The System Gave Everyone Superpowers

I spent the next two days practically living in the Private Zone.

I only left to sleep and eat. I fought Level 15 Constructs until my body ached and my reflexes felt sharp. I practiced using Burn and Wings together, flying at high speeds while melting targets on the ground.

By the end of the second day, I was exhausted, but I felt ready. If Black Hole came after me again, I wouldn't need a tank to take the hit for me.

On the third morning, my phone buzzed. It was Captain May.

"Shay, report to the Aegis Tower immediately. Wear a tuxedo," May ordered.

"A tuxedo?" I asked, confused. "I don't own a tuxedo, only hoodies."

"Then buy one," May snapped. "Aegis will reimburse you. The Church of God is hosting a massive charity gala tonight at the Grand Hotel. It is the social event of the year. Every major politician, COG priest, and sponsor will be there."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Aegis Defense is funding the entire event," May explained. "Mr. Graves wants to show the city that we are the protectors of high society. Genevieve is attending as a VIP guest and you as her personal bodyguard."

I groaned. "I have to babysit Frostbite at a church party?"

"You have to stand in the background, look intimidating, and make sure nobody bothers her," May corrected. "Do not embarrass us, Shay. Be at the Grand Hotel by 7:00 PM."

She hung up.

I sighed and left the training facility going to an expensive tailor downtown. I bought a simple black tuxedo. It was uncomfortable and tight around the shoulders, but it looked decent.

At 7:00 PM, I arrived at the Grand Hotel.

The building was massive and covered in gold decorations. There was a red carpet leading up to the front doors, lined with flashing cameras and screaming fans.

I walked past the red carpet and went through the security entrance.

The main ballroom was breathtaking. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Waiters in white coats walked around carrying trays of expensive champagne.

The room was packed with the elite. I saw Heroes wearing their sponsored suits over formal wear, politicians laughing with defense contractors.

And I saw the priests of the Church of God. They wore flowing white robes with gold trim and were walking around the room, blessing the people and accepting massive donation checks.

This was the Divine Alignment Leo had talked about.

I stood near a marble pillar, keeping my hands clasped behind my back.

Genevieve was standing a few feet away, surrounded by a group of wealthy sponsors. She was wearing a stunning blue evening gown that matched her Hero suit, complete with a small Apex Energy pin on her collar. She was laughing and posing for pictures, acting like the Black Hole ambush had never happened.

I watched the crowd, scanning for trouble.

Then, I saw someone I didn't expect to see.

Standing near the back of the room, near the buffet tables, was Leo.

He was wearing an ill-fitting black suit, looking completely out of place, holding a glass of water, staring blankly at the priests.

I walked over to him.

"Leo?" I said.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes hollow. "Hey, Shay."

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "I thought this was a VIP event."

"I'm a member of the Church of God," Leo said quietly. "They gave out a few lottery tickets to low-ranking members so we could attend and see the 'glory of the Divine' up close."

He looked around the room with disgust.

"Look at them, Shay," Leo whispered. "Zachary is in a coma. Gadol is bankrupt. And these people are drinking champagne and celebrating. The priests told me this is God's plan."

"Leo, you shouldn't be here," I said softly. "Go home. Rest."

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"I came to see it for myself," Leo said, his voice hardening. "I needed to see the corruption with my own eyes. Black Hole was right. This is a disease."

I grabbed his arm. "Stop talking about Black Hole. If Aegis security hears you, they'll arrest you."

Leo pulled his arm away.

"You chose your side, Shay," Leo said. "You chose money."

He turned around and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

I stood there, feeling a cold knot form in my stomach. Leo was gone. The System had finally pushed him over the edge.

Before I could go after him, the lights in the ballroom suddenly flickered.

Then, they went completely out.

The room was plunged into total darkness. The music stopped. Everyone gasped in surprise.

A clang echoed through the room that sounded like steel doors slamming shut.

The emergency backup lights flickered on, casting a red glow over the ballroom.

I looked toward the main entrance.

The doors had been sealed shut by steel barricades while the side exits were blocked by the same steel walls.

We were locked in.

A voice echoed over the hotel's speaker system, deep and distorted.

