Chapter 7: My Power, Part II

  Ray

  I had always avoided using my ability. Not just to keep it hidden, but because of the curse tied to it—a curse that gnawed at my sanity. Even using a fraction of it made me say and do things I couldn't explain. But this time, I had no choice. I wanted Maki to live. She deserved it. Depending on her true potential, she might even surpass Akira. And Akira, too, had done an exceptional job here.

  Descending from the sky, I caught Maki just before she hit the ground. I gently placed her down and turned to the crowd. “Any healers?” My voice echoed across the battlefield. Silence. Then I added, “You’re all so brave for staying here. It’s admirable, really.”

  Someone from the crowd finally spoke. “Why should we fight for your side? We’d have a better chance of surviving with the organization.”

  The young man from the Lion Cub Organization erupted into hysterical laughter. “Hahaha! Soon, some of our greatest fighters will join us. You’ll have no chance of survival once they arrive. Listen up, everyone! Here’s the deal—whoever kills this man before they arrive will be welcomed into the organization. No slavery. No conditions.”

  An obvious lie, but I played along. I smiled—a smile meant to terrify. “Very well said. Let’s give them a choice!”

  Before I could finish speaking, the muscular man—now shrunken to a size no larger than four men combined—lunged at me, his massive hand aiming for my head. I caught it with one hand, not breaking stride in my speech.

  “This is your last chance,” I said, my voice laced with menace. “You have three choices: join the organization, join me, or leave this battlefield forever. But understand this—choosing wrong means death.” “But honestly, you’re free to choose whatever path feels right to you.” I added with a smirk. With a push, I sent the muscular man stumbling back.

  Some fled. Others stayed and joined the enemy forces. When the dust settled, only six of us remained: Selia; Akira, the fierce warrior who could transform into powerful animals; Maki, a determined fighter with sharp instincts; Benjiro, who could hear everything with his Wayves ability; Taki, the youngest, a water manipulator; and me. “You’ve made your choices,” I said coldly. “Don’t blame me for what comes next.”

  I dashed forward and grabbed one of the traitors by the neck, cutting off his breath. With a swift motion, I severed his legs with my sword and retreated to my group, dragging the legless man behind me. Throwing him in front of Maki, I said, “Kill him. Get your hands and your life back.”

  The man had already blacked out, but Maki didn’t hesitate. She threw herself onto him, sinking her teeth into his neck like a predator. Blood gushed, and her arms regenerated before our eyes. Her life force stabilized, but her face and mouth were smeared with blood, giving her the appearance of a vampire. Our eyes met briefly. I turned away, hiding whatever emotions threatened to surface.

  With my voice cold and steady, I added, “This is your chance, Maki. You've heard what I said and seen what they offer. If you want to join them, now’s the time.”

  Her voice, though weak, carried unwavering determination. “I didn’t catch everything you said, but one thing is certain: anyone not on your side is as good as dead.”

  Most of those opposing us were ordinary people in their previous lives: farmers, shopkeepers, parents, teachers, and nurses. They weren’t used to fighting, much less killing. That explained why the organization had only sent two elite fighters to subdue them. The combination of the young man’s HumanX ability and the giant’s raw power was more than enough for a group like this.

  But they hadn’t anticipated Akira or Maki—both seasoned fighters—nor had they accounted for me. My ability was the perfect counter to their strongest weapon, HumanX. Now that I understood their capabilities, I could proceed with my plan.

  “Selia, take Maki and wait for us. Benjiro, Taki, watch closely—you’re not ready for this yet.” A sudden wind attack interrupted me, forcing us to scatter. I leapt forward as the others fell back.

  The fight began in earnest. Activating my ghost-like ability, I hovered before speeding into the enemy ranks. With a sword in each hand, I spun like a whirlwind, cutting through their forces. Their abilities were weak and uncoordinated, ineffective against someone who could phase through attacks. By the time I stopped, countless bodies littered the ground. Those who remained alive hesitated, their fear palpable. The two elite fighters stood at the back, frustration etched across their faces.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “It’s over for all of you,” I said, surveying the battlefield. “You had your chance to walk away, but now, there’s no escape. Your fate is sealed.” “And I truly wish none of you had to face this fate.” I muttered, my voice taking on an unnatural edge.

  A voice in my head whispered, Release your power. I punched myself in the stomach. “Shut up. It’s not time yet.” The distraction gave them an opening. They attacked. I activated my intangibility, their blows passing harmlessly through me. But the curse inside me grew stronger. Every use of my ability brought me closer to losing control.

