The Systemic Lands

Chapter ???

Chapter ???

I had done it. I had battled countless impossible foes, climbed the towers, and was unchallenged across the Systemic Lands. After all of this, I had found the Almighty System and returned to Earth at the moment I had left.

It had been centuries since my departure. Only one could win and return with the power and the knowledge. No one had really died. They had just lost and been put in time out. The Almighty System was nice like that.

Channeling a skill, I smiled as I floated off my apartment floor with a grin on my face. I lowered myself back on the ground. I was a god now. With the power I had, there was nothing anyone could do to stop me. Well, nukes might hurt a bit, but I wasn’t that worried about them.

Looking around, it had been so long since I had left. Far too long. I frowned since I was struggling to remember anything from my past life. There was a vague sense of familiarity, but everything seemed off. It was probably the lack of energy in the air and the fact that I wasn’t fighting.

I smiled at the kindness of the Almighty System. It truly had been a benevolent god, explaining everything in concise detail, and its purpose. Even now, after I had returned, my thoughts focused on the mind blowing things it had told me. Such daring, such cunning, I was but a novice. I shaking my head slightly I said a silent prayer of thanks to the kind god that was the Almighty System.

‘Oh forgive me for my ignorance and bless me with wisdom and power Almighty System. Watch over me for all eternity Almighty System. Dues ex machina.’ I made the sign of the System after my prayer. It involved making ring shapes with my thumb and pointer fingers, flipping my hands, and then holding up those finger circles around my eyes while the remaining fingers rested on my cheeks.

It was a sign of seeing the unseen and leaving oneself vulnerable in front of the Almighty System. It had approved of my church. My old titles no longer mattered compared to the new one I had taken up. I was The Prophet Michael now.

That was my name, not even a title in a sense. It was me and I was the name. A perfect harmony. I smiled at that thought. Being the most powerful, blessed, handsome, and amazing person in the Systemic Lands was not easy, but I had managed it somehow.

My old life just seemed so small, so distant. Centuries and centuries of time. Looking at the few pictures, my bed, my computer, and everything else it wasn’t me. I smiled at my clothes that were not even enchanted and for a far fatter person.

Underneath my battle clothing and armor, were the lean muscles and abs I had gained from my meta-point. Many people would have chosen a skill or power, but I had chosen abs. The most important thing I could possibly choose.

Now I was confronted over what to do? I thought over this for a minute and then it hit me. I needed to take over everything and everyone to lead humanity to build a device. This device would solve all my problems. I tried to think about the past, I was in the US, somewhere. I forgot where I had lived exactly. It was a city, since I was pretty high up in my apartment.

No idea what city. Well, time to get some information. I looked at the window and then the door. I decided to float down. I disliked stairs, they were the great enemy. I remembered my battle against the level 10 boss, the Stair Master, able to change all terrain into stairs that only moved upwards.

It was an Escher painting made real and my nightmares come to life. I refused all stairs after that. That was why I flew or floated places now. It was also a sign of my immense energetic power. Adjusting my skill, I lifted off the ground and floated for the window. It was closed.

I focused and it vaporized into nothingness as I floated outside. There were people walking about and vehicles it was daytime. Well, time to get some information. I floated quickly downwards. Several people stared at me, and I went over to an older gentleman.

“Take me to your leader,” I said. It was important to just skip the pleasantries and go for the person in charge. I had learned this over centuries of fighting. While it had been mostly monsters, the occasional person had spiced things up. Just go for the person in charge, and then go from there.

“Um, are you an alien?” The man asked. I considered that for a moment before shaking my head.

“No. Now take me to your leader or I shall unleash my power upon you.”

“Whatever you say. That floating trick was neat, but I have to get to work. Sorry, man, no time,” the man turned his back on me. How rude. I focused and he didn’t even bother to defend himself or dodge. He was sliced into pieces, collapsing into a bloody mess.

I just realized his remains wouldn’t disappear like in the Systemic Lands. Well, someone else can sort that out. There was screaming and everyone was running away. Well, no matter. In time, greater challengers would arrive until the strongest person showed up. Once that happened, I would crush them, and they would either serve me or die.

Once that occurred, I will have taken over the entire nation with their strongest person defeated. It was a shame I didn’t remember who was in charge. There would be some wasted time, but there shouldn’t be much. I heard loud noises approaching and nodded. Anyone who was willing to declare themselves like this had power. It would make it much quicker to get to the person in charge.

Two vehicles pulled up and three uniformed guards got out. “Hands up! Hands up!” They kept shouting. What was the point of raising my hands? Well, they had no stats and were weak, even if the miniature cannons in their hands were a bit interesting. Not that they would do much to me without being empowered by energy.

I tapped my foot and moved. I was instantly behind one of the guards. The other two lost their heads and collapsed to the ground dead. “Wha-“

I plucked the hand cannon out of the guards hand and pulled the trigger a couple of times while pointing it at my other hand. The guard had spun towards me and gaped as I tested the weapon. I felt it, but it didn’t do any damage. I tossed it away.

“Where is your leader?” I asked.

“Uh, you mean the President?” the guard asked me.

“If he is in charge, then yes?”

“In the White House, um, that way,” the man pointed at a street. I nodded. I looked at the Light Source. The direction was to the Southeast.

