Reborn: My Two Systems at War

Chapter 9: The Steet Entertainment

Staring at her drenched, white pajama, already stained by the dirt of streets, and the wallet packed with credits, a smile crept onto her face.

Her eyes lingered on a storefront with bright neon arrows pointing at it.

Her only hesitation came from the laughter of hooligans in black leather jackets and mohawks. The empty bottles of vodka lay around them, the smell of alcohol so strong it reached even her. They stood between her and the shop.

'They look like a trouble. However, I need to change my clothes as soon as possible.'

With only a slight hesitation, she stepped straight toward the store, holding her breath in tension. Her hand hovered close to the handle of her gun, a last resort for self-defense should the need arise. She walked past the rowdy group of hooligans, trying her best to exude an air of nonchalance.

Their raucous laughter faded into the distance, and just as she began to let out a sigh of relief, a jarring touch jolted her senses.

A rough hand gripped her shoulder tightly, sending shivers down her spine. The feeling of being touched by another human being after years of mistreatment by doctors triggered a rush of fear, anger, and revulsion within her.

Turning her head with clenched teeth, she confronted the source of the unwanted contact.

A bald man, clad in a leather jacket, stood leeringly close, his grin stretching to reveal discolored teeth and his foul breath assaulting her pale face. His words dripped with malicious intent, "Hello, kitty... Did you..."

The next instance, his body launched, and his arms harmlessly flapped in the air, Tia's eyes furiously shining in a bright lilac glow.

With a bang, he smashed against the hard concrete road head-on, the crackling and splashing sound resounding as his skull cracked and caved in.

His body didn't even twitch, and crimson streams of blood flowed from his dull, lifeless eyes, mouth, and nose, painting a haunting mosaic of red on the road, the pink pieces of brain joining the colorful palette.

The young girl stood there, her hair twisting and moving like in the wind, even though the air was still and perfectly calm. Only now, after the emotions of being touched sizzled out, she realized what she had done. She was in shock at how easily he died, staring at the brutal scene, 'I just wanted to push him away... not to kill him...'

Her eyes stopped at the valet he held; it was the exact same black leather valet she had stolen previously, 'Did he just want to return it?'

As if the time paused, all the people nearby stopped what they were doing, and more than a dozen eyes turned at her. She became the center of attention on the dirty street.

Beep!

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis IV reached proficiency 100%>

Distributing rewards:

<+3 esper points>

<Stat points gained: +5 WIL, +4 ENE, +2 INT>

<Basic Telekinesis IV> --> <Basic Telekinesis V>

<<<>>>>

Beep!

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis reached tier V> power customization stage reached:

Choose customizations:

Enchantments:

<Increased Range I> (1 EP): Increases the range of the telekinesis by an extra 10%

<Increased Force I> (1 EP): Increases the overall force exertable by the telekinesis by an extra 10%

<Precise Control I> (1 EP): Increases the ability of the user to control their telekinesis, allowing them to be much more precise

Techniques:

<Telekinetic Wave I> (2 EP): Creates powerful waves of telekinetic energy with a single gesture, using mana energy to empower it and make it more destructive.

<Telekinetic Bolt I> (2 EP): Fires a small but highly concentrated pulse of telekinetic force empowered by the energy of mana. It has a high range and penetrating force

<Crush I> (2 EP): Envelopes a target with a concentrated telekinetic force empowered by the energy of mana to crush it with immense pressure. Has a short range but has an instantiation effect.

Body Adaptations (Warning: will cause the user to fall unconscious):

<Levitation Organ I> (3 EP): Forms a special organ allowing the user to freely levitate without a need to concentrate or actively use their telekinesis

<Multi-Synaptic Control I> (4 EP): Transforms and rearranges the brain, using similar mechanics that cause schizophrenia or split personalities, allowing utilizing telekinesis or other powers for multiple tasks at once much more easily

<<<>>>>

"Fuck! That bitch is a psychic psycho!" A terrified yell brought her back to reality.

As the five enraged goons charged towards her, their faces contorted with fury and disbelief, Their hands reaching towards the metal poles and bats hanging from their belts.

The world around her slightly slowed down due to her increased brain power. It wasn't by much, but it was still noticeable.

She felt the new energy and power fill her mind, body, and soul. She felt the warm, mysterious energy tingle within her fingertips. Her eyes blazed up in the vortexes of red and blue energy.

'No, he probably stole it from me... Yes, that must have happened. There is no way I would drop it without even noticing. To think I almost felt sorry for that scum...' Her mind was still in shock, pushed back by the guilt of brutally murdering the hooligan.

The sudden impulse of power surged through her, triggered by the mix of fear, regret, and desperation. Reflexively, she waved her hands, and in an instant, the approaching hooligans were ensnared, frozen mid-motion like statues in the face of Medusa's gaze.

A split second later, hooligans were violently propelled backward, propelled like footballs during a penalty kick.

The impact of the telekinetic force empowered by her turbulent emotions was shocking as their bodies contorted in grotesque waystheir chests caved in, with their limbs snapped at unnatural angles.

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis V (0%)> --> 5%

<<<>>>>

Her hand holding the gun moved on reflex, and her finger pressed the trigger again and again. The blue lights flashed, and brightly glowing bolts of plasma screeched through the entire street, hitting the flying men before they could even hit the ground.

The projectiles of plasma exploded, burning massive holes into their chests with bursts of light and fire. The disgusting smell of burned flesh filled the already stinky air.

The five dead bodies splattered against the road, the passerby staring at them indifferently.

'It was again their fault... it is not my fault that I killed so many people today. They all started it.' She felt almost nothing when she killed them, unlike their friend, which scared her. She felt like her last vestiges of normalcy were slipping from between her fingers.

It was all over before it could even start, all her worries vanishing, replaced by excitement at her growing powers, her eyes shining, and her expression shifting.

'Just two extra intelligence points, and it is such a large difference. My reflexes and even my aim improved. Everything feels slower, while my thoughts move fast like a flowing river. Also, the raw power of my telekinesis jumped up again, enough to throw away an entire group just like that...'

Beep!

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Mission accomplished:

Objective --> Kill 5 local gangsters to earn a respect

Rewards --> 3 x esper point

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Ding!

//

New quest: Check

You have just murdered five people in the middle of the street. Please let someone check your head. There might be something wrong.

Reward: 1 x witch point

//

'Hahaha, very funny. I bet you are doing it only to spite me for completing your rival's quest first.' With a thought, she dismissed the joke quest.

The people kept staring at her, both the gangsters and civilians keeping their distance from them as if waiting for something.

She turned to them and pointed at the dead thief, "Ehmm, he started it."

Tia turned on her heels, confidently walking straight towards the shop while the crowd dispersed, some even smiling as if the massacre wasn't anything more than just entertainment to them.