Finally getting home after picking up the groceries that had been left at the scene, the entire family collapsed onto the floor over the stressful day. Kai's leg had already healed into an angry red scar. The marks on Cam's body had already faded.
"I'm gonna go take a nap" Cam said as he absentmindedly marched to his room. Opening the door and flopping onto his bed in one motion he exhaled heavily. 'That poor man, killed for no reason.' He turned over onto his back and exhaled again. 'There is no way he survived.'
Opening the system hoping to have at least some stat progression or something that will make him happier. Noticing a blinking tab in the top right he mentally opened it.
Killed Thomas McLain.
Rewards - +1 all stats. Legendary meditation skill.
Tiering up is disabled until tutorial stage. Killing provides flat stat bonus. Killing rewards drop off for each person killed before the tutorial stage. Enjoy the headstart!
The message sent shivers through cams entire body. He rushed downstairs to his family to figure it out. They were all sitting down talking quietly when he entered the room. They all looked at him and his panicked appearance.
"What's wrong hun?" His mother asked
Walking further into the room he took a breath then said, "killing people gives rewards and stats." His mom instantly understood what that meant. While his brother tilted his head in confusion.
"Do you mean like in a video game?"
"Please don't compare our life to a video game" cam said. " dad check your system."
His father looked into his system while everyone waited. After a couple seconds he said "oh, wow. His name was Thomas." He said. "Every stat got a +1!?" Exasperated he looked at his family. " we have to leave, there is no way we're sticking around long enough for this city to go into a murder spree.
Pack your things. I'll get the groceries back to my truck." Walking quickly to the door he continued "And we'll head to a lodge a friend of mine owns, it's only 70 miles or so away. We should be safe there. As soon as he said that they started getting everything they would need to survive for the next 29 days. Packing all his clothes and survival supplies he was ready. His mother needed some help with a spare tent, and his brother had to be coerced into leaving his computer. Once they had all packed they got in the truck and started driving.
Their panicked feelings felt unwarranted when they hit the street, the sun was still shining, and everyone was moving along like nothing was gonna happen.
Making it to the edge of the city, they stopped at a gas station to get some extra gas before leaving. While his father filled up the tank him and his brother play sparred.
"Cam do that thing where you can't get hurt"
Smiling at his little brother he agreed. Flexing the skill his entire body went rigid, as his little brother started hitting him faster and faster a bright flash went off in his eyes.
Struggling to breathe the floor beneath him crumbled and everything was bathed in fire. For 20 minutes he waited and when he opened his eyes everything was gone.
He stood in a large crater. One of many. Everything around was either burnt black or Turned into ash. Looking around praying that his family was ok he saw nothing, just melted slags of the gas station signs."mom? Dad? Bubba?" But he got no response. The only thing he could see was a skeletons ashy body laying in the dirt. Falling onto his knees he cried. And cried. He picked up the skeletons of his family and cried even more.
24 hours earlier in the white house.
"What do you mean you get stats and rewards for killing people?" The president asked. Staring out the window of the Oval Office he waited, tapping his fingers on his knuckle. This isn't good . America is strong, but if inhuman leaders of other countries start killing indiscriminately that power gap will mean nothing. We have 29 days to figure something out. Get me the generals. I've got a plan.
"Sir, you can't do that. The loss of life alone will be catastrophic. " one of the generals said. Going to war now would kill many many people."
Nodding yes, that's why I don't have the intent of starting a war with another nation. Bring me to the stationary bomb program. A few hours later a helicopter lands in the middle of Alaska, in front of a heavily fortified base. Walking into the bunker everyone saluted. The general and the president continued. Through until they reached a large control room.
"Who is in charge of the no land for free program? A man raised his hand at the center console. The president then yelled. "Everyone else out" everyone else walked outside of the room leaving the three to sit in silence.
"Open night city's bomb program." The general said.
"Yessir" opening the panel and typing in some codes it showed a diagram of a bomb. "Its deactivated right now, it would take about 8 hours to prime it. Plenty of time if some communist country took it. Nodding the general brought out a silenced pistol behind the managers head and pulled the trigger.
*thump*
The body hit the floor staining the floor with blood. "Enter your key "Mr president"" the general said while emoting with finger quotes. "Once this is activated it should consolidate your place as the leader of this new world." Turning the key he pressed the button. A timer started ticking. "Well general Pyr. It looks like world war three did more than revive our economy." Now we wait. What'd you get from him? He kicked the body's foot.
" Just a common dash technique. Nothing to write home about." Replied the general.
"You know, I don't think these rewards will ever be better than the first technique we got from the first kill. Must be randomized after the first. I haven't gotten anything over epic since my first kill."
Nodding the president walked towards one of the chairs. Welp get ready for a long 7 hours. "Go ahead and call in Los Angeles and los Vegas key holders. I've lost too much money there."
The general walked to the door opened it and called the two managers in and brought them to another terminal.
"Alright bring Los Angeles and Los Vegas up. After that everyone can head home for the day." Hearing that the two managers smiled and did as they asked. Soon they had left the room and not bothering to look for their coworker.
7 hours later…
"Alright you detonate night City, I'll do the other two." The president said as the bombs primed. These great Americans are making the ultimate sacrifice he said with a stoic face, then smiled and pressed the detonate button then the other for both Los Angeles and Los Vegas. His eyes went wild with colors as he claimed the rewards that filled his vision. "Finish out night city he waved his hand, his eyes unfocused as he went through each name and each reward. His body shifting under his clothes as his stats consolidated. "That's unfortunate" he said while tapping his chin. "Looks like the stat rewards for each person goes down the more people you kill."
Looking at his stats he smiled. "This is the sacrifice of 5 million people huh."
Race- Human-
Racial skill - Adrenaline ( increase reaction time, strength, and agility when adrenal glands activate Tier I)
Condition- healthy/slight mutation
Tier- I (max)(rewards in storage till next tier)
Title unlocked!* Evil Incarnate (Kill millions of your own kind for your own sake. Your gains from killing the same race is multiplied by 2 and all stat gains stay the same.)
Strength- 4,785
Constitution- 1000
Agility- 1000
Regeneration- 1000
Spirit- 1100
Intelligence- 1000
-Human average for each is 10-
Learned skills*
Innate skill Tier I - skin suit- Imitate any person you kill perfectly. Passive( convincing people is easier. Leading people to do things they normally wouldn't do.)
"Man, this is something else" he said as he cracked his neck as his skin turned whiter, the presidents face slipping off his skull. Before he left the room with the general he yelled out. "Kill all the workers while I'm gone!" Then promptly vanished from his spot.