章 11: The Task and Upgrades
A few minutes later:
A single lightbulb, hanging from the ceiling by a thin wire, cast a feeble glow that illuminated a small, simply furnished room. The once-vibrant green wall paint had faded over time, revealing its age and neglect. The wooden table, desk, and wardrobe that adorned the space were all cloaked in layers of dust, a sign that the room had remained vacant for a long time.
Tiariel lay on the bed, her gaze fixated on the ceiling adorned with signs of water damage. Despite the imperfections and lack of maintenance of her room, a smile graced her lips, a flicker of contentment and relief dancing in her eyes.
'It isn't much, but it is still better than my room in the hospital...' she looked towards a small and dusty window, '...and there are no bars on the windows.'
She spread her arms and legs before she closed her eyes. In the darkness of her eyelids floated the semi-transparent box of the options to modify her telekinesis.
<<<>>>>
Choose customizations:
Enchantments:
<Increased Range I> (1 EP): Increases the range of the telekinesis by an extra 10%.
<Increased Force I> (1 EP): Increases the overall force exertable by the telekinesis by an extra 10%.
<Precise Control I> (1 EP): Increases the ability of the user to control their telekinesis, allowing them to be much more precise.
Techniques:
<Telekinetic Wave I> (2 EP): Creates powerful waves of telekinetic energy with a single gesture, using mana energy to empower it and make it more destructive.
<Telekinetic Bolt I> (2 EP): Fires a small but highly concentrated pulse of telekinetic force empowered by the energy of mana. It has a high range and slight penetrating power.
<Crush I> (2 EP): Envelopes a target with a concentrated telekinetic force empowered by the energy of mana to crush it with immense pressure. Has a short range but has an instantaneous effect.
Body Adaptations (Warning: will cause the user to fall unconscious):
<Levitation Organ I> (3 EP): Forms a special organ allowing the user to freely levitate without the need to concentrate or actively use their telekinesis.
<Multi-Synaptic Control I> (4 EP): Transforms and rearranges the brain, using similar mechanics that cause schizophrenia or split personalities, allowing utilizing telekinesis or other powers for multiple tasks at once much more easily.
<<<>>>>
'I have six points.' She carefully read through them over and over.
Her eyes stopped at the section of the body modifications, as she felt they had the most potential. 'Levitation... that would give me lots of mobility, but do I need it right now? Three points are quite a lot for a little fancier way of moving. Yes, I don't need it now.'
She lingered on the most expensive option, only the price stopping her from buying it. 'This is an essential item, maybe not right now. However, in the future, it will become necessary. It is expensive, but I can't risk not taking it.'
She knew how petty the systems were, so there was no guarantee she would see it the next time, just to make her frustrated.
With the two remaining points, she looked at the options she had left. 'I can either pick one special technique or two passives.'
'The bolt one is useless... I can just use a gun instead of it and save my points. Well, all techniques are not worth it. I still have some blurry knowledge of mana manipulation from my past life.'
She wasn't as inexperienced to invest in some low-tier, basic techniques that probably weren't even that hard to create on her own with a bit of experimentation.
Instead, she would invest in raw power, which was something harder to gain and would scale well in the future.
'I don't need more control as I am not using it for small precise manipulation, but for defense and offense—so I will take the range and force options.'
She confirmed her choices.
Beep!
<<<<<>>>>>
Your ability <Basic Telekinesis V> was modified:
<Increased Range I> <Increased Force I>Your body was modified:
<Multi-Synaptic Control I>
<<<<<>>>>>
The room slowly darkened as her consciousness faded, the reality and sounds becoming distant and duller, as if her mind was submerged at the bottom of a deep, dark sea.
A few hours later:
Amid heavy rainfall, a slender woman draped in a stylish grey mantle gracefully made her way down the dimly lit street. Her face was concealed beneath the hood, protected from the bad weather. A cascade of light-platinum blonde hair flowed elegantly down her chest, adding a touch of beauty.
'My target should be waiting somewhere nearby.'
As the raindrops created a rhythmic symphony, clanging against the rooftops and road, the neon signs flickered and gleamed, their glow piercing through the darkness of the cloudy night.
'I should find a less rainy planet. I am tired of all this water.'
Her eyes dimly glowed in the darkness, and her heart pounded. It was her first task, or more likely, just a test—she couldn't afford to screw it up.
She didn't even know who she was working for, but she didn't care as it was only temporary.
Undeterred by the empty night streets and the rain-soaked surroundings, the girl continued he lonely stride. Each step sent ripples of water dancing from the puddles under her feet.
A set of rough voices and laughter in the distance immediately caught her atention.
"And then it blew up!"
"Gahaha!"
"Good job, big boss."
Her gaze settled on a group of five men stationed in the middle of the rain-drenched street, further down her path.
Despite their muscular intimidating statures, she couldn't help but smile.
'They fit the picture. Let's get this over so I can get out of this rain.'
The group quieted down as they spotted her approach, all five turning to face her.
"Do you have my stuff?" A tall and bulky man, one of his eyes replaced by a glowing mechanical eye that quietly buzzed, yelled across the street. His sleeveless tank top revealed muscles so bulging and pronounced that Tia was sure they weren't natural, likely the result of super-steroids.
Undeterred, the girl kept her composure, her hand gripping the cold, reassuring metal of her plasma pistol hidden beneath her attire. There was a calm determination in her demeanor.
'They are evidently scum, they deserve this.'
"Are you deaf? Do you have my stuff?!" Another yell, this time even louder cut through the night, the barking of dogs responding from the nearby building.
"No, but I have this." She raised her gun and pressed the trigger, the blinding blue light illuminating the entire dark street and her indifferent pale face.
With astonishing reflexes, the man's colossal fist swatted the plasma bolt away, as if it were a mere annoyance, extinguishing the light.
A wicked grin stretched across his brutish, somewhat vacant-looking face, revealing a set of menacing, canine-like teeth. The glow from his mechanical eye seemed to intensify, giving him an even more ominous aura.
"Hohoho, you have made a colossal mistake, girl!" he bellowed with arrogance. "No one extinguishes Jordan the Firefighter, for I am the fire itself!" His booming laughter echoed through the rain-soaked streets as he charged forward, leaving a trail of shattered concrete in his wake.
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