"Saints and Sinners," the voice said."Welcome to your judgment."

Panic erupted instantly and people started screaming and shoving each other. They rushed toward the barricades blocking the doors, pounding their fists against it.

"Open the doors!" a politician yelled, his face red with fear.

The distorted voice echoed over the speakers again.

"For years, you elites have used the System to enslave the weak," the voice declared. "Tonight, we purge the rot. None of you will leave this room alive."

Suddenly, the skylights in the ceiling shattered.

Dozens of figures in long black coats dropped down into the ballroom wearing white masks with black circles.

hey landed among the screaming crowd and immediately started attacking.

It was a massacre.

The terrorists didn't care who they hit. They blasted explosive energy into the crowd, tearing through tables and civilians alike. The priests tried to run, but they were cut down without mercy.

I stood near the buffet table, watching the chaos unfold.

I looked for Genevieve.

She was standing near the center of the room, surrounded by her sponsors. A Black Hole terrorist with a fire Blessing charged at her, shooting a stream of flames from his hands.

"Frostbite, do something!" one of the sponsors screamed, hiding behind her.

Genevieve raised her hands, her face pale with terror and shot a blast of ice, but her hands were shaking so badly that the ice missed the terrorist completely and hit a marble pillar.

The terrorist laughed and prepared to burn them all.

Before the flames could hit, a blur of yellow slammed into the terrorist.

It was Leo.

He punched the terrorist in the jaw with a kinetic-charged fist. The terrorist spun in the air and crashed into a table, knocked out cold.

Leo stood in front of Genevieve and the sponsors, his fists glowing bright yellow.

"Get to the back!" Leo yelled at the civilians. "Move!"

Genevieve turned and ran as fast as she could in her gown, pushing past the sponsors to get to the back of the room.

I watched Leo. He was fighting like a madman protecting the innocent waiters and hotel staff who were caught in the crossfire. He punched, dodged, and took hits, fighting three terrorists at once.

He was doing exactly what Gadol had taught him. Being a true hero.

But I wasn't a true hero.

I looked at my Status Screen.

BP: 145/145.

I had full power. Theoretically speaking, I could fly over there and help Leo fight.

But there were at least fifty terrorists in the room. If I started fighting, they would all target me, I would run out of BP, and they would kill me.

I didn't care about the priests, the innocent or the politicians. I cared only about myself and wanted to survive.

I turned away from the fight and looked for an exit. The main and side doors were blocked by steel.

But the kitchen doors behind the buffet table weren't blocked. They were just swinging wooden doors.

I quietly slipped behind the buffet table, keeping my head down, ignoring the screams and the explosions echoing through the ballroom. I pushed through the wooden doors and entered the hotel kitchen.

It was dark and quiet. The cooking staff had already fled.

I walked quickly past the counters and ovens, heading for the loading dock in the back. The loading dock doors would lead out to the alley. I could escape, go back to my apartment, and let Aegis handle the cleanup.

I reached the back of the kitchen and saw the red exit sign glowing above a metal door.

I reached out to push the door open.

Suddenly, my body felt incredibly heavy.

My arms felt like they were made of lead and my knees buckled. I collapsed onto the floor.

I tried to push myself up, but the gravity around me had intensified. It felt like a massive invisible foot was stepping on my back, pinning me to the ground.

"Going somewhere, opportunist?" a voice asked.

I slowly turned my head, straining against the crushing gravity.

Standing a few feet away, near the stoves, was a man in a black coat. He wasn't wearing a mask. He had short hair.

He held his hand out, palm facing down toward me. A swirling aura surrounded his fingers.

A gravity Blessing.

"I recognize you from the Plaza," the man said. "You're the Aegis Hero who melted my men's swords. You can fly."

I gritted my teeth. The pressure on my chest made it hard to breathe.

"Who are you?" I forced the words out.

"I am a Lieutenant of Black Hole," the man said. "Level 25. I was told to secure the exits and make sure none of the corporate rats escaped."

He stepped closer, increasing the gravity and the tile floor under my chest actually cracked from the pressure.

"You're not going home today, Hero," the Lieutenant said. "You're going to die in this kitchen."

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