The System's Hold Over Me

"I can't believe they were arrested, all thanks to you." Mill laughed as he talked to someone on the phone.

"Yeah, that bastard looked familiar, so I sniffed around and found him by chance," Frizz lied effortlessly to his friend.

"They said that you fought him on an apartment complex," Mill asked curiously.

"Yeah, he was renting there. The guy pulled out a knife, but I managed." Frizz replied casually, smirking. 

"Crazy guy and so are his friends. They ranted about how you made things fly and hurl at them. All three of them tested positive for drugs. I don't know what kind though." Mill added, unknowingly causing Frizz to smile nervously. "Probably just marijuana..."

"Yeah, crazy indeed," Frizz exhaled, feigning nonchalance. "I managed to disarm him after he nearly stabbed me." He paused, then continued, "Anyway, I've got to go. My brother is nagging me again. Let's hang out next time. I'll visit you on May fifteenth, once you're feeling better."

"Sure, thanks again, man," Mill said with a pause, as though remembering something. "Oh yeah, thanks for the five thousand. It really helped."

"No problem; think of it as payback for all those times you saved me from bullies back in the day," Frizz joked, drawing a laugh from Mill before the call ended.

"You were bullied?" Weng asked, clearly intrigued by the conversation.

"I was," Frizz replied dismissively as he returned his brother's phone.

Their father emerged from the kitchen, waiting for the conversation to finish. "He had a knife, Frizz. What were you thinking, going after him like that? You told me you were at work," his father said sternly, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Frizz replied tiredly, brushing him off. "I didn't know you'd find out."

His father's frustration boiled over, and he slammed a hand on the wooden wall. "The police contacted me and said my son disarmed and beat up a suspect."

"Criminal, criminal!" Frizz corrected, raising a finger. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't usually do things like this. I just saw the opportunity and took it. I wasn't planning to fight him—he recognized me and pulled a knife." He justified his action. "I was defending myself and I was going to call the-"

"Call? You don't even have a phone." His father cut him off.

"Plenty I could borrow around?" Frizz sighed, exhausted from the argument.

"Look, I wasn't planning to fight him. He came on to me with a knife. I had to defend myself." Frizz continued with the pointing of his finger.

His father relents. "What would your mother think?"

"Look, I'll apologize to mom, okay? I'll talk to her later." Frizz ended the argument as he trudged upstairs. His father shook his head and returned to his hot coffee, mumbling, "He's gotten more confident..."

Frizz entered his room and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from the argument with his father. He sighed as his face sank on the pillow.

"System, show me my stats." His voice muffled.

[System]

Name: New Name

Level: 7

Experience: 95/150

Health: 36/36 (+8) [DL+2] [PP+6]

Mana: 33/33 (+2) [DL+2]

Fatigue: 62/100 (somewhat exhausted)

Class: None

Physical Prowess = [somewhat exceptional human] 

Magical Prowess = [average human]

Mental Prowess = [below average human]

Telekinetic Prowess = [novice]

Perks: [In Good Faith], [Daily Life], [Enraged], [Reckless Approach], [Gluttonous Approach], [Telekinesis], [Alcoholic Advantage], [Peak Physicality], [Force Field], [Weakening Strikes], [Tag]

Talents: None

Frizz looked up. (I get 25 exp for every foe I defeat, right?) "Hmmmm..." (I don't hate this system, but it is very combat related.) He sighed heavily. "I get stronger, but I don't feel like I am improving."

"I wish it gives me more objectives that have less fighting," Frizz mulled as he yawned. "Just a little nap..." he closed his eyes.

Several hours later...

Frizz woke up and scratched his back. He stood up from his bed and stretched his body. He checked his watch, and a frown formed on his face. It was 4:32 pm. He kicked his chair and facepalmed; he was planning to work today despite being late.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Sim." Frizz mulled as he went downstairs to make a cup of tea. He took out a single slice of bread from the cabinet and went upstairs, towards the balcony. He then sat on the chair and sipped his tea as he gazed upon the setting sky. 

