—Southwest District, Dotun City; Lanima Region
Alex then found an abandoned building after fighting two Reigners—and after his right Scope body absorbed his first Reign. He headed to one of the male toilet rooms.
(Reigners is short for Reign Users, same goes for Reigner)
"Now, let's see what the heck this Reign is, did Dr. Inuim know about this when I was still in a coma?" Alex thought, asking himself.
[Absorbed Reign: Expanding Orb]
"Can I ask what Reign is? Where did it come from? Is this the reason why Dotun City is a mess?" Alex thought, trying to ask his right Scope body using telepathically.
[Reign – a new phenomenon that occurs when Reign Users activate their Reign Energy and move them out of their Nervous System, summoning their powers]
[Reign derived from an expert from Nansiga Province named "Reygon" who wrote a theory about Cosmic Burst where a grain of Cosmic Energy colliding with the particles of Oxygen, this became a reality due to a failed experiment in Nansiga Province, opening a portal to a space filled with Cosmic Energy]
"A portal to space? What experiment is this? How did it make the Dotun City be in this state?" Alex thought, asking his right Scope body again.
[3 years ago, in an Amateur Tech Convention, a Lanima Region's Leader funded an aspiring scientist after proposing a way to create two portals, the future's fastest transportation in Lanima Region, but one error led to many, accidentally opening a portal to a space filled with Cosmic Energy, creating one of the biggest events in Lanima Region, the Cosmic Surge Event, fortunately, only a grain of Cosmic Energy entered the surface]
"These are a lot of texts on my vision…" Alex complained in his thoughts.
"Fortunately? It still messed up Dotun City, and probably the Nansiga Province suffered the most. How about this Reign? How did people end up with powers? Something like from the fictional books" Alex asked again.
"It's also right after that missile hit us, is that how I and many people in S-12 survived? I forgot that Dr. Inuim didn't show me how the others survived, how Stacia survived," Alex thought.
[Those that are affected by Reign got their Nervous Systems to be integrated with the Energy that Reign emitted throughout the Nansiga Province and the Dotun City, Reign Energy circulated throughout the affected ones' Nervous Systems, and because the Nervous System produces electrochemical signals, the Reign Energy is able to reproduce inside the Nervous System every time 10% of it is lost and/or used]
[Reign is termed for when a Reign User moved their Reign Energy out of their Nervous System, creating the phenomenon that allows them to produce and summon their powers]
"This is loaded information. I know I have an enhanced head now but still. So people have powers now? Will Science be replaced by this if it's not taken care of? How many people have this Reign?" Alex thought, asking his right Scope body again.
[As of this month, more than 60% of Dotun City's population and more than 80% of Nansiga Province's population have Reign, few people aren't affected by the Cosmic Surge Event because their Nervous Systems are either blocked from external energies or have nerve failures, the survivors in Nansiga Province evacuated in Dotun City after the Cosmic Surge Event]
"Okay, that's still a lot since Dotun City is the biggest City in Lanima Region and the most populated place in Lanima Region, Nansiga Province is a lot smaller but 96% of the Province is populated, and they all evacuated here after that Cosmic Surge Event. Let's move on, about my right Scope body, can I absorb more of this Reign?" Alex explained to himself, asking his Scope body again.
[Yes, but there is a limit]
"For this thing to not tell me the number limit instantly must mean that it's something I don't need to know or doctor prohibited me from knowing it," Alex thought.
"So what now? Should I try experimenting on this Reign and this Scope body's function to absorb some?" Alex asked himself.
"I should just go home, check if it's even standing, maybe I'll encounter new things on the way. Man, the last time I almost lost my path is when my mother died, I'm alone now, and I have no relatives to meet. The city we're in is a mess, the first 2 people I met quickly attacked me for no reason—at least, they didn't tell me their reasoning," Alex thoroughly thought about his new path while sitting on a toilet.
"I guess I should try stopping this mess, I don't have any confidence if I can succeed, but I can regenerate so fast, and I have this Scope body with me, one of the things I can do is take it and the phone that doctor gave me to Mr. Scope," Alex said to himself, standing up from the toilet.
He then left the Male's toilet room and headed his way to the West District of Dotun City.
He's already close to leaving the Southwest District after attempting to run away from the 2 Reigners earlier, covering half the District's area. When he arrived at the borders of Southwest District and West District, 10 Reigners are guarding the area.
