System and the Butterflies (Discontinued)

"A swarm of six trillion..." When Mika pushes a person's solar plexus, he awakens their abilities and frees them from the butterflies. Telekinesis, Mind Reading, Regeneration, Flight: as a bonus, he acquires their selfsame copies, making him an omnipotent force. However, Mikhail Salazar, lovingly nicknamed as Mika, just wants to survive his corrupted detective and espionage high school.



Now in his twelfth and final year, he's mastered the art of blending in─it's the only defense he has against the "butterflies", a collection of Lovecraftian horrors nestled inside everyone's mind. Whispering promises of power, they tempt him towards a destructive path. Mikhail has vowed to resist them, to protect what little normalcy he has left.



And then, the oddity of Primrose Avery transfers to his class.



A whirlwind of energy and mischief, employing an enigmatic smile too sweet to be genuine, she conducts a crusade to corner him. Desperate to be awakened to a power she barely understands. When she's not supposed to know of his secret aside from the four thralls Mika has awakened throughout his life, paranoia creeps unto his mistrusting mind─refreshing courses of his early days as the mysterious beholder of the Liberation System.



“Liberate the butterflies from extinction”

Progress: 4/???



Everyone seems to drive him into awakening the newcomer.



Mika doesn't take rousing anyone for granted nor he is fond of his omnipotence. He'd rather not have his fifth thrall, nor his fifth superpower as they're all wasted in the larger spectrum of incessant conflicts. When the world doesn't know of his kind, then there's no point in nurturing his version of the X-Men.



Besides, each time he awakens someone, the results can only be destructive.



For him, for her, and everyone else.



Yet, his fate and rebellious, juvenile mind wouldn't seem like they want to take the path less traveled.



Second semester unfolds anew during September, whence an invisible countdown starts.



Primrose's determination intensifies, her playful facade wearing thin. With every encounter, the strange bond between them deepens, and the stakes continue to rise. Blossoming for the fifth time, Mikhail is plunged into a world of whispers, secrets, and the looming threat of the butterflies.



****



SYSTEM AND THE BUTTERFLIES

a novel written by Screaming Coffee



WSA 2024 * VILLAIN