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What is your level?

Alternative Names: Level Unknown
Author: Atul
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller, Future, Horror
Year: 2023
Status: Ongoing

Jumal, a school boy realizes he is now able to see levels of people right above their heads, its unreal but at the same time feels much real, with little to no understanding of how he possesses this great power he explores the world in search of knowledge and strength.

The only flaw of his great powers is that he can not see his own level which is going to drive him mad until he realizes that someone might have the same powers, but this person whoever this is not an ordinary person, their intentions are cruel and disastrous filled with anger and revenge, lust of power and Jumal a law student knows exactly how to get this person to his knees and surrender in the hands of law.

1

God lived here

I'm Jumal, a law student, living in the city of Cardona, just an ordinary person living in the most ordinary city on the planet, nothing ever happens here, everything here is so normal that even if someone in the neighbourhood decides to visit the doctor it becomes news. People tend to live normal lives with a day job and small families of two-three and a small pet mostly a cat. I lived alone leaving my house for college hoping that it helps me focus more on my studies considering how tough is to get a law degree in the country.

I live on the north side of the city which is less crowded, I was able to rent a place with two rooms enough for my living and study, also it was the nearest place to my college which I try to attend more often than I require to do so. The life of a student is hard in the cities considering the amount of pressure the family has and the amount of daily work a person has to do. It's difficult to digest that a 19-year-old has to study at least 12 hours to get a good living and education.

My life at my home was amazing, mom used to make meals, dad used to play video games with me, and now it's all changed. I don't even have time to visit them that often. My schedule for the day is very tight and there's very little time I can put into doing something that I never planned.

May 31, Today is the day to get admitted into the next semester, there's this process of submitting fresh documents and filling up forms at the college management office, just to get admitted to the next semester. Sounds so silly that I am a student of the college studying for an entire year, but I still need to submit documents proving that I belong to this college and my identity is what I say. Well, the process is not so long but the line today is. There are two people ahead of me, I know one of them, Asayi, head of Class 10, and son of the Mayor, is very arrogant but probably the most intelligent boy in the city.

The line moved, and it was Asayi's turn to submit the documents, he holds a huge file with multiple papers, I think most of them will be certificates from contests he won at. He submitted the docs, and I was getting ready for my turn when the clerk spoke saying that the docs were wrong, I paid attention and started checking my bunch of papers, I never made any mistakes, and maybe the format changed this year. The clerk clarified that the identity document had the wrong address and the one that shows income had the wrong details too, he didn't want to accept the form and ordered to correct these details. Asayi got mad he didn't want others to know that the income doc he presented is faked, so they can get around taxation. Rich people often try to hide the fact that they are rich by making fake documents. The clerk wouldn't accept such a document, and Asayi started arguing with no outcome.

Just then Asayi took out his wallet from the back pocket of his pants, a leather black wallet, filled with green notes, my first thought this might be the semester fees, but it wasn't he took out a bundle of it and I knew he wasn't paying his fees but was bribing the management to accept his fake documents. I believe the management to not allow such behaviour I'm sure now they will punish Asayi for such a stunt, but to a shock they accepted it, not only that, but they also accepted the form and allowed this person to next semester, I hate people who accept bribe that too in an institute who is teaching that bribery is a crime. I will report this to the government, not to the media. But it will never get out I'm sure of it. The world is so corrupt everyone is so cruel, no one wants to follow the rules, and no one is disciplined. I am going to work day and night to sort this out I am going to get a law degree and punish all these people no matter what their status is, they all will be punished by me.

Snap out of it Jumal, you are not very good at law either, that's true said my inner voice, I was supposed to finish my education this year, but I failed twice already and still has another year to complete, I am so determined to be a lawyer but can't even get good marks in the most basic subjects. Why is it so hard to get marks? I'm good at understanding criminal cases but not that good at explaining them. I try to solve cases that are pending with some clues here and there I have derived solutions but what use if I can't even get good marks to pass and get a real judge to judge them?

Another day is gone, and nothing is learned, only the frustration of people and the way the world is revolving around the sun everyone wants to take shortcuts. Asayi bribing the management, the management accepting the fees, altering the records, the government accepting illegal documents, the mayor himself building fake trails of success, and so on. The world needs a cleansing, it needs a rule set, it needs someone who can tell exactly which person is doing good and who is committing bad things. There should be a number system if the person does a good deed their level increases just like my high score on the Pacman game in the Bard Arcade if a person does bad he loses his life. I'm a gamer too but only for Pacman, this game drives me nuts when someone beats my score, so I spent way too much time on it during nighttime. Currently, I have the highest score, and it is displayed on the board of the Arcade, Jumal #1 with a score of 4500000, unbeaten for, 2 years.

