Psychokinetic Eyeball Pulling

Chapter 103: A Hasty Plan

Astrid pushed down the excitement that was bubbling within her. It was different than fighting with her life on the line, it was like back when she incited a civil war with the kobolds.

Fighting was thrilling, but there was something different about controlling a situation to her whim that made the palms of her hand tingle.

Astrid first checked the level of the Humanity Corps soldiers. If they were at a certain level capable of seeing through her illusions, then her hasty plan would crumble before she was even able to begin.

Level 56 - Name: ??? Class: Warrior.

Level 63 - Name: ??? Class: Warrior.

Level 52 - Name: ??? Class: Warrior.

It looks like the younger generation are making use of the fact the spawn are lower levelled now. Just like me, they are wanting to become stronger. How could I let the Nightcrawler’s take control of their future? Astrid fumed.

She knew what this opportunity meant. The higher level they were, the easier it was to enter into Rebirth’s military and enjoy a life they could only dream of. They would be able to provide for their family and eat good food to their heart's content.

Although it was a life fraught with danger. That’s why the Humanity Corps was sought after. They rarely left the safety of Rebirth and had the same wage as a Seafarer or Wayfarer. It was a life of comfort, but it was why they were often the weakest warriors the ship had.

She wouldn’t let some punks waste their potential.

Astrid altered her voice with illusions and projected it from within the crowd.

“This is our future, you can’t hold us back!” She shouted.

Everyone tried to make out where the voice was coming from, but it was like a phantom was shouting the words.

The Scrapper user frowned. He shouted, but another barrage of words drowned out whatever he was saying.

“Yeah, if we can’t make use of these levels in the Underbelly, we’ll never amount to anything in the future!”

That’s a bit mean, Astrid…

This is for their future. Besides, stop talking and rest. I have plenty of more questions to bombard you with once you wake up. Astrid thought.

Pupil grunted within her mind and retreated once more.

The younger generation was beginning to be swayed by her words. It wasn’t difficult, after all she understood their need for strength.

The Scrapper was losing control of the situation, it looked like he didn’t have a good nature after all as the muscles in his face spasmed uncontrollably.

Astrid snickered at the Nightcrawlers' ever growing impatience. It seemed they cared greatly for their reputation, it looked like even they had a line they couldn’t cross.

I wonder if it’s because they have their headquarters here, they need to stay relatively peaceful with the citizens. Astrid thought.

Well, it didn’t matter to her.

“Yeah, we need to enter!”

“We need to level, so we can escape this place.”

“Are you trying to hold us hostage?!”

As the arguing became intense, Astrid wandered stealthily around the backside of the ever growing crowd of people.

“People, please!” the Scrapper shouted. “We are doing this for your own good. Our people need to level as well. If you were in there with us, injuries may occur!”

“Bullshit,” Astrid’s shout was projected through at the other side of the crowd. “You are just saying that you may fight us if you don’t get your own spot within the Underbelly! It’s all from your own greed!”

“Yeah!” the crowd shouted.

“What fu–” the Scrapper paused. “Who’s saying that?”

“Why does it matter? Are you going to kill me and throw me in an alleyway if I don’t stop talking?” Astrid shouted. “It wouldn’t be the first time, would it you damned Nightcrawlers!”

The burly man’s face turned scarlet red as he squeezed his hands into a tight fist. His bones creaked under the pressure.

“Look!” Astrid shouted. “His fists are tightening, I bet he’s imagining that’s my skull!”

“What?” The Scrapper loosened his fists and took a step back. “That’s not what I’m–”

He shook his head and turned to the others, they were about to leave, but Astrid wouldn’t allow that.

“Who dares belittle the Nightcrawlers!” Astrid yelled in a completely different voice.

Using Class Skills was a grave crime within Rebirth that often resulted in banishment, or even worse, imprisonment. Although Astrid would just be given a slap on the wrist, she knew the extent of what she could get away with as a top noble.

And right now, she didn’t care about displaying her privilege if it meant that the Nightcrawler's were chased out.

Admittedly, her plan was only fresh in her mind and she didn’t know if it would work out or not. But all she was looking for was to plant doubt within the peoples minds. If it was only that much, then it didn’t matter if the higher ups discovered it was her. The Nightcrawlers reputations would be ruined, and them doing anything would be under strict scrutiny--if they weren't already.

She was first worried that they may believe her to be one of the masked men, but it was impossible. Her entire life was in the spot-light.

At most they would deem it just being her usual self, creating childish chaos. A teenagers mischevious activities was extremely different to wanton terrorism.

Astrid created an illusion of the Scrapper’s arm. She changed his face of instant panic into a twisted grin that was desperate for violence.