There are several reasons as to why Reigners are always on guard in many areas like these, one of them is defending from other Reigners that want to take over others' territories.
Alex arrived at the entryway to West District. "Excuse me!" He called the Reigners.
"Let's try to talk my way in first, I don't want violence as the first option, it's supposed to be last." Alex thought.
The Reigners became wary of him. "Can we help you?" One of them asked.
"He's wearing a Scope jacket but there are few people that wear them and do not support Mr. Scope, let's see where he stands," the Reigner thought.
"Is it possible to pass through? I'm from the Northwest and I entered here after visiting a relative of mine from the South Outskirts," Alex said.
"That's a good story I can make, an excuse if you will. I don't have any relative there but it's better than saying that I dropped from the skies," Alex thought.
"There are only 2 reasons why you came from outside, you're an enemy Reigner or you are an officer or a Scope supporter!" The Reigner thought, deciding that he is an enemy.
And because he's their group's leader…
"He's an enemy! Attack!" Their leader shouted.
"I messed up!? I might not be aware of the new rules, laws, and common senses here!" Alex thought, mad at himself for messing up.
He then readied himself to fight the Reigners.
There are 2 body-enhancing Reigners, 3 bomb Reigners, 3 bladed Reigners, and 2 defense Reigners.
The 3 bomb Reigners are above the walls providing long-range support. The 2 body-enhancing Reigners are in front. The 3 bladed Reigners are behind the body-enhancing Reigners. While the 2 defense Reigners are behind them, one gives a barrier or shield, and the other is a backup front combatant. It's a common Reigners' strategy.
The 3 bomb Reigners first threw their bombs at Alex. When he sensed them, he immediately blocked them with his right Scope body.
*boom* *BOOM* *boom*
"Get in!" their leader initiated, charging forward.
[Reign already absorbed]
[Reign Energy absorbed]
When one of them charged at Alex in the smoke, Alex grabbed him and knocks him unconscious by slamming him down even though he is a body-enhancing Reigner. He then absorbed his Reign after that Reigner came into contact with Alex's Scope body.
[New Reign absorbed: Body Harden]
Alex might've absorbed the bombs of the 3 bomb Reigners but it didn't register as new Reigns because they have the same output as the Expanding Orb. So the Body Harden Reign was registered as a new one.
When the 3 bladed Reigners saw that the 2 Body Hardened Reigners were thrown out of the smoke that the 3 bombs created, they attempted to rush in. Alex then summoned an Expanding Orb, commanding his Scope body telekinetically.
He then shoots the Expanding Orb at the Reigners.
"I hope they survive this!" Alex thought, wishing for them to survive his attack.
"Incoming!!!" Their leader shouted after seeing the Expanding Orb.
*BOOM*
The walls then were opened, and the Reigners jumped out of the area because they felt how intense Alex's Expanding Orb is, the bomb Reigners jumped away from the walls.
Alex then charged through, entering the West District while the smoke that his Expanding Orb created is still in the surroundings.
"Where is he!?"
"He must've passed through!"
"What are we going to report to the Elites now that we've breached the walls?"
Alex was far gone, losing the Reigners guarding the walls.
The other reason why so many Reigners are around is that giant monsters are lurking all over the place due to the fact that Dotun City has so many insects, animals, critters, and more.
A giant rat appeared underneath where Alex shot his Expanding Orb.
*rumble*
When Alex checked what that rumble is. "What the heck! A giant rat!?" He was surprised to see it rise from the ground.
"Boss! Giant rat!" One of the Body Hardened Reigners told their leader while they were helping him get up.
"Crap, this is a big one! Be ready, everyone!" Their leader shouted, standing up from his feet.
Because the Reigners guarding the walls were injured from Alex's Expanding Orb, they weren't able to perform to the best of their abilities in fighting these giant monsters.
Alex's conscience is irritating him. "I should not be interfering, I don't even know what that thing is! It might kill me!—even though I have fast healing. But it's my fault for releasing a monster like that. Is that some sort of different phenomenon in this Cosmic Surge Event that happened 3 years ago?" he thought, asking his Scope body again.
[Humans are just a few of the many that were affected by the event because humans cover 0.01% of the world, even other living beings were affected by it as well]
"That makes sense, how can we even fight this thing? With this Reign?" Alex thought, asking himself.
