2 weeks, it had been 2 weeks since all this nonsense started and I must admit I was infuriated. The only progress I've made period is the fact that my skills have leveled decently because i used them none stop simply to force level them, and i have gained quite a lot of favor from my classmates, Gwen was sitting at a solid 65, mr. ? was at 20, Liz was at 35, Flash at an outstanding 90, and finally the newest addition Peter Parker at 45. Oh but i did discover something new about the game that i hadn't known prior, it was something called THE APEX. It was some kind of level grid where i could spend these things called apex points to unlock various different things including powers, skills, recipes, stat points, or even new titles. Turns out that by stopping that monster I earned 2 apex points, and i can earn more by continuing to do heroic deeds.
[APEX]
Time freezes as my menu pops up before me, sitting back in my chair I look around me, I can't help but be bored here. I'm currently sitting in the middle of calculus trying very hard to ignore my urges to deck my teacher for the lecherous looks he keeps throwing over his shoulder at the female students in this class. Shaking my head and attempting to get back on track, only serves to get me further distracted because…
Ding- [New Quest]- Hero to Heroines
Catch the immoral teacher red handed and remove this obnoxious thorn in your side. -Time limit- End of the day.
Rewards: increased favor with all females you know
Increased favor with ?
1 apex point
125 exp
50 bucks
Failure: decreased favor with Gwen Stacy
Decreased favor with ?
Accept/Decline
Wait why would i only lose favor with Gwen if if if… THAT SON OF A BITCH, he was gonna go after Gwen next. No way in fucking hell was i gonna let that happen, without hesitation i accept before plotting my course of action. Gwen was in advanced statistics next hour, I had lunch period. I could skip out on lunch and use [blend in] which was now level 6, which due to my scores of 16 in both dex and luck I have pretty well on lock.
[blend in]- active- LV:6 exp:90%
When active become lost in busy streets or slip through the shadows of a dark alley. Costs 2 SP per minute, makes it 60% more difficult for enemies to spot you. Increase LCK to make it more difficult, increase DEX to decrease SP cost.
After deciding on a game plan I move my attention back over to the APEX, currently i have it filtered to show me what i can afford before what i can't. So looking through i see a couple things that interest me, such as 10 unassigned stat points for 1 AP, or what is called a Dimensional Breath. I find that I can't use observe on items in the APEX so if i want to find out what that is I have to buy it. Breathing out a sigh i spend both of my AP, 1 on the Dimensional Breath simply out of curiosity, and my second on a skill called snapshot.
Ding- [New Skill]- Snapshot- Active LV:1 exp:0%
With this ability take pictures instantly even without a camera, pictures are automatically placed within your inventory. Costs 5 MP per photo, Max limit 10 photos. Increase WIS for higher limit, increase INT to lower the cost.
Ding- [New Item]- Dimensional Breath- A ranked miracle item.
One time use- when used allows the player to gain one thing whether it be an item, skill, or power, from a fictional dimension.
Holy shit, if it lets me choose then hell yeah but even if it's like a game of chance that is still fucking awesome. I'm going to save that, no way am i wasting an opportunity to get some of the more ludicrously broken abilities out there in the world. But then again the more powerful the ability the more MP or SP it would cost, damn limitations, fucking hate it when the game makes it hard to be overpowered. Oh well enough bitching time to form a plan to keep Gwen from being sexually assaulted.
Closing my menus and watching as time resumes and ticks by before the bell rings. Slipping out of class before waiting nearby in the hall waiting for his next hour students to come by, and sure enough the first one here none other than his target. Dammit Gwen for once in your life could you be anything other than the perfect student, she walks through the door and i see him turn to greet her. He leans in and gives her a hug that lingers too long for my liking, then I notice his hands moving lower and he is whispering into her ear. Activating [snapshot] I take a picture right as his hands lay against her hips fingers just brushing her round ass, lips pressed gently against her ear almost as if he were nibbling on her earlobe. She breaks away hurriedly and walks to her desk just as other students walk in. waiting for my moment i activate [blend in] and weave through the students before posting up in the back behind one of the many cabinets in his room. Just as he is about to begin taking roll call, Peter Parker walks in, most people would overlook peter because of how normal looking he is but thanks to my observe skill i know something almost no one else does, he has over 100 INT and WIS, so yeah honestly kinda terrified by that.
