Chapter 19: Unleashing the Storm
As Billy's words resonated within him, David felt a rush of adrenaline. He squared his shoulders, confronting the incoming alien soldiers with newfound resolve. In that moment, a daring thought struck him.
He knew he could regain the power of Adaptation from Enryu later, but what if he could unlock the potential of his familial superpower, Jupiter's Lightning, using Billy's Plausibility? The notion was tempting and risky, teetering on the edge of impossibility.
Billy's Plausibility power was all about twisting the odds in his favor, making the improbable possible. If David could harness that, he might be able to unlock the dormant power within him.
Jupiter's Lightning, a power that runs through his family's bloodline, enables the user to augment their speed drastically and discharge bolts of electricity. But David had only ever been able to scratch the surface of that potential. Today, he was about to dive deeper.
The superpower swap seemed to happen in a flash, as David's body tingled with a sense of loss, then renewed vigor. The system responded instantly, acknowledging the significant change in his power set.
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Superpowers Swap
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Current Superpowers:
1. Adaptation (Unique)
2. Jupiter's Lightning (Common)
New Superpowers:
1. Plausibility (Unique) - Acquired
2. Danger Sense (Common) - Acquired
Are you sure you want to proceed?
[YES] [NO]
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With a resolute nod, David confirmed the swap, discarding the Adaptation and Jupiter's Lightning. As the system processed his choice, he felt a sense of expectancy coursing through his veins.
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Superpowers Swap Successful
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Current Superpowers:
1. Plausibility (Unique)
2. Danger Sense (Common)
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Now, standing on a foreign battlefield, David was ready to dive deeper into the capabilities of his newly acquired superpowers. A world of possibilities awaited him, and he was eager to explore.
David concentrated and a status menu appeared before him. The screen listed all the details he had come to familiarize himself with, now reflecting his new reality.
Status Window
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Name: David Jupiter
Title: Jupiter Heir
Level: 12
Strength: Superhuman (31)
Agility: Superhuman (23)
Intellect: High Human (10)
Super Power: - Unawakened (???)
- Author Authority (Ex.lvl1): Ability to view and interact with the world as the author of "Redo of a Hero". Can view character status and 'mantle' characters to be inspired by their Superpowers. Only two slots can be assigned at any given time with one unique and one common.
[Inspired By Billy]- Plausibility (Unique)
[Inspired By Billy]- Danger Sense (Common)
Character Mantle Slots: 0
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With his newly updated stats, David feels a surge of power course through his veins. The previous fight with Jake had pushed his limits, causing him to level up. Now, he was more than ready to face the alien onslaught.
As David moved through the battlefield, he found himself able to momentarily pause and pull up the aliens' status on his author interface. The display solidified his suspicions.
Status Window
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Species: K'thrani Warrior
Level: 10
Strength: Superhuman (30)
Agility: Superhuman (30)
Intellect: Low Human (3)
Super Power: None
Skills:
- Expert Hand-to-Hand Combat (.lvl2): Proficient in close range combat.
- Pain Resistance (lvl1): Decreased sensitivity to physical pain.
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Despite the fear that prickled at the edges of his mind, David couldn't help but feel a strange thrill. If he could handle superhuman level 10s, just what was he truly capable of? It was time to find out.
In the chaotic battlefield, David moved with an agility and strength he had never felt before. Alien blades whizzed past him as he weaved through the combat, ducking under a particularly large and nasty looking one. From the corner of his eye, he saw Billy watching him, a grin on his face.
"Just go with the flow, David," Billy called out, his voice surprisingly clear amidst the tumult. "With Plausibility, you can be a badass. Remember, you're also a superhuman, your body's a weapon."
Emboldened by Billy's words, David found a new rhythm in the battlefield. He was no longer just dodging and retreating - he was attacking. His fists found their marks, dropping aliens left and right. His body moved on its own, his reflexes sharper than ever. However, as he watched another alien fall, a pang of guilt hit him.
Billy seemed to sense his internal conflict. "Don't feel guilty, David," he shouted over the clamor. "These aliens are one of humanity's greatest friends. They're just fundamentally different from us, and they love violence. To them, war is a game, and death is their only salvation. They think differently from us."
One of the alien warriors managed to rise, even after the severe beating David had dealt it. Despite its grievous injuries, the alien looked at him with what could only be described as a mix of defiance and desperation.
"Grant me the honor of death," it growled, its voice surprisingly clear despite its battered state. "Or I will continue living this insufferable existence known as life."
David paused, looking into the alien's eyes. It was a brutal culture, one that valued honor and death over a life of suffering. But despite the harshness, there was a certain dignity to it, a sense of bravery that David had to respect.
As David stood there, a realization dawned on him. In his book, 'Redo of a Hero', he had written that all characters, including the aliens, communicated in English. He had done it for convenience and to make the story more accessible to his readers. But now, standing here on an alien battlefield, hearing the alien speak in fluent English, he couldn't help but feel surprised.
David took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. He looked the alien straight in its glowing eyes and spoke firmly, "If it's death you seek as an honor, I'll grant it to you then." His words hung heavy in the air as he prepared for what was to come next.
As if on cue, the alien expressed its gratitude. "Thank you, warrior," it rasped, then brandished a giant axe, swinging it with all its might towards David. But, in a twist of fate that could only be attributed to Billy's 'Plausibility', the alien tripped over a rock, sending it sprawling to the ground, the axe swinging harmlessly into the air.
Billy watched from the sidelines, a look of incredulity on his face as he witnessed his own power at work. David, in the midst of the chaos, began to slip into a trance-like state. A strange sensation coursed through his veins, his heart pounded, and his eyes shone with a newfound determination. Faint sparks of electricity began to dance around his body, hinting at the latent power within.
Just as he was about to harness this newfound energy, however, the world around them seemed to freeze. The aliens paused mid-action, the dust hung motionless in the air, and even the sparks around David seemed to hold their breath, waiting for the moment that was to come.