[Reign is the most common way people in Dotun City use to fight these giant living beings]
"I'm asking myself, you don't have to answer all my thoughts. Anyway, let's give this a try," Alex said, he then ran back to the walls where the Reigners guarding and where the giant rat emerged.
The giant rat ran rampant around the walls after the Expanding Orb provoked its mind.
*SCREECH*
The 3 Bomb Reigners and the 2 defense Reigners have fled the scene after seeing a giant living being for the first time—they're all new recruits.
"Damn it! The 5 recruits chickened out!" The leader shouted while backed off by the giant rat.
"We won't be able to get near it if no one slows it down and distracts it, leader!" One of the Body Hardened Reigners shouted after trying to look for an opening.
"We will die if we don't request reinforcements," their leader thought.
An Expanding Orb from Alex then hit the giant rat's face after returning to help them.
*BOOM*
"What!? Who!?" Their leader thought, looking at where the Expanding Orb came from.
The giant rat was shoved back by its force.
Alex headed to their side. "Are you alright?!" He asked them.
"You?!" the leader asked.
"Even though he had already passed through the walls, he still returned to help us," their leader thought, surprised that Alex returned.
"We're okay, how about you, boss?" One of the Body Hardened Reigners said, asking their leader.
"I'm fine, why did you return?" Their leader answered, asking Alex.
"I did cause this thing to pop up, I should, at least, help you fight it since it seems that half of your other Reigners left—even though it's my first time seeing that thing," Alex said, answering his question.
"It's also those recruits' first time seeing it, I'm surprised he's not scared, also, "Reigners" is easier to say than Reign Users, how about we use that instead?" The leader thought, astounded by that word.
"Then how will we take it down with just 6 of us? 10 is the lowest amount of Reigners that can take on even the weakest of giants, the average is 12 to 15, I only know a few ways to fend off giants like this on my own, but it has to be on my own since I can move freely," the leader asked Alex.
"I can think of something but…" Alex thought.
"Excuse me, can I ask if I can see your Reign?" Alex asked the leader.
"Why?" the leader showed his blade Reign to Alex.
When the blades on his left hand appeared, Alex quickly touched them with his right hand, absorbing his Reign, the leader pulled his blades away. Even though his Scope body is just able to touch the leader's blades slightly, Alex is able to copy his Reign.
[New Reign Absorbed: Arm Blades]
[Reign Energy Absorbed]
"I don't know how Dr. Inuim knows all these names for the Reigns but… does the Scope body have a computing system to calculate the Reigns' names?" Alex thought.
"What did you do?" The leader asked Alex.
"Activate the Arm Blades telekinetically," Alex thought, telling his Scope body.
[Understood]
"I copied it," Alex said, he then showed his Arm Blade Reign.
His Arm Blades look better than the leader's.
"What!? How? More importantly, how are his blades look better than mine even though he just copied them from me?" The leader thought, asking himself with shock.
"This looks better than I thought, add that to the collection," Alex thought.
Alex retracted the Arm Blade, he then used Expanding Orb and throw it at the giant rat after it stood up again.
*BOOM*
"You guys get in there and do your thing, I'll distract him," Alex said to the Reigners guarding the walls.
"Though I might kill it with just the Expanding Orb," Alex thought.
"I'll ask him what that is about later, he can't have more than one Reign, no one had that before, except if he's a Unique Reigner—oh that term fits better than Unique Reign User," the leader thought, still astounded by the word Reigner.
"Let's finish this!" The leader shouted, ordering the other Reigners.
They all then charged at the giant rat while Alex is throwing Expanding Orb at its face every time it gets back to its feet.
When the giant rat was distracted from Alex's Expanding Orb, the Body Hardened Reigners then charged at its legs, smashing them down so that it won't get back up again. The leader and the other 2 Arm bladed Reigners jumped to cut its arms and its throat, the leader headed for the throat so that it won't screech to call other giants.
*urk*
"It's definitely working, I should head in as well," Alex thought.
Jumping in with the Arm Blades activated, he went for its head, stabbing its head, killing the giant rat.
"That's so disgusting and that's scary as hell!!!" Alex thought, after getting spewed by its blood.
When the Reigners tried to look for Alex, Alex has already left the area, entering the West District of Dotun City.