Thus class goes by like nothing is wrong, but everytime he gets near Gwens desk I tense, he walked by once as he does in all classes to help anyone struggling but it's obvious to everyone Gwen never needs help, he leaned over and placed his hand on her shoulder before moving just slightly, [snapshot] I caught it, just in the middle of his flick he unhooked her bra. That's 2 incriminating photos, now i just need a few more and then he is as good as gone.
But then he does something that makes my blood run cold, because I know he has a free hour next. He walks to the front of the class and sits at his desk before turning his attention to the class, "Gwen would you please stay after class, I would like to discuss with you about an upcoming academic event which we find ourselves in need of a mathematics student. And I'd also like to congratulate you on scoring the highest out of all midtown high on the midterm." He says all this with a sickening smile, like he's said these words a thousand times before. A horrible realization slams into my gut, he has worked here for nearly 20 years how many… how many times has he done this, how many innocent women has he attempted to force himself on. No more, I'm going to stop this bastard and i'm gonna enjoy it.
"Of course sir, but i can already say i'm not sure i'll have the time for the academic event." Gwen had no choice but to agree to talk, he dropped all this in front of the rest of the class, to say no would be to ruin the perception of normalcy. Don't worry gwen you won't be going it alone.
The bell rings not long after, and the class leaves. Gwen doesn't move a muscle, now that everyone is gone i can see it, the tenseness of her posture, the stiffness in her neck. She knows what he is going to try and she is still here, are you nuts girl run, leave i've got enough evidence what are you doing. He gets up and walks over to her, sauntering like he is some hot shit.
"You know Gwen you shouldn't tease like this, walking in here with a shirt on so tight even the simplest of motions makes it all stand out, or perhaps i should bring attention to your skirt which only barely covers your tantalizing behind. What would the principle think if he saw you like this?" he is now standing in front of her desk, the door to his room closed. She reaches up behind her to hook her bra [snapshot] only for his fist to collide with the side of her face, she is thrown from her chair and onto the floor, he gets down on one knee behind her and grabs her hips tightly [snapshot] he threw her skirt up to reveal quite nice looking underwear. She kicks at him and moves away but he grabs her ankle and drags her back. "You are going to let this happen Gwen, or i am going to hurt you in ways you never thought i could. You are going to beg me to fuck you or i will make it to were dear old dad never comes home. Am i understood Gwen?"
The sick fuck he knew that Gwen would do anything for her father, and he was going to abuse that, not on my watch. [snapshot] I took one last picture of him undoing his belt in front of a bruised faced gwen on the ground with tears in her eyes before i can't take it anymore. I charge out from behind the cabinet, and deck my teacher square in the jaw, then i knee him in his hard on which has got to hurt more than usual. I grab his throat and slam him backwards into his door, before pulling him back twisting the knob and throwing him out the now open door. There in the middle of the hallway with his pants around his ankles cradling his dick, the principal comes walking over about to scream at me before i shove the pictures in his face.
"He threatened the life of Gwen's father if she didn't start to go along with it, I knew he was up to something with the way he was looking at some of the girls in my class but I never expected it to be this bad. He's worked in your school for 19 and a half years, there is no telling if Gwen is his first victim. If he would target someone as innocent as Gwen there is no telling who else he might try it on, maybe even some of the younger classmen… Sammy." I say with my fist tight barely containing my rage, "Now you need to get someone here and get him away from me because I'm not sure how long my self restraint will last."
Just then the sick fuck laughs, he laughs, the absurdity of it all, "You think anyone in this school would believe you, a child with so many anger management issues it isn't even funny. Oh but you are doing your grandfather proud by attempting too use your words for once Cross." the way he says my name so thick and nearly dripping with venom.