“Excellent,” I said and lifted off the ground leaving the guard behind. He had answered my question so I would spare him to spread word of my arrival to draw out any challengers so I could crush them more quickly. If they hid, it was no matter. I would just wipe out a couple of cities to draw them out.

Flying high up, I flew in the direction the man had pointed. Occasionally descending and getting more directions to find this President. Thankfully people were helpful and pointed me in the right direction. I saw a large white building in the center of the city.

It had taken a bit of time to get here, but that wasn’t a problem. I shifted my position. While the threat was negligible, there was no reason to take attacks unnecessarily. It was important to assert my power and stats over my attackers. I quickly saw the two people using cannons to shoot at me.

Focusing, they were engulfed in acid that formed from the air and quickly died. To attack from the air or the ground? The air was the best. Several people were running out. Anyone with a cannon I quickly killed with just a thought, melting them into nothing. Their willingness to rush to their deaths and not surrender against my overwhelming power was impressive but foolish.

A flying vehicle came at me. It was nothing like an airship. It launched attacks at me, some kind of ranged shot. I countered the attacks with acid, melting them away. I did the same to the people in the vehicle. It went spiraling down to the ground and crashed.

It was a waste, but I needed to make clear that all resistance was foolish. I entered the building capturing people to question where this President was and killing the rest. Eventually someone pointed me towards an underground bunker. I easily melted the door. They should have used an energy barrier if they truly wanted to stop me.

Descending into the depths of the ground, more people with those hand cannons tried to use them but they all melted with just a thought before they could. I was disappointed with how weak these people were. They should have worked harder to improve their stats.

But that just showed their loyalty and dedication. They threw bombs at me, but against my enchanted armor and stats, they didn’t do anything. I advanced through the underground bunker and finally breached a conference room where the President probably was. I just went in the direction of most resistance.

“Stand down!” an older man said. I held off on melting the few remaining guards. “I am the President of the United States, who are you and what do you want?”

Well at least he hadn’t run that far. I had been worried there for a bit I would have to really hunt him down. “I am The Prophet Michael. You are to surrender your nation to me and obey for all eternity.”

“If I refuse you will kill me?” Brave of him to ask.

“And a couple of cities. I find that gets the point across.”

“Very well, I surrender,” he said, and I nodded. That had been easy, but he was weak.

“Good, now remove an eye as proof of your new obedience.”

***

Three cities later and most of the government I could find, a nuclear missile, and more military vehicles than a person could quickly count, it was over. I had won. The US had surrendered along with all other nations in the world.

News organizations and camera crews were set up as I floated down to address the world, my world. “People of Earth. I am The Prophet Michael. You are now all my slaves or minions or followers. I do not care over the terminology you use, since I am a kind leader.” It was important to let people know how kind you were so when I killed people for breaking my laws there was no confusion or misunderstandings.

“The following laws are being put into place. Breaking these laws in any form is the death penalty which can be carried out by anyone at any time. First, no charity. I despise weakness. That includes any social programs. If you wish to donate money, donate to my new government and myself. Statues of me killing people are always acceptable.”

“Second, everyone works. There is a lot of trash. I dislike trash. Pick it all up and keep things looking nice so they don’t displease me. In fact, everyone must spend at least one hour a day picking up trash.” Without the Almighty System handling trash duty was important and it was a good way to give people a sense of civic pride.

“Third, all religions are banned and illegal except for worship of the Almighty System. I have already sent the holy text to be distributed. Everyone must spend at least an hour in prayer every day thanking the Almighty System. There shall be no deviation or interpretation of the holy text. Deus Ex Machina!” I made the sign of the System.

“Well? Why are you all making the sign?” I looked at the news people and they quickly made the sign except two of them who I quickly melted. “That shall now be the standard greeting. No handshakes or bowing. Anyone not making the greeting should be executed.”

“Fourth, all nations shall give me half their income as taxes for the great project. Another tenth shall go to the government. The rest I will let you keep. Anyone not working, just kill off. There is no need of laziness or sloth. The great project is most important. For we shall build a portal. I am already working out the plans, but the number of resources needed along with power is quite a bit. Once the portal is completed, then a new age shall dawn.”

“Oh, fifth, I almost forgot this one. The only entertainment allowed is reading of the holy text, death matches between people so they might improve themselves, and following of law enforcement personnel as they enforce these rules. This includes the news. Also, no speculation about my statements either. Just replay this if you get bored and read the holy text. The death matches will liven things up in between.”

“Any city that doesn’t obey, I will melt with all the people in it. So hurry up and start enforcing my laws immediately.” There, that would make sure everything ran smoothly.

***

I floated high up in the air. There had been mass nuclear war. All the nukes had been launched for some reason. They hadn’t done anything to me, but they had wrecked most of the world and destroyed most civilization.

It was too much of a hassle to try and get these idiots to build a portal to save themselves. Oh well. I had begun construction on my own, manipulating the raw materials left behind from the ruins of civilization to build a smaller portal.

I had been charging it up over time. I watched as power flowed into the device. It activated and I quickly flew through it.

Once on the other side I could sense the energy. Well time to go back to what I do best. Killing monsters, since I clearly didn’t understand people in the slightest.