The Talentless Sovereign

Chapter Three: I Killed the Former Me

Jett frowned his face, confused on who to pick between the two. First of all he had no idea what an attendant was. His guess was that the person might come back to life, so how could he choose without the necessary information.

He decided to ask the system. “Explain what an attendant is, if I were to choose the spider mech, what would happen?”

Instead of the fairy voice, a screen flashed in his face.

[Spider Mech: A real spider that was brought back to life by Eobard Helinski using mechanical parts. Its predatory nature took over its instinct and it lost control, killing its own creator.]

[Spider Mech Attributes: Iron body physiology, Stealth, Toxic Appendages, Spider Physiology.]

After reading, the screen swiped by and another screen popped up.

[Deviant: A former human named Integra Rake who was a victim of experimentation. His gene mutated and he became a mix between man and beast. He was discarded as an error and was left to die. Rake survived due to his intelligence but his new found bestial nature, turned him into a cannibalistic monster.]

[Deviant Attribute: Super human physiology, Human Intelligence, Iron Claw Physiology.]

After this, the screen dissolved leaving Jett with thoughts. “What to choose?” he wondered.

He realized he felt a little pity for Rake. The spider was a mere animal that got stronger but Rake’s story feels truly heartbreaking. “He is just like me, tossed behind the world, left to eat the scraps.”

“I choose the Deviant!” he whispered.

[CREATING ATTENDANT…]

Jett felt a sudden tiredness overwhelmed him and he collapsed on the floor. When he opened his eyes, he felt refreshed and relieved. All his wounds seemed to have healed up.

He glanced beside him and almost jumped out of his skin when Rake sat at the other end staring at him.

“*Do you get scared at the sight of everything? That is your Attendant. Name him!*” The fairy voice of the system rang in his ears.

“Name?” Jett asked. “Isn't his name Rake?”

The system hummed in his head as if annoyed. “*That was the name of the creature before you slayed it. Now that it is your Attendant and you are its master, you have to give it a name.*”

Jett thought for a while. “Scorn. I will name it Scorn!”

The former Rake stood up and bowed to Jett before dissolving into space. Just as it did. His profile tab flashed again.

|||Status Metrics|||

[Name: Jettai Galkhan]

[Title: Locked.]

[Archetype: Locked]

[Tier: Scion]

[Progress: 1/20]

[Techniques: Locked]

[Attendant: 1/1]

[Inventory: x1 SpiderMech Leg]

At the base of the status, a new box was pulsing with light. Jett pushed it and another metric popped out.

{Attendant Profile:}

[Name: Scorn

[Level: 1]

[Tier: Valet]

[Attribute: Super human physiology, Human Intelligence, Iron Claw Physiology.]

HP: 20

Jett sighed. The entire thing still confused him but he decided to move on. Underneath the screen another box glowed so he clicked it.

|||Mission Matrix|||

[Goal: Survive the Walk back to the wall!]

[Reward: x1 Forge Metal]

[Timer: 58:07]

Jett frowned as the timer kept reducing. He didn't know what a forge metal was, but he knew he had to start moving. He was going back home today and vengeance was in sight.

He dashed out of the tunnels and his heart raced. It took only a few minutes before he was back in the junkyard.

The sun was high in the sky, so he guessed it was noon. “How long have I been here?” he asked.

“*Three days,*” the system replied.

Jett smiled and dashed back in the direction of the huge walls that towered to the heavens. Soon enough lots of metal scrap began to join and form humanoid robots.

However, it was different from the last time. He was running faster. Way faster than he ever could. He bursted through the junkyard.

“*You can jump higher too*” the fairy voice chirped.

Jett jumped and he found himself yelling! “Yessss!”

He landed a few meters from where he’d jumped. It took him roughly forty minutes of non stop running to reach the wall. He didn't have to fight anything, he easily outran the robots.

He located one of the gold ornamented gates that led back into the district and then knocked on it. Just three quick knocks. A small partition opened up and a man in sunglasses peeped through.

“Who are you?” the gate guardian asked with curiosity.

“Jettai Ghalkan.” he simply said.

“Wait,” the small partition slid shut.

Jett understood the game. They weren’t checking on him. They were measuring him. Three days outside the wall, that was the metric.

In a city starving for manpower, killing a citizen outright was treated like sacrilege. So the law found a cleaner cruelty. Anyone involved in severe offenses was cast beyond the walls and left to survive for three days. If they managed it, they were permitted back in. Fate got to decide what the courts wouldn’t.