"No I don't expect anyone to believe me, but they will believe her." pointing over my back at Gwen who is standing in the door holding her face, she took a few extra seconds to hook her bra back. "I'm not going to let you keep getting away with this, either they stop you or I am going to hurt you in ways you never thought i could. You will never prey upon these young women again," I say as blood begins to drip down between my fingers.
"Ah how sweet, playing the hero. Your probably thinking i would try something with your sister, but you're wrong. She would probably beg to screw her through my desk to save her grade because she is a retarded whore…." whatever else he was going to say got cut off as my fist collided into him with such force that i immediately broke his jaw, my vision swam becoming a thick red, i barely registered the game alerting me of something but i paid it no mind. I just wanted this scum before me to suffer and if no one else was going to do it then I would. I have only experienced tunnel vision once before in my life, when a kid had shoved Sammy in a trash can at the park, back when we used to live in Missouri. Suddenly my mind jerks back into a realization as i'm looking forward directly into the eyes of Peter, he doesn't look mad he looks understanding. Like he had experienced what I'm going through and is simply keeping me from going to far.
Trying to calm down was easy now thanks to [Gamer Mind] when my breathing finally settles i look down and feel my heart ice over, there on the floor in front of me with only 2HP is my teacher, I look around and all i see are looks of fear, on most staff, misplaced awe on all of the students except Flash who is cradling his ribs he must have tried to stop me and I hit him, and Gwen who looks genuinely worried but she isn't looking at my teacher or Flash who is hurt, or even Peter who was in incredible danger not even a few seconds ago. She is looking right at me, right into my eyes and i can't, i can't keep contact i turn away. I'm ashamed and i should be, i wanted to be a hero but i'm nothing more than a fucking animal. Finally all the fight, and the adrenaline drain from my body and i drop, like lead in the ocean. I hit the floor with my knees and curl into myself trying in vain to hide from the world.
My grandfather the man i looked up to the most in the whole world, the man I wanted to grow up to be just like, is probably looking down on me from heaven and crying for how far I've fallen from his path. My grandfather used to tell me to solve problems with my hands, not my fists, to right wrongs with my words, not my guns, because a battle won without violence is a true victory.
I feel strong arms helping me stand and as I look around I see Peter and Flash helping me up and leading me through the crowd of people, I don't resist my body goes on autopilot. Gwen and Liz are keeping everyone back and out of our way, they lead me into the principal's office where I sink into the chair and fall back into my own self destruction.
I lost track of time, I stopped paying attention to the people that spoke around me, to the officer who asked me questions, or even when my family came to make sure i was ok. I just kept staring at the notification in front of my eyes, while staring at my ruined gloves and bloody fists.
Ding- [New Skill]- Berserk- Active LV:1 exp:50%
You lose yourself in anger and pain, afflicting back more than they could ever deal. For every HP lost increases STR by 10.
I could have killed him, i could have killed him, i could have killed him… "Peter, thank you Peter. I couldn't stop, i couldn't think… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
THE NEXT MORNING POLICE STATION HOLDING CELL
I hadn't noticed after the incident but i had been moved to and held in a police station. Not just any station though, the one Gwen's father worked at. Speaking of the man i realized know that he was MR. ?, considering every time something went on with Gwen his favor went up as well really should have clued me in sooner.
"You know as an officer, I really shouldn't thank you for what you did, but as a father, thank you for keeping my baby girl safe." Captain George Stacy, sat in front of me looking at me with eyes that weren't sure what to think of me, "Your family and several medical officials have come through with supporting evidence that you have been afflicted with these blackouts before, so we are letting you go, just promise me that you'll try and get help for this son. You're a friend of my daughter and it's been a while since I've seen her smile the way she does when she talks about you, she cherishes the friendship she has with you, as odd as it is and I don't want to see her hurt, so take care of yourself."
"They aren't blackouts sir. To call them blackouts would indicate that I have no recollection of what occurred, but I do. A more honest way to describe it was like the world faded into red and all I could see was my hands covered in blood, all I could hear was the blood pumping in my veins, all I could think about was keeping him away from Gwen. No matter what." I look him dead in the eyes as i tell him this, as i admit what could be used against me in a court of law to see me put away for attempted murder. To his credit he doesn't flinch, hell he doesn't say a word, just continues to look me in the eye before he finally walks around the table and drops a knee in front of my chair.