"Stress-free leveling. If only." He muttered as he sipped his tea. "Should I use that tagging perk?" He stood up from his seat and leaned against the railing, spotting four dogs playing below, just outside the gate.

"Tag!" Frizz whispered as he locked his eyes at the smaller dog. The small dog glowed in a blueish light. He could see the outlines of the dog, and as it ran away behind a wall, he could still see it.

"If I upgrade this, will it become similar to a radar?" He mulled as he rubbed his chin. "This is useful for spying or reconnaissance."

"Let's see what the group chat has to say about this." He left the balcony and entered his room. He picked up his chair, sat on it, and turned on his computer. He hurriedly logged on to his Fish Book account and entered the superpower group chat.

"Huh... Current active members are eight," Frizz muttered as he stared at the message bar in the group chat. The chat was a valuable source of insight when it came to powers. Just then the screen glowed and buzzed, signaling an active conversation.

--

redhairchainsawlover: infinity aura protects you from attacks that has to travel, not attacks that doesn't need to travel. a spell that makes your heart explode can't be shielded by infinity.

sex-retiveplotter: also viruses, just one virus bomb is enough to kill that infinity aura. How do you block germs? An infinity aura can't protect you from germs

gojosatorz: it can't? that's how losers think! >:( 

knockthreetimes: that character gets stomped by other characters, x-x

redhairchainsawlover: bang! That's all I need to kill you, i just point at you then bang your dead.

axejuggernaut: you're**

redhairchansawlover: [message automatically removed]

sigmaballs1999: no extreme slurs red hair, that's the sixth time.

--

"Time to ask them about the tagging perk. They probably have some insights." Frizz mumbled as he typed his inquiry.

--

frizzsoda: Hey guys, if you have that tagging or highlight powers that some videogames have. How useful would it be?

sigmaballs1999: ah, like when you have a binocular and you click on NPCs? It's useful for keeping tabs i guess, providing it doesn't disappear fast.

axejuggernaut: if you are sneaky, you can use that kind of power to know their positions thus you can take the most optimal route to sneak.

sex-retiveplotter: If you know someone in a crowd, you can tag them I guess so that you won't lose sight of them.

redhairchansawlover: Basically it's a cheat crutch.

frizzsoda: cheat crutch? I don't follow o_0

redhairchansawlover: instead of training your observational skills or memory skills, you instead rely on some power that keeps track of people

frizzsoda: I don't see how that is a bad thing, you basically have a superpower that lets you not have to be an expert on observation

redhairchansawlover: i didn't say it was a bad thing, im just saying that is a crutch. If it exists in real life, hell yeah I'll take it xDDD

sigmaballs1999: yeah, it's a good power to have. Not flashy but it is useful :O

---

"Interesting, good thing I asked them. It was worth it to ask them." Frizz mulled as he smiled approvingly; the group chat still buzzed; several people still have more things to say, but he has heard enough. He logged out of his Fish Book account and went downstairs to make another cup of tea. He spotted Ryan hiding something on his shirt. "Hm. No doubt it's junk food."

Frizz relaxed on the balcony again, sinking himself on the chair as he sipped on a cup of tea until something caught his eye. In the distance, placed on the road, a persistent glint kept hitting his eyes. He ignored it at first, thinking that it was a side mirror, until it disappeared and appeared again. This time Frizz stood up from his seat and squinted his eyes on the road.

"Is that a person... with a camera?" The realization hit Frizz; he was sure that they were staring at him and taking pictures. He gulped as a sudden chill ran up to his spine. (Who the hell would spy on me?) In a moment of haste, he thought to use his new perk.

"TAG!" Frizz shouted, but he was late; the person had already scurried to their car and sped away in a van.

"TAG!" He shouted one last time, aiming at the vehicle itself, but the speeding vehicle didn't glow and disappeared as it made a turn. He exhaled heavily as he rubbed the back of his head, stepped back, and fell to his seat.