Most never bothered with fate. A few credits slipped to the gate guardians usually solved everything. Still, the junkyard didn’t care about bribes, and very few made it through intact.

Jett’s case was… inconvenient. He’d taken a bullet to the head. By every reasonable standard, he should’ve been a corpse.

The partition slid open again.

“You have survived three days. However, reentry requires testing and full verification. Do you consent to these terms?”

“Yes. I do.”

The gate rumbled once, then ground open with cold, mechanical precision. Jett stepped forward, eyes closing as he drew in a slow breath, savoring the thin taste of victory.

It lasted all of two seconds.

Two soldiers slammed into him, driving him to the ground. A sharp sting followed, something forced into his veins. Darkness swallowed him before he could even curse.

When he came to, the verdict was already waiting. He had passed every test. No abnormalities. No alterations. They had even screened for abilities. Negative.

Afterward, they processed him. He was allowed to bathe, before his I.D and belongings were returned. A pen, a folded piece of paper and a pocket watch.

He smiled fondly as he put them in his pocket and left for work. “If I am able to make it in an hour, I will still be able to make it.”

He was looking at his workplace in the distance when a screen flashed in his face.

|||Mission Matrix|||

[Mission: Survive the walk back to the wall; Successful!]

[Reward: x1 Forge Metal]

[New Missions Alert:!!]

His eyes were fixated on the glowing new mission alert. “What do I use a Forge Metal for?”

“*You will be able to forge tools and weapons out of items in your inventory.*” the sovereign system hummed.

Jett chuckled involuntarily as he stepped into the lowest floor of the C&G group. He clicked on the mission alert and the screen switched into a wider one.

|||Mission Matrix|||

[Mission : Improve your office reputation and become a symbol of fear and respect.]

[Mission Reward: x1 Gem of Armament!]

[Mission Failure: -1 Physical Stat, +3 Sensitivity to Pain!!]

[Timer: 24:39]

[WEEKLY GOAL: Take over the C&G district!!!]

[Goal Reward: +2 Progression Stat, x2 All Physical Stats, Unlocks Technique]

[Mission Failure: Death!]

[167:53:37]

Jett frowned. “I am supposed to do what?” he muttered involuntarily as he read on but he didn't realize he was already in the office area.

Everyone turned to him and then someone yelled from a corner. “Greatest Floor Worker has returned!” and laughter broke through the area.

Jett felt the weight settle over him. This was the place where he had been broken again and again. He stood there, frozen, unable to move. Then, slowly, a smile crept onto his face. He wasn’t the same man anymore, and this time, he would never bend.

He walked forward and headed to his own cubicle with a straight face. “Hey, Jett. I heard you died, is that true?” Someone said from a corner

“He is so weak even death rejected him,” everyone broke into another bout of laughter.

Jett remained silent and he just moved. Before he knew it, he was tumbling to the ground as someone struck out their leg from the cubicle. However today, he didn't fall, he stumbled a bit and then held his ground.

He turned back to the guy. “For your own sake, don't ever do that again?” he simply stated.

“Or you will do what?” the man stepped out of the cubicle to meet his eyes.

Jett laughed as a screen flashed into his face.

|||Subject Profile|||

[Name: Stanley Robert

[Age: 24]

[Species: Talented Human]

[Class: D]

[Type: Analyst]

[Archetype:???]

He swiped the screen away. Analysts were not physically augmented like reapers, their strength level was basic, they excelled in analysis, which might be useful in combat but Jett didn't care.

He caught the man by the throat, surprising him. “What are you…?” Robert tried saying but his head smacked against the wooden wall of his cubicle going through it.

Gasps descended into the room. “I warned him.” Jett said and then began to walk away.

“Oh, no, you won't walk away after that.” Another analyst stepped to him.

He aimed a punch but Jett caught his tie and then used the momentum against him to send him crashing into another wooden wall.

“Whose next?” Jett yelled. “I am done taking your bullcrap. You want me. You want someone to ridicule. Come on then, you fuckers!”

The entire office went silent and everyone turned back to their work. Jett sat down in his cubicle and realized he had little work to do. Because he’d probably been reported dead, all his work had been transferred.

“What is all the commotion about?” Jett heard a voice yell and a smile crept up his lips.

That was mistress Jane. The woman who had caused him the most trouble on this floor.

She walked towards the area where the fight had happened and noticed the broken walls and all. “Who did this!?” she yelled furiously.

Everyone in the observable area pointed to him. “You?” she said. “Come to my office, you will pay for your insolence!”

He stood up and followed her. The last time he'd walked into that office, he'd crawled out. He wouldn't be crawling today.