  This is my limit, I said aloud. “I can’t use my invincibility anymore. Now’s your chance to strike me down.” The words slipped out, completely against my will, exposing my weakness to the enemy.

  Fuji, one of the traitors, attacked with an earth ability. Surrounded, I dodged relentlessly, but they coordinated their efforts. The muscular man, now only twice his original size, grabbed me from behind, pinning my arms. Fuji encased us both in a prison of soil. As the walls closed in, Fuji hesitated, unsure about crushing both of us inside. The young man’s voice cut through, his tone decisive. “Let the big guy handle it. He’ll finish Ray off in there—no need to waste more energy.”

  Inside the earthen cage, I spoke to the muscular man. “Your friends won’t let Fuji kill us both, will they?” He didn’t respond. “You’re out of mana, aren’t you? You started as a skyscraper, and now you’re barely double-sized. Pathetic,” I mocked. But then, without warning, my curse took over again. “You’re stronger than this, you know. Don’t let them down,” I added, the words dripping with unnatural encouragement.

  Outside, the others began piecing it together. “Wait,” one of them muttered. “He’s… giving himself away. His curse—he’s betraying himself!” The realization sparked a wave of confidence among the traitors.

  “He can’t use his ghost form anymore!” someone shouted. “This is our chance. Finish him!”

  Their renewed determination surged as they prepared to strike, spurred on by my own treacherous words, the curse fueling their resolve.

  'Benjiro,' I whispered, knowing he could hear me with his Wayves ability. 'I’ll be gone for a moment. Get yourself and the others to safety. Hide, rest, and don’t attract any attention.'

  Using the last of my mana, I activated my most desperate ability. "Grim Reaper: Takeover." My body turned spectral, and I dashed into the muscular man, taking control of his body. It worked perfectly, fooling the others into believing I was dead.

  From within the muscular man’s body, I mimicked his tone and spoke. "He’s dead. Open the walls."

  The others hesitated briefly, but the young man’s voice broke the pause. "Do it! Let’s finish this."

  The earthen walls opened, and I stepped out in the muscular man’s form. Feigning exhaustion, I commanded, "Let’s retreat."

  "But—"

  "Now," I snapped, still mimicking the muscular man’s gruff tone. "I killed him. There’s no need to waste time here."

  Reluctantly, the young man gave the order. He opened a massive black hole and shouted, "Everyone, jump in." Believing my act, they left without question.

  Benjiro

  With my Wayves ability, I had heard everything Ray said. Following his instructions, I led the others to safety. Akira awoke moments later, and we left the battlefield.

  We found an abandoned house nearby and decided to stay there for the time being. Akira took charge, organizing us and ensuring we avoided further conflict. As we settled, we finally had a moment to take in the world around us. The sky was vast and eerie, stretching endlessly in all directions. Far off in the distance, pure white platforms like the one we had first appeared on would occasionally materialize out of thin air, hovering briefly before vanishing again. Their sudden appearance and disappearance felt hauntingly familiar, reminding us of how we had fallen from one of these platforms into this world.

  This realization left a heavy tension among us. Each platform's fleeting presence hinted at others undergoing the same terrifying ordeal—falling into this strange land, vulnerable to the chaos it harbored. It was hard not to connect these vanishing platforms to the attacks we had faced from the organization, making the link between our experiences and their sinister operations uncomfortably clear. We gathered fruits from nearby trees and sat around a makeshift fireplace, the strange and shifting world around us making our temporary peace feel all the more fragile.

  Selia broke the silence. “What about introductions?” she suggested. “I’ll start. I’m Selia. I used to be a security engineer. I like cooking and playing video games, and I knew Ray in person.”

  Her connection to Ray didn’t surprise us. I went next. “I’m Benjiro. I was a physics teacher. My hobbies? Chemical experiments—even though it wasn’t my field. I’m married and have two kids.”

  Akira spoke next, reluctantly. “I’m Akira. I came here because my father killed me.” His words stunned us into silence.

  Maki stepped in to break the tension. “I’m Maki. I was a dancer. I also practiced martial arts. And… I knew Ray.” That last part caught us off guard. “But he doesn’t know me,” she added.

  Finally, Taki, the youngest among us, said, “I’m Taki. I was about to graduate when I died. My power is water manipulation. Oh, and I don’t like fat or overly muscular guys.” She blushed, and we all laughed. Even Akira managed a smile.

  Selia kept the conversation going, pushing us to share more about ourselves. We talked late into the night, finding comfort in each other’s company. Eventually, we fell asleep, our guards lowered for the first time in what felt like forever.