CHAPTER 64: STRIPPED OF THEIR BEING

"All of you here were invited to this event because you all have lost someone important to you. It could be a friend, a family member, or even an acquaintance. Hell, you could simply be sick and tired of the current structure of the world, but regardless of the reason, you all are here because we share a common goal."

The Speaker’s voice boomed through the large room, resonating with the thousands of people there. His words touched their souls, making them cry, making them feel appreciated, and making them feel like the world would change for the better.

"You, madam, tell me who you lost." The Speaker asked a woman who was in the front row of the crowd.

"I-I lost my younger brother. H-He..." The woman studdered, tears welling in her eyes as she struggled to continue.

"It’s okay, my sister. You may speak about your trauma. Everyone here has suffered, just like you. We are all family here." The Speaker said to her softly.

"My brother was taken advantage of by many women. He couldn’t fight back. There was no justice at all when we went to the police about it either! A-And one day, I went to his room to give him breakfast, and I found him dead. He overdosed." The woman collapsed onto the floor, sobbing hysterically, and a man beside her had to comfort her.

"Thank you for sharing your trauma." The Speaker clasped his hands together in a praying motion, then spread them apart when he continued speaking.

"Do you see this, my brothers and sisters? The system that caters to men fails men. But the women who control the system also fail their fellow women. How was there no justice served for her family? How come her brothers’ assailants we gone unpunished? Tell me, is that fair?! IS THAT RIGHT?!"

"No!"

"It’s bullshit!"

"We want justice!"

"We want change!"

Angela could sympathize with the people here. While she hasn’t lost anyone close to her, she knows how devastating it would be if she did. Still, she didn’t agree with the Cult’s methods. They blew up Olympus, killing thousands of innocent men and women, blew up the Aegis Corps space station, and were working on weapons of mass destruction.

"I don’t get it. How could they feed into this guy’s insanity so easily?" Angela asked, squeezing Jin’s hand harder.

"When people share something in common, especially trauma, they tend to navigate toward people who understand their pain and want to make it better. Like moths to a flame. It’s a classic manipulation tactic, and these people are too hurt to see it." Jin held her hand tighter as well.

"Change, my brothers and sisters, is what you all shall get! No longer will we be oppressed by those in power! No longer shall we be oppressed by women WITH power! And no longer shall we men go unheard of in this world! Bring out the main event!" The Speaker signaled to one of his people, and they clicked a button on a terminal.

’Let’s see what this is about.’ Jin was ready.

A part of the floor opened on the stage, and four pillars rose out of it. On those pillars were four women strapped to them with power-damning cuffs to prevent them from using their abilities.

"My brothers and sisters, allow us to demonstrate our plan for the future." The Speaker was handed a gun that had a glass cylinder at the top, like a paintball gun, and had three mechanical arms around the end of the barrel, like a claw machine game.

"Let me go, you stupid fuck! I’ll burn your ugly face!" One of the women struggled to break free.

"You think you’re so tough because you managed to capture us? You had to rely on these stupid restraints to do so!"

"Once I break free from this, I will kill all of you!"

"You’re fucking dead! You hear me? DEAD!"

"Listen to these animals insult me, insult US, because of our powerlessness. If it weren’t for the advancements in technology, we would have suffered at their hands. But this will all change." The Speaker aimed the gun at the first woman.

"These women are criminals who killed, assaulted, and took advantage of both men and women. Now, I shall make you pay for your crimes. Release her." He demanded his subordinates.

The first woman, who had fire abilities, was released from her restraints.

"Haha! Die!" The woman leaped into the air and sent a torrent of flames in the direction of the Speaker. But instead of moving, he stood still.

A barrier protected him from any damage, and his weapon started humming while the claw at the end started spinning.

"Ha, you think that puny weapon is going to do anything to me? I’ll blast it to bits!"

"We’ll see about that." The weapon fired, a spiraling, wavy beam blasting toward the woman. She fought back, blasting the beam with her flames, but they were useless against whatever the beam was, instantly being absorbed by the weapon.

"What the fuck?!" The woman tried to retreat, but it was too late, and the beam connected with her.

"Argggghhhhhhh!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHHHHGGHHHHHH!!!!!"

Her body contorted with pain. It felt like her very being was being stripped away by the gun. The attack didn’t hurt her physically, doing no damage to her body; instead, it attacked her insides, her DNA, her powers.

"W-Witness this, my brothers and sisters! This is the f-future!" The energy the weapon was producing was a lot to handle, but the Speaker held on.

"AAGGGHH! S-STOPPP! STOOPPPPP!"

"This is for the people you hurt! This is for my brothers and sisters!" The beam, which was still connected to the woman, causing her to float in the air, started glowing, then after a few more seconds, the beam was shut off.

A golden light appeared in the glass cylinder, floating around like a balloon.

"Ugh. W-What did you do to me?" The woman used her power to burn the Speaker, but nothing came out. "W-What? My power? What happened? I-It’s gone!"

"Hehehe, hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHA! Feast your eyes on this, my brothers and sisters! This is the future!"

The woman stood up, devoid of strength. She didn’t just lose her fire abilities; she lost the natural body enhancements that women had, their first level of power when they first awaken at the age of 8 to 12.

"Now, on to the rest."