A pulse of red malice comes out the Mask of Immortality as it hovers over all of us. It seeps down on us like a red mist, and fills us. Our Energies are fueled and inflamed with power. I feel myself become stronger, my muscles feel thicker and lighter. I throw a punch, and a burst of Chi comes lying out like a purple wind with great strength.
Almost everyone starts testing out their magic, wild blasts of elements and Chi flying everywhere.
"Show Edward how well we simulate. Dance through the magic like the Oracle Ballerina you are." Future Self says with cocky pride.
Suddenly I see it all, bit by bit. As if my Spirit is ahead of me, and my body is seeing the world play out. While I must dodge through the storm for fun. At first I'm scared, then I watch a bolt of steel fly out a man's fist. And I dodge it by tilting my head to the side. It smashes through a wooden pillar. And I see myself smile so brightly. The rush of pure pride as I saw the Martial Artist in me shine is delectable.
My future self shows an image of her covering her feet with our chi. And herself walking up a wall while shooting poison darts out her fingers. I am compelled to do the same immediately. But as I approach the wall of the restaurant, I must dodge two attacks with my back turned.
Seraphina throws a dagger, and I block that with a burst of Chi from my own being. And I duck beneath a thrown axe. That embeds itself in the wall. I rip it out the wall with ease, my strength enhanced by the mask it seems.
I look down at my feet, and they are already covered in my purple, metallic chi. I step on the wall, and look up. I look at my wrist, and sigh sadly. I'm missing something for this, aren't I? My future self admits we need another tool to make this work well. A grappling hook. That might not even be invented yet.
I do another burst of Chi to block a burst of metal shards from someone's musket. I turn, and see them. They're far away, about two hundred yars. But they're a prime target. Because they're on a roof nearby with two of their friends, all armed with swords, armor, and a rack of guns they dragged up there. Ridiculous.
The ground is thinning up due to all the gunfire. Everyone has begun to run for cover, and I'm back inside the restaurant. I'm mad cause I want to prove I'm the best, but I'm pinned down by numbers and gunfire already.
I should be smart and leave town. I already got arrested once for one murder, who needs a second murder on my name? Or five, let's be real.
As I think that, it happens. Real guards riding on horseback rush on the scene, and start using their magic to subdue people. They're all Yang users, so they're using a few of the same general tricks. Domes of light, trapping people with ice, so on, so forth. It's really what element you prefer from there. It's capture time.
And the Mask hates it. It appears in front of me, glaring intensely into my soul.
"Show them who the best Warrior is. Or you are denied immortality." Mask of Immortality demands angrily.
"I'm only 19, why should I care?" I joke nervously.
"Didn't you see Seraphina? She heals with me. Work with me, and we will destroy entire armies." Mask pleads with bloodlust.
I consider it as a tactic. The Mask makes you immortal with a powerful regeneration effect. And the Mask lays it on thick.
"This society isn't meant for someone like you. Not yet. Don't you think you have to fix it? With me as your ultimate tool?" Mask says with maniacal. "Think about it, Kobra Withers. You're supposed to Curate Humanity. And life as we know it."
The Mask's eyes become my eyes. And it speaks as my future self.
"With the Mask, we are meant to control these piss ants into becoming a glorious species capable of slaying Gods! This is our true path! Stand on it, or walk away! I don't care, you'll do it eventually! And to start the path, we must destroy what Men stand on! Their very power! We must prove we're the Ultimate Martial Artist so we can control society with iron fists!" Future Self rants passionately.
I see images of us doing absurd Martial feats. Like fighting through the Imperial Palace's Guards and their Armies. Just to sit on the throne and order China what to do next. And then the world. Cause why not?
"Why not, we're Gods already. We are just on the start of our path, and we are already the Predator. The Predator playing nice. Stop being nice, and take fucking control. Edward doesn't take control until after us anyway. First the world must learn what it's like when the Ultimate Warrior is in charge. Then he automates from there." Future Self rants with malicious pride. "Gain your first hundred years of Immortality, and take control."
The Mask spins around, and latches itself onto my face. Wooden roots grow out the Mask of Immortality where my ears are, and wraps around my head to meet the other side. I feel more power surge through me. I'm confused, but I just see all of reality before me when I wear the Mask.
Time literally freezes. Then I just imagine various years based on impulses from my whole being's worth of knowledge. And it's all stupid. Life doesn't become good until 2010. It's all stupid until then, and even then, it's still politically stupid. They're stuck oppressing people based on the color of their skin, their gender, and I know all the other issues too. It's all oppression to avoid doing work yourself.
And ya know what? I am mad enough to figure this shit out all myself. Cause ya know what?
"Screw society, I am taking control of my life. And gambling right. Screw being Edward, he can be the hero of society. He's right, if I'm gonna be lazy, I should own the bank. The business, and the Workers.I'm gambling with my future sight to become the Immortal CEO." I say with cocky malice.
I consider my options at this point carefully. And try taking the Mask off. It comes off willingly, thankfully. I throw it aside and lecture it.
