Dr. Zimrmann called the eting back to order, and I could feel the shift in energy as everyone settled into their seats. The casual conversations of the recess gave way to the focused tension of high-stakes diplomacy. This was it—the mont where everything I’d been building toward would either succeed or catastrophically fail.
"Before we were interrupted," I said, standing to address the room, "we were discussing a fundantal question about global governance. I’d like to return to that core issue: should I, Reynard Vale, be regarded as a viable candidate to challenge the current World President?"
The directness of my approach seed to catch so delegates off guard. Several shifted uncomfortably in their seats, while others leaned forward with renewed interest. I’d essentially forced up to speed up our decision regarding my own candidacy, which was either bold or suicidal.
Valeska was the first to respond, rising gracefully from her seat.
"The answer to that question," she said, her voice carrying easily through the room, "should be quite clear. We have the System. The System has granted the current World President the job of World President, which ans he is the one chosen to rule. To suggest otherwise is to question the fundantal order that has governed our world for millennia."
It was a classic appeal to tradition and authority, but delivered with the kind of confidence that made it sound like simple common sense. I could see several delegates nodding thoughtfully, as if she’d articulated sothing they’d been thinking but couldn’t quite put into words.
Samuel cut in before I could respond. "With respect, President Valeska, that logic has a significant flaw. The System has blessed Mr. Vale with the unprecedented ability to hold multiple jobs simultaneously. Who’s to say that World President couldn’t be one of them in the near future?"
"Because he doesn’t currently have it," Volkov interjected, his voice carrying the weight of economic authority. "We’re discussing present realities, not theoretical possibilities. Mr. Vale may have unique abilities, but he lacks the specific qualification that matters most."
Dubois leaned forward, his diplomatic instincts clearly engaged. "But surely governntal support could facilitate that transition? If multiple nations endorsed his candidacy, the System might recognize the legitimacy of his claim to leadership."
Chen spoke up from her position near the center of the room. "That’s entirely speculative. Such a process could take years to accomplish, assuming it’s even possible. We’re talking about overturning established governntal structures based on nothing more than hope and conjecture."
Before the conversation could devolve further, Liang i’s voice cut through with the precision of soone accustod to analyzing complex data.
"Actually," she said, "my psychological profiling indicates that Mr. Vale demonstrates beyond abnormal growth patterns. He has achieved high ranks in seven different jobs in less than two years. That kind of advancent is unprecedented in recorded System history."
"Which could an he’s uniquely qualified," Samuel added, "or that there are factors we don’t understand at work."
"Exactly my concern," Valeska replied smoothly. "Unknown factors should make us more cautious, not less."
The debate continued for what felt like hours, with argunts flowing back and forth across the room. So delegates remained silent, clearly trying to gauge which way the political winds were blowing before committing to a position. Others engaged passionately, their national interests and personal convictions driving them to take sides.
But as I listened to the discussion, I realized sothing troubling: despite all the complex argunts being made, everyone was still operating within the sa fundantal frawork. They were debating the chanics of System-based governance, not questioning whether that governance structure was inherently valid.
Finally, I stood again.
"The perspective you’re all taking," I said, cutting through the ongoing debate, "is completely wrong."
The room fell silent. Several delegates looked genuinely confused, as if I’d just announced that gravity worked sideways.
"What do you an?" Chen asked, her information broker instincts clearly engaged.
"You’re still depending entirely on the System," I said, activating Persuasive Arguntation. "All of you. Every argunt, every justification, every concern. It all cos back to what the System has granted or hasn’t granted, what it recognizes or doesn’t recognize. But why should that be the only asure of legitimacy?"
I could see the confusion spreading across faces throughout the room. The question seed to genuinely perplex them, as if I’d asked why the sun should be hot or plants should grow.
"Just two months before this eting," I continued, "I encountered an S-Rank Hacker who called himself Hyena. The System had granted him incredibly high abilities. He could penetrate virtually any digital defense, manipulate information systems at will, and coordinate complex cyber operations across multiple networks simultaneously."
I paused, making eye contact with various delegates around the room.
"He was also a cruel man who kidnapped children and subjected them to horrific experiences. He conditioned people for his personal gains, destroyed lives without care, and showed absolutely no regard for human suffering. But according to your logic, his S-Rank status made him more worthy of authority than most of the people in this room."
