GOD OF WAR: THE SYSTEM OF VENGEANCE

Chapter 4- Testing Power

Damon stared at his reflection until the red glow faded, leaving only his normal brown eyes staring back. Had he imagined it?

The whole thing felt like some fever dream brought on by stress and cheap whiskey.

"Terms and conditions," he muttered. "Even my hallucinations come with fine print."

[TERMS CLEARLY STATED. FAILURE TO COMPLETE QUEST RESULTS IN SYSTEM WITHDRAWAL AND HOST TERMINATION/DEATH]

"Host termination. Right." He laughed, but it came out shaky. "You know what? I don't accept. I didn't sign anything. I didn't agree to—"

A wall of text flooded his vision, scrolling too fast to read. Legal jargon, subsections, clauses in multiple languages. It went on for what felt like minutes.

"Jesus, slow down! I can't read that fast!"

[TERMS AND CONDITIONS: 847 PAGES. STANDARD ACKNOWLEDGMENT PROTOCOL INITIATED UPON BLOODLINE RECOGNITION. ACCEPTANCE IMPLIED.]

"Implied? I never—"

[SECTION 23.7: UNCONSCIOUS PARTICIPANTS. SECTION 45.2: EMERGENCY ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS. SECTION 127.3: DESCENDANT CLAUSE OVERRIDES.]

"You're telling me I agreed to this in my sleep?"

[YOUR ANCESTOR MARCUS AURELIUS BLACKWOOD SIGNED BINDING AGREEMENT IN 1847. ALL DESCENDANTS SUBJECT TO TERMS.]

Damon rubbed his temples. "My family's been planning this for almost two hundred years?"

[CORRECTION: I HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS.]

The words hit him like ice water. "You've been... what?"

[THE CAYMAN ISLANDS ACCOUNT. THE PHOTOGRAPHS. THE PERFECTLY TIMED POLICE RAID. ALL ORCHESTRATED TO REACH THIS MOMENT.]

"You framed me?" His voice cracked. "You destroyed my life?"

[I GAVE YOU PURPOSE. YOUR PREVIOUS EXISTENCE WAS MEANINGLESS—A PAMPERED CHILD PLAYING AT IMPORTANCE. NOW YOU CAN BECOME WHAT YOUR BLOODLINE WAS MEANT TO BE.]

Rage built in his chest, hotter than before. This thing—this system—had manipulated everything. His engagement, his exile, even Claire's betrayal.

"You manipulated Claire too?"

[NEGATIVE. CLAIRE MAHONEY'S GREED AND ADRIAN BLACKWOOD'S AMBITION REQUIRED NO ENHANCEMENT. I MERELY... ACCELERATED THEIR TIMELINE.]

The quest screen pulsed again: 23:12:47.

Damon tried to stand, but his legs felt like jelly. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving him exhausted and broken in equal measure.

That's when he heard the footsteps.

Not police boots this time. Softer. Trying to be quiet.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

Three men emerged from the alley's depths. Street clothes, but expensive ones. Gold teeth gleamed in the dim light. The leader twirled a butterfly knife with practiced ease.

"Looks like Christmas came early, boys. Designer watch, good shoes..." His eyes fixed on Damon's torn tuxedo. "Rich boy playing in the gutter."

Damon's hand instinctively went to his wrist.

The Rolex was his father's—the only thing left of the man who'd actually believed in him.

"Please," his voice came out hoarse. "I don't have any money."

"Sure you don't." The leader grinned, revealing more gold than enamel. "That watch says otherwise. So does that fancy accent."

[HOSTILE INTENT DETECTED. RECOMMEND ENGAGEMENT.]

"I'm not fighting anyone," Damon whispered to the voice.

[THEN YOU WILL DIE HERE. IS THAT PREFERABLE TO ACCEPTING YOUR DESTINY?]

The muggers advanced. The leader's knife caught streetlight, throwing wicked shadows across the brick walls.

"Easy way or hard way, rich boy. Your choice."

Damon struggled to his feet, legs still unsteady. "Look, I've had the worst night of my life. Just... just walk away."

"Worst night?" The leader laughed. "Baby, it's about to get worse."

He lunged forward, knife aimed at Damon's ribs.

Time slowed again.