One day, I'm going to finish my law degree and create cases to rule out all the criminals I have collected over the years. I will make them guilty in court and the eyes of the law and make the world a good living place.

2

Devil isn't that far

Boranth Corp. is the biggest and richest of all industries and firms on the planet but very few actually know about this financially big organization whose whole responsibility is to keep society functioning by providing funds to middle corporations and government agencies. I am the director member of the board and my only responsibility is to handle people who work below me, I worked so hard for this my entire life, I studied hard and started working at a very early age. I am Azreal, businessman. I am always in search of power full of my abilities. I handle most of the infrastructure and banking facilities, every bank manager is my employee.

Today is just like any other day as I woke up at 4:00 am, and made myself a hot coffee. The sun hasn't risen yet, but some buildings have lights turned on. My building is the only building in the vicinity with 50 floors that stood so high that in rainy seasons I can see the clouds from my windows. All these small buildings around me are like peasants to me, they stink and stay rotten, if even a single one could have dared and risked to become like me, they could have escaped from the reality, they don't have the guts, they don't want to shed some blood.

I shed not a single drop but rivers, and lakes of blood on my way to the top, I don't care about meaningless lives becoming obstacles in my way even if it is family, Yes, especially if it is family, cause when that happens the world respects you more, the more they respect you the more they fear for their life. I can teach all these peasants how to live under me, I shall conquer this business world, I do to some extent, but I want more.

My assistant messaged me that the Aus Deal is going to be arranged for the day, I got ready as usual driving my way to the office, I was ready for anything thrown by the Aus manager Mr Saki, a white-bearded strong man, anyone talking to him will lower his own voice to give this man the respect he thinks he deserves, but I know exactly how to handle such kind of situations and I don't lower my voice not even if it means a loss for the company.

Mr Saki agreed to provide us with the infrastructure so that the next company building could be built. It is supposed to build in the centre of Cardona city. But he had a condition, the condition was that the amount paid for the deal should be double what is required. Half is the official amount for the deal and the other half is the commission. Saki who had nothing to do with the deal and was just a middleman, wanted so much percentage of the commission is bad for the deal and my company. I knew just then what I have to do so that Mr Saki gets us the deal and we don't have to lose anything. I know the right medicine for this job. I have to take him down today!

The deal was done, I paid Mr Saki 5000M Dollars, of which half was paid by wire while the other half was paid cash, it was clear as day that Saki was robbing us, but we have to get the deal done, and he is the only person who can get this done. Mr Saki and I shared a bottle of rich whiskey, he laughed like a small child, and he told old stories of how we planned to become a businessman. But he doesn't have any idea of what is about to come, what is about to happen to the child-like laugh of his? No one is going to hear from him the next day. You will regret this meeting Saki, you are going to pay for the loss with your useless life. So Saki left with a happy face, and I can't wait to see his red one in the newspapers.

I don't commit murder, I just order them, my assassin X is ordered to kill Mr Saki by a road accident so no one suspects us, it will be just like a tragedy. Oh, poor Saki, you will pay for the loss you cause to the company. X will not only put you down but will fetch all the money back, so you can lose only one thing, your life.

My secretary, Ash, a blonde with blue eyes, walked in, she was explaining to me, how Mr Saki dies in an accident, how the money bag disappeared. and how this all can be bad for the deal. I was very happy with the results, and unknowingly I burst saying he got what he deserves and of course, it was planned. The secretary was shocked her eyes wide open, her face slowly turning pale, she was silent for a minute or more and burst out of the room apologizing for bringing the news.

This was a mistake I can not let something like this small distract me from making a mistake in public, no one should know about this. Even though I didn't say much, it did reveal my intentions and I can be found guilty. Guilty of a murder which I technically did not commit, or did I? who cares. I could call her, tell her what I meant or could let her know that I did but for a reason. That will be foolish, there's no going back. What if while she travels home today by the train and accidentally falls on the tracks just when the train arrives, and her skull gets crushed by the wheels of the train and the blood splatters around the station and everyone screams out loud, yeah that will be a good scene!

I am back home, I usually watch some news before going to bed, and voilà, a woman falls on the track of Nasro Station this evening at 7 pm, was it a suicide? was it an accident? no one knows. Isn't that exactly what I predicted this afternoon, yes I did and in such details. Ha ha, the life of a human being is so fragile even a small decision can make you lose your pathetic life. Life is just a meaningless joke which can end just by the smallest decision possible. Only
god knows how long you live, or only I know how long you can live. I am the angel of death, Azreal! bow before me!

