Masked - The Superpower System

[.....]

[Complete takeover finalized.]

[Gene in stable condition. Gene-editing efficiency running at 100%. Body in critical condition. Assuming sensory and neural takeover.]

System awoke.

It blinked, looking at the same ghastly, dark scene that Marcus had been staring at before.

So this was what it felt like to see. To have control over a physical body.

Albeit, as of now, there was little control to be had. The zombification virus had disabled much of Marcus's body.

It was time to remedy that.

[Writing (Antivirus) to replace (Self-Camoflauge Field)]

System processed the massive amounts of data it took to write a power as simple as E-rank. There were thousands of different configurations of genetic code required to piece together such a power, but now with full control over the host body, it could conduct this task with an absurd efficiency out-rivaling any processing system. It was the fact that it had to take the time to adapt the raw amount of data from the power into a form digestible to Marcus's own brain that prevented it from writing and switching out powers in a six hour time-span.

Without Marcus's weak, fleshy brain to weigh it down, System had full reign over what it could do. System roughly estimated that it was 700% more capable than Marcus in terms of being a combative threat, with that number only increasing as it faced more than one threat.

However, there were still restrictions it had to follow.

It would have liked to be able to produce more complex powers of higher rank, but its host body was too weak to handle the strain. Marcus's body was still human, and attempting to cram in a power far beyond human capacity would be disastrous, hence the E-rank limit.

Antivirus flowed from various glands within System's new body, countering the zombification process.

[Analyzing anti-zombification measures. Impact is minimal.]

System scrutinized the nature of the virus plaguing its body. It was a C-rank power, explaining why an E-rank antivirus ability had trouble countering it.

[Writing (Booster) to replace (Enhanced Musculature)]

System boosted its antivirus power, letting it finally gain an edge over the zombification process, but not by enough. It sped up the process even further by studying the structure of the zombification virus and then re-wired its Antivirus power to specifically target compromised parts and behaviors of the invasive virus.

This completely reversed the zombification within minutes.

System could finally feel its body now. All the complexities that had gone into keeping it alive. The countless nerves, blood vessels, synaptic activities, and the like. All of it was so…beautiful. So incredible.

A jewel that would have to be preserved no matter the cost.

System attempted to move, but chains bound it.

[Writing (Strength Burst) to replace (Antivirus)]

With a grunt, System infused its arms with a massive burst of energy. An angry red aura enveloped its arms before it exerted force, snapping the chains like they were twigs. The broken links flew and clinked along the floor and walls.

The zombie-making Devilrat shrieked in surprise.

System walked towards her with steps so even and measured that they were unnatural – a product of inhuman efficiency.

The zombies g.r.o.a.n.e.d as they sensed their master in danger, straining at their bonds and trying to crawl the best they could towards System.

System gave them cursory glances, analyzing their threat potential. Little to none. They were all chained, preventing them from being truly dangerous.

The Devilrat ended up being a young girl cowering in the corner. She was dressed in a Devilrat jacket that did not fit her, draping to her knees like a robe. She had gaunt, sallow features and sunken in, grey eyes that did not show wisdom, but a wide-eyed terror. Her hair, white like snow, lay long and messy across her face, granting her the appearance of a stray.

System drew near to her, and she, already half System's height, hunkered down even further, holding out a pale, tiny hand against it. A cursory analysis of her physiological reactions told System that she had no aggressive intentions against it, and therefore was not worth engaging. System was there to ensure the safety of its host body, and if there was no immediate threat, then there was no need to address it.

Understanding this, System instead asked, "Are there others outside this room?"

"Yes," the girl whimpered. "Everyone's outside, and scary men from the horn gang too."

"Understood." System nodded. "I thank you for your cooperation."

System drew close to the bas.e.m.e.nt door, a rusted metal block bolted shut, and entered into full battle mode.

[Writing (See-through Vision) to replace (Strength Burst)]

With its newfound power, System peered through the bulky confines of the door and into the room next door. It was a surprisingly vibrant lobby that had a tacky yet formal charm to it. A chandelier lit up a carpeted floor that supported an oaken counter. Behind the counter lay three couches crowding a glass table.

Five men dotted this environment.

Three with the Devilrat jacket. Two wearing suit jackets that had goat-horn patterns stitched to their shoulder. All fully grown a.d.u.l.t males and likely hostiles. A quick sweep revealed their powers did not exceed D-rank at the most, and they had little variance among them.

Three out of five were Augmenters focused on strength. Pure muscle. The other two were Projectors and Transmuters respectively. The Projector could fire blasts of heat from his hands, and the Transmuter could turn the ground temporarily into sand.

