Lone Cultivator In Another World

"Unlike most of us, I discovered my powers right after the comet. I received wounds that came out of nowhere and healed in just a few days. You can look it up, it was on the news!"

Michael purposely didn't mention LZD1. For now, this disease was unknown, so bringing it up with no proof was not only in contradiction with his made-up story, but also meaningless.

He didn't mention how he saved Carina, either. This way, he would appear humble, and the fact-checkers would find it out for themselves.

"I know you're waiting for proof. Very well. My power is perhaps best described as 'extreme physical fitness'. All of my body's strengths, pushed to the limit. Let me demonstrate."

Michael looked around and settled on the bed which weighed about a centner. He turned the camera to follow him and approached the heavy piece of furniture.

With a Life Force of 100, Michael was ten times as strong as an average person. It wasn't that great because there were plenty of malnourished people and weak women in the world. Still, lifting a bed was within Michael's capabilities.

He grabbed the wooden frame and pulled, picking it up sideways. On the video, his arms looked thin and fragile compared to the bed, but he held it confidently. The linens slid on the floor.

Suddenly, Michael exerted more strength, his muscles flexing under a long-sleeved shirt. He tossed the large-framed bed, flipping it, and caught it again, then raised it above his head.

"As you can see, there are no wires attached to me." He put the heavy furniture down and made sure the ceiling was visible on camera.

With a tiny squat, he jumped up and twisted in the air not to hit his head. After landing on the ceiling like Spiderman and touching it with all four limbs, he fell gracefully like a cat.

"Strength, agility, stamina. I won't run a marathon for you to see, just take my word for it. I think, this should be enough to prove I'm telling the truth. Now that you've seen what a person in control of his ability can do, let's look at some incidents caused by the people who weren't."

Michael took out a piece of paper with a list of things he saw on the news. He didn't need the list with his perfect memory, but it made him appear more relatable.

"The disappeared gem and the missing idol. I was thinking, invisibility or teleportation. Forest fires in China… Wait," he sighed in exasperation, "I know how it looks. So far, all you hear about are accidents and tragedies. It's not like that. We're dealing with people who don't know how to control their newfound strength. These powers can be a blessing and a curse."

"Imagine a man, no, a young girl, walking in the woods. Picking mushrooms. She is not a pyromaniac! But there's a weird heat inside of her, struggling to escape her body. She's all alone, afraid for her life, experiencing terrible pain. So she lets go. A random spark, and the shrubbery catches fire. The girl might not even connect the dots! She runs away. Can we blame her? And then her mind shields her from the trauma, makes her believe she got confused because of the smoke."

"You need to remember that I am talking about people. People who need help. Some of them are bad, but I believe that most of them are good. Just like you."

Michael's face and gestures conveyed powerful emotions, and his voice sounded sincere.

Yes, it was a performance. But the whole revelation wasn't completely altruistic either.

Michael needed sympathy. If the world believed he had their best interests in mind, it would serve as an additional layer of protection against the governments.

For a while, he kept recounting examples of recent supernatural events. Every time, he guessed the person's potential ability and intent.

"Finally, I want to ease your concerns about the virus that's been going around. There is no new disease. These are sensations of discomfort triggered by Alters developing their special sense. I know how it feels. Like there's a lump of energy inside you, and it wants to come out. A fullness that you need to get rid of, an itch that needs scratching."

"Please, do your best to control it. Alters possess a type of energy I like to call Qi," Michael cleared his throat. "I mean no disrespect to anyone, I'm a westerner, and the concept is not familiar to me. It's just a name. Alters can release Qi and affect their surroundings. This is a part of you! It doesn't control you! You are the ones in control!"

"You must be very careful with it. I suggest not to test it, or at least go to a secluded place with nothing to damage," he shook the paper with news reports, "or you might be next."

The next topic was s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. Michael had to tread lightly.

"In this trying time we need to trust our leaders. I don't know whether they have already come to these conclusions, but I can understand why the governments haven't spoken up yet. Accepting that superpowers are real is difficult. But with each passing day that the public is unaware of the truth, the panic spreads, and more people suffer. We need you to reassure us."

Addressing the presidents and prime ministers was a bold step. Michael wanted to take their side in name, as if he was acting like a concerned citizen. This way, it would be more difficult for the governments to justify sanctions against him.

"I used the word 'Alter' a few times today. Same as with Qi, if you don't like the word – don't use it, but let me explain how I came up with it. Popular culture has created plenty of fictional worlds where humans coexist with other creatures. I believe we need to remember this: Alters are humans too. We didn't ask for these abilities, and I'm sure many of us will think of them more as a burden than a gift. We are not different from normal people, or at least we weren't a week ago."

"Alters are humans, too. We are not better! We are not above the law! It's wrong to call us Powers, Supers or Evolvers."

"We didn't ask for these abilities. Please don't call us Gifted or Chosen."

"And at the same time, we did nothing wrong. None of us are Mutants, Freaks, Monsters!"

"We're people! Changed by something bigger than us. Altered. It's not good, and it's not bad. It's the truth."

Finally, the most important part of the speech. This was the moment that could make or break Michael's future, his chance to become an idol to the masses.

"One last thing. I'm not sure why, but it seems like teenagers have a higher chance of becoming Alters. These boys and girls, young men and women. The most difficult time to be different. We're talking about youths who struggle with low self-esteem, their looks and weight, their place in society. People who don't know what the future holds."

"None of them are as calm about it as I am. I've had six months to accept that I was not like the others. But now, I can tell you with certainty, there are others like you. You are not alone! You are the ones who will lead us into a better tomorrow!"

"And to the a.d.u.l.ts, remember this as well. Nothing is as precious in this world as children. They are faced with an enormous pressure now, and they need your help. This is not the time to ostracize or abandon them, push them away. We must protect them."

Michael's voice broke as he teared up.

In this moment, he forgot he was putting on a performance. He was speaking to the world!

"I'm begging you!"

He fell on his knees, never breaking eye contact with the camera. He felt like every pair of eyes met his, like they shared this moment and heard each other's beating hearts.

"Save the children!"