3

Accident or a Blessing?

I woke up early today even though it's Sunday, I have to go to the Arcade, some kid broke by a high score, he probably slept in the arcade as well. I have to put up another big score, can't let anyone else take my place. I can't wait, I will run there and get it sorted.

Today is different in some ways, the sky is clear and the sun is shining with full potential and I hate the heat, I am very prone to strokes but haven't had one in a while. Sundays are movies day, I stay in my room the whole day watching movies, tv series, and anime, and reading some novels. I am not that lazy but there is nothing else to do on Sundays, it is the only day on my calendar which is empty with room for all fun things, and today it's empty for Pacman.

There is unusual walking traffic on the sideways, it's time to take a shortcut, there is only one shortcut right under the bridge through the ways of the underground. I hardly travel underground, but I know it all I spent so much time in the city that I know which road leads to what not only that, but I also know where are houses of some celebrities and notorious business person. They have big houses, huge properties and fancy cars. I would like to get a car someday, It would have been great if Pacman players would get paid. Yeah, that will be something.

The underground was just ahead, It was all sunny throughout the walk, I walked around the road and started climbing down the set of stairs, the stairs are usually kept clean, and they were quite clean today. The stairs were wet I read the sign and slowed down, but I lost control and couldn't stop, I won't stop, too late now going to fall and brake a bone for sure. Someone save me!

"Yes he fell right on his head!"

Jumal how are you feeling? I hear this voice in my head, it is throbbing with pain, my head hurts like I just fall down the stairs. Yes, I fell down that stairway, but it wasn't that deadly, I can't open my eyes. I have to try harder. Where am I? Is this a hospital? I am in a hospital, this is the nurse, I have been unconscious for 15 hours. The hospital informed my family but no one arrived, that's strange how can no one come to visit me?

I can't believe I fell from the stairs and ended up here, how am I going to pay for the bills, this is so bad, the nurse is still here looking through the report, and it's multiple pages, what are these people cooking? I can tell them I'm a law student they might not charge me extra. Wait a minute! Am I hallucinating? What is it that I'm seeing on the nurse's head, is that a ... that can't be right.

I asked the nurse if I'm on any medicines, any stronger ones, and she replied saying I'm on morphine. Morphine is for pain right, why would I be hallucinating? The doctor came in, and I see it, it is a number, a numerical figure right on top of their heads like scores in a video game, and its red, and they are not solid but floating like animals. Am Have I gone mad? This is not something ordinary, it's weird. The doctor asked me how I was doing and told me that I can leave in the evening or tomorrow if I want to stay longer.

I don't care anymore if I stay here or go out, the only thing that is bothering me is this number on people's heads, it was on the nurse's head and the doctor's and the other nurse's which came in the morning. Wait a minute, I need to see a mirror, there is a bathroom, there should be a mirror. I walked inside the bathroom and there was a small mirror enough to see my face. My head was bandaged tightly and a spot of blood where I probably hit myself in the head. I raised my eyes to look just above my head, and I saw it.

I saw that I have nothing like what I saw in other people. I can't see it, where is my number, this is weirder than seeing numbers on top of people's heads. It's the cause of the bandage, maybe my number is stuck inside. That's stupid, maybe these medicines did affect me, and now I am probably no more in the effect. I should go out and visit other rooms to see if I still see it.

No matter whether I can see it now or not, it is fascinating that something like this happens, the number was like a score no more like a level or could be years for how long they live. That's not possible if that was the year the doctor would be living for 98 more years. And the nurse for 65 more years. Maybe it can be the total years, that's possible. But the average life span is just around 60, these people must be lucky then. Let's not waste time here, just go home watch another movie, and go to bed. I will beat my score next Sunday. Hopefully, the bill is not as big as my pocket.

I left the hospital but the receptionist, the doctors, the patients, and the nurse all had that number right on their heads, I could read it so clearly that I don't think it is any hallucination anyone could ever experience. Looks like I got extra power-ups when I fell from that stairs. I am so confused about what is happening to me. The odd thing is that I can't see my level. Yes, I'm going to call it a level because I don't think it is the year people are going to live for. The reason is I just saw one person with the number 135, which can only mean it is some kind of level, yes also I think he was the head of some charity organization.