"Then you better learn how to use this son. Cause it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. The only good thing I can see is since there have only been 2 accounts of your 'rage moments' you seem to have a pretty high tolerance for crap. Now go home and rest, or I'll place you under arrest and make sure you get it, clear?" Though i can tell it's an order he says it in a joking tone.
"Sir, yes sir." I snap off a sarcastic salute before he opens the door and lets me outside the small room we had been sitting in. Outside in the chairs are some people I wasn't expecting, I mean the first two of course it was my mom and sister, but the others? "Flash, Liz, Gwen, Peter… what are you all doing here? I… I thought…"
Before I can say anything else I was swamped in hugs, all of them, even Flash and Peter put aside their hate for each other and hug me. My mom and sister are in tears worrying about me, Liz is concerned I didn't eat well enough in there, Flash wants to make sure that the beds weren't shitty, Gwen can't help but ask if her father was rough, and Peter, Peter was just there for support, he said that if I ever need a friend or just someone to talk to he'd be there. Just then as i'm surrounded by all of them i look around and see, my group didn't come to see me. It makes sense I had met them all when we moved to NYC so they didn't know about my moments, they all probably think I'm some kind of psychopath. A hand lands on my shoulder, looking back I see Captain Stacy looking at me with sad eyes, and right there I knew… I knew my closest friends had turned their backs on me, they were afraid of me. I couldn't stop the tears that came, i'd been abandoned before but that kind of pain… it never gets easier and the scars left behind never heal. Not fully.
Ding- [Quest Complete] Hero to Heroines
Catch the immoral teacher red handed and remove this obnoxious thorn in your side. -Time limit- End of day
Rewards: increase favor with all females you know
Increase favor with Captain Stacy
1 apex point
125 exp
50 bucks
Failure: decrease favor with Gwen Stacy
Decrease favor with Captain Stacy
You have leveled, you gain 3 free Attribute points
Just as i close the popup, Gwen walks forward with a bundle of something in her hands. "I know they aren't like the ones you had but I tried to make them as close as possible, here, see if they fit." she hands me two black fingerless leather gloves, with padded knuckles and silver ingrained lettering on the back. Viribus proudly displayed on the backs of the hands, "it's latin for strength… I figured you would get a kick out of that."
"Thank you Gwen, it means a lot. You know the pair I had were homemade too, took me forever to get em right." as i take them into my hands, I can already tell these are going to be way better than my old ones.
Ding- [New Item]- Sturdy Gloves- mastercrafted item
Durability: UNBREAKABLE
10 + STR + DEX damage +5PR
Increase STR by 10
I immediately put them on and felt like I could bench a fucking truck, damn for real. I hate when I'm proven right.
For increasing your STR to 20 you have been rewarded with the following:
Ding- [New Perk]- Warmind- passive LV:1
Your muscles exceed you mind, instinct takes over in combat, you have become a virtuoso of battle. Add either INT or WIS to melee or ranged attacks. if one is higher than the other it will be added, (example if INT is 20 and WIS is 19, than when making a melee attack your INT score will be added to your STR score to increase the likelihood of surpassing your target's PR.)
1 apex point
Random recipe book
Automatically using the recipe book nets me an odd message.
Ding- [New Recipe]- Dimensional Breath- A rank miracle item
Requires 9 demon souls and 1 angel feather.
Well that is so weird, turns out I didn't have to buy that one, but knowing my luck if i hadn't i wouldn't have gotten this recipe. Clearing the menus I look at all of them and smile, "mom, can we go home now?"
"Actually son I think it might be a good idea to get some food in you, you didn't eat at all while you were here. Despite how hard the officers here tried, so eat first then rest. That's an order." Captain Stacy speaks up from behind me.
I know an order when I hear one so i snap out a quick, "yes sir." I give a quick salute that still holds a mild amount of sarcasm, and begin walking to the precinct doors before realizing no one else is moving. "Umm guys are you coming, i'm actually kinda hungry."
