Knox hovered in the air, seating cross-legged like a meditating monk, high above the barn. His eyes were closed, and a faint smirk tugged at his lips as he watched Maximus and his small crew work tirelessly below.
"You shouldn't rule by fear alone," Kaelina's voice rang out in his mind, calm but firm. "You should also earn their respect. Fear can only push them so far. Respect, on the other hand, will make them work harder and follow you willingly."
Knox opened one eye, tilting his head slightly. "I know," he replied with a shrug. "I'll gain their respect soon enough. Just watch."
Kaelina didn't respond, but the silence carried her doubt.
Suddenly Knox's attention snapped downwards as Maximus waved his arms frantically, calling out his name.
Knox descended gracefully, landing in front of the brown-haired man with a soft thud. "What's the matter?"
Maximus wiped sweat from his brow, holding up a rough blueprint in one hand. "The blueprints are 90% complete, sir. We've almost got the entire design mapped out!"
Knox nodded, glancing at the blueprint. "Good. And the materials? How's the gathering going."
Maximus scratched the back of his head nervously. "We've gathered a lot, but... it's not going to be enough for a project this big."
Knox frowned, considering the situation. "We'll deal with that when the time comes. Focus on finalizing the plans for now."
Maximus hesitated, then blurted out, "Not to be rude, sir, but that suit of yours... is it part of your power?"
Knox chuckled, folding his arms. "No, it's just a suit. It boosts my powers, but it's not the power."
Maximus blinked, clearly shocked. "Where did you even get something like that?"
Knox smirked. "My system gave it to me. She's always so bitchy, though, especially when I screw something up." He let out a short laugh.
Maximus titled his head, confused. "Wait... really? My system never talks to me. It just gave me my power, explained the basics, and went silent after that. It does let me master my ability faster, but that's it."
Knox raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that so?"
Maximus nodded, then excused himself, returning to the workbench where his team was poring over the plans.
Knox floated into the air again, his arms crossed. "Kaelina," he said, his tone curious. "What was Maximus talking about? Why can you communicate with me, but his system barely interacts?"
Kaelina was silent for a moment, then began to explain. "Every system is created by the Creator, but during the process, systems can evolve. Because of this variability, the Creator established a ranking system to categorize them."
Knox leaned forward slightly. "A ranking system?"
"Yes," Kaelina replied. "There are seven tiers of systems: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythical, and Divine. Systems in the Mythical and Divine tiers are sentient, capable of thinking, and in some cases, even developing personalities. I am a Mythical system, one of only 100 in existence."
Knox's eyes narrowed. "And Divine systems?"
"There are only five Divine systems," Kaelina continued. "They grant their hosts god-like powers, far beyond what most can even comprehend. If we encounter one, I'll be able to recognize it."
A screen suddenly appeared in front of Knox, displaying information about him:
Name: Knox Jun
Race: Kryptonian
Age: 16
Title: None
Abilities: Flight, Heat Vision, Super Hearing, Super Strength, Super Speed (Speed of Sound), Super Durability, Freezing Breath, X-Ray Vision
Power: Superman Template - 7%
"What's this?" Knox asked, intrigued.
"Your status," Kaelina replied. "Most systems display these stats numerically-like Strength: 52 or something similar. I prefer to keep things streamlined."
Knox crossed his arms. "Can systems evolve? Move up the ranks?"
Kaelina hesitated. "Yes, but the process is... complicated. It's not worth focusing on right now. What you need to focus on is becoming stronger, Knox. And making sure your followers grow stronger too."
Knox smirked. "Why do you think I'm building this base? I need a safe place to grow-with my followers."
Knox's ears suddenly perked up, catching a faint sound from another state entirely. He focused, honing in on the voice with his super hearing.
It was a news report: "The Global Protection Alliance has officially established its first base of operations in Washington, D.C. This monumental structure-a colossal, high-tech tower-appeared seemingly overnight, constructed by the mysterious hero known as Seraph. This is the first of what the GPA calls 'Hero Citadels,' which will be built be built worldwide."
Knox turned in the direction of Washington, activating his X-Ray vision. He zoomed in until the tower came into view. It was a gleaming, futuristic skyscraper, bristling with advanced technology.
Scanning the structure, Knox's gaze traveled through its floors, marveling at the intricate systems and defenses. When he reached the twelfth floor, he froze.
There, stepping out of a shower, was Seraph.
Knox immediately deactivated his X-Ray vision, his face twitching in amusement as Kaelina burst into laughter.
"You saw something interesting, didn't you?" she teased.
Knox rolled his eyes, a sly grin forming. "Things are getting interesting."