Toby would shake as he kneeled on the ground. His eyes were unfocused as the sheer pleasure ran though his body. His fingers would twitch and tap against the cold floor as pants left his mouth. Each breath coming out as a mist that brushed across the floor his saliva dripping from his lips as he tried to hold himself up.
His head was spinning as this feeling ran through him. After a few seconds of simply gasping he finally begins to wheeze catching his breath and with a shaking head slowly begins to look up. His eyes glaring at the large words which sat at the edge of his vision. This was the greatest feeling he had ever experienced and he wanted more of it. He felt himself shaking as the rush finally began to leave him.
It made him almost feel hollow and empty when its sweet burn left his body as he wheezes out, "You're conditioning me- Addicting me." His words come out as a whisper. His will was too weak to stop the System from forcing his words out as his vocal cords tingled. He would begin to stand once more as his eyes finally settled upon the cursed words above him.
LEVEL UP!
+5 STAT POINTS.
STRENGTH: 8 VITALITY: 8
ENDURANCE: 8 INTELLIGENCE: 11
WISDOM: 11 CHARISMA: 11
DEXTERITY: 8 MELEE SKILL: 8
WEAPON SKILL: 10 BALLISTICS SKILL: 10
RACE: PLAYER
HP: 80/80
MANA: 110/110
"If you're gonna give me this rush for each level I get- then I won't be able to resist you forever. You're building yourself up to destroy what I am aren't you," The words flowed from his mouth between the pants. His arms felt so shaky as the ground became unfocused once more. The echoes of pleasure danced across his fingertips and down his spine. It was such a wonderful feeling and he felt so empty as it faded away.
"I'm not a god or an immovable object. Addiction is still a very risky and real possibility so I can be working against me in the future," He would slowly begin to stand up and turn his eyes to the stat screen. His eyes carefully reading over each stat.
"The question is how to hinder myself. With the stat least geared towards killing- Dexterity, Charisma, Intelligence and Endurance. Dexterity could give me better proficiency with swords guns or just reflexes some Hitman shit," He collapses back to a single knee as a spike of pain surges down his spine. The system punishes him for his train of thought. Yet a small smile would come to his face as he would glance up.
"There's killers who get by in this world with just intelligence or Charisma. God its tempting to just take Intelligence or Wisdom but those both can backfire upon me in the hands of this Game," Another bolt of pain sends him to the floor. His chest slamming down first. Shivering he grits his teeth as he would grin and find the two stats that were far harder to kill with.
-1 HP.
Endurance and Vitality. It would make him far harder to kill but lacking strength, intelligence or Charisma meant he could be contained and captured by Heros or the government should he ever snap. Focusing he would pour all his points into Vitality causing the pain to simply vanish and for the cold that had seeped into his bone to vanish.
Yet his eyes would linger upon the notification. One HP?
He would chuckle as something new appeared across his vision. Even as he rose the words would always stay harsh and bright across his vision.
WHY DO YOU NOT KILL? WHY DO YOU NOT HARM? EXP BRINGS GOOD. PACIFISM BRINGS DEATH AND PAIN.
Toby would chuckle gently at the words as he stood up and began walking out the alleyway, "So now you're talking to me? Some level of sentience at least. If you truly wanna know you should just dig into my memories and find out. I can't understand it for you but I'll explain in one sentence."
Pausing in the mouth of the alleyway his eyes would look upon his new stats. A soft smile at the small victory over this killing Game, "Im a grown fucking man that's why. Men don't snap, they control themselves. Anger and pleasure don't rule me. We're all just trying to live in this reality that's designed to breed harshness and negativity and there is no reason I should bring even more into this world."
There is no new text that appears as Toby's eyes linger over his new HP. He hadn't gotten any clue how much 130 HP was but hopefully, it was enough.
OBJECTIVE UPDATED.
CONSEQUENCES INCREASED.
SAVE PENNY. THE THREAT TO HER IS STILL UNKNOWN.
IF YOU FAIL. SHE WILL DIE.
Toby pauses clenching his hand. He would close his eyes breathing in and out for a few seconds before groaning, "Fine. But let's make a deal, alright? If I. . .I'll go along with these quests as long as they help others. You know I don't wanna hurt others but I'm pretty sure you're gonna find a way be it bringing forth more goblins and monsters or just putting me in situations that I have to be violent."
"I'll keep doing this dance with you just please help me save this child," Toby's voice comes out softly, waiting for some sort of response. Seconds go by before a simple white orb appears over his car and in the corner of his vision a new task appears.
GET IN YOUR CAR.
Yet Toby pauses for a split second as he eyes his HP. Just a day ago before feeling that pleasure he would never have considered working with this thing. Now that there was a precious life in danger he had become so willing. Yet a small piece of his mind wondered one thing. Was it his own thoughts and emotions making him more willing to tolerate this insidious power or was it this System slowly taking over?
His eyes glance over to the cars zooming across the road and for a split second, an insidious solution comes to mind. A solution that could be reached by taking a single step into the middle of this busy road.
ONLY YOU CAN SAVE THE CHILD.
Toby's hair gently moves in the breeze as he turns his eyes to the updated words that flash across his vision. His hand clenched as he nods, "I know. I don't know why you choose me but I hope you regret it." Toby simply dismisses the thought for now and begins walking to the car.
"Stats," Toby whispers as he gets in the car and the objective marker shifts down the street.
STRENGTH: 8 VITALITY: 13
ENDURANCE: 8 INTELLIGENCE: 11
WISDOM: 11 CHARISMA: 11
DEXTERITY: 8 MELEE SKILL: 8
WEAPON SKILL: 10 BALLISTICS SKILL: 10
RACE: PLAYER
HP: 129/130
MANA: 110/110