16 Complete Digestion
Looking at the results of the simulation, Alexander could confirm that although he would suffer some bad luck for the next 24 hours, it probably won't cause him to die.
At the same time, he was reminded of both his Intis spy neighbor and his father's MI9 friend.
He recalled that they were both mentioned in his first simulations, but around a month had passed and they hadn't appeared in reality, so he had forgotten about them.
Being invited to join their intelligence agency should be considered the biggest way that his luck suffered.
This was not only because he was forced to sign the contracts, but joining their agencies would also have overarching consequences for the rest of his Beyonder journey.
Turning his attention to the options, the Loophole ability made Alexander think of the idea of becoming a double agent.
On second thought however, he knew that this may have been possible in another world, but in the world of the Lord of the Mysteries, divination and other such abilities exist.
Moreover, both the Intis spy and the MI9 agent shouldn't know that he is currently a Sequence 8 Barbarian, but think that he is has just come a Beyonder.
Even so, they still made him sign a contract.
One could imagine that as long as they found out that he had been promoted, they would probably find other ways to bind him even further.
Looking at the trait option, he also ruled it out, as he had yet to find the use of traits.
This left him with only the digestion progress option, something that Alexander chose without hesitation.
Knowing that there are two agents looking for him, Alexander knew that he had to find a way to break through this situation.
His intuition told him that not only would becoming a Briber boost his combat power, but it would have other benefits too.
This was not his intuition as a Beyonder, but an intuition that he had even in his past life.
Choosing the third option, the familiar relief passed through Alexander's body as he felt that his digestion progress had directly been boosted by 30%.
Alexander guessed that unless something happens, he will be able to fully digest the potion in two more simulations.
Having only two more hours before the Faceless knocked on his door, Alexander didn't hesitate to start a new simulation.
[Simulation starting...]
[3 weeks after your awakening, you have managed to become a Sequence 8 Barbarian and you possess the Red Tyrant and the Quill of Fate, further improving your power.]
[You managed to orchestrate a performance, succesfully killing two Sequence 6 Beyonders.]
[As a consequence however, you suffer bad luck for the next 24 hours.]
[You already know that your Intis spy neighbor and your father's MI9 friend are going to visit you.]
[Something inside you tells you that everything that happens after this month is meaningless.]
[Since you know that they won't bother you for the rest of the month as long as you agree, you decide to wait for them.]
[9 hours later, both of them have come.]
[With a smile on your face, you agreed to become an undercover spy, saying that it was your dream since you were a child.]
[Six hours later, you randomly get involved in a fight between two Sequence 5 Beyonders, you are already prepared and manage to flee.]
[For the next 29 days, you act as a Barbarian, frequently visiting bars and the gangs in East Borough.]
[Meanwhile the Intis spy is thinking of ways to get you into the MI9, while the Judge is thinking of ways to get you into the Intis Intelligence Agency.]
[You suddenly feel that life has no meaning other than taking massive risks.]
[You use the Quill of Fate to amplify the chances of someone completing your request.]
[Some hours later you get the ingredients needed for the Briber potion.]
[On the way home, you meet the Sequence 1 William Augustus I.]
[Taking a glance at you, he shoots you down.]
[You die.]
[Simulation ends...]
[Choose one of the following options:]
[1. List of gangs in the East Borough. Cost: 2 FP]
[2. Trait: Troublemaker. Cost: 50 FP]
[3. 45% digestion of the Barbarian potion. Cost: 150 FP]
Since Alexander knew that he only had about two hours for the agent come, he needed to get promoted to a Sequence 7 Briber as fast as possible.
As he already knew the easiest way to navigate the situation in order to digest the potion, he repeated the actions of the last situation.
This time however, he was more fortunate, as he managed to meet a Sequence 1 Angel, further boosting his digestion progress.
At the same time, he felt that either Beyonders of high enough Sequence could identify that he was special, or the world was trying to kill him.
Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense that everyone he met didn't hesitate to kill him, as if he was the plague.
Picking the third option again, his digestion progress was boosted even more.
Starting the simulation once more, he still decided to replicate his actions.
[Simulation starting...]
[3 weeks after your awakening, you have managed to become a Sequence 8 Barbarian and you possess the Red Tyrant and the Quill of Fate, further improving your power.]
[..]
[..]
[On the way home, the Sequence 1 Hidden Sage decides to gift you some knowledge.]
[You die.]
[Simulation ends...]
[Choose one of the following options:]
[1. Trait: The Duplicator. Cost: 50 FP]
[2. Ability 'Replay': After you die in reality, you can watch the replay of your death. Cost: 100 FP]
[3. 25% digestion of the Barbarian potion. Cost: 100 FP]
Alexander didn't hesitate to choose the third option once more.
Instantly, a more intense relief than usual passed through his body, as little stars flashed in his vision.
Alexander knew that this was a sign of the complete digestion of his potion.
