Chapter 483 (2/2)

First the Dead Shot Skill, then the Trick Shot, then Mana Reinforcement, then the Mana Detonation.

It was… wonderful, in a sick way. And Hank could admit to himself now that he had lost himself in that feeling.

Then, Thomas Karman was successful. He created an AI that could grow and Level in the System. It was slow, much slower than humans, for whatever reason, but it worked. Ghost was born.

Very quickly, West Providence flooded the air with small drones. Then they began to spread cameras in a more conventional way, hacking into the traffic network, at least the portions that continued to work. They sent men out in the field, carrying cameras. With these vantage points, Ghost began to learn.

After gathering a sufficient amount of data, Ghost began to make predictions. Small things at first, but then on the movements of monsters, and the optimum way to prepare to gain a Class, or the superior Paths available, and how to acquire them. It took a month, but very soon East Providence was swayed; Ghost was a powerful tool, and they intended to use it.

Thomas Karman and the then President of the United Humans Force, the UHF, brokered a deal. Ghost would be able to classify things in different categories, but the UHF Parliament would always retain the ability to pass laws regarding on how the treatment of the ranks was different.

Ghost’s first mass categorization related to cities, setting West and East Providence up as the core of the Zone. Ghost’s second categorization labeled monsters and categorized them as different metal ranks, Copper through Diamond, according to their power. Ghost’s third and final initial ranking put Citizens in different tiers, 1-5.

Well, it was one through five in name only, because the highest tier at that time was Tier 3, and Hank was one of the three people in that tier.

The attendant returned, thankfully with something dark, even if it wasn’t whiskey, and Hank threw it back with a bitter smile on his face. How bright and hopeful Hank had been in those days. It was a fleeting, almost tragic naivety. At the time, Hank had been a powerful supporter of the categorization of people and monsters, thinking of all the good it could do. His brother had been right there with them, the Howard twins the vocal minority urging for Ghost’s virtues. The higher tiers would face the danger, the lower tiers would understand when certain threats were beyond their ability to deal with.

Hank had swiftly learned what a fool he had been, and how much a label could warp people.

Three weeks after the Citizenship Tiers were instituted, a Tier 3 man raped a Tier 1 woman, and his defense was his higher Tier entitled him to superior privileges.

“Well what can you do,” Alan Howard had said, an embarrassed smile on his face, “This is America. People will say the stupidest shit.”

At the time, Hank had been close to agreeing. It was just one fool, and the court denied that defense. The man was thrown in jail. But…

But it set a tone. Of course, it was clear that one couldn’t flaunt the law. But many wondered, based on the language of the judges, whether the decision would have been the same if the crime was a less severe one…

Of course, realities of the world being what they were, the man was let off on probation after 6 months. And once he was freed-

Hank stopped himself right there. Thinking about that whole ordeal would just piss him off even more, and with how today’s schedule was being lined up, Hank wanted to start out in as good of a mood as possible.

Unfortunately, the train was already pulling into the station.

Hank ordered two more shots to go.