Damon could see the blade's trajectory, could predict where it would strike. His body moved without permission—stepping left, grabbing the attacker's wrist, twisting.

The knife clattered to the ground.

"What the—"

Damon's right hand came up in an uppercut that connected with the man's jaw. The impact felt like hitting a pillow, but the mugger flew backward six feet and slammed into the brick wall with a sickening crack.

He didn't get up.

"Tony!" The second attacker rushed forward.

Damon barely thought.

His left hand shot out, catching the man by the throat and lifting him clean off the ground. One-handed. Like he weighed nothing.

"How..." The mugger's voice was a strangled whisper.

The third man ran.

Damon stared at his hands in horror. The unconscious mugger at his feet was breathing, but barely. The one he was holding was turning blue.

"Oh God." He dropped the man, who collapsed gasping. "Oh God, what did I do?"

[POWER ENGAGED. THREAT NEUTRALIZED. EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE.]

"Excellent?" Damon backed away from the bodies. "I could have killed them!"

[MERCY IS A LUXURY OF THE STRONG. YOU ARE BECOMING STRONG.]

His hands were shaking, but not from fear. From exhilaration. The power thrumming through him felt... right. Natural. Like he'd been pretending to be weak his entire life.

"This is wrong. I'm not a fighter. I'm not—"

[YOU ARE WHAT I MAKE YOU. AND RIGHT NOW, I AM MAKING YOU INTO SOMETHING YOUR ENEMIES WILL FEAR.]

The quest timer pulsed: 22:58:15.

Adrian was probably at home right now, laughing about his victory. Probably in bed with Claire, celebrating their successful coup.

Did they know about the pregnancy reveal? Had that been planned too?

The rage was building again, but it felt different now. Focused. Purposeful.

"If I do this," Damon said slowly, "if I slap him... what happens next?"

[YOU GAIN ACCESS TO LEVEL 1 ABILITIES. ENHANCED STRENGTH, SPEED, TACTICAL AWARENESS. THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR TRANSFORMATION.]

"And then?"

[THEN WE BEGIN YOUR REAL EDUCATION. THE BLACKWOOD FAMILY HAS ACCUMULATED ENEMIES OVER GENERATIONS. SOMEONE MUST SETTLE THOSE DEBTS.]

"You want me to become an assassin."

[I WANT YOU TO BECOME A GOD OF WAR. WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT POWER IS YOUR CHOICE.]

Damon walked to the edge, looking down at the city. Somewhere out there, Adrian was sleeping peacefully in silk sheets.

Claire was planning her new life with stolen wealth. Kane was already moving to seize complete control of the family empire.

They'd destroyed him without a second thought.

"The police think I'm a criminal anyway," he said to the night air.

[PRECISELY. YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE.]

"And everything to gain?"

[IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE IT.]

The broken phone in his pocket buzzed—somehow still functional despite the cracked screen. A text from an unknown number: 

"Suite 4701, Meridian Tower. Adrian's celebrating. Alone. Security shift change at 3 AM."

"You sent that too?"

[I TOLD YOU. I HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS.]

The quest timer glowed brighter: 22:47:33.

Damon closed his eyes, feeling the power course through him. He thought about his father, about the lectures on honor and family loyalty.

What would the old man think about his son contemplating assault?

But then he remembered Claire's laughter.

Adrian's spit on his face. Kane's accusations.

His eyes opened, and in the window's reflection, the red glow was back. Stronger this time.

"If I do this, there's no going back, is there?"

[THERE WAS NEVER ANY GOING BACK. THE MOMENT YOUR BLOODLINE AWAKENED, YOUR OLD LIFE ENDED.]

"And if I refuse?"

[SYSTEM WARNING: TIME REMAINING: 12 HOURS, 47 MINUTES, 18 SECONDS.]

The countdown flashed red now, urgent and threatening.

[CHOOSE QUICKLY, SUCCESSOR. THE POWER BUILDING IN YOUR VEINS WILL CONSUME YOU IF NOT PROPERLY CHANNELED.]

Heat pulsed through his body like a second heartbeat. Whatever was happening to him, fighting it would be like trying to stop a freight train with his bare hands.

Damon looked at his reflection one more time. for the first time since this nightmare began, he didn't look like a victim.

He looked dangerous.

Was this who he really was?