CHAPTER 2
Rumors spread of a skinny shaggy bearded man who begun to frequent the park over the past week. Although all he did was run around, many still feared for their purses, opting never to use the park until he was driven out. This eventually led to Thomas being escorted out of the park one day after he had completed his daily running quest. Escorted here meant dragged and thrown out with a threat never to return.
Left lying on the sidewalk, Thomas panted furiously. Despite receiving this very same treatment for the past few years, he now indignant. The very reason for this lay before his eyes.
[Status:
Strength: 10
Agility: 8
Stamina: 9
Endurance: 8
Intelligence: 15 ]
Progress! He felt it. The revitalization of his body when he cleared the daily quests each day. He was getting stronger and better. This feeling was intoxicating. Just now, he could have easily dispatched the police officers, he did not do so because his current strength was not enough to completely ignore the governing laws of the country. He couldn't stop bullets or missiles yet.
Currently, his strength equated to an above average person with a frequent exercise schedule. It wasn't much but it was a start.
Back in his apartment, Thomas stared at his reflection with different thoughts swirling in his head. He no longer had the scrawny physique from a week ago. Instead, his body had been sculptured into a lean masculine form. This was achieved with just a week of work. He could only imagine what months of daily quests would reward him with.
A while later, Thomas once again stares at his reflection. He had gotten rid of his beard and cut his hair short. What he saw in the mirror was once again the sunny youth from years before, with vastitudes of rage and distraught in his deep black eyes.
That day, Thomas cleared his filthy room for the very first time in ages. He threw out all the numerous empty alcohol bottles, the food packets long with the remnants of the cans and trinkets accumulated over the past couple of years.
Gradually, without him noticing, Thomas was changing.
Weeks later, Thomas walked down a busy street observing his status window. Compared to before, his body had changed drastically. He had grown in height, easily towering over the bustling crowd. Compared to his height however, the power brimming within his being was frightening. His stats bore the reason to that.
[Status:
Strength: 30
Agility: 28
Stamina: 29
Endurance: 28
Intelligence: 35 ]
As he walked down the street, Thomas begun considering his immediate problems. Firstly, he was running out of money. It was time for him to consider getting a job again. Despite his immense strength, he didn't consider crime an option. It just didn't sit well with him.
As such, his options were immensely limited. He needed a job with enough free time to complete his quests. They were of utmost importance to him. For some reason, his instincts were telling him that something big was going to happen at the end of the year. Something he really needed to be prepared for.
**
Northern Continent, Eagle Country.
"Quick, someone radio the incoming train, the bridge has collapsed."
Citizens watched in horror as a section of a tall bridge built overhead a street to accommodate trains, crumbled to the ground, injuring many. Paramedics immediately rushed to the site, trying to save as many as they could. The worst part of this incident was that there was an incoming train that was due in any moment. If it wasn't stopped in time, the impact would be catastrophic as it would derail and crash into the nearby buildings.
The police cordoned off the area, barricading the entire street. They desperately tried their best to reach the incoming train. They tried their best to reach the conductor of the train trying to get him to stop the train before it got closer. However, their attempts were all in vain.
The train was within sights and despair set in. Policemen on the other side of the broken bridge desperately waved stop signs at the incoming train. Below, far beyond the projected crash site, the citizens watched on, with their emotions in turmoil.
Upon nearing the crash site, the conductor seemed to have finally noticed their attempts and pulled the brakes, inciting a wild screech from the train. Everyone had their fingers crossed. If the train didn't stop in time, it would derail and crash into apartments next to the bridge. These apartments were still in the middle of evacuating and the number of lives that could be lost were in the high hundreds.
Unfortunately, despite his best effort, the conductor, a kind faced middle aged man, couldn't stop the train in time. He watched in horror as his carriage went over the bridge, crashing towards to apartments. Surrendering to his fate, he closed his tearing eyes and braced for impact. He could only pray within himself hoping that many innocent lives wouldn't be lost.
Thud!
The explosion they expected never happened. Instead, what they saw caused their eyes to widen in shock.
A man, in black hooded attire, had caught the falling train mid air.
Gasps of shock rang all around.