A deep horn sounded all over the humongous cave, waking everyone up.

I wasn't any different. Sleeping on hard soil had made me sore, but I stood up quickly and looked around, before everyone else also stood up and made it hard for me to assess my surroundings.

Unfortunately, my fat nerd seventeen-year-old self didn't inspire much confidence. Therefore, I was trying to recognize anyone I could use to assert dominance over a large number of people before the God of Beginnings came.

The First Floor was the size of Earth. But instead of spreading us, the Tower had grouped every single one of the eight billion humans together and put us sleeping naked side by side for now. There was no source of light but the First Floor was special in giving humanity a few advantages to survive, darkvision among them.

The first days would be ugly. When despair and chaos fell on humanity, the worst of us would quickly band together to do evil deeds, and it tempted more than repulsed the not so bad of us. The division into villages that would happen soon didn't make it any easier to bring order to everyone.

I usually only used the obligatory three days struck in the First Floor to get a few titles and develop a few skills, barely interacting with anyone. Then I left as fast as possible, as there was no reason to save people who would just revive on the next reset. Not to mention dealing with all the social bullshit that was soon to come was annoying unless I went crazy on them.

Well, one of the purposes of this run was going crazy, wasn't it? I had actually never turned humankind into a dictatorship under my rule. It was too much work and didn't give me anything but control over humanity. And humankind were just a bunch of weaklings when compared to the other races. Not worth it.

But this time, I would rule over humanity as soon as possible.

I couldn't rule over eight billion people in a few hours or even weeks. No, it would take a few years and a lot of climbing back from the upper floors when I achieved some power. But it would be fun.

A smile blossomed on my face when I recognized the Iron Bull of New York. He was the worst type of scum. The type which would be executed before humanity reached level ten despite being a much needed powerhouse to push forward. He made even the evil guys disgusted.

But he was also a bodybuilder and MMA expert. Using him in the beginning and getting rid of him later wouldn't be an issue, and might even help. After all, the masses would appreciate a dictator who curbed corruption and evilness in his midst.

"Hey, are you the Iron Bull of New York?!" I put as much surprise and admiration on my voice as possible.

The man, who was sitting and looking dazed around, looked at me.

"Yes?" He sounded unsure.

"I'm a great fan! Watched all your fights!" I started approaching with difficulty, moving around all the people, most of whom had sat down already. I tripped twice, still getting used to my weak body again.

"So?" The Iron Bull asked. He was the kind of person who saw his fans as inferior beings.

"Don't you remember your interview to the Body and Sweat magazine a few years ago?!" I asked, sounding surprised. There was no such interview, but the Iron Bull had gone to so many interviews while high, he didn't remember half of them.

"What about it?"

He stood up, his powerful build attracting stares of admiration and fear from those nearby. Exactly what I needed.

"You said you wanted to be a hero when you grow up, didn't you?!" I insisted. Luckily, the Iron Bull had said enough lies to promote his image that he would believe having said it. "Can't you see this is the perfect chance?! Look at all these people around! Everyone naked, unarmed, vulnerable, in need of a hero! That's you, man! Be our hero! Lead us!"

That was Manipulation 101, give the confused man a goal before he found one by himself. One the Iron Bull's first run on the Tower, the women around him suffered. Now, he would become their shield instead.

That wasn't enough to change the man's nature, but it only had to hold until I found like-minded people that could apply peer-pressure or even manhandle him with numbers if he went rogue.

If it didn't work, I could kill him. Everyone's attributes had been set to 1, which meant an average human in power. Despite our looks, I was as strong and as fast as the Iron Bull. The difference was that I was much more experienced in killing people than he was. Really, despite being an MMA fighter, the guy was less than thirty years old, while I had almost a thousand years of experience killing people.

Using him alive would bring me more people. But if it came to it, killing him might work as an intimidation and awe factor to attract some people too.

"I mean," I continued, "look at all these gracious women. You said you liked how heroes had all the ladies. I'm no lady, but I'd do my best to follow a hero who protects us from the evil men that will surely realize all the vulnerable women laying naked around."

Confusion was visible on his eyes as he took in his options. Be the hero or become an evil man himself? I would give him no time to weigh them and choose poorly though.

"Listen, everyone!" I yelled when I got close to the Iron Bull. "This man here is the Iron Bull of New York! A champion MMA fighter! He'll protect us from whatever is happening! Righteous women and children, get close! Honourable men, let's form a protective ring around the vulnerable! Let the Iron Bull stay in the middle and lead us! Whoever goes against him will be beaten to death!"

Making all the women surround the Iron Bull was ironically a defensive tactic for them. If the man gave in to his base desires, the sheer amount of females surrounding him could make it impossible even for him to get his way without getting overwhelmed. The sheer mass of people close to each other would make it impossible for the women to run and almost force them to protect their peers.

Or not. But it was worth a try.

It was slow at first, but some people obeyed. Most humans defaulted to herd mentality when confused. There were those whose default reaction was doing the opposite of what they were told, but I just told them to leave and they didn't cause trouble.

I told women and children to sit down so the Iron Bull could watch over them and detect anything wrong. The men, I ordered to look outwards and look menacing.

Every second man had to kneel or crouch, to give everyone outside a clear vision of the Iron Bull. That would be important for the incoming teleport.