I need to figure out more about this, I am able to see levels on all of these people. There, is an old man sitting in the park feeding the pigeons, he is on level 150, and the old lady, probably his wife with level 148. As the old lady started throwing some
bread crumbs, something happened, something changed, yes, the level of the old lady just turned to 149, does this mean feeding pigeons increase your level? How often does this increase? I'm sure the couple feed the pigeons every day, no way the level changes every day. There was some noise at the end of the park, right near the sushi hotel, looks like the owner is upset with the waiter for something, looks like the waiter drop food on a customer, and the owner is cursing and hitting this poor waiter. Wait a minute! when I first saw the owner had level 65, now suddenly it is level 65, could this be... no way... it is that simple, if you do good deeds you level up and if do something bad you level down!

But what does this level represents, it's just a badge, what if someone is of a high level? Well, it is getting late I should hurry and rest, hope I don't lose this power when I wake up. I am home! long walk but what I don't get is what I'm going to do with this weird power to see other people's level and not mine. Why not mine? Maybe, the power givers don't want me to improve my level. But I can increase my level by just doing something good, any good deed with surely reward me +1 level. It could be possible that I'm already at a very high level, I never did anything bad all I thought was of good things. I can't sleep like this, let's watch some T.V. before I sleep.

T.V. is no exception, I can still see digital levels, yup everyone has it. I have a reality show, 'The Life', on right now. All the characters have levels around 50-140, the average is quite bad considering the old couple had a good level. Even the waiter was good enough. There is one person in this show, who has a good level of 170, this might be the highest I've seen yet. He is respected by all the other members, but he doesn't come up on the video often, he is very shy. This show will probably get rid of him since he won't provide much content. No matter what he does, everyone still loves him and respects him, talks nicely, and listens to him. He is more like a leader to them, but he is hardly a leadership figure.

Wait, I stood quickly ran to my computer, turned it on, opened the internet browser, and searched for Mr Borth, he is an actor, and I saw it. Then I searched for Mrs Uni, a political person, and there it was. I again searched for Juyo Anuyai a writer and social figure, and there it was. All of them had a level greater than Level 300. This only means one thing, this is incredible, it means 'The higher the level you are the more you will be respected in society!'.

4

The world awaits for him

Are there other people who can see this kind of level? Are there people who fell off stairs and then gained such an incredible amount of power? Honestly, I don't get, how something like this can be said of power it doesn't allow you to fly, nor does it help you to get X-ray eyes. That is something of the sort of power someone would expect to get in an extraordinary circumstance.

I always want to get some power of my own, but now that I have one of them, which is not only weird and unhelpful, it is the most useless power of all. I can't fly, nor can I laser to people, nor can I throw webs. It's completely useless and I don't like it even If I can tell if someone is a good person just by looking at their level. Also, I cannot prove if someone is really doing well in society or is just acting to be a good person. And yes the level of someone acting to be good is really high. I just saw someone who is not a good person and know that for a fact has a level 150 which seems like he might be a good person in not really the good one. He is respected among all the members of the club he is in. Even if he is around me. I tend to respect him, but he is not really a good person.

Maybe, some people get good levels even if they don't do the right thing but still end up with higher levels, These' are the people the world should be scared of, they seem normal more like likeable but end up being the evilest person on the planet. You would hate them in the most general form, but end up loving them, just the case they seem so lovely in the meantime, and you left a soul right afoot, you found them so friendly, you end up trusting the soul of dark and rotten.

Maybe that is why I'm able to see exactly who is trying to be good and who is actually being the bad person in society. These people who pretend to be good by just doing a very small amount of good in contrast to what cruelty they do when no one is looking at them is much more affecting their level than the amount of good they do. People don't realize that good deeds tend to live more than bad deeds live. A bad deed is of evil, it stays a long time, it rots, and stinks, rots till it has no meaning, the world needs to cleanse, the world needs to sort all the evil then only it can survive.

The world I see now is more of the dark side, even the levels are. The world is not doing any good, not even good as the old couple. They have been true to themselves and society to keep it good and achieve such a level. I will try to do well no matter what I just want my level to be positive and higher than I think I can achieve.

The level is the only thing that will drive this world onwards, latest for me because I found the secret to long life and good life that you have to be good to society and everyone else case that is what defines you the world you live in and the good you do.

The world needs to change, it needs to get better, and I need to step in to make things better. I will get my law degree and judge the people and make them pay for all the bad they have done, I will make everyone person a good person by judging their level. I shall bring peace with all my efforts. Yes! that is what I'm going to do from now on. I am going to focus on my studies and get my degree in no time.