With those words they all start to follow, Sammy is chatting with Liz and Gwen about how they deal with boys and such, what surprises me the most though is that Flash and Peter look at each other and nod, I think they just might have made a neutrality agreement. Once out the doors I see three vehicles that don't belong, one is my mom's car which her, Sammy, Gwen, and Peter walk to. The next is Flash's sports car that he and Liz hop in, but it's the final one that has me worried. It's a simple 2010 jeep, the same one my dad has but he wasn't scheduled back from deployment for another month.
Stepping out of the driver side door still dressed in his ACU's is my dad, sergeant major Jonathan Cross. He walks around the front and up the steps before he grabs me tight and pulls me in for a hug, "got home early only to hear you had another episode, what happened son?" he looks at me eye to eye.
"He was gonna rape one of my friends dad, i… I'm not sorry for beating the shit out of him but i lost control I wasn't myself. I don't ever want to lose control again, I want to protect them, you know, they're young they don't know how dark the world can get. I don't think i can live up to grandpa's words I know that violence doesn't fix problems but it does save lives i've seen that, i did that. Dad there is something I want to tell you, can we continue this in your car?" I spill out my heart i am going to do what I know is right, it may not be the best way but it's the only way I know. He nods and we walk over to his jeep, once inside something unexpected happens.
Ding- You plan on telling someone your secret, doing so will cause several changes to be made.
Unlocks the contacts tab- all contacts know the truth of your abilities and can be called anytime for advice.
Contacts have the ability to see the game menus if you allow them, merely think about turning a screen and they will see what you are attempting to show them.
Reveal your powers to your father and make him your first contact?
Yes / No
Well since I already made up my mind before this i just click yes.
Congratulations you now have a contact:
Sergeant Major Jonathan Cross [Father].
As a reward 5 free stat points.
Swiping away the notification i turn and look at my dad whose eyes are wide open in front of me, "can you see that too?" he nods, I sigh. "This is gonna take a while so buckle up."
ONE HOUR LATER
"And now I can call you through my powers anytime for advice and stuff, also now you are immune to the whole time freezing with my menus if you're close enough to me. I know it's a lot to take in, but now you see why I don't just want to sit around on my ass doing nothing. I had to have been given these gifts for a reason." I lean back in my seat and let out another sigh.
"So you are gonna become a hero, I can live with that. Just don't go dying on me that's an order. So what is this APEX menu, sounds kinda like a shop only you can access."
"Kinda hang on, if you don't freeze, holy shit you could help me make decisions on what to buy,"
[APEX]
The tab opens up in front of me, but I imagine turning a monitor so dad can read over my shoulder. So i have 2 AP right now, and the notes said i could buy stat points but i don't see that option anywhere.
"So i'm having trouble finding what I want the game said i could buy stat points using my AP but i can't find it anywhere in the menu. Do you see it anywhere?"
"Try clicking that box at the top left that say convert AP." my dad suggest leaning over and showing me where the box is at.
"Dad you're a genius," i click on it and it asks me how many points I wish too convert, not wanting to waste all my points I only select 1, this nets me 13 free stat points plus the 5 i got for getting my first contact, not too mention the level i got after my quest. So opening my stat window and deving the points up now it looks a little like this.
Name: Riley Cross Level: 2 Experience: 375
Age:16 Height: 6ft Weight: 145lbs
Gender: male Hair: long brown Eye: ice blue
Preset: scrapper HP:44 MP:33 SP:34
Title: student Fame: 5 PR:8 SR:15
STR:20
DEX:22
CON:20
INT:16
WIS:16
LCK:20
Which in turn causes this to happen.
For increasing your DEX CON and LCK to 20 you've been rewarded with the following
Ding- [New Perk]- Light as a Feather- passive -LV:1
You can run farther, jump higher, swim faster, etc. than your peers. Increase movement speed by 10%
Ding- [New Perk]- Titanic Will- passive -LV:1
Once a day when in dire straights you may simply ignore 1 physical or mystical attack.