The metal club in his hands emitted a wide arc skill as it started like a wave from one end of the crowd and swept all the way around to the other near him. It didn’t hit anyone like they expected, but once the attack reached the end, it continued straight for the guards at the Underbelly entrance.

Their eyes widened in surprise as they readied for the attack.

Light emitted from their shields as Astrid connected to the matter in the illusionary club and [Crashed] it. Although she was careful in limiting the power of the attack, the guards blasted back from the forceful impact.

Two guards slammed into the metal walls of the ship, while the last one was fired down the dark chasm of the Underbelly’s hallway.

Astrid fastened her mask to her face and exploded forth from the crowd.

“Masked men!”

The entire crowd broke out into a clamour at the criminal.

Astrid’s altered voice growled. “The Underbelly is the Nightcrawlers domain. From now on, you all shall pay admittance.”

“What?”

“The Nightcrawlers are with the masked men!”

“I knew they were criminals!”

“Explain yourself!”

The Scrapper looked at Astrid aghast. He was about to say something but Astrid had other plans.

Astrid sent her right eye out from her skull. It was a strange sensation, one that she doubted she could ever get used to. She created a wide illusion so that no one could see it and placed it high up in the air.

Astrid cast Mind Domain, and hurled the psychic connection to the Scrappers mind. There was no resistance at all as her mind penetrated his brain and a new world was created within seconds.

With her void eye scouting the area, she was able to activate it and see everything around the room. She also made the discovery that she could connect to the matter around her separately even within the Mind Domain.

The Scrapper’s vision was glued to Astrid’s robed figure.

Astrid’s mind was moving one step at a time.

Well, now that I’m here I might as well have a trip into his memories. It better not be disgusting. Astrid thought.

She delved into the man’s memories. Astrid was always taught not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, she was correct in her assumption of the Scrapper.

His memories were filled with nothing but criminal activities. He was in charge of gathering the money from the various crimes that they profited from.

Whether it was gambling casinos and preying on desperate Lower District citizens that were desperate on a big payout to move to the Middle District. Or forcing people to pay back shark loans.

Astrid realised that the further she travelled into his mind, the more difficult it became, even with her being at a higher level and the boosts of her skills.

As she strained her mind, the images changed. Astrid was now standing within a dimly lit room as people slowly drank from their mugs. Astrid tried to peer closer at their faces, but it was like something was covering them in a black shroud.

That’s strange… Is it because the people in the room out-level me? Astrid realised that whenever she wasn’t able to see something, it was because they were a higher level than her so it blocked her sight, or they had equipment that blocked her skill.

Either way, it was clear the people within the room weren’t to be trifled with.

Their figures were blurry and she wasn’t certain what kind of clothes they were wearing.

If only I could bloody see what they were wearing, it would give me an idea of who they were. Astrid lamented at the lack of her Intelligence stat.

Whoever they were, they demanded respect as the Scrapper was holding his hands in the corner of the room.

Even their words seemed to be entirely muted from her ears. She took around the surroundings and tried her best to remember all of the details within the room. It may not help with anything, but if she managed to find out where the room was, then she may be able to figure out who the strangers are.

Astrid shook her head and delved deeper into the man's thoughts. She discovered that his name was Eric, but it didn’t matter to her. He was nothing but a henchman that clung onto the coattails of anyone that was stronger than him.

A mere bully. A motivated one, but a bully nonetheless.

She was about to go deeper, but her psychic mana slammed into a black wall. No matter how hard she tried, there were no more memories to be scoured by her Mind Domain.

I must have reached the limits of my skill, or maybe it’s because his mind can’t handle it. Astrid thought as she felt the intense pain that the Scrapper was enduring as she poked and prodded his mind.

Astrid exited his mind before his brain turned to mush.

As they returned back to the land of the living, insults were being hurled at them from the crowd. Objects such as bottles and table legs that they had grabbed from somewhere were being thrown in their direction.

Astrid recalled her eye as the Guards rushed forward.

It was time for her to take her leave. Astrid created a thick illusionary smoke as she bolted away.

The Scrapper had the same thought, but the moment he attempted to make his escape, the smoke vanished like it had never existed in the first place. Then he lost feeling in his legs as he dropped to the ground with a slam.

The last thing Astrid saw was his arms being clutched by the Humanity Corps soldiers. He struggled, but he was just slammed back against the solid metal flooring of the ship.

Astrid cackled to herself as she disappeared into the streets.

Hopefully the plan worked. If it couldn’t get them exiled from the ship, then she hoped it at least would stop them from committing their petty crimes.