The point was landing. I could see it in the way several delegates shifted uncomfortably, in the thoughtful frowns appearing on faces that had been confident just monts before.
"The sa principle applies to our current World President," I pressed on. "He has allowed human experintation to flourish unchecked. He has permitted systematic discrimination based on job rankings to beco entrenched in our global society. He has presided over increasing inequality and social instability while doing nothing aningful to address these problems. I an the general populace wasn’t even aware that we had a World President to begin with!"
Murmurs of agreent began spreading through the room. Even so of the delegates who had seed firmly opposed to my candidacy were nodding thoughtfully.
"The System grants abilities," I continued, "but it doesn’t grant wisdom, compassion, or moral authority. Those things co from character, from choices, from the willingness to put the common good above personal advantage. High rank doesn’t automatically equal good leadership."
The montum was building. I could feel it in the room’s energy, see it in the way conversations were starting to break out among previously silent delegates. For the first ti since the eting began, I felt like I might actually be winning.
Then Valeska stood.
"This argunt goes against everything we have done for millennia," she said, and sothing in her voice was different. Not louder, not more forceful, but sohow more compelling in a way that bypassed rational analysis.
Almost imdiately, I saw heads beginning to nod around the room. Not the thoughtful consideration I’d been generating, but sothing more automatic, more instinctive. Delegates who had been agreeing with just monts before were now looking at Valeska with expressions of dawning realization, as if she’d revealed so obvious truth they’d temporarily forgotten.
My Instinct skill flared with warning. This wasn’t normal persuasion—this was sothing else entirely.
"The System has been the foundation of our civilization," Valeska continued, her words seeming to resonate with unnatural authority. "It has provided stability, order, and progress for thousands of years. To abandon that foundation now would be the height of foolishness."
More nods, more expressions of agreent. Even Dubois and Liang i were beginning to look uncertain, their previous support wavering under the influence of whatever technique Valeska was employing.
This had to be her job title at work. She wasn’t actually countering any of my points or presenting compelling evidence against my position. But her words were having far more impact than normal Persuasive Speaking would allow. The room was being subtly manipulated, influenced by abilities that operated below the level of conscious awareness.
I forced myself to stop listening to the specific content of what she was saying and focused entirely on my Instinct skill, using it to maintain ntal clarity against whatever psychological conditioning she was employing. The effect was imdiate. I could feel the subtle pressure that had been building in my mind ease sowhat.
But maintaining that defense was taking concentration, and I needed to do more than just protect myself. I needed to counter her influence entirely.
Ti for the nuclear option.
I open my System window and thought about using my Universal Reward Token, feeling its weight both ntally and symbolically. This was one of the most valuable items I possessed, capable of copying any previous reward I’ve ever had. I’d been saving it for exactly this kind of ergency.
Use Universal Reward Token to advance Instinct from Level 8 to Level 9?
The System’s confirmation appeared in my vision, and imdiately I felt the upgrade take effect upon thinking the word yes. The difference between Level 8 and Level 9 was dramatic. Every advancent past Level 8 was beyond difficult to achieve, but the rewards were well worth it. My awareness sharpened, my ability to detect and resist ntal influence strengthened exponentially.
Now I could not only protect myself from Valeska’s manipulation but clearly perceive exactly how she was affecting others in the room. The job title she was using operated through subtle vocal modulations, micro-expressions, and what appeared to be so form of psychological conditioning that made her words bypass critical thinking entirely.
But knowing how she was doing it wasn’t enough. I needed to match her technique.
I activated my Copy skill and focused it on Valeska, specifically targeting her Persuasive Speaking. The System responded imdiately:
Skill Copied: Persuasive Speaking (Lv. 1)
Note: Base skill level copied. Additional enhancents from job titles or other modifications not included.
Level 1 would normally be almost useless against her Level 8 ability, but that wasn’t the point. I wasn’t planning to match her skill for skill—I was planning to do sothing that would make skill levels irrelevant entirely.
I took a deep breath and made the decision that would either save this eting or end my political career before it truly began.
System, I thought with absolute determination, activate Full Profession Sync.
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