Ding- [New Perk]- Clover- passive -LV:1
You are a lucky man, increase money, exp, stat points, and even apex points earned either through loot or rewards +10%
"Damn son, that is sure gonna help in the future." my dad whistles as he leans back, he looks out the window only to realize that no one has moved since we made it in the jeep, mom is still in the process of closing her door, Flash just started his car and is hanging out the window asking where we are gonna go chow. "So I take it time has been frozen since you made me a contact huh, that is honestly quite disturbing."
"Yeah tell me about it, there are a couple things bothering me though, when my strength increased to 20 and i recieved my perk i earned an AP and a recipe book. This time it was only my perks, what gives, and why do they say level 1 but don't have exp bars like everything else?" I groan as I rub my eyes.
"Maybe you only get the AP for the first stat that crosses 20 like a milestone, so perhaps you'll get one at 30 or 40. Now as for the exp bar… I dunno you got me there, are there no hints in the games info section?"
"Nope, nothing… I think that your milestone comparison would make the most sense, i mean AP is essentially a game breaker can't go giving that around willy nilly." I sigh as I close the menus undoing the time freeze, god that is hella weird. "So what's for dinner? I was thinking something simple, cause it looks like we'll have company now."
"I'll cook us up something at home, now how are you gonna go about being a hero. You need training and skills to do that, plus you currently only have 1 power and a couple good perks. Though if you figure out how to level them up they could be incredible." he says as he puts the car into drive before rolling down the window and shouting out to the others, "Follow me to our house if you think i'm paying for y'all to eat at a restaurant you got another thing coming. I'm thinking some burgers and fries, huh NIkko? Just like our first date." with that he drives off toward the house with mom making an awww sound alongside Gwen and Liz, Peter and Flash laugh as Sammy makes fake vomiting sounds.
Who knew my parents could still be adorable towards each other, i should have figured. "You're right dad i do need to train, not necessarily to level my stats or skills, but I could use a form of self defense, like a martial art or… dad could you train me in CQC. [AN: for those who don't know CQC is an abbreviation for close-quarters combat, the military and police forces train recruits in varying versions of this as well as how to handle and care for their weapons.] It would be really helpful and teach me to disarm my opponents."
"Sure, here's the deal you keep going to school and getting good grades and I teach you self defence on the weekends. Now i'm not saying you gotta be a straight A student or nothing but at least a B- i know you can net one of those in each class." dad says as we pull out onto the intersection heading out of the precinct and back home, I lean back and relax.
"I can work with that, now i just need some form of costume so i can hide my identity. I don't wanna drag mom and Sammy into this… in all honesty I didn't wanna drag you into this but I needed to tell someone ya know?" I mumble that last part under my breath knowing he wouldn't want me moping.
"If you're getting a costume you're gonna need a name, and i'll see what i can do to get you some decent ballistic armor, that way you won't turn into swiss cheese. I know you got a healing factor but your clothes don't so let me pull a couple strings maybe i can call in a favor from General Ross." and with that my dad goes making crazy plans, i always knew crazy was genetic in our family.
"You really think you can get anything for me like that, wouldn't it raise suspicion?" I look over at him as we drive past the familiar sights of the city. Taking the next right pulls us onto our block, then just down to the third house and we're up in the drive. I pop my back as I climb out, looking behind me I see my mom's car pull in behind dad's while flash parks in the road. Grinning as I walk up to the door and letting my friends in… damn yeah they are my friends, who would have thought little old me could get 4 new friends in 1 day. Now i just have to start saving people on the side and i'll be all set.
AN: so there we go folks thanks for reading, i hope you enjoy. I'm trying not to overpower my character too soon, i've been known to overpower my characters before, both in my stories and in my D&D campaigns. Well let me know if y'all liked it or if i made a mistake somewhere and i'll catch y'all later. PEACE!
AN2: so sorry for anyone who has waited patiently for this story it has been difficult for me to write given all the stuff going on in my life right now, though i do plan on coming back to this story and adding too it, though i have decided to change up my leveling system since the last time i posted so hopefully everything will all come together nicely. Any way i'll catch y'all later, PEACE!