two have a special background and Jason is just weird. So in the end, what he actually offers is the addition of a third pillar of life extension, that of personal power. Sure, some people are going to be on top with all three, but they’re already there with the first two, anyway.
“What you likely don’t realize about our world is that there are more than one way to extend our lives. Some races live longer, like elves and kitsune. The three powers are a classic way to get there. Being important to a church and even without power gods may favor you. And of course there is alchemy, which sounds closest to what you travellers already have.
“So while it will cause a problem? I suspect that things will settle down quickly enough. You already have a form of life extension and so having another won’t completely break things.”
Courtney shakes her head, “He promises absurd levels of personal power to our world that only leaders of nations and international organizations have held in the past.”
Jason laughs, “Don’t try that! We both know that the rich could have any of those so-called strengths. And now? We might still not have replicators like in science fiction, but 3d printing up some very dangerous weapons is well within the common man’s ability.”
Courtney whines, “But it’s Different!”
Gregor shrugs, “Is it really? Who would gain access to the power that could already have it?”
Courtney freezes. Everyone waits for a moment before Rosha breaks the silence, “They do sort of have you there. I still have no clue what this is about but when whack jobs have had access to nukes in even the recent past, I don’t know what kind of power Jason could offer that isn’t already out there with detailed plans of the construction and use.”
Courtney sighs, “The magnitude he promises outstrips EVERYTHING I have seen both in our world and in NeoRealm.”
It is everyone else’s (except, of course Jasons) turn to freeze. Gregor spoke up first, “That, that shouldn’t be accurate. A level capped individual can alter entire kingdoms with just a bit of personal effort. A capped wizard could permanently change the weather across regions. A capped warrior can split mountains or just crumble them with a well-placed strike.”
Courtney scoffs, “We might not have that level of personal power but without magic or any powered tricks we altered the climate of our entire planet, not once but twice! And the first time was an accident. A single button press could spell the end of a mountain easily enough and through purely physical strength and machines we have extracted mammoth pits in the ground to get at various resources. When there was a worry of the sea level rising too much, there was a legit suggestion to just dig a big enough hole to hold the extra water. While we might not have the personal power you have here, we do have the brute force and technology to do just as much if not more.”
Gregor holds up both hands, “Fair enough. Everyone probably has their own specialties. But I still don’t see how he could promise power beyond that. It isn’t like he has any experience with the capped and those who have broken through. Sure, you travellers have a handful of people that have reached that level but he doesn’t have your connections. Even just listening to the three of you banter has told me enough to know that.”
Courtney stares him dead in the eyes, “He promises a level of power such that one could pluck the stars from the sky and juggle moons.”
Gregor turns to Jason, “What nonsense are you trying to peddle?”
Jason laughs, “You could have that power! I might not have her connections but I’ve been trained by someone I suspect to be capped. Besides, NeoRealm is just a small bubble being held together by the System and the few truly powerful beings who have gone beyond it yet still want to keep their old cage safe.”
Peter slaps the ground, “How would you even know that?!”
Jason leans back and stairs up at the roof with dead eyes, “You’re gods are small, the System is a toddler in time out, and you don’t even face the true brunt of the universe’s displeasure here for the power you gain. I can’t be certain until I experience it myself of course but the very bamboo stalk this city is based around tells me a different story.
“Why are there only bottlenecks and yet I’ve never heard of a tribulation? You do a few make quests for the System and suddenly can grow in power again? Where is the struggle! Sure, people get stuck at the various bottlenecks, but there are way too many powerful people.
“I’ve been sitting back on this for a while. I haven’t really had enough data to be honest. Fine, you want me to say it? Maybe I’ve just been holding it in, but every town I’ve been to has involved me getting involved with people many times stronger than someone at my level should be involved with.
“Yes, I’m special, but not that special! I even end up being instructed by someone at the top end by accident. What is wrong with this world? The System event tries to nerf me and suppress me for my abilities yet allows for an absurd density of the powerful to exist. The fact most of NeoRealm isn’t just a loose collection of enormous craters is amazing.
“There are even monsters like those swarm bears just hanging out near normal kingdoms. Like, a monster of that level should either have a giant realm to itself or in a place where similar leveled creatures gather. NeoRealm is broken and it is only through what must be constant System interference that the whole mess hasn’t exploded spectacularly.”