"Remember to thank the Iron Bull!"

I always told them that as an attempt to make him appreciate what I was doing for him. It wasn't working. He looked downright pissed by now.

When the first group had about a hundred people, I refused to let others in.

"The Iron Bull doesn't want a group impossible to manage!" I said.

I knew putting words to his mouth was much worse than using his name as I had been doing. But the existing anger in his face foretold of what was already coming anyway. No reason to be polite.

"Create new groups of a hundred people nearby! Here and here!" I pointed to two location and started organizing the people. "Only principled men can stay guard! Evil men, go away! The Iron Bull will beat anyone who tries to abuse your people!"

I kept screaming and organizing everyone. Some ten minutes later, we had three groups of people and others farther away were organizing themselves similarly, although under different leadership.

Some women wanted to be in the protective ring instead of sitting inside. The Tower had removed any advantage or disadvantage different sexes had over the other, so I allowed it. The only reason I told the men to protect the women in the first place was because it would feel familiar for them.

After forming the three groups, it was time to change tactics. I turned to the Iron Bull.

"Hero Iron Bull," I said as submissively as possible, even bowing a little his direction, my last attempt to defuse his anger. "These people are under your command. Do you want to lead a group of warriors to make sure they'll keep the peace as we expand? Or should I do it?"

Surprise overwhelmed his anger for an instant, soon replaced by suspicion, then decisiveness. "I'll do it," he said and started walking, his eyes locked on me. Everyone parted for him to pass.

I waited in silence, still bowing, but prepared to fight. He reached me and slapped my shoulder hard, but with our similar strength, I only felt as if someone with average strength was hitting me. It hurt, but not much.

"You did well," he said, clenching his hand to hurt me. "Now, get the fuck out of my sight, fucking nerd."

His decision was an unsurprising and stupid one.

I reacted at once.

My left arm pushed his arm from my shoulder while my right fist went for his windpipe. He reacted fast enough, but his speed was nowhere near what he was used to. The sudden gap in his actual capabilities and what he was used to made him useless in a fight until he familiarized himself with it.

I would give him no chance for that.

As for me, I had gotten used enough to my new body after flailing my arms and walking around to get people in position. I also was used to resets.

His visually stronger muscles would make it easier for him to grow in the Tower until he was back to his peak, they gave him extra potential. But that was all. Potential could do nothing for him now.

My first hit his trachea spot on and my right knee followed by crushing the guy's balls. As he stepped back, my right foot hit his balls again with a powerful swing, followed by kicking his stomach with my heel. The last kick pushed him back and made him fall on the ground.

The idiot hadn't expected a fight with the submissive fatty I was pretending to be, much less my sudden attack. I jumped — really jumped — on him, who was stunned by levels of pain he hadn't felt in a long time. My knees hit his belly with all my weight behind them and I started punching his neck in quick succession.

He opened his mouth to try to breath while pushing me away. I opened his jaw wide with both my hands, dislocating it, before he succeeded. He screamed in pain.

That should be enough to lock him in place for a few seconds. I stood up, got beside him, and started stomping his neck.

Until he died.

I wasn't even breathing hard after the extension, courtesy of the Tower. So, I immediately looked around and shouted.

"The Iron Bull of New York was accused of rape four times but he always settled in private. Well, I judge him guilty and death penalty it is for him."

Some people yelled in surprise when I attacked. Others, in fear. The groups I organized started getting chaotic, many of them running away. I pointed at one of them.

"Stop!" I yelled. "This is the safest place for you all, idiots! Can't you hear it? The women screaming in the distance? Can't you see how some men are looking at you? In my domain, I forbid rape. I also forbid going against me. So I order you all to stay where the fuck you are. I can't run after all of you, but the slowest of you will pay for rebelling!"

That was a lie, I wouldn't beat people down for fearing me and running away. But they didn't know it and using fear to control people was one of the tools of a dictator. I had told myself how I had to go crazy to avoid social drama, but the way they looked at me still sucked.

I was a bit of a coward in that aspect. Even when killing my allies at the Last Floor, I always avoided looking them in the eyes.

But these people would thank me later. This was the most effective way to care for their safety. And with the Iron Bull dead, I had no choice but to use the fear I got from killing him.

Only the people nearby heard my words over their own screams and they froze for a few moments. That was enough for me. "Group up again!" I ordered, yelling. No one moved. "I promise to protect you all! Believe me, you'll need it!"

Some of them looked at each other before moving hesitantly.

"Think with your heads!" I continued. "If you want to go against me, grouping together is the best you can do, no? For your own protection, this is the smart thing to do! And if I'm telling you to do it, I obviously care about your safety!"

"How do we know you won't attack us?" A brave woman yelled.

I couldn't pinpoint her location but looked in her general direction. "I will now create a group of brave warriors to make sure the men in the groups keep their hands to themselves. A group of ten, to begin with! If they see me doing anything wrong, do you think my fat self can fight them all? I surprised the Iron Bull, but the warriors will be prepared! Just like with the groups, this new structure I'll create will protect you both from external forces, each other, and myself."

"What external forces?" another asked.

"Where are we?"

"What's going on?" 

Shock and movement had made them keep those questions to themselves, but now the damn had broken.

I sighed.