"You're wrong, Mask. I shouldn't have participated in this riot. It awakened my strength, but at a cost of good business. Dead bodies mean less customers. And that's bad for business." I lecture seriously.
I look around, looking for a way out. Only to see Edward Abaddon coming towards the restaurant. My future sight says not to give in this time. He'lll only have us be in jail for longer again.
I look at the Mask fondly.
"Can't you distract Edward?" I ask lovingly.
The Mask awakens and looks at me with greedy bloodlust.
"Why not become Immortal by fighting Edward?" Mask of Immortality asks.
"Don't even bother, I'll always win. I designed a whole chapter of my spellbook to counter you, Kobra." Edward says, cocky and annoyed.
He enters the restaurant, and finds me hiding behind a wall close to the entrance. Armed with the axe. I smirk nervously. And look at Edward seriously.
My future sight says he's an Opponent because he only focuses on maintaining society with intense security to make peace.
"You just stagnate things. This game board isn't fun with someone like you around being the Peacemaker. Sometimes we need to fight it out. And change society." I complain.
"Just do it peacefully." Edward argues angrily.
"I can't. It'd take too long. I want to be a CEO by the end of the decade." I say cockily.
"Can't you just be a good citizen?" Edward says angrily.
"Every billionaire is a criminal anyway. It's my turn now." I say cockily.
"Those concepts don't exist yet, quit tainting the present with the future." Edward says angrily.
I test swing the axe. It's a throwing axe, so it's short. But it can be swung with decent speed. Shame it isn't a sword, but it'll have to do. It can be used one-handed at least. I ready my axe, holding it over my right shoulder in my right hand. While keeping my left hand out a bit. My Chi reacts automatically, coating my whole body in my purple metal. It is intriguing to watch my magic evolve near automatically.
Edward claps his hands together, and a beam of light with arcs of electricity flowing through it forms in between his hands. He stretches his hands apart. As he does, a longsword that is steel laced with copper and gold in an erratic pattern spread out as if the steel is filled with veins.
I let him finish. The energy dissipates, leaving behind his sword. Which future sight tells me is especially light. And tough as good steel. It harmonizes with his Yang build. Just holding it in his hand warms the steel. If he swings it enough times, it'll become hot as flames.
He holds his blade down by his hip, his left hand by his chest. His left arm grows a layer of Yang feathers. Orange and white feathers that will block attacks as if its armor. And it can transform into a wing if necessary. He can shoot the feathers at me too if he wants.
It becomes a battle of premonition for a few moments. I see dozens of hallucinations on how we both act next. And I just say it to myself. "Pick something." And I swing my axe as planned.
Edward sidesteps it. He counters with a fast swing to my side. I block with my left arm. Spin my axe around in my hand. And swing it up to lodge it in Edward's jaw. He backsteps, drags his sword to his left shoulder, swings it hard and fasts into me! I duck beneath it, and drive the axe into his foot.
It cuts into his foot, but not deeply. I pull myself up as he tries stabbing me with his sword. I block the sword with my left arm, and it hurts a decent amount. It'll leave a bruise for sure.
My poison Chi has filled the room. But Edward breathes it in just fine. His body glows white though. I assume he's purifying himself.
I wrap my left hand around his sword, holding it in place. And then I swing my axe into his skull. But he blocks it, grabbing it by its wooden handle with his other hand.
We're now locked in place, each of us countering the other. Until we use magic. I shoot poison darts at him from my eyes, he shoots laser beams from his eyes. My poison is melted into gas in the air, while he blinds me.
But my vision doesn't truly disappear.
"You always blind me, Edward. This is why I must be a Queen of Simulation of beat you, and all life." Future Self says with cocky malice.
I plant my footing on the ground, and feel everything. The Chi in the room especially. I feel the hum of life. Yin. And Yang especially. The Yang of Edward Abaddon is so bright and terrifying, it is like he's a God of Light in human form. You can't miss him.
His lasers are melting into me. But they feel like warm air. Nothing more. I smile cockily, and headbutt him. As my forehead is pressed into his nose, I fire Poison Darts from my blinded eyes into his mouth. One hits his tongue, the other hits his cheek.
He yelps with pain, and suddenly infuses himself with more Yang to purify himself more as he tries scrambling away.
"HELP! SHE'S TOO POWERFUL, HELP!" Edward yells with desperate fear.
I giggle happily. My pride says I can do it all. As the Poison takes effect, his strength weakens. And I take advantage of it all. I let go of my axe to punch him in the throat with my right hand. Then as he's gasping for air, I let go of his sword. With my left, I drive it into his nose! Followed by a beat rush of blows all on the face.
His breathing becomes painful and strained. My Chi's poison is taking effect due to my attacks. Good.
"You can't kill him. He'll just heal back. Just run for now." Future Self warns seriously.
My Simulation shows his face and throat is puffed up with inflammation. But he can still breathe. He's just a sandbag for now. It is wise to run.
I run out the restaurant, and decide it's time to leave town. I know what I need to do if I'm gonna master society anyway. The first step is become a blacksmith. And use my future knowledge to create machines.
Control the machines, you control the businesses. I'm gonna be the richest woman alive by the time I'm 40.