The icy wind whipped past Knox's face as he soared through the sky, the Arctic landscape disappearing behind him. He had grown more comfortable with flying, his body slicing through the air like a missile. Kaelina's voice echoed in his head, her tone as sarcastic as ever.
"Not bad for a rookie, bitch boy. You're starting to look like less of a dumbass up there. Only slightly, though."
Knox rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Kaelina. So, what's the plan when we get back to the city?"
"Plan? Oh, sweet child. Chaos doesn't need a plan—it thrives all on its own. I imagine your delightful species has already come up with some rules to deal with the new power structure. It's probably a disaster. Let's go see, shall we?"
As they approached the city, the chaotic noise from earlier had quieted, but smoke still rose in plumes from damaged buildings. Emergency vehicles lined the streets, their lights flashing as first responders attempted to restore order.
Knox descended, his feet touching the ground in an alleyway near the city center. He wandered toward a crowd gathered around a massive outdoor screen, where a government official was delivering an emergency broadcast.
"...and in light of recent events, all the world's government have unified to create the Global Protection Agency," the official announced. The emblem of the GPA—a globe encircled by a protective shield—f;ashed on the screen.
The official continued, his tone severe. "Any individual found misusing their newfound powers will be classified as a villain. Villains will be detained, and in extreme cases, neutralized. We urge all civilians to cooperate with GPA enforcers as they work to ensure global safety."
Kaelina's voice hummed in his ear, dripping with amusement. "Oh, lovely, Heroes and villains. Classic. Let the clichés commence!"
Knox folded his arms, watching the broadcast with mild interest. "So, let me guess—this GPA thing is going to screw over anyone who doesn't fall in line."
"Bingo," Kaelina replied. "But hey, let's focus on you for now. The stronger you get, the less their rules matter."
Before Knox could respond, a sharp whistle cut through the air. He turned just in time to see a jagged ice spike hurtling toward him. It slammed into his chest, pushing him back several feet shattering against his enhanced skin.
"What the fuck?!" Knox hissed, scanning the area.
A man stepped out from behind a wrecked car, his smirk predatory. "Hey, fuckface. Hand over everything you've got, or things are gonna get messy."
Kaelina's voice practically purred with excitement. "Oh, finally! Some action! Alright, bitch boy listen up. His power is ice, and you've got a major advantage—heat vision. He's an idiot for attacking someone without knowing their abilities. And, bonus, he just showed you all his cards. Now melt his face."
The man snarled, raising his hands. Ice spikes materialized in the air around him and launched toward Knox in a deadly barrage.
Knox jumped into the air, dodging the projectiles as they shattered against the concrete behind him. He soared higher, zigzagging to avoid the relentless assault.
The man's expression shifted to confusion. "So, flight's your thing , huh? Let's see how long you can stay up there!" He conjured a wall of ice spikes, sending them hurtling toward Knox like a freezing tidal wave.
Knox smirked, dodging the barrage with increasing confidence. His circled around, his movements fluid and precise, before diving toward the man like a hawk targeting its prey.
Before the man could react, Knox grabbed him by the collar and shot back into the sky, dragging him along. The man screamed, his fits pounding uselessly against Knox's chest.
"Let me go, you son of a—!"
Knox silenced him by stopping abruptly midair, holding the man by his throat. "You wanted messy? Fine." His eyes began to glow, the heat building rapidly as he focused on the man's terrified face.
"Wait—no—!"
Knox unleashed his heat vision, twin beams of searing energy cutting through the man's skull. His screams were brief, drowned out by the sizzling of flesh and the splatter of blood. When the beams topped, the man's head was little more than a melted, steaming mess, his lifeless body limp in Knox's grip.
Knox grimaced as warm blood and viscera dripping onto his face. "Fucking gross."
Kaelina, of course, was delighted. "Oh, that was beautiful! Quick, grab his stuff before anyone else shows up."
Knox descended, dropping the corpse onto the pavement with a dull thud. He rummaged through the man's pockets, finding a wallet, a knife, and a strange key.
As he cleaned the blood of his face using the man's shirt, a blue light emerged from the body. It hovered for a moment before streaking upward and disappearing.
Knox started after it. "What the hell was that?"
"Ah," Kaelina said, her tone almost wistful. "That was his system. When a host dies their system returns to its creator. The creator will review their host's choices, actions, and life. If they find it entertaining or worthwhile, they might reuse it. If not, well... let's just say it won't be a pleasant fate for the system."
Knox frowned. "So, what, these systems are like... tools for entertainment?"
Kaelina chuckled. "Move or less. Some systems get lucky with strong, smart hosts. Others..." She let out a theatrical sigh. "Well, they get stuck with dumbasses like that guy. Now come on, let's get moving. The city's just getting interesting."
Knox smirked, wiping the last of the blood off his face. "Yeah. Let's see what other idiots want to pick a fight."
Hey guys hope you like this chapter. If you do please give me power stones and leave any feedback you have. BYE :D