How could something like this even be possible? Could abilities really reach this level?
No—on second thought, the true terror of abilities was exactly that they could do things like this.
To be able to control the very air a person breathed—now that was terrifying. For humans and every other oxygen-breathing creature, this was an ability that couldn't be underestimated. It was pure, raw threat.
Brandon must have seen the fear in Firewing's eyes, because he smiled and explained, "Strictly speaking, I'm not cutting off the air. I'm just controlling the oxygen around your body, preventing you from taking any in."
"The oxygen inside you? I'm not touching that. Right now, it's just like holding your breath. With your current physical condition, you could last five, maybe ten minutes without much problem."
With a casual wave of his hand, Firewing suddenly found herself able to breathe again. Yet her breaths came faster, more anxious than before.
It was one thing to choose to hold your breath. But to suddenly be unable to breathe at all, no matter how hard you tried—to have the most basic need snatched away by someone else—brought a wave of panic and dread that was hard to put into words.
Firewing took a few moments in silence to process the shock Brandon had just given her.
"How large an area can you affect?" she asked quietly. "And for how long?"
There was really nothing more to say. Whatever Brandon's true ability was, just the power to control oxygen was enough to make anyone take him seriously.
Oxygen was everything to humans.
Without oxygen, it started with dizziness, weakness, nausea, frustration… leading quickly to suffocation, loss of consciousness, and—inevitably—death.
Some experts in the past had floated the idea that oxygen shortened human life spans, that without it people might live longer—but such "oxygen-free" humans definitely didn't exist in the modern world.
For the humans of today, it wasn't an exaggeration: no oxygen, no life.
That alone made Brandon's control over oxygen frightening. But what was truly chilling was the implication in his words: if he wanted to, he could directly pull the oxygen out of a person's body.
Think about what that meant.
Sure, as abilities grew stronger, as bodies evolved with the spiritual revival, maybe some people could hold their breath for hours or even days. Maybe they'd even become immune to suffocation for a time, and could kill Brandon before their air ran out.
But if Brandon could remove the oxygen inside someone—then it didn't matter how strong they were or how long they could hold out. As long as they needed oxygen, if he took it away, they would be gone in seconds.
Just the brain alone: cut off its oxygen completely, and even a superhuman would lose consciousness in ten seconds.
Ten seconds! Even if the spiritual revival had made people hardier, the brain was the most delicate and crucial organ. How much could it possibly change? Could any ability let you survive with zero oxygen to the head?
Could you kill Brandon before that ten seconds was up?
And don't forget—his abilities weren't limited to just controlling oxygen! He could also manipulate metal, lightning… who knew what else?
As far as talent went, Firewing couldn't think of anyone—herself included, not even those military prodigies—who could outclass Brandon.
"Range?" Brandon echoed her question with a slight, almost amused smile. "Does it really matter? Even if I told you, would you believe me?"
"True," Firewing admitted, her voice resigned. "With a power like this, whatever you say, nobody's going to believe you anyway."
"Give them all the data you want, there'll always be someone who questions if it's real."
She let out a breath, stowing the contract papers away.
"Your power really is something else," she said quietly. She couldn't even think of a word that fit.
Metal, lightning, and now oxygen—could he control every element in nature?
"This contract is pretty pointless at this stage," Firewing admitted. "With a talent like yours, words on a page are meaningless. Just don't break the law, endanger the nation, or harm innocent people, and you can do as you please."
"But let's be clear—I only believe in your ability because I saw it for myself. Others won't be so easily convinced. I guarantee people are going to come challenge you in the future."
"How you handle that is up to you. Just… don't kill anyone."
For a government official, Firewing's words were surprisingly lenient. But after witnessing Brandon's true power, she had no choice—talent like this required special treatment.
Especially now, when the world was in upheaval. You had to take care of martial prodigies. If you treated them like ordinary people, what would happen if they turned against you? Who knew where the limits of superhuman abilities lay? What if someone became more dangerous than a nuclear bomb?
"You really are remarkably flexible," Brandon replied, a hint of surprise in his voice. He'd half expected her to be joking. Surely a government wouldn't give someone this much freedom. But it seemed she was serious.
"What else can I do?" Firewing rolled her eyes. "I did my homework on you. Top marks, mature thinker, a kid with a plan for the future."
"Normally, anyone approached by the government—smart or not—would never refuse. They all know the country isn't about to let superpowered people wander around unchecked."
"Those kinds of people are like walking bombs. Maybe they'll never go off, but if they do, innocent people die."
"Joining the system, coming under the government's watchful eye—that's the safest move."
"But you… if we didn't have the no-school deal, you would have turned us down, wouldn't you?"
"You're not ignorant of how the government treats talent. But you were still ready to refuse. That means only one thing: you have absolute confidence in your own strength."
"That confidence isn't about your potential, it's about your power right now. You actually believe you can negotiate as an equal with the state."
"And you know how powerful the government is. We're in the information age—you can look up just about anything, even if it's not the whole picture."
"Plus, after hearing about me, and about others in the system with powers like or stronger than mine, you weren't even nervous. You were… relieved. Like you were glad to finally meet others on your level."
"If that's not arrogance, it only means one thing: your awakened power is so strong, even after thinking it all through, you still know you have the leverage to talk terms."
(End of Chapter)
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