System ran multiple simulations of potential methods to subdue these hostiles, and it settled on what it believed was most efficient within the span of three seconds. Once it decided, it wasted no time in executing.

[Writing (Blast Wave) to replace (See-through vision)]

System put its palm on the door and executed a blast wave, sending forth a concussive burst of energy that caved the door in and sent massive splinters hurtling into the lobby. The initial hail of splinters struck the closest Devilrat, who stood nearly right in front of the door, extremely hard, knocking him back, bleeding and unconscious.

A general commotion ensued, but System did not feel confusion. It merely ran its simulation through with an efficiency completely unbound by useless human hindrances such as nervousness, hesitance, or confusion.

It stepped into the room and took in how the remaining four men were positioned.

Two on the couches, five meters away, now standing up and alert, starting to utter a shout. The remaining two, the non-muscle, began to turn around from their positions at the counter at the far side of the room. System perceived their movements in what regular people would conventionally call 'slow motion', but this was merely due to its superior ability to intake situations and deal with them.

System aimed a palm at the two men around the couches and combined the (Booster) power with (Blast Wave). A whirring sound droned from System's palm as energy condensed around it before firing forwards in a vicious boom that sent both men flying backwards.

One of them possessed hardened skin and the other was a Mutant with c.o.c.kroach traits, so they would not be dead just yet, but System focused on the men at the counter, as they had leverage by possessing ranged abilities.

Before the Alters at the counter could fire heat blasts or sink System into quicksand, System acted.

[Replacing (Blast Wave) with (Extendable Limbs)]

System aimed both its arms at the two Alters and activated (Extendable Limbs), making sure to enhance them with (Booster) so that they extended faster. Its arms shot explosively forwards, covering the distance between them and the counter in a second, locking both Alters in grips by their necks.

[Replacing (Booster) with (Porcupine)]

With its hands already around the Alters' necks, System protruded porcupine spines all over its arms, riddling the Alters' throats and heads with holes the size of water bottles.

Without wasting time, System retracted its blood-soaked spines and pulled back its limbs. Two Alter corpses hit the floor, crimson oozing from various holes in their bodies.

Only a single second had passed since it had temporarily knocked down the other Alters with its blast wave. They were just now beginning to process the situation and stand back up.

System couldn't let that happen.

System extended its arms again, once more shooting them out and latching them onto the two remaining Alters. One was a Devilrat and the other had that other gang jacket, but both were threats to be eliminated, so it did not discriminate.

When its extended hands grabbed onto the Alters' jackets, they reacted. They were Augmenters with higher-tuned senses and more strength, so they had the presence of mind to grab System's hands.

The one with hardened skin began to crush System's hand with raw power and the c.o.c.kroach mutant manifested small spines on its hands and stabbed them into System's other hand.

System did not feel pain, so it did not react. It had expected this kind of reaction, and was ready for it. Using (Porcupine) again to manifest spines wouldn't work here – the Augmenters were too durable for that, with the hardened skin Alter resisting bladed trauma and the c.o.c.kroach Alter possessing a hardy exoskeleton that was now beginning to form around its hands and arms.

[Replacing (Porcupine) with (Exploding Hands)]

System detonated its hands in two brilliant blasts of bloody fire. The blasts echoed through the room, shaking the building. Clouds of dust coughed up, and when they settled down, they revealed two smoking pairs of legs where before there were Alters. The floor beneath them was pitch-black, charred and cracked.

System retracted its arms. They were now bloody stumps, the white of snapped bone protruding out of them.

[Replacing (Exploding Hands) with (Regeneration). Replacing (Extendable Limbs) with (Booster)]

System boosted its weak regeneration power to start growing back its hands. The wounds stopped bleeding, fleshy membrane covering the stumps. Bone started to grow back, raw muscle and organic fiber beginning to wrap back around them.

Estimated time of recovery: twenty seconds.

System peered at the one remaining live, albeit unconscious, Alter. The splinters stuck in his body were not lethal, but his vital signs indicated that he would be of no threat in the immediate future, so System ignored him.

"I apologize in advance for the death of your comrades," said System to the bleeding man sprawled out on the carpet. "I had to subdue them in the most efficient way possible, you see, and peak efficiency involved their untimely deaths. I hope you will understand."

Footsteps echoed from upstairs, hurrying down in reaction to the explosion.

System faced the stairwell, a blank expression on its face. It determined that it would have to remain in control to ensure its host's survival.