From that day onwards, I was motivated to get things done, get my life straight and work to be the best lawyer the world has ever seen. It's been two years, my exams went well. I studied so much for this, nothing will go to waste. I can't believe that I'm living my dream and seeing it get completed when the results are in. The results are tomorrow, I still have a day to celebrate, but I'm scared I don't want to reattend college this year too.

The results are in, and I have done it, I just didn't pass but scored highest among all the others. It is just like I have dreamt of, myself in my school uniform, celebrating my first place in college, it's unbelievable like a dream. But I have done it, officially I'm a lawyer, the first thing I will do is join a firm which I've been following lately, they have an opening for a fresher and this is the opportunity I've been waiting for. I will join the firm and start creating cases on the worst people that I can find, with the least levels. I know I can help the world get better after putting my superpowers to use.

You better be scared of me low levelers, I shall demolish you from the face of the world! Not only the low levelers, also the high levelers, I need to find out how exactly does the person get high level? As I mentioned earlier there are few people who are not good people, but they have a very good level, since I established that level is something that reflects when you do something good. May be, their good deeds overwrite their bad ones, it could be a possibility, but I doubt people like this do good more than the bad things they tend to show. I hate getting into things that I can't understand, this is driving me crazy, I can't even tell no one they will just assume I lost a screw on the stairs and I should be put into mental hospital or something.

But I'm not mad, I see everything clearly, just like I used to, but now I have the proof, proof of level, a level of your head resembling the amount of good or bad person you are. I take oath that I shall bring good to this world, and I am going to make this happen!

5

Devil has powers

Boranth Corp. had me for way over 5 years now, I brought so much prestige to the company I worked so hard for the company and its business, and now it is the biggest company in the market. But it is kinda sad that very few actually know about us, the hidden offices, hidden transactions, it is very hard to get hold of us. Just a few members of the board know how exactly the company functions.

It was just any other day for me, waking up early making hot coffee and getting ready for the office. As always I went to the bathroom to freshen up and look in the mirror. I saw something unusual today, there was something, some number right above my head, it is like a name tag. It is red and dancing right above my head, the number is 202. I ignore it and go to my office while driving, I'm seeing this number on everyone's head, it is weird it is like a name tag, not like a number tag on vehicles. More like a designation, maybe the number represents the higher you are in society.

I am just at 202, which is sad, there are other people with numbers like 100, 120, 121, 32, etc. There are children on the side of the road with 180, 192, etc. skills, even children are at a higher level than other humans. I arrive at my office, there is some fight going on with the staff members, the head Mr Nino is shouting at his colleagues, his skill is 120, he seems very angry. Just when I was about to get into the elevator, he hit one of his colleagues, and there I see it! his skill now is 118, did he just lose 2 points, maybe cause he hit him? Can it be possible?

What is the use of this skill though? The more I think about it the more I get it, people with higher skill point are actually managers and department heads, they are getting respected by others, and maybe since their skill point is higher they are getting respected even more. Does it affect only the people we know or every other person? I believe it should work on everyone cause you possess higher skill points than others. I think I should work on improving my skill point and then I can gain respect from everyone.

It's another of those meetings today, where we have to discuss the unwanted way to put end to someone, or I should say put someone down when they don't follow the advice we give them. Mr Nakashi, head of business, is the person who will be handling this job, it's their first time. And I see that he is not so skilful too. His skill point is just 50, and he is about the put down this person who owns a shop in the city. I have his photo in my hand, and I see his skill too, it's 120, very high indeed. He must be a good person but in our case, he is not. We decided to put an end to his life today, it was the decision of the board, and no decisions go out of the board, so we can remain clean.

The result of the meeting will be announced today itself, right in the evening before we end the day. I have been working so long in the company, but they never delay the results, and the cruelty and punctuality of the organization are always on point. The board members are a highly intelligent species in themselves, you could classify them as the next Einstein or even compare them with serial killers, at last, they are murders and so am I, but to get where I am standing you have to drop some blood. And the blood which was spilt today has finally arrived, the mission or I should say the task was successful Mr Nakashi got it done as expected and fairly clean considering it was his first job.

Mr Nakashi entered the meeting room just like a hero, the room is filled with a round of applause, he certainly deserves it, wait I minute! I recall that Nakashi had a skill of 50, but now it is 170, could it be that 50 plus 120, after the murder, 170.

If the person did something bad but end up killing them, receive their skill, it is that simple. It means Nakashi gain the skill from the victim, the respect everyone is giving, is it why? So If I kill Nakashi could become 202 plus 170! I found the secret, I found the way to climb to the top, Azreal, the business man of the world is going to conquer everyone and you will respect me. I will kill all of them and gain what is mine!

I need a plan!